The Daughter of Kurama (Rewrite)

Chapter 8- Etsuko's Lament

Kakashi and I are taking a small break at a place called Midori tea house that sells dango and tea. These things had a variety of flavors, such as green tea, cherry blossom, and plain. The green tea was the green mochi ball, the cherry blossom pink, and plain was white. They had four, one has just three of on flavor, while another had one of each. I asked for the one that had all three and I'm munching on them right now with Kakashi just drinking some green tea. I asked for water.

Too bad Kakashi wanted to pay, even though I said that I could pay with the money I have right now. He said I needed that money for the bills and my food and cloths. He didn't take no as an answer and before I could protest further, he already paid.

I have memorized a bit more than half of the area we have explored, with me memorizing a few landmarks to get where I want to go.  And I learned that the only way from me to remember directions was from landmarks. So yeah, I remember where the civilian market is, we passed the ramen place Naruto goes by a lot, the barbecue place team 11 goes to, a few clothing stores, and we visit a Inuzuka vet clinic. One of Kakashi's things on his shopping list was apparently to get more dog treats there.

Apparently his niken love them. The clinic also sold dog food, it was a bit more expensive then the civilian market's but Inuzuka are literal dog whisperers so it was only common sense that they had better quality food for dogs. I'm going to come back here later and buy some dog food for the stray dogs. I blink as I look at the rows of food, treats, and medications.

I always had a soft spot for dogs or animals in general. Animals did not judge you, they love you and most were loyal to you. Birds saw you as part of a flock, Dogs a pack, Cats a friend, basically they consider you a part of their family.

Sure in the wild their is an order to be kept and mother nature is brutal but their is a hidden sweet spot. Any animal would protect their own, whether if its during pregnancy or raising their child. It is shown that many animals comprehend what death is and mourn for a fallen brethren. They feel sadness when one is separated from its family when the time isn't close. It is shown in dogs, horses, monkey's, elephants, whales, dolphins, etc.

It is this love and devotion that had led a dear friend to their death. A stray dog that I would feed and play with when I was six, she looked like a mix of a schnauzer and a golden retriever and something else. But she was the sweetest thing and the only one who would play with me.

I remember wanting to give her a name and going through the computer in the school library, trying to find a good name that signified how much she meant to me. Dawn, the light that pierces through the darkness of the night. For she was my light, my everything.

I knew her for two years, ever since I moved to the school. She was my escape to when the abuse was too much for me to handle. Before I even thought about running away. She was my safehouse, my warmth, and she always made things feel like they would get better.

We would play for hours, either chasing each other, playing fetch, or just to curled up in each other's warmth. She followed me wherever I went, she is probably the only one I can confidently say she was my friend.

She growled at strangers that got too close to me and would chase away the ducks, anything to keep me safe.

Until one fateful day, she tried to protect me from a gang of older kids who were trying to drown me in a lake. They wanted to see if me being a demon meant that I couldn't drown. It was late, so late that the moon was up and there were no guards watching over the park. I tried to kick, to struggle, to scream, to live. But no one came. I was sure I was going to die that day but she came, she heard my call.

She snarled and bite them, scaring them off. I was saved by her, she was my hero. Only for the next day for her to be shot down, a bullet lodged in her skull for being a violent animal attacking five innocent kids.