Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were jumping through the Forest of Death when suddenly a blast of wind knocked Naruto away from them. He tumbled around for a bit, noticing he flew right pass a giant snake, which he was glad for. When finally he stopped, he looked at where he was. He saw the same thing as the rest of the forest. It was what he didn't hear that caught his attention. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No birds, no insects, nothing living. It scared him. He turned around several times trying to find what it was that kept things away. Looking around several times, he saw a tree with a hollowed out cave under the roots. The den there was at least ten feet wide ad must have been six feet tall. His instincts told him to run away. But his curiosity made him go forward. He was a few feet away from the entrance when he saw it. Two yellow eyes that glowed in the dark opened at the back of the cave. Followed by a growl. Naruto jumped back as it jumped out. And he yelled in terror. Eleven feet tall! It stood on two legs with a tail, fangs, two ears on the top of its head, and fur covered its body! It looked like a wolf in a way, but also like a man. It snarled at Naruto and he jumped into the trees.

And it followed. Its claws dug into the bark easily. Its muscular legs letting it leap nearly fifty feet at a time easily. It cornered Naruto on an branch and he backed up against the tree. "Oh god... Somebody...anybody...help," he whispered even though he knew that no one was coming. "I'm going to die... I'm going to die..." It picked him up in one of its human like hands, snarling at him. Then it reared back and bit down on his shoulder. Naruto's eyes closed in pain when it did. An instant later, it seemed the world stopped to him. And the next moment, his eyes snapped open blood red and slitted. His left hand grabbed its lower jaw while the right grabbed its upper jaw. He then pulled until it his head had split in two. The body twitched for a couple of seconds before it fell to the ground. Naruto landed on it but it still hurt like hell. He could feel that some of his bones were broken. He had no way to defend himself so he did the only thing he could think of. He covered his face with some of the beast's blood and crawled into its den. He tried to get a splint ready for when he reset the bone in his leg but the pain was too much. He passed out.

—oo000oo—

Kyuubi could feel it, the disease was spreading and there was no way to stop it. Soon, Naruto would be one of those things. While it would be an improvement, Kyuubi had his standards still. He chakra reached out, fighting it and changing it to what suited him. Behind the cage, he smiled.

—oo000oo—

"HOWLLLLL!" Sakura heard another predator in the forest and shivered. Sasuke was unconscious from that mark that grass ninja gave him and Naruto had been gone for a long time now. Only one possibility in this forest, he was dead. She looked around and shivered again. She couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. She just prayed that it was only a feeling. She saw a squirrel moving to her trap and she scared it off with a kunai. Not long later, the three Sound ninja came by.

"Looky, looky," the dark haired one said. "A team that lost a member and is about to lose another one." He took a step but was stopped by the mummy wrapped guy. "What?"

He reached down and revealed Sakura's trap. "The dirt didn't match. You are totally useless. Is that why the blond is dead and Sasuke is crippled?"

"It...wasn't my fault," Sakura stuttered. "We...We weren't ready. Please, we don't have a scroll, don't kill us."

We aren't here for a scroll," the girl told her. "We are here to kill him. And if you give him up, we won;t kill you."

"Yeah," the first boy said. "You aren't worth killing. Better to leave you for some monster to eat."

Sakura looked from Sasuke to them and was about to get between them. But she saw something that made her eyes widen and she began to crawl backwards to get away from it, forgetting she was blocked by a tree. "What is her prob..." the second boy started to ask.

The girl and boy looked around when he didn't finish. And they saw he was shaking as he looked down at his chest. Blood was staining his shirt there. He tried to look behind him but just couldn't. Zaku and Kin were glad he couldn't, he didn't want to. It, and that was the only thing they could call it, stood about eight feet tall. A lithe but muscular humanoid stood behind him, bending down. It stood at its full high, hold Dosu in the air effortlessly. It had a big bushy tail and large ears on its head. Its hands were more like claws and it had a muzzle with fangs nearly three inches long. Its right claw was going into Dosu's back. It turned him around so he could see it. His face twisted in terror, his body not knowing he was already dead. It opened its mouth and brought its jaws down on his face, finishing him off.

"DOSU," Zaku shouted. He raised his fist and shot two air blast at the monster. But it tossed the body in the way and jumped out of the way. As Dosu was torn apart, his scroll dropping to the ground, Kin and Zaku looked around for it. "What is that thing!?"

"I, I, I don't know," Kin stuttered. "Put your back against mind, Zaku." She backed up and felt herself bump into him. Her eyes widened when she realized what she backed up was taller than Zaku. She spun around and screamed wordlessly. The monster had Zaku in the air holding him spread eagle. There was a sickening tear as it pulled his left arm off, discarded it, grabbed him by his neck, and pulled the other arm off. She hoped he was dead. But he moaned, signally to the creature that he wasn't. Kin didn't stay to watch. She ran, hearing him roar in pain. She found a spot where the roots of a tree created a small ditch that should protect her. She crawled in it and pressed herself as far as she could into it. She stayed there, whimpering every now and then as she thought she heard it. Then it appeared and saw her. It looked down at her and growled. But after a moment, it calmed down and began to whimper a little. She relaxed a little and said, "Please let me go, puppy. I won't come back. Don't hurt me." She sounded just like that girl she had just been threatening. Suddenly, it grew mad and snarled at her.

—oo000oo—

Sakura heard the last Sound ninja scream. She waited for it to come and kill her and Sasuke. When she heard the shuffling, she held her kunai at the ready. When she saw it, it had the girl in its mouths by her clothes. Her eyes were closed and she was shaking in fear. It walked on all fours to the cave and dropped her to the ground. She didn't move. He then went off and came back, something in his mouth. Sakura saw him set it on the ground and took the chance. She jumped and stabbed it in the back. It snarled in pain and shook her off. As she hit the wall, she saw the wound close before her eyes. It turned to look at her, mad, but when it saw it was her, the anger went away. It padded over to her, while she shook in fear. It looked at her and then licked her face. She then realized it was a giant fox that was a little like a man.

"Why did it not kill us," she stuttered.

"I...I can only think of one thing," the other girl stuttered. "That is male, we are female."

"Oh god," Sakura whimpered. But to their surprise, it left and laid down on the grass. No one moved for a long time. When Kin did, he lifted his head and looked at her. He didn't snarl, growl, or anything. Just looked. "Don't move, it might not attack if we don't."

"What does it want?"

"...We weren't aggressive," Sakura said. "No, I stabbed him."

The fox turned his head to look in the distance and suddenly got up. It snarled and ran off. "Its gone," Kin said in relief. "I'm getting out of here!"

"Wait! That is a predator! You leave, it will follow you." Kin dropped back down at that.

Neither moved for almost an hour. Then someone stumbled into the clearing. "...Sakura-chan... Have to find...Sakura-chan..." He fell but got back up. Neither could believe what they saw. It was Naruto. His clothes were torn to shreds, blood covered most of his body, and he looked like he had gone through hell.

"NARUTO!" She rushed out to grab him, not caring that the fox might be out here. She grabbed him and pulled him under the tree. "What happened!?"

"Wolf...wolf...man...thing... Bit...bit me...shoulder. Bit my shoulder...we fell...blood...there was blood everywhere. In my mouth, my body...fur...fangs... I saw them... It...I...it tore them apart... Scrolls, grabbed scrolls... I saw it... Make it go away, make it go away! The blood won't leave, it won't leave! Taste it, I can taste it! Arms, head...it... OH GOD!" He collapsed to the ground and began to cry. "Make them go away, Sakura-chan," he begged. "Make it go, please," he cried there on the ground. She moved close and knelt by him. When she did, he wrapped his arms around her and continued to cry. Blood mixed with tears and stained her shorts.

"I will Naruto, I will. Do you know where the fox is?"

"Inside...inside... The bite... Please make it go," he begged her.

"He had a mental break down," Kin said as she looked at him. "God, look at all the blood... Scrolls? He has five scrolls on him." She took them from his belt and looked. Three Earth and two heaven. She saw the scroll from Dosu on the ground for the total of six scrolls.

"Please," Sakura said to her, "help me. If we get to the tower, we'll be safe from that thing. I can't take them both."

Kin nodded and reached for Naruto. He tensed but his nose twitched and he relaxed. She helped him up and said, "You did good, you got the scrolls. We are going to the tower to get away from it."

"Won't... Won't leave... Won't stay behind," he rambled.

"It will," she told him. "Just hold out until we get there and we will get you help." Sakura picked up Sasuke and they started running.

—oo000oo—

The two scrolls Sakura threw on the ground bust into smoke. "Hello... GOOD LORD," Iruka yelled. He ran to the door and shouted out of it. "Get some medics in here!" He turned back to Naruto. "Naruto, Naruto speak to me!"

"Wolf... Wolf...fangs, claws... Bit me, bit me... Blood, there was blood, so much blood. Taste it. Won't go away. Please make it go away, Iruka-sensei." His eyes were pleading his teacher and big brother. "It is still there. Sakura said it wouldn't follow. The girl said it would stay. It is still here, I can feel it. Please make it go away." He began to cry again. "His arms... Oh god his arms..."

A moment later, Kakashi came in with several medics. "Sakura, what happened!?"

"I don't know," she told him. "We got separated and attacked. This grass ninja that was like a snake bit Sasuke-kun and poisoned him. Naruto came back only an hour ago, talking and looking like this. And we were attacked by this fox or wolf like creature. It stood on two legs for almost eight feet tall. It tore two ninja apart right in front of me and the sound ninja, Kin."

"They were my teammates," she said. "Don't make me go back out there with that thing there."

"How did you get the scroll," Kakashi asked.

"Naruto did," Kin told him. "He wondered in with five on his belt."

"He got all those by himself?"

"Yes, I don't know how," Sakura told him. "He said that a wolf bit him, he might be sick!"

Iruka looked and there in his clothes were a bite mark from some kind of canine. But it was far larger than any wolf he had heard of. "Naruto, are you okay?"

"Y-Yes, I-Iruka-sensei," he stuttered. "I can feel it."

"Feel what? Where is it?"

Naruto looked at him, scared. "Me, it is me. Oh god, the blood." His breathing suddenly slowed and he stopped shaking.

"He is going into shock!" Iruka took out a kunai and cut his shirt off. He began to check him for wounds but only found the bite. "Don't just stand there, Kakashi, I know you could care less about him but now is not the time!"

Kakashi scowled a little but went over to Naruto. Suddenly, Naruto's whole body tensed while he grit his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. What sounded like bones breaking in his chest before they expanded. His muscles grew and he grew taller. Two fox ears sprouted from his head and a tail from behind him. Outside, the full moon had come out from behind the clouds...before going back.

—oo000oo—

Kyuubi looked at how his host was right now and liked it. What better way to make him even more of an outcast.

—oo000oo—

Naruto relaxed but it didn't go away. His human ears were gone and the fox ears were on his head, twitching a little. The same thing as his tail. Iruka looked at them then to Naruto's chest. While others looked to where his seal would be, Iruka focused on the bite. He knew that there were real monsters in here which was why he never came here when he had the choice. But he never in his wildest dreams would have imagined Naruto would meet one. Or survive for that matter. "Lycan..."

"What was that, Iruka?"

"Nothing. I know what is wrong, I will get him some help. Don't worry, he should be fine soon." He picked Naruto up and carried him from the room. He ran to the room with the Hokage and kicked the door in. "I told you, 'Don't use the Forest of Death'! I told you! The First sealed it away for a reason!"

"What is wrong," Sarutobi demanded. "What happened to Naruto!?"

"He was bit by a lycanthrope. When it combined with the fox, it turned him into a fox-were."

"...Are you serious?"

"Doesn't this look serious!?" He scared the shit out of Sarutobi when he took a knife and stabbed it into Naruto's leg. The boy was so out of it, he didn't notice.

"Why doesn't it hurt, Iruka-sensei," Naruto asked, proving he was still conscious and understanding. "It should but it doesn't."

"Naruto, what happened to the wolf that bit you," Iruka asked, pulling the knife out and the wound closed almost instantly.

"It bit me and then I tore its head off... I didn't want to hurt them, Iruka-sensei," Naruto told them. "But all I knew was Sasuke and Sakura was hurt..." He began to cry again. "They were hurt and needed protecting. But what I did..." He curled up into a ball where he laid on the desk and began sobbing.

"My god, how could I let this happen," Sarutobi asked.

"My clan were demon hunters," Iruka told him. "Not ones like the Kyuubi, the weaker, more common ones. Wolfwere, or as they are more commonly known as werewolf, are born one of two ways. They are born it or they are bitten. They were almost wiped out of existence at one time before the knowledge of how to do it was lost." Naruto stopped crying and listened. "My clan still knew enough to help the First seal those that remained here. I should have pushed harder to make sure you didn't go in here, Naruto. This is my fault."

It took a long time but Naruto finally calmed down. Iruka had given him a necklace the suppressed the change. He looked at it and smelled a plant called wolf's bane. It was also made out of silver and was in the shape of a fang. "Can I go shower now," he asked, smelling the heavy scent of blood.

"Yeah, Naruto, just be careful." Sarutobi watched him leave the room. "Is he safe?"

"...It depends. If he is a normal were-fox, he will only change t during the full moon. And only into a monster."

"And if he isn't?"

"Then the Kyuubi changed him into something like a true lycanthrope and he can change whenever he wants, but will still be himself while he is."

Sarutobi was silent before asking this. "If he is the first, who do we kill him?"

"...I don't know. My family kept scrolls on it but they were destroyed when the Kyuubi attacked."

"Why Naruto? OF all the shinobi that had to find it, why him?" Sarutobi dropped into his chair, feeling like he had failed Naruto all over again. "If it is the second, how should we explain this to the younger generation?"

"Bloodline," Iruka told him. "Everything can be explained that way."

"No one will buy that," Sarutobi stated.

"You once told my class you saw a ninja with hawk wings in his back and you question Naruto having fox ears and a tail? If anything, this is only be strengthened because of his whiskers."

"So what all changed?"

"He should have immunity from all weapons. He won't be able to die by normal means, longer life, stronger, faster, better stamina, increased balance, hearing, smell. Just about every physical aspect you can think of, he has it. Including night vision. The only time his eyes won't see very well is twilight. Otherwise, he could spot a flea on a dog at night."

"Kami-sama," Sarutobi muttered.

"Exactly... You know, maybe we can use this."

"How?"

"If Naruto is safe to be around, then we can use this to explain why he has the whisker marks."

"I'm not following."

"How many died that day, including after the attack? Hundreds. It is very sad, really, that the boy we sealed the Kyuubi into died by accident. Even worst that another was mistaken as him. I feel sorry that his parents died while visiting."

Sarutobi dropped his jaw and pipe. "...Yes, the Kitsune family, I remember them visiting now. I thought that they all died. I forgot all about them in the rush of that day. So Naruto is their little boy?"

"Who's little boy," Kakashi said, walking in. "What did I miss?"

"Some friends from Uzu," Sarutobi told him. "They had fox tail and ears as well."

"So? The fox gave him his."

"That is just it, they died visiting the city with their newborn son the day of the attack."

"What are you saying, Hokage-sama?"

"He is saying, Kakashi, that the boy we all hated has no reason to be hated except for having a bloodline that makes him part fox."

"No..."

"Yes," Sarutobi told him. "He always had those whiskers because he was born with them."

"...Then where is the jinchuuriki," Kakashi demanded.

"Dead," Sarutobi told him. "Buried with who we thought were his parents."

The most hurtful expression crossed his face. "Are you sure? Are you a hundred percent sure?"

"Have you ever seen the seal, Kakashi?"

"...No."

"Neither have we," Sarutobi told him.

"But the bridge..."

"The early stages of his bloodline activating."

"...Half the village is going to feel guilty enough to commit suicide."

"They should," Iruka growled. "Are you one of them?"

"I haven't...done... No, not quite."

"But close," Iruka stated. "Just like the rest of them, always judging him because of what you thought was in him."

"I...I..."

"I am going to go see Naruto," Sarutobi told him.

—oo000oo—

Naruto got out of the shower and look at the mirror. He realized he was taller now, with less baby fat. He looked better than he had ever before, like he had been nourished growing up. And his muscles looked...ripped. He looked down from the mirror and widened his eyes. "...Damn...I wonder if that thing is going to bite someone."

Someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Naruto, it is the Hokage."

He grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist, and said, "Come in."

Sarutobi entered, drew a seal on the door, and looked at him. "Naruto, what I am about to tell you stays between us, okay?"

"Of course, Old Man. What is it?"

"You are changing identities."

—oo000oo—

Naruto sat down on the bathtub edge and smiled. "Who knew you could be so sneaky? We should go pranking sometime, the fun we could have."

"I just need to draw this seal over the other and it will never be seen again."

"Draw away," Naruto told him. "Total dismemberment," Naruto told him as he painted.

"What?"

"I killed that thing by tearing its head off. It stands to reason that if you do the same to me, I am dead. Promise you will, should I start to attack people I know."

"...I will, Naruto."

"Thanks," he said quietly. When Sarutobi finished, Naruto charged his chakra and the seal did not return.

"Perfect," Sarutobi said. "I will go announce this to the council. They will deny it, say I am lying, but with the proof on you and no one ever actually seeing you using the Kyuubi's chakra, they will agree and try to make reparations."

"Okay..." Naruto reached for his clothes and remembered how torn up they are. "Can you get me more clothes please?"

"I will get some of your old ones. After the next exam, we will get you some next clothes."

"Okay." He grabbed his pants and underwear and began to rinse them out. "Will this work?"

"I think it will. In fact, it isn't that uncommon." Naruto looked at him incredulously. "Well, not the circumstance. But what I meant was a Kekkei Genkai that changes a person into an animal. You've heard of the Seven Swordsmen of Mist, correct?"

"Zabuza's old group."

"One of their members looks like a shark."

"Oh... Cool." Once he got the blood out of them, he set them on the bathtub edge to dry. When he did, he noticed his hands were shaking and he grabbed them with the other. "That helps me with the village and all but what about me turning into that thing?"

"For now, we don't anything. The necklace will keep you in line so don't worry." There was another knock at the door. Sarutobi looked out of it and found Iruka holding a set of Naruto's clothing. He took it and gave it to him.

But when Naruto tried it on, he frowned. The shirt didn't fit at all. He had to wear his jacket open. And his pants were too short now. "...No choice." He ripped the sleeves off his jacket and then he tore off his pants legs just below the knees. He picked up his head from where he had set it and tied it around his head. "Ow, ow, ow!" He took it off before it hurt his ears more. "Man." He tied it around his neck instead.

"A little rough but nice," Sarutobi commented. "Most likely you will be called before the council, Naruto. When they do, remain calm, just remember, you are not a jinchuuriki.

"I will," Naruto said with a sigh.

—oo000oo—

He was walking down the hall when all of a sudden his ears twitched and he ducked. A shuriken flew over his head. "What happened to you, dobe," Sasuke said in an evil sounding voice. Naruto turned around and saw Sasuke with these strange marks on his face.

"I could ask the same of you, teme," he growled. "Get tattoos while I was getting the scrolls?"

"Like you..."

"Sasuke-kun, please calm down," Sakura said to him. "Naruto is telling the truth. He got them, almost dying to do it. There is a monster in the forest that I watched pick apart a team. Naruto met it and survived."

"Not unscathed," Naruto commented. "What happened, Sasuke, I know you didn't have those things when I checked on you an hour ago."

"What happened to it," Sasuke asked.

"...It bit me and I tore its head off while it did. That what you want to here? Now what about you."

"Who did it kill?"

"The Sound team is all I known," Sakura told him.

"...Then you have gotten stronger. I want to test that strength." He ran at Naruto and punched in the ribs. Naruto didn't move and there was a crack from breaking bone. "My hand!"

"What did you do, Naruto," Sakura yelled as she ran over.

"You saw it, I didn't move!"

She looked over Sasuke's hand. "One of the bones is just cracked. A medic can have it fixed in a moment."

"No, I will fight him first."

"With a broken hand," Naruto asked. He pointed at it. "All I have to do it tap it and you would be down, go to a medic." Naruto turned and walked away. As he walked he caught the smell of dog. Kiba was here. He found himself growling and covered his mouth.

"I know a fox is here somewhere," he heard Kiba say, running down the hall. He and Akamaru skidded to a stop. "Naruto!? What happened to you!?"

"Finally activated my bloodline," Naruto told him. He looked behind him. "Hey Shino, Hinata-chan... Something wrong, Hinata?"

Her face was bright red as she looked at him and was speaking slowly. "Naruto-kun...fox ears...those ears... They...are...so...KUWAI!" Naruto didn't have time to react, Hinata tackled him to the ground and started playing with his ears. "They are so soft! I love them, I love them, I love them!" Shino did nothing but stare at her and push his sunglasses back up his face. Kiba was gaping at the sight.

"Let her go, you dumb fox!"

Naruto took a moment to answer. "Why...is everyone...saying...I'm doing things...I'm not? Ah, right there, right there....Ah." Hinata grinned as she played with him. She blew in his ear and his whole body tensed while his ear twitched out of her fingers. "Uh, Hinata-chan, please don't do that again and get off me." She froze and slowly looked down at his face. Her face turned crimson before she fell limp. "Hinata? Kiba, Shino, can you help me, she passed out." They picked her up. "Thanks."

"I have been trying to figure out how to get her to like me and you do that in ten seconds," Kiba growled.

Naruto shrugged, "Its a curse I must live with now."

"Curse my ass!"

"Why would you want to curse your ass," Naruto asked him. He picked up the end of his tail and looked at Hinata. "Hinata? Hinata, are you going to wake up?" He began brushing her nose with it. "Hinata-chaaaaan." She moved her head a little and muttered about kuwai ears. "Wow, she is really out of it. Well, see ya around." He leg go of his tail and began to walk away. "Tail, tail, tail!" He turned around to find that Hinata had grabbed it in her sleep. He looked at Kiba. "Does she do this to Akamaru?"

"No."

"...I guess I am just unlucky." His ears twitched and he looked behind him. He saw Ino staring at him. "Ino...don't."

"...Look at his chest...and those ears... Is that Naruto... Must resist... Count back from ten. Ten, nine... Screw it. KUWAI!"

"Shino, incoming!" Kiba and Shino stepped away from Naruto before he was thrown back.

"My god, just feel his chest! And the ears!"

Kiba looked down at him, "Oh yeah, real unlucky, you bastard."

"Help, please... My ears..."

"Think we should," he asked Shino.

"...I believe Shikamaru would say it would be too troublesome." He walked away, Kiba followed after freeing Naruto's tail from Hinata and picked her up.

"Ino, get off me," Naruto told him. "Don't grab that!"

"What's wrong Naruto," she said somewhat seductively. "Don't like a girl running her hands over your chest?"

"We are in the hallway, you know."

"I see, you would prefer a bedroom then?" Naruto blushed deep red and started scrambling to get away. Ino fell to the ground and got up to see Naruto running on all fours down the hall.

"Come back, Kitsune-kun!" She got up and tried to follow him but quickly lost him. "Where did he go?" She looked around but didn't see him. "Oh where, oh where, has my little fox gone? Oh where, oh where, could he be?" Above her, Naruto was praying she didn't look up to see him pressing his arms and legs against the wall. She walked away and Naruto dropped down after five minutes.

"Thank Kami." He turned down a hall way and bumped into another girl. "Damn it."

She had buns in her hair and a slight blush on her face upon seeing his chest. "...Nice. But why did you just say damn it?"

"You aren't going to jump me, screaming 'Kuwai'?"

"The thought did enter my mind but no I won't."

"Cool. Save me."

"From what?"

"Hinata Hyuuga and Yamanaka Ino. Oh god, what if the proctor for this exam sees me... She is scary."

Tenten laughed. "That she is. What team are you in?"

"Seven."

"Ah, Kakashi's team. Your room is down the hall, second door on the right. And it has a lock. You still have three days so try to hang in there."

"You're a life saver, thank you." He ran down the hall and into the room.

Tenten chuckled, "Honestly, why did he hide his physique with that orange jumpsuit? He is so hot... Did I just say that?"

—oo000oo—

Kyuubi was furious! This was not supposed to be how it was! The vixen that obviously liked his host had just jumped on him, wanting to mate with him! And... And... And Kyuubi never realized that he felt what his host did. He swayed around a few times before falling to the ground, feeling his host get his ears rubbed.

—oo000oo—

It was noon when Naruto opened the door a little. He saw Iruka standing there. "Hey Naruto, how you feeling?"

Naruto opened the door, looked around to make sure it was safe and pulled his sensei into the room. "It is a mad house out there! I don't know what it is but Hinata and Ino are acting strange! They jumped me and rubbed my ears. A third girl almost did but she has better self control!"

"..." Iruka began to chuckle which turned into full blown laughter. "Wow, Naruto, a sex idol."

"Its not funny! I'm not safe out there!"

"Well, I can't help you with that. Here, a gift." He tossed a cloth wrapped object to him. "For killing the last werewolf."

Naruto pulled the cloth off and found a sword with a ring at the end of the handle. The hilt and sheath were bronze wrapped wood. He pulled it from the sheath and saw the name. "Shuurai? Why is it called Lightning Strike?"

"Don't know," Iruka told him. "It is said that it could call lightning to its will."

"Really? Then why give it to me?"

"Well, I am just giving you a sword. Several have tried to get that sword to do it but no one could."

"Too back..." He took a good look at it. It was a straight, double bladed Chinese bastard sword. Meant to be held in two hand or one. The hilt looked a little like an H in how it wrapped around the sheath and the handle. "Thank you, sensei."

"Now, you have to promise me that though you have it, you won't use it until you know how."

"I promise." He gave Iruka one of his real smiles. "I will only use the sword until I know how to."

"Good," Iruka told him. "Now, I know that my time as your sensei is over but how would you like me to show you the basics of swordsmanship?"

"That would be great."

—oo000oo—

"...Please say you are lying," Councilman Haruno stated. "Don't lie to us, Sarutobi."

Sarutobi jumped to his feet, faking his anger very well at being called a liar. He walked over to Haruno and looked slammed his hands down on his desk. "Look deep into my eyes and tell them what you see."

Haruno swallowed, in truth, he saw his death there. "I don't see you lying to us."

"The Kitsunes were coming to join, I can only guess that the Fourth kept it secret because they were a small clan that few people cared about."

"But... What of the jinchuuriki," Homura asked.

"You mean Minato's son," Sarutobi asked. "Though it pains me to say, he was lucky and died, taking the fox with him."

"The Yondiame used his own son," Hiashi asked, shocked.

"Who else would he have used? Your daughter? Sasuke? Sakura? Shikamaru? Ino, Choji, Shino, Kiba?" He just listed most of the children of the council members. "They are all of the right age. He could have asked any of you to do it. Instead, he looked to his own son to hold back a monster that is hell bent on destroying this village. And I am glad he didn't live to see the 'hero' treatment that his father asked for. I only regret that Naruto was mistaken as him."

They were silent for the longest time. "...How can we make this up to him," Haruno had the nerve to ask.

"You want to make it up, Haruno," Inoichi asked. "When you said you would handle the situation in the first place? Look how that ended. The last member of a clan that never fully was inducted into Konoha was treated like a monster."

"If I had only know, I would have handled it differently!"

"We shouldn't have had to handle it differently," Hiashi stated. He felt bile rising in his throat. "Our Fourth Hokage asked that we treat his son like a hero. While the boy may have died, we didn't know that. And we treated Naruto like hell, knowing what the Fourth wanted. And now that his real heritage has been revealed, not only can he revoke his position as a ninja of the Leaf, he can leave Leaf all together and we couldn't stop him. Even the ninja families have signed an agreement. We never did that with Naruto as we all thought his family did."

Danzou sighed, "We could always not tell him." Everyone looked at him like he was stupid. "Just a thought."

"Actually, his suggestion has merit," Koharu stated. "Naruto does not know so why tell him?"

"We don't have to," Sarutobi told them. "He already knows, at least him being of a clan that came not long before the attack. More over, even if he didn't, I would tell him anyway."

"Are you trying to cost us a Kekkei Genkai," Danzou asked.

"No. But he has had enough hell in his life. And you want to force him to work for a village that he owes nothing? That owes him. No, I have sat on my hand for far too long concerning Naruto. I am going to make amends and if Naruto decides to leave, that is his choice. I hope he doesn't but... Well, it is nothing we can change."

"How did Uzumaki, er, Kitsune... How did Naruto even find out," Shikaku asked.

"Iruka brought him to me, thinking Naruto was very sick. I recognized it for what it was when I saw it and it slipped. The Kitsune are supposed to be dead so you can imagine my surprise when one is laid on my desk."

"Wait, wait, we are getting ahead of ourselves," Haruno said. "What if this is just the fox's doing? We could be talking about this over nothing."

Sarutobi sighed even though he expected this. "You do have a valid point. But then that means he is the son of the Fourth." They paled at that. "Which is even worst, but that matters not right now. If Naruto is the son of the Fourth and the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko, then he will have a seal on his body when he channels chakra. If not, he will nothing. Either way, he is owed reparation for what was done."

"...He does look a lot like the Fourth," Shibi stated. "Maybe we should have guessed that he was related before hand so we wouldn't even be having this discussion." Sarutobi smirked, in more ways than one, he was right.

"When can we get him to show us," Chouza asked.

"We don't have to," Sarutobi told them. "In changing, he has grown a considerable amount. He can no long wear his shirts and has his jacket unzipped. He tore the sleeves off and changed his pants to shorts to fit better. All we have to do is watch his match in the third exam, or prelims if we have any, and we will know."

Several of them nodded, relieved that they wouldn't have to talk to him and worsen their position with him. "What would be fair compensation," Danzou asked.

"What should have been his," the Hokage said. "Minato had a home, I have had genin do D missions to keep it clean while I searched it for scrolls and such that may hold jutsu. I have found several but none of the power or skill of the Rasengan or Hiroshin. The only reference of those were the note that he wouldn't write them down. He only trusted them to people close to him."

"...That is fair," Hiashi stated. "A real home and some jutsu scrolls. But I purpose that he only receives them if he stays. He is welcome the house but jutsus belong to ninja."

"Agreed," Sarutobi told him. "Naruto will be allowed to stay in Konoha no matter what. If he decides to stay a ninja, he will have access to the scrolls. If not, they will be split among the clans to which ever can best use them. Should he leave, though?"

Inoichi shrugged, "Pay him enough money to keep his feet for a bit. But not enough to give him a big head so that he will be worst off than before when it is gone." Many there nodded that it was more than fair, that it was the right thing to do.

"Settled then," Sarutobi said, sitting back down. "I am glad that we didn't have to argue over this. Like everything else in the village."

"Complaining, Hokage-sama," Inoichi asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, I am. I am too damn old for this shit. One of you young ninja should be going blind because of paperwork, not me!"

The was a collective hell no in response.

—oo000oo—

Naruto fell asleep that night and dreamed he was in a fox den. And that he was an eight foot tall humanoid fox. "Hello," he called, scaring himself with his voice.

"About time my prison warden came for a visit." Naruto spun around and saw a fox with nine tails. "Hello kit." He began to laugh like he said the funniest thing in the world. "So how do you like being a demon?"

"...Did you have girls jumping on you to rub your ears?"

"The few times I changed into a human, yes. Feels good, doesn't it?"

"It does. You know, I expected you to talk down to me or something like that."

"I talk down to humans," Kyuubi corrected.

Naruto sat down and sighed, "Which I no longer am."

"Correct. Because of me, you are a full blooded Kitsunethrope."

"A what?"

"It is the technical term for werefox."

"Just how many were-animals are there?"

"Bears, ravens, wolves, foxes, sea lion, tiger, raccoon-dog, jackals, cougar, leopards, panda..."

"I think I understand, a lot," Naruto stated. "What does this mean for me though?"

"Metal aside from silver will not harm you. You will regenerate any wound so long as your head is intact. After that first night, you can change when you want."

Naruto rubbed his muzzle for a few minutes. "That would have been handy against Haku. And those drunks when I was younger."

"Too true, kit. So..."

"So."

"...Which one do you like rubbing your ears the most," Kyuubi asked with a sly grin.

Naruto blushed under his fur. "...Hinata, definitely Hinata, she does it softer."

—oo000oo—

Naruto had climbed up the wall to watch the matches. Because he swore that Anko was looking him up and down. Not to mention it was crowded on the balcony with the Council there watching. He didn't doubt that one of the girls would use it as an excuse to grab him, and his ears, the main target. No matter what Kiba said, he was truly cursed now. "Uzumaki Naruto and Tenten." Naruto jumped down and entered a fighting stance. His necklace was gone now as he didn't want to land on it wrong and kill himself.

Tenten jumped over the edge and looked at Naruto. "This is so unfair. You better not try to look cute at me!"

"I wouldn't dare," Naruto told her. Before he made his eyes water, an ear bend, and whimpered a little. Tenten tried hard to fight it while wanting to be mad at him for it as well. It just wasn't working so well for her.

"I said don't try to be cute!"

"Am I trying? Or doing?" Up on the balcony, Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru were laughing so hard that they fell over. Naruto didn't even have to use a jutsu and he could win right now.

Tsume found it hard to fight herself. "That should be a forbidden jutsu."

"We have found a new spy," Hiashi stated.

Over with Team Gai, Lee couldn't decide if this was fair or not. "Gai-sensei, is that in the springtime of youth?"

He didn't answer for a moment. "It is the sneakiest thing I have ever seen, Lee. But it is only the use of his natural abilities to their fullest. We both should strive until we can think of creative ways like that to beat opponent!" He pumped his fist into the air as he finished.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!" Their unbreakable genjutsu began to form but was stopped when someone tapped them on the shoulder.

"Uh, not to bother your little moment," Naruto said to them, crouching on the railing. "But you are interrupting the match." Many were looking at where he was to where he is. Naruto leaned back and flipped before landing on the ground. "Ready, Tenten?"

"And willing!"

Gekkou raised a hand and dropped it, "Begin!"

Tenten began by throwing several kunai at vitals. Naruto, wanting to test just how well his body functioned now, moved his arms to block them. He felt a sting where they hit but nothing else. "Well that wasn't much of a match," Tenten told them. "With those there, you won't be able to use your hands."

"Actually, I can," Naruto told her. With a grin, he pulled them out and showed her. The wound closed as soon as it was free to. The ones on his other arm were slowly being pushed out. They clattered to the floor, shattering the silence.

"Holy shit!" Everyone looked at the speaker, Aburame Shibi. It was the most logical thing he could think of saying. Here was a boy with a Kekkei Genkai that any village would sell their soul for and Naruto was about to show it off to the world before making his decision about staying or going.

"Cunning child," Shukaku told his friends having come to the same conclusion.

Back in the arena, Tenten had dropped her arms, not believe that Naruto could do that. Her jaw worked for a moment to say something but nothing came out. She did the only thing she could. "Dragon Twister!" This was supposed to be her ace in the hole, a true jutsu. She summoned all of her weapons at once, not one at a time at a high speed, and threw them all in a wall of blades. Naruto dropped his jaw, threw his arms up to cover his head, and wrapped his tail around them for more protection. And prayed that it was thick enough. The sound of metal hitting the floor and flesh was heard after that. Naruto was a pin cushion. Sarutobi dropped his jaw at all the blood freely flowing from Naruto's still body. He still stood but with kunai even in his heart, he knew he had died. His arms then fell to his side, and his tail back behind him. His eye was twitching, the only movement left in him.

"Damn..." Sasuke said, kind of saddened. Naruto survived all they had done only to die here because a girl panicked.

"Winner by..."

"Ow..." Naruto wheezed. He reached up and began to pull weapons out of his body. "That...hurt...a lot."

"Not possible," Hiashi muttered. "He should be dead... It just isn't possible." Haruno looked like he was going to be sick at the thought of this ability getting in the hands of another village. All of a sudden, Hinata passed out from a nosebleed. "Huh? What caused her to do that?" He looked at Naruto as he finished pulling out all the knives, shuriken, swords, and other blades. His clothes weren't even rags anymore, and they hid nothing. "...Well shit."

"No way is that normal," Kiba shouted.

Confused, Naruto looked down at what he pointed at. His arms and tail then shot down to cover himself. "Uh, can I get some pants?"

"...Winner by knockout, Uzumaki Naruto." Everyone looked at Tenten who's shirt was now stain red with blood from her nose, as well as on the ground in a similar state as Hinata. "Good thing he didn't hit her with that, it would have killed her," Hayate muttered.

When he was proclaimed the winner, Naruto ran out and began his search for clothes. Up on the balcony, Sarutobi realized that he didn't even use enough chakra for them to be certain that the seal wasn't there. "...We'll have him demonstrate to us later."

"How," Tsume asked. "Each and every councilwoman won't be able to look at him from now on! Just look at the female jonin!" He did and saw they were all frozen excepted Anko. She shook herself and took on a look of lust. "Anko, don't you dare!"

"But...he... By law he is an adult!" Sarutobi sighed and decided to tell Naruto what slot he was in when he talked to the council.

—oo000oo—

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are called in front of this council to answer a few questions," Koharu said, a slight blush on her wizened face. She could not believe a child was making her feel this.

"As a Leaf shinobi, I am honored to," Naruto replied.

"First, we would like you to channel chakra," Homura told him. "This is to see if there is any effects by it." They were grateful that he had recreated his attire from the match. To have him strip for it would have been too much for some of them.

Naruto nodded and channeled enough chakra to use the use the tree climbing exercise. "Is this enough?"

"More please, say for a hundred Kage Bunshin," Danzou told him. "You are familiar with that jutsu, correct?"

"Of course, sir, it is my favorite." He drew the chakra out and had it dancing along his skin. Still no seal. "I can go more if you would like."

"No, that is fine," Sarutobi told him. "What else would the council like to ask?"

Shukaku stood. "What caused it to activate?"

"I was thrown from my team by a gust of wind. I came to realize later that it was an attack. I was thrown deeper into the forest where a wolf like creature attacked me. Nothing I did to it slowed it. It attacked me and I knew I was going to die. Then my wounds began to heal. It bit me, trying to tear me apart and I sort of lost it. I found myself growing bigger and became something like a werewolf. But I had a bushy tails that was yellow and I was slimmer. Like a fox. I grabbed it by the jaws and tore the top of its head off. And... I wish not to remember the rest of the night until the Old Man...the Hokage helped me."

"You changed into fox," Hiashi asked, making sure he heard him right.

"No... It was like a fox...but stood on two legs and was over eight feet tall. I still had my hands but they were claws instead. Please, enough about that."

"Just one more thing, Naruto," Tsume asked him. "Is that why we found you with four extra scrolls?" Naruto was shaking by then, remembering the taste of the blood. "Never mind, I think we got our answer. Put it out of your mind...if you can."

"Do you know of any other ability," Shibi asked.

"No, just that I heal damage and that I change into that thing."

"I think we are forgetting the most important question here," Danzou told them. "Do you regret what you did to get those scrolls?" A simple enough question, an answer that told a great deal. Was Naruto a monster, being the fore most.

"...More than you can imagine," Naruto said, hearing the screams again. He wrapped his arms around his body, feeling really cold right then.

"That is enough," Sarutobi told him. "Your match is first, Naruto, with Kiba."

"Who all passed?"

"Hyuuga Neji, Sabaku no Gaara and Kankuro, Sasuke, Kiba, you, Shikamaru, and Choji."

"None of the girls?"

"They were preoccupied," Hiashi told him. Inoichi and Haruno both dropped their heads into their hands at how their daughters were disqualified for not being able to get down to the arena. "May I ask... You know, never mind. I am suggesting you get armored boxers or something if you don't want that to happen again."

Tsume was blushing, "Please do."

Naruto looked around and realized that all of the women were blushing. "What, its not like any other guy doesn't have one. I'm sure the councilmen have to rival that...right?" No one answered. "Hot damn... You mean I am..."

"I will put to you straight, Naruto," Sarutobi told him. "Down there, you are not fox or human, you are a horse."

"Still not big enough," someone muttered.

"Anyway, Naruto, this has established that you are a member of a clan that never signed an agreement to join Konoha. Which means that you can quit being a ninja or leave Konoha if you wanted and no one could stop you."

Naruto was surprised by that. "...Nani?"

"You can leave, quit, or stay," Sarutobi told him. The choice is up to up."

"No... No more being a ninja for Konoha? Or having to be insulted all the time? I can just pack up and go, just like that."

"We won't stop you, we couldn't stop you," Danzou said with a sigh of regret. "What could we do, threaten to kill you if you didn't stay?"

"Well, I wish you hadn't put it that way," Naruto told him. "...I don't want to sound like a materialistic weasel but what would I get out of any of them?"

"You stay, no matter what, you get a better home," Hiashi told him. "If you stay as a ninja, you get some of the scrolls of the Fourth as well." Naruto's eyes were the size of dinner plates at that. "If you leave...You could pretty much have the world offered to you. I won't lie, you are exactly what every ninja village is looking in a nin. Determined, strong and the desire to be stronger, and, most importantly, unstoppable. You can't be killed, and when you fight, you fight to the death. Your Kekkei Genkai, for what little it does, is the most powerful I have ever heard of..." That took a lot for him to admit. Naruto never thought about leaving before. Despite the bad treatment, he loved Konoha. He loved Iruka. He loved Ayame-neesan and Teuchi-san. He loved the time he spent with the Old Man. And when he did a mission with his team...even if they weren't much of a team after the mission. No, leaving was not an option. But no reason to let them think that.

"...I cannot decide," he told them. "All of them have something desirable about it. So, I propose this, I wait until after the Chunin exam to make my final decision." He was about to be interrupted but he continued. "I live in the home you were going to give me, without the scrolls. Except maybe one or two to catch my interest. Fair?"

Sarutobi frowned, "It is."

"But... You have to let someone of those coming know that I am able to go to their village as well. I want to be fair in this." He was enjoying the tormented looks on their faces. Maybe it wasn't so bad to be a fox demon after all, it was a license to prank. Then, afterwards, I give my decision to the council and to any ninja or country that is interested. If that is alright by this council, of course. If not, I can give an answer now." The way he said it, told them he would take what they would in his situation.

"We will wait," Danzou told him. "You show a rough but good hand at politics, Uzumaki. Maybe you wouldn't be a bad choice for Hokage after all."

He smiled before saying, "And give up pranks? No. Well, maybe not yet. Is there any other question this council has?"

Sarutobi felt disappointed in Naruto but understood his decision. As far as he knew, he had no reason to stay. "No, we do not. Train hard during this month, Naruto. I expect a teal match coming up."

"And you will get it, Hokage-sama," Naruto said before bowing to him. When he straightened, he winked at Sarutobi and he understood it all right then and there. Naruto wanted them to sweat over nothing. But what Sarutobi realized and Naruto didn't was that someone just might make him want to leave, especially if the villagers didn't stop treating him poorly.

"We have a big problem," he said when Naruto was gone. Outside, Naruto heard him speaking. "I don't need to ask what each of you would have chosen right. You all, as well as myself, in his shoes would have said right off, I'm leaving. So we have a chance to keep him here. I am going to ruin Naruto's fun, he has no plan of leaving. He may quit being a ninja, but he won't leave his home."

"Then how do we have a problem," Hiashi asked.

"Baki," Haruno stated. "He saw it, he is going to tell everyone he can that he saw a boy get almost get cut to pieces and all that happened was he pulled them out. As soon as word also gets out that Naruto is able to leave the Hidden Leaf, they will come by the dozens."

"...Naruto my have no intention of leaving," Shikaku said, "but minds changed when there is enough reason. Forget dozens, every hidden village and even countries without a hidden village will come to talk to him. And all we have to offer to him is our apologies and a house. Can you imagine if they are able to breed his Kekkei Genkai!? An army of unstoppable ninja, all with his balance, speed, and endurance. Hokage-sama, maybe it would be better if we..."

"You better not be thinking what I think you are," Sarutobi told him. "Naruto is the most noble soul in this village just put in bad circumstances. I will not put him in prison if he chooses not to stay."

Naruto widened his eyes until he thought they would fall out of his head, and backed up. He tripped and hit the floor with a thump. The door was thrown open and Naruto was there, looking at Sarutobi with fear. He started to kick his feet to push himself away from him, got turned around, and started running. Not three feet away, he changed into a werefox and jumped through a window. "What have we done," Sarutobi whispered, watching the yellow fox run quickly out of site.

—oo000oo—

Naruto didn't know how long he ran. He didn't even know where he was. All he could think of was getting away from there. "It was just a prank... I wasn't going to leave! It was just a prank!" He knew he didn't hear all of it but hearing the Old Man say 'I will...put him in prison...not stay' scared him. The man he trusted almost more than Iruka-sensei was going to put him in prison if he tried to leave. It must have been days by now, every muscle burned, and he wanted almost nothing more than to rest. He finally collapsed from exhaustion and fell. He didn't even realize that he had made it to a village until, in his rolling, he knocked several people over. When he stopped, he just laid there, tears coming from his yellow eyes.

People were scared, thinking that he was a demon that came to attack them. But Naruto didn't do anything, too tired to move, too scared to sleep. Finally, he saw someone move a little closer. He tried to move back, thinking this people might want to betray him as well in his tired mind. "...Its a ninja," he heard the person say. "It is okay so, just drop the henge and we will take care of you." Naruto didn't move for a moment but he nodded. He turned back into his demon hybrid and and laid there, tears now viewable without his fur. "What happened?"

"...He was going to betray me... He took care of me and he was going to lock me away in prison. I didn't do anything bad and he..."

"You're from leaf, right? We will send word..."

"NO! They are the ones that betrayed me! I was being given the potion to leave or stay, and I wanted them to sweat over nothing... And the Hokage said he would put me in prison if I left."

The man nodded and picked Naruto up and held him close. "It's alright son. You don't have to go back, you can stay here. There is a temple that you will be safe at. There is even a girl there your age that you can play with and protect if you want."

"...What's her name?"

"Shion. She is the Head Priestess daughter."

"Where am I?"

"The Land of Demons."

—oo000oo—

Author Notes: Another filler story while I work on the next chapters of my main stories. What do you think? Where should I take this? You know, when I put, 'The Land of Demons' there, I knew that was where I had to stop it. You just don't get a better stopping point. And it is ironic, a demon living in the Land of Demons. What could be better? Tell me what you think, I want to here it before this break from my mains is over.