The Nobles ended up putting a bounty on her for 'attacking' her brother.

Already experienced from a life of hardships she had easily enough evaded the men that were sent after her. The fact that she was so dirty now that they couldn't tell any defining features helped.

Just another mutt.

Her brother's change was abrupt and surprising at the time but now that it had been awhile and she could reflect, it made sense. Even when they were younger he was always sensitive and weaker then her. He would often resent her help. He had a huge appetite as pups do but sometimes he would steal food from the other pups when mother wasn't looking.

She knew she was more then that-could be more then that, so she pushed onward. She wouldn't give up. She pushed until her paws gave out and she collapsed in garbage piles. Despite her poor diet and injuries, she was surprised at how much distance she could cover and how fast she could do it. She pushed until she encountered a caravan of merchants.

At first, she stayed back just in case they were out looking for her but as time went on she realized they were just normal merchants. When they put out the fires she crept to the edge and nibbled on fish skeletons. It was good to have fresh meat.

SNAP.

She bit the spine in half and stilled, hoping she didn't wake anyone. Just when she thought she was in the clear another snap had her matted fur on end.

"Oh, Look, it's a dog!"

Murmurs spread around the campsite and her ears flattened and she whimpered.

"Here, boy!" A woman held out her hand with a piece of jerky on it and she looked at it with hunger. The people looming from all around became less threatening. She bit the jerkey then took the rest in one gulp.

She lolled out her tongue and wagged her tail.

Awe's broke out and before she knew it, she was being pet and groomed, they had gotten buckets of water from a nearby river and started washing her pelt, they even got two bars of soap causing bubbles to break out along her pelt. Gasps were heard as her beautiful golden pelt was revealed. The people all grouped around her and the women with tweezers and plucked off ticks and twigs. A man had taken out a knife and she jumped, but he just started shearing off her longer matted tangled fur. The fire's restarted as the people gathered around her and chatted, all of curious about her.

She was overwhelmed with their kindness but was supremely uncomfortable.

Humans had been trying to kill her for a long time now.

Almost all her fur was shaved off now and children like her friend were getting buckets and bringing them back up to her to wash away the suds. She barked as cool water poured over her back and her sores.

looking down into one of the puddles she whined in shocked. She looked like a drowned rat. The people were still going over her with tweezers and for the life of her she couldn't figure out where this bout of kindness had come from.

She perked her ears up, trying to listen in.

"We should arrive in Konoha by dusk tomorrow-"

"Mother, what are other places like?"

Her mother said nothing as she was busy checking over her sleeping siblings. The frost had come again, causing them to sniffle and whine. They were in a den under a cracked and crumbling building, sleeping on rags.

"You will find out."

"But what about where father came from?"

"That is the best other place to be. Dogs are loved there, and it's the nicest place you could be. Winters are easy." She said that last part sardonically.

"Mother, what is it called again?"

"Konoha."

Konoha.

That was where she needed to go. Her dream rested there.

Fires crackled warmly, brightly, and merrily all around her as they talked and chatted. Apparently, part of the reason these people had been so nice to her was because they delt in the dog trade, and were looking at making a tidy profit in Konoha.

She would stay with these people until they got to Konoha.

Then find her father and achieve her dream.

I have a poll up to pick out a name for her. Drop bye and vote when you can.