Journey of the Three Failures

Chapter 27: Hinata and Neji

Somewhere, a great being stirred in curiosity.

"At last... it has begun."

One of her young, recently having returned from a spell of absence, studied her with eyes a ghostly red. He was displeased – openly dissatisfied to have been sent back here on the grounds of being 'too powerful a summon,' and quietly disgruntled that he could not peer through the bared black fangs of a cracking sneer and determine his Okaa-sama's thoughts.

"Why such a dour look, my child...?"

And why, indeed, the amusement glinting calmly in the icy eyes above her snout? Her calm at a time like this – it grated at the unhappy spirit, perhaps more than it should have. He selected another of the many reasons for his offending dourness, and voiced it. "This human-brother of hers – he seeks, yearns to harm her. I should be at the pup's side, to keep her from doing anything stupid."

"Quite the soft spot you've developed," she mused, almost chuckling as he fought not to bristle. "Have a little more faith in her. Our Koinu is a silly creature, certainly, but capable enough of watching her own back, I should hope... You taught her a good deal of that strength yourself, didn't you?"

His moodiness deflated to the slightest degree. Snorting, he broke his narrowed eyes from the greater beast's gaze.

"She will call on you at such a time as she deems fit. Until then, she will fight alone. You must humor mortals their wishes and pride, at times... This is the best way to deal with them..."

He shook his head. "Our silly pup, and her 'Brother,' huh...?" He would not say that he preferred to think of his concession as respecting her wishes rather than humoring them, with regards to his most unusual, undeniably human sister. However it irked him, she shared more history with a rotten mortal brother forever at odds than she did with her familiar. "I trust her," he asserted gruffly. "She'll show the fool her strength. Our strength runs through her as well; she wouldn't shame us with defeat."

"But winning or losing... that's not the interesting part..."

Half-substantial jaws clenched a bit too firmly. "'Interesting'?"

Gobi no Houkou peered loftily skyward, a smirk playing upon her great snout as her tails swayed, lax.

"Can she make him see the light... or will he drag her into darkness?"

Journey of the Three Failures

Twenty-Seven: Hinata and Neji

Part One: As Hyuuga

A trounced soldier lay prone on the side of a street in a quiet part of the village, burning with bitterness despite the great weight of her fatigue. Spared by the enemy, like some weakling without consequence... Of course a filthy dog would underestimate her strength.

But for all the justified indignation she felt, through all the offense, and despite a healthy and vehement urge to crush and thoroughly humiliate the ninja in question when next they crossed paths, something staunched her rage. That something stemmed undeniably from the small, steady whistles of breath that rolled from the tiny bundle of fur tucked carefully against the palm of her hand. He stirred feebly where he dozed against her, opening his mouth to expel a small, wet, trembling yawn.

The kunoichi's lip curled. Kusooo! Her thumb stroked the feline's cheek delicately. She momentarily broke her façade of death to curl more securely around her feeble companion, for he was precious. Her anger reluctantly crumbled away. Damned wolfpuppy...

I hissed and called you the worst... but I guess you're not a bad kid.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a wounded cry. Initially she stilled her breath and relaxed her face, shutting down the instinct to bristle as a potential threat drew near her and her dear companion. But then–