Beast Tamers

Aftermath (1)

When Sai and Shino find Lord Naruto again, he has the Four-Tails by the neck, his other arm deep into the old man's stomach, forcing a seal.

Naruto spares them a glance, his features still sharp and angry. He lays eyes on Ino's body, cradled into Sai's arms.

"We are leaving as soon as we're done with this."

His retinue nods in affirmation and the Four-Tails groans as Naruto forces his way inside the man. His chakra flows freely and whenever there is a stop he injects more chakra, without a care for the consequences the man will suffer as a result.

The Two-Tails is giving orders to her people beside him and the moment Naruto takes his arm out, his fingers still infused with energy, the woman comes closer.

"Everything all right?"

Naruto lets the man fall to its knees and then to the ground. Unresponsive. "He's a dead man already, but his body will last until you can find a new vessel at least."

The Two-Tails gives him a look. "Until we-?"

"I'm going back," he glances around, eyeing the destruction they brought to the place, "right now, I have a bad feeling."

"Sure, we can lend you our fastest-"

"Thanks, but we'll be faster on our own."

The Two-Tails expect Naruto to continue talking, but he turns to his people in an attempt to prepare his leave.

"Are you letting us have the Four-Tails?"

Naruto half-turns, "A token of friendship, Lady Yugito!" He resumes his walk to his team, and now Lady Yugito can't hear him. "I have a feeling we'll be needing each other soon."

Sai and Shino are ready to depart and aside from sending a message with Sai's technique to Gaara about their decision, they leave immediately.

The only thing Naruto brings with him is the Uchiha boy that was guarding the Four-Tails. He is unconscious and Naruto feels disgusted the moment he lays eyes on the boy. But he needs him.

Whatever information he can give. Naruto needs it.

His chest feels heavy with worry and without Ino's upbeat chatter, the trek back home is mostly silent and serious.

Shino's bugs buzz around and nearing night, ways away from the Two-Tails' village, Shino raises a hand in signal.

Nothing can come near them without them knowing. Shino makes sure of that, and now, an unknown presence comes closer and closer to them.

"They want us to know they're coming," he adds, and the deliberate way in which the presence moves reaffirms his statement.

Naruto throws the boy to Shino, who grabs him with the same rude attitude as his lord, and then squares himself.

He lays out his own chakra as his godfather had taught him. Can pinpoint the general direction of the enemy. They approach slowly, as if giving them a chance to react.

Naruto waits, and then, from in between the woods appears a young man, a low ponytail, two distinct markings going down between his cheeks and nose.

His face makes Naruto squint his eyes. He has seen that face before. He then remembers the existence of the Uchiha and locks eyes with the newcomers' chest.

"Greetings, my lord." The man says, and Naruto has to bite down the dry laugh that threatens to spill.

"What do you want?"