Seeing the Moon [EDITED ✔️]

XXXI. Never Broken ✔️

The young shihaisha's head bobbed dangerously as she fought against sleep to stay awake during the open session. They'd been there for four hours now going back and forth over policies: eliminate them, maintain them, or adopt them. It was maddening with the way they went through each one in the same fashion of presenting pros, cons, and then conducting a round table vote like first graders voting on apple or orange juice for lunch. Her head dropped like a stone on the wooden table.

"Hinata-san," the Yondaime said, "we need your participation."

She groaned aloud, "Vote without me."

The blond looked to the Inuzuka head for aid but she shook her head. "Count her as against for the sake of everyone's time."

And so, the meeting continued for another two hours without Hinata's contribution. She was completely dead to the world as she laid limp on the table. All the adults in the room assumed she was simply ignoring them as she'd done numerous times before when their meetings ran longer than the allotted two hours. However, when it finally ended and Hinata hadn't risen it became apparent that she was actually sleeping.

Without even thinking, Tsume swooped the petite girl into her arms and exited the room to hand her off to her bodyguard only to find the boy was nowhere to be seen. Sighing, Tsume wordlessly carried the girl back to her clan grounds. As she walked, the woman couldn't help frowning at how light Hinata felt in her arms; and her skin...it was ice cold. Like she was carrying a dead body. She could barely see her chest rise or fall, let alone hear her breaths. Her self-proclaimed daughter's physical condition was alarming to her but she worked to contain her fright. And perhaps her masking her worry was what led to the dark road Hinata was travelling down now. Had she said something, done something sooner then maybe she wouldn't be like this. Maybe.

When she got in the house she gently laid Hinata on the couch and draped a nearby blanket across her body. Hana appeared in the kitchen archway with an apron tied around her waist. "Mom, I gotta head out for a mission later tonight so I made dinner enough to last you and Kiba a couple days."

Tsume nodded. "Thanks, Hana, now quiet or you'll wake her up."

The eighteen year old's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who're you talking 'bout?" She crossed the room and peered over the couch. Her mouth fell agape as she stared at the younger girl. "Hina-Hina," she whispered.

"Yah know the meeting ran long, six damn near ten hours. It's too dark out for anyone to take her home so I jus' decided to bring her here."

Hana lightly ran the back of her finger down the girl's cool skin. She looked as if she was holding back tears. "I've never seen her look like this before. What are those Hyuuga doing? Are they trying to run her into the ground or something?"

"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out." The female alpha spoke with a strong conviction. She refused to let this go on any longer, not if she had anything to do with it. Tsume had let Hinata down, and even worse she let Kiba down. But she would make this right. Momma was going to make everything alright.

Suddenly, the front door opened and shut. Kiba's face was flush pink from crying and his eyes sagged from exhaustion. He tried to visit Sakiko again but Sakura was like a guard dog and nearly tore him a new one without explanation. All he wanted to do was see him, know that the omega was fine. She wouldn't tell him anything and it was upsetting. But he couldn't find it in himself to be mad at the spunky pinkette. She was only trying to protect her family the best way she knew how. He wouldn't fault her for that.

He croaked, "What're you guys doing?"

Hana's spine instantly straightened. "Uh-uh, nothing."

Frowning, he approached them but stopped when his eyes slid down to the figure resting on the couch. The room was silent as the two alpha females waited for his response. Kiba swallowed. "What's she doin' here?"