Teardrop of the Wolf

Chapter 25

I have a little bit of spare time to post now, so here is an update for all my amazing readers!

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A howl worked its way into Iruka's ears as he lay on the couch, finally being able to fall asleep. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the sunlight. What happened? Why was he on the couch? Sleep still clung to his mind as he looked around.

His eye caught the sight of a limp figure in his bed, blankets tucked in against it tightly. Finally his mind began to clear, and he silently walked into his room to see his friend still lying in his bed. The bruise on her arm had spread, and was beginning to turn an ugly deep purple. Another howl sounded from outside, and he saw Mori's eyelids twitch slightly. More twitching occurred, and she took a shuddering breath. The howl tapered off, and her eyelids stilled.

"Mori? What happened to you?" Iruka murmured.

The young woman gave no answer as she lay still, her chest rising and falling slightly. Iruka sighed and walked out of the bedroom silently, his thoughts swirling in a mass of questions. He got some bandages before sitting gently beside Mori. He had to set her shoulder back in it's proper position, and quickly set it with a turn and yank. He quickly glanced at Mori as he felt the joint go back in its place. Sighing in relief that she was still slumbering, he gently put her arm in the sling. The Chunin then silently got up and opened the front door, barely catching himself when an older woman stood in front of his door. Her hair was tied back and wrinkles bordered around her eyes. Her sharp cheekbones struck Iruka as seeming familiar. 

A light clicked in his head, and his mouth opened in an 'oh'.

"You're Mori's mother!" he said, to which the older woman nodded.

"Yes, you may call me Akemi. You must be the boy that Mori also befriended" she said, her eyes scanning Iruka from head to toe.

"Yes, I was a young boy when we became friends" the Chunin said, scratching the back of his head.

He would always remember the feeling of surprise, shock and awe when a young wolf spoke to him.

"Is my daughter in there?" Mori's mother asked, eyes trained on his face.

Iruka nodded and opened the door wider for the older woman, but was stopped when Mori's mother placed a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry. If my daughter decided to come to you then I am positive she will be okay here. I believe her shoulder has been dislocated so please be careful. She obviously feels safe around you" she said, a small smile creeping over her lips and softening her eyes.

Iruka nodded, and the woman turned around walking down the stairs and into the street. Before Iruka could blink, the older woman changed into a grey and white wolf. She took one last glimpse back at Iruka before padding off into the night. He stood quietly in the doorframe for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. A 'thump' sounded from inside his house, and Iruka hastily returned into the house, the front door temporarily forgotten. He ran into his bedroom, where he saw Mori on her three working limbs on the floor. Her eyes were open wide and her mouth was etched in a silent snarl. Her red eyes were glazed over, and her pupils were thin black slits.

"Mori?" Iruka said hesitantly.

He didn't know what was happening or going to happen. He took a step closer, and Mori's eyes flashed to his. A deep growl rumbled through her chest, and before Iruka could blink Mori surrounded herself in blue chakra. In a matter of seconds a bristling wolf stood in his room, the previous sling for her shoulder discarded. Iruka stood still in confusion, and then jumped out of the way as Mori rushed past him, her nails scratching on the floor. He recovered and ran out the front door, eyes narrowed in confusion. What was happening?

Iruka lept onto a roof, eyes searching for his friend. A howl suddenly sounded from a little ways away, and Iruka's head snapped up. He took off in the direction of the howl, and stopped short when he saw two wolves facing off on the edge of the village. The growls clashed against each other as teeth began to show. Suddenly Mori's back legs bunched, and she sprang at her mother. Akemi answered with a roar, and the two wolves clashed. Claws slashed and teeth ripped at fur. The air was thick with snarls, barks and vicious growling as mother and daughter fought.

Iruka stood rooted to his spot, unsure of what to do. If he didn't interfere, his friend could get hurt badly...but something inside told him that this had to be done. Blood splashed onto the grass and Akemi grabbed her daughter by the scruff of her neck in her jaws. Mori struggled as her mother forced her onto her stomach. As Akemi continued to keep her daughter pinned, Mori's struggles became less and less. Finally the white wolf became limp, fully submitting under her mother. Akemi gave Mori a brief lick between her ears and got off, shaking out her white and grey fur. She gave Iruka a brief glance before padding a few steps away and sitting on her haunches.

"You may approach now" she said in her smooth voice.

Iruka slowly walked to beside Akemi, his eyes trained on his friend lying on her stomach.

"What happened? Why was she attacking you?" Iruka asked.

Mori's mother was silent for a moment as a gust of wind ruffled her grey and white fur.

"Did Mori ever tell you what happened when Orochimaru and his men found our pack?" Akemi said, and Iruka looked at his friend's mother in surprise.

"No...what happened?" he asked, and after a pause Akemi told the Chunin about the killings and torture.

Iruka swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat as he digested the information.

"Apparently Mori wanted to go out and destroy Kabuto and Orochimaru, and got quite angry with me when I wouldn't move out of the way" her mother said, tail twitching in amusement.

"So you two fought?"

"Yes. It was necessary for me to remind her who the alpha was" Akemi answered.

"I will watch her now. Thank you for taking care of her" she said, and got to her feet.

She slowly padded over to her daughter as Iruka nodded. He started his trek back home as Akemi laid on her stomach. She rested her furry jaw on the grass beside Mori's front legs and closed her eyes. Whatever was happening had yet to release her daughter from its grasp.

Who knew when her daughter would be free from her inner demons?