“Don’t move.”
Kiba whispered the words to himself, heart pounding in his chest. He knelt in the bushes, eyes focused on the enemy nin moving beyond the foliage. The scroll he’d stolen from Kiri sat heavy in the storage seal he had hidden on a leather wrist cuff, and his sharpened nails dug into his palms from where he clenched his hands. He had to stay still. He couldn’t move. If he moved, the enemy would find him, and he’d fail his mission. He could’t fail. This scroll was essential to Konoha. It held information about an attack Kiri planned to launch against the Hidden Leaf, an attack that if it succeeded would launch the start of another war. Konoha hadn’t known the mission would turn out this important, it was why he’d been sent alone. They couldn’t spare the extra men at this moment, had thought it would at the most be a higher C-Rank mission. This wasn’t C-Rank.
It was S-Rank.
“Don’t move.” He whispered again.
He couldn’t fail. He couldn’t. If he did…everyone back home…Sensei, Hinata, Shino…his clan, Ma and Hana and all the others…they all be hurt. Might even die. He refused to let that happen. He’d rip out his own throat before he let himself fail. So he could’t be found. Couldn’t be caught. That meant one thing.
‘Don’t move.’ A voice whispered in the back of his head. It sounded like Shino. ‘Stay still and don’t move. You cannot fail this mission. Konoha is depending on you. Do. Not. Move.’
Then he saw Akamaru. He’d been separated from his partner an hour ago, had sent his partner on ahead to warn Konoha and maybe bring reinforcements. But now they had him. The Kiri nin had him muzzled and wrapped in chains, were dragging him towards a cage. They laughed. Sneered and joked, talked about using him for target practice.
Kiba’s blood ran cold.
Akamaru. His partner. His best friend. His brother. He couldn’t let them hurt him.
‘Don’t move.’ Shino’s voice whispered desperately.
He moved.
“Don’t move.” Kiba whispered hoarsely. “Please don’t move, bud. You’ll make it worse.”
They’d both been caught. Akamaru was tied down tightly to the floor, snout muzzled and left completely immobile. He was tied up too, legs bound together, ankle to ankle and thigh to calf. His arms were tied tightly behind his back, arms bent and bound wrist to elbow. A collar that also suppressed his chakra was wrapped around his neck, miniature spikes laid along the inside cutting into his neck, a simple, short length of rope connecting floor to collar that forced him into a harsh bend. The rope was the worst part of the collar. In a normal situation, he would be able to pull and rip himself free. But the spikes prevented that. If he tried, he’d slit his throat on the spikes. (The spikes also sucked, even when he wasn’t actively struggling, they dug into his throat, left his bleeding and gasping past the pain.)
But that wasn’t the worst part.
The worst part was the muzzle.
They’d forced it on him after he’d managed to dig his fangs into the bastard’s throat and rip it out, had forced him down with a grip to the back of his neck and strapped the damned thing around his head. (He’d lost his hitae-ate somewhere in the struggle. He tried not to think about how much the loss hurt.) It allowed him to talk, to mumble out words past a too-small blockade that caused pain and soreness. But that was all.
(They’d laughed as they’d done it. Sneered, called him an “Inuzuka dog”, cheered about “putting him in his proper place”, relegated him to “animal” and “beast” in their minds. Called him a “mongrel” claimed he “looked like a proper wild mutt, muzzled and bound where he belonged. They’d tried to make him feel less human.)
(He forced himself to pretend that they hadn’t succeeded, just a little bit.)
But he wasn’t worried about himself. He was worried about Akamaru. His partner (best friend, family, brother in all but blood) had a gash that went down the length of his side. He was bleeding sluggishly from it, but ever movement risked aggravating the wound further. That meant he could bleed out.
“Please don’t move.” The Inuzuka whispered hoarsely. “Just hold on. They’ll come for us, bud. They won’t leave us to die.”
(They would. Kiba knew they would. This was just supposed to be C-Rank. That’d mean there was very little political weight behind this. They’d mark him off as just another casualty.)
(Another failed mission.)
“We’ll be fine, Akamaru. Just don’t move.” He whispered one last time.
He ignored that he shouldn’t move either, that if he did, if he even twisted too much the collar could rip out his throat.
“They’ll come for us. We’ll finish the mission. Then we’ll go home, eat with Ma and Sis and their mutts. Train with Sensei and the rest of our pack. We’ll be fine. Just…don’t move. We can’t move. Please.”
(He ignored the part of his mind that sneered at the promise. That said they’d die here. He refused to acknowledge that that might be right.)
‘Don’t move.’ a voice whispered in his mind.
This time, it sounded like Kurenai-sensei.
They were back. They were laughing and jeering again, lips pulled back to sneer at the Inuzuka and his partner. Kiba force himself to say nothing, to just glare furiously and bare his teeth past the muzzle.
“Awe, look boys, the little dog’s trying to be scary!” one of them sneered. The nin strode forward, then lifted a foot and stepped on the back of the teen’s neck, forcing the spikes deeper into the skin as he pushed the him to the floor. “There,’ the man cooed mockingly. “That’s where the Konoha dog belongs, at our feet like the weak, worthless little beast he is!”
The others laughed at the taunt, and Kiba only snarled. He hated when they only laughed harder at that, like he’d just proved them right.
He probably had.
The nin smirked down at him, Kiba’s head forced into a harsh twist that ripped his neck open more, made blood start to run freely, so he could meet the eyes of his captor. Averting eyes was a sign of submission. He was Inuzuka, he refused to submit to the likes of these freaks.
“Listen up, mutt.” The man tilted his head. “you took something from us. Something we need to get back. If you’re a good little puppy, maybe we’ll take pity on you and your furry friend there and make this quick.” He smirked, expression darkening. “Maybe.”
Kiba just bared his teeth further, clawed hands flexing in their binds. Never. He’d never submit.
“Go to hell, bastard!”
The Kiri nin chuckled, the sound dark and promising pain. “Oh, mutt. You’re going to wish you hadn’t said that.”
He nodded at the two others that had come in with him, keeping his food pressed harshly to the Inuzuka’s neck to keep him forced down. The other two nin walked over to Kiba’s partner, malicious grins coloring their faces, one of them twirling a kunai around a finger. Kiba froze as he realized what they were planning, eyes widened. His head was twisted in just he right direction that he’d be forced to watch. Not that he’d look away anyway, Akamaru deserved that much, at least.
“Last chance, mutt.”
“Go fuck yourself, asshole!”
The man above him shrugged, then smirked. “Don’t move, little puppy.” He sneered. “Every move you make is just going to be another hurt for he pooch, so be a good dog and stay.”
Kiba swallowed harshly, his eyes locking with his partner’s. Even as the enemy nin descended, Kiba saw his own resolve reflected in Akamaru’s gaze. No matter what happened, no matter what these bastards did to his friend…he wouldn’t break. He couldn’t. Akamaru wouldn’t even let him.
That didn’t mean he'd make it harder on the overgrown furball.
‘Don’t move.’ Hinata’s voice whispered from the depths of his mind.
They’d finally left. It had felt like hours, but the Kiri bastards were finally gone, and Akamaru…Akamaru was hurt.
Bad.
Kiba didn’t thing the dog was going tp bee making it home. His usually pale fur was more red than white now, stained with his blood as it pooled underneath him from his wounds. He was bleeding out, and if something wasn’t done soon, if he (they) weren’t saved in the next few minutes…then he wouldn’t survive.
Kiba felt dread settle into his gut at the thought. Akamaru was going to die here. His brother was going too die and there was nothing he could do about it.
That wasn’t right. It would never be right. An Inuzuka lived and died with their partner. Always.
Kiba grit his teeth, starting to shift, forcing sore muscles to move as he started to yank against the collar. He ignored it as it dug into his neck, ignored the blood that started to flow from the newly torn (and re-torn) skin, ignored the agony that ignited through him at his actions, ignored Akamaru’s weak whimpers to stop. He struggled, twisting and thrashing and yanking with as much strength as he had until finally, finally, the rope frayed and snapped, and Kiba fell forward with a hoarse cry. He forced himself up, then inched over to hos partner, movements slow and agonizing.
(‘Don’t move!’ his body had been screaming at him as he’d struggled. He’d viciously ignored it, forced himself to move. He had to, for Akamaru. Always for Akamaru. His partner (brother) would do the same for him.)
Finally, he’d worked his way to curl against his dog, head resting on one of the only area of fur that wasn’t bloodstained, one of the only areas that wasn’t injured. His heart clenched at the weak, pained whimper his friend released, swallowing.
“I’m sorry, bud. I’m so, so sorry.” He gasped out, eyes slipping shut as he fought back tears.
Akamaru was going to die here.
The thought made a sob build in Kiba’s throat, but he forced it down. Not here. He couldn’t show weakness here.
“It’ll be alright, Aka. You’ll see. S-Soon it won’t hurt anymore, yeah? You won’t have to worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ll complete the mission, and then maybe I’ll join you. How’s that sound, boy?”
After all, Inuzuka lived and died with their dogs.
He’d hold on. He’d force himself to. Would hold on until someone came for him (sommethig for which he lost hope with each passing day. Or was it hour? He couldn’t tell time, here. Everything just blurred together.) He’d hold on. If someone came, he’d get them the scroll. He’d have succeeded his mission. Then he could relax. And if no one came…if no one came, he’d hold out for as long as he could. He had to.
But for both outcomes, he needed to conserve energy. And stop losing blood. Which meant he had to keep still, meant he couldn’t let activity drain his energy or increase his blood loss. The wounds scab over in an hour or so, and then the blood loss would be less of a problem. But for now, he just had to stay still, and survive.
‘Don’t move.’ A voice snarled in his head.
It sounded like Ma.
Akamaru died an hour later. Kiba had spent the time whispering reassurances, rasping stories past the muzzle to soothe his partner, to ease him into sleep and make this as easy for the dog as it could. He didn’t was his friend to suffer. He didn’t want him to hurt. So, he’d distracted him, recounting some of their greatest adventures, not stopping even as his already taxed voice grew hoarse and raspy.
(“Hey, furball…remember when we met. It was that field in Konoha, out of the village proper, remember? Ma and Sis were there, Kuromaru and the Sis’s three mutts too. I thought I was alone at first, didn’t know they’d followed me. And when I got there, there you were. Remember that? Damn you were so tiny back then. I guess I was too. That was back before that stupid coat I used to wear. Kami, what was I even thinking with that thing? It wasn’t cool. It was hot. And sweaty. I always stunk so bad when I wore that thing, especially when I did anything physical. I think Iruka-sensei hated me for wearing it. Cause either that’s the reason he used to glare so much, or it was cause he was imagining himself burning the thing. Remember that, Aka? I was so stupid then…but not about you. I was so happy when Ma said you were gonna be my partner. Meeting you was the best day of my life bud…even if you did pee on my face. Seriously, though, what the hell? Some of it got in my mouth! It was disgusting! You can stop laughing, furball, shut up. Its not funny! God, why do I even love you, stupid mutt?”)
Kiba had rambled the whole time, trying to lift both their spirits…and it seemed to have worked. Akamaru had relaxed over the course of the hour, though then could have just been the blood loss. HE was thinking positive though, and preferred to think it was his storytelling.
An then it’d happened. After he’d finished recounting the story of the day that’d met, after his partner’s pained, wheezing laughter had faced…the dog had just given a soft, weak huff, taking a single, shuddering breath before he went still.
Kiba did sob this time, turning to bury his face into the bloodstained fur o his lifelong partner. He ignored the muzzle pressing further into his mouth and cheeks. He didn’t care. Not anymore.
Now, he just had one goal.
Stay alive until he was found by friendly faces, or die trying.
And that meant one thing: conserve his energy, don’t let himself bleed to death.
‘Don’t move.’ A voice almost whispered in his ear.
This time it was Sis.
Kiba faded, for a while. He was alive, he knew that much from the pain, from the feel of the ropes digging into his limbs and the muzzle on his face.
(From the smell of Akamaru’s body as the days past.)
His captors had given up on him or abandoned him. He knew cause they hadn’t been back in days. He could tell that cause Akamaru’s body had started to smell.
He didn’t have anything to do, could only focus on the resolute need to survive.
(So the mission wouldn’t be a failure, so what Konoha could be saved, so Akamaru’s death wouldn’t be for nothing.)
So he drifted, didn’t let himself focus on one thought. Let the hours and days blur together. Let a single reminder echo through his head, repeating over and over, two words he had to follow to stay alive so he could see his goal through.
‘Don’t move.’ Ma’s voice spat viciously.
‘Don’t move.’ Sis growled, low and crooning.
‘Don’t move.’ Kurenai-sensei voice drifted though him.
‘Don’t move.’ Hinata whispered, a tremble in her voice.
‘Don’t move.’ Shino murmured; the sound of his voice muffled as it always was.
‘Remember the mission. Remember the attack, remember Konoha. You cannot fail here.’ he reminded himself. ‘Remember what’s at stake. You cannot lose now. Not after everything.’
‘Don’t move.’ Kiba’s voice snarled.
‘Don’t move. Survive.’
When Kiba blinked to awareness, it was to the door of his cell flying off it’s hinges. He forced open heavy eyes, unsure how many days it had been, how long he’d been drifting in his thoughts. When his vision cleared, he was surprised to see Ma.
She looked stricken, eyes wide with a sort of horror, her nose no doubt immediately picking up on the scent of death. Beside her, Kuromaru bowed his head.
“Poor pup.” the black dog growled mournfully, voice low and thick.
Kiba wasn’t surprised. Despite the older dog’s gruff disposition, he knew that the one-eyed canine really had cared for his younger, white counterpart. However, his words seemed to shake Ma out of her stupor, cause in the next moment she was surging towards him eyes wide and frantic in a way he had never seen. Kuromaru was close behind her as she slid to her knees beside him.
“Oh, Kiba…” she whispered, trailing off, then swallowing thickly.
Her eyes trailed over him, only tp freeze, a snarl twisting her features as she saw the collar and muzzle. OF course. To an Inuzuka, there was no greater insult, no greater indignity than to be collared or muzzle like some common beast. Too have both happen…it was enough to make the mother’s blood boil in a violent, vengeful rage. She reached to rip them off, but Kuromaru’s jaws around her wrist, holding without breaking skin, stopped her.
When she stopped to look at him, indignation and anger and curiosity on her face demanding he tell her why he stopped her from helping her son, he just sighed.
“The collar’s dug in real tight to his neck, if ya take it off ya risk rippin’ open those wounds.” He growled gruffly. “Muzzle too. Looks like it’s diggin’ in real tight. Would be better to wait till we get to the medics, boss. Don’t want to kid dyin’ on us.”
Kiba blinked blearily, watching as Ma bristled for a moment, then heaved a sigh.
“Fine.” She agreed, then turned her attention to her son. Her expression pinched, and she reached out to touch what of his face wasn’t muzzled or buried in the fur of his dead partner. She smiled sadly as he leaned inn to the touch, biting her lip. “Oh, pup….” She whispered, the sound almost closer to a whimper.
Kiba struggled for a moment, then swallowed and looked up. “Ma.” he croaked. “Mission. I did it. Scroll is in a storage seal. Leather wrist cuff.” He rasped. “Please Ma. Important. Konoha. Attack.” He forced out.
Her saw her face twist in confusion at his words, then understanding dawned. She nodded, slipping a kunai from her pouch and leaning over his back to carefully cut him free off the ropes. She gently pulled his arms back in front of him, massaging to get the blood flow going once more before repeating the process for her legs. Once she was sure he was as comfortable as she could make him in these conditions, she lifted his wrist, spotting the cuff and gently pulling it off. A flare of chakra let her pull the scroll from the seal, and she unrolled it to see what her son was talking about. She only had to read a few lines before she understood.
Oh Kami, how had things turned out like this? This was supposed to be a simple C-Rank. Not on the level on an S-Rank mission. Akamaru wasn’t supposed to be dead. Her son wasn’t supposed too be dying.
(Because she knew he was. She had understood what Kuromaru had left unsaid. Her son was already on death’s door, and she knew that even if they got him to a medic-nin in tike…he might not recover regardless. It might be too late. And judging from his would….it was.
That was like a kunai to a gut. It was too late. She’d been too late to save her son. That hurt more than any wound or poison ever could.)
Kiba watched her roll the scroll back up and tuck it away, before turning her attention to her partner and muttering something to him. He padded off, probably to find whoever else had come in the rescue party. Once he was gone, she turned her attention to him. She smiled tightly, a hand running through his hair, smile turning painful and he pressed up in to her touch.
“You did good, pup. You completed the mission.” She whispered.
Kiba smiled slightly, sighing and closing his eyes. Good. That was good. He’d done it. Maybe now…
He opened his eyes, licking his lips. “Ma?” he croaked. “I…”
She smiled sadly as he trailed ff, shaking her head. “I know, pup. I know.” Se murmured, taking a deep breath before reaching for the collar again. “Let’s get this crap off you, alright? No Inuzuka is going to die collared and muzzled.” She whispered. She crushed the collar and broke it off his neck with a chakra enhanced grip, and reached for the muzzle to cut the straps, only to pause as another hand got there first.
Sis. She was kneeling on his other side, eyes grief-stricken as she used a kunai to cut away the muzzle from his face. He hadn’t even noticed her come in. Neither had Ma, from the look of it.
Sis smiled as his gaze slowly turned to her, the expression pained and sorrowful. “No baby brother of mine is going to die like a beast being put down.” She said, voice surprisingly fierce despite the thickness to it that suggested tears.
Kiba managed a weak grin, ignoring the painful pull the expression caused. “Thanks, Sis.” He whispered. He glanced to the door as he heard footsteps, blinking slowly as he saw his team. Kurenai-sensei. Hinata. Shino. They were all here. Good. That meant his pack was here. He was glad. He hadn’t wanted to die alone. He smiled weakly as the three in the door froze, then seemed to realize the truth of the situation and walked over. They kneeled around him, an expression of grief marring Kurenai-sensei’s face, and Hinata was already crying softly. It was harder to tell with Shino, since he kept his face mostly covered, but Kiba could tell from the shaking in his shoulders that the other teen was fighting back his own tears.
Kiba swallowed thickly, looking at those around him. His family. His pack. The people he cared about most in the world. They all looked so upset…he didn’t like that.
“Sensei…” he rasped, smiling weakly as her gaze snapped to his. “I’m sorry I’m gonna be missing training from now now…but at least I have a good excuse this time, right?” he tried to joke weakly. “Thank…for everything…Sensei…” he whispered. Her expression pinched, as if unsure whether to laugh at his poor attempt at a joke, to cry, or to yell at him. He took that as a win.
“Shino…” he licked his lips weakly. “Try not to be too much of a downer, yeah? Things…ain’t as bad….as you think they are. Your bugs…they’re cool, dumbass.” He smirked, looking triumphant as the other boy almost startled back. Good. Maybe that would at least get him thinking. Hopefully. His teammate really needed to get his head out of his ass.
“Hinata….you’re gonna be great, alright? Don’t worry so much…things’re gonna be fine…you’ll become an amazing kunoichi, I know it….don’t listen to anyone who tells you anything different…” he forced out.
He shuddered, swallowing and turning his gaze to his sister. “Sis…thanks for not drowning me when I was a kid…I know I was a brat…” he said, giving a weak, toothy grin as she snorted in laughter past a bitten back sob.
Last one.
“Ma…” he whispered, turning his gaze to her. He had so much he wanted to say to her, but….he didn’t have the strength. He swallowed, meeting her gaze. “’M sorry I couldn’t be better. I love you.” He forced out weakly, eyes already starting to drift shut after the last word.
“All of you. Love…all of you.” He choked out, smiling at the choked responses he got from his teammates, the thick “Love you too, baby brother.” from his sister.
His lowering eyelids flickered open when he felt something press to his forehead. His hitae-ate. Sis was tying it around his forehead. She gave him a watery smile as his eyes began t slip shut once more, He didn’t have the energy to think her, but he was grateful. He had his hitae-ate back. He’s die as a Konnoha nin, his mission not failed. He could die knowing that. He was glad.
Ma shuddered, bowing her head to his brow and kissing his forehead. Huh. She hadn’t done that in years. He smiled weakly despite himself as his eyes drifted shut. “Oh, pup…my precious pup…” she whispered hoarsely. “You never needed to be better. You were always perfect…” she shuddered. “I love you too, my perfect, precious pup. You rest now. You don’t have to worry anymore, my pup. I promise.” She rasped, and he smiled weakly despite himself. Good. He’d done it. He exhaled slowly, slowly relaxing.
His chest went still.
(The rescue team returned to Konoha with two bodies to bury and a scroll to deliver to the Hokage. With the information Kiba had managed to get, Konoha stopped the Kiri attack. Another war was avoided.
Inuzuka Kiba became known as a hero, his name engraved on the memorial stone and he became known as the Wolf, the Shinobi responsible for stopping a war before it could even come to pass, a fierce defender of Konoha, who achieved greatness without even becoming Jounin, who represented the Will of Fire in all the best ways. His name became known for years, his story told in equal parts awe and tragedy.)
(Years later, and Uzamaki Naruto became Hokage. He made it mandatory for the Academy to teach the great heroes of the many wars as part of the history curriculum.
Inuzuka Kiba was on that list.)
(Kiba became a legend in the Inuzuka Clan, in the generations that followed. Parents told their children his story to remind them of one of the greatest shinobi of the Inuzuka Clan. A Chunin sent on a C-Rank mission, who successfully completed it even when it turned out to be S-Rank. He became the example Inuzuka children aspired to live up to.
He inspired young Inuzuka shinobi for generations, until his tale was forgotten to time.)
(As for Kiba himself, he spent his eternity in the Pure Lands. He spent hours, running through the endless forests of the afterlife with Akamaru at his side, yelling his joy to the sky. He spent many an afternoon sleeping under the sun, curled into his partner’s side.
And when the day came that his pack came to join him in the Pure Lands, he greeted them with a laugh, a grin, and a hug.
Inuzuka Kiba knew peace, and though he regretted that he hadn’t been able to fight alongside them, he’d been so proud to see them grow into the shinobi he’d known they could be.
And for the first time since Kiba had joined the Academy and been given all the responsibilities that came with it, for the first time since Ma had told him she expected him to one day beat her and claim the position of Clan Head….
Kiba knew freedom.)