Life As A Fox

Chapter 89

NSW

Naruto's feet were taken out from under him as he doubled over in pain. Another soul bond lost. He knew already who it was. It was Iruka. He wanted to howl in agony at the loss, but he had not time, the rumbling of the wall signaled that everyone had to move, and move fast. Naruto barked at Hinata, he could see a little, his plan had worked, now you could see at least shadows and slight figures of people in the mist.

It was more like a smoke now. He called out. "Move Hinata now!" Hinata nodded and ran fast. Naruto leaped out of the way of a few falling rocks. He staggered as he tripped over another, but he caught himself and ran towards the lone wolf pup that was shaking in a curled ball. He grabbed it by it's scruff then ran with it. Scanning for any others that could be in danger.

He saw none so far, but he continued to run as fast as he could. Along the crumbling wall. He kept an eye on it making sure to judge it right. He swerved and veered over fallen bodies, so many of them. He felt a cold pit of anger form in his stomach. He pushed it back down, no, now was not the time. He flicked his ears as he heard cries.

He paused, but then realized that was enemy nin. For a moment he felt sorry for them. To be underground, not knowing what was happening as the ceiling and walls caved in about you, it must be a frightening way to die. Being buried alive. But he shook it from mind, they were his enemies, no pity would they get from him.

Time was running out fast. The flying Lumenion seemed to be in retreat. They swarmed back over the falling wall. Everyone else seemed to be in chaos. What with the mist, and the falling wall. Naruto charged forward. The pup still in his jaws. He had to find a safe place for it. He turned and dashed towards a lioness. He set the pup down.

"Please, carry it to safety." She nodded and picked it up. Naruto turned back, the pup no longer on his mind. He ran back, leaping over the fallen, calling out to see if anyone would answer. He had to leap out-of-the-way of a group of galloping horses fleeing the wall. He called out once more no answer, he decided maybe all were out of harms way.

The wall was slowly tilting further and further to the left, it's shadow fell over them like a giants. He gulped. How long had that wall stood? How long had that familiar and beautiful element surround Konoha? It was what had protected them from so many attack, it seemed ironic. Now they had to defend against their own defense.

He turned and ran, it would be foolish to try and continue and find more who needed help. There was a time when you had to turn you back, and just hope that no one was really further ahead.

Kakashi gripped the wall as it tilted dangerously. "We have to get down!" He said turning to the faithful gorilla. He snorted Kakashi lifted his leg to leap off the wall when suddenly a flying Lumenion shot up in front of him. Knocking him back. He held back a cry when his back thudded against a large piece of splintered wood.

It had stabbed him deeply. He gasped as he caught his breath, his heart thudding. The gorilla had finished off the offending Lumenion before Kakashi could eve register his pain. The wall creaked and buckled. Kakashi let a cry again as the wall fell a few feet with them on top of it. His stomach lurched. The wall bent over, he and the gorilla had to hang on for deal life as they sat suspended in mid-air at a ninety degree angle.

The gorilla climbed up next to him. He put a hand on his shoulder. Kakashi looked into his eyes and nodded. The gorilla grimaced as he began to pull Kakashi off the piece of splintered wood. Kakashi cried out as he was ripped off it. He almost passed out, he was dizzy and hurting. He put a hand across his chest and gripped his side.

He staggered up, somehow he had the energy to do so. The gorilla clapped him on his shoulder. "Thank-you" Kakashi said. The gorilla nodded "You are welcome, it is my pleasure to serve you." Kakashi grinned despite the situation. "Come on" he said. They stepped forward ready to leap to safety. But the boards the gorilla stepped on caved, unable to hold his weight.

Kakashi reached for him, but the gorilla roared at him and caught himself. The wood he gripped onto creaked and splintered, but held. Kakashi reached for him once more. "No!" He roared. The wall buckled again, Kakashi was almost thrown off. "Go! While you can!" the gorilla roared. "But what about you!" Kakashi yelled.

"I will survive! Just go!" Kakashi nodded and turned from him, even though his heart told him no. He wondered if this was how Mammoth had felt. He leaped off the wall, away from all that was tumbling down and falling apart, away from the gorilla who saved his life(more then once)and had watched his back. He leaped to safety and to the unknown life ahead.

The wall gave one last loud creak sounding more like a scream. Some people even said they could hear it cry out. But the wall of Konoha fell, hitting the ground with a massive crash. It shook the earth and great clouds of dust rose up billowing out like the smoke of a dragons. For a few moments, your sense was attacked repeatedly over and over with the deafening rumbling and crashing of rock, the screeching of wood, snapping and bending.

Then all were blinded and choked by the dust as it settled. Naruto looked up, the sight...was...beautiful, a tragic beauty. The sunrise was just beginning to peak it's head up over the hills. Casting it's beams towards the earth, where it hit a settling dust. The dust reflected the light, making it seem to glow, like gold. There was a deafening silence.

Naruto stepped forward what seemed after a lifetime. Towards the crumbled wall that lay fallen like so many others, the wall was such a moving and present entity in his life, it was like a person to him. It had always signaled that he was home, and that it would protect him, with the wall, he felt like a child would held in his mothers arms.

But now that entity was gone, ripped away from him, along with whatever childhood innocent feeling he had with it. Naruto had lost one of the last few links to his precious childhood. He closed his eyes, as he cried. He didn't know if he cried for Iruka, who also was a large contribution to his childhood as well, or if he cried for the wall, he finally settled on both.

He heard foot prints come towards him. It was Sasuke, his eyes red with tears. Naruto looked into his eyes, a silence passed between them. They both knew how the other felt, they both knew that the other knew that Iruka was gone. "When" Naruto asked, he was unsure. "Awhile ago, he died protecting the injured in the medic tents."

Naruto nodded that was so like him. Fighting to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Sasuke lifted his head and turned towards the wall. Naruto did as well. "You know. It's actually quite...beautiful, that wall, now gone...it seems befitting." Naruto glanced to him "what do you mean?" Sasuke spoke without turning to him.

"The wall represented the old ideas of Konoha, about the times of war and shutting oneself away from the world, about holding onto the same set of ideas...with the wall gone, we are now open to new things, new ideas...new allies and friends." Naruto turned and looked at the fallen wall. In a way Sasuke was right. Naruto scanned it's length.

"Some of it yet remains, I think only the front part of the wall collapsed, the other part that surrounds the rest of the village is still there." Sasuke turned "yeah, your right." More of a silence passed between them. Sasuke spoke "Iruka...he told me, that...he put us on the same team for a reason." Naruto turned to him "really? Why?" Sasuke turned to him "he said that we would make good friends." Naruto smirked, then he chuckled.

Sasuke broke out in a grin and then they both began to laugh. After sometime when the hoots of laughter died down. Naruto spoke "ah, Iruka, how funny you were sometimes, but then again, I guess he was right." Sasuke nodded "He was, he also told me, everything happens for a reason." Naruto nodded "He would be right as well."

Sasuke sighed "We left the academy almost what? 15 years ago? And he's still taking us to school." Naruto grinned and nodded "He was a good teacher." "He wasn't good, he was great" Sasuke said. Naruto nodded "Come on, let's see if we can make ourselves useful instead of standing around like gossipers at the market."

Naruto trotted through the debris. Mouse reported to his side. "What is the outcome?" Naruto asked. "Casualties are high, but most were able to fend off the attack well, none got into the village, and if they did they were taken care of." Naruto nodded "good, what of the Hokage?" Mouse paused. "None have seen him so far."

Naruto turned "What?" He growled "have whoever's not busy doing anything scan and look for him, also set up a line of sentries along the wall, now that we don't have it's defense we are going to need to have more eyes than ever." Mouse nodded and left. Naruto ran a little faster, he saw a group of ninja. "Go help carry in the injured and seeing if anyone alive has been buried under the wall."

They nodded and did so. Naruto ran towards the generals tent. He pushed in. Gaara and Bee were both there. Bee was cleaning his swords whistling. Gaara was absently playing with his sand. "Have either of you seen Kakashi?" Both paused and looked up. "No, no one has seen him." Naruto growled "Then what the hell are you doing here! Go out and look for him!" He snapped.

Gaara and Bee shrieked from him. An angry wolf could be quite scary. Naruto turned and left. His heart beating rapidly. He searched for Kakashi in-between giving orders. Having people help the medics, ordering people to start stacking some of the large portions of the wall back up, to have at least some sort of defense. The cleaning up of the wall was the worse part.

Every earth user as well as, every rhino demon was being used to their absolute maximum. All the Taijutsu and any strong man was also being used. The water buffalo permitted for harnesses to be put on them, as well as the horses, and they pulled the large stones away to be re-stacked. It was a slow and sweaty process. The flying demons were on constant alert, they glided in the skies, making sure if an enemy nin even sneezed Naruto would know about it.

What they didn't need now was an attack when everyone was dog dead tired from hauling bricks and stones around all day, not after a long night of fighting. Between the desolateness of the situation and the pain of losing so many, the work was mostly done silently, and with bleak and grim faces. For the first time, Naruto could see a sense of despair among the men, their hearts and bodies had been broken.

Naruto wished he could stop and say a word, but he was too busy with all the orders and requests, he basically a stand in for the Hokage, who still has of yet to appear.

Kakashi kneeled on the ground, in front of the wall. Staring down at something he had stared at for hours. Dried tears caked onto his face along with everything else. A single large gorilla hand extended out from underneath the debris of the wall. Kakashi knew he was gone, the gorilla who had saved his life, was gone.

Kakashi was over come with grief. The loss of such a loyal friend, and the loss of the wall, everything seemed so...lost, do defeated. He shook his head, he shouldn't be thinking like this, he had to get his head together. Everyone was looking up to him, to stay strong, to keep the fire burning. But even now he had a hard time finding his own inner fire, how was he supposed to instill it into others?

He heard heavy foot falls behind him. He turned it was Dither. Kakashi nodded to him. Dither spoke "He died in battle, how he always wanted to go." Kakashi after some time said "He died saving my life." Dither walked up towards him and plopped himself on the ground next to him. Kakashi was propelled into the air an inch before landing again.

He grunted and doubled over in pain from his wound. Dither glanced at him "You should get that checked." Kakashi sighed "no, the medics are probably already swamped, I will wait." Dither sighed lowly. "How did you know him?" Kakashi asked "He's my father, Detritis" Kakashi sighed he finally knew the name. "I am sorry for your loss"

The gorilla chuckled "Don't be, you see we gorilla believe, if we die in battle, we get to go to a place of endless feasting, where we sit around the tables with everyone else who passed before us, and dine as we share stories." Kakashi nodded that did sound nice. "How did you know he was here?" "My soul bond pulled me towards him."

Kakashi grunted "You don't feel any sadness at all?" Dither sighed "My father taught me all he knew, there was nothing that wasn't said between us, I know that he left this world without any regrets, he gladly embraced death, which is exactly how I knew my father would go, I somehow knew he knew it was his time when he joined with us again."

"Joined again?" Dither nodded "Yes, I took over the group when my father retired, but when he heard of this battle, he gathered his axes and said he would join us again, he must have somehow knew this would be his time." Kakashi sighed he knew men like that, like Mammoth, Mammoth knew it was his time as well, it seemed that everyone knew when it was their time, he wondered how did they know?

How could they walk calmly into a fray, knowing they were going to die, happy that they would? Kakashi couldn't wrap his head around it. He loved his life too much, he loved the people around him, he didn't think he could die knowing that he would cause unbearable loss to those he loved. But then again, Dither understood his fathers actions and was happy for them, so maybe...just maybe there was something deeper then dying in his death.

Dither spoke "General Wolfheart is frantically looking for you, you know?" Kakashi sighed "I would assume so, I suppose it's time for me to return, I can't leave all my responsibilities to him, that would be unfair, thank-you Dither." He nodded "You are welcome, do you need help?" Kakashi waved him off and stood, "I can do this-" He blacked out, not knowing how he finished his sentence.

Dither turned when he heard the dull thud of the Hokage hitting the ground. He snorted "I also knew that would happen as well, you and my father are so alike, so proud-full to admit you need help." Dither rose and picked up the limp form of the Hokage. Hauling him over his shoulder he quickly ran on three limbs to the healing tents.

Naruto was issuing orders once more when Sokol flew over head. "Found the Hokage, he's in the healing tents." Naruto gave an exasperated sigh. He turned and walked to the tents. "Ah..." said the man giving a report. "Can't you walk and talk at the same time?" Naruto called over his shoulder. The man quickly fell in step behind him.

Kakashi was being wrapped up, he sat bare-chested as a medic wrapped him. He held an icepack over his head as well, from where Sakura had punched him. That was what he got for making her worry, and for pushing all his work on Naruto. Who of course walked in at that moment. Kakashi nodded to him. Naruto glared at him as he turned and told a man to switch the sentries with workers, so that the sentries didn't get off easy and that the workers weren't overworked.

Naruto also told another to go into the inner city where all the villagers were staying, safe as possible. He told to gather every carpenter and any other person who knew how to lift a hammer to come and help out as well. Kakashi nodded that was good, Naruto was smart to think of such a thing. When Naruto didn't have a harem of people asking for orders and requests he turned to Kakashi.

He spoke "What. . Where. You. Thinking!" He roared. Kakashi scooted back, an inch, but not because he was scared, it was because...he well...okay he was somewhat intimidated by Naruto. "You can't just go under the radar like that! You are the Hokage! You have responsibilities! Do you know what would happen to us if we lost your leadership?! It is crucial that we have you!" Kakashi listened to his former student without saying word, Naruto was right, absolutely right.

When Naruto was finished he spoke "I know, Naruto, I know...I am sorry, I...well...I just didn't know what was happening, first there is an attack, and then the wall, and then...then...the demon who was with me the entire time, sacrificed himself for me...I don't know what to think anymore." Naruto sighed. "Kakashi, I know you must be hurting bad, but you cannot let your emotion get to you now, that is the worse thing for you to do, win this war, then grieve okay? That is what we all must do."

Kakashi nodded "Thank-you Naruto, you can send people in for me, you need not burden yourself with my job any longer." Naruto nodded "good, that will be punishment enough for you, lesson learned?" He asked him. Kakashi nodded "Learned well" Naruto grinned then turned he paused "I don't know if I should tell you this, but...Iruka died as well."

Kakashi stared at Naruto. His heart stopped beating for a second. Iruka by far was one of his closest child-hood friends he had left. Now, Iruka was gone as well? He turned away to hide the tears emerging from his eyes. Naruto left him walking back out to do his duty.

Rebel helped move another block to the top of the pile. It was mid-afternoon. Everyone was tired, everyone was dirty. Everyone just wanted to lay down and rest, she especially. But she pressed on, and moved in next to a lion and cheetah. They accepted her without complaint. They had sweated together and fought together, she had made herself known to be one of them, even though she wasn't.

They paused at the top of the pile and looked down. Rebel panted, she grew dizzy. She collapsed her body lay so weak. A human from the Sand spoke. "Get up, no one else is resting, why should you? You are the cause of all this." He said bitterly. She stared up at him. "What do you mean? I did not fly over the wall and attack you, I did not start this war."

The man glared and shifted his feet. He stood sweating, bare of anything except for pants, shoes and a headband keeping his hair out of his eyes. "You are a Lumenion, like any of the others, it doesn't matter which side you are on, you will always be un-welcomed in this world." "Why...why would you say such things?" she said, too tired for anger, too tired to care.

The cheetah came to her defense. "Leave off of her, everyone has a place on this planet, that is what they said first about us when we were here, We should not so easily turn her away nor any of her kind who ask peace from us, they can bring something new to us." "What? More death? Were you here for the massacre last night? Did you see what her kind did to us!?"

The cheetah growled, "Silence human! I was here last night! I know the pain they caused! I lost my brother to the Lumenion last night! Yet you do not see me so foolishly blame others! You humans are all alike! Won't admit how blind and stupid you are, so you shift the blame to others!" "Quiet you! You demons are nothing but a bunch of talking animals!"

That caused an outrage. Demons all around growled,snapped, hissed and roared at that. Fur stood on end as the demons faced off against the human. His comrades stood next to him, ready to protect him. There was a definite clash seconds from happening. Rebel rose up, yelling, commanding their ears. "Look at you! Both of you are allies, fighting in something noble and just!Both of you have places in this world that are justified, and yet here you are! Bickering among each other over the same set of ideals that your comrades are dying for!"

A silence descended among those present. "Think to all those you have lost" she said softer. "What did they die for? They died knowing, that someday, demons and humans could live together in peace, that your species could collaborate together and be together." All around her, eyes glazed over powerful memories as each present remembered those they lost.

"Yet here you stand, fighting because you can't accept my kind...that is understandable, I know that my kind has done damage on each of you, but you forget, I too fought next to you last night, I to was lost in that mist, I too had to fight for my life, and I to fear what lies in that camp, I fear what lies ahead for my kind, but do let your fear act out against each other, now more and ever you need to stand together, stand together and fight."

She looked down, "The enemy thinks, that with the crushing of this wall, we are scattered and broken like it, well...let us teach them, that even though our wall is broken, our spirit and our resolve is not!" A roar went up from the demons and humans. They were instilled once more with strength, thanks to an unprecedented source.

She felt One-Who-Follows brush up against her. She looked into his eyes. He smiled softly at her. "There's my Rebel." He said to her. She grinned as well, but then she lowered her head and something strange happened to her. What was once on the inside of her stomach, was coming out her mouth. One-Who-Follows was startled he jumped back, and danced on his paws, not knowing what to do.

"Whats wrong are you okay?" he said worriedly. She coughed. "I...I'm okay, I just...don't know whats happening to me." He nodded and a cheetah came up to her. "Go, take a rest, you deserve it, kami knows you deserve it." She nodded and shakily moved past the others, they parted for her. She walked and found some shade, she needed to rest so bad.

She flopped down and fell asleep instantly.

She awoke much later, it was dark out. "What...what time is it?" she asked out loud. One-Who-Follows turned to her. He lay beside her, propping her up on his shoulder. "It is night, you have slept for a while, I told Wolfheart of what happened, he thanks you greatly for what I did, he also told me to tell you to visit Gomeg when you awake, you may be in for a surprise."

She cocked her head. "How so?" she asked him. He shrugged and got up."I got you food." he said pushing a bowl towards her. She accepted and ate it greedily. She looked up to him, he was stockier now, they all were, they no longer had that skeletal and bony look to them, their bodies were actually more proportionate and looked even a little beautiful.

They looked stoic, and noble in a way. Pristine, with their tall, sharp features, and shining fur and eyes. She got up and strode next to him as they made their way to the medic tents. All was quit there was well. All had been taken care of and treated, now it was the medics turn to rest. Gomeg sat, his feet inside a bowl of a strange smelling water.

She scrunched her nose at it. "Scrunch your nose all you want, this stuff here is like heaven on the feet." She glanced to him. "Oh, sorry" she said bowing her head. He rose up and stepped out of the bowl, drying his feet with fabric he turned to her. "So I supposed I had better check you out, see if mine and Wolfhearts hunch is right."

She glanced to him "What is it that is wrong with me?" He smirked "Oh nothing, it is a common occurrence, one that you believed might not have happened but due to certain...advancements you two have made as a species, I thought it would be befitting." Gomeg stepped forward. "I can't scan with my chakra obviously, but I can do another thing as well."

He closed his eyes then opened them, they glowed, much like theirs. He stepped forward and placed a hand on her side. She turned her head to him, afraid that she might be sick or dying. He chuckled. "We were right." He stepped away. "What is it?" She asked."Parasites." Gomeg said. She froze "Parasites! we have to get them out!"

He shook his head "No you wouldn't want to do that, these are good ones." "There are such things?" One-Who-Follows asked. Gomeg nodded "Oh yes, give them awhile to grow, and you will see for yourself, they can be cute when they are young, but then they grow up and learn how to say no, and then they are out running around, causing mischief, but time will teach you two to be good parents."

She froze. "Parents...what are these?" "It's what you call those who have kids, or pups...or cubs...whatever you want to call them." She glanced to One-Who-Follows. "You mean...we are parents, but we have no young! We Lumenion reproduce by...growing off of our own bodies." The badger smirked. "That's what you thought, but I think it's safe to say, that everything you previously thought about yourselves...is false."

She gulped. "So...we are going to have young?" Gomeg nodded. "And they are located within...me?" She asked him, glancing down. "Yes." "Won't they die? Shouldn't we get them out!?" She exclaimed. Gomeg chuckled "no, we don't want that, they need time to grow, the time will come when they want to come out."

She was silent, the news was...staggering. She spoke up finally after sometime. "How did they get there?" Wolfheart sighed. "erm, Rebel...do you remember how you and...One-Who-Follows...had those times...when your...organs...joined?" She nodded, then froze. "Wait! You mean, when that happened...that is when the young were put in?" Wolfheart nodded "Yes"

She looked to One-Who-Follows. "How? I did not feel anything crawl into me." Gomeg tutted. "Well...oh bloody hell, must we explain the whole process!?" he said glancing to Wolfheart. Wolfheart nodded "I am guessing so." "Ha, fine then, you two, sit down and listen well, I am only going to explain this once." Rebel and One-Who-Follows did so.

NSW