Fate's Garden

Part 2 - Fox Den

Chapter 8 - True

Naruto stretched and yawned widely. That day marked the twenty-sixth year they'd been in this life. Twenty five years since his daughter had left home. He pressed his eyes shut at the memory and then opened them, the thought forgotten. It was very odd, and yet comforting, to be in one life for so long. This was longer than he'd lived in his first life, even. It was nice. He was settling down. Naruto was really starting to like this life. But, at the same time, he was using it as a security blanket, and he hated himself for it. He and Sasuke had grown so far apart over the years it was almost like those two years he was gone in their first life. They were like strangers that knew each other very well.

Naruto licked Ruko's muzzle, rubbing his forehead against her neck and shoulders. She hummed at him, panting and yipping her affection. Then she stretched, waking up and leaving the cave so she could start her day. He then walked over to Sasuke and licked him. He was rewarded with a scowl and a kick to his ankle that he didn't feel at all. He wanted to make things right with Sasuke. He did. Was it so wrong that he didn't want to trust Sasuke one hundred percent? Why was it so wrong for him to give him only ninety-five? As Sasuke had said they weren't friends. They weren't anything. Naruto was important to Sasuke and that was it. Why couldn't Naruto devote the rest of himself to someone else more deserving, like Ruko?

That was something that Naruto hadn't necessarily expected over the two and a half decades he'd been in this life. He'd really come to cherish his mate, his vixen, Ruko. He didn't love her like a human would love their mate. He considered her a partner, someone he could rely on for everything and then some. The sex had no meaning really, other than what it actually was, physical desire. It was just another way of expressing his affection, and his dominance. He knew that she felt just as strongly for him and that would never change. It wasn't the same kind of connection that Naruto knew he had with Sasuke, but it was just as strong. Naruto knew that he could trust his vixen with his whole self.

Naruto liked Sasuke, he did, really. He trusted him even, for the practical important things. It was only self preservation that kept him from giving him the last part. Sasuke just couldn't understand that. He probably never would. This rift between them needed to end, it was getting ridiculous. But Sasuke was already up and out of the cave and Naruto knew he wouldn't see him until he ambled into the cave later that night. Great.

Sasuke scowled at his reflection in the water. He'd never considered himself vain. He was so focused on his goals and getting stronger that he didn't bother to care what he looked like. But now that he was…old, he realized he cared very much. Alright, so he wasn't old. If you didn't call edging on fifty old then good for you. Sasuke stared at his wrinkles and knew that they were self-imposed due to all of the scowling he'd done and all the worrying. But he still chose to blame anything else but himself.

Everything was becoming harder when he was older. Moving itself was a chore, and sleeping on the cold cave floor hurt his joints almost as much as standing up did. He was sure he would be dying any day now. After all, if he didn't have the sure-footedness of a shinobi he'd be an injury waiting to happen. Lord knew he didn't get the proper nutrition he should be at this age, living out in the wilderness like he did. Naruto was just fine, thanks to his stupid fox-years he aged in. Aging one human year for every seven. He'd really only aged three years, almost four, this whole time. Unless the dobe killed himself when he died there was no way Sasuke was going straight to their next life. He would force himself on Naruto's godly father and beg to stay in the garden till the dobe's biological clock was up.

After he was done washing up Sasuke set about the difficult task of climbing out of the river without hurting himself. His joints creaked woefully loud. He grumbled in fox speak without meaning to. Pulling on his shorts was a chore, as was merely living these days. Once he was all set to go get breakfast (which he now needed assistance getting for himself, he sure was the butt of everyone's jokes now) he started heading towards the feeding area. But he was stopped by a rather gracefully dressed woman he didn't recognize.

She was familiar to him but he wasn't sure how. It must be his old age squandering his memory, he was sure of it. She was beautiful in a shy, subtle way. Her grey hair wasn't from age as Sasuke's was, but natural and it flowed down to the small of her back. She was shapely, not skin and bones, nor overweight, and seemed to have left her clothes at home. Wherever her home was. No human from the village in the valley, or from anywhere, would dare set foot in Naruto and Kyuubi's territory. They were very diligent about protecting their borders from intruders.

"Who are you?" He barked, momentarily forgetting to speak human.

"Pet, you sure are getting old if you can't remember me," the woman smirked speaking fox with him easily.

Sasuke squinted at her, honestly thinking about it. Who…was…she…? Finally, in exasperation she transformed and glared down at him. Yurei. He would be in so much trouble if he was caught with her and he hadn't tried to alert the others. He could plead that he was a weak old human and there was no way he could escape her. But that couldn't work…right? Or maybe it would? He had to try.

"Yurei you shouldn't be here."

"Didn't we used to argue about not betraying one's true mate?" She asked him, her eyes never leaving his face.

Sasuke backed away from her. "What are you getting at? You should leave before the clan sees you. They'll kill you on sight, Yurei!"

"Don't you remember that morning I shifted? Don't you?"

"I do, but that doesn't matter. For me to allow you to stay true I would have to betray my mate. I can't do that. You know it."

"Why must you act so cautious? I'm the more mature one here and you know that."

"Because for being the more mature one you aren't acting like it, leave now before I tell the others!"

"You wouldn't dare try." Yurei snarled.

"What would you do if I did, Yurei? Would you hurt the mate you insist on being true to?" Sasuke was bluffing and probably not well but he needed to get away from her. He had to find the dobe. He hadn't said more than a few words to him in more than a few years. But right now he needed him and he was too far away.

"Coming from the bitch that hurts his mate all the time? That's just PATHETIC!" Yurei yowled, her last words coming out as almost a shriek.

Sasuke growled and forced his old body to move past her. But age had crippled him in a way it shouldn't for any real shinobi. One decisive paw caught him and threw him against a tree, snapping his spine like a twig and shattering his skull.

End of Part 2