Authors note!
This story contains themes surrounding domestic violence. If you are in any way unsure if you can handle this sensitive topic, I will you to put yourself first. Know that you are loved and appreciated. Drop me a message about themes that you would like to read about instead!
Chapters 1-3 were written over 10 years ago. Whilst I've matured and (hopefully) improved I only did some light editing to these chapters to focus more on the later chapters. I hope you enjoy.
...
Introduction
A lone eagle stood atop a thick, wild tree; its pale, beady eyes scouring the dry land for life. The landscape was near dead, only tumbleweed populating the desert-like terrain as it silently slipped past, accompanied by the valiant winds. The heat was ridiculously blistering that afternoon, the sun high in the halcyon sky and so full it looked near to bursting.
The eagle, which had once been basking in the glorious rays, suddenly whipped its proud head, twisting its whole body to face the dirt track to the far north where a large shadowed figure had appeared.
The beast seemed to be of a monumental size, almost unreal, but as it loomed closer, the mighty monstrosity turned out to be nothing more than a tame horse, carrying a rather petite traveler. The stallion, which was obviously in its prime due to the amount of bundles it was carrying on its muscular build, trotted along the track, kicking up dust as it went. The rider, unlike her steed, was tiny. The poncho she wore over her light build kept slipping over her thin shoulder and would have definitely slipped past her skinless elbow if she didn't keep readjusting herself.
Her clothes were stained with the mud and dirt of the hundreds of miles she had traveled, even to the state where it was impossible to tell what color they originally were. The horse snorted impatiently, obviously exhausted from the restless journey. Its master, reading the horse like a page on a book, patted him gently on his hard neck.
"Almost there boy…not too far now…it'll be worth it this time I promise…"
...
A good dozen miles south, it was a completely different story. The deserted lands were long forgotten and were transformed into a bustling, green haven; full of luscious vegetables so fresh they were suitable for royalty. Among the harvest, a few women were still out, picking at rotten stems and tending the plants. By this time, the sun was lingering over the mountains, making the sky look like a painter's pallet, filled with different colors and shades of a hot summer's night.
One woman, distracted by the brilliant sky, shaded her eyes from the remaining sunlight, looking into the perfect distance and sighed. Next to her, another woman with crisp golden hair looked up to her companion and smirked.
"Missing someone special, Sakura?"
Startled by the statement, the said woman flinched out of her daydream and turned to face the blonde, a pink tinge raging in her cheeks.
"W-Who on earth would I be missing? You've obviously been on the drink again, Ino…" The flustered female shuffled past her friend, suddenly becoming interested in picking ripe tomatoes. The reaction only made the young female interrogate the coral haired girl more.
" I see, because I spied with my sober little eye you and a certain someone entering your bunkhouse the other night" Sakura froze. "Don't worry, I won't spill anything the boss now, I know she doesn't approve of any funny stuff going on between workers"
Sakura slowly turned her whole body to face Ino, a grateful smile plastered on her face.
"Thanks, Ino…I knows it's not allowed, but-"
"I hope you girls aren't gossiping on the job again" A stern yet feminine voice cut the girls conversation short. Startled, the pair turned to meet the menacing look of Temari, the foreman of the ranch.
She was the princess, able to make even the craziest of bastards respect her. She had power no man could ever behold, even if they wanted to. At the age of twenty-two, she had made a pretty good life for herself on the ranch, taking care of each and every worker who came and went. She was tough, but she also had a soft spot for the female workers of the ranch. To her, she was their mother. So when she made eye contact with the two girls, crouching on the dusty, dry floor, she couldn't help but smile at their innocent faces.
"Of course not, Lady Temari! We wouldn't dream of it!" The loose golden locks swished from side to side as Temari shook her head, smiling to herself.
"What am I ever going to do with you girls?" Resting a small hand on the crook of her hip, she shooed the girls off to clean up, knowing it was about time to get a strong drink down their necks.
...
The town was ridiculously small; its population was just over a pitiful ten people. Yet, the wine house was always busy, bustling with people exhausted after a hard day's labor looking for a cold companion to ease them of their worries. A small majority were weary travelers, those who sat in a dark corner muttering comforting words to themselves for the future. But the locals were always the life of the party. They were like a family, a diverse one, but a family none-the-less. Those mere twelve people had seen the worst and best of life, and heck, they knew they were at their best.
It was hitting twilight when Temari and her girls stepped into the wine house, their faces lighting up as they saw the familiar faces they knew so well.
"Ah, so you guys finally decided to join us then? We were starting to think you'd found some other drinking buddies" A young man with big, messy hair raised his glass to the girls, his dog barking excitedly at the sudden commotion.
"Who else is there to drink with, the cattle?" The party burst into laughter and the girls took their seats at the bar with the rest of their family. A timid girl waved from behind the bar as she served a group of shoddy-looking travelers.
"If those sons of guns even look at Hinata, I'll hit them into tomorrow." The foreman sat as she eyed up a group of men heavy on the drink. A groan was heard beside Temari.
"Women, so troublesome"
"Oh, nice to join us mayor. Hard at work again I see" The mayor uncovered his face from his hat and crushed it on his head. His clothing was no different from what his fellow companions wore except they were considerably cleaner than most. Yet his presence was thick with the scent of tobacco.
"Being mayor is actually harder than you think. I make it look easy."
"In your dreams maybe" The conversation paused, the pair of them eyeing each other like rivals. Then they started to laugh, the tension immediately vanishing between the two. This was a nightly routine of theirs so no one took any notice of the bickering stabs between the pair - but many rolled their eyes as they wondered how long this ritual would go on for before someone made a move.
Hinata, finally finding a spare few moments to welcome the girls, took her natural position behind the bar and topped everyone up with the cool, bitter treasure everyone lusted for.
"Thanks Hinata, looks like another busy night, you sure you don't need any help?" Hinata gently shook her head, releasing some of the fine hairs from the grips in her hair.
"N-No, really I'm fine. It's closing time soon anyway so everyone will be going soon"
"Well, if things do get rowdy, we'll fetch the sheriff" The sound of glass shattering on the hardwood floor silenced the room. The once majestic girl now looked hot and bothered: her whole face on fire.
"…Hinata?" The girl was still dazed. "Hinata!"
Blinking multiple times, she mentally pulled herself out of her bewildered state, realizing the whole group was watching her. Many of which had knowing looks painted on their face as they watched the pub owner glow a shade of red.
"S-Sorry, everyone!" She called from the bar, giving everyone the clear to go back to normal. Her face still blazing red, she ducked her head and hurried to the back room, leaving only Kiba puzzled.
"What was all that about?" Kiba asked, attempting to calm his dog after the confusion.
The girls innocently looked at each other, nodding their heads in a silent understanding and went back to drinking. The guys were left clueless.
Pulling his hat over his eyes, Shikamaru slumped back on the bar and repeated to himself quietly. "Troublesome women."
...
The dirt track was long gone, leaving the wandering girl alone and lost. Her horse was growing steadily weary and both were feeling the strain of the long day. What began as a gloriously hot day had been replaced by a bitter cold wind that sent shivers running through the traveler, her hands gripping her reins throughout the ordeal. Her bindles carried no food and her stomach was howling. Restless nights had left her vulnerable and she knew if she didn't get some help soon she would be in serious danger.
Suddenly, in the horizon, there was a glimmer of hope. It was quite a distance, but there was a light. The light was small, but it was all the girl needed. Spirits heightened, she gently tapped her horse with her spurs and made for the light, hoping she would find hostility, if only for a night.
...
However humble the town was, there was still a need for a sheriff. Like the town, the sheriff's office was small and quaint, only home to one cell for any rascal who disturbed the peace. The building was a perfect square shape, with the dark, lonely cell in a far corner and a polished wooden desk in the middle, where a pair of muddy feet rested on top. The owner of those feet, obviously shattered after a hard day of doing ought, was snoring heavily whilst rocking back and forth on a hinged chair.
The peace didn't last for long as a lean figure burst through the heavy wooden door, almost scaring the resting man out of his skin. He was just able to reach the edge of the table before the chair toppled over completely, rescuing him and his back from injury.
"Hell, Lee! You tryna kill me?" Striking blue eyes glared intently at the new figure. Lee just grinned apologetically.
"Sorry Naruto! Didn't think you'd be napping" Lee wore no hat, his slick black hair cupping his scalp perfectly.
The sheriff, predicting he wouldn't get much peace for a long while, pulled off his hat and sweeped his golden hair back with his hand.
"Nah, it's alright. Anything to report?" Not expecting much, Naurto amused himself by cleaning his muddy nails. But, when Lee hesitated when answering him, Naruto shot him an anxious expression, it wasn't like Lee to keep quiet. He was staring straight at Naruto, his eyebrows knitted together.
"Well…nothing in the town was out of place. But…I overheard some folk who had come in from the fields say that they had seen a…monster" Naruto shot up from his seat.
"A monster?"
"Yes" Lee leaned his shoulder on the wall, crossing his arms. "They said they could see some beast headin' towards the town. I took a look around but found nothin'. You think they were trying to pull a fast one on me?" Naruto's blue eyes started over at Lee, trying to seek any sign of a smile.
There was none. He was serious.
"We'll need to send someone out to check it out." Lee nodded at the sheriff's request.
"I'll round up the me-" Before Lee could finish his sentence, the wooden door creaked open once again to reveal another male. His majesty controlled the room as he strolled in; hands lay casually by his sides, swaying with his lean figure. Pale lavender eyes circled the room before landing on the sheriff and his deputy. His boots clipped the wood as he wandered over to them, smirking kindly.
"Reporting for duty, sir" The man removed his hat in greeting, making his abnormally long hair sway before returning it onto his head.
Naruto smiled back. "Neji…I have a job for you"
...
It wasn't looking good for the girl. Her body was on the verge of collapse, but somehow, she traveled onwards. Yet, her vision has started to fail her, the lights in which she had seen before started to flicker. She began to wonder if she was just imagining the lights. Her breathing had become harsh and heavy, even breathing had become a challenge for the young woman.
She wouldn't last another half an hour, if that. Her horse had slowed as well, but because of its strength it was able to trudge on, the ever so faithful steed to his master.
She only managed to pull her arm up to stroke the horse's long mane before falling clumsily onto the horse's neck, only just managing to stabilize herself to stay on the stead. She closed her eyes, not able to hold back her exhaustion any longer.
But then, somewhere in the distance, she could've sworn she heard some movement. However, unable to open her eyes and her body limp, she just couldn't bring herself to worry. The last thing he remembered was feeling warmth.
She guessed it was heaven.
She was wrong.
...