Chapter 31

Life as a Fox

NSW

Naruto was about to attack the other two birds with a long range attack when Sokol screeched out "my beautiful lady of the wind! The Gyrfalcon of my eye! my wing mate!" Then he and the other bird began to circle around each other in a lovingly way.

The other bird dropped down to the rock, his wings outstretched in a threatening manner. His curved beak hissed at them, which is something Naruto would like to know how birds did that. He was a very large Gyrfalcon, bigger then Sokol, he was older too. He looked to be at the top of his prime, the way his very large talons curved, and the way his muscular body moved.

He screeched warningly at Naruto and Gomeg "who are you! State your business!" Naruto and Gomeg turned to one another. Gomeg nodded to Naruto, Naruto cleared his throat "we are demons form the land of fire; we have come in peace, and with a proposition". The bird remained glaring he only relaxed slightly, Sokol landed "they speak the truth, and I suggest we take what they offer".

Sokol explained to Botis about the village hidden in the leaves and the offer that lay there. Botis listened while intently glaring at Naruto and Gomeg; Naruto finally figured that this was just how Botis looked. In a way Botis reminded Naruto of Sasuke, he was always distrustful of anyone and always sat arrogantly where ever he was and with whatever company he was with, not caring if he made the others un comfortable with his ever constant glare. (This was caused thanks to a few large scratches on his forehead that ran to the edge of his beak.)

Botis finally spoke after the longest time, "a new hatchling grounds in the basics of it, in exchange for...messengers?" Sokol glanced at Naruto. Naruto spoke "yes...what say you?" Botis snapped his beak "I and my mate have lost our hatchlings for the past three seasons, if there is any chance to save my mate from the pain one last season I would gladly do it, even if it is with...humans" Botis hissed.

Sokol spoke "do you think the others would agree?" Botis sighed "you know have the seasons have been, you see the sadness in every Gyrfalcon's eye, I think we would actually have a good support for this". Sokol's mate spoke up, "I detest humans as much as the next Demon, but for the chance of saving my hatchlings, and our race, I would be willing to work with them."

She continued "I mean brother Botis, look here stands a Wolf demon one of the first seen in this land in many years, and here stands a..."Badger" Gomeg said. She grinned "yes...a Badger demon, the first ever I have seen, kin of our own, maybe not of the sky, but of our heart and soul".

Botis nodded "yes...your point sister?" She continued "Wolf demons have been known to be excellent judges of character, they have ancient abilities in their blood that most demons do not have, they know things, and can see things others of our race cannot, if he trusts them, I think we should as well".

Naruto glanced at Gomeg wondering what Sokol's mate was talking about, but Gomeg gave him a glance that said 'I will tell you later'. Naruto pushed it from mind. Sokol's mate spoke one last time "we should take them to the Elder's"

Instantly both male Gyrfalcons' leaped in surprise "are you sure?" Sokol asked, even Botis looked concerned. "Who are the elders?" Naruto asked "they are the ones who dictate all" Botis said "they say when the colony shell move to the next hunting grounds, they say when we shall begin to nest, they say who can mate who, they are all knowing, the oldest of our kind, highly revered, and highly feared".

Botis paused, and grinned softly to himself as if he was proud he had rhymed but he then fluffed his feathers and shook it away. Naruto nodded "I see, we have the same thing in Konoha, but...different" Botis scoffed "I would not think humans would have the ability to respect and care for others let alone each other".

Naruto spoke "tell me, why do you hate humans so?" Botis paused "well...humans...they...they...well they hunt us demons down and destroy them" Naruto spoke "did you see this for yourself?" Botis paused "well ...no, no I did not" Naruto answered "then you heard it?" Botis nodded "well...yes".

Naruto grinned "one should get to know there enemy before they judge them, maybe it would turn out that your 'enemy' would be a great ally" Botis nodded "I...ah...see, very well" he said fluffing his feathers, "I will lead you to the elders".

Sokol glanced at them "do you have that right?" Botis shrugged "no, but I should, I have served them faithfully since the day I hatched, I am a great warrior, and my name has reached even their gracious ear tufts". Naruto smirked he was beginning to like this demons named Botis.

Botis lead them through the wilderness, until from out of nowhere two sheer large rocks jutted up out of the earth. From the distance Naruto could see the scores of Birds flying about, he could hear the dozens of cries from them all, as they called out to each other.

When they got closer he noticed that birds saw them and began to fly about them from the distance, Sokol, Ipos (his mate) and Botis flew a short distance above them, almost as if keeping them safe from something. The birds flew closer, but still stayed at least twenty feet away, Naruto could pick up murmurings of conversation.

'...it's a Wolf demon...' 'What is that thing on his back...is it some sort of deformity'...'no it's another demon...''I have never seen...them before...' 'What are those three thinking...bring them here...the elders will not be happy' More and more of the conversations were about what the elders would say and do.

Finally Botis lead them through an opening between the two rocks, all about above them, nests were built in crevices and large cracks, opening slabs of rocks housed several birds basking in the sun. All of them got up and moved to the edges to glance down at them, everything was a flurry of feathers, squawks, and chirps.

Naruto could see young hatchlings, several of them fighting over a tiny lemming body that would only feed one of them half their size. All around he saw the looks of hunger and sickness. Dull eyes and feathers, contrasted greatly next to those who had been able to maintain themselves by constantly hunting the tiny unsatisfying lemmings.

Botis then said "wait here, I shall call the elders" Naruto paused; the whispers grew and grew louder until they were deafening shrieks in his ears. Botis flew up high almost to the top of the two great rocks, and then something almost magical happened.

Naruto heard a simple small drumbeat, like the sound of a single drop of rain on a tin roof, muffled barely audible but...there, and like that the entire bird nation fell silent instantly, it was an eerie almost solemn silence.

Then again the drum rang out, three strikes, four, until he lost count. Then the drum ceased all together. The from the tops of the great rocks, came the shadows, first one, then two, then all of a sudden almost twenty came down, at first Naruto could not tell what they were, they moved like ghosts upon the wind.

Silent like death they descended until they landed on a rock that was closer to Naruto and Gomeg however hr had to strain his neck to look upon the aged faces of those who could only be the elders. "We have been summoned; now tell us...what for?" Said one, his voice just a whisper but with a certain power that ran shivers down Naruto's spine.

So this is what I have so far, boring I know, but it's something...yay!

By the way these next few chapter were not in my original plans so my time line got screwed up slightly but bear with me please.

NSW