Title: A Fox and a Hound

Rating: Mature

Author: darkalbino

Warnings: Kemonomimi, lemons, strong language, violence, SasuNaru.

Disclaimer: Own nothing, make no profit….damn

xxxA Fox and a Houndxxx

xxxProloguexxx

Cold spikes of rain cascaded down on her as she scrambled naked through the forest. Her ears were flat against her matted, waist-length red hair and crimson blood flowed freely from the gun-shot wound in her shoulder.

In her uninjured arm, she clutched something small and shivering desperately to her chest, its thin arms wrapped tightly around her neck and his tiny, orange ears also flat against his blond locks, so as not to let the rain run in.

Kyuubi stopped running and leaned against a tree, laboring for breath and raising her eyes to the pitch black sky peeking though the holes of the forest tree tops.

Her son raised his head slightly and brushed his lips against her cheek. "Mama?" he questioned weakly, the blood from his mother's wound soaking through his over-sized white shirt.

The fox woman forced a reassuring smile and pressed his face back into her shoulder, "Shh, sweetheart, please stay silent."

The kit nodded as his mother's head shot up to the sound of barking. She lurched forward in a full sprint, knowing it was over for her but she'd be damned if she'd let them have her son too.

Stumbling over rocks and through trees, her heart pounded wildly as she continued running to the one place she knew her child would be safe, and she stopped again when she reached her destination.

A true smile played on her lips when she spotted her old friend, leaning against a tree with one of his orange "novels" covering his masked face.

She had never been happier to see him.

With one last burst of energy, Kyuubi tightened her muscles and leapt over the wooden fence that separated the ranch from the forest. She nearly fell from her haste in running towards Kakashi but caught her footing and reached him, bloody and exhausted.

Kakashi glanced up from his book at the panting fox. "Hello Kyuubi...not very pleasant weather for you to be exercising in." His eyes widened when he caught sight of her wounded shoulder, and he dropped his book to the muddy ground, gray ears sticking up in alarm. "Kyuubi your -what happened?!"

Kyuubi, still trying to fill her lungs with air, shook her head and suddenly shoved her child to Kakashi's chest.

The wolf wrapped his arms around the shivering kit and gave the woman a questioning look.

Kyuubi pressed her now free hand over her bloody shoulder, breathing not become any easier for her even with the loss of the extra weight. Her vision began blurring around its edges as she looked up at the wolf, "Please Kakashi...take care...of him." she forced out through heavy pants.

Kakashi shook his head. "Stop spewing nonsense Kyuubi! We have to clean your wound!" A sudden thought struck him and he overlooked the child in his arms to make sure he wasn't injured as well, sighing with relief to find the only thing red with blood was his drenched shirt.

Kyuubi gripped his shoulder. "No Ka...the dogs..."

The wolf's eyes widened. "Hunters…"

She nodded weakly.

Kakashi sighed and reached forward, pulling his friend into a hug with Naruto pressed between them. When he pulled back, he thought he could see tears streaming down her cheeks, but he could not tell the difference between them and the rain.

Kyuubi smiled and leaned down to cup her son's face, taking a huge breath in an attempt to speak clearly and steadily. "Naruto, dear...be good."

The young blond bit his lip and reached forward to grab at strands of his mother's hair. "Don't go Mama, don't leave me here."

Kyuubi took his hand out of her hair and kissed him softly on the mouth, pushing him further into Kakashi's embrace. Her ears remained flat and her tail, like the rest of her body, lay limp and tired behind her. "I love you." she whispered, "Be good...for me." And before he could respond, she slipped away from his grasp and dashed back into the forest.

Naruto stared after her for a moment before looking up at the wolf that carried him. "She's...she'll come back, right Kashi? Mama will be back?"

The man stared at him sadly, not finding it in his heart to tell the kit the truth. He turned and began walking towards the ranch-house; there was no way he was capable of taking care of a kit, but he knew someone who would be perfect for the job.

A loud clap of thunder suddenly boomed through the forest, causing Naruto to jerk with surprise and leaving an uncomfortable ring in his ears. He clung tightly to Kakashi as the wolf lifted an arm and knocked on a wooden door.

A few moments later, a dark brunet man opened the door with a disheveled appearance, as if he'd been woken up from sleep. "Kakashi?" He frowned at the tears that were threatening to spill out of the wolf's eyes and glanced at the small figure in his arms. "What's the matter?"

Kakashi sighed shakily and held Naruto out to him. "I know you want a child…but here's the next best thing."

Iruka gasped at the blood stained kit and quickly took him from Kakashi's hold, "Naruto!" He looked up at the other male. "Kakashi, this is Kyuubi's so-"

"I know." He murmured quietly, cutting him off, his fists clenched at his sides. "But she...she's..." and he could not muster up the strength to continue.

Naruto's blue orbs widened with understanding, realizing at this moment that there had never been any thunder during this storm (1). And for the first time that night, he felt hot tears leak down his face.

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(1) the "thunder" Naruto heard, was the gun shot that killed his mother