The Shepherd's Dog
Author: remthedogsitter
Rating: M
Summary: It's been five years since Iruka left the village on an important mission and Kakashi has been searching for him ever since. Kakashi's journey leads him deep into iron country where he is later rescued by a shepherd and his eight dogs. Will Kakashi manage to solve the mystery and save Iruka in time?
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or their characters in any shape or form
Chapter 1: Strangers
Kakashi's whole body tensed as he slowly regained consciousness, his last memory being chased after a group of unknown men into the forest. He was drugged and paralyzed when he black out in the snow and most likely was left for dead or maybe even the more sinister purpose of torturing secrets out of him. He realized he was not bound and there was a bitter taste in his mouth. He stayed still feigning sleep hoping to get a better idea of where he was.
"You're awake Shinobi-san?"
The jounin's eye shot open, that voice he's been replaying over and over in his head for the past five years. "Iruka?" the question was quiet as if he was afraid of the answer. Too many times was he in this situation, of hopeful doubt.
It was. It was Iruka, the same tan skin, the scar, the long hair free and settled around his shoulders before he could believe it to be true he looked into the man's eyes to not be faced by brown but a murky white. The man was blind. "Iruka?" he repeated the question. He couldn't care less if the man was paralyzed for life, as long as he was here.
"People here usually call me Shepherd, Shinobi-san." The man explained, his hands busily crushing some plants with a stone mortar and pestle. "For so long I sometimes have trouble remembering what my parents called me, but you may call me what you wish."
Kakashi had already pushed himself up to a sitting position before realizing the dogs were watching him, scattered around the room, the same pups he helped raise. Aya was sitting closest to Iruka, her fox like tail twitching at the end as she watched him curiously. He expected her to say something, some sort of explanation but she didn't.
"I found you in the woods. You were lucky that I did or you would be buried under ten feet of snow." His motioned his head to the noise outside the window, a blizzard was letting its wrath out on the mountain. He heard bleating of sheep coming from under the floorboards near the pit that served as fireplace. There was a pot hanging from a hook attached to the ceiling as something bubbled and squeaked inside.
"Thank you." Was all he could manage to say. True he was relieved but this man didn't remember him or at least that is what it appeared to be. He tried to stand but his left leg wouldn't allow it. It felt numb at least and tended for in the form of bandages and the odd smell of herbs.
"Its not frostbite, it seems you were poisoned by something." the shepherd explained lifting the lid of the pot without so much as a mitten, steam instantly rising from the contents and he suddenly got a rumble from his stomach. "I let you drink a herb tea earlier if you don't remember but I'm not sure if we can get your leg to recover as quickly as you would like." Iruka placed the crushed plants into the broth when Ran carried in his mouth a the handle of a basket that contained bowls and spoons and things. The shepherd without so much as looking instantly went for two bowls and ladle.
Iruka went closer to Kakashi, Ran following a little after. The jounin took the bowl that was being offered to him and he looked at the contents, cubes of meat and murky soup speckled with green. Ran looked him, shaking his head a little to make the contents of the basket to clatter. Iruka took a spoon from the basket and Kakashi mimicked the action, satisfied Ran went back to join his brother.
"Bone marrow soup Shinobi-san, to get your strength back." The other man said pulling out a small cloth package that he placed between them, it was full of small rolls of bread big enough to fit in his palm.
When Iruka started eating, the other sceptically followed. This could all still be a trap but the broth was rich, made from the roasted bones and marrow of sheep. Kakashi found himself closing his eyes contentedly as the soup warmed his insides but there was still that nagging thought at the back of his mind. When he Ran was close enough he caught a glimpse of a red scar in the dip of the dog's collarbone and Aya had something similar as well.
For now at least he was safe, if the enemy ninja wanted him dead they would have done so. The taste of the soup brought about a certain melancholy and nostalgia along with it, not the taste per se but it was the company. After five years here he was, sharing a meal with the man he's been searching for. For now that was enough, he needed to recover if he was going to solve this mystery. He lay down to sleep beneath the layers of fleece and an old quilt and let his eye wander to Iruka working in a corner spinning some wool from a large pile. And for a second he felt some peace.
-0—0—010101010101001
"What is this I hear Tala, about men hunting in our woods?" Adal asked his grey tail swishing about from his stone perch in the cave.
"Only their own kind, my moon." The she wolf said gnawing on a leg bone, her red fur stained with an even darker red.
He contemplated what she said, there were times this happened and times the humans would hunt in the woods as well. His nose cringed however when he remembered the stories of the snake man that killed the strongest pack of the mountain led by his distant grand uncle. It was useful to be wary especially with humans, there was however some exception when those creatures somehow are able to make the same connection with the spirits as they could. In the end, they all honor the same vengeful gods that breathed into the mountain, gurgled the earth and lit up the sky.
The sheep man who lived further up the path lived with his kin. Strange creatures with the blood of wolves but at the same time that of men and they called the sheep man their sun. But they share the bond of a pack and their blood is true, even if only a little, and the land has accepted them and made their sheep thrive.
"Time is near Tala, summon Nuntis for me, we meet with the sheepman tonight and fulfil our vows to dance with him." Adal stretched his large form before shaking his fur and howling deep, the sound did not echo but others heard and answered.
A/N: Tala means red wolf and Nuntis means female wolf, Adal means noble : )) reviews are love ok gimme loooove hehe I left clues!