"Hey you."- Someone speaking.
Hey you- Normal rendition of Naruto telling the story.
'Hey you.' More specific thoughts Based on the situation.
'Hey you.'- unknown
A/N: Time for another update. Thoughts on the characters so far? Let me know.
-ST
"Wake up. Wake up Hinata!" This was my third attempt in waking up the lioness, but to no avail.
'She sleeps like a fucking rock.' I gave up as I laid still under her sleeping form. 'When did she get so heavy anyway? She's tiny.'
Growl*
'Man I'm starving too, I don't have time for this.'
I lifted her carefully only to have her growl in her sleep. Stabbing agitated claws into my rib cage.
"Ow! Hinata wake the hell up! That hurts! " Still nothing, just an annoyed face on an otherwise peaceful girl.
"Ok fine, we can play this game." I sunk my teeth ever so gently into her ear.
'Still nothing?...'
'Try meaning it this time.'
I bit even harder, tooth turning to a small fang. Releasing a little blood flow onto my lip.
"God damnit, you asshole!" I finally got the response I wanted when Hinata was cursing blindly on top of me, clutching at her left ear.
"Well good morning to you too sunshine." I couldn't help the stupid grin that spread across my face. It was rare to see her this aggravated or this aggressive in general.
Ever sense we'd been taken, her whole demeanor seemed to be changing. Like I was getting too know a whole different Hinata. Her mood was harsh and her voice was far from soft anymore.
'Considering what we've been through... I guess that's not really a surprise.' She continued to sit atop of me, ear still in hand.
"Are you trying to die an early death? I was having such a good dream."' The look on her face spoke volumes. Genuine disappointment. I'd interrupted something amazing and I was going to pay for it later.
"Not particularly?" the sarcasm definitely didn't help with her attitude. She looked down at me, and then down to where she straddled my waist, legs on either side of my hips, shifting back slightly to put more of her weight on me. " I guess it depends on how I die?"
'Does she not know how amazing that feels?'
"I'm sure it'd be a pleasant death." A pause a she shifted her wait once more on top of me. "So is this your way of saying good morning? Or are you just happy to see me?" She laughed at my immediately red face. Pushing back onto my growing length beneath her hips.
"Oh shit, I'm sorry Hinata. It just kinda-" a yawn interrupted my train of thought and my apology before either could finish.
"Why'd you wake me?" Either she was teasing me on purpose or she more or less didn't care about what her body was doing to mine.
"It's just that we have to meet up with Tenten and Shikamaru in like, five minutes. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining but you'd kill me if we were late."
She didn't say anything as she slid off of me.
"Well I guess I better stop spoiling myself and wake up on my own. In my own bed." I didn't have anything to retort as she went to the bathroom to change.
'Well it looks like I messed that one up too. Great.'
"Hey new meat! We're leaving in five. " I could clearly hear the agitated sounds of an impatient Tenten banging on the other side of my bedroom door. " So, hurry it up. I don't like my time wasted."
"Please listen to her, I'd rather not deal with her attitude." A voice I assumed came from a less energetic Shikamaru.
"Yeah we'll be right out!" I scrambled to find some clothes in the rooms many dressers. I settled on an old grey hoodie, blue jeans, and luckily enough a pair of black chucks I found under the bed.
'Not my favorite color, but they'll have to do.' By the time I was situated, Hinata had come out completely dressed. Wearing a tight purple tank top and short jean shorts that seemed to have a hard time covering her curvy hips.
"Um?" I could literally hear myself gulp at the site of her.
"Any reason you're staring?" Her posture was defensive as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and pointed albino feline eyes in my direction.
'I could name two good reasons.'
" Oh nothing. But don't you think it's kinda cold for that?"
'Yep. Definitely too cold.' If the two pointing figures I saw were any indication.
"Yes. But the only girl in this house whose even close to my measurements seems to have a very." A long pause as she looked over her clothes in the bedroom mirror. "Eccentric taste in clothing." She looked away, a glimmer of bashfulness in her cheeks.
"More like a slutty taste..."
"What'd you say?"
'Damnit did I say that out loud!?'
"Nothing. I said there's no time to waste! Tenten is waiting on us."
"Hmph. Let her wait." Hinata stuck her nose up at the very mention of the brown haired girl's name.
"Hinata play nice. We don't need any problems with them this early on." Her annoyed look turned to me now.
"Oh so you're on her side now? Do you not remember what she did to me?"
I was off the couch in a flash, my face now inches away from hers.
"She'd have to go through me first. I'll always protect you, you know that."
My eyes searched hers. Hopefully she would understand where I was coming from.
' I'm only here to protect you.'
"You won't have to. I'll kill her myself if she crosses the line. And you" I felt a pointed finger push me against the wall. " And if you get in my way..." Hinata brought her lips inches from mine, I could feel her heat against mine as she molded into me, breast pressed firmly against my chest.
"Don't ever think about defending me if I can do it myself." Fangs bared with a growling undertone. " I can do it myself."
"And I can do it better." I could feel my own aggression rising, I knew we were both more than capable of protecting ourselves now. But I'd be damned if I stood by and watched more of my friends die or get hurt.
"Lets go, before we're late." I cut her off, dropping the subject and heading toward the door. My mind trying to adjust to Hinata's new independent attitude.
'It's like she doesn't even need me anymore...' I opened the door to an impatient Tenten. Stamping her foot, an old school two barrel shotgun in her hands. Clad in black crop top and yellow track pants. 'Do women around her not believe in the cold? Or are they all out for my hormones?' I harnessed a stare as I tried to divert my eyes from her pointed look.
"Quite done arguing with your girlfriend Uzumaki?
"She's. Not. My. Girlfriend." It seemed everyone and their mother was out to rub it in too.
"Whatever kid, meet us at the edge of the forest. You'll be doing a special task for me, and Shikamaru here will be shadowing you to make sure you don't mess it up."
"Mess what up exactly?" But my question only echoed down the hallway as Shikamaru and Tenten had already sped off. But I could make out a chipper Kiba waving her off. I decided to try and get as much info out of him before I went walking into the unknown.
"Oi, Kiba you got a minute? I got a couple questions." I met him at the edge of the staircase, Hinata a few steps behind me.
"Sure pup, I'm never too busy to pass some knowledge." He's level of energy was concerning seeing as it was damn near midnight. I was relieved to know that everyone in the house preferred a more nocturnal schedule. I was certain too much sun exposure would be agony after staying secluded in that lab for so long.
"First. You realize you're like a year older than me, right? And second, what are we about to do out there?" I'd always been the curious type, but to say I was no longer a fan of surprises would be a gross understatement.
"Well it's a matter of perspective really... I like to think a couple years of tearing through flesh weighs heavier than the typical junior to senior comparison. And as for your second question. " Kiba gave me a huge grin, slapping both of his hands on my shoulders.
" Well let's just say, you're going to find out why I love my Panda Bear so much. She gets me, you know?" To be such a fierce creation of man and science, Kiba sure had a... gushy side? He was clearly daydreaming as he mentioned her, boyish look in his eye as he mentioned their bond.
" Who knows, maybe she'll help you two with your little problem." He dropped his hands and gave me a more serious look. " And I met what I said Uzumaki. If she doesn't like what you two are putting out. Then don't be surprised when you're looking for a new home. I put full trust into anyone that lives under my roof."
I reflected on Kiba's words, all the way to the edge of the forest.
'How do you find somebody like that in a world like this?' I looked to Hinata, but her focus seemed to set on Tenten, who was a few yards ahead of us in the tree line.
"Took you both long enough. I only have you both until sunrise. So, let's get started." She pulled out a silver knife from a holster on her hip. A black marble hand grip and a tribal etched pattern on the blade.
"Damn. That looks pretty expensive." Tenten was all smiles at the blades acknowledgment.
" Kiba spoils me. Here." She sheathed it and tossed it to me.
"It's pretty hefty too, how much was it?" I felt Hinata take it from me to observe its design.
"Too much. But I Trust you to use it for tonight. I'm giving you until sunrise to kill the biggest predator you can find out here."
"That seems easy enough, what's out there anyway? Wolves? Foxes?" I watched her chuckle as she slung the shotgun over her shoulder.
"Well yes and yes, but my favorite is the family of grizzlies out there. They're not hibernating yet, so you still have time to hunt one down."
'I thought jobs was fucking kidding about the bear steak."
'We can kill them with ease.'
'Well I'm glad one of us is confident.'
" So then what's the catch? I know I've never faced a fucking bear before, but I know for sure that they'll probably rip me apart."
" I'm guessing that's what the gun is for?" I looked at Hinata who had sheathed the blade along her waist.
"And you'd be wrong." Tenten seemed pleased with her deduction regardless. "They're empty see?" She cocked open the shotgun to show its empty chambers. "Can't have some stray civilian seeing us walking around with our prey without any real explanation for their deaths, right? "
"That makes sense I suppose. So then how are we hunting a freakin bear?"
Again, more laughs at my expense.
"This exercise will be all grit. You may only use your own claws and teeth. Shikamaru will make sure you don't cheat. Oh, and do me a favor and skin it with that knife when you're done, momma needs a new fur coat!"
"You're kidding..." I turned to look at Hinata's face who was caught equally off guard.
"Never." Tenten was dead ass serious.
sigh*
"Oh yeah, where is Shikamaru anyway?" My question earned a giggle from both of the girls.
"Me? I've been here the whole time."
" Where in the hell did you come from!?" My heart was pounding as I turned to see a disinterested Shikamaru leaning against the same tree I had been on.
" I'm everywhere man, it's a matter of perspective really. So just pay better attention next time."
'So why the heck couldn't you say something about this guy?'
'He poses no threat to you.' I decided not to press further as I focused my attentions back on Tenten.
"Any other rules?"
"Oh damn, I almost forgot!" Tenten reached in her back pocket and pulled out two black bandanas. "You'll be doing this blindfolded." She tossed us the rags and I couldn't help but wonder.
"Because?" My jaw had long sense stopped dropping and instead, I deadpanned at her outrageous statement.
"Well I could conjure up some bull shit about you needing to embrace your senses or something. But honestly, it's because I feel like it. And also." Tenten threw a smirk in Hinata's direction. " Because your house cat keeps eyeballing me."
"I'd be careful if I were you, you said any predator. So what's to stop me from coming after you?"
" Try me little girl, I'll rip those pretty little eyes right out."
"Ladies please! No use in making more problems." I tried separating the two but Hinata pushed right past me.
"Naruto no one asked you!"
I could feel the anger building from my gut as I held back a roar. But gritted teeth and ferocity still cloaked my voice as spoke again.
"Hinata. Chill out." My hand grabbed hers as I yanked her firmly behind me. But she was right back in my face almost instantly.
"Or what? What the hell are you going to do? Leave again?" Her anger was boiling now, an innocent little girl transforming into a fierce lioness. I know she was just upset, but I found my body on auto pilot with my next movement.
I found my hand wrapped around her neck, pulling her close to me. My teeth close enough to graze her ear. But I steadied my breath as I maintained control.
"Do as I say." I whispered in her ear gently, but she understood my sincerity. Her claws and anger gone at the sight of my frustration. And probably more importantly the dominance I could feel myself radiating.
' Keep your people in check, or I'll have too. '
"O-okay." She seemed nervous as she brought her hands to mine, slowly unfolding them from her neck. " I'm sorry, I think I'm just hungry."
'Typical.' I felt myself relax as I hugged her.
"Yeah, I'm a little edgy too." She felt a little more like the old Hinata when she hugged me back.
"You didn't have to yell.."
'Doesn't she realize she started it?'
"Ahh and that brings us to the point of this special hunt. Control. I take it you've noticed a lack of it lately?"
I considered her words for a moment as I recalled my more frequent outburst of aggression in the past couple days.
"I have. It's kinda like, food isn't feeding me. Like I'm still hungry. No matter what I eat." I thought back to the feast of bloody meat we had when we first arrived at Kiba's home. It was amazing, but it didn't really seem to feed the blood lust inside of me. "Why?" Hinata didn't move to much in my arms, but I could tell she was also focused on what Tenten had to say.
"Well, I do think Kiba could explain it better. But I'll do my best." She eased off of the both of us, the atmosphere suddenly a lot less hostile. And a bit more solemn.
" You see, that lust, that beast is not something that can be simply fed and expected to be sated. It's more than that, it's about the hunt. The rush of chasing down and killing something with your own teeth; feeling it's life leave its body and mold into your own. To put it simply, you're not hungry for meat. You need to tear into something for that hunger to dim. " Tenten looked down at her hands and willed her claws to draw forward. "That's why Kiba and I get along so well, ya know? There's no delusion about what we've become. We even embrace it."
She smiled just like a school girl at the mention of his name. "Kiba. Kiba really gets me."
'You want this?'
"Wait, you had me until there. What do you mean?"
"The most important part of all of this!" Her eyes were now on mine. But gone was the solemn nature. Instead, pooling black eyes drowned out the gaze of what I thought was a sane girl. "You see, we love our gift! We embrace it. The hunt, the thrill, the feral love of it all. And you." A fully clawed finger was centimeters away from my nose. "You have to either choose to hold onto your hopeless humanity. Or become a true predator."
'Is this bitch crazy?'
"You've really lost yourself in this, haven't you?"
"Nah kid." It was Shikamaru's turn to speak this time." We've found who we really are. You'll find yourselves too, just give it time." He walked to our side, with an exhausted sigh for Tenten's overzealous speech on the topic.
"Sure, there's fanatics like Tenten and Kiba." He dodged a rock for his comment. "But for the most part, the rest of us found our purpose as something slightly more elevated in the food chain. Something a little stranger... a little darker." Shikamaru's image began to blur before me and in seconds he seemed to have disappeared. But I knew better than to fall for that again.
"You're still there, aren't you?"
"You're learning. Now let's get this over with, Ino is coming back and I don't want to hear her mouth for being late to dinner."
Tenten jumped with joy at the proceedings. "Finally! Go make me proud kids."
The next few hours were spent paws on the ground, our noses and ears on high alert. Listening to the deep music of the forest. The quiet crunching of twigs and the dead sound of crinkled leaves. The flapping of birds overhead drowned out the shallow breathing of small woodland animals shuffling around on the cold earth. Brisk wind caressed my face as I rotated my blindfolded eyes in search of life.
'I can see so much without really seeing a damn thing.'
"I hate her. But this bandanna thing actually wasn't a bad idea. It's like I can sense everything around me." I could feel Hinata moving carefully alongside of me. The sniffing of her nose so close to the ground. "Wait, do you hear that?"
I could feel the thundering stomp of something close by. Heavy and definitely moving towards us.
"Are you kidding? I FEEL that."
'Move!' Instinct took over as I dodged left, taking Hinata with me as I rolled down what I assumed was a small hill. Crashing at the base of it onto a pile of dead wood.
"Ouch...I think we found our Yogi." I rubbed the base of my skull as I adjusted from the larger animal's sudden attack.
I mustered a wordless roar as I charged back up the hill at the beast. But I'm not sure where my mind went after I created that hill.
The next thing I could remember was the spray of blood as crimson pooled under my tongue and ran like rivers out of the corners of my mouth. The beast's neck victim to my fangs as my hunger cried in release at the taste of the beast's flesh.
'Did I black out?' I imagined I did as I lifted my bandanna to see a large brown grizzly bear underneath me. Signs of a struggle were certain as I noted the many scraps running along my blood covered arms and wolf like bite marks all over the bears mutilated fur. I looked over to see Hinata had already begun skinning the animal, her own face covered in dried blood, a beautiful contrast against the now rising sun. Paying no attention to me as she moved the blade smoothly under the skin.
" Looks like your back, feel better?"
"Back? What the hell happened? How long has it been?"
'I have a killer headache too. What the hell did I do?'
"You went fucking crazy that's what. You chased this poor thing all over the forest. You caught it maybe a four hours ago, and then you proceeded to hunt down all of them. You've been feeding ever since." She took a second to stop skinning and look at my confused face. "You mean you don't remember?"
'You're welcome.'
But both the words of Hinata and even the fox within just fell into dead space. I could feel my jaw agape as I looked at the horizon beyond Hinata. There was the unmistakable silhouette of a man, enlarged in my view as he glided beneath the morning sun. As he got closer I noted long jet black hear and a pale white chest. He was still at a distance when I noted large black wings, sprouting from the back of a pale humanoid form. Making headway as it's wings flapped and it passed just over us. If I didn't know better I'd think I was looking at an angel or maybe a devil?
"Is that? Is that... a raven?"
xXx