I originally wanted it to be the Animal Trainer or Animal Guard or something, but then I had an even better idea like the below. Sorry for the year long wait!

The Shepherd

"Baaah! Baaah!"

Kiba couldn't really say that he hated his job. Sure, it was tedious, boring, and many other negative adjectives - but he couldn't call it horrible. After all, this was what he was raised to be. This is what his mother did, what his sister did, and what his future children would do. If he had any; at the moment, that was a rather unrealistic dream. As it was, he was in love with someone who would not only never love him back, but who was already married to someone else.

His gaze lingered on the vast green field before him. The splurges of white that dotted it moved around languidly - and as always, it made him feel peaceful. Maybe it was because he'd been doing this job for so long, or maybe it was because it was in his blood - whatever the case, it always managed to calm him down.

He decided to take a seat on the grass and lay down in order to look at the sparkling blue sky. He was sure that Akamaru would be able to fare with herding the sheep around for awhile - this is what he was trained for, after all.

Kiba had spent many days and nights as a young child training Akamaru to be the dog that he was; fit for his job. Almost like a human, but not quite - since he couldn't speak or walk. But that was okay, as even so, he was able to complete him job.

Really, the sun was making his eyes hazy; he suddenly felt like Shikamaru, who was often too lazy to do anything but cloud watching. But his mother wasn't here to scream what a failure he was, so he'd just continue what he was doing - most likely in spite of her.

Ever since he'd been a child, his mother had been the star of his nightmares. It would be a stretch to admit that he feared her in real life, either - most of the time, it seemed like Tsume Inuzuka thrived in seeing his pain. Failure, she said. In her eyes, he'd always been the failure, the reject in the family. The youngest pup, too clumsy and lazy to ever do anything right.

Never mind the fact that the only thing he was - was a Shepherd. Anyone could tell by his scruffy appearance and the ripped soles of his shoes; what else could he be?

He could be everything he wanted to be. Those were not words said by himself, nor by his mother, nor by his sister (who always had to be little miss perfect, didn't she?) but by her. He'd met her out one day while roaming the fields - and she had instantly made an impression with her dark, dark hair and her pale, pale skin - that went along with her pale eyes, seemingly unseeing, but beautiful nonetheless.

But it was obvious, as stark as a sheep at night, that she was a noble. Who else could possibly own such pale skin other than them? He would have avoided her completely if she hadn't meekly asked for his help in aiding her on her journey back to the town.

And it hadn't taken much - just that - for them to become fast friends. Along with Shino, who he'd known since he was younger anyway.

But he hadn't known that she was the Queen - no, when he'd known, it was much too late, and he'd fallen deeply, head over heels. And he would have blamed her for not telling him earlier; but even then, there was not a doubt in his mind he would have fallen just as pitifully.

And it was exactly that. Pitiful.

For the Queen was already married, to the handsome King that had everything - what could a failure of a shepherd provide her? Nothing. So he'd kept his mouth shut, his heart shut, and he'd take this secret to his grave - because really, he'd just trouble the Queen with meaningless feelings. Didn't Hinata - he'd learnt her name when he'd learnt of her standing - have enough troubles already?

He was a failure, exactly like his mother said. He couldn't even pick the right woman to fall in love with. No - he could have fallen for someone even more unreachable: it had to be a tie between the Prince and the King, right?

Couldn't do anything right. Couldn't grow up right, couldn't get the right grades in school, couldn't not get into trouble. Couldn't speak right, couldn't walk right. Couldn't fall in love right.

Even now, his mother's voice was echoing in his ears - the voice that had haunted him throughout his childhood. But he couldn't really blame her anymore - it was just herself and two kids, and a husband that had run away from home with some skank he had met at a brothel. Never mind the fact that he had wife and kids at home... But Kiba couldn't really remember, as he'd just been a baby back then.

Oh, he had been born. It had had crossed his mind before - but maybe his father left because of the failure that he was, too.

But all this pity was weak and useless, and it really was time to get up and make sure that Akamaru had not eaten a sheep during his period of self-loathing. Because even if he was a failure, this job was easy - so he couldn't possibly find a way to screw it up.

There was an ever-present smile on his face as he got up in search of his companion. Sometimes, he wondered why he smiled the way he did. Why he was hyper the way he was. By what urge was he compelled to act like a fool? Was it because he was a fool already?

Was he afraid that he would push everyone away by showing his wounded interior?

Whatever the case, it was of no consequence to him. He wasn't allowed to be wounded. He wasn't allowed to be unhappy. Even though he was a failure, he was a shepherd - and being shepherd was always thought to be a stupidly easy job.

There was no room for tears. There were too many sheep in the way.

I back with Kiba chapter! I didn't intend to make him so depressed... but I did. Well, everyone in this story is depressed in one way or another, so hey-ho!

Aurora.