A/N: I've been waiting to release this chapter for so long now! Let me know what you all think, your opinions are really important to me, and inspire me to keep writing. Love to you all.

Still disclaiming Naruto and its characters.

The Hunter and the Hunted

Luna let out a long sigh as she stared up at the ceiling in her room. Her arm really was giving her more trouble than usual, the loose bandage proving to be a somewhat entertaining distraction as she plucked the shredded material.

Last night had been strange. Her memories seemed almost fuzzy as she thought back to how she'd sat tiredly upon the Inu hill. She also found it odd that her jaw felt vaguely stiff, though she didn't recall doing any howling that night. As far as she could remember, she really hadn't heard anything as Kiba had asked her.

Her ears perked up suddenly at the sound of a slamming door, and three hushed voices speaking in whispers as they filed into the living room, which just so happened to be two walls away from her bedroom. She sat upright and strained to make out what they were saying, but failed.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she slid off the end of her bed and tiptoed into the hallway, pausing outside the lounge to listen in to their conversation.

'It's just so unlike them, I can't believe for one second they would attack each other like that.' The first voice growled, sounding very much like Hana. Three concern canine whimpers near where her voice came from confirmed that it was the veterinarian, along with her three faithful ninken.

'Well what other explanation is there? The blood that covered them was all their own, and there were no witnesses as far as we know.' That unmistakable gravel-like tone was definitely Tsume.

'But Ma, those dogs are barely out of litter training, there's no way they could inflict such serious damage on each other.' Kiba was the third voice in the room, sounding as determined as his sister.

Unable to hide her gasp, Luna slid open the door to the lounge area. 'W-wait, there's been an attack?'

Three sets of human eyes and five canine ones widened at her appearance in the doorway. She gulped loudly, swallowing her pride as she dipped her head in a slight apology for eavesdropping.

'I'm sorry for listening in but… Are they alright?'

'They're in recovery.' Tsume sighed, running a hand through her unruly brown hair. 'Conscious, but none of the ninken seem to be able to recall the events. It would appear that the unidentified noise that only the dogs could hear beforehand caused more than just their lack of response.'

'A noise?' She frowned and looked at the ground, feeling uncomfortable and out of place.

'You didn't hear anything did you?' Hana questioned, sounding hopeful.

Luna shook her heard regretfully. 'I didn't, my hearing's only enhanced when I'm in my wolf form…' She trailed off when her eyes met the intense stare of Kiba Inuzuka. The way his onyx eyes had zeroed in on her expression was making her feel terribly self-conscious. Is there something on my face?

Mistaking her discomfort for feeling helpless, Hana offered her a reassuring smile. 'Don't worry about it then, there's nothing you could have done. Try and get some rest, alright?'

She nodded solemnly, backing out of the lounge area and heading for her own room, Kiba's estranged expression haunting her mind. Was it something I said?

She reached out for the handle of the shoji door that currently separated her from the safety of her room, but a hand suddenly appeared on her wrist, halting her actions.

Her head snapped up in surprise, ears flattening out of habit. 'K-Kiba?'

'Can I talk to you for a sec?' His voice held a seriousness she didn't know he possessed.

'Uh... Sure.' She nodded hesitantly and allowed him to lead her back down the hall. She was surprised when they bypassed the living room entirely, trailing after him nervously as they exited the main building. 'Where are we going?'

Kiba replied without turning, keeping his voice flat and lucid. 'Just somewhere we can talk.'

'Oh.' She bit her lip, feeling the need to lighten the quickly plummeting mood. 'You aren't breaking up with me, are you?'

She waited for him to throw her a crazy grin over his shoulder, or laugh and tell her she was daft. But he didn't, he just kept walking solemnly as though leading her to death row.

He finally stopped when they reached the shallow hill that overlooked the Leaf village in the Inuzuka compound. She shivered as the breeze picked up slightly, ruffling her silvery hair and blowing it gently in Kiba's direction. His shoulders tensed slightly as her scent reached his nose, a quick flash of déjà vu hitting the pair before he forced himself to relax again. This was no time to be getting caught up in the overpowering aroma of pine forests and grass.

He turned to face her fully, agonisingly slowly. His ebony irises moved to rest on Luna's scarlet orbs, which were narrowed and mistrusting. His brow twitched, disappointed in himself for being the reason behind her worry, but he needed to know the truth. He could sense the tension rolling off her in waves, fists clenched tightly by her sides, as though preparing for the fight of her life.

Kiba dropped her gaze, softening his expression and slumping to the ground, patting a patch of grass beside him. She complied reluctantly, watching him anxiously from the corner of her eye as she stared out over the village.

'So, what did you wanna talk about?' She questioned, her words quiet and surprisingly calm.

Guess there's no point beating around the bush now. 'Where were you last night?'

She tilted her head to look at him curiously. 'I was here… Like I always am. Why?'

'I was just wondering if you might have seen something, if you didn't hear anything.'

'Don't you think I'd have mentioned it if I had?' She snapped, patience waning.

'…I hope you would have.' He murmured cryptically, and Kiba didn't miss the way her nose scrunched lightly in distaste at the obvious insinuation.

'What's that supposed to mean?' She growled lowly, fighting back the urge to all out roar at him.

He let out a short sigh. He was in too deep now to take back his words. 'It means, I think there's something you're not telling me.'

For once, she faltered in her response. It was barely a second, but it was all the confirmation he needed. 'It's none of your business, mongrel. I was out here, and that's all I know.'

'That's all you know?' Kiba's eyes flickered to meet hers, confused by her strange phrasing. 'What exactly happened last night?'

'I just mean that's all there is to tell. It's nothing, Kiba. Drop it.'

'No, because you're hiding something!'

'I'm not! If I knew something I'd tell you!'

'So there is something, but you don't know it?'

'How does that even make sense?'

'You tell me!'

'I DON'T REMEMBER, OKAY?' She snarled, leaping up from the ground. Her ears flattened against her hair and the wolf's tail she possessed curled between her legs slightly, clearly feeling threatened, but the Inuzuka remained still. 'I blacked out. I-I don't remember what happened, but I didn't attack those ninken. I didn't… I wouldn't…' Her voice faded into nothing more than a whisper and her arms wrapped around her chest. Who was she kidding, she had no idea what happened last night after she blacked out. For all she knew, she was the one behind the ninken attacks. But why would she do that, seemingly unprovoked?

Wait a minute…

'Hold on, you said there was a noise that only the dogs could hear, right?'

Kiba nodded, his mouth set in a thin line that made his expression impossible to decipher.

'A noise… that only dogs can hear?' She mumbled, tucking one hand into her pocket and pulling out a small object. 'I wonder…'

'What is it?'

When she didn't reply, instead choosing to continue her own incoherent mumblings to herself, he repeated his question louder. Luna, who had begun pacing slightly, paused to look him briefly in the eye. Though the notion would normally be viewed as menacing or a dominance challenge, this time it seemed almost like a plea for help. But he couldn't help her if she didn't let him in on the secret.

'Luna.' He stood up slowly, moving to stand before her and folding one hand over hers, the one that clutched the unidentified object. She flinched lightly at the contact, but allowed him to lift her hand and turn it over, her fingers unravelling to reveal the broken whistle that Lady Tsunade had granted her permission to keep.

He raised an eyebrow at the item, before flicking his gaze back to hers. The red irises that met him suddenly seemed so expressive, Kiba almost let out a gasp. She looked so hurt and confused, that he instantly regretted ever even thinking that she could be involved with those attacks. At least, not to her knowledge.

'Tell me what you're thinking.' He commanded softly, fighting a blush as he became painfully aware that he was still cupping her upturned hand. And that she was letting him.

Luna swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry. 'It's just an old wolf's tale. A story the elders used to tell us to scare the pups, that's all.'

'Tell me.'

'…Alright.'

Kiba pulled her back down onto the grass, sitting cross-legged as she pulled her knees up to rest her chin on them. Dressed only in a dark red T-shirt and black ninja pants, she shuddered again in the breeze and hugged her legs closer to her chest.

'There was a story… more like a legend actually, that the village elders used to tell to us as youngsters. The Legend of Hihanta.' She was about to continue, but hesitated in confusion when Kiba started to remove his jacket. 'What are you–'

The jacket was slumped over her knees before she could finish her question. She blinked in surprise, and he threw her a lopsided smile.

'I have a feeling we're gonna be out here for a while, and you're cold, right?'

'B-but…' Another, stronger breeze rattled through her body and she subconsciously clutched the sleeves of his coat tighter around her legs. 'Aren't you cold?'

He shrugged. 'I've been colder.'

She looked unsure for a moment, but a few more words of encouragement were all it took for her to selfishly accept the gesture.

'Thank you.' She smiled, a genuinely thankful smile.

'Don't mention it.' He grinned back. 'So, Hihanta, hm?'

'Right. Centuries ago, there were two tribes who lived in close proximity together. The first was the Hangetsu clan, the wolf human hybrids. The second was the Hitaiyo clan. A human family of animal tamers. My clan has always been nocturnal, while the Hitaiyo clan were diurnal.'

'Diurnal?' Kiba frowned, confused by the strange term.

'The opposite of nocturnal. Day-dwellers, if you like. It's not a very common word, but that's what they were called in the story.' After a nod from the Inuzuka, she continued. 'For a long time, they lived in harmony, sharing the land with each respective time zone. They very rarely encountered one another with their opposing sleeping habits, so it was all very convenient. Then one night, just as the wolves were rising, a single stray child, Baron, of the Hitaiyo clan, was found wandering the forest by the current Hangestu Alpha's son, Malakai. The young hybrid was suspicious of the boy at first, but the pair soon became friends. Every evening, just before the sun was fully set, Malakai would awaken and run to the edge of his territory to meet Baron, and they would play until the rest of the wolves had awoken.

'However one night, Baron brought a friend with him. His friend, Delta, was not nearly as accepting as Baron was, claiming the boy was betraying the Hitaiyo clan by associating with such an abomination. Malakai was enraged by this human's complete lack of respect for the wolf pack, ordering him to leave and never return, turning his back on both Delta and his friend.'

'So what does this have to do with the ninken attacks, and the whistle?' Kiba asked, though he was clearly enthralled by the tale from the way he leaned forward eagerly.

'Hush, I'm getting there.' Luna scolded, flicking him on the nose before he leaned in too close for comfort. He scrunched his nose several times but chose not to comment further, allowing her to continue.

'After that night, Malakai felt the deep cut of betrayal. Over the next few years, that feeling of betrayal festered and grew increasingly bitter over the loss of Baron's friendship. Four years later, one icy winter's evening, they met again. Baron was on a late night border patrol at the edge of his village's territory, while Malakai had risen early to impress his father with the first hunt of the night. The pair locked eyes from across a clearing, Baron with his sharpened spear, Malakai with his fangs bared and claws brandished.

'Their battle was inevitable. See, Malakai had held such hatred for his human friend for so long, that the wolf inside him began to use his pain in order to overwhelm him. He blacked out in lupine form, returning to his father several hours later empty handed and covered in blood. The Hitaiyo clan only found Baron's body several weeks later when the snow had cleared, but the cause of death was undeniably obvious. They stormed the Hangetsu village, demanding justice for their member's death and seeking the head of his killer. Obviously, the wolves refused to hand over their soon-to-be Alpha, so the humans left, with unquenched hunger for revenge. Thus, Hihanta was born.'

'But, what is the Hihanta?' The Inuzuka pressed, eyes wide and fascinated like a child listening to a fairy-tale for the first time.

'Hihanta is an ideal. It translates to 'Day Hunter', with his sole purpose being to seek revenge on the clan who unjustly murdered the son of their ancestors. The legend states it's one man, but there were whisperings of the title being handed down through selected generations over the years.'

'Selected? By who?'

'They call them the Diurnal Council. The last remaining blood relatives of the Hitaiyo clan, honouring the final wishes of their ancestors.'

'Which was?'

'…To eliminate the Hangetsu clan, down to the last living wolf on this planet.'

The wind chose this moment to pick up and howl through the trees on either side of the hill, like a discontented ghost and sending chills down their spines.

Luna laughed the shiver off nervously, curling her tail around her legs. 'But like I said, it's just an old wolf's tale. Nothing more than a child's horror story.' She cleared her throat and mimicked one of the elders from her village. 'If you kids don't go to bed before the sun rises, Hihanta will come and seek you out!'

Kiba chuckled at her impression, but there was still something he didn't understand. 'But what I don't get is, why would that relate to the ninken?'

'Well, there's an extended version to the legend, in which Hihanta uses an instrument that can create sounds that only a wolf – or a dog – would be able to hear. The frequency is so high that it has the power to temporarily control or paralyse a canine against its will, and without its knowledge. The whistle reminded me, and you said the dogs acted strangely as though hearing something you couldn't.'

'So that could be why the dogs were unresponsive, because they were paralysed?'

'Yeah but, like I said, Hihanta is just a legend. It's not real… At least, as far as I know it isn't.'

'Then why bring it up?' The Inu nin tilted his head, searching her expression for any hint of deception. There was none.

'Because if someone else knew of the story, they could use it as inspiration to create such an object, and control them the way the Hihanta does.'

'That actually makes sense… Alright, come on!' Kiba leapt to his feet in a sudden burst of energy, making her flinch at the action.

'Where are we going now?' Luna grumbled, clambering to her feet grudgingly and refusing to release his jacket, not that he asked for it back.

'You're going to tell my ma everything you just told me. Maybe she can find something on that 'old wolf's tale'.' He grinned and tugged on her wrist, leading her back towards the main building of the Inuzuka estate.

'I see. That's very interesting.' Tsume rubbed her chin with a thumb and forefinger thoughtfully when Luna finished her tale for the second time that night. She had to hide her amusement as Kiba had sat listening intently once again as though being told it for the very first time. 'And you, too, remember nothing of the noise or the attack?'

Luna shook her head, no. 'All I remember is sitting on the hill at the back of the compound, and the next thing I was making my way back towards the main house.'

'Hmm. Perhaps you should stay closer to home for the next few nights, it's probably not safe for you to be left alone.' The Inuzuka Alpha suggested, and Luna tried not to take the comment the wrong way. She knew Tsume was only saying that for the concern of her own wellbeing, but still, there was the unspoken question lingering if whether or not Luna would be capable of such an attack. None of them wanted to consider that just yet.

She was about to excuse herself, when Tsume's tone took on a very solemn manner. 'Luna. I know this is probably not something you wish to discuss, but do you think it is possible that your family could have been controlled in the same way?'

The sharp intake of breath that followed slipped from Kiba's lips, rather than the she-wolfs. In fact, Luna seemed almost ashamed.

'The thought did cross my mind, actually…'

'You said yourself the Hitaiyo family wanted the elimination of your clan, so it seems appropriate to me that we assume this Hihanta was involved with–'

'No!' The hybrid shook her head furiously. 'Hihanta isn't real! He's just a legend. Nothing more.'

'Why are you so sure of that?' Tsume tilted her head, curiosity piqued by the girl's sudden certainty.

'I just am. He can't be real. He's just a legend.' She repeated fruitlessly, clenching her fists as she stared at the floor.

The Inuzuka Alpha seemed unconvinced, but dropped the topic. 'Very well. Get some rest, I'll need to report this to the Hokage in the morning.'

'O-okay.' Luna's feet obeyed without influence, carrying her listlessly down the hall and into her room. Once she was sure the door was firmly shut and she had not been followed, she let the tears fall.

In all honesty, Luna wasn't sure that Hihanta was just a legend. She just didn't want to consider the notion that her family had been murdered for something that happened over three hundred years ago. Something that they themselves had absolutely no connection to, other than the blood that flowed through their veins, and that was not something they could control. It was too cruel, so she refused to believe it.

She realised with dismay that sleep was not going to come easy to her tonight, but for an entirely different reason to her usual sleeping habits. Even so, she closed her eyes tight and snuggled beneath the comforter the Inuzuka's had provided. The warmth and security the duvet offered gave her some mild relief from the niggling urge to howl at the moon, but she dared not transform again. Not until this was cleared up.

If the Hiha– no, if the person who was controlling the dogs could control Luna in her wolf form too, then she would not give him the opportunity. Wolves were a proud race, and to allow such a cowardly creature to control her from the depths of the shadows he hid in was unacceptable. No, she would not dance to his flute.

Luna Hangetsu was a wolf, and she would endure.

'Shit, not again!' Kiba growled, waving a hand back and forth in front of his giant dog's face. He tutted when he only received the same blank stare as previously, trying not to let his frustration rise. Losing his temper would serve to help no one.

'Kiba, stay with the dogs, I'm going to do a quick perimeter scan, see if I can find anything.' Tsume barked, earning a quick nod from her son.

They'd been heading back from the Hokage office after a long serious talk with Tsunade. Geez, that woman could be as scary as his mother when she wanted to be. Needless to say, she was less than pleased at the idea of someone being able to infiltrate their village without actually stepping foot inside. Tsume had assured her that so far, they were pretty sure there had been no breach in security, which had calmed the older woman slightly.

That didn't mean there wasn't a threat to the Leaf though. And that was a serious issue that required attention immediately. Tsume had agreed to keep a close eye on the ninken, while Kiba was charged with their only lupine resident. He'd groaned at first and tried to get out of it, knowing she'd hate having him tail her like some lowly criminal, but the Hokage had been insistent.

He sighed as he rubbed a hand in small circles behind Akamaru's ear, something the canine normally enjoyed thoroughly. He hoped his partner's conscious was still aware inside him somewhere, even if he didn't show any sign of it.

Lifting his nose in the air, the Inu nin inhaled deeply, surprised to find his charge's scent wafting much closer than he'd expected. Eyebrows pulling together in confusion, his onyx irises scanned the surrounding area. They were almost at the Inuzuka estate when the dogs had frozen in place in a similar manner to last time, so he supposed it wasn't too unusual that Luna would be nearby.

But when she came into sight, it wasn't her usual hybrid form Kiba's eyes landed on, but a silver, thick-coated female wolf. Oh, shit.

Her movements were strangely fluid, despite the fact that her paw shouldn't be completely healed yet. The smoothness to her gait instantly had him on edge. Something definitely wasn't right.

Kiba glanced from Akamaru, to Kuromaru, to Luna. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear it, he made his decision. The ninken would be fine in the middle of the village like this, surely. And his mother would be back soon to care for them. He'd just have to deal with her wrath later. After all, he was only obeying his Hokage's orders to keep an eye on Luna.

Dropping into a crouch, he slipped into the shadows, careful to keep his body upwind from her sense of smell.

She continued along the gravelly path until her feet hit soil, carrying her silently into a dense woodland trail. Kiba knew this pathway all too well, having lived beside it for his entire life. It eventually led to a side entrance of the village that not many outside his clan knew of.

Is she trying to leave the village?

He followed her for another few minutes, before he realised he had absolutely no plan whatsoever. He gnawed on the inside of his cheek as he debated his options. On the one hand, he could try to get through to her before the situation got out of hand. On the other, he could run back to the compound for backup, follow her scent back here and forcibly stop her. Problem was, he wasn't sure how much time he had, or if she really was trying to leave the village. Maybe she was just sleep walking?

Only one way to find out.

'Luna?'

She froze mid-step, hackles raising slightly at the sound of her name as he stepped out from behind a tree. Even from the way her face was angled away from him, Kiba could tell her fangs were now bared.

'Just take it easy, alright? You're not yourself right now…' He held his arms up in front of him, palms forward as he inched toward the tense creature. The Inu nin reached out a hand tenderly, intending to simply place it on her back reassuringly, but just as his hand began to lower, she turned on him.

Her teeth snapped shut millimetres from his fingers, snarling when he backed up two steps with a yelp. Her crimson eyes seemed to glow in the low evening light and, despite appearing threatening, Kiba struggled to feel as though he were in real danger. This wasn't any ordinary wild animal. This was his friend!

'Luna, come on. You know me. You can trust me…' His soothing voice came out a mere whisper on the breeze, but her ears flickered in response. She seemed to ponder his words momentarily, jaw relaxing ever-so-slightly.

'That's it. It's Kiba. It's me…'

Luna took a cautious step toward him. Though she kept her fangs on show, her head lowered an inch, considering submission. Her red eyes softened as she closed the gap between his open palm and her muzzle, nudging it gently with her wet nose.

Kiba let out a breath, but before he could figure out his next move, the she-wolf growled suddenly. It wasn't an angry growl, and it certainly didn't appear to be directed at him.

Throwing a paw over her snout, she thrashed the side of her head to the ground almost desperately. Kiba flinched backwards, startled by the unexpected action. The wolf rolled half onto her side while her back legs remained standing, claws planting themselves into the dirt. It was as though she were fighting herself, or something inside her.

Movement from the shadows flickered in the corner of Kiba's eye line, and he spun around quickly in the direction it had been. But, other than a few stray leaves whipping around in the wind, the woodland was empty. Keeping half of his attention on the struggling lupine behind him, he pushed chakra to his nose and focused on the surrounding smells.

At first, he smelled only the forest, himself and the she-wolf. Several sniffs later, he was about to turn back to Luna when a fresh scent filled his nasal passage, if only for a second. It was close by and human, and though Kiba couldn't quite place the smell, something about it seemed vaguely familiar, as though he'd smelled it once before.

'I think we should–' His words were cut off when something heavy and furry leapt at him, claws digging into his shoulders roughly as it pinned him to the ground. 'L-Luna!' He gasped, slightly winded at the force she had knocked him down.

But there was no longer any recognition behind those scarlet irises, only blinded anger. A deep growl rumbled in her throat as she opened her jaws, leaning her full weight on the prey beneath her paws. This is bad…

In a heartbeat, she had flung her head back with such force he wondered how it didn't snap. The howl pierced the night and made his ears ring. It was deafening. Biting down hard on his lip, he wracked his brain for a new plan.

Okay, so talking to her isn't working anymore, clearly. And from the sound of it, this is the final call before she seals the deal and finishes me off… Think, Kiba. Think, damn it!

Her howl finished all too quickly, head rolling back down until she was staring so absently that she may as well have been looking straight through him. In a last ditch attempt as pulling her conscious back to the surface, the Inu nin did the one thing he never dreamed he'd ever be forced to do. He tipped his chin back, and exposed his neck to her.

He was unable to stop himself from squeezing his eyes shut tightly. His fists tensed so fiercely that his entire body shook, his breathing hitched in his lungs so intensely it burned, and Kiba was sure the rest of the Leaf village could hear his heart pounding.

For a moment, he thought she was going to ignore the gesture and kill him anyway. But when a few more moments passed without his gullet being ripped from his throat, he braved a quick peek at his assailant. The weight lifted from him the second his black eyes met red, and he had to hold back the sudden wheeze his aching lungs demanded.

By the time he sat up, Luna was backing away into the treeline, very human hands clamped over her very human mouth in horror.

'Luna… W-wait!' Kiba called out to her as she fled, but it was futile. The look on her face had said it all. It wasn't hard to figure out what had happened there, whether she remembered or not, and if he knew her at all, he knew she'd be far beyond reassuring words of 'it wasn't your fault'.

And it wasn't. Of that, he was sure. She'd snapped herself out of whatever control her wolf form had been under twice, even if the second time was cutting it a bit fine for his liking. But she had stopped, and that's what mattered.

Lifting his nose to the sky, he tried to locate the unidentified scent he's caught a whiff of so briefly before, to no avail. Whoever it was, they were clever, and Kiba realised it would take a lot more than following an initial scent trail to track them down. He'd need help, and he needed to report back to his mother. No doubt, Luna's howling had reached their ears too, though maybe not a vibrantly as he'd had the pleasure of.

'Damn.' He muttered, clutching his head. The Inuzuka hadn't realised just how loud a wolf could be. Scrabbling weakly to his feet, he waited a moment until the spinning subsided before trudging toward his family estate. Kiba was fairly certain he knew where Luna would be, and he was completely certain she wouldn't be returning any time soon, so he had time.

First things first, they needed to find the one in control, and that was not going to be easy.

A/N: It's kind of fun turning Luna evil, maybe I'll make a habit of it… :P

Drop me a review if you can, I love hearing your thoughts and guesses long the way!