Once upon an age, there lived an egomaniac named Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke was clever, good-looking and belonged to the most prestigious clan in all of Konoha. Although clever, he was also a semi-idiot with his huge ego. He thought he was better than everyone and could, therefore, do anything. Needless to say, that's where the idiot part comes in. Anyway, so our story begins. . . . .

It was winter in Konoha and all the ninja squads were huddled in the warmth and safety of their compounds. Missions were canceled and the tired teams all stayed home. Naruto was snug in his ramen-scented home, dreaming of his lover, Sasuke. Sakura was toasting her hands near a fire, smiling at the weather. Kiba was resting on Akamaru. Neji and Hinata sipping hot tea in the Hyuuga main room.

And of course, Kakashi, under a kotatsu, reading his book while smiling under his mask like always.

Now, you may be wondering where our favorite Uchiha was, in this fine, snowy weather. He was gathering fire wood for the stove of the Uchiha common room, Itachi making hot chocolate. He had gathered yesterday and it was Sasuke's turn anyway.

Sasuke was humming "Cartoon Heroes" as he went through the forest to gather a few more pieces of wood for the stove. He was smart and being that he was the top ninja in the academy, also that he lived where he did, he knew that the good fire wood was buried deep within the forest. Sasuke, unbeknownst of the fate that was about to befall him, stopped for a second in thought, then took of into the darkening forest.

"The woods are looking darker than I thought."

Sasuke said this quietly, looking above him at the bare trees. Sasuke's clan had always grown in seclusion and believed in being old-hearted. Being that they had grown up that way, Itachi and Sasuke did not know of the recent rumor about wolves roaming the darker, deeper areas of the forest that Sasuke was wandering now.

"Best keep moving, either way," he said to himself.

The Uchiha knew he could fight off any enemy that should threaten his existence blind and he knew the woods like the back of his hand from the countless times he had roamed aimlessly around them. He wasn't the least bit scared. But as he walked on, a chill suddenly ran up his spine. He stopped, wondering what that was about. In the distance, he heard a twig break. The only sound to shatter the slowly deafening silence.

"Just a bird, nothing more," he muttered, slightly nervous now.

Sasuke continued on, seeing a good branch near by, about a few feet away. As he got closer to it, he suddenly heard the bush near him rustle. He stopped. Silence. He heard the sound of soft breathing, near the bush that rustled. Sasuke darted his eyes to the bush. . . . .

and locked with the golden-yellow eyes that stared back.

The eyes stared back for an immeasurable amount of time, it felt like an eternity. Then the eyes blinked and disappeared. Sasuke exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"It was an illusion, I'm tired is all."

He bent down to grab the branch quickly. It was then that he noticed his hand was shaking.

I'm nervous? What the hell?, he thought, pacing back to the Uchiha compound.

Sasuke was lost in thought, not knowing how deep into the woods he was, when he heard the rustling noise from before again. He ignored it this time and kept on walking. Sasuke still had this small, nagging suspicion that he was being followed by something. After a few steps he decided to turn around, just to check. He stopped, holding his breath as he turned around. He never released his breath.

It was the same golden-yellow eyes from the bush, except that now they were attached to the body of an enormous silver wolf. Behind it flanked a half dozen other wolfs in various colors. They each bore a pair of the same golden-yellow eyes, each gleaming menacingly, hungrily, dangerously. Sasuke was paralyzed, fear spreading slowing though his body. Scared for the first time since the accident that left him with his half-sociopath of a brother to take care of him. The wolves spread out in a circle around Sasuke, trotting slowly, observing, plotting. A strange thought occurred to Sasuke suddenly.

Itachi. I might not see him again. Oh Kami, I might die!!

Sasuke was trapped and the ninja in him realized this as well. The wolves had stopped circling now. They were ready to pounce, to kill. Sasuke would run, if his legs weren't jelly, would scream if his throat wasn't so dry. The wolves stared at Sasuke for a moment. Sasuke stared back. For the small amount of time, the world was silent. Not a sound could be heard. And then, all hell broke loose. Sasuke tried to run. He felt something sharp tear into his side. Everything went black then. . .

A few weeks later, Itachi was wandering the same forest. Sasuke had been declared missing, presumed dead. Itachi stayed expressionless as they said this. The morning was cool and clear, the sky gray with an oncoming rain. Itachi wandered farther into the woods, not noticing a bloody leaf that was laying near a bush next to him. It was then that he noticed a small niche in the ground, like a cave. He stepped to it and went inside. A little ways down was an odd looking object. Itachi stepped closer to it. When he was about three feet away, he stopped and gasped. Inside the small cavern was Sasuke's body, bloody, battered, and torn apart nearly. He looked dead.

He IS dead. And I couldn't do anything. Sasuke. . . .

Itachi gulped and shuddered at the sight. The wolves had eaten his brother; they had killed him, the last member of the Uchiha clan. Itachi held his breath and went to retrieve his brother's body. But just as he bent down to pick Sasuke up, a hand twitched. Sasuke's hand. He wasn't dead yet.

"Th-the wol. . .ves . . . R-run away. . .big bro-bro. . .ther. . ." Sasuke stuttered, shuddering violently.

Itachi looked down. Sasuke was bleeding heavily from a gash in his side. The fluid was dripping from his tattered clothes to the cave floor. He must have not been able to move for so long, he couldn't gather the strength to walk or even crawl to the Uchiha compound.

"Sa-Sasuke?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. Unconscious but he remained breathing shallowly. He was still alive. Thank the God above. Itachi picked Sasuke up and brought him back to the compound.

A FEW MONTHS LATER. . . . .

Sasuke was wandering aimlessly around the clan home holding Naruto's hand gently. After time in an intensive care ward at the hospital, he was doing much better. Sasuke's life was back to it's semi-normal, original state. The only setback was his new found phobia of wolves. But no one dared to mention that.

"Sasuke, dear?" Naruto asked timidly, adorably.

"Hmm?" Sasuke was staring into space, barely paying attention.

"Wh-what happened?" Sasuke paused, thinking.

Was it okay to tell Naruto?

I wonder myself, Sasuke thought, bowing his head slightly.

"Sasuke?"

He turned his head to the rising sun, the sky a pale purple. A sign of a sleepy but good, quiet day. Naruto stared at his lover's face, wondering about his serene expression. Sasuke looked back to Naruto calmly.

"Never mind," Naruto said, shaking his head slightly with a smile on his face. Sasuke smiled back and touched Naruto's lips lightly with his own.

"Who knows, Naruto?" Sasuke said, "Who knows?"

In a distant area of the surrounding forest, a wolf howled and a pair of golden-yellow eyes watched the retreating couple. They blinked once and disappeared. Farther off, was the sound of a fading scream.

Who knows?

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Arigatou-neh!! -v