Disclaimer: I do not own either +Anima or Naruto.

EDIT: I accidentally didn't put the rest of the chapter in the first time. But I now have it fixed!

Chapter Two

A Good Night's Sleep

I left Sairando by being stowaway on the first boat bound for Asteria.

I knew that I wouldn't become enslaved for having inhuman abilities there. I traveled into the country, far from the shipyards that welcomed the people of Sairando and their slaves with open arms. Though, I never saw any of the +anima wearing their collars. I guessed it was because Asteria didn't allow slaves, and a good thing too. It was simply despicable. Even so, I didn't want to be anywhere near the shipyards in case someone recognized me and tried to haul me home, only instead of an aristocrat's first born I'd be merchandise.

I've traveled Asteria for five years. I had been from the cost to the mountains to the other side of the country. I knew I didn't need to travel for so long, but fear of being caught always stopped me from being in one place for more than two weeks. Through my travels I learned that +anima were a rarity in Asteria. They were basically a rumor that people thought of as a sort of legend. One thing stayed the same between the two countries. Both hated +anima. Sairando kept them as slaves, Asteria discriminated against them. +Anima didn't have it much better on the other side of the mountain except still owning their own freedom. And taking that into account I was sure every single +anima would want to live on this side of the mountain.

My fear eventually subsided, I figured that everyone who knew of my life probably thought I was deceased by now. Why wouldn't they, I asked myself as I walked along a dirt road. It was worn and had deep ruts from wagon wheels and had hoof prints from all the animals that trampled on it. I wondered if my younger sister was happy that she got her wish. To her I technically was dead. More than likely she had become the new heiress. My chest had always tightened when I thought about my past. I hated the feeling, but how does someone make a person forget about their family no matter how horrible they are? The answer is simple, you don't. I shook my head trying to empty out the clutter. Looking up I saw the city I had been traveling toward for the past day. It wasn't far now, only three miles away more or less. I quickened my pace eager to join other people. Being alone I had the tendency of thinking of my past more often, and I had done too much of that the last five years of my life.

As I approached the city I became aware of how vast it really was, something I didn't expect. The roads were filled with people going along their business and vendors lined the street, calling out to the others about their sales. I glanced at a few of their wares, taking note of the limited supply of money in my pocket. The jewels and gown I had started out with were long gone by now, the money lasting no longer than my second year. So, I decided that it would probably be better to use it to put a roof over my head for the night since the sky was already turning a blaze orange. Locating various hotels I soon came to realize that in a city with so many people it was expected to have more cash than what I carried. One hotel after another refused me service even when I offered all my money, each saying with that I couldn't even buy a loaf of bread. That I was skeptical about. But it didn't matter, they turned me back to the street.

Gradually, more people began to disappear from the streets. I imagined that all of them hurrying home to a warm bed, to excited by the idea that they wouldn't pay attention to a homeless sixteen-year-old. Surely she should be able to take care of herself, I thought bitterly. Looking up, I saw midnight blue taking place of the fiery orange, revealing stars behind the rays of the sun. I stood there watching the sky, and would have longer if the sound of glass shattering hadn't startled me. I whipped my head to my right, staring at an alley way as two men walked out. Though, walked wasn't the correct word for it. They staggered and stumbled their way toward me, wearing matching eerie grins as they looked at me.

"Hey, der pretty ladyy," the first man slurred. He stood only a few feet away from me, but I could smell the alcohol from his breath. I scrunched my nose at him, but he just gave a lopsided grin that had my stomach drop as if I had swallowed a stone.

"Ar-n't ye gonna answer-?" The second one said, staggering next to the first man.

Glancing between the two I mumbled, "I got to go..." turning away, ready to run. But the first man caught my arm in his grasp, holding tight. He pulled my arm, pulling me closer to him. I yelped in pain, trying to wrench my arm free.

"Where ye think yer goin'?" he asked, looking at me smiling and laughing. My heartbeat started to race and my breathing became irregular. I had to get away, fast, run, leave.

"Hey!" another voice called, the voice contained no slur which was heaven to my ears. My captor looked ahead and I did the same. A boy about a year or so older than I stood there with arms crossed and his eyes glared at the my clutching my arm. He had messy brown hair and upside-down triangles on his cheeks. "Let her go," he demanded. My captor laughed with his friend at the boy. I could understand why two grown men would find a boy weaker than them, especially when the men were under the influence of alcohol and not really thinking.

"What ar ye gonna do about i'," the second man asked the boy. It only took a second. One second and those men took off running, leaving me behind. I didn't think anyone in Asteria or Sairando could blame them. The boy transform into a large brown wolf with snarling fangs and sharp claws extended. Even I stared at the boy with fear embedded into my chest. If that man hadn't tossed me to the ground in front of the wolf, I probably would have flown away. I looked up at the wolf to see him transform back into his human self again, extending a hand to me.

A smile was from ear to ear on his face when he said, "My name's Kiba." I took his hand, letting him help me off the ground. Which had soiled my attire, I noted.

Brushing myself off I replied, "I'm Hinata. Thank you for your help." Kiba only chuckled, waving his hand as if waving my thanks away.

"It was nothing. Those guys are just a bunch of drunks. But I don't think you should be out this late, or anyone for that matter. It's not safe," he said, his laughter faded away, replaced by concern. I could feel the blood rush to my face. I knew he was asking why I wasn't home snuggled into my own warm bed that everyone else had.

"I don't have anywhere to stay," I averted my eyes away from his face. I had seen him frowning, his brow creasing as he looked at me. After a moment he spoke again.

"If you want, you could stay with me and some friends for the night," he offered hesitantly, quick to add, "But if you don't want to that's understandable too." I looked back up at him and smiled. Glad that my luck was turning for the better.

"I'd be so grateful if I could," I said. Kiba gave an odd wolf-like smile revealing two fangs. I supposed that had to be from his +anima. I wondered how he had gotten that power as he led the way through the darkened streets. We didn't talk and he seemed nervous which in turn had me on edge. All my mind could think about was what he was anticipating. I thought of how bad it could be, then realized that if it could scare a boy who could do a whole transformation into a wolf then it had to be bad. By the time he told me we were there I noticed that we were in a more rundown part of the city. He stopped in front of a warehouse and it was all I could do to just stare up at it.

"After you," he said politely, but I could still see he was anxious. Opening the door I saw that it was lit inside and decorated, not in the least abandoned. In front of us was a make shift living room with a couple chair and a couch. To our left was a small kitchen and table that could seat four. At the back of the room was a staircase that led to another level. I took a couple steps in with Kiba following me, closing the door and locking out the frigid night air. He passed me, calling out to the emptiness, "I'm home!"

"Where the hell have you been, Kiba?" a voice yelled back. I leaped behind Kiba at the sound. A blonde boy the same age as Kiba descended down the stairs. He had markings that looked like three whiskers on his face and the most cerulean blue eyes I had ever seen. I imagined they could glow in the dark. But he stopped short when he saw me standing next to Kiba. "Who is she?" he asked staring at me dumbfounded. Before Kiba could answer another person walked down the stairs.

"Move out of the way, you idiot," a stern voice demanded. To my amazement, another boy emerged from the top level. This one had hair the color of blood, pale skin in contrast to Kiba's tan skin, and thick, black circles around his eyes. But the weirdest thing was that he didn't have any eyebrows. The red head shoved the blonde out of his way only to stop at the end of the stairs, staring at me then Kiba.

"I invited Hinata to stay the night. She doesn't have a place to stay so..." Kiba let the sentence drift off.

"We don't have a bed for her," said the red head. He glared at both Kiba and me. Suddenly I felt like an intruder. I began to wonder if this was a good idea or not. I could always have found a tree to sleep in...

"She can sleep in mine and I'll sleep on the couch," Kiba supplied.

"I thought we agreed no girls allowed!" shouted the blonde, pouting. Looking from me to the other two, Kiba sighed.

"She doesn't have anywhere to go. Let her stay for the night," Kiba said, doing his best to persuade the two, "We should know what that's like." After that they were quiet for a few minutes. I didn't dare speak. The room was filled with tension and unspoken pain. I couldn't help, but wonder if the three boys had had a difficult past like I did. I wondered if their younger sister tried to kill them by pushing them off a balcony, though, I figured that was just me.

"Fine," the red head said, "Just for tonight. If she wants to stay again she'll need to pay. We don't give free board." Then he walked to the kitchen ignoring the blonde's yells as he followed him.

"WHAT!? Gaara, you can't agree to this!" the blonde protested. The red head, Gaara, didn't even look back at the blonde.

Opening the fridge, Gaara said, "Shut up, Naruto. It's not like you have to pay to live here." Naruto stuck out his bottom lip.

"I help!" he protested. "Who makes all the distractions for you and Kiba, huh?" Kiba turned to look at me with the same wolf grin on his face again. My attention now on him instead of his friends. All his nerves were gone, leaving him at total ease.

"I'll show you where you can sleep," he said, going toward the staircase. I followed behind him, stealing a glance at the other two who continued to bicker as I walked upstairs.

"What did Naruto mean by creating distractions for you and Gaara?" I asked as he stopped in front of a door. We had walked down a small hallway with four doors, stopping at the second to last. Kiba went rigid, his nerves acting up again.

He gave me a sloppy smile, saying, "Eh, he didn't mean nothing about that. Don't worry about it." He opened the door to show a mattress laid on the floor with a blanket disheveled atop of it. A small dresser sat in the corner, but I was sure more clothes littered the floor than actually in the dresser. Kiba smiled sheepishly as he looked around the room, "I didn't really expect company, so..."

"It's okay," I said. "I'm just lucky I'll have a bed instead of a tree." Kiba looked at me with a weary smile on his face. I wasn't sure, but I was guessing he was at a loss of what to do.

"It's late and I'm pretty tired. I hope you don't mind if I go to bed now," I said.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Go ahead," Kiba said leaving. As he closed the door he said a final, "Good night." I smiled at that. I hadn't heard that phrase in over five years. Those two words helped me feel a little more at home in that warehouse. It was late, probably nearing eleven and I had just done a whole day of traveling. When I had lived in the Hyuuga mansion I couldn't stand more than a few minutes outside. After gaining my +anima I had received an immense amount of stamina. My disease had all, but disappeared. There were a few times when I over-exerted myself that I would faint, otherwise I was fine. But here, in a warm bed, I forgot about all my problems and the world faded to black.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. I lost interest in the story for a while, but came back to it recently. This chapter is a bit short, but I promise the next one will be longer. I'm already writing it and I should have it done fairly soon. (But don't take my word. I'm not the best at updating.) Reviews are loved and constructive criticism is adored.

EDIT: I accidentally didn't put the rest of the chapter in the first time. But I now have it fixed!