The Beast Within {Discontinued ~ Mori no Ko)

Chapter One

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[Third Person POV]

A New Life!

"Wish me luck, Aunty Aki!" exclaimed the ten-year old as she raced to the front door, slipping on her navy ankle length shinobi shoes.

"Wait, Midori!" yelled Aki, as she stepped into view from the kitchen. Her white kimono's black sash was lazily tied in a bow to the back. "You're forgetting something!" She laughed, pointing a free finger up at the object.

The blonde looked up and examined that her black katana was still hanging on the sword stand---Aki's white one hanging just beneath it. "Oh! I can't believe I almost forgot it!" she said.

Aki laughed at the young girl's careless ways and propped her shoulder against the white living room wall. Midori always knew how to put a grin on Aki's normally stern yet soft features.

Feeling as though the time were perfect and that there wouldn't be another opportunity, Aki heaved a low sigh and stood back up. "Midori, I think I should tell you about the day that I found you."

The young blonde stared at her through confused eyes. "What do you mean, Aki?" Midori inquired, tilting her head to the side. The woman took the plate, she had been drying, to the kitchen.

"Come in here and take a seat." she called, though Midori had hesitated for a moment, she did as her guardian had said.

Climbing up into the tall wooden stool across from Aki, Midori swayed her legs back and forth, it was always a tiny habit of the girl when she was anxious. "Okay? What did you need to say?" she asked, with her right eyebrow raised at the slightly grim looking woman.

Aki bowed her head and sighed, then glanced back up at the child. "I was returning from a small market twelve miles away from the Village Hidden in the Sand---Sunagakure never stocked with the supplies I needed so I wasn't able to find them any closer," she paused and sipped from her morning tea. "I had taken a shortcut through the mountain range of Buta no Hinasho. I was walking leisurely through the overgrowth until I noticed dark smoke floating high above the trees---I was curious so I sped through the trees until the charred remains of an unfamiliar village came into my view."

Midori began stirring in her chair---slightly on edge from the thought.

"I noticed four people lying on the ground, one of them was you. You had curled up next to a dead man with long dark brown hair. I could tell he was very dear to you because you had dried tears on your cheeks." she paused and tilted her head. "Do you remember?"

The blonde shook her head, slowly.

"I had assumed he was your father," She reached into her kimono. "I also found this in your hands." she said as she pulled out a small photograph and showed it to her. "You see the small girl in the woman's arms?" Aki inquired, pointing to the baby wrapped in white cloth.

Midori glanced at the infant.

"I'm almost positive that's you." Aki smiled and placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Do you know who this little boy is?"

Midori shook her head, not recognizing the young light brown haired lad.

"I presume he was your brother . . . and from the looks of this picture, you could tell that he loved you." Aki lowered her head and gazed at the natural bamboo hardwood flooring. "He was also there . . . on the ground when I found you, only he didn't appear to be alive." Aki trembled slightly, as she glanced back up to Midori, tears now filling Aki's silver eyes. "I'm so sorry, Midori. I brought you home with me to give you a better life, no child deserved such a thing to happen to their fam-"