Life As A Fox

Chapter 53

NSW-The Forsaken Author of the Lost Story (see my bio for explanation)

Naruto slowly filtered through his dreams and awoke in the early morning. He opened his eyes and looked to his side where Dirtsnout lay next to him, they had curled up and slept next to each other in a small pile of pine needles and leaves. He yawned as he slowly got up and steched, she stirred and turned towards him. "You awake early?" He nodded "Yes, we have a long ways to go to get to Konoha."

She shook herself and got up "Konoha...is name of home correct?" He nodded "how far away?" Naruto looked up "well we will have to go around the valley, I am not going through that pass again." She nodded "listen, Dirtsnout, when we get there, I need you to know something." he said turning to her "everyone there, well...I am called by many names, Wolfheart, Fluffy...but my real name, it is Naruto."

She stared at him in amazement "you must have done many a great thing to earn all those names" Naruto smirked "yes, I have, I just want you to know these things, so when we get there you will not be confused." She nodded "thank-you my love, now come let us travel, we have a long way to go." Naruto stopped her "wait, Dirtsnout, when we go there and I introduce you, I don't want to call you by that name, that name is something no one should have for a name."

She looked to him "I would gladly answer to any name, as long as you are the one who says it." He nodded "yes, but why not choose your own name?" She thought about it then shook her head "if it not for you, name would still be the same, you changed me, so you may name me, answer to it I will gladly." Naruto thought for a long time, this was hard, he was naming the one he loved.

Many names came to his mind, but all of them seemed wrong, they just didn't fit her, when he saw her, truly saw her for the first time, she was like a dream, emerging from the mist, she was constantly changing and becoming something different. It was then the name hit him "Yume" he said out loud. She perked her ears up "Yume?" she asked he nodded, "it means dream in human tongue, do you accept it?"

She smiled "yes, yes I do" He leaned forward and licked her muzzle passionately. She nipped at him playfully, finally they split apart from each other and continued on.

The days went by endlessly, all of them the same. They would hunt as they trotted towards home, going the long way around, it took many days just to reach the first valley where the pack called home. The pack had not bothered them, though they heard the pack howl each night, they were more and more distant, Naruto was content with this.

Naruto and Yume though didn't always walk towards home, sometimes they would spend the day just dozing and basking in each others company, sometimes Naruto would help train her. Each day she got more and more better with chakra skills, although she would never have a large supply of chakra, Naruto noted that her deformity although had made her legs and muzzle longer, it had made her chakra coil smaller.

So she would have to learn to control it and use every ounce of it wisely. Naruto had spoken to her about his students, and talked about Hinata, and Kiba and everyone else. Even telling her about all his adventures with Gomeg and with the Anbu. Some of the words were still far from her grasp of understanding, but each day she was getting better.

Yume would listen to him attentively and did everything to the best of her ability. He didn't care if she didn't get something right away, he never did. He didn't care what they talked about, or what they hunted, or what they ate, as long as he was with her. Every night they curled up beside each other and he would tell her of stories and legends of Ninja of old, things he had fallen asleep to when he was with Jeriyah.

He told her about all his sensei's and all the things he did, although he never got to the point of telling her he was once a human, he didn't know how she would respond, or what her reaction would be, and he didn't see it as being important. He was a wolf now and he wasn't ever going to be anything else. Sometimes he would pause between stories and just bury his muzzle in her soft fur, breathing in her scent.

She leaned against him "you have so many stories, so many adventures, and what do I have? I can only tell you of hardships and how to raise pups, how to be the best submissive omega there is" Naruto nuzzled her "don't worry, once we get there, you and I can make our own stories and our own adventures." She nodded "I never thought of having a mate, it seemed impossible, and now...when you are here beside me, and your heart is beating next to mine...I imagine that nothing is impossible, not when you here."

He nodded and licked behind her ear, a place she liked. She shied away but secretly enjoyed it. She turned to him and began to lick his forhead and face, her soft warm tongue bathing his skin. He sighed and lay content "Naruto" she spoke suddenly "yes?" he asked "when are we to have pups?" Naruto snapped his eyes open and stared at her, a jolt though his body.

She cocked her head, "I...uh...um...well...I" he stuttered not knowing what to say, he had never really thought...about anything...like that. He didn't even know if he could manage it...or go about accomplishing it. He blushed at the thought. "When we are ready" he said after a long while. She smiled and licked his muzzle "I know that I can be a great mother and you a great father, but you are right, let us wait until home we reach."

He smiled and licked her one last time before watching her sleep he stayed awake thinking. He sighed softly 'I want to give her everything, and she is right we can be good parents...but...I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DO...IT! He screamed in his mind. He knew that a man and a women got together and...joined, and if the timing was right a baby came out of it, that much he knew, he knew there was various...positions and ways, but he had no idea how to act any of them out, or how or where he was supposed to go...and that was when he was human!

He glanced at Yume, his eyes wandered up and down her sleeping form, 'how am I going to make her happy when...the time comes? I don't even know if my...parts...work in that way.' He thought to himself before slipping off into sleep 'course being a father would be nice, and seeing her happy with pups of her own as well' was his last thought.

They walked easily, they were back in the first valley, the heat of the summer was scorching so they took many breaks. Resting in the shade of trees and leaping into pools when they came across them. Naruto and Yume were practicing some human words even though Naruto had told her that the human tongue is instinct of demons and would come to her easily.

She still wanted to practice so she wouldn't make a fool of herself. Naruto had assured her that she would never make a fool out of herself, she was too perfect. They walked without paying attention to surroundings. Naruto was always concentrating on her, wanting to put all his attention to her.

Naruto though heard small scrabbling within the brush near by, at first he paid no heed to it, passing it off as a random wood-land creature gathering food or making a nest. But then he heard two little growls and grunts, and suddenly two little bear cubs rolled out of the brush, playing and swatting at each other.

Yume laughed at their cute antics, they stared at Naruto and Yume, the larger of the two began to slowly creep forward. Sniffing as he did, the smaller hiding behind him. The cub was a few steps away then made three gruff huffing whines then gathered up a small bundle of courage and quickly reached a paw forward and touched Naruto with his tiny claws.

Naruto did nothing he only laughed, which startled the cub. The cub flew backwards tripping over his sibling, they landed in a small heap of fluff and small growls, stumbling over each other and themselves. One gave out a small cry of pain when the other stepped on his paw. Then He heard the roar and shaking of the bushes as the mother responded to the sharp cry of her child in pain.

The roar was angry and vengeful as she swung her massive head towards them, her beady eyes sighting in on the ones who caused her cubs pain. Naruto instinctively put himself in-between the bear and Yume. He growled defiantly, nothing would harm his mate. Yume stood next to him growling as well, even though he knew she was afraid, it was a large bear and she protecting her cubs. She ran at them. Naruto ran forward it was time to fight for what meant most to him.

Creating five clones he swarmed the bear, creating his wolf armor on each one. With chakra he created his 'Wolf jaws' and clamped down on the bear then with all his might he dragged the bear. The bear tossed and screamed about, this un-earthly creature was beating her so easily. The only thing she could do was somehow escape and get to her cubs and get away.

She did this, the moment Naruto had let go, The bear ran not knowing of how to deal with such a strange creature. She gathered her cubs and bolted into the brush. But before she did so she made one last quick pass at the wolves, striking the female on the shoulder, the female however managed to dodge most of the blow.

Naruto was upon the hackles of the bear, chasing her as she retreated away ushering her cubs before her. Naruto ran back to Yume to check her wound, she licked at it, he licked her reassuring and in apology. He spoke to her "lie down, let me fix this" She did as he suggested.

She whimpered as she did so Naruto leaned over her, the gently placed a paw on the wound trying not to cause pain, then he closed his eyes, he only received basic medical training in the Anbu, enough to heal this type of wound thank-fully, he calmed his breathing then flared his chakra outward form his paw, consuming the wound and mending it slowly.

He rose standing there panting from exertion. He released his clones then looked to Yume she stared at him. Then she slowly rose looking to her shoulder in amazement, "you heal my wound? is there anything you cannot do?" Naruto shook his head "no there are numerous things that I can't do."

Yume shook her head, "I don't believe you, you seem to be able to do so much especially in combat!" I have never laid eyes on a more beautiful battle! you are amazing with your chakra, never could I do so much so quickly!"

She licked his muzzle and face in overjoyed fervor. Naruto leaned into her and rubbed against her "I am glad you liked it, I did it for you, no one lays a claw on my mate" She grinned "and yet I feel so terrible, I can only stand by and watch, I can never help...I am like an omega to you, useless" He placed his nose right against her's drawing her eyes into his.

He spoke "know this, I fight the way I do, because you stand next to my side, you give me reason to live and to fight, you are not useless because as long as you are by my side..." He trailed off then looked deeper into her eyes "It doesn't matter if you are fighting or not, I will always love you and I will always fight for you." He then stepped forward and wrapped his head around her neck, giving her a hug that only wolves could do.

Yume nodded and buried her muzzle into his chest loving the strong sense of security and warmth that radiated from it. She broke from him "I may not fight well, but I will discover a way to be able to give you more then just a reason for fighting." He grinned and licked her ear "I can't wait to see."

She grinned and playfully nipped him then lead him on a chase as they ran about, nipping each other then chasing each other in their own version of tag.

Hinata chuckled as Hime played with her food, mashing it about and creating a messy artwork of food upon her stand, Hime was laughing as well. Hinata kissed the child on the head. Hime accidently knocked over her sippy cup. Hime glanced at it and extended an arm down thinking she might pick it up from the floor from her high stand, she gave up then she turned her precious little face to Hinata then spoke, her first word "ma-ma."

Hinata squealed and hugged her daughter tightly, and tried to encourage more words from the child. But ma-ma and da-da were all at the moment. Even so, both parents where so happy and proud they forgot about their troubles in the world.

A couple weeks later, Hinata and Kiba were out in the back-yard, trying to teach Hime to walk, she was just beginning to take her first steps. She was wearing a little fur coat that copied what her father once used to wear only it was in a light shade of pink. Kiba set her upon Akamaru and slowly Akamaru would walk around with little Hime upon his back, he barked and excitedly wagged his tail.

Hime when she wasn't riding Akamaru was playing upon him or crawling/walking after him. Akamaru lolled about and lay in the grass his tongue sticking from the side of his mouth. Hinata laughed and nuzzled into Kiba's side. A crisp wind blew and she shivered, then a red leaf fell on her head from the tree above them, "yay, fall is almost here, it is my favorite time."

Kiba grinned "I know, you like to colors." Hinata nodded and reached up and grabbed the leaf from her hair, twirling it about, she dropped it. The leaf made a casual decent to the ground, it seemed so alone, a small red leaf in a sea of green. But another one joined it, an orange one, the color sparked memory of Naruto.

It was then he heart clenched in her chest as she realized it would be almost a year since that mission, she also realized her daughter would be a year old in only two more months, Naruto has been missing for almost ten months, he has almost been gone for a year. She suddenly buried her head into Kiba's chest, he turned to her "what's wrong?" he asked suddenly "ten months" was all she said.

Okay, so that is what I have so far, I hope you enjoyed.

NSW