Teardrop of the Wolf

Chapter 51

Cold eyes glittered in darkness as they observed a woman with a small boy. A smirk slid over the persons lips as the woman lifted the boy up high over her head, his squeaks of laughter echoing in the still air. The two were outside the village and had stopped at a small patch of grass.

Branches creaked behind the intruder, and eyes behind glasses flashed.

"Be quiet you idiots! You want her to head us?" Kabuto hissed to the Sound ninja behind him.

They were to retrieve the woman and the child and bring them back to Lord Orochimaru without fail. Kabuto pushed up his glasses and smirked again before jumping down from his perch. They would bring Mori back with them, one way or another.

Mori smiled warmly as she watched Tadao picking up flowers with the light from the moon. They had walked out of Konoha and Mori wanted to show Tadao what outside of Konoha was like during the night. The toddler had gaped open-mouth with awe as he saw the numerous flowers. Tadao immediately began picking as many flowers as he could as his mother watched him. His father was somewhere in the village, and Tadao had just spent the morning and afternoon with Iruka.

"Mama! Here" Tadao said, handing Mori a bouquet of flowers.

She smiled widely and took the flowers, bringing them to her nose and inhaling the aroma.

"Thank you my sweet boy" Mori said, causing the boy to giggle.

A prickling feeling ran along her spine, and Mori stiffened. Clouds began to cover the bright moon, casting the family in shadows. Her heart began pounding, and Mori glanced around. Someone was here and watching them.

Tadao! She had to get him to safety.

"Tadao. Go back to the village" she said, eyes darting around.

The toddler gazed up at his mother, confused.

"Mama?"

"Now!" Mori snapped, and the toddler scrambled to the gates.

Tears began to prick at his eyes, and his little tummy hurt. His mother was scaring him all of a sudden. He cried out in surprise when ninja appeared in front of him. He ran into a ninjas legs and bounced back onto his bottom. He gazed up and saw evil smirks directed at him. Tadao scrambled back as one of them reached for him, letting out a panicked whimper.

A deep growl sounded from behind Tadao, and a large shadow looked over him. His teary red eyes looked up to see his mother growling, wolf fur standing up. Her canines flashed and her red eyes narrowed. She placed one canine paw over her trembling son, eyes daring the Sound to come closer. Mori braced her hind legs and leaped at the ninja, claws extended. She hit them like a freight train and bit down on one of the Sound, his cries echoing in her ears. She had to get them away from Tadao. Mori caught a glimpse of metal, and she leaped back when another Sound threw a kunai knife where she just was.

Letting out a snarl, Mori launched herself at the ninja again, this time catching an arm in her jaws. She bit down hard, blood gushing into her mouth as her teeth pierced skin. She tightened her grip on the arm and yanked back, hearing a cry of pain. Her intention was to rip the arm off of the Sound, but a shrill cry caused her body to freeze. Her eyes snapped up to see Tadao hanging from the arms of Orochimaru's left-hand man.

"Hello Mori, I would release that if I were you" he sneered.

She looked up just as the blade of a kunai knife caught her in the hip. She yelped and a hard punch to the side of her head left her dazed. Her body landed in a heap on the ground, and she struggled to get to her feet.

"Mama, mama" Tadao sobbed, hands trying to reach the dazed white wolf.

"Come now, I want to see your pretty face" Kabuto said with a grin, and Mori snarled.

In a blink of an eye she lifted her head and howled, the sound floating on the air. Kabuto flung a shuriken at the wolf, and Mori quickly leaped to the side. Her brain was still muddled, and she tripped over her four paws. One of the Sound ninja made a series of handsigns, and the ground rumbled. Dirt in the shape of a hand came out of the ground and grasped Mori, squeezing tightly. She let out a strangled gurgle as the dirt hand squeezed tighter. Her eyesight began to get black spots, and she fought against them.

No! She couldn't give up now! Tadao was in trouble.

The toddler was crying and trying to get out of Kabuto's arms. Mori growled and fought against the dark spots.

"Ah ah ah, Mori. I wouldn't fight it if I were you" Kabuto taunted as he held a glowing scalpel to Tadao's neck.

Mori stopped fighting with a growl. Her son needed her right now.

"Tadao..." Mori rumbled softly, but a sudden pain exploded from the back of her skull, and Mori let out a high pitched yelp.

Her mind immediately fled into darkness, and her body went limp. Tadao let out a scream when he saw his mother's body become limp. The Sound ninja released the jutsu and Mori landed on the ground in a heap.

"Let's go" Kabuto said, and turned to the forest.

A kunai knife came from the direction of the gates, causing Kabuto to pause. He could hear voices coming, and a thought came to him. Kabuto scoffed and dropped the sobbing toddler on the ground. He leaped up into the trees with the rest of the Sound following, Mori's unconscious body in tow. They had Mori, and that was all that mattered.

"Mama! Mama!" Tadao continued crying as Konoha ninja came running.

Iruka came running over as Kotetsu picked up his crying son from the ground. The toddler reached out to his father, and Iruka picked up his son. He held Tadao close to try and comfort the crying child.

"What happened?" Kotetsu said, and Tadao lifted his head from Irukas neck.

"Mama. Bad man took mama" the toddler sobbed.

"Tadao? Who was this bad man" his father asked, but Tadao just dissolved into tears and buried his face into his fathers vest.

"Let's go back to the village and figure this out tomorrow" Iruka said quietly to the other ninja, and the group headed back to the gate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A thick chain was placed around Mori's furry neck. Drips could be heard and a chill was in the stale air. Her body had been thrown into a dirty cell.

The chains rattled with each breath Mori took, and a loud chuckle was heard from the other side of the bars.

"Excellent! We have both siblings" Orochimaru hissed in pleasure.

Finally! He had both wolf and human in one.