Chapter 1: Keen Eyes of a Predator

The heat was stifling.

Fujiko sat back on her heels, sighing as she wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. She grimaced at the amount of sweat gathered and wiped it roughly on her kimono. The weather was scorching nowadays. This wasn't farming weather. She squinted her eyes, gazing out at the barely nourished garden she had.

Steadily, the weather has been growing hotter from the past months. It was getting to a point where even some women were forced to wear thinner kimonos to fit their mobility and to avoid heat stroke.

It was annoying!

She pushed her sweat soaked bangs away from her face, already irritated and annoyed with the weather. Fujiko grunted as she pushed herself up, using her knees as leverage as her whale-like body lifted from the floor.

Six months pregnant and she was titanic.

There were days where she felt like a dog, walking around with no ambition, no future, and no will as she lumbered her body around her small humble adobe. Her stomach stretched outward as if her child wanted to greet the world from inside. Some days, Fujiko felt that there should be more than one child inside, but neither her nor her husband had twins running along in their families.

A heavy sigh mixed with both frustration and weariness, Fujiko placed a hand to the small of her back and stretched her aching muscles.

As she took her little break, she couldn't help but notice her neighbor.

Three men were surrounding a small cart filled with packages of miscellaneous items. They approached it and grabbed one of the bags, lugging over their shoulder before making way into their home.

Kobayashi was the man of the house, giving swift orders to the other two men. He approached his tiny wife, pecking her lips with a chaste kiss before moving on with his duties. Kobayashi was married to Fujiko's close childhood friend, Hana. Hana, a very small, but fiery woman, lived with both her husband and her brother, Hideki.

Hana had married the fisherman last fall, enjoying the warmth of her husband during the cold season of the winter and had has yet to be blessed with a child. Her brother moved in during one of his many exciting travels of the other countries. Because of the dangers and war between countries, Hana begged Hideki to stay within the safe walls of her home and avoid the brush of death. He had reluctantly agreed and did everything plausible to earn his stay fairly and rightfully.

All three were very well respectable people. There was nothing about them the village gossiped besides Hideki's wild risky adventures. Other than that, they were good people.

The other man, however….

Fujiko's dark eyes narrowed as they speculated upon the white-haired man grunting as he carried a rice bag towards the home. He was the recent news in the village.

Because the Sato family was well known for their unselfish acts and words of truth and honesty, the fact that they've saved a man from the brink of death didn't deter the villagers' mindset of the inappropriate setting. Kobayashi and Hideki had been fishing in the river for dinner upstream of a nearby river. And while they fished for their dinner, a body floated face up.

Immediately both men had gone into action, diving into the water and pulling the body to shore. It was miraculous the man hadn't drowned. He had also been unconscious to their amazement. Without a second thought, the imprudent men (in Fujiko's opinion) dragged the man into the warmth of their home and magnanimously offered him shelter, food, and a family due to his amnesia.

Fujiko scrutinized the man, who bore the same equal strength as Hana's physically powerful husband, as he walked about the area.

She didn't look away when he met her eyes.

Like an alpha dog, Fujiko tilted her chin higher, challenging the man, showing him that she held no fear and no compassion like the others.

"Fujiko, leave him alone!"

A small woman from the house popped her head out the window and shook a small fist in her direction. "I swear you're always trying to sum up dirt on him!"

Fujiko sighed and turned her body towards the woman, forced to look away from the man. "Hana-chan, it's—"

"It's nothing!" Hana's head disappeared and in no time she was walking out the door, thanking the men for their hard work and walking towards Fujiko with a stern expression. "What are you doing?" she hissed, glancing at Fujiko's ruined kimono. "Your kimono has more dirt stain than Jiro's kid!"

Fujiko suddenly turned embarrassed, turning her profile away from Hana. "I was working on the garden."

And just as soon as those words were spoken, Hana the spitfire calmed. She grimly looked at the wilting, decayed garden. "Fujiko-chan, you…you need someone to tend your garden."

Fujiko glared at her. "I can take care of it!"

"Sure, you're doing a great job at it."

"I wasn't asking for your opinion," Fujiko snapped, turning away from her friend.

Hana thumped her fist to her forehead, cursing under her breath. "Fujiko-chan, I'm sorry."

Fujiko ignored her friend and walked towards her home. She barely gave a glance to the garden as she passed it, knowing deeply that Hana spoke the truth and there was nothing that could bring back those flowers to their noble vitality they once held.

Her husband had passed away when she was two months pregnant.

Originally from the dreary, militant village of Iwakagure, Fujiko had been raised to be the perfect wife. From birth she was known for her inexplicable beauty and many suitors had come for her hand as soon as she reached the ripe age of fifteen. Her father, the strict and firm head of the clan, placed his foot down and refused to marry her till the right man arrived. Each man failed within her father's eyes, ignoring their station within the village as great ninjas and the gold within their pockets as rich men. There was nobody fit for his daughter and he made sure everyone knew that. The clan hadn't even been big in name or size, but the clan was filled with men of noble souls: the Rakujochigusa clan.

It wasn't until her husband had saved her life, did her father finally give her away.

Fujiko clenched her teeth as she sat down, feeling a cringe at her back. Goodness, it was getting harder day-by-day just to sit and stand.

Hana quickly floundered to her side. "Are you alirght?"

"Aa," Fujiko nodded, sipping at the water Hana placed before her.

"Fujiko—"

"It's alright, Hana." Her eyes peered through her window to the white haired man plowing the fields behind Hana's home. "I don't trust him."

Hana groaned heavily, throwing herself in the opposite chair of Fujiko. "Fujiko-chan, we've been over this a million times."

"It still doesn't make me feel better."

"It's alright!"

Fujiko snorted. "Your husband's an idiot. How can he let in a stranger to his home when he has a wife? Doesn't he care about your safety?"

"He's harmless. The man couldn't even hurt a fly! Yesterday at the dinner table there was a rat scourging around the dishes and he refused to kill it. Instead, he captured it and released it in the backyard. I won't be surprised if it'll poison my food, the fool!" Hana growled. "And besides, Hideki is there."

Fujiko nearly congratulated herself on refraining her groan of annoyance. "Hana, there's another letter in the drawer in the mahogany table. Tell your brother to stop his secret admirer letters, they're getting annoying."

"Huahahaha!" Hana laughed, tipping her head back.

Her pale face flushed with red. "Stop it!" she hissed angrily.

"What a baaaaakaaaa," Hana teased, instantly jumping to her feet to open the admirer's letter. Her blue eyes hungrily scanned the whole thing, teeth barely reigning in the laughter threatening to spew from her mouth. "'I want to make love to you under the moon with a thousand sakura petals falling upon us as we establish our relationship under the bright stars of heaven'?"

"Hana!"

"Oh, goodness, this is good stuff." Hana folded the paper neatly and slid it into the inside of her flower-patterned kimono. "I'm showing this to Kobayashi-kun tonight."

"Just get it out of here," she snapped. Fujiko slowly stood up from her chair and huffed. "I need to go to the market." With one last glance towards the suspicious individual, she turned towards Hana and narrowed her eyes. "If you dare spill any of those—"

Hana giggled madly and sped out of her home before she had a chance to finish her threat.

Fujiko shook her head. She grabbed a hair tie off from the side and pulled in her black hair, braiding it and slinging it over her shoulder. With an empty basket and a small pouch of coins, Fujiko exited her home and walked towards the center of the village without a backwards glance.

In Kumogakure, there were two separate parts of the village. The centerpiece of the village was the obvious rocks plowing through the skies and hidden by the moisture of the clouds. People dwelled within the rocks, creating their own homes to their comforts and even had markets and academies there. The other part of the village was more secluded. The land surrounding Kumogakure's main part was built with small houses and even smaller markets just before the gates for those who wished to prosper in the arts of fishing. The houses ran along the ocean perfectly for the boats.

Those who didn't live within the city life of Kumogakure were seen more as the country people, and vice versa.

Fujiko who had grown within the city adjusted to the country life quite difficultly. Where she had been nothing but a doll, was forced to work alongside of her husband with the farm life he led. It was hard and made her upset, but she never spoke against her husband, because she was brought up to be the perfect, obedient, submissive wife.

In another sense, it was a bit more freedom.

Flanking of this freedom, she developed calluses and freckles. In a fit of anger, she had destroyed the vanity mirror dresser she had moved during her travel here. It was despicable. She was not brought up to be a farmer's wife; she was meant to be a noble's wife!

Fujiko released a breath, forcing herself to relax. She continued to walk towards the center of Kumogakure, determined to buy provisions to suffice her for the next two days. There was only so much she could carry with her back home in her condition.

The closer she drew towards the market place, the livelier it became with people.

There had been a moment where Fujiko thought she had forgotten the life of the city. Since before she had married on her twenty-third birthday, she had lived a shelter life from birth as was expected from women. There were a few moments as a child where she had been given the permission to play and visit the city by her mother, but that was soon taken away as soon as she reached her tenth birthday. And after she met her husband, she was forced into labor with the farm life. Therefore, she didn't have a chance to visit the city as much as she would've liked, given that it was her husband who did the trades of goods.

Children squealed in delight and were running around her feet, already screaming out small jutsu names in play. Horses nickered nervously when the children ventured too close, but were soon soothed by their owners. People were screaming bargaining prices, either nodding in approval or sneering in cheat.

It was a nice familiarity.

"Flowers for saaaaleee! Flowers for sale! We've got special flowers imported from Konohagakure!"

"Sake! Sake! Drink all the sake in the world, boys!"

"Pearls for the lovely ladies!" A man came swinging near Fujiko, thrusting his pearl-covered arms towards her.

Fujiko's lips thinned as she smiled politely. She walked around the man, placing a hand on her stomach as she looked around.

She approached a fruit stand, purchased three apples and slid them into her basket. People walked around her, chattering about their days openly without realizing that there were others listening in.

"Rama-san is so helpful," a nearby woman gossiped, giggling at Hana's new addition.

"And he's so cute! Goodness, I would've snagged the man if I wasn't married," another woman said.

"Get out of here! No soliciting!" An old woman hobbled from the stand the gossiping pigeons stood before and shooed them off. "If you're not buying anything then go away!" The old hag's eyes turned to Fujiko and lightened up. "Well, if it isn't the pumpkin,"

Fujiko glared at the woman. "Hag," she greeted.

The old woman cackled and hobbled towards the pregnant lady. "What will it be today? Jasmine tea, green tea, chamomile tea, apple cinnamon tea?"

"The usual."

Fetching a small bag, the old woman stood before a small wooden crate and opened it. She grabbed a few black leaves, humming an old tune beneath her breath. There was a small tremble in the old woman's stature as she walked back to Fujiko.

"How's your arthritis, Miyako?"

The old woman gave her a toothy grin. "Little ole me ain't goin' anywhere too soon, honey." Her suspicious eyes slid over to the women she had just gotten ridden of before scurrying closer towards Fujiko. "So…is Rama available?"

"Miyako-san!"

"What?" She shrugged innocently. "My granddaughter needs a husband. And he's a good looking one!"

Fujiko shook her head from side to side. "I don't trust him, Miyako," she said quietly.

"You don't trust anyone, that's the problem." Miyako snatched her cane from the side and hobbled around her little shack, making sure that there weren't anything missing from her tea stand. "You need to let loose, Fujiko." She gave Fujiko a slidelong glance at her belly. "Maybe not right now, but after you pop those kids out, go search for a man!"

"Miyako!" Fujiko snarled.

The old woman cackled and waved the pregnant woman away. "Get away from here. You're scaring my customers."

Fujiko glared at Miyako before delicately turning away and walking down the street like royalty. She gathered more provisions for her kitchen until she was satisfied that it would suffice her for the next two days. With leftover money, Fujiko purchased a small meat dumpling and walked home as she picked on it.

Pricks of pain pierced her lower back, making her wince every so often. She placed a small hand to her back and massaged the area, taking in slow deep breathes to help control the pain.

The black tea was going to be made a bit sooner than she thought.

"Are you alright, ma'am?"

At that voice, Fujiko instantaneously stilled as if danger stood before her.

Her head slowly moved to the side, eyes glancing from her peripheral vision to see white hair. With a quickness to match a snake, Fujiko turned to fully look at him.

A small smile formed at his lips as if to assure her that he was of no harm.

There was no secret that he had a handsome shapely face that can only be the epitome of masculinity. Peach skin was smooth, unblemished. His face structure had seemed as if a romantic artist, with desires of the unknown, had sculptured it. Where his cheekbones were high, his hair was low, his bangs brushing at the top of his brows. His lips were thin and male as his jaw line was delectable to the eyes. The outlines of his eyes were dark, almost feline-like. His eyes were sinister red, and just like hers, they never looked away from her challenge. And what was just as disconcerting as his eyes, his existence, were the red stripes at his cheekbones and chin.

It was almost like a warrior's war paint.

And it made Fujiko's hackles rise like an angry wolf.

Sometimes Fujiko wondered to herself why she held such a concentrated aversion towards him. There was never an answer to her speculation.

"Is there something you need?" she asked sharply.

He wore a simple white shirt given to him from Hana's husband. It held snugly around his sweaty body, teasing those with feminine hormones about his well-built body. His brown pants were tied from the waist and down to his ankles, finishing off with brown sandals.

"No," he said, clearing his throat as his smile disappeared.

She didn't like him.

And he knew it.

Deep within her, there was something pinpointing his existence that couldn't be defined nor told. No matter how hard Fujiko tried to solve his appearance, she couldn't do it. And because of that, her hackles were constantly held up high, distrustful and suspicious of him in her best friend's home.

Those red eyes of his were always smoldering with a desperate need.

Whenever she saw him, he had this look of intense concentration. Some may pass it with a simple thought of him desperately looking into his past for some sort or form of identity. But for her, it was something deeper. She could even make the assumptions that he was a thief, a burglar who faked injuries in order to gain trust before backstabbing his hosts. But throughout his stay here, he held neither negativity nor ill will to make her uncertainties confirmed.

There were times where Rama (a name Hana had chosen as 'Rama' was constantly mumbled in his sleep from his first day of rescue) stared at anything, be it a bird or tree, with the eyes of a predator.

And at any slight movement, he was quick to detect it first.

He had even saved Hana from a runaway horse cart when she managed to idiotically find herself in the middle of its path. How he had moved quickly was a wonder, but the townspeople didn't question it.

It was because they didn't see it.

Some wouldn't notice, but Fujiko did. The corners of his lips would pull down, as did his eyebrows. His eyes glowed in something indescribable as the energy around him almost picked up. It was then Fujiko noticed that this man was someone not to be trifled with.

And that's when she started her utter dislike for him openly. Unlike the women who flaunted towards him and the men who admired him, Fujiko felt like an innocuous wary child, an animal with a sixth sense. While everyone loved him, she hated him.

With a small polite nod towards her direction, Rama turned around and walked towards the house she knew oh so well.

Fujiko continued to stare, placing a hand on her stomach as her unborn child moved from within. Her dark eyes narrowed at Rama's back.

There was something unnatural about the way he moved. His gait was silent and swift something that can only be associated with death.

Yaaaay! I've finally updated this story, whew! I've been busying myself with fictionpress that I haven't noticed I haven't updated anything on fanfiction for quite a while! But here's an update! :D I honestly should be moving on and updating my Avenger's fic, but I don't' have the motivation or inspiration to continue writing it, argh. We'll see.

So, you've finally met my OC! Her name is Fujiko, which means wisteria in Japanese. You can tell, because it is no secret at all, that she doesn't like Tobirama! hehehe

And as some of you can guess, 'Rama' is Tobirama.

Thanks for the reviews!

Akari . Wolf . Princess xiMenagerie