"A bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be."

Konrad Lorzen

I couldn't stop staring at myself in the mirror. My hands gently prodded the fresh, red, narrow, upside down triangles on my face and a part of me felt like with a little water and a towel they'd wipe right off. The other part of me knew they wouldn't. I had tattoos before, but nothing on my face. Nothing so identifying. The red triangles weren't just for show. It was a sign of my clan, anyone who saw them would know I was a member of the Inuzuka. This was who I was now.

I was Ashi Inuzuka.

"Move your tail, Ashi!" Mom shouted and I scrambled down from the counter. I learned early on that when Mom jumped, you jumped. There was no asking 'how high'.

"I'm here Kaa-chan!" I chirped needlessly as if she hadn't heard me dash over. She was a Special Jounin after all, she would have known I was there without me saying a word.

"C'mon runt, they're waiting for you at The Kennel." She grinned, her canines more prominent than they should be. I unconsciously ran my tongue over my own sharpened canines and winced when I drew blood. They were taking some getting used to.

"Is Tou-chan coming?" I asked curiously as we strolled out of the house, Kuromaru trailing behind us. Mom's back tensed and I regretted asking. Their relationship was complicated, to say the least.

Dad was never around. He showed up on our birthdays, he was there when Hana started at the Academy, but that was about the extent of it. Yet, Mom was pregnant. With Kiba, if I remembered correctly. I also remembered something about Tsume running Kiba's dad off in the series. I didn't find myself too attached to the man.

"He's on a mission." Mom said curtly and I dropped it. Oh well, it wasn't like I was surprised.

We walked in silence the rest of the way to The Kennel. It was a massive building, five stories high around fifty-five thousand square feet. The first story was entirely dedicated to ninken, the second story research and development, the third floor was the clan library, the fourth floor was the veterinary clinic, and the fifth floor was for official clan business.

"Good morning Tsume-sama, we have all the puppies ready for Ashi-chan." A cheerful blonde woman chirped when we walked through the door. It was strange hearing Mom addressed so formally, even in the series it wasn't elaborated on that she was a clan head, equally as important as Shikaku or Inoichi. As her daughter, I was important by default. It was crazy to think that Hana would be the clan head someday, would have that responsibility, and if God forbid anything happened to my sister, I was next in line.

"Let's go Ashi, time for you to get your partner." Mom said, pride in her voice. Excitement coursed through me. I started at the Academy in a year, which meant it was time for me to get my ninken, my partner. Mom had been drilling it into my head how important this was, the responsibility it entailed. I had been expecting it though. As an Inuzuka, my entire fighting style depended on my ninken, it was our trademark.

The place unexpectedly didn't smell all that bad considering it was filled with dogs. Ninja.

"We just had a litter of puppies born from a really promising line, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the selection." The woman chatted happily, leading us through a large hallway lined with cages. They all housed dogs, living more comfortably than I did in my previous life.

I started to fall behind, looking at the dogs in each of the cage and fighting the urge to try and pet them. One cage made me come to a stop.

Two white dogs, only a little smaller than Kuromaru was laying on top of each other all the way in the corner of the cage. Their food and water bowls were untouched and they looked on the skinny side, too skinny. That was strange. I knew the ninken were taken excellent care of, we treasured them, treated them like family.

I put my hand on the cage and they raised their heads in sync, turning to look at me. Their amber eyes seemed to stare into my very soul.

"Ashi?" I heard Mom ask, but I couldn't look away from the two dogs. They seemed sad. Like they had given up on life. Like they were just waiting to die, like they wanted it. I knew that feeling.

"Shiromaru and Yukimaru, their partner died a few months ago on a mission." The woman explained sadly. "They refuse to eat, to move, they just stay in that corner. There's nothing we can do short of force feeding them. They haven't had any interest in returning to the field with a new partner."

My tiny hand reached through the cage, hand outstretched towards the dogs. I understood. I knew how they felt. I knew that loss.

"C'mon Ashi, the pups are waiting for you." Mom said, but there was a note of curiosity in her voice.

I didn't want the pups. On the surface, of course, I would make a good match with a puppy. To everyone else, we would both be young, childish, perfect for each other. But I couldn't relate to a puppy, not really. I could relate to the two dogs huddled in the corner, who have lived life, who didn't want to live.

My shoulder was pressed against the cage as I stretched my arm as far as it would go. I wanted them, I felt a connection, but if they didn't want me, there was nothing I could do about it. Their amber eyes met mine once again and I don't know what they saw, but shakily, they got to their feet.

The blonde woman gasped softly and ran off, to get a vet I presumed, but couldn't really care. My focus was trained on the two dogs who were slowly walking towards me on shaky, weak, legs. I stuck my other arm through the cage and they paused for a moment, just out of my reach and shared a look with each other before gently placing their heads in my hands.

"That's my girl." Mom laughed proudly.

"Beast Human Clone." Mom instructed, arms crossed. I placed my hands in the Tiger seal and there were two distinct pops, one on either side of me. Looking back and forth, I couldn't help but be the slightest bit weirded out by the two identical clones of myself standing next to me. Though I knew it was what I looked like, I would never have looked at the clone and immediately thought it was me, maybe a cousin, someone who looked similar, but not me.

"Hm, you've improved. Pretty good for only working together for ten months. Four legs next." Mom commanded, hand moving to her chin as Kuromaru laid at her feet. I nodded once before feeling my chakra begin to envelop me. My nail grew sharper, my already elongated canines grew longer and I felt wilder. It was hard to explain; how animalistic the technique made the user feel. "Come at me."

"Fang Rotating Fang!"

In tandem, my canine clones and I began spinning at such an extreme pace that our individual bodies were no longer discernible. I shot forward first as always, my ninken flanking me as we flew towards Mom. She didn't so much as flinch before dodging to the right. I changed paths carefully, well, as carefully as I could. Fang Rotating Fang was hard to control, with how fast I was spinning it wasn't surprising, but still annoying.

"You'll have to do better than that runt," Mom smirked and I growled in response, a low and guttural sound I knew I would never have been able to make before. I barreled towards her again. She effortlessly dodged and I was forced to come to a halt, landing on all fours, Yuki and Shiro doing the same.

"Fang Passing Fang!" I began spinning again, my ninken following my lead. We shot towards Mom, but it was hopeless. She flipped out of the way and we came to a halt.

"That's enough of that, taijutsu next." I wanted to audibly groan but stopped myself, knowing it would only make things worse in the long run. Taijutsu with Mom meant a thorough beating. Yay me.

I was laid out on the grass, body hurting too much to do much of anything. Mom was not one to hold back when training, the bruises littering my body attested to that fact. It didn't make her a bad mom. She was actually an amazing mother, I couldn't ask for better, not to mention she was a complete badass. I knew she was so hard on me and Hana because she wanted us to be prepared, to be able to protect ourselves. She didn't want to lose us.

The thought made me vaguely uncomfortable? Knowing that if I died, she would suffer made me feel strange.

When I realized that I was reborn, where I was, I toyed with the idea of killing myself again but quickly scrapped that idea for two reasons. One, my mother was a ninja, she kept such a watchful eye on me there was no way I could get away with it. Two, who knew where I would end up next? Here, I was born into a family that loved me, in a relatively safe village. All my needs were met, there was nothing I could complain about.

Shiromaru and Yukimaru had their heads laid on my stomach and I took a deep breath, staring up at the clear blue sky.

There was also an important decision that had previously needed to be made.

To be a shinobi, or to not be a shinobi, that was the question.

Maybe if I had been born into a civilian family it would have been easier to take the simpler path, but I was Tsume Inuzuka's daughter, though I knew she wouldn't have forced me into the life, it was easier to just go along with it. Maybe not easier, but certainly less complicated. Not to mention that I know she would have been disappointed and I had always had the overwhelming urge to please people.

"It's time for dinner Ashi-chan." A soft voice said and I looked to my right, my sister smiling down at me.

It was strange having a sister. I was an only child before, and now I would have two siblings.

"Okay, Nee-chan." I grinned, extracting myself from the two large dogs and getting to my feet. I grabbed Hana's slightly larger hand in mine and skipped along. "Will you play with me after dinner?"

"I have homework Ashi-chan." She reminded and I pouted.

"I never see you anymore Nee-chan," I whined, and it was true. Ever since Hana started at the Academy, her time had been monopolized by schoolwork and training. Not like the schoolwork took up too much time as it was only her first year.

It was early on that the clan kids really had an advantage. While other kids were just learning hand signs and chakra control, it was something we were taught before learning how to read. By the time we entered the Academy, it was as natural to us as breathing. Other kids were struggling to learn the Clone Technique, we were polishing clan jutsu. It was unfair, but it was how the world worked.

"How about tomorrow when I get home we can have a picnic?" Hana suggested and I perked right up.

"Yay!" I cheered. I loved Hana, I really did. She was probably the best older sister a girl could ask for. Like Mom, she wasn't really showcased in the series, but she was great. Not as wild as Mom, definitely quieter. I think she became a vet in the show, a perfect fit for her.

She always made time for me and we got along swimmingly. I honestly couldn't wait for Kiba to be born. I was thrilled to have a little brother and I loved babies.

"Are you excited to start at the Academy?"

"Yes! I'm going to become a strong ninja just like you Nee-chan!" I said happily. I started in a month and I was pretty excited. I loved learning, always had. Though I wouldn't be learning anything I didn't already know at first, it was still a learning environment.

"Hurry it up runts, I didn't do all this cooking for you to let it go cold!" Mom barked the moment we stepped through the doors, donning her pink apron and I grinned happily.

It was nice having a family.

A/N: Edited by Empress Crowillow