A Kitsune Story

Chapter 1

With a discomforted groan, Naruto pressed his back against a tree, panting. Both hands cradled the large belly protruding from his otherwise straight and trim frame. He grunted as the child within shoved its head under his ribs, making it more difficult to breathe properly.

When he had recovered a little, he tugged the wide, orange obi down, trying to coax it to tuck and support his belly. He didn't want to go through the effort of untying and re-wrapping it, but he might have to.

The kimono was beautiful when he put it on. Black with orange and white flowers growing from hem to obi, it befit the wife of a clan leader. Now, it was heavily soiled. The bottom was nearly shredded and the sleeves were in tatters at his elbows.

Azure eyes scanned the forest, fox ears swiveling for the sound of a stream. He was thirsty and hungry, too. There was no way he could hunt in his condition, but maybe he could catch a fish...

Fifteen Years Ago...

Splash!

Yet again, the young fox failed to catch a fish. He yelped frustration at the now fishless riverbed. Dejected, he climbed the bank. Once on the high ground, he shook himself, spraying water out of amber fur.

A laugh echoed behind him. Startled, the fox leapt to turn fully around and raised his hackles.

There was a boy leaning on the railing of the little bridge. He wore formal layers of blue and white: he might belong to the mansion nearby.

"What are you laughing at, Sasuke?" An older boy, similarly dressed, approached the first.

"This fox, onii-san," Sasuke laughed.

"Hm?" The older boy touched his little brother's back as he drew near enough to look.

"I think he's trying to catch a fish, but he's not very good at it."

"Be careful, Sasuke," the older boy warned, "Don't upset a fox."

"But he's just a little fox," Sasuke smiled.

"Looks can be deceiving. Foxes shapeshift. Never forget the Nine Tailed Fox who attacked our village the year you were born. It had pretended to be a beautiful woman, seducing the man who became the Fourth Hokage only to go on a rampage a year after they were married."

"But why, onii-san?" Sasuke looked up at him, "A Nine Tailed Fox. If a powerful being wanted to destroy our village, why would it bother marrying the Hokage first?"

"I don't know, Sasuke. Nobody knows the way a fox's mind works."

Sasuke looked back at the river bank, but the fox had disappeared.

***

Laughter startled the fox again. He looked around and saw the same boy. This time he was on the riverbank, balancing a woven grass box against his side.

"Hello again, fox-san," Sasuke greeted.

The fox sprang out of the river onto the opposite bank. His ears twitched back and he watched the boy warily while backing up toward the bushes.

"Oh..." Sasuke seemed disappointed. "Well, I have something for you." He crouched down and set the box on the ground. Opening it, he took out a cooked fish wrapped in a bamboo leaf.

Sniffing the air, the fox cocked his head and peered at the unexpected offering.

"Since you seem to really want a fish but can't catch one yourself," Sasuke chuckled. "Maybe if you didn't thrash around in the water so much, fox-san. I think you scare them all away."

Hungry, the fox stared anxiously at the fish, but he knew better than to walk up to humans. Even if he was young, he had already learned not to trust them.

"I'll just leave it here," Sasuke said with a smile, though he still seemed disappointed. He closed the box and left.