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16.

Kyoya smiled in satisfaction when he - along with the two small animals he took under his wing - managed to escape the babysitters their respective mothers saddled them with.

He still got it.

Although Kyoya would have preferred leaving Hana to those herbivores tender mercies, the girl clung to him like a barnacle. He strongly suspected that the whining he would have to put up with if he departed without the persistent small animal would be more trouble than it's worth, and Kyoya's indulgent enough to let the girl come with him since his adorable pet - Itachi - would be there to act as a barrier.

(Besides, he got his shiba inu - Hinu - because of her. No one said Kyoya didn't pay his dues and he didn't really like owing anyone anything.)

Kyoya needed more recruits anyway and Hana did seem to have the promise - the potential to be a ferocious carnivore in her own right someday. Just look at the small animal's mother. Even Kyoya wasn't immune to the feral glint on the mother's wild visage.

Someone like that as his minion would be good for the long run. After all, Kyoya would need all the help he could get. Especially when he would be dealing with a village full of shinobi - carnivores that could do incredible, incredible things.

He couldn't wait to get older to know more about this chakra and test himself against them.

"Where are we going, Shikari-chan?" Hana started cheerfully, lounging her arms in his shoulders and ignoring the smack that she received for the action.

When Kyoya only grunted grumpily in reply, Itachi answered for him cautiously, "We're patrolling the village, Inuzuka-san. Uh. Shikari-san liked to discipline people so they wouldn't disturb the peace," he puffed up considerably, "We're helping the Military Police and Shikari-san's probably showing you the ropes on how to do it."

Hana frowned at him for a moment before turning to Kyoya brightly. "Is that why you have a stick in your hand?"

Kyoya nodded grudgingly before shrugging off the arm in his shoulders. The yammering that came out of it almost made him regret the action.

Almost that was because crowding - even from cute, chubby brown-haired small animals - wasn't something to be tolerated.

Hana might get used to it and that absolutely would not do.

Kyoya learned his lesson from Sasagawa Ryohei, thank you very much. He got tired of beating the loud-herbivore at some point during his years in high school and decades after, Kyoya still couldn't get rid of the man or his incessant need to bond and touch.

Ugh.

The girl seemed to be going down the same path and damn it if Kyoya was going down without a fight.

"Shikari," Hana pouted sulkily as they neared a forest with big trees. "Don't be like that."

He didn't even bother reacting to that and dismissed the small animal's pouting in favor of watching their surroundings. A girl with purple marks running down her cheeks was nearby, gathering several herbs. A nondescript man from afar could also be seen - ambling towards the girl purposefully for some reason.

It was a seemingly peaceful and ordinary scene.

Hm.

-----

Itachi could only look on, horrified, at the turn of events.

He knew he should have looked after Shikari-san better! Those poor babysitters. Kaa-san would get furious with him! And now-

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