Calm Before the Hurricane

Gathering Clouds~Chapter 1

The instant my eyes broke the visual contact the once low growl grew in volume. Shaking my head in an attempt to erase the memories, I locked eyes again with the beast. Its eyes now held curiosity, only a sliver, but enough for me to see. My eyes danced across the creature’s face. Long ears sat on its head like a rabbit’s. Its face was blanketed with rust coloured fur.

Its black nose sniffed me, and its jagged canines flashed even under the dim lighting. The light flickered behind the fur matted creature, a tail quickly flashed before me before disappearing behind the mountainous beast. I realised what the animal was and only one word flashed in my mind. Fox.

The guttural growl hitched and resumed, repeating the pattern a few times. I soon realised that the fox was laughing. Most definitely it was not like any vulpine I had encountered on my ‘adventures’ to the forest.

“What are you?” The fox did not reply.

“I know you aren’t a normal fox, normal foxes don’t laugh.” The growling stopped as the vulpine eyes lit in amusement.

“Clever, clever little mouse, what else can you figure out?” I was shocked; truly this was not a normal fox.

It’s tail flickered behind it again, as they caught my attention. Nine tails in total whipped behind the mountainous fox. Something clicked in my head, giant fox, nine tails, attacked Konoha, DEMON. “You’re the Kyuubi.”

“Well done little one not bad for a human your age. Now come closer why don’t you?” I stepped closer towards the fox then stopped in mid-stride.

Why should I trust a fox? The animistic representation of slyness and trickery.

“No.” the creature pounced. “Get back here you field mouse, so that I may be able to tear you limb from limb and escape my prison!” I turned around and ran as fast as I could nearly tripping over my feet until I reached outside of the cage.

 I turned my head and looked back, the fox’s clawed hand reached out and grabbed the air. “Next time little mouse, you won’t be so lucky.”

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I sat up, only to be met by a swinging force. It seems as if the villagers had strung me up in a tree, again. I seriously started to wonder if they had any imagination at all, the fifth time in a tree for a month. My head throbbed, be it from the blood rushing to my head or my strange dream, I didn't know. So, that had been the monster in my body. The thing that caused me so much grief from the villager's ignorance.

I frowned, why were the villagers so ignorant? Well it wasn't just the villagers, it was most of the shinobi as well. What a great job they did in keeping me safe. Talking about safe, I looked at my feet that were bound by ninja wire. It was going to take a hell lot of effort to get out of it. Somewhere nearby I heard a soft thud and instantly knew who it was.

"Itachi-nii a little help would be nice." I looked around and surely enough the weasel masked ANBU was crouching in the tree opposite me. The ANBU jumped down.

"Your skills keep on improving otouto, not bad. " he said as he cut the ninja wire with his katana. I fell to the ground, landing with a thud. I rubbed my head and looked up to the older teen.

"But not enough." The black haired ANBU held his hand out which I grabbed as he pulled me up. Once I was on my feet I brushed off my tattered jumpsuit.

"True, but for a child with no proper training and at the age of five it is quite a feat." He crouched down to my level and began to check me for any injuries. His mask obscuring my view of his face did not hide the fact that he had his Sharingan activated. The Uchiha nodded and approved that there were no injuries. 

"You know there will never be any injuries anyway nii-san they're always healed by the time you find me. " He stood up and in the process carried me as well. 

"I know that, but it is better to be safe than sorry." He jumped up into the tree and began to race to the village. 

"You shouldn't bother sending me back to the orphanage Itachi-san they kicked me out last night." The ANBU stopped, standing on a branch he looked down at me. I could tell that he was trying to keep his emotions in check. But unfortunatly I spotted it behind the mask. His eyes were narrowed behind the weasel mask with his Sharingan blazing. An aura of killing intent began to emanate from him. 

"Itachi-san." The weasel masked ANBU blinked, lifting the killing intent that was slowly suffocating me. 

"Gomen, I blanked." I raised an eyebrow. 

"A top ANBU blanking after such a simple statement? Itachi-san you can do better than that." A small low chukle escaped from behind the mask.

"Yes, I guess you're right otouto." He then began to race through the trees again toward the village. A strange daunting feeling building up in me.