The Jackal, the Mignonette and the Wolf

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Sasuke leaned against the wall, hearing the troop pass by with their shined boots and cordial black uniforms. He lowered his face and the collar of the trench coat was high enough that it covered a good portion of his face. Those bastards were looking for him; they had found Doctor Nakashima – the bastard he had cornered in the alley. That fucking son of a bitch didn’t deserve the name doctor since he only butchered people; cut them or their DNA up until their own mothers didn’t recognize them. Bastard.

He deserved what was coming to him, and Sasuke had made sure that instead of a quick twist of jaw and a snap of neck bone like he would have done to others, that Nakashima would feel something before he kicked it. Sasuke was pulled out of his thoughts when a soldier stopped and turned to him, boots crunching against the concrete sidewalk. “Oi! You, what the bloomin’ hell are you doing after hours? Eh? Didn’t you know it’s already ten?” Sasuke kept silent and could feel his neck tighten, lips pulling back to reveal teeth ready to snap, bite; conquer.

He waited until the soldier came closer, farther into the pitch black of the alley with only a crappy streetlamp lit, dimly glowing and flickering before finally sputtering out. Sasuke’s head lifted, finally when he heard the soldier curse about the new lack of light and though the soldier was half blind in the darkness, Sasuke could see him just fine. Black eyes gleamed like black pearls. The soldier sounded pissed; footsteps coming down harder on the concrete with leaden boots. “Piss head! I’m talking to you, civilian,” he said it like a racial slur. “What the bloody fuck are you doing after curfew?!” he lifted his rifle as he approached him.

The trench coat fluttered to the ground and the pale man once there was gone; had vanished into thin air. A black wolf stood in his place, picking his way from the folds of the coat, tail twitching and ears forward. The soldier stopped when the lamp flickered on once more, a dim orange glow like the trickling edges of fire alit around them. He heard the wolf growl inhumanly, larger than any other canine the soldier had yet to encounter.

His chin trembled when the wolf’s lips peeled back and his red eyes glinted in the dark like fiery rubies. His rifle fell when he tried to shoot. The wolf threw his head back and his throat unlocked; letting loose a malicious bellow of the hunt and kill. He ran forth, tail lashing out behind him and he leapt, the soldier screamed in terror and time was suspended. The soldier registered the feeling of claws digging into his lightly padded shoulders and heavy paws hitting him in his solar plexus – knocking the air out of him before something latched on to him. Teeth crunched down, biting his jugular and bleeding him to death like a sheep to the slaughter. He fell back slowly, with the wolf hanging on to him and just as Sasuke suspected, a few more soldiers appeared at the end of the alley, shouting.

They readied their rifles and aimed, but the light flickered out like a dead hope.

Shots rang out, but Sasuke remained uninjured, running for the two of them and catching one his forearm before flinging him into his companion, biting his companion on his thigh and tearing out a mouthful of muscled flesh. A yell before Sasuke leapt on him viciously, knocking his companion to the side and he crunched down on his helmet with powerful jaws. The helmet’s visor split and Sasuke tore off the protective hard plastic. Sasuke darted forth and his jaws crushed the man’s face, tearing the very skin from him. He spun and ran for the one readying to shoot him.

“Not so fun now, is it? Teasing the stupid animal that can’t do anything – isn’t fun anymore is it?” Sasuke had shoved the man down and tore at his throat, yanking out threads of thickened flesh and splattering blood all over his fur. “See? I did remember all of you fuckers.”

Sasuke pushed off of the dead soldier before retreating to his coat. As he walked, he ignored the pangs of pain from bones crunching, reforming, lengthening and shortening. He cracked his neck and a muscle in his blood covered jaw line tweaked. Picking up the coat, he folded in neatly and threw it over his shoulder. He could the march of soldiers coming back around the block and they would find their bodies. He couldn’t go out the way he had come in.

Sasuke rolled his shoulders and felt his nails sharpen, thicken; the veins in his hands bulged and lean muscle twitched. His eyes widened and his jaw lengthened, spine creaking and bending, bones shifting and forming something else. His ears went to points, like an elf’s before growing. Spots of fur popped from his arms, legs, face and his feet widened, growing.

Had any of the soldiers seen Sasuke, they would have been subject to a state of denial akin to having taken a hallucinogenic. There was no man in his place, no snarling wolf – a beast of unimaginable size and legend. It looked to be a werewolf climbing up the sides of the alley and to the roof.

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Gaara’s eyes opened, slid back after he finished changing back into his humanoid form, he yawned and ruffled his hair with one hand. Lazily, he looked around the home he was situated in and walked to the fridge, pulling out the milk carton and drinking straight form it. A noise, rustle in the dark made him pull away so he was merely holding the carton before shoving it back in the fridge. The red tinted peach fuzz on the back of his neck rose up while his muscles tightened then flexed accordingly.

Outside, there was no squirrel.

There was a rage filled bloodlust that commanded attention and it wasn’t the Uchiha - that Gaara could tell because this scent was different and new. Briefly, a spark akin to an electric thrill raced through his blood, emptying like a sinking oil ship into his brain and sending fits of high adrenaline into him. He paused to do a minor statistics check on the woman who had welcomed him into her home – slow breathing, murmuring but asleep nonetheless. Gaara unlocked the door and made his way outside.

Leanly corded muscle moving like a bright red banner that said ‘come ‘n get me’. Gaara made a turn to the side of the house and rustling stopped. His scalp prickled, the air changed, grew moister and warmer. “You’re hiding out too, eh?” the irritating, grating voice. Gaara turned to face Sakon, no sign of his mellower and level headed twin Ukon.

Gaara stared back at him evenly, before spotting a bar code on Sakon’s right wrist, dug in deep to the inner flesh. Sakon noticed Gaara’s look and slight suspicion as to the only thing he could be suspicious of. “Sabaku, where’s Uzumaki and Uchiha?”

The redhead gave the single twin a blank stare, “Orochimaru would only concern himself with Uchiha.”

Sakon shrugged, “He’s been so worried about all three of you, running off from the labs without so much as a by your leave.”

Gaara’s eyes flashed gold briefly, diluting the green only momentarily. “Where’s Ukon?” Gaara, while never known for having much tact, always managed to surprise people.

Sakon grinned rakishly, “Being the gentleman he is, he’s making sure that your bonny lace is sleeping nice and tight.”

Gaara’s eyes narrowed only by a fraction and he watched as Sakon’s teeth protruded more so, like a caveman overbite. “Orochimaru-sama requests an audience with you…but I like to think I know you well enough to know the answer.” His canines grew upwards from his bottom row, pointed and sharp like upside down boar tusks. From his temples, an impressive set of ram’s horns curled out thickly, blood spurting to the side from breaking skin with the over amount of calcium. He laughed, a snorting grunting sound much like the sound of a demented ram trying on a human voice. His nails were thick, pointed as though carved from hooves.

Gaara’s red hair blended into a gold color with odd patterns of grey blue – eyes being swallowed whole in black and gold trinkets. His jaw lengthened and there before the half ram and half man stood a large dog holding resemblance to a raccoon. Gaara snarled and dove forth, aiming for Sakon’s thin ankles, much too much like a true mountain ram. Sakon bellowed and snagged his nails over Gaara’s fur, sending out tips.

Gaara twisted lithely and caught onto a horn with his teeth holding on while Sakon reared his head back in outrage. Sakon made a whistling sort of sound followed by yet another angered bellow, tossing his head from side to side like a horse with a fly in its ear.

Heavy paws were placed on Sakon’s chest and shoulders while Gaara held on stubbornly, knowing that Sakon’s hide had hardened to that of a mildly hard bone. Key arteries would be liable to hit; thighs, under his arms and his neck. Gaara loosened his grip on Sakon’s horn to dive dove and, missing his neck, instead scrapping his arm with his teeth. He was knocked to the side with a curled horn tip, flung into the bushes where he merely rolled and charged at Sakon once more. He faked a dive for Sakon’s neck, to which he flung himself back, but left his legs firmly where they were.

Gaara’s teeth dug into his thigh, and flung his head back viciously spraying blood. Sakon twisted and flung himself from the sadistic dog creature. The additions to his human features retracted while he limped from Gaara, “Fucking prick,” he hissed between clenched teeth. Gaara snarled, tasting blood and wanting more. True to his predator roots, he approached Sakon with bared teeth and snappish gold eyes.

“Gaara, let’s settle this nicely, shall we?” he heard another voice similar to Sakon’s; turning he saw Ukon holding Hinata by her throat. She twisted in his grip and tried to let out a shrill scream, to which Ukon covered her mouth but she managed to kick him in his knee painfully.

“Get…off…me!” she hissed, writhing, catching sight of Gaara, blood covering his muzzle and teeth now currently bared at this blue haired man holding her.

Ukon calmly held her by her throat a bit more tightly, constricting before slamming her head harshly against a corner edge of her house. Her pale eyes rolled in her head without direction. Her body went limp and her head lolled to the side listlessly. Gaara snarled at Ukon.

“Tomorrow Orochimaru-sama will be holding a charity ball and he expects you three to show up, or pain and death to this little birdie here.” He shook Hinata’s limp body as an emphasis. “It’s up to you entirely, Uzumaki will show I know since he has a friendly attachment to this one, you will go since she took you in and the Uchiha…well, you’ll have to convince him won’t you?” Gaara didn’t budge or show acknowledgement.

Ukon stopped down to sniff at her neck, “She smells nice, I’m sure you’ve noticed Gaara. Smells human and kind…which means she’s delicate and I could snap her in two in any way I wanted, Gaara.”

The redheaded youth appeared before Ukon, eyes narrow and a scowl fit over his lips. “Hand her over,” he commanded. Ukon smiled.

“The ball begins at seven tomorrow night and should you decide to run, I’ll kill her and it won’t be quick and silent. It’ll be slow and nasty.” Ukon dropped her body on the ground before walking over to his injured brother and throwing his arm over his shoulder. “Nice seeing you again Gaara,” he added as a polite afterthought.

He walked down the dark road with his limping brother.

Gaara moved silently over to Hinata, noticing the blood collecting at her right temple, matting her hair in sticky clumps. He stooped down and stared into her face. Hesitation didn’t mark his next actions, gripping her underarms and lifting her easily like a child into his arms before marching to the house. Kicking the door closed behind him, he wandered into the hallway and entered her bedroom. Minding her head, he lay her down before retreating to the bathroom.

Filling her night cup full of cold water he returned and splashed it on her face, making her lashes flutter and eyes pop open.

“Gaara?” her voice was small and quiet, confused. The golden furred dog raccoon thing blinked down at her lazily, and then as if remembering something, she shot up and looked around wildly despite the headache pounding. “Where did those men go?” she whispered in a hushed tone and started to rise but fell down, body taxed and world spinning.

Gaara, of course, gave no answer and backed away slowly while she held a hand to her head, mumbling about a possible concussion. Her hand lashed out and caught a handful of his fur, making him jump slightly and bare his teeth. “Stay a little while would you?” she muttered, fighting to keep her eyes open and lifting herself so she scooted back and kept herself propped up on the wall behind her futon.

“I just had a near death and or rape experience the least you could do is make sure I just don’t up and…” she yawned, “Die.” Gaara gave her a flat stare before sitting down on his haunches beside her. Her head rolled to him and her normally large eyes were mere slits, fighting to stay awake. “Act like an actual dog for once and let me pet you,” her words were slowly slurring and Gaara lay down, snarling at her a little. Her hand came down heavily on his head and scratched between his ears.

Her eyes closed and Gaara bit her wrist enough for it to sting. She muttered something about ‘stupid dogs’ and opened her eyes, fluttering. With a sudden show of strength she tugged on Gaara’s ruff and brought his neck and head over one knee, before continuing to scratch. “A while ago…you’d have bit off my hand for doing this…” she mumbled incoherently. “You and Naruto are my only friends…is that even a little sad or pathetic?” she continued to talk and while Gaara sorely wanted her to just go to sleep and stop babbling, she needed to stay awake. “I buy a movie ticket once a week when I can to a comedy movie to hear people laugh because…I can’t make people laugh…and I can’t laugh much either…” her fingers tread too close to entrance of his ear so he flipped it in annoyance. “I’m a coward too. I ran away…” her eyebrows drew together momentarily, “From them. From the responsibilities I’d never be able to fulfill because I’m not like them. I don’t have the sort of pride they do. As Hinata, a person, I have enough…not as a Hyuuga, never…as…a…” she yawned and fell to side, bumping her other knee into Gaara’s nose and head crashing into his side.

“I’m kinda…sleepy…”

Gaara looked down at her, “I can see that.”

She curled about him, using him both as a pillow and blanket. He thought about moving, he thought about biting her and walking off with a satisfied feeling, he also thought about staying and offering her a little comfort. He thought about sleep, even if only for an hour or two.

Snorting to himself, he concluded that this woman’s insanity was rubbing off on him because in turn, he curled around her and rested his muzzle on her hip. His eyes slid closed and he inhaled deeply.

He wondered what a good sleep felt like before he drifted off.

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Yes, I kept Sasuke to his Avenger form, as for Gaara and Naruto’s positions? …you’ll find out. :D I do hope you like how I’ve portrayed Sasuke, and I hope you have guesses as to what Naruto and Gaara may be in this weirdo more than a little cliché plot I have.

taixonay – by Sanctuary is just that (this isn’t a spoiler because this is basically a ripped off dictionary definition); a safe house or a shelter. And Hinata’s dreaminess is extremely significant because it only complicates matters in means of her survival and how much her opinion matters to people. :D

K-promises-fall - "Dreams of dreams, so dreamy, dreary, dreamy and dreamy of another’s dream" is a spoiler because this is my way of trying you to figure Hinata’s position out.