DOG TAILS | KIBA INUZUKA

5. Entering the Dog House

"Mom! Hana!" Kiba yelled as he forced open the front door and carried me into his house. His cries were loud, desperate. "Mom! Hana!" 

After roughly pushing everything else aside, he gently laid me down on the kitchen table. My white paw was throbbing and dripping red, warm blood. 

"Mom!" Kiba shouted once more, his voice starting to break.

There was a series of loud, thunderous noises as Kiba's mother and sister ran into the room, fear and worry on their faces. The moment his mother saw me, she gasped. "Kiba, what happened?"

"I found her in an old wolf trap. I don't know how long she was there — I freed her as soon as I could, but—"

"Shhh, it's all right," she said. "You did the right thing."

Hana, a medical-nin who specialized in veterinary medicine, came over to me immediately, her black eyes steady and focused. Slowly, carefully, she reached for my injured paw, but as soon as she touched it, a sharp pain ran though my body, and I jerked my paw back, whimpering loudly.

"Easy, girl. I know it hurts, but you must stay still." Her voice was calm, smoothing, and I soon relaxed, allowing her to take my paw. Holding it gently, she began to examine it. Even the slightest twitch brought great pain, and I struggled to remain still. 

"The bone doesn't seem to be broken, thankfully, just a sprain." She released my paw. "The laceration will need stitching, though. I'll have to sedate her."

"But she'll be okay?" Kiba interrupted.

Hana smiled. "She'll be fine."

As soon as Hana left, Kiba came up to me and began stroking the top of my head. Honestly, it felt really awkward being petted by him. In fact, the entire time all I could think about was me, lying there in my natural, human form, with Kiba stroking the top of my hair. It was just weird! But then I had to remind myself that I was a dog now, and dogs were supposed to be — Oh, I didn't care! I didn't want him touching me!

At last, he stopped when his mother came up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I knew those wolf traps were bad news," she said. "I told them they were dangerous for the other animals, but they insisted nothing would happen. Now look."

And now Kiba's mother was petting me! The terrifying woman with the scary eyes and harsh voice was placing her hand on my back and petting me. Actually, until now I'd always thought her hands would be rough, with razor-sharp claws that she used to tear apart her food (I'd pictured the scene several times in my head as a child), so I was most surprised to find her hands quite soft.

"I'm sure she's very grateful to you, Kiba," she went on.

Yeah, right! It's because of your dreadful family that I'm even in this mess. First thing I do once I get my body back will be ordering the banishment of your entire family, including your mangy mutts.

"All right," Hana's voice sounded from behind me, "hold her steady while I—"

Suddenly, I felt a slight pinch in my arm. It reminded me of the time I was forced to get a flu shot, even though I was perfectly healthy. Actually, I was probably the healthiest person in the entire village. I always made sure to include all the essential food groups into my diet, and I drank lots of water. Plus, there was no denying the excellence of my genes ...

Soon, all the thoughts began pouring out of my mind like water out of a bucket. I tried to catch them, but they just slipped through my fingers, splashing onto the floor. I too felt myself drifting away, joining the puddle beneath me.

"I stand before you today not only as a loyal citizen of Konohagakure, but as a kunoichi who has been defending this village for almost four years. On the nineteenth of April, my character was viciously assaulted by the woman to my right, Biyoku Inuzuka. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, she placed a curse upon me, a curse that turned me into a dog, for no reason other than to seek revenge for her grandson, a boy who has tortured me since I was a child! Tell me, what could I have possibly done to deserve such a cruel punishment? — Your silence says it all. I'm just a victim here, a victim who is seeking justice against her attackers. Please, Lady Hokage, I beg you, do what's right. Let justice take its course."