Chapter 8: Blood of the Fallen

Everybody stared at Kiba who in turn stared at Ume with tears threatening to spill out from his eyes. Ume had her hand on her stomach when she felt a warm liquid seeping through her shirt. She looked at her hand and her eyes widened when she saw the blood. Ume turned to face her brother and she lost her voice. Neji was bleeding from his cheeks, chest, shoulders and wrists. Tenten fell on her knees crying while Sakura ran to her side.

--Uchiha house--

Sasuke stood in shock when Itachi and Itsuka's heart started bleeding and that he also started to bleed again.

--Haruno shrine--

Sakura touched her heart and saw blood just like right now was happening to Sasuke. Then it started to rain blood drenching them completely. After about half an hour the cloud dissipated and everyone's wounds healed.

"What the fuck's going on!" Shouted Kiba.
"I don't know." Replied Ume crying.

Kiba ran off with Akamaru clinging inside his jacket. Ume dried her tears but just stayed in the same place holding a chain close to her heart. It was St. Valentines gift from him. She had smiled all day for once when he gave her a silver chain with a plum blossom pendant. And in turn she had given a silver chain with an ivory fang. Kiba stared at the fang regretting running off like that.

'I can't believe I acted that way.' He thought.

Ume had run off to find him while her tears streamed down her cheeks.

--Haruno Shrine--

Sakura was serving tea to the others when a scream was heard coming from the direction of the shrine itself. Ume went to the park and found Kiba him staring at the ground.

"Kiba."

He looked up at her, his eyes were red from crying. Ume sat next to him and dried his tears.

"Don't cry Kiba." Said Ume nuzzling her cheek against his.

Kiba looked at her with an apologizing look in his eyes.

"It's alright I know you don't understand. But I really don't know" Said Ume.

Kiba kissed her head and her forehead taking in the sweet scent of white plums.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you like that." He whispered.
"It's okay Kiba." She replied standing up.

Kiba smiled as she turned away but then he walked behind her and wrapped his hands around her making her smile then he let her go. Ume ran back to the shrine with a smile on her face. Sakura and the others ran to the ceremony room only to find it engulfed in flames. Ume ran faster suddenly having a strange feeling that something was wrong was going on.

--Haruno shrine--

Sakura ran to her aunt's side getting burned in the process. But when she helped her stand up she was face to face with the Kyuubi who grinned at her hungrily.

"So we meet again."
"What are you talking about?" Asked Sakura.
"Don't play dumb "Princess of the heavens." It said before disappearing.

Sakura checked if she had her burns but there wasn't the slightest evidence of them. Ume was at the shrine's gate when she saw Naruto. But she noticed he wasn't his usual self his eyes were red and resembled those of a fox.

"Naruto what are you doing here?" She asked maintaining her distance from him.

He didn't answer he simply growled at her. She turned her head when she heard a noise but when she was going to talk to him again he was gone.

'There's something wrong with him.' She thought running.

Sakura with the help of Neji and Shino carried Kiyo to her room. Tenten sat alone when Ume arrived.

"Was Naruto here?" She asked breathless.
"No." Replied Tenten.
"What happened?" Ume asked regaining her breath.
"We aren't sure we heard a scream coming from here and when we arrived this whole room was on fire" Replied Tenten when Neji sat next to her.

Ume stood up and walked away. Neji stared at his sister who still was holding the pendant close to her heart.

"What happened to her"
"I don't know." Replied Tenten when she saw her heading to the direction of the porch.

Neji laid his head on her lap making her blush slightly. She sighed and stroked his long dark brown hair. Ume sat alone thinking of both Neji and Kiba when she saw the falcon again.

'Okay this is really freaking me out.' She thought.

--Inside--

Sakura stared at her aunt and breathed heavily.

--Uchiha house--

Itsuka was under the shower washing the blood of the wound away.

"I can't believe what's happening. First Sasuke and now me and Itachi" She muttered washing her jet-black hair.

Itachi was drying his hair with the towel him having just finished showering. Itsuka stepped out of the shower with her hand over the wound was and shivered. Sasuke laid on his bed staring at the ceiling thinking when somehow his thoughts drifted to Sakura.

'Huh? Why the hell am I thinking about bitchy-cherry'

--Haruno Shrine--

Neji and Tenten were left alone after Shino had gone back home.

"How's your family, Neji?" Asked Tenten.
"Good I guess." Replied Neji.

Tenten smiled and stared at the ceiling as she kept stroking Neji's hair carefully.

Ishi: That's it along with some NejiTen fluff.
Ume: (yawns) Finished Ishi?
Ishi: Yah. See ya later.