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Chapter 64 The Changing of the Guards
For what seemed like the longest time no one said anything as finally Gamba spoke
"How is my mother?" asked Gamba
"Last I heard my King she is doing well but the doctors and healers believe she has lost all movement on her left side of her body." stated the Lion as Gamba looked down "The doctors then declared her physically unfit to carry out royal duties meaning the line of succession was activated."
"Meaning I rise to the title of King Apparent until the coronation." finished Gamba
"What are your orders my King?" asked the tiger
"All flags will be lowered to half staff and all temples shall pray for the Queen's mother. The military will be put on alert to prevent any attacks, I also need an joint session of the government for noon today." ordered Gamba
"Sir, the hunt is still going on for nine more days." stated the panther "It is tradition, a hunt has only been canceled when war is declared."
"Higher traditions demand the King return to the royal city." stated the tiger
"I am sorry but we will have to reschedule." said Gamba "This has never happened in our history and at the moment the government must be called to order."
"Itachi, Fay I need you to wake everyone and get them moving we leave within the hour." stated Gamba
"Understood." said Itachi
"You all have my orders." said Gamba as they moved out leaving Gamba and Hinata alone in the tent. Gamba instant sat down on the bed and rested his hand on his forehead, Hinata moved over and rubbed his shoulders and kiss the top of his head.
"I would say congratulation but you're worried about your mom." explained Hinata
"Ya." said Gamba "I get promoted because of the failing heath of my own mother."
"I am sorry but I have to ask they called you King Apparent and King." asked Hinata
"I am not king until the coronation on News Year Day." explained Gamba "Until then I am King in all but name."
"I see." said Hinata as Gamba pulled one of her hands down resting it on his heart, his hand ontop of hers.
"At least now I can finally start making the changes that need to happen." Said Gamba
"And I will be with you all the way." said Hinata
"Thanks I'll need you." said Gamba before he laughed a bit "By the way you don't have to call me King."
"When we are in company I may but alone I wasn't going to." laughed Hinata
"This makes you first lioness too." said Gamba
"Don't worry about me at the moment you can fill me in later." Said Hinata
"Ok but your basically Queen now." explained Gamba knowing that apart from access to the top secret military information and ability to order military units around she had all the power of a Queen. The only other difference was a first lioness could lose her title if he picked another lioness but he had no plans to pick someone else.
"We will worry about that later now we need to get you out there, I am sure there are a group of panthers who want to speak to their new king." said Hinata
The sun was just poking it's way though the high mountains valleys as Neji along with the rest of the ninja core under his command was gathered in the large logging mill.
"Bring him in." ordered Neji as Kiba walked into the logging mill flanked by two ANBU "Kiba what do you have to say for yourself, you disobeyed a direct order not to go an attack the demons position."
"I will not follow the orders of a fool." stated Kiba as he thought of Hinata saying that she never saw him in the way he always wanted her to see him.
"I am the leader of this band and you will follow my orders and the orders of high command." Stated Neji
"Are you just going to stand here and do nothing!" yelled Kiba to the rest the ninjas "They want peace with the demons, they want to run and hid like rats. I don't know about you but I am not a rat! I AM A HUMAN."
"Kiba we are fighting them." said Neji
"Then why won't you take the risk in attacking the prince of three of the demon races who took everything from us. They are just sitting there." stated Kiba as the ninjas started to nodded their heads in agreement "We can strike back and kill them all if we are willing to risk it."
"There is over a hundred demons including Itachi Uchiha and we have seventy ninjas including genin and chunin." stated Neji "I am trying to keep you all alive."
"WE ARE HUMANS NOT RATS!" yelled a genin in the crowed as the ninjas started to look at Neji and Tenten like he had broken the orders.
"Kiba why don't you tell them the real reason why you want to attack this group." stated Neji "You want to attack it because the woman you loved is sleeping with the crowned Prince; it's just a revenge trip."
"Yes, it is a revenge trip." admitted Kiba before looking at the rest of the ninjas "I will have revenge not only for Hinata but for my friends who were taken, my family and everything else they took. I am going to attack them and nothing will stop me. WHO IS WITH ME!"
"I am!" yelled the ANBU beside Kiba as Neji and Tenten's head snapped toward the ANBU.
"KILL THEM!" yelled another ninja as everyone apart Neji, Tenten and five other ninjas was cheering for Kiba.
"I think you're no longer in charge." stated Kiba as he glared at Neji "I will give you one last chance to rethink your position and join in the attack."
"Kiba the attack you are planning is suicide mindless suicide." stated Tenten as she stood beside her man
"Then you two and anyone else who wants to join you can get the hell out of here, we only want people who willing to fight the demons not cuddle them." stated Kiba
"You know Kakashi and the other leaders will not agree to your plans." stated Neji
"Screw them we will do what is needed! If they want to join us they can but we will not be stopped." yelled an ANBU as Kiba nodded in agreement.
"Your breaking up the resistance." stated Neji "Our best chance of a future when we are not hiding like the rats you think we are will be lost."
"That will be our future if we don't do this." stated Kiba "Now let's go get those demons!"
With that almost all the ninjas ran out leaving Neji and Tenten with four other ninjas who hadn't joined Kiba.
"We need to get out of here Tenten, us and any civilians who want to leave because they will lead the demons right back to us." stated Neji
"I know." said Tenten "You get Kakashi on the radio and tell him what is going on I'll take care of convincing the civilians."
Kiba and the other leaf ninjas moved to attack the camp unaware that the demon panthers had broken camp at four in the morning and were already back in the demon feline kingdom.
"What is the situation?" asked Gamba to a royal aid the moment they came out of the transportation seals in the fortress.
"Your Mother is resting; she woke up for a few minutes and tried to speak." stated the aid "However she appears to have lost most of her speech control, no one understood what she was trying to say."
"I see." stated Gamba as he wished he could see his mother but there was work that needed to be done.
"All the other governments apart from the ants and the wolves have sent messages stating their sorrow at the news and their personal congratulation at your rise to the throne." stated the aid
"The ants will not send anything they don't really care about anything happening outside their borders and the wolves have been our rival for 900 hundred millions years they wouldn't send anything either." added Gamba "What of the borders?"
"There has been no move against our borders my King, no nation is moving troops to the boarders." stated the aid "The snakes have offered to send Orochimaru to help heal the Queen."
"Which we turned down." stated a new voice as Vachan appeared.
"I never gave you that order." stated Gamba to the head of the Royal Guard
"The Queen ordered that." stated Vachan
"I am now King and you will follow my orders." ordered Gamba
"I would have turned down Orochimaru as well but if you want someone to help your mom, Sakura Haruno or Lady Tsunade are the best medical minds in the world." said Hinata as Gamba listened to her advice.
"And they are both demon foxes." stated Vachan
"Your point?" asked Hinata "I thought you would want to help her no matter where the help came from?"
"Tradition demands." started Vachan as Hinata rolled her eyes which only caused Vachan's rage to build "I don't expect you to understand human but traditions are everything to us."
"Did you forget that per tradition when I became King apparent Hinata rose to the position of first lioness." stated Gamba "She is outranked only by myself and my mother."
Vachan snarled a little bit, he knew this was coming but he didn't want to face it anyhow. Unless he found a way to discredit her Hinata would likely become Queen.
"Still as a member of the Harem she can't be outside of it unless on a hunt. Since you are back she will return to the Harem at once." stated Vachan as he forcefully grabbed Hinata's arm. Neither Gamba nor any of never got a chance to respond as Hinata decked him square in the face sending him to the ground on his ass. Vachan was stunned as he looked up at Hinata.
"I am not someone you can push around." growled Hinata as the head of the royal guards sat on his ass like a stunned bully who got hit from the first time. The Panther members of the government were looking on stunned, most with approving looks others with hateful glares some pointed toward Vachan himself. Hinata stepped over Vachan followed by Gamba on their way to the palace. As the rest of the hunting team split up to talk with their voters or their families. A few members of the traditionist royal council stayed behind to help Vachan up.
"Are you ok Vachan?" asked a panther
"Ya…damn that human." growled Vachan
"While I do not agreed with what she stands for, she is very good at delivering the message." stated the panther "And the fact you just made her stance stronger by almost assaulting her."
"I was putting her in her place." stated Vachan
"She is first lioness now, apart from access to military documents she has all the powers a Queen has." said the panther "And the moment she gives birth to a son or they have the mating ceremony she becomes Queen."
"Don't remind me." stated Vachan "I don't know what went wrong with Gamba; I was his father's best friend just like our fathers were. But Gamba is nothing like his father or grandfather."
"A different generation." answered the panther
Deep underground Kakashi Hatake walked away from the radio room and toward the medical area. They had set up some medical equipment and with the small water powered generator they kept the lights on. There was no door but he did knock on the cave wall.
"Enter." stated Shizune voice as Kakashi walked into the medical bay.
"How are things going Shizune?" asked Kakashi as he looked at the woman who was their best hope of any kind of real defense against turning.
"I think I finally understand the basics and I filled some of the holes in the transformation itself." explained Shizune as she leaned back in the small folding chair. She rubbed her eyes trying to find some relief from the eye strain but working long hours underground in substandard lights wasn't helping. "However I have no idea how they do the mental changes. There are some transformation in the brain but how it makes people like being a demon or make people turn against their friends and village I don't know."
"Well we can't understand all of it out once." stated Kakashi as he sat down on a small cot which was used as Shizune's bed.
"Still everyday is another human life taken." explained Shizune
"There is nothing you can do to prevent that." added Kakashi as he decided to change the subject "We got some good news today."
"What?" asked Shizune
"Hanabi, Choza, Iruka and a dozen others were found my Yamato's group and it seems like Naruto freed them from the Leaf." explained Kakashi
"Well that is good news." said Shizune
"But we also have some bad news." said Kakashi
"Of course can't we get a break?" asked Shizune "What is it?"
"Kiba has gone rogue and has taken almost everyone in Neji's command with him." stated Kakashi "Only ten people sided with Neji and Tenten….they are on their way to join up Lee but we lost an entire wing of our resistance."
"Any word from Guy?" asked Shizune
"We got another shipment of supplies but Guy is worried, A is acting weird and he has heard stories that people are disappearing in the slums around the village." said Kakashi
"People lost everything could be just murders or people moving on to another camp." said Shizune
"Ya but still it has Guy worried and when Guy is worried it can't be good." stated Kakashi
It was nearing high noon in the feline kingdom was Gamba walked up and down a rather large royal waiting room off to the side of the great meeting Hall. Even in the room both Gamba and Hinata could hear the thousands of voices filling the great meeting hall.
"Don't worry Gamba your do fine." said Hinata as she placed hand on Gamba's shoulder.
"My King we are ready." stated an aid
"I am right behind you." said Hinata
"Do you remember what to do?"asked Gamba
"Ya…I am just sitting down." said Hinata as the two of them walked out into a massive hall that lead to the meeting hall. Waiting in the hall was eight members of the royal guard.
Hinata looked down the hall toward some massive bronzes doors; inside she could make out the hall and the crowds of demons felines. The sound of trumpets filled the air as they started moving into the room six of royal guards in the lead each carrying a flag. Hinata's eyes widened as she looked at the wall to wall people. The room was set up with massive lime stone bleachers with wooden desks on them so that members of the general pride could work. The general pride was divided up by the races so that a third belonged to each race which sat together.
The flags being carried by the lead two guards representing the demon panthers were in the lead as they since their section was nearest to the end, next came the Tigers and then closest to the throne was the demon lions. A large stone table stood the members of the higher branch of government the royal council including Vachan. Chairs had been brought in for the generals, court and religious leaders. Gamba was slightly in front of Hinata as the two of them walked toward the large marble and golden throne. Everyone was clapping as the music kept playing. Above the government seats wrapping around the building in a U shape with the open end to the throne was seats for the general public, it was standing room only as people scrambled to see this once in a lifetime event. Hinata followed her instructions to the letter as she walked behind but beside Gamba up a small staircase until she came to a stop at the second highest throne, the Queen's throne. Gamba was beside her in the slightly higher Kings throne.
"This is amazing." Thought Hinata as she looked out over the massive gathering of people who considered her to be one of their future rulers, she started waving to the crowed which only caused them to clap even more, Gamba joined her breaking yet another tradition by engaging the crowd.
The trumpets died as did the roar of the crowd as everyone including Gamba and Hinata sat down. The once everyone was seated when Vachan stood up and moved to stand in front of Gamba and Hinata before facing the rest of everyone gathered.
"It is my sad duty as head of the royal guard and ranking member of the Royal council that Queen Oda who has sat on the throne since the death of her mate has been taken down by a stroke and his been declared unable to carry out her duties as Queen. As per tradition her son Crowned Prince Gamba has risen to take the throne as King Apparent until the New Year." Stated Vachan in the demon feline village all knew kings were crowned on the New Year since in the old days years used be counted by the reign of a king. They didn't do that anymore but they tried to keep the tradition alive by having the new king take the throne on the new years "It is with this tradition that will guide us in the future. Now for the future King to address the government."
With that Gamba stood up to address the leaders of the government for the first time
"Not since the days of when Alexander sat on this throne has someone as young as I become King." started Gamba "This is also a time of great change with the growing under of turned humans who are now our felines brothers and sisters."
Gamba paused as a round of loud clapping filled the air as almost everyone stood up and clapped.
"We will have to adapt with the changing times, some of the changes will be small but others shall forever change our Kingdom. Even the palace and the royal family which has been following strict tradition for king after king will change." stated Gamba as once again there was cheering however eight of the fifteen members of the royal council including Vachan didn't stand or cheer. Of the 225 members of the general pride only around a third didn't stand up.
"I know some of you may feel wronged that I am standing up against traditions but long ago my ancestor King Alexander broke tradition when he rose up the Panthers and Tigers to their rightful place as equals to the Lions." stated Gamba "Traditions should never stand in the way of what is right, they are a guide not laws fixed in stone."
Even more clapping filled the air as more stood up even some those who had remained sitting before.
"Now this isn't something I can do alone." stated Gamba as he turned to Hinata "I am lucky to have a wonderful lioness at my side, who I hope to someday become my mate."
The clapping was louder than the past ones as the nongovernment members in the balcony cheered some even shouted King Gamba and Queen Hinata. Vachan and other members who believed in struck tradition was upset by the interruption of the commoners.
"I will not only have her help but I hope to have your help in making this kingdom stronger then it has ever been." Finished Gamba as more clapping filled the air as everyone stood up before Gamba. Hinata moved beside him.
"You did great." whispered Hinata as they interlocked arms.
"It was too short." whispered Gamba back
"Short and sweet." responded Hinata
"Now the real work begins." added Gamba
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, in a little bit I will return focus of the story to Naruto and Sakura. Now until next time please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75
