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-
"That man didn't do anything, Shikari-san," Itachi pleaded, trying to be the voice of reason as his first friend sneakily stalked towards the dark-haired man approaching a vaguely familiar girl. "He didn't need to be bitten to death."
When Shikari ignored him, he looked at Hana - who was looking befuddled from all of it - beseechingly. "Hana-san, don't you thin-"
Itachi never did knew what the Inuzuka heiress' reply would be when he heard the man growl and saw how Shikari's small body literally flew from the kick he sent.
He almost bit off his tongue to muffle down the scream that wanted to escape from his lips at the sight. Knowing instinctively that they would be next if the man would know of their presence, Itachi immediately clamped his hand down on Hana-san's mouth and grasped her arms tightly.
Sweat dripped down on Itachi's cheek at the precarious position they were in and it took every bit of self-control his young self had not to breathe too loudly. Itachi's eyes were starting to burn and blur with tears, however, although he ached to brush them away, he couldn't.
The man was distracted - almost frantic. Itachi knew that it was the only reason they were still unnoticed. He couldn't take the chance. A rustle might alert the man to their presence.
An ugly look appeared on the man's now bruised face and after sparing his surroundings a glance, he ran towards his original target quickly. His form blurred and, in a distant part of Itachi's mind as he tried his best to hold the now resisting Hana back, he saw how the older girl - a kunoichi, his mind registered - tried to resist. Unfortunately, the man outclassed the girl by miles and, before any of them could blink, disappeared with the girl's unconscious form on his arms.
A second pass before Itachi's grip started to falter and Hana pushed him down to get to Shikari immediately.
"Shikari-chan!" Hana shouted frantically. As she knelt down, her hands flying around wildly at the sight of their friend's state, she looked at Itachi - who followed after her - in anger. "Why? Why did you do that, Uchiha? Shikari-"
"It was the best option to take, Hana-san." Itachi tried to say calmly. "I-"
"We could have done something. We could have- we could have-" Hana faltered. She rubbed her eyes as tears started falling down her cheeks.
"Could have what?" Itachi replied, his voice breaking. "We- we couldn't have done anything."
For a minute, sniffles and sobs could only be heard from the two children. They were too young to handle any of this. This shouldn't have happened.
They were inside the village.
It was supposed to be safe.
Itachi closed his eyes tightly. They had no choice.
"Hana-san," Itachi started determinedly. "We need to get help. Hana-san, since you're probably the fastest out of all of us, you'll be the best for the job. I-" he looked at Shikari intently, "I'll watch over her and hide us nearby in case the man came back."
Hana opened her mouth as if to protest before closing it down. She nodded.
"Okay," she said shakily. "Okay." Hana stood up and glanced at him seriously. "Take care of her."
"I will," Itachi called out as the Inuzuka heiress ran as fast as her short legs could take her.
He looked down at Shikari's vulnerable form. Itachi's fingers were trembling as he tried to brush the hair out of her face.
"I will," Itachi repeated - wishing desperately that by saying it again, the statement would come true.
-----
Hana let out a whimper as she bumped into a rock-like form and fell down on her bottom. Looking up frantically, she let out a sigh of relief at the sight of hitai-ate on the boy's forehead. It held up his wild silver hair.
"Shinobi-san." Hana cried out in relief as she stood up from her fall - wincing at the sharp pain from her ankle. "Please. I need your help. Myfriendwasinjuredbyanenemyshinobi and a prettygirlwithpurplemarkingswaskidnapped-" She sobbed. "Weneedyourhelpplease."
"Take a deep breath and say all of that again," The shinobi replied gruffly. He lifted his hands as if to comfort her before falling down to his side.
Hana looked at the masked boy in frustration. She took a deep breath before repeating her plea. "My friend was injured and a pretty girl with purple marks on her cheeks was kidnapped by an enemy shinobi."
The shinobi's one visible eye widened in alarm. "Rin," he whispered. The masked boy's hands curled into fists. "Where did it happen?" he asked sharply.
Hana opened her mouth to reply but before she could do so, the shinobi turned and run - following the tracks she made.
"No! Please," She shouted desperately at the sight his rapidly disappearing back. Hana didn't have the energy to go further. She wanted to go home but Shikari- Shikari needed help. Hana needed to make him understand. "You need to ask for help. My friend needs it. You- you can't just go after- after Rin without helping Shikari first."
The masked boy stopped before looking at her silently. After a blink, a clone was suddenly in front of her and without another word, lifted her up in its arms.
"What are you doing? Listen to me! What about-" Hana snapped angrily.
"We're going to look for help," The masked boy said blankly. He sighed. "Come on."