Hunted

By Zenerific1

Chapter 3: Lost and Found

Draped over a chair, Naruto contemplated on how bored he was. He'd explored the house from one end to the other and top to hidden basement underneath the seventh tatami mat in the temple. Neither the attic with its trunk of moth eaten clothes, nor the altar under the temple held any appeal to him.

Sasuke refused to take him out into the compound and definitely wouldn't allow him to go alone. Naruto had tried several times in the past week to get Sasuke to let him go explaining that he could take care of himself, but Sasuke was adamant and each time he'd get thoroughly pissed then he'd stomp away.

Naruto let out a frustrated breath but was glad Itachi was kept busy by his job. The quiet disapproving look on Itachi's face that first day was more than Naruto wanted to know about Sasuke's brother. It was plain to him that Itachi either didn't like him or he didn't like that Sasuke had brought home a pet. So Naruto was going to stay as far from the man as the compound would allow.

With just a wave of his hand, Sasuke had followed him to a short, private meeting. When Sasuke had reappeared he'd bee pissed and withdrawn. He'd shown Naruto to his new room and had left him there, only showing up long enough to deliver a meal of cold sandwiches for supper and the bathroom down the hall. Except for the short visit which ended in an un pleasant argument, Naruto had seen very little of the raven.

Most of Naruto's needs were seen to by a domesticated wolf named Iruka. He'd met the wolf that first night when he'd come to pick up the dishes. Frowning at the mostly uneaten food, Iruka had introduced himself. Quickly gathering the dirty dishes the wolf left without further conversation. In the morning, Naruto had been so full of questions that he'd followed Iruka around. The most the blond had learned though was that Iruka had been born in Konoha, his parents were killed by a psychopath when he was little, and that he'd been raised in the Uchiha household serving to their needs.

Naruto could feel his restlessness growing with every minute. Then to top it off he was feeling irritable because of the heat of each day. To Naruto, it seemed like each day was worse that the one before it. He took frequent baths to help cool him off but they did little to alleviate the warmth. It was only when he was with Sasuke that he could forget about how hot the weather was.

But then he was hyper-aware of the man. Naruto found that he watched Sasuke breath when it was quiet between the two. When Sasuke spoke, the young fox would stare at the movement of his lips. He'd caught himself licking his lips after watching Sasuke do the same. There was an instinctive urge to touch the raven. To feel the muscles moving underneath the pale skin, to trace the contours with sensitive fingers finding each dip and bump. Naruto wanted to bite the pulse that raced in the man's throat, not enough to draw blood, but enough to make it leap as his heart did when Sasuke looked at him.

Sometimes Naruto would catch Sasuke watching him. On those occasions, Sasuke would turn away from the fox, his face flushed. Naruto just wished that there were more of those occasions. He liked the thought of Sasuke looking at him in the same way that he looked at Sasuke.

Naruto's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of voices coming down the hall. The door was cracked just a bit, not enough to be visible noticeable but enough for the voices to be clear. It was Itachi and Sasuke and they were discussing him.

"…care! I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions!" Sasuke was hissing.

"Father would roll over in his grave if he knew that you'd brought a 'brid home," Itachi said levelly. "You should get rid of it before the rest of Konoha find out. You know that they will speculate on whether you are using him and it will ruin your reputation and the reputation of the Uchiha. Madara has given you a direct order to remove the pet from this compound and you would do well to listen to him."

"The elder is an opinionated fool. He doesn't know Naruto, and neither does anyone else. I kept the fox because if I didn't he would have been sold to the client, his life and body used harshly then tossed aside. When the contract was signed, Orochimaru agreed to allow me my choice of 'brids. Since Naruto is one of the rarest, then that meant he was more valuable than any of the other species, so it was only logical that I retained ownership."

The way that they discussed him, in even tones, like he was a piece of fruit that they were deciding to buy, left him feeling isolated. A shard of ice seemed to pierce his chest. Wanting to run, Naruto forced his feet to remain still as he listened to the rest of the conversation.

"So what? Are you going to wait until its price rises and then sell it off to the highest bidder? Breed it? What are you planning to do with it?"

Naruto gritted his teeth as the way Itachi referred to him as asexual, like he wasn't even a creature with feeling, just a simple toy.

"Naruto isn't an it. And perhaps that is what I am planning to do. But if I am then it really isn't any of any concern to you. This…venture…is my affair and no one elses," Sasuke bit out, the anger easily detected in his voice. "I will sell him, breed him, or just let him be as I see fit. I won't tolerate any interference from you or Madara."

A rebellious compulsion seized the fox, born of frustrated boredom and anger. Leaving the two brothers to continue their argument, Naruto silently crossed the room to thw windows. Flicking the latch and easing the pane open, Naruto cleared the sill with a quick jump. The only thought crossing his mind was a resolute and emphatic need to make his own decisions for the future. Not some hunter who thought that just because he wasn't trying to escape, he was tamed. And definitely not some human brother who rejected him on site because he was a human/animal hybrid. Nor an old goat who would judge a person without even meeting him.

Looking quickly around the yard, Naruto slipped into the bushes to hide from anyone who might come into the courtyard. Making his way to the back wall, the fox leaped the wooden partition that sectioned off this area from the rest of the town. Having successfully left the compound in his wake, Naruto disappeared down the alleyway.

*** ***

Breathing deeply, Sasuke closed his bedroom door with a harsh snap. Head down, he tried to concentrate on anything other than the welling outrage. How dare Itachi and Madara try to give him ultimatums? Wasn't it enough that he lived with his brother? Wasn't it enough that he shared his income—which was considerably larger than Itachi's—with the rest of his relatives, allowing the family to care for its own?

Naruto had been a nuisance all week, asking to be allowed to explore the town, either with or without Sasuke. He didn't understand that Sasuke was trying to protect his family by keeping rumors at bay, protecting their relationship. Naruto didn't understand that if he went into the village alone, unprotected, he was prey to any human or animal that came along. An unprotected 'brid was fair game, a piece of meat to be used or eaten as the user/eater saw fit.

Rubbing his temples to relieve some of the building migraine, Sasuke crossed his room and lowered his frame to the bed. Reclining of the pillows, half propped up he closed his eyes wishing his room was darker.

He felt like he was in a press being slowly crushed. On one side was his family and the other was the fox. Each pushing against him for their own selfish desires, regardless of Sasuke's wants or wishes.

It was bad enough the Ino was telling everyone who would listen that Sasuke had brought home a golden fox, then there was Kotetsu and Izumo speculating about the purpose for Sasuke's wanting to keep the fox. If he could rewind time and go back to when he'd entered the village, he would have put a cloak on Naruto to keep who and what he was hidden.

At first, Sasuke had thought that they had accepted Naruto. His aunts, uncles, even cousins had smiled and spoken to him and Naruto with warmth; invited them over for tea and shogi. But their opinions had changed once they learned that Madara objected to the fox's occupation of Sasuke's home and attention.

Sasuke didn't understand the sudden about face that Madara. He was fine with Iruka being part of the household, serving to their needs. This struck him as being fearful but Madara had always been a reasonable man. The elder had always commanded respect from everyone that came into his presence. Why did he think that Naruto was a threat to their every tradition?

Sasuke understood about preserving the family's reputation, after all they were the family that others aspired to be; the standard by which people were judged—and found lacking. Their ancestry was impeccably riddled by geniuses and renowned leaders in nearly every powerful field. Of course, there were also those family members who were illustrious and stricken from the genealogy.

The migraine swelled and Sasuke could bear the pain no longer. From the bedside table, he pulled a bottle of super strength painkillers and swallowed two dry. Lying back against the pillows he waited for them to take effect. They did so quickly and Sasuke sank into a quiet oblivion, permeated with heated dreams of a blond fox.

*** ***

The sights and sounds of the city intrigued Naruto to no end. Ending up in the market district of Konoha by way of the alley, put Naruto into a trance with the many scents in the air. Spicy peppers were being cooked in a stew with free samples being offered. The pungent smell of meats being cooked drove him to explore the place thoroughly. Then there were the sweet, mouthwatering scent of pastries. Every other stall or booth brought a new taste or texture. It was a sensual experience and the young fox enjoyed all of it.

Venturing further, he found a river running through the town and the occasional flash of silver as a fish jumped caught his attention. Animal instinct drove him to plunge into the cool water to try and catch one of the elusive delicacies. The water countered the heat that had been plaguing Naruto earlier and once he'd finished the quick snack, he played in the refreshing liquid.

Exhausted from the play he emerged and shook from head to toe flinging droplets of water to fall through the air, capturing the light of the early evening. He shivered deliciously as the air created goose bumps on his now cold flesh but he didn't find it nearly as irritating as the heat had been. A wide grin played about his mouth.

Ears perked upright through the soggy locks. Music was playing somewhere which meant that there was a celebration in the city. It had been a long time since he'd been to a town celebration. The festivities in the small towns were often combined with games, food and dancing. Fireworks would light the sky in colorful, sparks giving him the feeling of wonderment. Naruto figured that since it was a large city everything would be enhanced and there would be more of it.

Following the music, brought the boy to a large park filled with people. Making his way through the crowd, Naruto wondered what the people were celebrating. He tried to listen to the conversations around him but it all blended into a fussy, white static in his sensitive ears. Revelry surrounded him and he finally succumbed to the joy that was permeating the air. Several tables were set up under tents and laden with all kinds of food. The music pumped through his blood and he was approached several times by various people who wanted to dance. They were uninhibited for the most part and he had to endure several of them wanting to touch his ears, though he was rewarded with the occasional scratch behind them that caused pleasant sensations to run through his body.

As the park darkened into night, twinkle lights were lit in the trees and from where they were strung overhead. Torches were also lit to help light certain areas of the park.

Making his way away from his latest dance partner, Naruto was jostled from the side as someone ran into him. Looking up he found a tall, scarecrow of a man reading a thin, orange book. The cover had a male human chasing a female human. Thick, silver blond hair stood straight into the hair falling to once side slightly and a mask cover the lower half of his face. A black eye patch covered his right eye and a thin scar sliced from eye brow to cheek on that side of his face. Naruto could only assume that he'd lost the eye and wore the patch to cover the empty socket. The man's attention was focused on the fox as the moment and that dark, blue eye flashed piercingly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to run into you, but you were about to step on a troglodyte," the man said by way of apology. Naruto's eyes felt to the ground to search for the creature that he'd never in his life heard of. His keen eye didn't find anything but the trampled grass. When he looked back up the man was snickering behind the book.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" Naruto demanded, confused by this man's strange words and attitude.

"Mah, mah, you aren't from around here are you?" The man said watching the blond fox try to get his bearings.

The change in conversation through Naruto for a second. "I've only been in Konoha for a week."

"What's your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The scarecrow nodded then closed his book with a snap tucking it into the pouch at his hip. "I'm Kakashi Hatake. Where is your master?"

Naruto drew back at that word. "I don't have a master," he said indignantly.

An eye brow went up and the white head tilted slightly to the side as he studied the boy. "All hybrids have a master, or they're fair game. Where is the person that you were staying with all week?"

"He is at his home. I wasn't wanted so I left."

There was a slight waver in Naruto's voice that Kakashi heard. It was clear that something had happened to upset the little fox.

"Who was it you were staying with?"

"Why? What does it matter, I'm not staying there anymore. I'd just be in the way and he's ashamed of me."

"Ah."

Kakashi was giving Naruto a head ache so he decided that he didn't want to be talking to the man. Turning, the blond took a step to leave the man when a hand descended onto his shoulder.

"Wait, you can't just wander off without a master. Like I said if people find out that you don't have someone to protect you they will take advantage of that." The voice had lowered so that it barely reached the fox's ears. Naruto just looked at the man then shrugged his hand off.

"Then I won't tell anyone." The fox's agility allowed him to slip into break in the crowd that closed behind him as the bodies shifted. He moved through the crowd wanting to be rid of the man. Looking back over his shoulder he could see the scarecrow searching for him in an almost frantic manner.

Kakashi swore silently beneath his breath as he lost sight of the fox. In the crowd this size he needed help to search. Luck was on his side as he turned and found two of the gate guards that had just gotten off duty. Kotetsu was drowning a hard liquor trying to catch up the to rest of the inebriated crowd and his partner, Izumo, was standing by his side talking to a cute, petite woman.

"Izumo!" Kakashi shouted to be heard over the crowd, but it still took a few calls to get the man's attention. "I need your help. I'm looking for a small blond fox."

"Ha! Then you need to go to the Uchiha compound! Sasuke captured one and brought him home," the guard laughed.

The picture was getting clearer in Kakashi's mind. The little fox belonged to Sasuke and the raven probably didn't have any idea that the fox was wandering around Konoha.

"No, he's here without Sasuke. I need to find him quickly."

Both men's attentions were focused on Kakashi now. The straightened and began to scan the crowd, moving in opposite directions. But Kakashi had found out how quick the fox could move and figured he would need more help. In particular he would need two more people, one to go and inform Sasuke about his missing pet and one who could track someone through a crowd.

The first was easy to find. He spotted Konohamaru and decided that the young man would be just the person to run to the Uchiha compound. The second person was much more illusive. Moving through the throng of bodies, Kakashi searched, keeping one eye out for Naruto. He finally spotted Kiba talking with Shino. Kiba's nose was keener than any real dogs and Shino could find a microscopic bug in a hay stack filled with bugs. He grinned to himself. The little fox didn't stand a chance.

*** ***

"Master Sasuke!" Iruka's strident voice broke through the drug induced sleep.

Sasuke blinked open blurry eyes and glared at the docile wolf. Iruka's face was the picture of frantic as he shook the young master trying to get a response. It had taken him a good three minutes just to rouse Sasuke enough to open his eyes.

"Please, Master, Naruto is gone and there is a messenger at the door saying that he's in the city without protection!"

Sasuke tried to process the words and sluggishly began to understand what was wrong. Frowning darkly, he swung his feet to the floor and stumbled upright. Iruka put his shoulder under Sasuke arm to help keep him upright. It relieved the wolf to know that Sasuke was finally responding.

Iruka handed him the tea laced with a strong anti-sleep agent that would counter the affects of the drug. When he couldn't get a response out of Sasuke in the first few seconds, Iruka knew that he'd taken the medication for the migraines. Having lived in the household for most of his life, the older man knew that Sasuke suffered from them, especially after having an argument with Itachi. Sasuke sipped the tea as they made their way down the hall to talk with the messenger.

Making it to the foyer, Sasuke stared at the short shrimp that stood in the doorway looking around avidly. Konohamaru was even shorter that Naruto. He had dark, unkempt hair that spiked up in every direction and small, beady eyes that took in everything. Sasuke was surprised to see him, as he was the grandson of a very prominent government official in Konoha.

"Konohamaru," Sasuke greeted. "What is the honorable grandson doing running errands?"

"Kakashi said it was important! He said to tell you that he met Naruto in the park but the fox got away. He's searching for him along with Izumo, Kotetsu, and Kiba." Konohamaru had straightened as soon as Sasuke addressed him but he now slumped back into a more comfortable pose. "Who's Naruto? Kakashi wouldn't tell me."

"None of you business. Thank you for telling me." Dismissing the boy, Sasuke turned to Iruka. "Did you check his room?"

"Yes, Master, but he wasn't there. And I checked all the usual places where he takes a nap and I couldn't find him!"

"Damn it! I thought he understood the dangers of going into the city alone. The idiot is going to get himself killed," Sasuke vented.

Turning on his heel, he stomped back towards his room to find the receiver for the cuff. Pulling it out of the pack he had yet to unpack, he made a few hand motions to activate the cuff. The receiver started working immediately and Sasuke watched the little dot moving around the screen. Returning to the foyer, Sasuke handed Iruka a small hearing device then instructed him to head in the direction of Naruto's last location of the tracker.

"Konohamaru, find Kakashi and give him these," Sasuke said handing the boy more of the hearing devices. "I have a tracking cuff on Naruto so hopefully we can pin him down quickly. Though the range is only ten miles so if he goes beyond that range…" Sasuke didn't finish the sentence. If Naruto got that far, Sasuke didn't want to think about everything that could happen to the fox.

"Right. I will head out now," Konohamaru said then took off running back in the direction that he'd come.

Strapping his shoes to his feet, Sasuke went after Iruka. When he got the fox back, he would tie the idiot to his side to make sure that he stayed put, Sasuke promised himself.

*** ***

"He's to the north of your location."

Kakashi listened to the random instruction that came from the ear piece that the Uchiha had sent. He was tired and irritated that it was taking this long to catch the little fox, though he had to give the kit credit for his deviousness and ability to loose them. Sasuke's tracking cuff helped so that they had been able to keep Naruto from getting out of range by getting a head of the clever fox and heading him off. Once they thought that they were close to the boy, he would back track and head off in a new direction. Kakashi knew that the fox was playing with them. He'd even gotten a glimpse of the bright blond hair a couple of times though it was too far away to actually catch up to the kit.

"Kotetsu, head north. Izumo, you go west. Kiba, just stay on his trail and I'll go south. Sasuke is coming in from the east." Kakshi delivered his orders. The ear pieces were not only a receiver but also instant transmitters so that Sasuke could also hear the orders being given and any comments that were made.

Kiba had made the earlier mistake of saying what a complete idiot the little fox was by leaving the Uchiha household without protection and Sasuke had nearly blown his eardrum by reprimanding the dog harshly. Sasuke was very protective of the fox. Kakashi smirked behind the mask that hid the lower half of his face.

Turning his attention back to the task as hand, he leap to the roof and heading in a southerly route.

Two hours later, Kakashi was frowning. The fox's pattern had changed and seemed to become frantic. For the past half hour the boy wasn't back tracking or going over his trial trying to loose them. It had become a straight forward all out chase. Naruto was running from something other than them.

Swearing under his breath, Kakashi picked up his speed trying to intercept the fox before who ever or what ever caught him. He could also hear Sasuke swearing lowly in his ear as he realized the same thing that Kakshi did.

*** ***

Light was beginning to shine on the distant horizon as Naruto made his way over the roof tops to drop into another alley. He laughed as he heard the frustrated voices of his pursuers. The scarecrow along with the gate guards and a dog 'brid had been trying to catch up to him all night. Grinning he sprinted down the back alley's of the city turning corners randomly. The dog was having a hard time keeping his scent as Naruto would over run his trail several times before heading to a new direction only to back track once again throwing the dog into confusion.

Naruto jumped to the roof tops again and raced over them before dropping into another street without looking. For the most part every where he'd been had bee deserted. This time he dropped into the middle of a group of late night/early morning revelers.

"Hey!" One of the men yelled as Naruto had nearly landed on him. "Watch where your going you dumb idiot!" The man grabbed his arm and shook him roughly. "I ought to teach you a lesson." The comment was immediately followed by a sharp slap that left Naruto reeling. His cheek stung and he felt blood fill his mouth because his teeth had cut the inside of his cheek.

"Look, Kisame, it a 'brid!"

The one called Kisame, pulled him closer and looked him over. "So it is. What are you doing out here this time of night little 'brid? Looking for some action?"

"Wh—what do you mean?" Naruto asked struggling to get the man to release his arm. The blue haired, dark skinned man reminded him of a shark he'd once seen in a book. The picture didn't inspire Naruto to feel safe and his mind was sending frantic messages to his feet that he needed to get away.

"Ha, don't play innocent with me. Only a 'brid without a protector would be out here at this time of night. So that means that I get to have some fun with you." The man's voice had risen in merriment and the others laughed. Naruto's eyes darted around the group looking for an opening. There were three others, One wore a white mask and glared at Naruto with pale eyes, another had his hair slicked back and wore a pendent with an upside down triangle within a circle, the last was young, and wore his blond hair up in a high pony tail, he was fondling a small clay bird in his hand.

A hand cupped Naruto through his pants causing him the yelp even as a spear of pleasure went through him. The young fox's eyes widened as he realized that the past few days hadn't been just hotter than normal but that he had started his heat. Fear lashed his small frame and the jolt of adrenaline allowed him to break the sharks hold on his arm even though it had left a deep bruise on his skin.

Using his quickness and agility he dodged the other hands and bolted down the street. Blindly racing ahead with little thought, the terror of being taken against his will had locked up the reasoning part of his brain.

"Get him!" Naruto head Kisame shout.

Dodging carts and trash bin, Naruto ran.

It didn't take long for his legs to begin to lag, though. He'd been running around most of the night and the exhaustion was beginning to catch up to him. The men weren't far behind and he knew that he would be able to lose them but he kept going. Around another corner and into another alley, Naruto pulled up short before he hit the brick wall. Looking up, he leaped for the roof.

Only to feel a hand wrap around his ankle, his flight cut short and he was yanked back to the ground.

"Caught you!" the voice hissed in his ear as a hard body settled over his. "Deidara, hold his arms. Hidan, Kakuzu hold his legs." The blue haired man pulled out a large knife. "I'm gonna cut his clothes off!"

Light flashed across the blade and Naruto felt the cold metal against his skin as the knife easily cut through the thin material of his jacket and the skirt underneath. He shivered as the air hit his over heated body and raised goose flesh across the exposed skin. Naruto whimpered as a hand pinched his nipple hard and pain flared.

"Let me go!" he cried struggling to get his hand and feet free but it didn't do any good as weight was added and they were pressed into the pebble strung ground. Rocks dug into his wrists and hands while a dull ache began in his legs from the angle they were being held in. A cloth was pulled from a pocket and handed to Kisame who then stuffed it into his mouth.

Please, Sasuke help me!

A/N: Oh, noes! Naruto is about to be raped! Will Sasuke get to him in time?

Cliffhanger! Sorry about the short chapter, but I have to leave it there for now...otherwise you might not come back for the next chapter! Leave a review, the more reviews I get the more I will want to update, so the sooner you get one!

This chapter has not been beta'd...I will go back and read through it at a later point...it just needs to cool. Thanks everyone for the many review so far...I love them and appreciate each one. Also thanks to everyone who had put this story or the author into their alerts!