Love Your Enemy

Chapter 6

          Ai walked silently down the sidewalk. She’d seen Phoenix go into the training grounds about a mile from where she was now with a boy she didn’t know and was headed that way. There had been a few things that she hadn’t told Phoenix that she would need to know about Kunio. She knew that sooner or later, he would come after her and she needed to prepare Phoenix for the battle. He never played by the rules when it came to fighting and found a way to outsmart his opponent, no matter who it was.

          As she continued on at a rather slow pace, she could feel that something wasn’t right. She continued to walk without stopping, but her mind focused on listening to the trees around her. There was something, or someone, there, this she knew, but just who or what, she couldn’t put her finger on just yet. She was correct because in less than a millisecond, a black furred wolf leapt from the shadows, aiming straight for her. For any regular person, it would have been over at that moment, but Ai was ready for the attack. Her fist connected with the dog’s just before it could reach her and rip her apart. With the small amount of time she had, Ai transformed herself into the white furred wolf and sprinted down the sidewalk quickly.

          Kunio snarled as he stood to his paws again and Eiji leaped out of the bushes, landing next to Kunio, “Father, are you-”

          “Eiji! You’re letting her get away! If you can’t help me, then stay out of my way!” The mooned eyed wolf snarled one last time before charging off after Ai, leaving Eiji in a fear. Kunio easily caught up with Ai, though she was smaller than him and easily dodged his attacks at first. That all changed when his jaws snapped down on her hind leg. She yelped, squirming out of his grip and still managing to run. He snarled in anger and lunged again, this time his teeth connecting with the back of her neck. She yelped and screamed in pain as he picked her up off her feet and threw her into the trees.

          Kiba, Naruto and I were just talking about nothing important, until I heard the pitiful yelp of an animal. Before I could say anything to the others, a large, white blur blasted through the trees and rolled out into the grass in front of us. Akamaru immediately stood to his paws, ready to fight, but I held my hand up to tell him no. This…this was Ai. She was injured with a heavily bleeding hind leg and was having difficulty to stand to her feet again. The worse of it was the wound on the back of her neck and the blood stained her once pure white fur. That’s when Kunio stepped out of the trees, grinning to himself like a mad man, of which he was.

          He barked at Ai and I knew they were speaking, but I couldn’t tell what was being said and neither could to two on either side of me.

          “Phoenix, what’s going on?” Naruto finally choked out, “Is that Ai? Who’s the other wolf then?”

          “Who ever it is isn’t a friend of ours it would seem.” Kiba added, growling like Akamaru was. He glanced over at me and stretched his arm out in front of me, “I think you should stay out of this, Phoenix. We don’t know what’s going-”

          “I know what’s going on! He’s going to kill Ai if I don’t do something!” I retorted, pushing past his hand and running towards the two wolves. I transformed and their words became clear.

          “…but she was never yours to use like a pawn! She belongs in the Leaf village. Her home! Not with some old, mad man that enjoys killing others!” Ai barked, still unable to stand up completely.

          Kunio chuckled darkly, “Oh, how little you know… you’re a fool, Ai. A fool…and now…now you will die like one!” He lunged at her and everything slowed as I lunged at the same time, aimed for Kunio. Neither of them had noticed me (Ai had had her eyes closed waiting for his attack and Kunio was too maddened to look) until I intercepted his attack and head butted his side. We tumbled to the ground and I was the first to stand. He looked over at me wide eyed.