Chapter 20

Life as a Fox

NSW

Naruto padded towards home, he yawned while he did so. 'man am I tired' he thought as he turned unto the street that led to home. When he saw the house he noticed that it was devoid of life, no one was home. Naruto looked up to the moon's position to see what time it was. 'About 11:00, hnmmm why aren't they home? maybe they went out late with some of the guys, oh well'.

Naruto went into the house, it so happned he was right, Hinata left a note saying they were going to be late coming home. Naruto sighed and placed his gear (which he had carried all the way from the Hokage's office) in the closet with the rest of the Ninja gear the three occupents of the house used.

Naruto yawned and skipped eating he was too tired to eat right now, he had a long and quite boring day and wanted to sleep for a week. So he went into his room, dove into his bed, and buried himself in the blankets without a care in the world.

TEIKU P.O.V

Teiku had lived in the land of Lightning all his life, and since his family had been one of the many families that had controlled and sealed the eight tails within its sacred jar he felt it was his duty to learn all he could about demons, excspecially ones like the eight tails. But now that it was sealed in its present host who had gained control of the Eight tails, what was his family to do? their meaning in life had been taken, stolen from them, they no longer had a way of life.

At least that was what he had thought at first, Teiku was one who would not admit defeat, he would not be made a fool of, a mockery if you will, so he turned to science, and instead now studied that which his familly has always done, Demons, he wanted to know everything about them, how they thought, how they fought, how they lived, and bred, where they trully magical? or just sly tricksters? were the stories about them true? the myths the legends? He wanted to know, no he NEEDED to know.

Teiku had to search far and wide for any information at all, but finally he found some, and that little he did find did not slake his hunger for knowledge, it only made him hungrier. But now the fates had turned his way, here in Konoha was a live, young, Wolf Demon, and one who spoke common toungue, already his mind was a buzz with many questions, how did it speak in human toungue? how did it learn? how does this creature own a chakra network? where does the magic stop and biology begin?.

Teiku could not let this chance slip, no, he would not let this chance slip, he would get that demon. Teiku had always served his country noblely, and always loved to be a ninja, he was honored to even accompany the Raikage to the Chunin exams, but now his loyalty was devided, between his internal drive in life, and his outward.

Like any man, he chose his internal for it has always been that which was on the inside made a man, and for him on the inside he was a man driven, no consumed by want. The want and the need to know his enemy, the demons, the last things on this earth that made any being shiver with fear.

Teiku grinned as he tapped the syringe lightly, 'the perfect amount' he thought to himself. He left his hotel room quietly, slipping silently through the shadows of the streets. It was a cooler night, the kind were people wanted to be with others inside, surrounded the warmth of friends.

It was quite easy to figure out where the demon lived, the foolish Hokage had given away precious information, one name, 'Hinata', he had casually then filtered through the files of the Konoha ninja registration to find that Hyuuga Hinata, (now a Inuzaka Hinata), was the only one in Konoha. So he commited the address to memory and put everything back where it was, then left.

Now he stood in the middle of an empty street staring at the dark house, he knew the demon was in there he sensed that same powerful chakra leaking from one of the rooms. Teiku crept towards the house, he hide his chakra signiutre and calmed his beating heart. Which was excited because it knew his dream was soon to be realized.

He opened the door carefully, greasing the hinges with chakra so they did not make a sound. He entered the building, walking lightly on his footsteps barely making a sound, which made the silence deafening to him. Down the hallway he headed towards the strengthining chakra signiture, he passed by several pictures on the wall, he glanced at one, a pale skinned female wearing a wedding gown, stood with a tanned male with spiky brown hair.

The demon stood in front of the two, looking directly at the camera, he could see it had some bandages upon it, which would explain the faded healing scars it bore while it was in the office. He adjusted his glasses and continued on, finally what seemed like hours he made it to the door.

He could hear the demon snore slightly while it slumbered. timing the opening of the door with the demons snores he opened while the demon made his noises. Just a little at a time, sometimes opening just barely a centimeter at a time, he opened the door fully.

The demon had a bed,a rug, a lamp, a window, it had everything a human had in its bedroom, Teiku had to fight back a snort, it was rediculus, how this Hinata had treated this creature, as if it were a human. Teiku crept towards the demon, he was halfway accross the room when a draft of air started to push the door shut, slowly it let out a high pitched 'new house' screech as it pitched to the right several inches.

Suddenly two Blue luminecent eyes lit up the darkness, Teiku sighed inwardly as they focused on him. A rumbling growl filled the room as the demon started to rise "who are you? why are you here"? it spat. Teiku grinned, "who I am is not your concern, why I am here?..." he paused as he held up the syringe "well, that's an intirely diffrent matter".

The demons eyes narrowed at the sight of the syringe, "do not underestimate me human" it said. Then a curious substance formed from it's open jaws. It grew then leaped upon him in the form of a large ghostly Wolf. Teiku was taken by suprise and was pushed back with such a force it made him go crashing through the door splintering it in half, and he was stopped by a wall which he felt give beneath his body mass.

Teiku grunted as he pulled himself out of the wall, The demon was already upon him, he qickly knocked the demon back with a well aimed chakra strengthened punch to the shoulder. The demon landed on its paws and slid down the hall way its claws digging into the floor, creating long gouges in the floor.

Teiku tutted the demon, "now, now, Hinata won't like that you treating her new floors like that". The demon was taken by suprise when he said this, "how do you know Hinata? where is she!" Teiku snorted, "like I have an Idea?, I have done nothing to her, I was just stating a simple fact of truth, you know how women are, well then again maybe not, since you are not a human, you mearly imitate one."

He saw a spark of anger burn in those eyes, the demons lips pulled back to their farthest, Teiku had to admit, he did feel a slight tremor of fear run down his spine when he met such a freightning sight. Teiku reached into his cloak and pulled out a Kunai and secretly he pulled out a smoke bomb, one was a distaction the other was what he needed.

He threw the Kunai, hitting a glass vase that held flowers. The vase was just above the demons head sitting on a hallway table. The demon jumped away from the flying glass. while he did this Teiku threw the smoke bomb, a highly effective one he personally designed, ontop of smoke, he put within it pepper gas, and to anyone caught within it, it served as a higly effective weapon that caused pain and stopped and lowered a targets mobility and accuracy.

Already he could hear the demons coughing and sputtering as the Pepper gas burned the throat and lungs, and he could hear the slight whimperings as it took effect in the eyes. Teiku slipped a cloth over his nose and mouth, as the smoke started to spread and dissapate.

He could see the demon trying to rub his eyes with a fore paw, 'stupid creature, it only makes it worse'. Teiku lunged forword syringe in hand ready to fnish this, but at the last second the demon must have regained some of its composure and it ducked beneath his swing and turned it's body. Large jaws filled with long sharp dangerously curved fangs reached up and closed around him. Teiku moved away fast enough so his leg was saved, but the jaws clamped down on his cloak tearing it.

This was the best chance he would get, He quickly buried the Syringe into the demon, then injected the liquid inside that would make the demon fall into a deep sleep, long enough for Teiku to transport him to a place where the demon could be studied thoroughly.

Naruto P.O.V

Naruto felt the sharp pain of something puncturing him, but the instant he felt the cold fluid enter his bloodstream he knew he was in trouble. Any sleeping drug starts to take effect right away, and concidering his motabilism and body weight, and also the fact his heart beat was accelerated, it would work even...faster.

Already he felt the jet lag feeling, his thoughts started to become muddled, the grip on the fabric became weaker, he fueled some of the strength that he had left that had not been sapped by this drug back into his jaws. He tore away the fabric, a large chunk fell to the ground. He lunged for the leg, he bit down as hard as he could at the moment, he felt fabric, flesh, then finally the satisfing taste of blood. But after that bittersweet taste fell upon his lips, his vision went black, and he was lost.

Teiku P.O.V

The demon collapsed just shortly after injection, just to make sure Teiku kicked the demon lightly a few times to see if it was out, it was. Teiku bent down and began to wrap his leg, he had about five to six hours to get this demon out of here.

Teiku quickly removed the syringe, and put it into his pocket without looking and hauled the demon onto his back. He turned for the back door and left in a hurry. However if had not been in a hurry he would have noticed that the pocket he put the syringe in had a hole in it from when Naruto ripped the chunk out of his cloak, he also would have cleaned up the blood he had bled on the floor and the peice of cloak Naruto tore away. Like the old saying goes, haste makes waste, and little did Teiku know he left behind a lot of waste.

Hinata and Kiba arrived home, happily, but the moment Hinata spotted shattered glass glistening in the moonlight, she turned on the kitchen lights as fast as she could, she looked at the floor, and the hall way and screamed.

Kiba was by her side in an instant, Akamaru growled feircly at the hallway. Kiba ran down the hall to Naruto's room, he saw the broken door and the indented wall and knew there was a fight, he called out Naruto's name several times but no answer, he walked back down the hall slowly trying to access what had happned.

He spotted blood, a few small drops and a torn peice of a cloak, Kiba ran to the supplies closet, Naruto's cloak and mask where in there perfectly in tact. Kiba knew of only one thing he could do, since they both lived with Anbu member they had been given the special privilege of holding a 'red letter' a red letter was a special summoning bird made out of paper that would fly directly to the Anbu general.

Once there the general would be able to tell in his own private way who owned this letter, and he would immediatly go to where he was called. This was a system that had started long ago, it was in case something happned to that said Anbu member, it was usually given to the closest people of the Anbu member.

Kiba knew the instructions, they were simple. He placed it on the table, he glanced at Hinata who held herself, a far away loook in her eyes. "Hinata" he said simply, bringing her out of her induced coma, "be strong" he said, she nodded a single tear falling, "I know, its just sometimes, I go back to the times I could do nothing."

He smiled softly, "there was never a time like that, you always could do the most amazing stuff and not even realize it", Hinata smiled softly, "I love you Kiba", he nodded. "I know" was all he answered before he placed his chakra into the simple red paper, it began to fold in on itself, and soon formed itself into a small bird about the size of a hummingbird and flew off out of the windown and into the night.

Hinata and Kiba waited for only a few minutes when suddenly a man came hurtuling through their open window and landed croched on the floor in front of them. "you summoned me?" he asked. Kiba stared at him for a moment then snapped himself out of it, "Fluffy is missing, and it looks as though there was some sort of fight".

The man stood, and walked past them and stopped and accessed the hall way, "you're sure he is gone?" he suddenly asked, "yes" Hinata spoke. "did you see anything?" Hinata shook her head "no, sir, we just came home a few minues ago, and I noticed the broken vase and the hall way."

The man turned to them, "I am Mammoth, the Anbu General, I will be calling a few of my men to gather the evidence, please be patiant." Hinata nodded, "of course", True to his word suddenly there entire kitchen was filled with six or so Anbu members, each of them were meticulously going through every inch of the hallway and Naruto's room.

Finally Mammoth spoke to them, "from what the evidence shows, Wolf Heart...Fluffy as you call him, has been kidnapped." The new's alone made Hinata find the nearest chair and drop herself into it. "why"? she said to no one in perticular. "We are not sure of the motive right now, not until we find out who has done it first, we beleive the blood in the hallway belongs to the person who did this."

Hinata grabbed Kiba's hand for strength, "but Fluffy,...he would have never been taken so easily, the house would have been torn apart!" Mammoth sighed, "I know this is hard for you, and even I agree with you but we found this syringe here, and we beleive during the fight the suspect must have some how injected Wolf Heart with what appears to be a very powerful anesthetic."

Hinata nodded, "so that means, it had to be someone who knows something about medicine, someone who was trained a bit at least anyway". Mammoth was silent, you could see the eyes behind the mask staring wildly at Hinata, "thats it!" he turned to the other Anbu in the house, "why aren't you thinking like this girl! use your brains! think, who would have the ability to fight off a Anbu trained demon?".

There was a silence then one spoke, "another Anbu?" Mammoth turned to the person, "is that a question or an answer?", the man cleared his throat and said firmer "another Anbu", "correct, and I can already tell by the look of the fabric it is not one of us."

The man who had the fabric held it to compare it to his own cloak, "its heavier meterial then ours, and has slight soil residue, not clay, but dark sand." Mammoth nodded, "anything else?" "dark sand is usually found in mountinous regions, its mountian rock eroded down, and the heavier meterial means the perosn lives or works in a wetter or colder area."

Mammoth nodded "excellent Rabbit, now, who can tell me what country, has mountians and a colder climate and has Anbu stationed in the village?" there was an instant our roar of six people saying "Lightnng!". Mammoth chuckled "very good, I want you to tag and bag this evidence, then I want you all to go and collect any and all Kumo ninja, even the Genin and quarintine them in the Hokage tower's Missions administration room, and keep them guarded all times, if they ask, say we have had a attack on a importent member of this village and evidence points to Kumo, and the situation will be striegtned out between the Raikage and Hokage."

All of them nodded, "now hurry up and move out!" all six said "hai sir!" and a flurry of movement happned as all of them began to finish what they were doing and left. Soon Hinata and Kiba were alone, "come on" Kiba said taking Hinata "lets go to Sakura and Lee's place."Hinata nodded and followed him out the door, Hinata prayed to Megumi the demon goddess, she didn't know pertucularily how to pray to this goddess, the preists never taught anything about the 13th goddess, but she did so anyway hoping it was good enough for her.

When Mammoth told the news of what happened, to Kakashi, he immedietly agreed with everything that Mammoth had planned, and they together both sent out a few teams to gather any and all Kumo nin. The Raikage of course was awakened and ordered to appear before the Hokage, Bee entered looking confused, worried, and slightly angry.

"yo man! what the hell is going on! why you have all my bro's locked away and keys thrown away?", Kakashi sighed "I'm am sorry Bee-san to inform you, but one of you ninja has kidnapped Wolf Heart". Bee stopped dead in his tracks, "what! when! how? why!" Mammoth stated flatly, "we have all of those answered, we just need the 'who' part then we will be good."

Just then one of Bee's body guards came in, "sir! I can't find Teiku anywhere! he hasn't reported in!" Bee looked at him, "when was the last time you saw him?", the man paused momentarily, "after we got back to the hotel, I went in to the bathroom, came back out he was gone."

Mammoth turned tot he man, "does this Teiku, have any Medic Nin training?" the man looked to Bee to see if it was okay to answer to Mammoth "spill the beans" Bee said. The man nodded slightly confused at what his kage just said.

"yes, Teiku has taken advanced courses in medic training, but what he really accels in is Biological chemistry." Kakashi salmmed his fist into the desk, cracking it, "you mean, Wolf heart was taken to be some cruel scientific exporement!" he roared making every man except Mammoth momentarily afraid of him.

Even Bee turned an angry shade, "dammit! and I had a mother fuicker like that for a body guard!" there was a silence, "Mammoth" Kakashi spoke, his voice softer now, "go tell your men to let the Kumo nin go, they to are victims."

Mammoth nodded "of course, Hokage, but if I may ask how so?" Kakashi looked out to the Hokage monument, "they are victims of betrayal by there own comrade". Bee spoke "if I where to speak Kakashi-san, I wish to go and talk to my men, and tell them myself".

Kakashi nodded "as you wish Bee-san, you are probably one of them men hurt worse by this man Teiku", Bee shoke his head, "no, Wolf Heart is". then he turned and left for the door, his bald body guard trailing behind him.

Bee walked into the room where about 25 of his men, Jounin teachers, and Genin even a few Anbu stood in confusion, they all bowed to him as he entered "all right I have an announcement, first off, there is not going to be a war of any sorts, Konoha has justified there actions ten fold, in the end all of us have been hurt by what has happned, my personal body guard, the man I hand picked to guard me, because I trusterd him, has gone rougue and has kidnapped and taken a very importent ninja of this village."

There was a silence, "Bee-sama, is it one of their clan heads? or one of the elders? who is this importent that has caused such a reaction?", Bee sighed "it was a Anbu member Wolf demon, one I personally met with on this very night a few short hours ago, that is who is so importent, he's irriplaceable and a key fator of this village, he was the begining to a whole new era of peace between man and Demon, and now, that dream may be ruined because of one person."

With that Bee walked out of them room, to him this was a personal blow, he could never imagine something so dark and twisted to happen, someone he TRUSTED did this, to a person who was just like him in so may ways.

His men stared after him, all of them knew how personal this was to Bee, he is a person who has to wake up everyday knowing that there is something sealed inside of him that is not human. But Bee has proved that just because something is not one of us does not mean it is evil, all of them knew the importence of building back bonds with the demon kind, it was one of Bee's goals for his village as well.

Kakashi sat before Mammoth, "I have a team in mind" said Mammoth, "and so do I" said Kakashi, "Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Neji, and Inuzaka Kiba, you will replace three of your team with them." Mammoth was silent for a moment he had never been told so bluntly what to do, he had to admit he liked this guys style.

"of course sir, but my I ask why?" Kakashi sighed, "he's going to need some people he's close to, some people can't always be saved by unknown people in masks, those three are the best and brightest of his closest friends, and somthing tells me your going to need a tracker, a genious, and a person who can see everything."

Mammoth smiked beneath his mask, "very well, I'll let them come, I'll have my men here in half an hour, you have yours as well, then I'll debreif them together." Kakashi nodded "good plan" Mammoth suddenly spoke freely, "you know its a good thing to have an ex-Anbu member as Hokage, wolves always make excellent leaders."

Suddenly Mammoth disappeared, Kakashi sighed, "Wolf huh?, ...its been a long time since someone called me by my Anbu name, course this wolf would have learned nothing if it wasn't for a certian wooly vetern for taking the wolf under his tusk, you sure do have a weakness for wolves mammoth."

ahhh...fianlly done, the cool thing is, I wrote this in four hours! I IS AWESOME!(when I want to be).

anyway I hope you enjoyed, and before anyone asks, I have no idea what Kakashi's real Anbu name was(i named him wolf because I thought it was cool and it fits plus it explains why naruto is 'wolf heart' because there cannot be two anbu named the same, and techniqlly kakashi still alive so that means his name is in 'use'), it is a mystery that will never be solved until it is reveled to us in a flashback of some sort.

NSW