Chapter 14: Humans

It was nightfall but no one wanted to rest. Not until they found Naruto and Shikamaru. They had to be close by. The path took them out of the woods and by a large farm. The lights were still on in the house. Whoever lived here must have just been finishing dinner. The group pressed on, ignoring the house.

Ino strayed from the path and over to a cranberry thicket. "I found something! Look!" She brought it back and handed it to Sakura. "Is this what I think it is?"

Sakura nodded slowly. "It's Naruto's backpack."

It was dirty and undoubtedly his. She knew it in an instant.

Shino moved closer and plucked something off near the zipper. "Corn strand." He held it up for them to see.

"Corn?" Sakura looked back at the farm and at the field of corn behind it. "He must have been here. He must have been eating in that field. Which means..." Her face lit up with hope. "Maybe the people who live here saw him."

"I found his bag over there. He must have taken this path."

"Yeah. If he left his bag behind, then I doubt he's in that farm house. Still, we can at least ask if they saw them and how long ago."

"We might be able to catch up. Or at least get some information." Shino started up the path toward the farm house. "We may also find out how along Naruto is with his transformation."

That was true. They wanted to know if Naruto was a fox hybrid or had the full form of a fox.

Shino led the girls up the dirt path to the front steps of the farm house. He knocked twice and waited. Moments later, someone answered. It was a middle-aged man with cuts all over his face. His shirt was also torn.

"Yeah?"

"Sorry to bother you, but we had-"

"Oh, not more of you." The farmer tried to close the door but Shino jammed it with his foot. "Move it!"

"What do you mean, 'not more of you'?"

The man pointed. "Your headband. I saw one just like it earlier today."

"He saw Naruto!" Sakura gasped. She pushed Shino out of her way to talk to the man. "Please. What did he look like? Did he have a fox tail?"

"Tail, ears, claws. That kid was a freak!"

"Did he give you those scratches?" Shino asked. It was something he had his suspicions about.

The man nodded. "Yeah. He did worse to my brother." He hollered into the house and a second man appeared. He was topless and had his pant leg rolled up. Wrapped just above his ankle was a bandage. His shoulder was also bandaged. His face and chest were cut up, each scratch deeper than the other. They were all claw marks. No mistaking that. Four long trails going the same direction. Like fingernails.

This was Naruto's handy work.

"Why did he do this?" Ino was horrified. The very idea that Naruto would go out and attack innocent people...

"Hell if I know," said the farmer. "I caught him and a deer raiding our field, tried to chase them away and he attacked me."

"That deer was tearing apart our grape vines so I tried to get it to stop and that's when the kid jumped on me and did this!" The man pointed to his face and shoulder. "Messed up my leg real good, too."

"Messing up your grapes?"

Shino was suspicious. Something just didn't seem right. Even Sakura had a gut feeling that something was being left out of their story. He was about to ask something when Sakura beat him to it.

"When you were trying to get the deer to stop and when the boy attacked you... how were you getting it to stop? What did you do?"

The man shrugged. "I was beating it with a shovel from the back."

Ino and Sakura were in his face, screaming. "You idiot! Of course he scratched you up like that! He was protecting Shikamaru! You jerk!"

"Thought so..." Shino was correct. Something told him that Naruto would not attack unless provoked. As it turned out, he was coming to Shikamaru's aid. Still, what he had done to these men seemed a bit excessive. Naruto was at fault as well.

Finally, once the girls were finished telling the men off, they managed to get some information about their friends. Naruto had not changed much according to the farmer's description. They also knew how long it had been since they left. They could still catch up.

However, something was bothering Shino. He knew to trust his gut and right now, it was telling him to be very careful about approaching Naruto and Shikamaru.

Night fell over the forest, giving life of its nocturnal creatures. Frogs sang a chorus in the grass by a small pond and crickets chirped from the shadows of the bushes. A lone cicada, reluctant to sleep, trilled from its perch halfway up an oak tree. Naruto and Shikamaru were enveloped in the sound that seemed to fill the sky. The soft wind carried the sounds above the trees and caressed the tired forms of Naruto and Shikamaru nestled beneath a tree.

The sky was so clear they could see every star.

"It's beautiful."

Naruto nodded his head, laying back against Shikamaru's body. "How's your shoulder and back? He didn't hit you too hard, did he?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. How are your injuries?"

"I'm just bruised. I'm fine."

"Thanks again for the help, Naruto."

"No problem."

Shikamaru lowered his head. "I'm tired."

"So go to sleep."

"Will you?"

"Oh, so you only will if I do?"

"You'll keep me awake with your talking. Such a pain."

"No, I won't."

"Tch. You're a troublesome guy."

"And you're lazy as can be."

"And don't you forget it." Shikamaru chuckled. "Though not too lazy to carry you part of the way. Remember?"

"Oh, that was an hour at most."

Shikamaru placed his head on the ground beside Naruto's legs. "We should get some rest, though."

"Yeah, ok." Naruto stretched out his legs and relaxed. "The night is so cool."

"You have more energy at night, don't you?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. I'm just not an early morning person, I guess." Naruto closed his eyes. "You could carry me again."

"Not gonna happen."

Naruto stuck his tongue out.

Shikamaru closed his eyes. "Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're with me."

"Because I can understand you and translate?"

"No. More than that. I just don't want to be alone in all this."

Naruto petted his hairy neck. "You're not alone."

"And neither are you."

Naruto smiled. "Yeah. Thanks for that."

Naruto and Shikamaru slept in the next morning. Again, Shikamaru awoke before him and went off to graze for a bit. Naruto stayed curled in a ball, his furry tail wrapped around his body. He looked so adorable.

When he finally woke up, they were on the move again. Naruto walked beside Shikamaru as they traveled. On their path, they noticed a single tree that actually had fruit in its branches. Naruto climbed up the trunk and shook the apples down. Shikamaru, not wanting to feel useless, reared up on his hind legs and tugged on some lower branches, pulling a few apples down as well. Apples for breakfast. There weren't many and a lot of them had worm holes in them. They ate what they could and went on their way.

As they were relaxing in the grass, Naruto heard a voice. His ears twitched.

"Naruto? Shikamaru? Are you there?"

Shino's voice.

Naruto jumped up and Shikamaru froze, his ears rotating quickly. He heard footsteps and grew worried.

He saw a human figure coming from the trees and became frightened. Was he going to have another beating? Was he going to be killed? Was he going to be eaten?

Thinking the same thing, Naruto crouched down and growled, arching his back.

Shino came into view. "There you two are. We were looking everywhere for you. You shouldn't have run off like that."

Shikamaru backed away. He knew it was Shino. However... Shino was a human. Shikamaru had become wary of humans. Though he knew Shno was a friend, he no longer trusted him. He could attack him or try to eat him.

"What's the matter? You know it's me, right?"

Naruto growled, crouched down on all fours. Shikamaru backed away a little further.

"It's me."

"I know it's you, Shino." Naruto kept his eyes on him. "Go away."

"Why?"

"Because..."

"Because why?"

"You're a human."

Shino didn't say anything.

"Just go away and leave us alone, Shino."

"But we're friends, Naruto. You know that, right? And you, too, Shikamaru."

All he could see when he looked at Shino were shovels and ropes. He saw Shino as a human. He knew he was a human. Humans were dangerous. Humans were scary. They beat him and tried to kill him. Humans wanted to eat him. He didn't like humans. He liked Shino, but knowing he was a human made it hard for Shikamaru to trust him. He was afraid of what he was.

Shikamaru backed away.

"Shikamaru, you know me. Please. I'm not going to hurt you. Please, Shikamaru." Shino took a step closer and Shikamaru fled. "Shikamaru wait! Please!"

Naruto started to leave, too.

"Not you, too, Naruto. Please wait."

He paused.

Shino approached him. "Please."

Naruto spun around and growled at him. "Leave us alone!"

"But why? We're friends."

"You're a human!" Naruto spat. "Humans have been nothing but trouble for us. They attack us and yell at us and do terrible things. If you're a human..." Naruto backed away. "I can't trust you, either."

"But you know me. I just want to help you."

"Then go away!"

Shino didn't leave. He came closer, very slowly. "Sakura is worried about you. She wants to see you. Don't you want to see her? She's worried."

Naruto backed away. "I don't like humans and neither does Shikamaru. I can't blame him. He was nearly beaten to death yesterday. He was hunted a couple days ago. He was nearly eaten a few times and there's so much else. Can't you just leave us alone?"

"But we want to help you."

"I don't need your help! I don't want you to help me! I just want you to leave me and Shikamaru alone! Every time I see a human, I think of all the things you're capable of. You're dangerous and Shikamaru's afraid of you. We can't trust you so get lost. I can't risk anything happening to either of us."

"You know I would never hurt you. I'm your friend."

Naruto shook his head. "I know that. But... I just don't like being around humans anymore."

"Not even me? Or Sakura?"

He shook his head. "Please, just go away."

"I can't leave you, Naruto."

"Get lost, Shino!"

"I'm not going anywhere. You still need our help."

"I'll figure it out on my own!" Naruto screamed. "We'll do it ourselves! Just go away!"

Shino refused and came a step closer. "Please let me help you."

"I said go!" Naruto showed his pointed teeth and growled. "Go!"

Shino didn't leave. He stayed put. "Naruto... Please."

"Leave us alone! Leave me alone!" Naruto charged and slashed Shino across the face with his claws. "Leave!"

Shino vanished and a swarm of insects buzzed off into the forest.

Naruto stood panting. No one was with him. He was alone.

"Shino..." He hung his head. "I'm sorry, but... I can't be around humans anymore. Even if it's you. I can't do it."

"We can't just wait around like this. They could be right there. We should pick up the pace."

"No." Shino blocked Sakura and Ino from taking another step. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because I just used a clone to test Naruto and Shikamaru's stability. They're not well."

"Which is why we need to get there fast and be with them."

"No, you don't understand." Shino had to say it. "Naruto attacked me."

Sakura backed away in disbelief. "What?"

"He tried to slash me across the face. He attacked my clone but he didn't know that. He thought it was really me. I tried talking to him but the way he is now..."

"And Shikamaru?" asked Ino.

"He ran away. It seems he's frightened of humans now. There's no way to get near him."

"But..."

Shino shook his head. "I'm sorry. I had a feeling this might happen so I sent a clone to test it. Now that I know, I don't think it's a good idea for us to get near them. Shikamaru's too frightened and Naruto's become more violent."

"But foxes aren't really that aggressive," said Sakura.

"Remember the theory I had? About how the fox inside Naruto could have an effect on his transformation. The Nine-tails could be influencing him or it could just make him more aggressive and dangerous. We don't know for certain. Based off of what I've seen, it's safe to say that we can't get too close to him."

"Did he at least know who you were?" asked Ino. "He remembers us, right?"

"Yes, he knew us, but... he called us humans and now that's what he sees us as. We're not equals. We're not friends. We're humans. He knows us by name and who we are but I think that he feels we cannot be friends as things are now. Neither one of them trusts humans. We're different."

Sakura hung her head sadly. "If only we stayed with them."

"This is all my fault," said Ino. "I let them leave. If only I had..."

"It's not your fault. We were just..." Sakura looked at Shino. "If Naruto is becoming more aggressive toward humans, what about other animals? Is he going to lash out against Shikamaru?"

"I have no idea. I had a feeling it might happen. So far things seem fine between them. But over time... Remember, they were fine with us a few days ago. Now look."

"I have to find them. Maybe there's something I can-"

Shino stopped her. "No, Sakura. If you go, Naruto will attack you just as he did me."

"Then what the hell do we do?"

"We'll continue to follow them. We just won't make contact."

"That's it?" said Ino. "There's nothing else we can do?"

Shino shook his head. "No," he said sadly. "At this point, they may be too far gone."

Ooh boy. Not looking good.

Thoughts? Any thoughts on Shino? (I know the answers, but still ^^)

Please review!