Edited
The past few days had been menial, to say the least; boring, in every sense of the word. Team Seven had been tasked with an array of D-rank missions - which bordered on sheer child exploitation - a myriad of gruelling chores that never seemed to end. At one point or another, Koyuki had all but snapped venomous jaws at anyone who even tried to ask her to do such human things, let alone anyone who even thought of forcing her cooperation. Fortunately, despite the grumbling of his teammates, Naruto had shifted one fleeting glance at his NinKen and immediately knew he could not, and would not, make her do anything of the sort. Kakashi had made no sound of protest to the boy's unwavering stance on the matter, muttering something about 'not his NinKen to command', which placated the Uchiha and Pink-haired fangirl, eventually.
Their current 'mission' was to track down a cat, a rumoured hell-spawn, according to other shinobi that is. If the owner couldn't even command her domesticated beast, why even bother re-assigning this dreary mission over and over again? Calling in shinobi of all things was just a complete waste of village resources, given they could just hire a trainer, if not, a feline expert. And yet, despite that thoughtless truth, here they were, crouched silently in thick bushes, watching their 'target' intensely.
Grumbling softly to herself, her furred form crouched skillfully behind a large tree stump, Koyuki watched the cat stretch out lazily, its tail flicking and curling smugly as it preened with pride. For what exactly, the shifter wasn't too sure, nor did she care. Given she was only a few feet away from the irritating creature, it took little to no effort for her to conceal her presence, which was mildly surprising given felines should have much keener senses than this one was showing. With a deep, lazy, huff and a slow sway of her tail, the ghostly wolf reared back quietly, her hind legs tensing to brace her next sharp movement. With a powerful clench and coil of her muscles, the beast easily propelled herself forward, jumping over the stump she was crouched behind with inhuman grace.
The house cat, Tora, bristled a split second too late, its hackles rising defensively as a sharp shudder of instinctual fear cascaded through its lean form. Hissing venomously, like a wild cat would when cornered, the domesticated pet could do nothing to stop the large paw that slammed against it. Tora could do nothing but hiss and mewl defiantly as she was forced onto her back, forced by something much bigger and much more powerful than her. Tail straightening, flexing into an instinctual bristled line, her brown fur was quick to prickle and stand on end, fear lashing through her faster than the low, terrified, mewl could tear through her throat.
A low, bored, growl rumbled through the wolf. Slowly, she tilted her head to the side, amused by the defensive display put on by the cat; hackles raised, tail bristled, small fangs bared, ears pinned back, brown fur prickling, the creature was the epitome of instinctual fear and submission. Paw still pressed firmly onto the cat's stomach, Koyuki yipped sharply, startling the cat slightly as it watched the large canine blatantly ignore her quivering form. It was a sudden rustling that broke the tense silence between canine and feline, bushes being pushed aside as a group of humans revealed themselves, brows quirked at the odd sight before them.
Huffing, Koyuki lifted her large paw from the frozen auburn cat, ears flicking in response to the humans pausing beside her. She turned away without a second glance, already knowing Team 7 had encircled the cat, preventing any further escape - which she doubted it would attempt after such a sudden scare.
Hissing again, the sound shaky and meek, Tora's back arched sharply as she reared back and jumped into the nearest pair of arms she could get to. In this case, her haven turned out to be the Uchiha, an unamused one if the sudden scowl was anything to go by. Tora shook violently, slitted amber gaze never leaving the wolf's threatening demeanour.
Kakashi flicked his gaze between the two creatures, breathing a heavy sigh as he noted idly, "I'm pretty sure you just traumatised Tora, Koyuki." Despite the stern tint to his words, there was a glimmer of amusement in his ebony gaze, a glimmer that earned a sharp snort from the aforementioned shifter.
Sasuke grumbled under his breath, unimpressed by the fearful cat using him as a vantage point. Naruto, however, was enthralled, heaving a heavy, barely suppressed laugh, bemused by the disdain on his teammate's face. The wolf's snort only served to reinforce his hushed giggling fit. Sakura was in a similar position, her shoulders quivering with the effort it took to suppress the shudder of amusement threatening to consume her.
~~~~~~~
By the time Team 7 arrived at the Hokage tower, Tora's owner had already begun to smother the painful whines ripping through her. A dark sadistic glint was twinkling in the shifter's gaze as she practically baulked and snarled to herself, 'Hah, the hellspawn deserved it.'
When a sudden gasp echoed behind her, Koyuki was quick to whirl her attention back to her 'team', icy gaze centring in on the baffled blonde gaping at her. Cocking her head to the side curiously, Koyuki flicked her tail inquisitively as Naruto made a move to say something, hesitating for a moment, before closing his mouth once again. Her head tilted sharply to her opposing side this time, a pure wolfish display of confusion. And then, slowly, hesitantly, she heard a faint whisper in her mind, 'Yu-chan....?'
Startled, the shifter couldn't suppress the sharp yelp that erupted from her maw, echoing around the room with a sudden start. The room was shocked into a tense, off-guard, silence. Koyuki blatantly ignored them, her nostrils flaring as her icy gaze widened considerably, her tail frozen mid-sway. Slowly, tentatively, Koyuki called back softly, 'Naru? You can hear me?'
Oceanic gaze widening to their greatest capacity, Naruto began to shift back and forth excitedly, a flicker of awe in his wide eyes as he breathed a shuddering breath. Gulping softly, he called back, louder this time, 'I can! But why?'
Humming softly, the sound vibrating softly before morphing into a low rumbled growl, Koyuki flicked her frozen tail slightly before she suddenly recalled something Ko had barked at her not too long ago. 'When a bond between the alpha and their pack is strong enough, a mental link is formed, one which the alpha has full control over. If you wish to, you can establish a mental connection with a packmate and communicate over extensive distances, which comes in very handy for recall-based tasks. You can also shut them down when you like.' was what he had explained to her once before, an aspect of the bond which had slipped her mind up until now.
Smirking, her lips curling back into the wolfish equivalent of a Cheshire grin, Koyuki echoed back excitedly, 'We have a telepathic ability because of my bond with the Kyuubi no Kitsune, as well as with you. It means we can talk more or less whenever you like, so long as our mental connection remains open.'
Eyes brightening with a childish ecstasy, Naruto practically squealed back, 'This is amazing! How far can we be apart and still talk? Is this weird, talking without moving our mouths? I think it's weird, I've never had anything like this before, have you? Hey, do you think-'
'Naru!' was what the shifter roared back through the link, her mind thrumming with a slowly developing headache, pounding softly with displeasure to the sudden rambling. Naruto blinked owlishly, once, twice, three times before he relented with a sheepish smile, scratching at the back of his head nervously.
Before he could mutter a nervous apology, the Hokage suddenly cleared his throat, the sound croaky, muffled and strained. All attention was on him within a half-second, keen gazes trained to respond to the slightest of movements made by the shinobi veteran.
Eyes glimmering with senile mischief, the Hokage grunted softly to himself, bellowing a thick puff of smoke as he mused, "Now that you're on an official team, don't you think they deserve to know what you truly are, my dear?" Smirking idly to himself, he made a point to blank the glare boring into him, opting to take a long drag from his pipe instead.
Fangs grinding together in distaste, Koyuki baulked slightly, her snow-kissed fur bristling as she glared venomously at the older shinobi. The others seemed oblivious to the whole exchange, confused by the Hokage's words more than his actions. He had never addressed anyone specifically by name, so the list of hidden meanings behind that statement was practically endless, that notions alone were enough to make the Genin pause, tilt their heads slightly, and huff with confusion. Kakashi simply remained impassive, retaining his bored, closed eye smile, as he observed their NinKen cautiously, noting the light flare of chakra around her furred form.
Fangs bared silently, her tail swishing and coiling with displeasure, the shifter's nostrils flared with vivid defiance and reproach, distrust dancing in her icy, unwavering gaze. Not yet. Her stance roared. Not enough. It was too soon. She needed more, so much more. She needed to affirm a stronger trust, a stronger dependence, showing them her true form now would be risky and every instinct she had snarled against the idea.
Threat, threat, threat...
A singular, definitive, melody thrummed through her mind, pounding in tune with her defiant, glowering, rumbled growls. The message was clear. She knew that and so did he, if the slight narrowing of his gaze was anything to go by.
He blinked, once, twice, thrice, four times before he took another breath, exhaling deeply a moment later, suddenly looking three times more fatigued. Thoughtfully, he scratched at his chin, cocking his head to the side slightly. Mumbling softly to himself, he mused lowly, almost lowly enough to be inaudible to everyone except the shifter, "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear, this is not a request. I am risking the safety of my village by allowing you unrestricted access to our grounds, having a contract with you does not nullify the threat. Therefore, this is an order. The moment the outside council members in this room leave - aside from Iruka - you will show them your human form."
The effect of his murmured words was immediate, golden chains, pulsating with chakra, slowly snaked around the large canine's rigid form, coiling tighter and tighter with every chakric flare of defiance. She didn't hear the Hokage dismiss the confused council members, nor did she notice the confused glances of her teammates. All she could focus on was the sudden serpent-like chains constraining her, they were blurred, almost invisible to her glazed line of sight. Even the Hokage raised a curious brow, he had heard of these chains before, chains that would only be visible to those who share the respective contract. They would only appear when the contracted party defied certain clauses of the agreement; in this case, it would be the feral defiance burning in the wolf's icy, glazed, stare.
Snarling softly, Koyuki relented, forcing her hackles to relax as her ears twitched with vivid irritation. The chains, as if sensing her newfound compliance, uncoiled from around her, dissipating back into the air as quickly as they had formed. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Koyuki shook out her fur idly before sneering lowly, "Fine, I'll show them, but if anything happens, if my identity is revealed in any manner, I will not hesitate to maul the responsible party." With a threatening flash of crimson in her eyes and a sharp thrash of her tail, Koyuki flicked her gaze to her astounded teammates, minus a certain bemused blonde. Cocking her large head to the side, she huffed lazily and reached for the part of her that was human, tugging it back to the forefront of her consciousness.
Slowly, a purple haze enshrouded the 'Ninken' of the team, extinguishing the ghostly flicker of her icy stare. Moments later, however, just as Sasuke and Sakura had braced their respective guards, Kakashi stiffening subtly behind them, the smoke began to clear.
Through the smoke, Koyuki stretched out lazily, noting the combat gear she suddenly adorned. It was still unnerving to her, seeing new outfits appear on her form without much explanation. Ko had reassured her it was simply a part of her abilities as a shifter but she wasn't so sure. Then again, what would she know? She had been caged for the vast majority of her lifespan. Might as well trust the ancient voice in her head, or rather, her past self?
Yawning lowly, the sound low and exaggerated, Koyuki shifted her gaze back to her teammates, snorting as she noted their owlish gazes, faces distorted as if to mimic a startled codfish. Eyes narrowing with a hint of mischief, a sly smirk tugging at her lips, the shifter practically pranced towards the gaping trio, tail swaying with mock innocence as she practically purred, "Hello you three, I'm Naruto's NinKen, or rather, shifter. You may have heard of my 'clan', the Tsukikaze. Yes, I can use chakra. Yes, I'm stronger than most of you. No, I will not tell you my life story. Yes, Naruto is my favourite. Any more questions?" they blinked, almost in unison, Sakura making a move to raise her hand, opening her mouth slightly as if to interrogate the sudden creature before them. Koyuki, however, was not in any mood to be entertaining a pesky peach of all things, so, she simply wagged her tail idly as she chirped suddenly, "No? Good. Moving on, can we have our mission now?"
Although she asked the question, her gaze was centred on the sudden movements of a certain whiskered blonde, noting how he shifted his weight back and forth, gnawing at his lip as if he was suppressing the urge to ask something. Tilting her head curiously, Koyuki mused softly across their newfound bond, 'Everything alright, Naru?'
Startled, the boy blinked haphazardly for a few seconds before shaking his head rapidly as he rushed to note back, 'I'm fine! I-I just wanted to ask if I could play with your tail and ears. They're fluffy in wolf form but I wanna see what they're like in human form!' The following puppy-dog eyes eradicated any bark of protest the shifter could counter with.
Groaning in what seemed to be a canine and human dialect, blurred together, the shifter rumbled a hiss of sorts as she crouched, ignoring the baffled human stares of the others. Naruto was moving before anyone could blink twice, bounding over to his wolf-shifter with a childish gleam of fascination and excitement burning in his eyes. Hands stretched out in front of him - reminiscent of a child-like 'gimme' gesture - Naruto was quick to curl one hand into the shifter's left furred ear, sat atop her ghostly hair, whilst his other hand buried itself into her long tail, which had curled around her crouched form to give him easier access. With a bubbly giggle, Naruto busied himself with exploring every layer of fur his fingers could burrow into, eyes gleaming all the while as a grin tugged across his face.
Smiling softly, Koyuki plopped herself down, sitting cross-legged, albeit slowly to not disturb the blonde's exploration, with a tired sigh. Turning back to the Hokage, she noted his raised brow and shrugged in response, as if to ask what do you want? The elderly man simply huffed and shook his head, slumping back in his chair as he waved her curious gaze off. He was too old to deal with hybrid children running amuck in his village of all things. Retirement was looking very appealing to him at that singular moment.
Smiling lightly at his distraught huff, Koyuki turned back to her team, just in time to hear Kakashi suddenly ask lazily, "Well, while I was aware of some aspects of this, I didn't know Naruto had seen your human state already. I'm curious, what else are you hiding from us?"
Humming softly, Koyuki smiled coyly as she said, "Hm, I'll share my secrets if you tell me yours~! That would probably include S-Rank intel, as well as confidential village secrets. Fancy sharing, Sensei?"
Smirking slightly under his mask, Kakashi narrowed his gaze in mock annoyance as he grumbled, "Touche, Little Wolf, maybe having you around will be more fun than I had thought."
Smirk stretching impossibly wider, Koyuki barked a small laugh as she teased lowly, "Careful Kakashi, your Alpha instincts are showing." Kakashi said nothing in response to that, he simply shrugged, gave a closed-eye smile, and then looked back to the observing, slightly bemused, Hokage.
Just as Sarutobi went to mumble something, the Uchiha decided to speak up instead, his curiosity outweighing his pride. Mumbling softly, almost hesitantly, the raven-haired boy asked suddenly, "If you're a Tsukikaze, why are you here? Especially with the dead-last of all things. Shouldn't you be seeking revenge for your clan, hunting down whoever was responsible?"
Koyuki blinked at him, cocking her head to the side as she hummed thoughtfully, her hand mindlessly ruffling the blonde's hair idly as she huffed. With a slow, exaggerated, sigh, the shifter finally rumbled out lazily, "You Uchiha and your obsession with revenge and vindication is something I will never understand. I wasn't alive to bond with my 'clan', nor do I give a flying fluff about them. Why waste my time on something as trivial as that? I'm quite happy where I am, thank you very much." Shifting her gaze to the distracted Uzumaki, a soft smile tugged at her lips as she added flippantly, "Dead last or not, he's a member of my pack, my family. I'll kill anything that threatens that bond."
There was a tense silence as she growled a sudden possessive claim on the oblivious boy. It was then that everybody became painfully aware of just how attached the wolf was to their little ray of sunshine, and just how much of a threat that could eventually prove to be. Kakashi, a canine specialist, was much more aware of this than his demeanour suggested. He knew that possessive fire in her gaze all too well, he knew how far the shifter would go if push came to shove - for he had that same burning protectiveness once upon a time. Maybe, just maybe, he still did, somewhere deep, deep, down, that fire still burned with a vindictive, stubborn, flare.
Just as Sasuke went to retort, the shifter suddenly tensed, her muscles rippling beneath ghostly fur as a rapid shift tore through her system, the purples haze lashing around her faster than the shinobi could process. This was enough to send the entire room on high alert, shinobi knew better than to question the instincts of a 'Ninken', especially this one. Sneering softly, Koyuki grumbled lowly, "I don't like the stench of drunken humans, especially around Naruto."
Before anyone could question her words, the door suddenly slammed open, revealing a tipsy-looking elderly man - a smug one at that, if the leer on his face was anything to go by as he surveyed the occupants of the room. He did, however, do a triple take of the large canine curled around a blonde boy. He wondered, fleetingly, if the booze was finally getting to him.
The elderly man, who slurred a brief introduction upon his entry, was supposedly the one whom Team 7 was supposed to protect. Tazuna, as he called himself, was the squad's first C-rank, and the shifter couldn't have been more peeved even if she tried. With a frustrated thump of her tail and a dismissive flick of her ears, she made her subtle displeasure very clear to a certain silver-haired canine specialist. Kakashi just shrugged slightly in response, tilting his head slightly as if in silent agreement with her bubbling irritation.
Tazuna, oblivious to the silent exchange between wolf and teacher, was quick to take another swig from his flask. Gulping the liqueur down without a shred of tact, he narrowed his gaze and barked harshly at the Team before him, "You expect me to believe you brats can protect me? Haha, nice joke. I would have better chances with a herd of sheep." Another long swig of his drink. Another harsh gulp. "And what the hell is that mutt doing here? Do you seriously expect me to rely on a wolf? A ruthless, mindless, beast?" Koyuki remained silent, despite the bristling of her fur and the growl threatening to tear through her. She breathed slowly in, shakily exhaling a moment later. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5..she counted angrily to herself. "Then again, maybe I'd take the mutt over the brat pack here."
6, 7....5, 6... her mind was beginning to cloud as rage slowly began to pulsate through her, spreading through her body like a roaring river. "The blonde runt over there probably couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag, let alone protect me."
Red.
All reason was drowned from her mind the moment those words left his chapped lips. A snarl, deep and venomous, tore through the ghostly wolf with ferocity as sharp as a scythe, it was unlike anything the bridge builder had ever felt. Fear. Raw, unfiltered, instinctual terror flooded the man's body, it pumped through him faster than any dread he had ever experienced under Gato's heinous reign.
The wolf rose to all four paws, nudging the silent blonde off of her softly; an odd sight that juxtaposed the murderous glint in her icy gaze. Her lips curled back, revealing a full set of glistening fangs. As if mocking the man's terror, the shifter gnashed her teeth viciously, showing him exactly what she intended to do with them. Sharpened claws scratched against the floor in an agonisingly slow manner, prolonging the dreaded sound with a vindictive rage. With a slow, dangerous, curl of her tail - which was now held high in the air - Koyuki felt her ears flatten against her head as she reared suddenly and leapt forward, eyes flashing red for the briefest of seconds.
She landed inches from the terrified man, her snout level with his heart at her current height. Bared teeth snapped out suddenly and before anyone could blink, Koyuki had rammed her head into the man's torso, forcing him to stumble backwards, keeling over in the process. The harsh thump to his rear was something he would be feeling for a while. When Tazuna readjusted his gaze, he found a drooling, horrifying, sneer of fangs, inches from his face. Koyuki, her maw creased into a harsh growl, made a point to snap her jaws once more, ensuring a harsh breath followed. Tazuna shook in place, eyes wide and glossy as he seemingly stared Death itself in the eye.
And then, just as he went to fumble a pathetic plea for his life - more so to the shinobi as he figured the wolf could not comprehend human speech - a sharp, sudden, whistle tore through the startled, snarling, stand-off. The change was immediate; the rumbling anger rippling from the shifter ceased, her creased maw relaxed, her lips curled back down to hide the array of sharpened fangs, claws were retracted. Hackles slowly lowered, the shifter's ears were quick to perk up, standing almost attentively as her curling tail froze in place. With a slow, curious, tilt of her head, Koyuki shifted her gaze to Kakashi, noting his tense but authoritative demeanour. Now, normally, she would have simply sneered at him, but the interruption had given her a moment of calm, long enough for her to register the anxiety from a certain whiskered blonde. She could also feel the concern from her Sensei, which didn't surprise her. What did catch her off guard was the fact that the concern wasn't for the client, it was for her.
Blinking owlishly at her 'Sensei', Koyuki huffed thoughtfully to herself, cocking her head to the side with childish intrigue as she observed him. While it would be normal for him to be concerned over the Genin, the sudden surge of almost instinctual protectiveness radiating from his rigid form made absolutely no sense to her keen mind. With a slow, deliberate, rumbled sigh, the shifter gave the terrified bridge builder one last fleeting glare before she tentatively made her way to the Jonin, ears flicking slightly, twitching in response to every shift in his stature.
She paused in front of him, rearing her head back lazily to meet his gaze - one which glimmered with mild surprise. Was he that taken aback by her sudden obedience? She wasn't too sure. Then again, the whole ordeal amused her either way. Without much thought, the shifter made a point to nudge the silver-haired man with her snout, forcing a wolfish rumble, or rather, a purr, from her throat. The sound only deepened as she shifted the nudge into a brazen nuzzle against his upper thighs. Once she was certain her scent had rubbed off on him, she plopped herself down beside him, curling her overly long tail around her haunches as she seated herself lazily. When she looked around the room, however, she was met with several shocked stares, some of which retained a knowing glint to the canine display, the Hokage's gaze, in particular, glimmered with that shocked, knowledgeable, flame of understanding.
Did they think she had imprinted on him? Or perhaps acknowledged him as an Alpha? She questioned to herself with a mild degree of amusement thrumming through her as she snorted faintly. She had done neither. The display was simply to thaw their reproach and disdain at her untamed power; if they thought she obeyed someone under their command, the council (and Hokage) wouldn't be as suspicious and keen to involve themselves in her private affairs. That was what she figured, at the very least. One could never be too careful when dealing with power-hungry humans, especially if they ever managed to figure out her connection with a certain S-ranked raven-haired fugitive. She dreaded to think what would happen to her rationale if her primordial instincts opposed her innate Tsukikaze instincts. If she was ever made to choose between Naruto and Itachi - in a life or death situation - her mind would, she guessed, literally tear itself apart, and thus trigger a rampage capable of wiping out entire elemental nations.
Shaking her head, the shifter pushed the dreaded thought to the back of her mind, focusing instead on the wary gazes still flickering to her rigid form every few seconds or so. Sneering softly, she glared at anyone who stared a fraction of a second too long, flashing a warning of crimson when wary gazes met icy orbs. The warning was rapidly headed as gazes averted, postures stiffened and feral pride swelled.
~~~~~~~~
The shifter was dismissed an hour or so later, being told to prepare and meet at the main gate in 30 minutes. Koyuki, of course, registered that as an order to blatantly ignore - given it was from the persistently late Jonin - and instead made her way to the forest bordering the village, a few miles away from the Forest of Death.
Still maintaining her wolf form, Koyuki busied herself with tracking the scent of a seemingly wounded animal. From the moment she stepped past the tree line, the scent of fresh blood was quick to overwhelm her senses, consuming her predatory mind with a keen, primal, focus. And thus, she was tracking the disparate scent, tail stiff and low, her body hunched over into a cautious crouch, ears flat against her head. With a slow, careful inhalation, Koyuki paused mid-step, her eyes flashing dangerously. A low rumble quaked in the back of her throat as she bared her fangs, her claws dug into the forest floor and her fur bristled with anticipation. She had found the source. She had found her prey.
Slowly, silently, she forced her bristled form into an even lower crouch, her ears perking attentively as she prowled carefully forward, hidden only by the brush ahead. When her ears registered no potentially aggressive movements, she tentatively pressed on, leaning carefully on the soft pads of her paws to minimise any tell-tale noise.
The sight she was met with, however, made her pause momentarily. Ahead of her was a limping fox, one which was covered in claw marks, its fur seemingly matted with blood, both its own and another's. Cocking her head to the side, the intrigued shifter pressed on, remaining cautiously distanced and silent as she examined her supposed prey. As she moved closer to the limping creature, she was quick to note the two small bundles of orange fur curled together a few feet away, hidden only by the tall grass in which they melded into. It didn't take a genius to realise the wounded fox was most likely the mother of the two kits; a mother which was wounded for one of two reasons, a failed hunt or a run-in with a threatening predator near her den. From the state the fox was in, she had to assume it was the latter of the two scenarios.
Huffing softly, Koyuki trudged begrudgingly forward, no longing feeling the need to prowl silently through the brush. The shift in the fox was quicker than even the snowy canine could have anticipated. Within a split second, her hackles had raised, and she had twisted in place, her body now acting as a shield. Bloodied fangs were bared, a bristled back was arched defensively, and a venomous sneer of warning was growled. Koyuki blinked at the suddenly aggressive and falsely threatening stance of the fox; the mother of two was trying to put on a show of power, perhaps to deter the creature she knew was stronger than her wounded form, perhaps as a last-ditch effort to preserve her kits' survival a little longer. Either way, the display was rather amusing to the shifter.
Without much thought, Koyuki sat back on her haunches, declaring silently to the fox that while she would not leave, she would not attack either. The fox narrowed her amber gaze with distrust, taking a tentative step back as if to shield her offspring impossibly further. Koyuki barked in an oddly dog-like manner, snorting softly, resorting to a language understood by many forms of canine, "That's enough of that, Little Fox. Surely you realise the scent of your blood is attracting more and more predators by the second? You're leading all sorts of creatures to your little kits over there."
The fox paused, blinking rapidly at the wolf before her. It had been quite some time since another, more powerful, canine decided to speak to her in the common tongue, let alone warn her using it. Shuddering slightly under her sharp, icy stare, the fox slowly lowered her hackles, curling her lips back over her fangs as she replied cautiously, her words hidden beneath yips no human could discern, "Why are you warning me when you could have killed all three of us by now?"
Koyuki baulked at the fox, retorting coyly, "Now where would the fun in that be? I may be a predator but I'm not evil. I have no intention of hurting any one of you. Instead, I wanted to offer you a safer place to raise your kits."
The fox tilted her head, narrowing her gaze once more as she pressed curiously, "A safer place? That isn't possible. Everywhere has predators that wish to wipe to prey on my kits while they're vulnerable."
Koyuki nodded slowly, practically purring in response, "While that is true, the place I'm talking about is filled with stronger predators. All of which are under my command and will protect whatever I desire them to."
Before the fox could respond, a shrill, deathly roar echoed through the forest clearing, one which made both shifter and fox alike bristle in place. Before words or glances could be shared between the two Canidae, an unusually large cat burst from the shadows, gnashing an array of dangerously sharp fangs as it hissed at the two creatures before it. It looked like a variant of a lion and tiger, having ruthless fiery eyes, a tuft of fur curling around its neck in a makeshift mane, with a series of stripes rippling along its spine, tail and unnervingly muscular legs.
Being a pureblood Tsukikaze, Koyuki's reaction was immediate. To the horrified fox, the wolf seemed to disappear from where she had been lazily sitting a millisecond beforehand and, yet, she reappeared just as quickly in front of the strange feline. Without missing a beat, she lurched forward, snapping her powerful jaws at the unsuspecting predator without a shred of hesitance. A snarl - one of which was monstrous and completely feral - tore through the wolf, vibrating mockingly in her throat as her jaw locked ruthlessly around the nape of the feline's neck. Koyuki had somehow managed to lunge above the swiping paws of the beast, landing effortlessly on its back as she clamped her jaws down. Without pause, she dug inhuman claws into its shoulders, targeting the main nerve points without thought. The lion-tiger didn't even have a chance to retaliate before it slumped to the floor, blinking in confusion as suddenly all feeling was erased from its front legs.
When the pain did register the yowl of pain and agony it released shook the forest to its core, and creatures for miles all paused, frozen and shaken by the terrified whale. Its gleaming burgundy coat was now matted with blood, an endless stream flowing alongside the tuft of fur that cascaded from the narrow gap between its neck and the shifter's iron-clad jaw. Despite the roar of adrenaline thumping through it, despite the wave of instinctual preservation that coiled within, the creature could not move. It could not fight back. Perhaps it was the ancient fear that consumed it, perhaps it was the tear in its nerves, perhaps it was the domineering aura radiating from the monster above it. Perhaps...it didn't want to fight back.
Despite the blood that coated her maw and the feral anger that pulsed through her veins, Koyuki knew when a creature had given up, she knew when the will to fight back was snuffed out. She had felt that very same helplessness for so long. Perhaps that was why she removed her fangs from its skin, perhaps that was why she ceased all forms of attack, despite being in a prime position to annihilate the potential threat before her. Not even she knew why, and at that very moment, she didn't care for the reason.
Against the deep-seated protest of her Alpha instincts, Koyuki moved a few paces away from the odd hybrid creature, looking it over once more before allowing a shift to roll through her. Within a few tense moments, the fox and feline were astounded to see the powerful canine suddenly revert into the meagre form of a human. Then again, they could tell from the predatory glint in her eyes, as well as by the remaining animalistic features, that this was a beast far beyond their comprehension and power.
Humming softly to herself, Koyuki smiled coyly at the two creatures, looking them over once more before clapping her hands together in a sudden and harsh burst of power. The wind began to howl and lash around them in response, forcing even the most ancient of trees within the forest to quake in place. With a swift and effortless flurry of hand signs, Koyuki murmured lowly to herself, "God Art: Call of Eden."
The forest around them began to melt away as if it were the remains of paint on an old canvas, erased by torrents of invisible, unforgiving, rain. Just as quickly as the Konoha forest melted away, however, a new canvas seemed to come to life. Long, jagged and weed-ridden grass melted away to reveal lush and ethereal grassy planes; the human-degraded trees faded, melting away only to be swiftly replaced by ancient battalions of wild trees, all of which vibrated with life almost primal in nature. The clouded sky shifted in place, giving way to the dark blue sky littered with an unearthly myriad of stars, commanded by a monstrous, almost guardian-like, moon.
Taking a shuddery breath, Koyuki's gaze shifted to red for a split-second as she released a low, shrill, whistle. Not even a beat later, a falcon suddenly cawed sharply, swooping down from seemingly out of nowhere, perching itself on Koyuki's outstretched arm a moment or so later. Bowing its head in respect, the bird asked - in the human tongue - "What can I assist you with, Lady Koyuki?"
Smiling lightly, Koyuki scratched the bird's chest softly as she mused casually, "I have these two creatures here, one of which has two kits with her. They are now under my protection."
The bird cocked its head at its master curiously, tilting its head to look the new creatures over. Feathers ruffling slightly with anticipation, the falcon was quick to chirp in understanding before it suddenly veered upwards, hovering a few feet above the shifter. Without wasting a moment, the falcon - which was a unique grey-feathered creature with black and red streaks cascading between its wings, a golden flare in its orange gaze and a light brown beak that mirrored its monstrous talons - arched its wings sharply into the as it called out proudly, "Welcome my dear friends, to our Eden. My name is Akira and I am one of three Guardians in this world, my duty is to watch over the residents of this world and assist in any way I can. As per Lady Koyuki's request, I am now your Guardian as well. Due to this, I am going to give you the ability to speak in the human tongue." And just like that, a brilliant glow suddenly consumed the vibrant world around them, blinding all the creatures present momentarily.
Just as quickly as the light appeared, however, it faded back towards the falcon, dissipating faster and faster as Akira perched himself back on Koyuki's arm. Nodding in approval, Koyuki petted the bird idly as she turned her attention to the stunned animals before her. Having been in this situation before - with the very same falcon perched on her arm - the shifter made a point to hastily explain everything she could think of before she was bombarded by useless questions she did not have the time for.
Taking a deep breath, Koyuki stated swiftly, "Okay listen carefully, I'm only going to say all of this once. My name is Koyuki Tsukikaze, my human form is 18 years old but I am the incarnation of an immortal demonic God. Due to this, I created this 'world' to keep any creature I make a contract with safe. The world isn't another dimension, nor is it endless. Think of it as a cube, a tear in the material fabric of the world. The 'God Art 'I cast is the reason I can pass in and out of this world. I cannot, however, bring anyone else here, aside from the odd animal of course, which is why you will be safe here. The contract I formed with you allows you to revert into a summoning beast, rather than a normal animal. You will be given powers and abilities unique to your species, as well as the ability to respond to my calls if I see fit. Currently, aside from Akira, there are two other creatures here. One is a stag, known as Adora, she is currently in the forest behind you. The other is Ryoku, a green-scaled serpent. He is with Adora." She paused, snorting at their flabbergastered faces, before adding snidely, "Oh and contract animals do not need food to survive, which means no trying to eat my other creatures. You feed off of my chakra instead which both grants you your abilities, and your human speech. The more animals I contract, the more power I have to give up to be siphoned. Fortunately, a Tsukikaze generally can contract up to 9 animals without any major side-effects."
Blinking slowly, the fox was the first to speak, her ears flicking nervously as she asked, "If I agree to this, will my kits also be contracted?"
Koyuki smiled at the clear maternal caution radiating off of the fox as she assured slowly, "No, they will not. They appear to be only a few weeks old, so they will not be contracted to me. If you agree, however, your power will automatically spread to them as you wean them. When they become adolescents, they will come into their full power and form a bond with me due to remaining in this world."
Before the fox could press further, the strange feline suddenly perked up, catching the other slightly off guard, "Why am I even here? I tried to kill you both and you've made it so I'm unable to move. What possible use could I be?"
Koyuki hummed thoughtfully, countering idly, "It isn't a matter of use, it's more of a mutual predator understanding. I can heal the damage done to you, so that is not a concern. I only wish to offer you the chance to survive, that is all."
Both creatures fell silent, glancing at one another before slowly nodding their heads. The decision was clear. This shifter was far stronger than she was letting on and far more considerate. If they could survive and gain power, with the simple price of providing the shifter aid if called for, then they would happily do as she commanded.
And just like that, Koyuki's pack grew that much bigger. The motherly fox, choosing to go by the name Niara, and the defensive male lion-tiger (or rather, the liger), choosing to go by the name Xion, were now both Guardians in her little world.
~~~~~~~
From what Koyuki could tell, she had only been gone for 90 minutes at the most, which meant she still had a while until Kakashi would decide to appear for the mission. Ensuring she was in her wolf form, the shifter made her way lazily to the front gate, hopping from roof to roof without much effort or consideration.
When she did arrive at the front gate, she was quick to note the Genin trio stomping impatiently back and forth. Yeah, no... She thought bitterly to herself as she dropped onto the top of the front gate, unwilling to announce her presence and greet her 'teammates'. Yawning softly, she lowered herself down slowly, being sure to keep her movements silent and her presence hidden. Within a few seconds, she was sprawled lazily atop the Konoha gate, her tail hanging lifelessly off the edge as her head lay sluggishly atop her snowy paws.
The next twenty minutes were spent observing the angry little rugrats trudge about from atop the gate, ears flicking back and forth lazily in search of a certain Jonin. Just as she began to mull over the idea of hunting him down herself, the lethargic man finally appeared beside the irritated trio, a certain alcoholic bridge-builder right beside him. Shouts and growls of impatience were hurled at the unfazed and bemused man for a solid four minutes. When they did calm down, however, Koyuki noted they appeared to still be waiting for something. Oh right... she thought dismissively to herself, I'm also part of the team. Oops.
With that in mind, she lept off of the gate, landing swiftly and silently behind the newbie squad. Her tail twitched and curled with amusement as she quickly noticed the lack of recognition; how they didn't sense a giant, powerful, demonic creature behind them, she would never know.
When she centred her focus on Kakashi, however, she could see the sudden shift in his rigid demeanour. He had noticed her but hadn't said anything yet, was he testing his Genin? With a sudden flare of mischief, Koyuki inhaled sharply, forcing her eyes to flicker a deep crimson as she released a sharp, short, ear-piercing bark. The reactions she got in return would be something she would gladly sit through any lecture for. Sakura screamed, her vocals reaching an intensity that would make any banshee green with envy, as she jumped three feet off of the ground, right before jumping several paces away. Naruto yelped, an oddly fox-like tint to the sound, as he swivelled around, crouching defensively as he moved. Sasuke flinched, very sharply, before he snapped his head around - surprisingly not getting whiplash in the process - his hands already curled together in a chakric seal. Tazuna choked on his beer, squealed like a three-year-old girl, and darted behind Kakashi. The Jonin simply turned his head around, waved lazily and gave her a closed eyed-smile.
Koyuki waged her tail innocently, flashing a wolfish grin as she was suddenly glared at by three dangerous minions. It took Kakashi clearing his throat and narrowing his eyes in warning to prevent the three angry children from lunging at a creature that could just as easily remove several of their limbs in a split second.
Naruto glared childishly, despite the reprimand of his sensei, as he barked defiantly, "That isn't fair, Yu-chan! I won't forgive you!" He stomped his feet, folded his arms to his chest and pouted, turning his head away as if to prove his point.
Snorting at the all too adorable display, Koyuki retorted without thinking, "Oh really now? Not even if I said you could ride on my back on the way there?"
Tazuna screeched once again, blabbering, horrified, "I-it can t-t-talk? W-what the h-hell?" The shinobi all ignored his astounded blabbering, opting to watch the interaction between the shifter and Genin instead, curiosity and intrigue dancing in their respective gazes.
Naruto paused, freezing in place as his eyes flashed with indecision. That indecision was short-lived as seconds later, he bounded over to his 'Ninken', muttering something about complete forgiveness just as he jumped onto her back eagerly, albeit mindful not to hurt his friend. Koyuki snorted as easily nudged the boy further up her back, bracing his weight with little to no effort. They were near enough the same height after all.
And Just like that, the mission began.
~~~~~~
A/N - Apologies for being late, a family matter came up when I promised to update a few days ago. The next one will be up within the next two days. Enjoy!