Teardrop of the Wolf

Chapter 44

Mori's hand played with the fabric of the vest as she allowed herself to lounge in Iruka's embrace. Her heart fluttered when his scent enveloped her. His hand hesitantly hovered over her belly, and her lips quirked in amusement. She gently placed her hand over his, and guided it to the top of her bump. A 'tap' resounded from inside her womb, and Mori shifted. Iruka stiffened and immediately began to worry.

"What happened?! Is it the baby? Are you in pain?" Iruka asked in a panicked voice.

Mori waved him off and placed a hand on her bump, rubbing it affectionately.

"I'm okay, this little one wanted to practice his taijutsu" she said.

The two were quiet for a couple minutes, enjoying each other's presence. Iruka inhaled, filling his lungs with Mori's scent of the forest. Something nagged at his mind, and Iruka frowned.

"Where did you go?" Iruka said, tightening his hold on the woman.

Mori was silent, and then heaved a large sigh.

"I couldn't face the villagers after what happened. I was a coward and ran away from my fear and you. I wouldn't let someone take control of me like that again. I don't want to kill an innocent person again, especially you. So I ran" Mori said quietly.

Iruka whirled the woman around, causing her to gasp quietly.

"I told you! You wouldn't kill me or anyone! You aren't like that, Mori. I would have done anything to keep you safe" he exclaimed almost to the point of yelling.

Mori blinked in surprise at his outburst, and her mouth opened and closed with no sound coming out. She bowed her head as her bangs hid her eyes from him. With a small growl, Mori gritted her teeth and her head snapped up to glare at the Chunin beside her.

"You don't know that I wouldn't kill you! You aren't me, Iruka, so don't pretend to know what I am like!" Mori shouted and in a flash of anger, pushed herself out of his grasp.

She took off running, ignoring his calls of her name. In a blink she enveloped herself in her canine chakra and bounded further into the foliage. Her paws pounded against the ground, churning up dirt in her haste to get away. Anger burned through her veins and her heartbeat pounded in her ears. How dare Iruka think he knew her?! He had no idea what she was capable of! Branches snagged at her fur and scratched at her face, but her anger caused Mori to keep going.

Finally she slowed down to a full stop, sides heaving and tongue hanging out of her mouth. Her lungs worked double time to bring in oxygen from her hard-paced dash, and her limbs shook as the adrenaline wore off. Mori shook out her fur and gazed around. Blinking against the sunlight, she was surprised to see she was on the outskirts of the small village that she had stayed after Midori brought her in.

With a sigh, Mori resumed her human form and walked with shaky legs to Midori's small house.

She entered the house and was barraged with exclaims of 'where have you been?!' and 'I was worried sick!'. Midori stood in the small kitchen with her hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. Mori sighed and made her way to the kitchen. Bowls of rice, veggies and fish met her as she sat down. Midori huffed and pulled something from Mori's hair. Mori blinked when the elderly woman waved a twig in front of the mother-to-be's face.

"Why might this twig be here?" Midori asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

Mori frowned and spooned some food into her bowl. She didn't feel like telling the elderly woman at the moment, and just wanted to sleep. Midori snorted and threw the twig into the garbage before spooning some food into her own bowl.

"You will tell me when you're ready. Young ones never tell us elderly folks anything anymore" Midori said before sighing dramatically.

Mori felt her own eyebrow raise at the elderly woman's antics, and felt her lips lift in a small smile. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, but the feeling that a lump had lodged in her throat remained and the food settled in her stomach like a rock. Her eyes lowered, and she put her bowl on the table; if she took another bite she would be sick. A hard pressure was felt as her baby proceeded to push its head against the wall of her womb. She placed a hand on her bump, mind whirling with multiple thoughts.

"Mori? What's wrong my dear. You are unnaturally quiet this evening" Midori said, eyes searching Mori's face.

"I'm fine, Midori. I'm just very tired and need to rest" Mori said quietly.

She got up and quietly walked to her room. Her stomach roiled and churned, threatening to expel her food. She shakily sat down on the mattress, and curled herself around her bump. Her arms wrapped around the safe haven for her child and Mori felt tears threaten to fall. She pressed her face against her pillow as hot tears overflowed down her cheeks. Sobs shook her shoulders as she mourned for her unborn child.

How could she bring a child into this world when it's father would never want to see her again, let alone be safe around her. This prescious innocent life inside her needed to be safe, and how could she as a mother be able to keep her child safe?

A gentle and firm hand stroked Mori's hair, causing her to stiffen in surprise. She lifted herself from her pillow as Midori wiped her tears away. The elderly woman tsk'ed and brought the young mother-to-be's head to rest on her lap. She continued running her wrinkled hand through Mori's white hair, and the simple gesture soothed Mori's soul.

With a hiccuping breath, Mori told Midori everything from her pack to Orochimaru and to Kakashi, Team 7 and finally Iruka. Mori found herself rubbing her baby bump affectionately as she told the elderly woman about Iruka.

Midori nodded and helped the woman sit up.

"It seems like this Iruka really means the world to you. I can tell he loves you and will do anything for you. This child is lucky to have him as a father and you as a mother. You need him, and he needs you. What's stopping you?" she said, and Mori but her lip.

What was stopping her?