A wave of rage and panic rushed through Sango. They were after her son! Her innocent, helpless son! She had to do something, but what? She would never reach them in time unless she could - Then it dawned on her. She looked at the others, who understood in an instant.
Taking a yellow scroll from her kunai bag, Tatsumi began weaving frantic hand signs, biting her thumb and smearing blood across it. "Tatsu! U! Saru! Mi! U! Saru! Mi! Tatsu! U! Saru! Mi!" she cried, weaving the entire sequence in about five seconds. A circle of gold light spread around the group, making their hair and clothes billow on an invisible wind.
"Ganenmaru! Everyone! Help Naruto!" Sango cried. The animals nodded their consent. Tatsumi clasped the scroll tightly.
"Art of the Moving Shadow! Teleportation Jutsu!" With a bright flash, the six people disappeared, instantly transporting to Sango's house. As they sailed through the void, Sango prayed that it was not too late.
Laughter. High, shrill laughter. It echoed with hate, evil, and cruelty. Through his fading vision, Konohamaru saw the door bulge inward as another kick connected with it. The wood gave a loud groan - it couldn't hold any longer. He couldn't move - his strength was fading. But without Lee, he was the only one to protect Jitchi.
His eyes flickered back into reality as he heard a small whimper from the floor in front of his useless body. At first he couldn't place the sound. It was familiar, but... Then he glimpsed a pair of innocent, frightened eyes peering up at him - even Jitchi knew there was cause to be frightened.
Suddenly there was a sizzling sound from outside. Time itself seemed to stand still as paper bombs exploded on the door and windows. With a bright flash, the door shattered and caved in, falling to the floor with a loud crash. Glass sailed across the room as other shinobi shattered the windows. Using the last of his strength, Konohamaru forced himself off of the ground a fraction of an inch. Ignoring his leaden body, he covered Jitchi's small form with his own.
An instant later, ten shards of glass embedded themselves in his back. His vision flickered. A hot, metallic taste filled his mouth. "Ji... tchi..." he whispered as he fell into unconsciousness. "I'm... sorry..."
"No!" Sakura gasped as they approached the house. They could hear the laughter of other shinobi coming from inside, and the crystalline sound of breaking glass.
"Sons of bitches!" Ruku whispered. They ran into the house, leaping over the ruined door, and were greeted by a very unwelcome sight - six Sound Jonin waited eagerly for them, weapons in hand. Lee lay in a pool of his own blood near the stairs. Konohamaru was lying limp twenty feet farther away, and Jitchi was next to him. Sango's lips curled back into a snarl, and she growled with more bloodlust and fury than any wolf ever had before. The men laughed at her. One grabbed a kunai and leapt toward Jitchi while the other five barred her way.
With a roar like an angry lion, Sango leapt toward the nearest and buried her teeth into the flesh of his calf. He screamed and flinched, giving her an opening as he strove to avoid her gaping jaws. The instant she passed him, her friends converged on the others. Her feet carried her, fast and silent, over the floor toward the last man. Unaware of her presence, he smirked and stepped over Konohamaru's prone body, touching the kunai to Jitchi's neck. Sango's eyes widened.
With one long bound, she covered the distance between the man and herself. A furious snarl escaped her bloody jaws, so unearthly and bloodthirsty that even Sango's friends and the five shinobi froze and shuddered. The man gave a start and tried to leap out of the way, but it was too late.
Sango sank her teeth into his wrist in a death grip. Growling deep in her chest, she twisted her head and tore his hand off of his wrist. Warm blood sprayed her face as he screamed. He tried to back away, but she was already upon him again, tackling him to the ground and snarling as she pinned him down.
"Please, mercy!" he screamed. "Spare me, I beg you!" Sango growled more loudly.
"Spare you?! Spare YOU?!" she hissed. "You were about to kill this innocent child who had done no wrong! And for what?! For murderous fun!" She braced her paws against his chest. "You're a low, pathetic excuse for a shinobi!" She licked her lips and stared at him with wild eyes, laughing deep beneath the growls. "Now, let me show you some real murderous fun!" The man screamed.
"Noooo! Please, you -" His screams were silenced as Sango's fangs clenched around his neck. Clamping her jaws together as hard as was physically possible, she bit through skin, muscle, and bone, feeling the hot blood spray her face and mouth. With one final tug, she pulled his head from his shoulders, growling in disgust. Then she closed her eyes, pointed her bloody muzzle to the sky, and howled.