The Cursed Wolf {A Naruto Fanfic} UNDER EDITING!

Chapter 5

Edited

A/N - I sincerely apologise. I thought this chapter had already been put up but thanks to a few comments and direct messages,  I now know there was an error either on Wattpad's or my part. Hence, I reset everything and re-uploaded this. Enjoy!

It was around forty minutes later the group finally encountered something other than a dirt road and endless rows of trees. The appearance of a singular and desolate puddle made the canine falter slightly, so much so, she even paused to do a double-take, startling the blonde boy lazing on her back. With a slow, tentative, flick of her tail, Koyuki narrowed her icy gaze at the water, her gaze burning with distrust and suspicion. Cautiously, she took a slow step back, her ears perking attentively as they flicked with every small sound they tuned into. Fur bristling, claws sharpening, Koyuki slowly nudged Naruto off of her back, ignoring his curious and concerned nautical gaze. It was taking everything in her not to gnash her teeth and lower into a defensive crouch around the young Genin.

One look at their rigid Sensei was enough to tell her that her sudden heightened guard and instincts weren't for nothing, what did throw her slightly was the look he gave her, a warning glance of sorts.

Not yet. He seemed to be saying.

Wait and see.

Time. information.

We need more.

A shift in his glance, a subtle look over at Tazuna, and Koyuki heard him loud and clear. How? She wasn't too sure. Perhaps it was his years of canine handler experience, perhaps it was something far deeper and much more ancient. She didn't know. And at that moment of heightened animalistic defensiveness, she didn't care. This sudden and new threat was her singular, predatory, focus.

A few seconds later, just as Naruto went to ask his canine companion what was wrong, two shinobi materialised out of the puddle and lunged right at Kakashi. Koyuki didn't move, she stayed routed by Naruto's side, her icy gaze already beginning to falter with crimson flares of primordial anger. The Genin, however, all watched, horrified, as their Sensei was seemingly shredded beyond recognition.

Koyuki didn't linger on the scene, with the slight flare of her nostrils, and the distinct lack of spitting human remains, she knew immediately that the pile on the floor was not Kakashi's meat suit. With a slow, irritated flick of her tail, a harsh, venomous, growl tore through her. A sound that was both low and defensive, a stark contrast to the usual monstrous sound that erupted from the creature. Nevertheless, it shook the Genin and their bridge builder right through to the bone, even Naruto shuddered in place, unfamiliar with this new defensive, rattling form of a snarl.

The two Shinobi that had 'killed' Kakashi hesitated for only a second at the sound before they twisted in place and lunged for the Bridge Builder. Just as quickly as they lunged forward, however, Sasuke snapped into a state of hyper-focus and moved to counter them both. Sakura, still shaking from head to toe, moved to stand meekly in front of Tazuna, a shaky kunai in hand. Now, none of this bothered the shifter, nor did she care to intervene. It was only when she could no longer feel the warmth of Naruto's body pressed into her side, his hand clasping her fur, did she truly begin to falter.

Before she could even think to snap her jaws around the loose fabric of his monstrously orange jacket and tug him back, Naruto had already taken several steps forward. While his mind was telling him to move and help his team, his quivering stance was enough to tell everyone how frightened he suddenly was. A state of helplessness and paralytic terror. Koyuki knew that feeling all too well. The mere sight of such a pitiful state made her pause.

That was her first mistake...

It happened in the blink of an eye. Perhaps she would have been able to follow the precise, almost predatory, movements of the Shinobi had she not faltered so callously. So visibly.