"Talking"

'Thinking'

Biju talk/think/Jutsu

Flashback

"Sage Tongue"

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: Gay Coupling, Timetravel, Alternate Universe


Uzumaki Akito cursed under his breath as he narrowly avoided another kunai. The small whimper emanating from the child clutched in his arms propelled him forward. He had to get his little cousin home. Damn these relentless bloodline hunters. Damn the Mizu shinobi and their ingrained prejudice against those with unique heritages.

"Aki-nii!" Emika cried out in warning, but her words came too late. Akito stumbled and fell as several shuriken embedded themselves in his legs. He scrambled desperately, shifting his body to shield his red-eyed little cousin. He had sworn a solemn oath to his Aunt to protect her with his life.

The predatory grins of the Mizu bloodline hunters were nothing short of bloodthirsty. He had clung to the hope that fleeing to the mainland, towards their Senju allies, would have ensured their safety. But they were still days away from reaching sanctuary.

"Hand over the little healer," one of the hunters sneered greedily.

"Cooperate, and we might just let you liv—" the second of the six hunters began, his words abruptly cut short as his head detached from his body, falling soundlessly to the earth. Emika screamed, her small body trembling. Akito's eyes widened in disbelief as he spotted the almost invisible wire, now slick with crimson.

Two figures clad in some sort of fur cloak descended with swift, silent grace. Without a hint of mercy, they decapitated the remaining hunters before the shinobi could even register the threat and raise their arms in defense. Soon, only two Uzumaki children remained, facing two enigmatic figures adorned in fox furs and fox-like masks.

Akito gently pushed his cousin further behind him, summoning the last vestiges of his chakra. Two crimson chains erupted from his sleeves, coiling protectively around them.

Both fox-masked figures paused, exchanging a brief glance. Then, one of them casually sat down, pushing back their fox mask. Akito stared at the kunoichi before him. He found her strikingly beautiful. Her skin was pale, even paler than his own. Her eyes were a deep ruby, unlike the vermillion of his cousin's. Distinct red lines marked her cheeks, two on each side, and a single line adorned her chin.

"They are scared," the other figure grunted, arms crossed, their voice muffled by their mask.

"Of course they're scared," the unmasked kunoichi retorted, speaking in a language Akito didn't understand. "Hell, they still look like kids."

"Like you have any room to say that. You're older than me and still act like a kit."

The seated kunoichi simply huffed before turning her attention back to Akito.

"Hello. I am Ryōka. We were nearby when we sensed your fear."

"A-Akito," the young man stammered, forcing down his own fear and paranoia. "Emika, my little cousin."

"You two Uzumakis are a long way from home," the masked figure grunted out.

"I... was trying to outrun the Bloodline Hunters. They had kidnapped Emika. I got her back, but they were still chasing us."

The masked figure grunted again. "Karimi was right. Mizu hasn't learned their lesson. It seems Mother's predictions were accurate. It's time to expand our hunting grounds again. I'll head home to let them know. You get those two back to their island."

The unmasked kunoichi huffed. "You're the one with the smooth talk. Why am I the one who has to deal with the political mess this encounter will create?"

"No politics, Nee-san, just a delay until the rest of the Skulk can get there after our own look into Mizu."

"Oh. Right. Sorry, I was thinking too far ahead again."

The masked figure's bloodied lips curved into a gentler smile. "I know. Just get them healed and on their way. One of the Skulk might even give the little one a ride."

"Un!" Ryōka beamed, and soon they were alone with Akito and Emika. "So! Where are you hurt?"


Akito loped through the Fire Nation trees beside the kunoichi, who seemed more fox than human. Already, the salty tang of the sea filled the air, a clear indication they were nearing the shore. Emika was fast asleep on his back, a necessary consequence of their relentless journey through the night to gain time and distance. She was also utterly exhausted from clinging to the wolf-sized fox that had been summoned earlier that day.

By dawn, they were running across the surface of the ocean. The kunoichi hadn't uttered a single word about needing rest. In fact, Akito couldn't even sense her chakra; if he didn't see her with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed she was even there.

When they finally reached the towering sea stacks that encircled Uzushio, Akito felt the knot of tension in his chest ease. They passed through the barrier with effortless grace and headed directly for the village.

Their progress was halted just as they reached the obsidian shores. Akito gasped as his elder brother, Ryū, launched himself at the fox-masked woman with a fierce war cry. Yet, she had already drawn a naginata from seemingly nowhere.

"Ryū! No! She—" But his brother didn't hear, his protective fury clouding his judgment until suddenly a second fox-masked female appeared, considerably taller than the other two Akito had encountered. In her hands, two blades danced in the midday light.

"Ryū-nii! Stop!" Akito yelled, stepping in front of his brother. "They saved us. They got us home."

Ryū's angry gaze snapped to Akito. "What the hell were you thinking?!" He dropped his weapon and grabbed his younger brother, shaking him slightly. "You don't just go on a rescue mission alone! Father forbade me from hunting you down himself, since he had to organize a team to do it, only for them to lose your trail! Do you have any idea how worried I've been?!"

"I couldn't watch Auntie cry again, though. Emika is all she has left of Uncle."

Ryū's face twisted with a mix of emotions before he pulled Akito into a tight embrace. "And you are all we have left of Mother. Please. Please come get me next time, little brother."

"They would have gotten away with Emika-chan," Akito murmured.

Ryū sighed as the last vestiges of his fear, anger, and worry dissipated. "Stubborn."

"Uzumaki," Akito cheekily retorted.

The brothers stepped apart and then turned to their guests, noticing that their numbers had grown. The shortest of them was holding back the one who had kicked Ryū away, her hand resting firmly on the other woman's chest. Ryū looked up and met sharp ruby eyes staring at him from behind that fox mask. Something within him stirred at the blatant challenge he perceived in those eyes.

"He is not Hatake, Karimi. We must first learn their customs before informing them of our own."

"Yes, Mama," Karimi rumbled in response.

The shortest of the group stepped forward, the other three standing two to four inches taller than her.

"I am Ōkami Arisa. I request a meeting with your Clan Head to discuss our findings regarding the Bloodline hunters threatening your waters and our shores on the mainland."

Ryū straightened his posture. "I am Uzumaki Ryū, Heir to the Uzumaki Clan. I will take you to our father and Clan Head, Uzumaki Hirojino."


Hirojino listened intently as his second son recounted his impulsive actions to rescue his cousin, detailing their unexpected salvation at the hands of the fox-masked women.

Hirojino's own third eye, however, proved unhelpful. Try as he might, he could not detect the chakra signatures of these enigmatic individuals. Nevertheless, he maintained a polite and diplomatic demeanor toward this previously unknown clan. He expressed his gratitude to the two who had rescued his niece and son. His attention then focused on their Clan Head, whose intellect he found remarkably sharp, inquisitive, and utterly unpredictable, unlike anyone he had encountered before.

Before he fully grasped the situation, he had agreed to a temporary truce with them, a nascent alliance forged to jointly hunt down those who would prey on innocent children for their bloodlines.

Hirojino found himself unable to find significant fault with these kunoichi, knowing better than to underestimate a female ninja, a lesson well-learned from his own wife.

"Akito will escort your Clan Members to temporary quarters within Uzushio while you rest," Hirojino stated. Akito nodded and offered them a polite smile.

"This way, please." However, only the Clan Head and the tallest of the others remained behind.

Ryū remained at his father's nod, and Hirojino gestured for the Ōkami Head to speak.

"There is a more personal matter my eldest wishes to bring forth," Arisa stated, and both she and her 'daughter' pushed their masks up to rest on their foreheads. Two sets of violet eyes widened as they met the twin sets of ruby eyes. "We are a small clan, but you can compare many of our...attributes to the Hatake Nomadic Clan. They identify their soulmates by scent. We too identify soulmates by scent." She gestured to the taller female. "Ōkami Karimi has scented Uzumaki Ryū as her mate. Our allies in the Hatake would have no issue with us pursuing and bonding with our found mates, but with my guidance, Karimi here is refraining from acting on instinct until we ensure no insult will be given to the Uzumaki Clan."

Ryū's jaw dropped slightly, utterly captivated by those burning ruby eyes. He swallowed, a thrill coursing through him. Not only was she beautiful, but he could see in her gaze that she would not be some meek wife the Clan Elders had been arranging for him.

"Ryū is my heir. You are also a new ally about whom we know nothing. There is a courtship that must—"

"You have another son. He displayed the same tenacious protectiveness needed in any capable leader. And this is more of a forewarning than a request for courtship. I thought it would be courteous to inform you that your Heir will become an Ōkami very soon, and to prepare what is needed for your other son to be the new heir."

Hirojino spluttered in disbelief even as Ryū's body tensed in response to the other female's pronouncement.

"She will hunt you. Run and fight her off for as long as you can, Uzumaki," Arisa smirked. "But remember, we are vixens. We always catch our prey."

"Run, Mate," Karimi practically purred, her ruby eyes gleaming with anticipation. Ryū grinned and bolted away, a primal instinct awakened by her intense gaze.

Hirojino sputtered and called after his son, but Ryū and Karimi were already gone. Burning violet eyes snapped back to meet the ruby ones, and Hirojino felt a jolt as he finally sensed her chakra. It pulsed around her like a predator, a white aura outlining her form like flicking tails. He understood the unspoken warning with chilling clarity: she would only be a threat if he provoked her. He had never been called a fool.

"So... about that truce. What are your feelings, Ōkami-dono, on a full peace alliance?"

The pleased smirk that spread across Arisa's face was a sufficient answer.


Ryū and Hirojino Uzumaki stared at the seemingly empty expanse of the ocean before them.

"Mate?" Ryū asked his very pregnant partner, who was clearly in the early stages of labor.

A soft chuckle drew both Uzumakis' attention upward. They watched in astonishment as Arisa placed her hand on the seemingly empty air, and then touched something solid. Like an opening door, the 'air' shimmered and gave way to reveal a small island, roughly half the size of Uzushio.

"Welcome to Kami Island," Arisa grinned.

"Oh, thank Amaterasu," Karimi groaned. "Screw this walking. I want to lie down."

"Yes, mate," Ryū murmured, gently helping his partner onto the island and then down into a well-concealed cave, which led to an even deeper cavern. The cavern was surprisingly well-equipped, resembling a comfortable home with beds, storage barrels, seating, and other amenities they hadn't anticipated.

Hours drifted by as Karimi was settled onto soft birthing furs. Ryū remained close, supporting her back. His sisters-in-law and his surprisingly youthful-looking mother-in-law assisted his partner through her first labor.

His own father attempted to stay out of the way while remaining ready to assist if needed.

Finally, his first child was born. With a small display of their refined chakra control, the baby cried out, its tiny airways clear of any birthing fluids.

Karimi's tearful cries echoed Ryū's own as they cradled their newborn child together. Arisa gently guided her daughter through the remainder of the birthing process, soothing her aches with her healing chakra.

Just as Karimi settled down to rest, Hirojino stiffened, his eyes wide as he searched for the immense chakra he had just sensed entering his— He gasped as two divine beings from ancient legends appeared in the mouth of the cave.

"Ōkami-sama! Kitsune-sama!" Ryōka cheered, rushing to embrace the two mythical figures. Ōkami rumbled contentedly, accepting the hug. Kitsune yipped excitedly and ended up playfully rolling on the ground with the giggling woman.

"Yo, old man," Hiroka grinned cheekily at the Ōkami wolf, who simply huffed and nudged her chest with his massive head. Ōkami then turned to Arisa, and they both bowed respectfully to each other.

"Greetings and welcome back, friend."

"Greetings, friend. Kitsune has been eagerly awaiting your first grandkit. Amaterasu-sama—"

"And Inari-sama are allowing us to choose a name!" Kitsune cheered, holding Ryōka in six of her tails as the giggling Ōkami-blooded child delighted in the attention.

"Oh, this will be good," Hiroka grinned at her eldest sister, who was glaring playfully at Kitsune.

Kitsune, full of energy, bounced over to the new mother, completely disregarding the two stiff Uzumakis. She sniffed at the baby's white tuft of hair and gazed intently into his newborn eyes. Ōkami joined from the other side, letting out a low hum.

"Oh? A boy," Ōkami murmured, surprised, and looked up at the new mother. "Do you wish to honor your father?"

Karimi huffed, a mix of fondness and amusement in her expression. "My father's name was Scarecrow. I'd prefer whatever name you bless my son with to be what you see as best fitting. You and the Kamis haven't been wrong with our names so far."

Ōkami smirked. "As you wish, little one."

"Ōkami Hoshi. Child of the Star," Kitsune purred softly. "May you be blessed to shine brightly and light the way in the dark."

"As your grandsire once did for your granddame," Ōkami finished, just as faint pink lines on the baby's skin brightened to a vibrant red after glowing with a soft light.

Karimi felt tears prick her eyes. "Thank you."

Both the wolf and the vixen nodded and moved back to Arisa, twining around her affectionately.

"Your hunts for the dark pest have been unsuccessful, yet the taint in the fabric of existence is lessening," Ōkami rumbled. "Amaterasu-sama is pleased."

"You made contact with Kurama-chan and gained his friendship. You've maintained his friendship," Ōkami observed.

Arisa nodded. "His siblings are much harder to locate. While Karimi and Ryū raise Hoshi here in the safety of Amaterasu's lands, Ryōka, Hiroka, and I will be hunting Gyūki."

"Happy hunting. We return with our findings to our Kamis," Ōkami rumbled before vanishing in a gust of wind. Kitsune yipped and playfully twirled around the Ōkami one last time.

"I look forward to more kits to play with!" With a cheerful yip, Kitsune disappeared in another swirl of wind.

Ryū turned to his mate. "Explain."

Karimi simply burst into laughter. Arisa smirked at the still pale Hirojino.

"Glad we're friends, right?" she teased the other Clan Head. Hirojino merely nodded numbly as the realization sank in: he was in the presence of a Clan truly blessed by the Kamis, whom many had long believed had abandoned them.