The Lost Princess Returns (Sequel to The Lost Princess, Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 53

Ayumi's P. O. V:

We meet back up with Kiba, Akamaru, and Yamato. Kiba immediately pulls me in for a hug, relief in his voice.

"Yumi-chan! I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried about you," Kiba says as I wince at the jab of pain in my back.

"Uh, Kiba? You're hurting her," Sai points out to him.

Kiba snaps back, hugging me tighter, "Say, what?! Why the hell would I hurt my own girlfriend, Sai?! I'd never hurt Yumi-chan!" Sai just gives me a pointed look. Kiba takes a double take at my appearance and his eyes jerk wide at the sight of the massive blood stain on the back of my hoodie.

I stutter slightly, giving him a closed eye smile, "I-I'm f-fine, Kiba-kun. Really."

"No, you're not! You've got a hole in your back! We gotta get you back to Sakura so she can heal you," Kiba says seriously. He slides an arm around my waist and we continue back to the sealing team. We soon find them scattered on the bank of the lake. Sakura rubs up to us the second she sees us.

"Kakashi Sensei! Are you al—whoa!!" Sakura is cut off and spun around as Hinata shoved past her, white eyes full of worry.

"Where's Naruto?!" Kakashi just silently shakes his head in response. "Oh, no...!"

Sakura points at the unconscious Yukimaru as she asks, "Who's that?"

Tenten, Lee, Ino and Shizune come over as Kakashi replies, I'm pretty sure this is the boy we've heard about. The one who possesses special powers over the Three Tails." This makes everyone gasp.

Back at camp, Kiba watches from beside Akamaru in a separate room in which we've put Yukimaru in as Sakura kneels behind my kneeling form and heals my back wound.

As she does, Kakashi explains, "Once the Sealing Team has had a chance to recuperate, we'll attempt the Four Corner Sealing Barrier again. We can't risk moving the boy right now. But nice he regains consciousness, we'll take him to a safe spot and begin our preparations. Meanwhile, we need to find Naruto."

I murmur worriedly as Sakura continues to close my wound, having stopped the bleeding by now, "Naruto-kun..."

Ino tries to assure me, "Oh, don't worry! He's probably in the lake, working on his back stroke, if I know him." She gives a small giggle as I flick my gaze up to her.

Kakashi says, "Yamato, Sai, Kiba, Hinata, Ayumi," This makes me switch my gaze to my Guardian, "The five of you and I will search for Naruto. And, Shizune, you'd better come along with us, too. Just in case he's injured." The charcoal haired woman glances at him as she gives a single nod. "Sakura and Ino will stay here and heal the boy. The rest of you will stand guard over them. The enemy's bound to try and get the boy back."

Lee says with a clenched fist, "Never fear, Sensei! We will protect him with our very lives!"

"Okay. You all know what to do?" Asks Kakashi. "Keep on your toes!"

Sakura finishes healing my wound and I thank her before I head out with my team to search for our teammate.

I go with Kiba and use my Seismic Sense Jutsu to feel for Naruto's vibration as Akamaru tries to pick up his scent. Sai is flying over the lake on his ink bird and Hinata is using her Byakugan. The other Jounin have all split up as well to search the lake.

So far, neither Kiba nor I have been able to pick up Naruto's trail.

After awhile longer of searching but finding nothing, Kakashi, Yamato, Sai, Hinata, Kiba and I return to camp. We were told by Sakura that Yukimaru said Naruto and Guren were swallowed by the Three Tails as I sit on my knees between Kiba and Shino.