Chapter 10:

Warm sunlight was streaming through her bedroom window and the chirping of birds gently roused the girl nestled in the plush bed. Sakura sat up stretching. After a good battle in the palace, it was nice to be able to go right to bed without much to worry about. It was refreshing somehow.

The battle wasn't even that difficult. Those men were hardly a trouble. A bit amateur, she had to admit. They were assassins after all. That alone made them different from ninja. She couldn't have expected them to be that good now that she thought about it.

"Hm. Even ninja assassins are way better than them. That fight was easy."

Yet something was on her mind about last night. She could have sworn she saw a fox attacking the man behind her. It looked like the same fox from the other night she welcomed into her room. Only this time it was covered in blood. Was it injured from the assassin? Was it protecting her? She only saw it for a second then it disappeared.

"I thought for sure I saw it. Just for a second." Sakura started to get out of bed. "Maybe it was the one from the other night. It could have been."

As she started to dress, she noticed something on her windowsill. It wasn't there when she went to bed. She came closer for a better look.

A peach.

Sakura picked it up and examined it closely. She turned it over in her hand, running her fingers over the small teeth marks in the fuzzy peach skin.

"It was here. I knew it."

The fox must have returned and brought her a gift.

Sakura set the peach on her dresser and finished changing. When she opened her door and started down the hall, she noticed Neji kicking Naruto's door and yelling. "Must we go through this as if you were a child? Get your ass up!"

Naruto threw the door open and pointed a finger in Neji's face. "I heard you the first time! You don't have to kick the door down! Sheesh!"

"I'm only yelling at you because we've been through this several times this week. I also want a word with you."

"Augh!" Naruto retreated back into his room.

At breakfast, the group was treated to hot miso soup and fresh fruit. Prince Akio joined them at the table to thank them for their help last night and to express his surprise at what happened.

Naruto ate quietly, thinking about what Seki had told him last night.

Ryosuke was becoming a two-tailed fox but he was resisting his transformation out of fear. Ryosuke didn't want to be their leader despite the fact that so many looked to him as one. Becoming a two-tails and accepting the title would make it official. They needed a leader. Naruto knew Ryosuke would make a good one.

"Naruto."

"Huh?" He looked up.

"I asked you a question," said Neji.

"Oh. Sorry. I wasn't listening."

Neji didn't look at all surprised. "I asked if you were ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To leave the village."

Naruto dropped his spoon. "What?!"

"Our mission is complete. There's no longer a reason for us to stay. Now that the assassins are detained and the prince is safe, it's time for us to return home."

Not yet. They couldn't leave yet. There was still so much he had to do. It wasn't just about stopping the two-tailed fox and keeping his promise to the foxes. He also had his own curse to worry about. Even if he left the area, his curse would still be in effect. He would continue to change at night. He had to stop Reevo not only for the kitsune but for himself as well. He had to save Seki's brother and all those people who were cursed by Reevo. He made them a promise and he intended to keep it. He couldn't leave until Reevo was found.

"But we can't leave yet!"

"Why not?"

"Because-" Naruto stopped. He couldn't tell them the truth. He had to think of another reason. "Because... we can't."

"You already said that, but why?"

"Uh... because... uh..."

"Naruto's right," said Sai. "We can't leave yet."

"We can't?" Sakura's head turned around. "Why not?"

Sai's reason was something no one had taken notice of until now. "Five men came to this town last night to assassinate the prince. We only caught four."

The table was silent for a moment.

"He's right."

"Our mission isn't over yet."

Naruto was so relieved. Sure, there was another assassin running loose around town, but they got to spend another night at the palace.

"Which brings me to something I wanted to ask you, Naruto." Neji turned to look at him. "Where exactly were you last night? You're usually the first one to charge into battle and yet you were nowhere to be found."

"I was... Well... I was outside when one of the assassins attacked. And we fought."

Neji looked Naruto in the eye for a long time. "Ok." He seemed to accept that answer and said nothing further.

"It must have been the one that got away. It would be easy if he was outside," said Sai. "Neji, what did the men tell you last night? I know you stayed with them a while."

"Not much. No more than what they said when we captured them in the hallway." Neji then turned to the prince. "By the way, there was something I've been meaning to ask you since last night, Prince Akio."

"Yes?"

"You weren't truthful with us."

Akio frowned. "I wasn't?"

"Our first day here, you gave us a tour and told us all the places we could get in and out. When I asked you if there was any other way for someone to get in, you told me no. That was a lie."

Akio didn't speak. The ninja stared at the two of them in silence.

"Yes, those men were welcomed inside the palace but their locations changed very quickly. Too quickly. And no one on staff mentioned seeing them ever leave their rooms. Which led me to believe that they got to where they were by other means. Their windows were unlocked and some were even left open. Plus, their rooms were on the ground floor. It would have been easy for them to get outside. Back in is another matter." Neji gave the prince a stern look. "There are other ways to get in, aren't there? Secret passages. And you knew that, didn't you? And didn't tell us."

"Neji," started Sakura. "What are you saying?"

"There are secret passages into the palace. The prince must have known. And since the lord who was with them has been coming here for years, he must have also known and told it to the men he hired. That's how they knew where to go and how to get inside."

Akio then asked, "How do you know about hidden passages? Having someone on staff sneak them in, I could understand. But you went right to the passages. Why?"

"Because I saw them." Neji gestured to his eyes. "When I used my Byakugan, I noticed spaces in the palace that weren't hallways and didn't connect to other rooms properly. And you knew about them and didn't tell us."

After an uncomfortable silence, Akio sighed and admitted the truth. "Yes. My parents told me never to reveal their location in case someone decided to use it against the house."

"But we're here to help you," said Sakura. "You should have told us."

"I know that and I apologize."

"Where are the passages?" asked Sai.

Akio listed the locations and where they led. "There's three in total. One in the hallway that leads to the yard by the front gate. One on the third floor which leads into the forest. And one that leads from the private garden to my bedroom. We only have them in case of emergency, like fires or if people broke in to harm us."

"Like last night?" Naruto said, raising a brow.

"I'm sorry I wasn't truthful with you."

"That's alright," said Neji. "We understand. But to avoid something like this in the future, you should inform us of everything."

"Understood." Akio then gave Neji an odd look. "So, this Byakugan you possess... What does it do? Give you the power to see through walls?"

"Well, something like that. Fine details I cannot see. I mostly use it to see one's location so I can protect my group from enemies and to see someone's Chakra points in battle so I land a good blow to stop them."

"I see." Akio gave a nervous grin. "Have you seen anything interesting with it?"

"Like what?"

"Oh," Akio chuckled. "Nothing. Just... what went on last night. For instance, where the fifth man ran off to."

"No, I haven't seen him. We'll have to search for him and make sure the palace is guarded."

The prince smiled. "I see." Then his smile spread. "Do you also use that power to watch women undress?"

Neji's face turned beat red. "Hardly!"

"I'm just asking. I have to keep my maids safe, after all."

"I would never!"

Naruto decided to take a walk through town with Sakura. Since the children were out and about, Naruto decided to have a little fun and entertain them for a bit. He summoned up a few clones and they all performed tricks for their amusement. The children were very impressed. A couple even tried to imitate them. Sakura didn't say anything about it. There was nothing else to do.

"Will you shut up out there?!"

The children stopped cheering and Naruto's clones vanished.

The old man from before came out of his house shaking his fist at them. "Keep it down! Why are you so eager to cause trouble?"

"We're not trying to," Sakura said quickly. She was trying to keep the peace. "He was just playing with the kids was all. We didn't mean to-"

"That boy's no child, he shouldn't act it." The old man gave Naruto a dirty look. "I knew you would be nothing but trouble when you came here the other day. When are you leaving?"

"We're still on a mission," said Sakura. "The prince was almost assassinated last night."

"He's got servants in there to protect him. Besides, that's usually how royalty dies. Someone kills them."

"Don't you care if he dies?"

The old man scoffed. "I don't know him personally. I don't care. He's just some punk kid, anyway. He's not old enough to earn my respect. Running a town like this takes a man. Not some kid."

Naruto was sick of this old man. What was his problem?

"Don't mind the geezer," said a plump woman carrying her laundry inside. "He's a very hateful old man."

The old man stepped closer to the woman. "I wouldn't be if your kids would learn to keep it down so that I can sleep!"

"It's the middle of the day, old man! Let my children have their fun."

"I can't sleep at night either because of that damn dog barking all night!"

"It's not my dog," said the woman. "Take it up with Suzi. It's her dog."

"She knows damn well I hate dogs! She's making it bark all night to spite me."

"There's no pleasing you, is there?" The woman went inside but the old man called after her.

"The dog barks all night long and I can't sleep during the day because of these stupid kids! Get a hold of your brats and do your job as a parent!"

The woman appeared in the window and stuck out her tongue, which her children were quick to imitate. The old man continued to rant and rave at them.

Naruto and Sakura pressed on.

"That old guy's a jerk," remarked Sakura. "I've run across some real grouchy old men but this guy's awful. I think he's the worst one I've seen."

Naruto had to agree with her. "Yeah. That geezer's a real piece of work..."

Naruto's steps started to slow. Something the old man had said was starting to get to him. He said that he hated dogs. Naruto had been into town before with the other foxes and the dog didn't bark all night as the old man claimed. The old man also said that he slept during the day. Why would he do that? If the dog did keep him up all night he could understand, but since it was an exaggeration that couldn't be it. He also didn't care much for the prince or how his family cared for animals.

That old man...

"Could he be...?" Naruto turned around.

The old man was going back into his house. When a dog started barking at him, he took a cane from inside and took a swing at the dog's head. It ran off yelping and the old man went inside, tossing the cane down with a loud clatter.

Maybe it was him. This man could be the two-tailed fox.

While everyone else was trying to figure out where the last remaining assassin was hiding, Naruto was hard at work trying to figure out where Reevo was hiding. Now he had a new suspect. The old man in the town seemed to fit a fox fairly well. If he slept during the day and had a hatred of dogs, it was very possible that he was a kitsune.

He had to be careful, though. He needed to gather more proof in order to be sure. He couldn't just attack him on a hunch. He was so certain it was the prince and turned out to be wrong. He couldn't do the same thing again. If he rushed in and beat up an innocent man, what would happen to him? The town could turn on him for one. There were other consequences, too.

Naruto was going out there to find out more about this old man. He only had a few hours before sunset. He made sure his knives were sharp and tightened his headband. He was ready for action. He couldn't be too careful when it came to taking down a kitsune. He knew how tricky and powerful they could be.

He decided to sneak away so the others wouldn't notice him and question his actions.

On his way outside, he noticed Sakura talking to someone in the library. He stopped to take a quick peek.

Prince Akio and Sakura were sitting together at a table by the window looking at a pile of books between them on the polished wood. She was giggling. Naruto moved closer to hear them.

"You have so many books. Our library back home has a large selection of ninja books. Tools, skills, history, you name it."

"But you do have other books, don't you?" asked Akio.

"Of course, we do. But some of the books you have here I've never seen before."

"I would love for you to stay and enjoy them. Take your time."

"I would love to, but I'm still on a mission. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm goofing off when I should be working."

"I'm aware of that, Miss Sakura."

"Haha, I told you that you don't have to call me 'miss'. Just Sakura is fine."

"Ah yes. But..." Akio leaned over the table and touched Sakura's hand. "You see, calling you 'miss' seems more fitting somehow. It carries a certain femininity to it. A proper title. I'm not sure how to explain it. Merely saying your name seems so common. Adding something to it makes you sound... more. That is..." Akio turned away chuckling nervously. "I'm sorry. It's coming out all wrong. You must think I'm..."

"No, no. It's ok." Sakura touched his hand.

Naruto pressed himself against the door so hard he felt as if his cheek would break through the wood.

Akio lifted his gaze. "It's just that calling a woman by a title such as that gives them an air of importance. And I hold you in such high regards, Sakura. You are so valuable. Why would you ever settle for plain when you are so much more? Your name itself is very fitting of you. A lovely flower coming into bloom. Already so wonderful and yet there's always room for growth."

Sakura was smiling.

Naruto started to grind his teeth. He remembered why he hated the prince so much. Why the hell couldn't he be the fox so that he could kick his ass? Before Naruto could go bursting in and putting a stop to this, he remembered his mission and forced himself to turn away and carry on.

Once outside, Naruto felt a lot better. He was glad he was able to hold himself back. It would have ruined his intentions if Sakura were to find out about where he was going. He would have argued with her, she would have hit him, his friends would come to see what had happened, and if he were to go off after that they would ask him where he was heading. He didn't want to make a racket and have everyone come running to him. It would make it much harder to sneak off. He could have left a clone behind, but he wasn't sure what he would find at the old man's house. He had to reserve his Chakra. There was no telling what would happen when dealing with the two-tailed fox. He needed all the strength he had.

The town was still lively and the children were playing in their small yards by the dirt road. They ignored him now, involved in their own games. Naruto moved past them quickly and over to the old man's house. Taking a quick look around, Naruto lifted himself up to peer inside through the window. It was too dark to see anything. These windows were so dirty. It was like trying to peer through fog. Naruto moved around to the other side where he found an open window. He slipped inside before anyone could notice him.

It was a lot cooler inside. This old man was so secretive. There were no lights on and all the windows were too dirty to let light in. Naruto started to look around. This house could use some cleaning. There was dust everywhere and none of the dishes had been washed. A half-eaten sandwich was still on the table and another one was in the sink, hard and green. This old guy never cleaned anything! Naruto looked at the kitchen table and counters for clues of this man's foxy nature. Dirty dishes, of course. Pots and pans, rusty and stained. Spoons so dirty they didn't reflect light even when held up to the sun. Dulls knives in the sink and on the counter. A bent ladle, a wooden cutting board, and a knife with a red handle.

Naruto went back. A knife with a red handle. Why did that get his attention so quickly?

He moved to the next room. The living room was just as dirty. Dusty and stained blankets on the couch and chair, a pillow with stuffing leaking out of a tear in the side. A glass of water on the coffee table beside torn books and papers. Then there was something odd by the lamp beside the chair. It was an ornament. That wasn't the odd part; it was what the ornament was of that got Naruto wondering. It was a wooden carving of a fox. Why on earth would a man who hated animals have a carving of a fox on his table? It wasn't alone. There was another one by the window and a third on the mantle above the fireplace.

Naruto's eyes followed the fireplace from the fox carving to the dusty old photos of women and men, to an empty vase to another carving. Then, mounted on the wall above all that, was something that made Naruto's heart skip a beat.

A fox pelt.

Naruto's knees felt weak.

The knife with the red handle, the fox pelt on the wall. There was no doubt in Naruto's mind.

This was Seki's older brother.

Naruto's body began to burn with anger.

Yes, it was a fox pelt. Yes, he knew people who had animal furs. But this was different. This felt personal. He knew the brother of the fox this pelt belonged to. He may as well have been staring at the severed head of a human.

"Murderer."

He couldn't leave it like this. He had come to know these kitsune. They were his friends. This was one of them. It- no, he needed a proper burial.

Stepping forward, Naruto reached over the mantle and grabbed hold of the pelt. In one swift movement, he tore it down. The man who hung this didn't do a very good job of securing it to the wall. It was only mounted on a couple of nails. The pelt itself wasn't damaged. It was cold and the fur was matted. Very different from a living fox fur.

Naruto quickly stuffed it in his bag and climbed out the same window he entered.

No one noticed him leaving the house. It was a clean getaway. Naruto looked up and down the road. He looked at the waterfall and the mountain overlooking the town. Holding the bag tightly, Naruto went into the forest.

It was easy finding the perfect place for the grave. He already had a place in mind. Away from humans but a place where the foxes could come and pay their respects. When Naruto reached the stream, he made a left. This was the place. It was near the waterfall and the mountain itself. He picked a spot by a tall oak tree and set the bag down. Using two clones, Naruto and his doppelgangers set to work digging a grave with their ninja tools and bare hands.

Every now and then, Naruto glanced up to look at the pelt sticking out of his bag. It had no eyes, no bones, no flesh. It was just a flat piece of fur. It wasn't much in way of a body, but it was still him. This pelt was once one of the kitsune. It still was. He deserved a grave. Naruto needed to bury him. Naruto couldn't leave him on that wall like a hunter's trophy.

Seki said that his brother died so that he and Reki could escape the humans. They were hungry and looking for food.

"And they made a pelt out of him." Naruto drove his hands into the earth and ripped the soil out. "Being made into a pelt like that... It's insulting. He deserves better. I mean, he sacrificed himself for his younger siblings. He needs a place of honor."

All three of them worked hard to dig a grave for the fox. When it was deep enough, his clones vanished and Naruto removed the pelt from his bag. Handling it with care, Naruto lowered it into the hole and covered it with soil. He flattened it down and tore two sticks from a tree. He sat on the ground and wove a rope from his bag around the two sticks, one horizontal to the other. When he was finished, he planted it in the ground right above the grave as a makeshift headstone. He gathered up some stones and placed them around the cross. Naruto stepped back to examine his work.

It wasn't much, but it was a grave.

Naruto bowed his head to the grave. "Rest in peace," he whispered.

Feeling that his work was done, Naruto started to leave.

Something was bothering him, though. He felt very confused.

"Ok, so... if that old man was the one who killed Seki's brother, then does that mean he's not the two-tailed fox? If that were the case, then he would have cursed Seki's brother, not killed him. Right? But then what's up with all the animal carvings in his house? If he doesn't like foxes or animals in general, then why have them? He hates dogs and he sleeps during the day. Doesn't that make him the fox? I thought it did. Then again, if the guy is old and doesn't get a lot of sleep at night because of dogs barking, then I guess it makes sense for him to sleep during the day. Old people do sleep a lot. And there are some people who just don't like dogs."

Naruto grabbed the sides of his head and let out a loud aggravated groan.

"Augh! This is impossible! Every time I think I have him, there's doubt! No wonder no one's found Reevo all this time!"

Maybe he should go back to the house and look for more clues. Then there was another issue. If the kitsune showed up at night and Seki's brother was killed by the old man, then the old man couldn't have been the two-tailed fox. He would have been in his fox form if it was at night.

"So, it's not him either? Then who the hell is the fox?"

Thoughts?

Please review! ^-^