Disclaimer I do not own naruto, Okami belongs to Riley Killer without whom this story would not be possible. Riley my best friend has put up with my shit and stupid questions for three years and she even came to visit me in the hospital more than most of my family members. She helps me largely with this story.

Ch 28

Three days later.

The sound of falling rain made a gentle haze as the group made their way towards their target. The pace they were moving at was slow and the bickering between Hidan and Kakuzu was ever present.

Akatenchii was still battling her now constant sickness as it would come in waves; her way of dealing with it was pretending it wasn't happening. The lack of acknowledgement did not help her as they moved she had not had the time to talk to Okami.

Tree frogs and crickets made the evening come to life as they moved through it. The trees swayed gently as the wind brushed the tree tops.

In three days not much had changed. However, she knew that it was only a matter of time before the rapid changes became noticeable this made her increasingly on edge. What was she going to do? She couldn't run there was no where to go and it would just make things worse. She surely couldn't tell Hidan that would have to end badly. She had to talk to Okami, but what was she going to say. She knew it was very apparent to Okami that something was wrong.

Darkness was falling fast and still the questions haunted her. Her distraction was evident when the group stopped and she walked into Hidan.

"Watch where you are going bitch." He made her snap out of her haze.

Yeah not telling him. He will find out sooner or later. Later, knowing him he would probably try to cut it out of me or something like that. I wouldn't be so sure.

She sighed and walked out into the woods a little. I guess sooner won't hurt. She watched as Kakuzu walked on down the trail towards stream that paralleled them.

She took a shaky breath and moved towards Hidan, sitting on the rock next to him. She pulled her legs into her chest and wrapped her arms around them as he continued praying. The rain falling in the forest made a shhhh sound above the sound of frogs and crickets.

After about 20 minutes Hidan opened one eye and looked at Akatenchii. "What?"

"Nothing." Warmth raced up and down her spine.

"Yeah right you have been sitting there the whole time I have been praying something is up." Both eyes were now open.

Think of something… fast.

"Well it is just…" Goosebumps formed on her skin as the rain continued to fall.

"What!?" Irritation filled his voice.

Don't just sit there and stammer say something.

"I have never known anyone with a religion so I don't understand what you are doing or why you are doing it."

He blinked. "Is that why you have been acting strange?"

She looked down for a moment. "Yeah." Coward. Shut it.

"Hehe Ok." He chuckled softly. "I am praying… talking to Lord Jashin."

"Oh…okay." She looked into his purple eyes. "Does he talk back?"

He smiled almost losing his composure to laughter. "No, but I do get answers."

She quirked they eyebrow over her dark eye her eyes turned storm grey. "How do you know he exists?"

"He sends me messages, and gives me gifts?"

"Really… Why?" You have no intention of telling him do you?

"Because I am an obedient follower and servant."

"Oh… what does he give you?" She shivered lightly.

"He gives me life, pleasure, and anything else I want." He unbuttoned his cloak.

"And in return you do the killing thing?"

"That is just one of many things I do for my lord." Hidan turned towards Akatenchii the rain was making lines of water on her skin. He grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap and buttoned his cloak around them.

Her eyes locked with his for a moment. "Such as?" she shivered as he pulled his arms into the cloak and wrapped them around her stomach. Awkward.No shit.

"I gain more servants, rid the world of sinners when possible, look for my death, and worship him."

A shiver raced down her spine, as the rain fell harder. Hidan chuckled as he felt it. "Cold or just enjoying yourself?"

Her body tremored slightly as lightning streaked across the sky. "You're so full of yourself, I am wet and cold."

"Wet hmm?" He chuckled. "I can help with that."

"I'm not that kinda wet." He eyes narrowed as lightning streaked again. "Ero."

"You know it." He kissed the side of her neck blinking as she tensed.

"What exactly happens when you change into your curse form?" She quickly changed the subject.

He blinked. "Well as you know in order for me to go into that form I must ingest the blood of another person."

She nodded as he laid his chin on her shoulder.

"It is hard to explain to a non-believer." His voice fell as a whisper over the rain which fell with a constant SHHH.

She turned to where she could trace the metal of his pendant. "Can you try to explain it, I want to understand."

Hidan blinked he had never really had someone this interested in Lord Jashin he did not know how to feel. He sat in silence holding the shivering Akatenchii on his lap. He felt odd sort of thrilled that he had someone who was interested in talking about it. However, at the same time he was suspicious. Wasn't she one of the sinners? He was lost in his thought as they sat in the rain. She was not motivated by money much like him she was above its influence. Physical pain did not sway her nor did fear. She was not a person of gluttony, nor of greed. He realized now that the only things that swayed her to join the organization were lack of choices and some strange version of caring which she held for Okami. How simple she was simply fascinated him. It seemed she was so simple that she was difficult. The more he tried to analyze her the less he knew about her.

"Well In order to go into reaper form I ingest the blood of another person."

She nodded shivering as the wind blew and he started tracing circles on her back as she was now facing him in the cloak. The fact the she was small made this sitting arrangement much easier.

"I stab myself and draw the symbol on the ground with the blood using my foot and step in it then the curse is set."

"Oh." She leaned into him laying her ear over his heart, which was easy to find due to the scar tissue.

"Once the curse is set when I am in the circle what I feel whoever I a connected to feels."

She stared at the difference in skin tone using her finger she felt the difference in texture between the scar and his normal skin. The rain let up to a sprinkle..

"Once the curse is set there are only two options." He whispered glancing to the side as Kakuzu walked over to a tree and sat under it. "The main option is death."

"Yeah when you stab yourself in the heart." She dug her nails into the scar tissue till they made small half moon cuts which filled with blood.

He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "The other option-"

He stopped as the astral form of leader appeared before them. His ghostly apparition stood silently swirled eyes fixed on Hidan and Akatenchii. He cleared his throat making the two of them look at him. "I know you two have a certain fondness for each other but it will have to wait." Pein sounded less than amused. "It is time."

"You have piss poor timing." Hidan was instantly irritated.

"Get over it Hidan." Pein muttered. "Now as I said it is time to extract the three tails."

Hidan shook his head as he disappeared.

Akatenchii looked at him then went to move and felt his hands tighten. "Wait."

She blinked as he stared into her eyes then let her go. The rain had all but stopped and the foggy mist that the area was famous for set in.

You are such a coward.

Proud of it.

She moved away from Hidan going to a tree the sounds of the night forest became louder now that the rain was less. She looked up her eyes rested on Okami. I have to tell her.

She jumped up and sat next to the only person who has been a constant in her life.

"What's up Aka-Ten-Ba?" Okami looked over at her former student. Something in the young woman's face bothered her.

"Okami nee-san I have a serious problem."

"Ah man I have to be serious?" She tried to joke but stopped as the look on the younger woman's face told her that this was not the time.

"Please, I really need you to be serious." The younger woman looked down at the ground, her eyes traveled to Hidan.

"Jesus Aka-Ten-Ba what is wrong?"

"I… I'm Pregnant." A long silence ensued between the two, Okami's eyes narrowing for a few moments before sniffing in the air and staring quietly at her. "There are only two possibilities for the father and I am pretty sure I know who it is."

"Excuse me Akatenchii, I have an immortal I have to go make dead." The cannibalistic woman began to move away with this sentence.

"Please don't." Akatenchii grabbed Okami's arm knowing if her Sensei had her mind set that this gesture would not stop her.

Pausing and looking over her shoulder immediately a low hiss exiting between her teeth as she growled "What?"

"…"

"Have you told him yet?" The elder asked glaring lightly at her old ward and friend.

"…" Akatenchii shook her head in reply, frowning lightly as Okami continued to stare at her. "I don't know what to do."

"Get rid of it." Was the harsh response the wolf gave; her eyes flashing dangerously. "Or have it and give it away. Those are the only options that you really have Akatenchii." Her breathing was soft, "In your current situation, in even my situation, a child is a hazard. You yourself know you do not have the emotional attachments to take care for a spawn and in a career choice as ours, it is a danger to our lives." She crossed her arms leaning against a tree, "You would also have to hide it from the others as they would no doubt want to use the child for their own uses. Particularly the child of an immortal and Kirigakure's second most dangerous tool."

She knew her elder was right, the dilemma of telling Hidan still gave her pause. "Should I tell him?"

"It depends on what you are going to do." The expression in her former student's eyes surprised her. The closest thing to fear she had ever seen danced at the edges of the younger woman's face. "If it were me I wouldn't."

"I'm… not going to keep it; but I can't deny it the right to live." Her eyes darted to Hidan then back into the darkness. "I'm not going to tell him."