Life as A Fox
Chapter 69*2013 Revision*
NSW-The Forsaken Author of the Lost Story (see my bio for explanation)
The small herd of demons traveled for a few days. Naruto who traveled in the middle of the group. Was impressed with this valley, it held a certain peacefulness and majestic beauty, he could see why demons would be disdainful at leaving.
Arthis and Loresin traveled near each other and exchanged pleasantries. Gomeg traveled behind him. On occasion Loresin would move ahead and lead them on a different path, it was a very peaceful journey, Naruto almost forgot about the emergency of it.
Then by mid-morning, Naruto felt something, a tremor through him. He knew...he just knew that something was watching them. He stopped suddenly. Gomeg bumped into him and Arthis and Loresin paused as well "What is it?" Naruto spoke in a hushed voice "We are not alone, something is watching us"
Gomeg nodded "aye, for a while now" Naruto turned to him "you did not warn us?" Gomeg shrugged "I did not know if they meant to cause harm or not" Naruto turned to a rustling in the brush as three wolves stalked out, fur bristling and teeth gnashing.
Naruto turned to Gomeg, "well...now you know" he said. Naruto moved forward, he did not bare his fangs or growl, but he spoke in a commanding voice "We mean no harm, we are only passing through" The wolves snapped at him "Who is this strange wolf? Walking among prey? Does he think himself a deer or elk as well?"
The wolves laughed to each other, as they stalked forward. Naruto growled it was a powerful one, asserting his dominance as an alpha. The wolves backed away slightly. But remained hostile. One spoke up, it was a gray male, smaller than Naruto.
"Maybe he thinks he is one of the lemmings that trails behind him!" The wolves laughed at each other again. Naruto growled. "Last chance, stand aside" One scoffed, it was a brindled female, with yellow eyes. She leaped forward, snapping at him.
Naruto stood his ground not detoured. These wolves were used to fighting each other, they were not trained like Naruto, no they did not fight and train day in and out in use of chakra and fangs, the only time they fought was on a hunt or in disputes.
Naruto leaped forward and met her in mid-air, shouldering her and knocking her into the ground in a disgruntled heap. She got up shaking her fur, stunned but even more angry.
She lept again, this time the small gray joined in. Naruto grabbed him by the foreleg with his jaws. Not biting down to cause injury but to be able to have a hold. He quickly lifted the small wolf up in the air and used said wolf as a mêlée weapon and threw the male into the female with a satisfied grunt.
The two wolves were in a pile trying to sort themselves out. The last wolf another male, with pale brown fur. Glanced at his kin then to this strange wolf who fought them so easily. He studied this strange white wolf with blue eyes. He emanated with a raw and noble power. His demonic energies seemed to crackle, he had never seen a wolf with so strong of powers and one who could wield them so easily.
He backed away head lowered then spun and ran. His kin trailing behind him. Naruto snorted at the fleeing wolves. "Young pups, thinking they can take on whoever they want" Gomeg grinned slyly, "my, my young friend, you have become wiser to the ways of the world. Was it not yesterday it seemed you thought you could take on anyone?"
Naruto smirked Gomeg was right, being a father had changed him some. Naruto huffed. Loresin spoke "You fight very bravely Naruto. I am honored to be in the presence of such a skilled warrior." Naruto shook his head modestly "no, no, that was nothing, wait until you see me in battle with a true opponent." Loresin nodded "I cannot wait to behold that sight."
Loresin looked about "why, I do believe we are here" Loresin walked gracefully to the nearest knoll of grass then lifted her aged head high and proud. She let up a high-pitched bleat that ascended through the valley. It was several moments later did they hear an answering call. A powerful horse whinny, thundering through the air.
They also heard the muffled beating of hooves, quiet at first, faint, but drawing closer and closer, soon the ground was shaking. Naruto was on edge, it was weird knowing that something big was coming but not seeing or telling from where it was. Then just like that from over the hill they came.
Horses, every size, shape and color. Neighing and screaming joyfully. They cantered by, Naruto felt like he was in a sea of manes and muscles bodies. The horses spanned out and slowly turned. Managing to not bump into each other or even touch each other. They were like ghosts, moving about, seeming to glide.
Naruto waited next to Loresin. Their was a silence as the herd turned towards them. Then the herd began to part without a word, and from their ranks, rose a towering figure. Muscles and glowing in the sun. His coat a dappled gray, hooves the color of obsidian, and eyes, the color of storm clouds. He radiated and crackled with a youthful wild energy.
He spoke his voice dominating and booming like thunder. "Loresin, giver of my milk, what has brought you here?" Loresin moved forward "I come to ask a favor of my son" Imasen bowed his head "You need but ask" Loresin shook her head "no, what I ask of is something great, you must choose whether to do so or not, I will not be angry if you decide no."
Imasen snorted "Nothing is too great for I, Imasen of the Storm, lead stallion of the thundering hills herd" Loresin bowed her head "a name well deserved and earned, as you see I am accompanied by others as great as you" She turned to Arthis "Arthis, leader of the elk, bringer of sanctuary, Gomeg...badger seer and healer, guide to sanctuary"
She turned to Naruto "and Naruto, Alpha of many, warrior of the goddess...he also has recently saved this old doe's life" She winked at him. She turned back to Imasen "we are also followed by the clan of Chukalook" Naruto sighed "that would be my doing" he said quietly. Imasen grinned and tossed his head "you must have done something truly great to receive such...loyalty from them"
Naruto sighed "I merely told them that they were a wise, noble, and honorable race" Imasen chuckled "I sense a great difference from you compared to your kin in this valley, I bow my head in respect to you." Naruto bowed as well "I am honored to receive such patronage from such a noble and valiant warrior." Imasen nodded once more then to Arthis, and Gomeg in turn.
Gomeg spoke "You are Imasen? Son of Imura of the East valley herd?" Imasen snorted in surprise "you knew my birth father?" Gomeg nodded "aye, and mother, Shirsen, she would be glad to know that her son grew into the fine stallion she had hoped of you." Imasen was quiet for a second "thank-you badger, you have given me great comfort, I did not know my true parents, the one's who raised me were Loketi and Loresin of the deer demons, but Loketi did tell me of my father and mother."
Gomeg nodded "it was by my father's hand do you live, I was there when you were born and named." Imasen lowered himself to his front knees kneeling before Gomeg, "Then I owe you much great badger seer" Gomeg chuckled "no, it was my father who you owe, not me, I was still a pup myself being trained by his hand." Imasen nodded "but still you were there" Gomeg nodded "yes, I was"
Loresin spoke "the warriors of the deer and elk have banded together, we are wondering if your warriors would do the same?" Imasen nodded "my warriors are always ready, but to what end?" Loresin spoke "war, my son, we will fight alongside humans that serve our goddess' will, help them destroy forces who wish to rid these humans who have decided to help our kind."
Imasen turned to his herd, "like I said, we are ready, I will follow you mother, but why is it we leave to fight?" Naruto spoke "you leave to fight, not for yourselves, but for others, other demons who do not have a place like this, the only sanctuary out there is where I hail from, where Gomeg lives, where many Gyrfalcons live, only there can a demon walk and live in peace with humans, safe from harm."
Naruto spoke "Imasen, the elk and deer fight because it is the right thing to do, demons help other demons when they need it the most." Imasen stood then slowly he turned. He rose up on his hind quarters. "Listen up!" He thudded to the earth, head tossing about. He stood emaculate with power as he honed in all member of his herd.
"The deer and elk leave for war, will we of the thunder hills herd let them go alone?" A cry from the horses rose up "NO!" Imasen nodded "good, then we will leave to help these other demons keep their home! We all know that others do not have a haven like this to call their own. This is a terrible thing, we must help these other demons, they may be strangers, but they are demons none the less, and we are kin, we are family, and family helps each other."
The horses nodded and whinnied in agreement. Like the deer and elk, warriors split from the elders, pregnant, and young. Imasen and his warriors traveled with Loresin, Arthis, Gomeg, Naruto and the lemmings, on the way they had joined up with Sokol and Botis, who had somehow manage to convince a great number of hawks, eagles and crows to join.
Another interesting thing was, news had spread throughout the valley of these demons who came from another sanctuary in danger, following the old code of demons, many had came to join. Scores of rabbit demons came, several of them knew about herbs and healing, making them a large group of healers. Not just rabbit demons, but three fox sisters, all of them old, had long been in hiding, they revealed themselves to be healers that rivaled Gomegs abilities.
Throughout the valley they came. The most surprising ones were the bears, they had came like lumbering giants slowly following in a long lone line. Twenty of them. Upon their backs was strapped massive long bows, the bears themselves stood at least nine to twelve feet when they stood. They were almost five to six feet wide, with long thick muzzles and wide powerful paws.
All of them a shaggy brown or a deep chestnut color. Their bows were easily nine or ten feet in length, the bolts they shot six feet long. With massive fletching. Luckily they used no arrowheads, instead they sharpened branches with their claws. They came to Naruto "We, have traveled far, from the south. We heard of a white wolf demon from a different land who was putting together an army to stop bad humans, we come to ask, how can one have an army...with no archers?"
The one who spoke grinned widely. His teeth stained yellow. Naruto grinned "I thought we were missing something, I am Naruto, I would be honored to have you among us." The bear nodded "I am Brek, these are my men, my friends Bulmug and Dither come from the south, they are slowed but will arrive tomorrow if you wish to wait" Naruto turned and glanced at their steadily growing numbers.
He turned back "well, if this part of the valley can stand the numbers, we can wait." Brek grinned then turned and roared to his men, They roared back.
Naruto stood on top of the hill. He looked down, he last time he counted the numbers, they stood all in all about 600 strong. At least for cavalry, which was deer, elk, horses, moose, even a few prides of lions and some tigers. They also had Bulmug, leader of the earth chargers, a group of leathal rhino's. They had special forces, the healers, archers, beserkers (Dither and his men, ten of the roughest toughest gorilla axe-men you ever did see) stood at fifty strong in total.
Then their was air units, Naruto didn't even want to try counting them. Almost every demon bird in the valley, from the long limbed cranes, to the skulking vultures had joined. There was also some solitary demons, Naruto felt sad for Biskask, the only elephant demon in the valley. She had lived a long and saddening life, loosing her herd in a great sandstorm, she wandered lost across the deserts of Suna and came into this land.
Naruto liked their forces, he thought Konoha would be glad in need of them all. But then they heard news. News that chilled Naruto to his core. A group of goat demons had been in way to help bolster the numbers of healers, when they were attacked and slaughtered by the wolf demons. Taking advantage of the confusion in the land, the wolf demon pack had been preying on unprotected herds.
This caused major out cry, especially among the herd demons. Naruto howled and cut their arguing and bickering he spoke. "I will go and face my kind, I will go alone, I will make sure that your herds are protected when we leave, you have my word." He then moved through the parting crowds,all of them admired him, this lone wolf, who was willing to fight his own species, to protect and uphold true justice and his word.
The lemmings of course followed him chanting out "Chukalook! look look!"
Well this is defiantly becoming interesting is it not?
Once again, I need questions for my Q and A, things like 'what made you decide to start writing this story?' or like 'where do you get the inspirations' or...well things like that.
NSW