Mark of Cain ► Naruto

PURPOSE

  And the Lord said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be wrought upon him sevenfold," and the Lord placed a mark on Cain that no one who find him slay him. 

And Cain went forth from before the Lord, and he dwelt in the land of the wanderers, to the east of Eden. 

☼

The black haired girl was perched on a rock, leaning into the breeze, her cigarette wasting away, the smoke and its smell that was already staining her fingers now getting stuck in her hair.

The complete serenity of the day, sunny, breezy, beautiful, made a soft smile tug at the corner of her lips. Her long and dark eyelashes contrasted against the pale and freckled texture of her cheeks. 

"Why, why, you can come out," she spoke, her voice like velvet despite not being used for days. A soft growl was heard, when a wolf glared at her, stepping carefully closer to her.

She opened her coal- like eyes, and the wolf snarled. 

"I would do you no harm," she spoke. "Worry not, buddy. The only harm I do is to humans, who forgot the oath."

The wolf's eyes fell on her right arm. A thin line of black ink was surrounding her wrist, roughly four centimeters apart from another line, thicker, fading into dots. Above it was the mark, a burnt like letter.

The wolf released another snarl as Chi squeezed the cigarette unto the rock until the smoke stopped, flicking it away from her.

"Why, why, it seems you don't like me all that much, don't you, buddy?" The wolf looked at her in silence, on edge. "The sins of my fathers are not my sins. I carry the mark and the burden, but not the blame."

With a final snarl, the wolf's left.

"Bears are so much nicer," the beautiful girl sighed irritatedly, running her smelly hand through her hair. Most animals have learnt to respect the cursed people, but some, like wolves, spiders and mice, still acted and treated them as shunned people.

Some animals, like bears, deers, herons and otters even loved them. But most would respect them and simply provided whatever help they requested. 

A hawk passed over her head, and she looked up at it, admiring it. She was the first of the cursed people to befriend birds, specifically hawks and parrots, though some more seemed now friendly of her. 

It was an evolution like process, each generation that helped an animal changed something in the instinct of the breed, making it friendly of the cursed. The close relationship with the first four animals are from the original Cain, the one that started the chain of disastrous lives.

"My, my, do I not have a lot of company these days?" she sighed. 

The man stayed hidden, making her sigh again. Humans were so much more annoying; and they were so forgetful. "You are welcomed to stay there and watch me all day, but beware, I might do things not fitting of your age."

She could practically feel his embarrassment as he awkwardly shuffled out of the bush.

"I--- uh, sorry." the blond boy was blushing, rubbing the  back of his neck, orange jumpsuit contrasting against the serene green of the forest.

"It's quite alright, boy," she spoke gently, a smile decorating her soft features, making the boy blush harder, blue eyes watching her with both interest and bashfulness.

"I-- I swear I did not mean to intrude," he tried explaining, "believe it! I was just... I'm a ninja, see!" he pointed at his forehead, where a forehead protector with the symbol of Konohagakure rested. "And we're on a mission, to walk dogs... the stupid old man... and, and, mine escaped! So Kakashi-sensei sent me to look for it! And I... got here, and I just... didn't want to bother you. I really am sorry, miss! Believe it!"

"I accept your apology, then," Chi spoke. "I'm Chi. You?"

"N-Naruto," he spoke, smiling softly. His smile was kind, and the older girl smiled warmly, surprised to see a ninja with a kind heart as he had.

"Pleasure meeting a fine young man like you, Naruto."

Naruto turned completely red in the face, muttering something about it being his pleasure and that she was beautiful, and strangely, about ramen.

"NARUTO!" A voice called, sounding feminine and completely furious.

"Ah! It's Sakura- chan! She'll kill me!" Chi tilted her head to the side in confusion, before a short girl, though slightly taller than Naruto, walked into the clearing, fuming, long pink hair a mess and green eyes blazing.

"YOU IDIOT, NARUTO! WHAT'S BEEN TAKING SO LONG?!"

"SORRY SAKURA-CHAN, BUT I MET CHI-SAN AND I--"

"Chi?" Sakura blinked, confused, turning to look at Chi, who waved with a smile. Sakura's eyes were glinting as she looked her over. "Such a pretty kimono too!" she squealed, making Chi look at the black kimono she wore. She really couldn't tell what was so pretty about it.

"Hi," she waved at the girl.

"I'm Sakura," she smiled, waving back, suddenly embarrassed. "It's nice meeting you."

"You too," she grinned. "Are you on Naruto's team?"

"Yes," Sakura replied certainly. "And you are?"

"Obviously not on your team," Chi pointed out with a goofy smile. The look on Sakura's face caused Chi to speak again. "I'm a wanderer, an eternal life of exile."

"What have you done?" Naruto wondered, curious.

"Do you know the story of the first act of murder?" the two shook their heads, and Chi nodded with a sad smile.

"If you ever hear it, please think of me."

"I don't get it, did you murder someone?"

"No, no," Chi waved off. "Let's just say it's a father's deed, and all generations pay."

The two exchanged a look, still confused, before turning back to Chi.

"I still don't--"

"Naruto, Sakura! Would you--" stopping in his tracks, the raven haired boy changed position, immediately ready to attack. "Who are you?!"

"That's Chi-san!" Naruto and Sakura both waved Sasuke off. "She's our friend." Sakura said, and after a moment, realized how strange it is she counts Chi as a friend when she barely knew her.

Chi smiled, happy to know that some people still had their hearts as unclouded by hatred as they were born with and meant to live. Only those who were blinded could not realize what the mark meant. It was in the DNA of every living creature, to care and respect for those with the mark, as anyone who wouldn't is to be punished sevenfold.

It seemed that despite everything, God cared greatly about Cain, and wanted no harm to neither him or his children, and found the punishment of eternal exile and eternal life as a cursed one enough.

Eyes narrowed  with suspicion at Chi, Sasuke straightened up, watching her with onyx eyes. 

"Dobe, did you find the dog?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he started running around in panic, making Chi laugh warmly at him, before releasing a soft whistle.

Seconds later, the dog they were looking for came into the clearing, but Naruto was still fuzzing like crazy.

"Shouldn't we stop him?" Chi wondered, and the two looked up at her.

"Nah, let him tire himself out a bit," Sakura smiled.

"He's your teammate," Chi shrugged, and a second later a small parrot landed on her shoulder. "Mako!" she grinned, running a finger over his colorful chest. "It's been much too long, where have you been?" Chi fished out of her handmade wooden box a cigarette, lighting it with her chakra and puffing out three perfect rings.

The parrot made some noises, making Chi nod, before he fell silent. "I understood nothing."

Sakura anime-fell to the floor, Sasuke sweat-dropping.

"You're quite a character, aren't you?"