Little Boy Blue

Part Three

Tadao looked up to see the three men glaring at him, various clubs and weapons out. He quickly grabbed hold of the bag and scrambled away, the men shouting loudly behind him. Tadao ducked and weaved around trees and bushes, trying to lose the men. He continued running as the men's voices got louder and louder as they gained on the child. Tadao felt his legs begin to tire and his breathing became ragged as he slowed down. His foot suddenly got caught on a skinny tree root, and he landed face first on the ground. The bag of food sailed out of his hands and landed on the ground, spilling the food. The men stopped behind Tadao with their weapons raised, anger radiating off them in waves.

"You brat, you're gonna pay," one of the men said as he raised his club, intending on striking the child.

Tadao cowered away, pressing himself against the ground. His heart pounded in fear as he covered his head with his arms, waiting for the blows to rain upon him.

A howl suddenly sounded beside the group in the forest. Tadao peeked over his arms as it sounded again.

"Mom?" Tadao whispered as the men looked around.

The men looked at each other before raising their weapons again, and Tadao covered his head again with a whimper. A snarl sounded from the trees, and an explosion of white fur burst out of the forest. One of the men cried out as teeth latched onto his arm, his weapon clattering to the ground. The other two stood still in shock but recovered before raising their weapons to save their friend. Red eyes flashed and teeth bit deeper as a large white wolf continued biting the man's arm. It tugged and pulled, the man's screams echoing through the foliage. A 'clang!' sounded as a kunai was thrown at another man who was about to bring his sword down on the wolf's head. The kunai deflected the sword, and the wielder looked around as a ninja dropped down from a tree, headband flashing in the sun. Another growl sounded, this time coming from a large black wolf as it emerged from the trees, black eyes narrowed. It glared and snarled at the third man, stalking towards him. The third man raised his club with a yell, and ran towards the black wolf. It snarled and sprang forward, easily dodging the wild swing. Tadao's body was frozen in fear as the sounds of battle raged around him.

The screaming and yells suddenly became quieter and quieter, but Tadao laid still in fear. Panting came closer to him, and a wet nose sniffed eagerly around his ear. Gentle hands then lifted the young boy up into a warm embrace and Tadao finally opened his eyes. His mother's own red eyes and father's black eyes looked down at him.

"Mom! Dad!" Tadao cried as he flung his arms around his mother, squeezing her with all his might.

The parents eagerly held their son as more pants sounded beside them. Tadao peeked from his mother's shirt and smiled wide.

"Uncle!" Tadao exclaimed happily.

His family came to save him!

Mori sighed and Iruka picked up his son from his wife's arms, putting him on his back. Tadao wrapped his arms around his father's neck and the group began the long trek back home.

"Your mother and I were worried, Tadao," Iruka said to the young boy.

"I know. I just wanted to be grown up and be a ninja like you," Tadao muttered.

Iruka sighed.

"Wait a couple more years and you'll get there," he said and Tadao perked up.

"Really?" Tadao asked, red eyes wide.

"Yes, you just have to practice," Mori said as she laid a hand on her sons back.

Hideo padded beside the family still as a wolf. He had let his howl do the talking back in the village and thankfully Kakashi had heard it before sending word to the Hokage. Hideo then ran to get Iruka and tell him what happened, and the Chunin had left the academy with the black wolf beside him. They had raced out of the village, Hideo following Mori's scent. Thankfully they had caught up to the bristling mother as she had followed her sons scent to the three men.