Chapter 25
Wolf's Confession

As the afternoon sun escaped from the white clouds above, the barren landscape of the Land of Claws was finally within their sights.

Upon reaching the land's border, they were met with the sight of oily black stones that swirled into grotesque shapes and landforms. The infamous village of the barbarian-people who tormented Yama since its formation more than one hundred years ago, all thanks to banishment from the neighbouring Land of Winds near a century prior. Nestled within a cradle of boulders the village was shrouded in the shadows of the wastes that surrounded it, a faint but archaic glimmer of civilization.

"Is it true what they say... about this place?" Nomasaki pressed, cautiously. "That... those banished... -,"

"Yes," Gaara spoke, his eyes locked on the village in the horizon. "This place was where my great-grandfather, the First Kazekage exiled the clans of the Land of Wind near one hundred years ago... leaving only the four noble families. He feared an usurpation of power was imminent after Sunagakure was founded, and banished those clans with Kekkei Genkai to the wastes." His eyes narrowed, shameful and contemptuous. "...Some of the elders say he even used fuinjutsu to seal Kekkei Genkai away... leaving my clan the only ones with any remaining power. That was how he established the line of Kazekage... its history."

Nomasaki gulped atop her mount. "That's... horrible."

"It's my family... I'm not surprised."

"Then... how did shinobi with Kekkei Genkai become in Suna?" She asked, curious. "Moro-sama of my tracking unit has Scorch Release, like the legendary Pakura-sama of the Third War."

The brisk wind slapped the hood of his cloak. "Times slowly changed, especially in times of war. Suna needed powerful shinobi, so they allowed some who were banished to return... but not all." Most were done away with through sealing their bloodlines or through assassination, he remembered, We're no better than the Bloody Mist.

Hanone grumbled, sensing the approaching chakra. "Stay on your guard... This land is strange to us and full of would-be enemies..."

"Who goes there?!" A voice shouted. "State your purpose or leave!"

Pulling down his cloak, Gaara eyed the guard sternly and they suddenly froze from meeting his face. "We've been summoned. Let us pass... or we'll force ourselves through these gates of yours."

"You...! You're the... -!" Catching sight of the giant wolf and the masked shinobi on its back, the man stepped back in fright. "A-A wolf -?!"

Hanone growled under his master, eyeing the guard as if a snack. "We have clearance," Nomasaki spoke, her voice flat and even as she pulled out the scroll to show him herself. "Your leader summoned Kazekage-sama for an audience. That's why we're here. Please step aside."

Jolting, the guard quickly realized his mistake and allow them entrance. Taking the liberty to escort them himself, he led the way through the mysterious village that was nestled within the oily black stones. It was near as small as Yamagakure, Nomasaki thought. The village was not even close to being as large of that as Suna, and the streets were silent and grim. Some children chasing a stray dog ran across the street, only for the dog to catch wind of Hanone and whimper with its tail between its legs. Soon enough, curious villagers peered out from their storefronts and windows to catch a glimpse of the foreigners who were escorted to their leader. As they walked through the quiet and harsh village road, they were led to an old stone castle, its structure reminiscent of the Warring States Era and times of old, its worn red gates gleaming in the daylight as they passed through them. Before they could enter, the guards drew their spears towards Hanone as the wolf attempted to follow his porcelain-masked master and the Kazekage inside the keep.

"No ninja tools or summons permitted inside the palace!" A guard barked. "It's forbidden!"

"Do you have a death-wish, human...?" Hanone grumbled, snarling towards the man.

"Hanone, please wait here. This won't take too long, I promise." Nomasaki assured. "Stay here and keep watch, just in case..." With an assuring glance, Nomasaki signaled for him to stay in the courtyard through the slits of her wolfish mask, the beast snarling in disgust in response to the armor-clad men who closed the doors behind her.

Sitting on the tatami floor of the large darkened room, Gaara and his assistant sat across from the village leader, an elderly man dressed in a dark green garb, with eyes that held obvious past war experience as a ninja. Despite this, he was calm and mild, with long white facial hair and a defined scar over his left eye. It appeared deep enough to have come from a well-forged katana, an injury likely from his youth in the First Shinobi War. Zenken of the Wastes was the name he was well-known by those across the western nations. Guards stood idly like statues at the doors behind the Sand shinobi with spears held at their hands, preventing anyone from entering to ensure the meeting was kept private. Calmly, Zenken accepted the scroll that the young Kazekage had signed and placed it gingerly on the small table beside him by the dimly lit candle and the calligraphy set.

"Well, Kazekage-sama," He finished with a nod. "Being that the agreement is now signed, our village takes full responsibility for the recent acts of terrorism that plagued the Land of Wind since the ending of the Third Shinobi War. Our past leadership until recently was unfortunately clouded by vengeance and deceit… We've since banished those who incited these violent attacks, and put to death their organizers. As the chieftain of Ishigakure, I can only hope to resolve those wrongs and work towards a better future... and finally put our hostile past behind us."

"Thank you." Gaara nodded, as he sat before him. As if stone, his face was expressionless yet stern all at once. "Suna is looking forward to seeing Ishigakure as a neutral ally, rather than a tormented aggressor. Being that the Land of Claws is a small nation, it would be in the best interests of both our villages to at least be amicable towards each other. Perhaps when the daimyo meet, trade discussions can be held safely with no threat from either side."

With a slight nod, Zenken bowed to his words in agreement. "I wholeheartedly agree, Kazekage-sama. Again, I would like to thank you for coming all this way. I can honestly say, I wasn't expecting your arrival. I was more so preparing for a proxy. However, it is good that we finally meet and can discuss things civilly such as this."

As he could feel a glare directed towards him, he turned towards the silent young woman who sat close to the Kazekage, her glare averted from his direction, but her strange lilac eyes filled with contempt and hatred. Attempting to keep her emotions in check during the crucial meeting was proving difficult. All she could think of was ver destroyed homeland, her near capture in the Land of Rivers, and their attacker from the day before. Her mask was snarled in a mysterious manner, its porcelain finish shaped into a beast with red markings - a wolf. Turning to her, he examined her sorrowful expression of quiet pain, becoming astounded and ashamed of the person who was before him.

"You, young woman,"

Jolting her, she turned to face him. Wiping her expression clean of anger, she masked it by an air of calmness. "Yes, sir?"

"Your eyes… You're a Yamamori clansmen, aren't you? If so, you're certainly far from home... or what's left of it." He lamented. "Our lands hated each other since the beginning... In the Warring States Era, the Yamamori clan and our own of the long-lost Kumatsume fought each other to the death for the sake of our daimyo who didn't care if we lived or died. I can understand... because I am of that clan, the Kumatsume."

Surprised, she examined the old man's face. The rival clan, she realized, So they exist.

"Although we are different in blood, our clans are cut from the same cloth. You - a wolf, or... wolf-people, and my clan - the bears, or bear-men." Zenken continued, his voice growing low from regret. "Hatred is a cut that runs deep, and both our clans succumbed to it... in the end. And here we are, the last of us... both of us pledging allegiance to countries where we were never born."

Sadly, yet with a bitter glance in her eyes, she nodded. Before the candlelight, she slowly removed her mask so she could face him directly. Her vibrant lilac eyes bored into his elderly glance with her wolf's blood boiling in her veins. His chakra felt strange to her, as if they were in fact similar in some strange way. Perhaps they were both beasts if his clan-name had any held meaning. She brushed it off as coincidence. The only clan of beasts was mine... and I'm the last one. After a shared glance, the elderly chieftain bowed to her, surprising both her and Gaara from his gesture.

"As the chieftain of Ishigakure," He began. "I apologize for the actions of our past leadership. We've had skirmishes with your clan in the past and were blinded by seeking vengeance… It was wrong of us... to do such a terrible thing. Forgive us."

Glancing at her as he sat, Gaara awaited her response, curious as to if she should respond to the leader of the village who desecrated her clan and homeland. As she looked at the chieftain's gesture, her eyes closed halfway in sorrow. "Not to be rude, sir," She replied, quietly, as she averted her gaze. "But your apology is wasted on me, as I can't speak for my clan. They're dead, or at least… most of them." Turning back to face him, she narrowed her eyes into his and swallowed her pride. "However, if you can promise me to leave those remaining of my clan alone, that's all I would want from Ishigakure."

As Zenken sat up from his bow, he nodded in agreement. "Consider the promise kept." He said. "We apologize for the destruction of Yamagakure. Our past leadership was a dark time… and we take full responsibility for the actions of our village. We've since tried to help the survivors who wandered into our borders following the invasion, but they've been hesitant... and for good reason, I understand. There are some gathered still on the tundra farming winter wheat, but I'm afraid Yama is still no more. It has yet to rise from the ashes... but it requires a pillar to unite its people."

With a tint of sadness in her eyes, she looked down, remembering her past home in the mountains. The never-ending snow she loved so much, the howls of the winds, her house on the hilltop where she was born and raised, and the loving comfort of her mother. Ishi took it all away from her, but she knew she had to let go of the hatred. Remembering what little Gaara spoke of to her on the mysterious Uchiha Sasuke of Konoha, she knew that vengeance would only lead to a path of darkness. Like Sasuke, they were possibly the last of their clans and both were ostracized yet sought by enemies for their unique genetics and bloodlines. After he sought the dangerous missing-nin for power - Sannin Orochimaru – Sasuke became one with the darkness and left his life in Konoha behind. She was in a uniquely sad position – her village ostracized her and her clan, she lost her home and her people within a single night, yet through a glimmer of hope she found herself starting over anew within Suna – thanks to her chance encounter with Gaara as she lay unconscious in the desert sands.

Perhaps she could one day let go of the hatred surrounding her nameless father, too.

But that was a doubtful dream.

Nodding once as she held her head down, she closed her eyes. Silently, she acknowledged his promise, accepting his plea for forgiveness. "Thank you."

"Sir," Gaara spoke, gaining his attention. "We would also like to mention that we encountered an assassin from your village while on our way here. We were attacked in the northern Land of Rivers, near the Land of Mountains southern border... by twenty men led by an armour-clad missing-nin."

Moving his thick white cloak and unbuttoning the top of his shirt's collar, he exposed his bandages that were wrapped around his shoulder and chest – concealing his deep chest wound from the foe's lightning release jutsu. Surprised from his action, Nomasaki turned to him, watching him graze his bandages with his pale fingers – the wound he took to protect her while they fought in the Land of Rivers earlier the day before. The more she looked at his bandages, the more she could feel the overwhelming guilt consume her.

"As you can see, we had to engage in combat. Kōgen of Ishi is what he called himself... from your village. He was an S-Rank criminal… and was after the bloodline of my assistant who's here with me today." He glanced to her, noticing her averted sad eyes. "Before being defeated, he claimed to have been involved in Yama's destruction... and tried to capture Nomasaki. He was unsuccessful, and was killed. As Kazekage and your humbled guest, I need to know if this was premeditated."

Zenken's wrinkled eyes widened, shocked by the reveal. "What in the world?! No, that can't be! Kōgen was rumoured to be dead...!"

"Dead?" Gaara pressed, his ringed-eyes narrowing. "Tell me everything. We're allies now, and I need to know... who was this man who attacked?"

"Kōgen was a jonin shinobi of our village, a brute warrior... he was exiled to the wastes years ago, after the Yama invasion that went against our daimyo's wishes and our own. My sources all told me he died, along with his brothers." His palms hit the tatami floor as he begged forgiveness. "We would never do such a thing! Especially to our own allies! Ishi has no intention to do harm, I give my word as its chieftain! I'll instruct my men and our own ANBU to hunt down the rest if you wish... To say the least, I'm as dishonoured by this as you are."

Gaara returned the cloak over his shoulder, concealing his recent injury that burned in his chest. "Are you certain about this?"

"We promise you, we as Ishigakure simply want peace." Zenken pleaded. "We would never knowingly send our own to assassinate our allies. I never issued an order to attack… and I'm certain my people have not acted against my will… Our village is hardy and strong, and all we want is peace with the great nations - no longer war or famine. Ishi wants survival."

With a stern glance, Gaara's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he thought more of the assassin they encountered in the snowy forest. The more he thought, the more unease that rose within him. "Very well... If you have any more intel to report, send a hawk to Suna. It would be better to have this matter settled swiftly than drag it out and possibly tarnish our alliance before it even has a chance to take."

"I wholeheartedly agree, Kazekage-sama." Zenken nodded. "This matter won't go unnoticed, I can assure you."

Watching their conversation carefully as the orange candlelight flickered in the chamber, Nomasaki was suddenly reminded of Gaara's stature. Not only did he carry leadership in his title of Kazekage, but his manner of speaking was eloquent to that of an esteemed ruler wiser than their years. No doubt she respected him so. After saying their parting words to the chieftain, she donned her mask once again and was the first to leave the palace doors.

She sought the outside more than she knew.

As they stepped out into the late afternoon sun of the caste courtyard, Hanone walked towards them. His large paws crushed the delicate flowerbeds in his wake. Pausing before his master, he glanced at her faded lilac eyes. They were defeated, emotionally-spent, and blank. "Your composure surprises me," He spoke, his teeth gnashing into a growl, ripping into the crisp dry air of the wastes. "If that were me, I'd slaughter them all! The bastards… it's their fault your clan is extinct! Not to mention, why Yama no longer exists!"

Walking towards the wolf, Nomasaki patted his mane of white before her, her eyes reluctantly void of emotion. "A shinobi must keep their emotions intact." She explained. "I… was simply following my duties for this mission for… the sake of Suna and Ishi." Looking down, she could feel her eyes swell heavily with sadness. "I know I would never forgive them, but… this is closure, and I appreciate it. If being a shinobi means to kill my emotions, so be it."

Turning to the west, she seen the snowy mountain chain of the Land of Mountains, the peak of Yama disappearing into the clouds above. With an ache in the pit of her heart, she could feel her eyes grow heavy with oncoming silent tears, knowing she could never truly forgive anyone, but she had to move on. Becoming a kunoichi was not in her destiny, but only now did she accept it fully. Putting aside her feelings for the act of serving for the greater good, she knew she had no time to think if Kenzō was waiting to torture her upon arrival.

No doubt he would be displeased we survived..

It tore her to think about what would have been. For all she knew, she could be in the mountains near her family's ancestral homestead and farming the winter wheat while Hanone kept a watchful eye on his master from the clan's forest. She would be free from her burdens, her seal, her duties, and all that plagued her in the present and future. It pained her to consider the possibilities that could have awaited her if she lived a normal civilian life.

That's a foolish dream, she reminded herself, It's too late for me. I made my grave and now I must lie in it.

Noticing her gaze towards the mountains, Gaara looked at her with a sympathetic gaze. "Nomasaki,"

From his voice, she snapped out of her daze, jolting slightly. "R-Right... My apologies, Gaara. Er… Gaara-sama." She replied, turning to him. "We should return home and tell the council what's happened."

With a nod, they departed back to Suna, starting for the barren wastelands that claimed the Land of Claws.

Bypassing the snowy route along the Land of Rivers, the trio headed south towards the Land of Wind.

Opting for a faster path home, they risked the treacherous and unpredictable conditions of the vast desert that encompassed the landscape. After many hours of constant travel, they finally made it to the never-ending sands of the desert. As the evening approached, the desert suddenly turned cold, with the calm winds suddenly transforming into a vicious gale, sweeping across the desert and clouding the moon in the darkening night sky. While they kept on through the rising sands, the gusts of wind were so powerful they could barely move past them or see where they were going. It was a brewing sandstorm.

"Just what we need at this hour…" Hanone grunted, his claws digging into the sands with great force while Nomasaki shielded her face with her mask as she sat on his back. "A sandstorm… If we were to take the way we came, we wouldn't have to worry about this! We should've known better than to let a sand-bastard lead the way…!"

As he tried use his sand to block himself from the powerful winds, Gaara looked to his side, catching sight of a large cave from a protruding series of ancient statues not far from where they stood. While he examined the sight from afar, he knew they would be safe if they camped there. "We shouldn't waste time on grunting," He called out, the winds carrying away his voice into the brewing storm. "This way! There's a cave nearby!" Gesturing to the sheltered stone cave, Hanone's struggled pace through the sand paused. "We have to take shelter! If we keep travelling through this, we could end up losing our path to Suna!"

"Hmph!" Hanone snarled, his muzzle gnashing his fangs in anger. "You mean you're not even strong enough to shield us from mere specks of sand?"

"Not as of yet." Gaara glared at him, the winds violently whisking past them. "My abilities haven't fully returned since the one-tail extraction, and I'm still injured from our encounter with the missing-nin."

"I agree with Gaara!" Nomasaki chimed in, hoping to dispel the argument. "The sandstorm could turn treacherous, there's no use in risking it! We should wait until it's clear to finish our journey!"

Growling silently, Hanone glared up at her as she sat on his back of white fur. Although he respected and obeyed her decisions, he was growing to despise her consistently taking Gaara's side of their petty arguments. Just as he feared, the bastard blood of her nameless father was circulating within her veins as she grew older. Unfortunate for her, she was not a pure Yamamori like her mother. She was only a 'half-blood' as was spoken by the elders of those descending from two separate bloodlines. The great wolf was reminded of that fact every waking day he saw her within the hot desert lands. Deep down, he knew that choosing to stay in Suna was a grave mistake, and it never failed to anger him whenever he looked upon the stoic, pale face and ringed-eyes belonging to the once-feared jinchuriki.

The Kazekage was a threat to his master.

Turning to her, Gaara gestured to the cave with a nod as the winds picked up and howled against the dunes without mercy. "This way."

As the young Kazekage started towards their shelter, Hanone begrudgingly followed not far behind him. Entering the cave, what appeared to be a small enclave of sandstone turned into the ancient ruins of some long-forgotten civilization. Faint colourings of red and gold adorning the arches and pillars that stood were chipped away by the sands of time, while faded hieroglyphs painted the walls that surrounded them. They were inside a decaying temple, a thousand years separating them from the rest of the world. It was unlike anything Nomasaki had ever seen.

After setting a fire and unmasking herself, Nomasaki set her pack down and drew out the first-aid kit. "I know it's been only a day... but we should redress your bandages." She said, gathering the supplies. "We don't want you to get infected. The wound was deep, too... so there is a risk with these things."

Silently, Gaara agreed and removed the cloak the shielded him from both the cold and the sands. Resting beside him amongst the soft hum of a fire were his flak jacket and collared shirt while his dutiful assistant slowly untied his old wrappings. Her touch was gentle and cautious, weaving through the bandages seamlessly. A sudden twinge of pain struck him. Clutching the wound, his body tensed.

"Gaara -!"

He bit his tongue, masking his pain as best as he could. "I'm okay..." He glared ahead. "Just... finish this..."

Warily, she continued. As the final bandages covering his gash fell to the cave floor, she carefully applied the alcohol to sanitize. Even though he felt the alcohol before, it still burned where it touched his skin. Gnashing his teeth to quell any curses that rose to his lips, the sweat beaded upon his forehead from the injury and his concurrent weakness. It's been more than months and I'm still a shell of my former self, he was reminded. Never in his life had he ever wanted to be a jinchuriki so bad. If it meant he could live as he always did but lose his newfound grasp with sleep, so be it - all he wanted was his strength back.

If I was still a jinchuriki, I wouldn't have gotten hurt... I could have protected her better.

But this was his new reality, and he had to deal with what he was given.

"It's healing, but slowly." She assured, taking away the cloth of alcohol from the darkened red gash near his shoulder. "There's no sign of it festering, so that's good. I'll add the ointment and new dressings for now, but this is all I can do for you." Setting aside the used cloth, she rummaged through the kit and readied the healing ointment. Gingerly, she began coating the wound in the substance. The cold feel of the ointment clashed with the burn the alcohol left. It singed through him, making him wince from the fresh pain. "Gaara -,"

Their hands touched.

As if instinctually, he reached for her hand that lay upon his shoulder. She froze. His touch was warm, strong, and caring. Just from the way his fingers grasped hers, she could tell the type of person he was. Kind. Realizing his grasp, a flush of red quickly spread to her cheeks. Averting her violet eyes, she focused on the wound while she hoped he did not catch her in a daze. Unbeknownst to her, his attention was focused elsewhere towards the decaying arches and painted pillars that marked the cave where they took refuge. And still, his hand held onto hers.

"...Remind me to not be reckless next time." He said. Catching her attention, her hand paused on his wound. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he met her eyes. In the firelight that lurked beside them, they appeared a deep violet of nightshade. "Thank you... for this."

Shyly, she smiled back. "You don't have to, it's my duty. But... I do want your wound healed sooner than later. You're the Kazekage, and... you mean a lot to us... in the village." Eyeing the bandages, she realized their position. "Gaara-sama, my hand -,"

It was then that he noticed. "Right. Sorry."

The air was cold when his hand left hers. Her gentle touch was smooth, warm, and comforting. Only once his hand was drawn away did he realize the absence he felt when her grasp was gone. The thoughts from yesterday at the mountain riverside came rushing back, the memory of seeing her back to him as the winds swam through her thick golden hair. And a beast howled. As he watched her dress his wound anew, his curiosity towards her returned.

What is it about her that I can't seem to understand?

Cutting the bandages with a kunai from her satchel was the best she could do in the absence of scissors. "It's done," She smiled lightly, putting away the supplies into the open kit. "When we return to the village at dawn, you should see the medic-nin. They can use medical ninjutsu to heal your wound further, and much faster. I know you have your own special unit at the estate, but maybe try seeing Meiyumi. Do you remember her? She was my teammate when I was on Team Hashira. Her jutsu is seamless, I recommend seeing her if you decide further treatment."

Looking at her as she stood, he nodded. "Thank you."

Gathering the used bandages and cloth of alcohol, the haunting glimmer of the campfire drew her in. The orange flames swelled as she saw Yamagakure burned and the bloodied snow flash before her eyes. It appeared as vivid as day itself. Blinking away the memories, she tossed them into the fire. The hunger of the crackling fire swallowed all, turning the cloth into broken ash and into nothing.

"Nomasaki," Hanone called from his resting spot along a painted wall. "There are no other chakras within the cave. I suggest we sleep now and leave before dawn. There may be others who seek this place if the storm continues... and I have no room for patience...!"

She yawned on her way to his side. "You're right. I am tired... I hardly got any sleep last night."

She stayed awake and took turns on guard with Hanone all night, Gaara remembered as he fastened his flak jacket. Rattled from the attack, she forced herself to stay awake in case another ambush lay on the horizon. Her senses would alert her no matter the cause, but she did not have to sacrifice her sleep for the sake of his safety. She was assigned by the council to be his escort and bodyguard, but she did not owe him anything - nothing. While Gaara tied his cloak over his shoulders, he only hoped that a peaceful's night sleep would be the only eventful occurrence.

"Gaara-sama," She called, laying down on fur of her wolf's back. "You should sleep, too."

"No need." He answered. "Sleep still doesn't come easy to me... Rest."

Understanding, she nodded. "Oh... Alright." Resting her head upon her blanket of white furs, she closed her eyes. "...Goodnight."

Her words surprised him.

Not once had he heard something utter those words to him. He wanted to say 'goodnight' back, but they failed to leave his lips as a silence filled the ruined cave. Turning to her direction, he met the ire of the large wolf that guarded her. Averting his gaze, he sat alone by the dimming fire the crackled softly in the pitch that surround them. The winds had not ceased since they arrived, howling against the cave entrace loud enough to rival the beast that lurked with its master. The sandstorm was proving to be relentless in nature.

As the hours passed, the storm progressed in a blind terror.

Sitting on the cave floor, Gaara looked across the darkened cavern towards the great wolf and his assistant once more as he noticed the wolf's eyes were closed. Laying by the painted cave wall, Hanone laid curled with his ears perked to the sounds of the winds, with Nomasaki sleeping silently on his back of snow-white fur. Her back was turned to him where he could see, and her wolfish red and white tracker-nin mask was in view. With an intent gaze, he observed her sleep, deeply envying the prospect of gaining rest as his tired eyes ached from insomnia. Catching wind of the young Kazekage's glance, Hanone briefly opened his eyes at him then returned to his rest. Catching Gaara's attention, the wolf smirked and a short grunt passing through its black nostrils.

"What is it?" Gaara asked, glancing at the beast with narrowed eyes, sensing his discontent. "Hanone, I'm not in the mood to argue with you… so what are you laughing at?"

"The way you look at her… It's the same way you've been looking at her for the past three years, ever since she came to these cursed lands of Suna." The wolf scoffed. "As if she's some sort of specimen for your people's amusement… her strangeness drawing you close to her like a moth to a flame."

Gaara's eyes narrowed in curiosity, taking slight offense to his comments. "What do you mean? What are you getting at?"

"Young Kazekage …do you have feelings for her?"

Shocked, his ringed-eyes greatly widened, feeling as though his heart stopped from the accusation. Frozen by the wolf's sudden question, his thoughts on the mission came to a screeching halt in his mind as he attempted to mentally wrangle with the words the beast uttered from his fanged jaws. Not once had the thought crossed his mind in the three years he had known her – not ever. There were feelings of comfort, feelings of protection, and the shared mutual respect as Kazekage and assistant – but were there other feelings he had not seen? That was something he had to think about carefully. Still, the beast's words shocked him to his core while he sat across from him in that cave – while his assistant lay asleep and unaware of the conversation.

"Because… I believe she has developed feelings for you." Suddenly, the wolf's muzzle formed a vicious snarl, barring his jagged teeth from across the cave floor. "If you don't return those feelings she harbors, I suggest you find yourself another assistant and let her return to the mountains where she belongs!"

"...No," He spoke, looking down at his lap with wide eyes – still absorbing the wolf's words. "That's a lie. I... think you're mistaken."

"Hmph?! What makes you think that?"

Averting his gaze, Gaara mulled over his reasoning. "She's my assistant and a... kunoichi. She knows full well not to let feelings get in the way of her duties. Besides…"

Closing his turquoise eyes halfway as he looked down at the cave floor, he remembered the darkness that encased him not long before they first met. He was enveloped within it, cradling him with the power and murderous thoughts of a monster. Shukaku fed into his consciousness and he let the beast echo its desires and bloodthirsty for the first thirteen years of his young life. On the day he told her of his past, it was a day grim with silence. His office had never felt so alienating until that moment when he saw her avert her eyes from him in fear.

"I... can't believe it... That's so horrible. I had no idea..."

The way her words resonated within him made him remember the sheen of her saddened eyes. It reminded him of the fearful tremble her eyes held as she witnessed Shukaku emerge when he rescued her from her kidnappers years ago. It was unforgettable to him.

"Now you know," He remembered saying. "You know the entire truth of it. I must ask you... has your loyalty changed? You can tell me, Nomasaki."

Surprising him, she stepped forward towards him in his office that evening. Her timid eyes met his curious glance, her expression brave and unwavering.

"I trust you, Gaara-sama. You are the Kazekage, and to you I promise my loyalty as your assistant. Remember – you are also my friend... Please, don't forget that."

Her brave and warm words caught him by surprise that day. She truly was kind-hearted, he thought – the look in her eyes evoked her honesty. While he pondered his thoughts, he wondered if she only tried to spare him the hurt. Before he could push himself to think of the words, his lips spoke them before he had a chance. "…She knows who I am… or what I was."

The wolf scoffed. "She would never say this to you, but she was deeply afraid of Shukaku's presence. But she knows you are no monster, or Shukaku. She admires you for the person you have become, and she's seen it happen from the very start."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" He questioned, silently surprised by the wolf's confession. "I know you're not entirely fond of me… so why even tell me this to begin with?"

Briefly, Hanone laughed monstrous bellow, amused by the young Kazekage's obliviousness to the proof before him. "You humans are all the same! So suspicious… You can choose to believe me or not, it's up to you. She's of the snow… the fact that she can adapt to life in your village astounds me. It must come from her wretched father..." Piercingly, the wolf glared at him with slit yellow eyes as a snarl escaped its muzzle. As he bore his beastly eyes through the young Kazekage, he could feel his blood boil beneath his thick coat of white. Not a human before him had stirred him so other than the lover of his previous master – and he knew how that story ended. Trying not to wake the young woman sleeping on his back, the monstrous wolf dug its claws into the dirt to control himself – his muffled growling breaking into the cave air around them. "That's why I don't care for you or your people… Her mother put her trust in a ninja of your village and was betrayed! You'll do the same to Nomasaki… I know you would once you came across the chance, like the true sand-bastard you are! In case you're curious as to why I don't care for you, Gaara of the Sand Waterfall… I don't exactly trust humans... especially those who lurk from the desert!"

Tensely, they exchanged a bitter glance. Striking a chord within him, Gaara glared back at the beast – wishing that Nomasaki would wake so that she could silence her summon. It was futile – she was in a very deep sleep, judging from her still silence as her back was facing him in the night from her wolf's snow-white mount. In response to his narrowed ringed-eyes, the wolf barred his pearl white fangs to him in feral aggression.

"If you hurt her, I'll rip you apart limb from limb!" The wolf snarled. "That's a promise… I'm willing to face death for that."

Listening to his threat, Gaara glared at the wolf in retaliation – his ringed-eyes conveying his bitter distaste for the summon his assistant called forth into battle. Tiredly, Hanone yawned. Closing his eyes, he laid his head against his large white paws – sleeping out the remaining hours of the desert sandstorm. As Gaara sat awake from insomnia, he felt his wound pulse in his chest. He winced, grasping it lightly. Jolting for a moment, he realized something. As he touched the bandages, he admired the careful handiwork and care that went into his healing.

Despite not knowing any medical ninjutsu, she still tried her best to heal him. She cared deeply for him, and her feelings were conveyed to him as his fingers grazed his soft bandages. As he watched her turn over in her sleep, he remembered every moment they spent together since she became his assistant, realizing he always felt a certain way around her – a comforting, warm feeling. He felt it whenever she spoke, when he would see her bright lilac eyes glancing up at him, and when she would smile gently at him. He would never admit it, but she made him content and at ease.

Then, he realized.

It was because she was precious to him.

She was.

"Love is... the unconditional care and devotion you feel for the precious ones around you..."

Thinking of the words of his late uncle Yashamaru spoke to him as a child on protecting those precious, he observed her peacefully sleep that night with a protective and unwavering gaze. Not taking his eyes off her for a second…