Chapter 3: Kitsune's worst nightmare

Six years ago…

Lady Sana Okami opened the door to her daughter's room. Her three-year-old daughter, Kitsune Okami, was sitting by the window in a blue kimono looking out at the Dark village. Down far below the people milled about selling this and buying that, there was also the occasional ninja trainee completing missions for their senseis.

"Kitsune my love, it's story time." Kitsune looked up at her mother her little blue eyes warm and bright yet sad.

"Will Kanji and Daddy be there?" she asked hopefully standing up and nearly tripping over the long hem and sleeves of her kimono.

"Yes, Dear. But they both have lots to do so if you want to see them you better hurry." Sana gently took her daughter's hand and led her out of the room. Together they walked down a large ornate hallway to a large room with no windows draped in deep midnight blue silk. In the center of the room was Kitsune's father, Kasi, a man with long red hair like his daughter and blue eyes that sparkled like ice. Beside him was his son, Kanji, Kitsune's brother who looked like the male version of Sana. As Kitsune and Sana entered the room Kasi looked up.

"Ah, my Lady Fox." He said standing. Sana greeted her husband her black fox tail and ears dancing in delight.

"My Beast Master." She said kissing him gently.

"My little fox cub." Said Kasi as he lifted his daughter into the air. "Tell me Lady Fox Wolf, how does the river run?" Kitsune thought for a minute then said her little voice sure and strong, "Power and heat, light and love, death and darkness, wolf and dove." Kasi smiled.

"Right again little fox wolf. You are smart, you and your brother will make excellent leaders. Kanji, take your sister." Kanji, his eyes downcast, crept forward and took his sister from his father. Kitsune flung her arms around her brother's neck and clung for all she was worth then she laid a big, sloppy, wet baby kiss on his cheek.

"I love you Kanji." She said. Kanji's eyes were soft as he looked at his sister.

"I love you too, Kitsune." Kanji whispered when he was sure his father couldn't hear him. Kanji carried his sister over to a bed of pillows. They sat together side by side waiting for their parents. Kasi picked out a thick tome and pulled up a chair while Sana sat next to her children and began to methodically braid Kitsune long hair. Kitsune laid her head on her mother's lap and closed her eyes. She was asleep before her father read the first word. Kitsune's father stood.

"Come Kanji, we must meet with the counsel. We must wage war on the Leaf Village. I will see that Minato fellow dead." Kasi turned toward the door his loose clothes swirling around him. Kanji, his eyes filled with fear, followed his father out of the library. Sana continued to braid her sleeping child's hair. At last finished she stood and kissed her daughter and left the room. She walked down the hall in search of something to do. She decided to go search for her husband and son. She was halfway to the war counsel chamber when she saw it- the telltale flash of a green jacket- that meant only one thing, Leaf ninja. Sana picked up her skirts and raced to the war counsel.

"My love!" she screamed. "The Leaf ninja! They are upon us!" Kasi looked up startled.

"Where is Kitsune? They must not take her!" Kasi, Kanji, and Sana all began to run to the library. When they finally reached the large doors and had thrown them open they were greeted by the sight of a handsome tall man with spiky blonde hair wearing a green jacket holding their daughter.

"Kitsune!" Kasi yelled. "Minato, put her down!" Minato turned to Kasi an odd caring, loving light glittering in his eyes as he looked at Kitsune.

"Tut, tut, Lord Kasi, you mustn't wake the dear child." Minato said as Kitsune cuddled closer to him in her sleep. Kasi lowered his voice.

"I said put her down."

"Or what?" Minato was only semi-curious.

"Or this. Kanji, now!" Together Kasi and his son ran at Minato. Kasi threw a knife at Minato slicing off a clump of hair, giving Kanji enough time to rescue his sister. This awakened Kitsune. She yawned and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Mama?" she muttered. Kanji held his sister close to him.

"No Kitsune. You need to stay with me." Kitsune twisted in her brother's arms.

"No. I want mommy." Kitsune insisted. Minato watched Kitsune closely. He began to draw a three pronged throwing knife but changed his mind going instead for a normal throwing knife and aimed it.

"Kanji get your sister out of here!" Kasi yelled to his son as Minato threw the knife. The knife just barely grazed Kanji's cheek. At the sight of her brother bleeding Kitsune began to scream. Kanji ran out of the library, his parents and Minato behind him. At the corner he stopped to catch his breath. He heard a scream and turned to see his father being stabbed with a knife. Kitsune's intake of breath told Kanji that she too had seen the murder. Somehow Kitsune escaped from her brother and began to run toward her father. Minato aimed a several throwing stars at her. Sana was suddenly in front of her daughter taking the stars for her. Kitsune felt her mother's arms around her then several sharp- thwack, thwack, thwack!

"I- love- you- Kitsune." Sana leaned forward into her daughter. There was blood on Kitsune's face, warm blood, her mother's warm blood. Kitsune touched her face and stared at the red on her fingers. She stood shakily staring at the puddle of blood that was growing around her mother. The blood was soaking into her kimono turning the blue to black. Kitsune raised her cold dull blue eyes to Minato. Though he would never admit it to anyone Kitsune's eyes scared him. The eyes of a child should not look so empty. Kitsune bent down grabbed several stars from her mother's back and threw them at Minato. All three hit him in the leg. He went down. Kitsune turned to her brother. Kanji stared at his sister with fear in his eyes. Like the fear he had when he looked at his father.

"Kitsune, are you all right?" he asked. Before she could answer him she fell forward in a dead faint. Carefully Kanji picked up his sister's unconscious body and turned to see if Minato was going to try to hurt them but he was gone. Kanji turned his back on his parents' cooling bodies. If anyone had met them on their way out they would have seen a preteen boy carrying a toddler, no remorse or even a hint of sadness or grief in his eyes. He walked out of the house of murder just as someone inside set it on fire. As Kanji entered the forest Kitsune, who was semi-conscious, had the image of her home on fire burned into her brain. Her father was dead and her mother had died protecting her. Kitsune was going to kill Minato if it was the last thing she did. Minato and any and all of his descendants, the line of Minato would come to an end by her hand. This Kitsune swore.

A/N: I'm more than willing to admit that I know next to nothing about Minato. Don't ask me how a three year old, grief ridden, little girl could throw three throwing stars at Minato and have them all hit him when he could use the thunder god technique. But Kitsune did so there. Maybe that will be explained later… keep reading…