Tails of the Kitsune.

Chapter 4

Kakashi's eyes widen as he sees the fireball hit me and Naruto, Kits giant head barging against him as he pushes the Jonin to the ground, causing him to land heavily before rolling to a stop. The large fox landing softly beside them as the bright flames illuminate his and the Sage's face as they wait for the fire to die out.

"Naruto!!"

The Sage screams as he moves closer to us. My body cracking under the force of the blast as I tuck Naruto's smaller frame beneath me, my clothes getting singed away as I keep my eyes shut as I grunt against the pressure before the flames finally die out around us, my eyes opening to see the boys big blue eyes staring up at me in what I imagine to be pure shock. Can't blame the guy really.

"You... Okay...?" I whisper to him as he nods.

"Naruto!"

"Jiraiya, stop screaming."

So that's his actual name. The Pervy sage is far more amusing however. I sigh as I hear him yell again as the smoke clears, my body still shielding him as I force myself to sit up, allowing me to see that the boy remained unharmed. Thank god. Could you imagine what they'd do if he wasn't? Even though it wasn't me who spat a giant fireball at him in the first place, I'm sure it would be my fault either way. Accountability is a strange thing to men, it's never their fault.

"I'm okay."

His voice was quiet as he sits up, my body trembling as I remain on my knees beside him. Kit immediately rushing to lay behind me, as I start to sway, my back resting against him to keep me upright, a whine coming from his chest as he sniffs at me.

"You protected him. Why?"

Kakashi asks as he and Jiraiya look over the boy to see if there are any wounds. My eyes lifting to see the Sage now gazing down upon me. God I hope my clothes weren't too badly burnt, the last thing I needed is for this guy to go all gooey eyed again and I haven't got it in me to hit him right now.

"Kakashi, she hasn't got a single burn on her."

I let out a shaky breath, the pain I'm experiencing merely from the power of the blast itself and not the flames. Perks of having an elemental fox spirit bound to you. Fire doesn't hurt. But that was quite a powerful hit he just used against me and I'm certainly gonna have some bruises and maybe a few fractured ribs to show for it.

"How is that possible?"

Kakashi crouches in front of me now and Kit moves his head protectively in front of me as he growls. The Jonins hands raising to show he wasn't looking to hurt me.

"I just want to see if she needs medical attention... I won't hurt her if she doesn't give me reason to."

"Damn right you won't! What the hell were you thinking! You could have killed her!"

"Naruto. Shut up!"

Jiraiya snaps, causing Naruto to cross his arms. Grunting in irritation as I give him a smile.

"I'm okay kid... I'm not that easy to take out..."

My voice is a little strained as I talk to the boy, his Sensei moving toward me again. My eyes darting to his hands nervously causing Kit to snap his teeth at him.

"Can you tell your fox to calm down? I just want to help."

Kakashi's tone is calm as he speaks to me, my hands still wrapped around my ribs as I shake my head.

"You want to help? You just tried to kill me because of your ignorance. I told you guys that I wasn't a threat... I didn't give you any reason for you to attack so why should we believe you now?"

I look over at Kit as I lift one arm to move over his neck as he helps me to stand.

"I think you've done quite enough, don't you?"

"Aimi please, your hurt."

Naruto steps forward now, looking at me with his big eyes as I sigh, responding to him only.

"I've survived worse. I understand now that this village is like all the others. I was hoping after I met you that it would be different..."

I grit my teeth as I pull myself up onto Kits back, looking down at the kid as I give him a smile.

"It was truly a pleasure to meet you Naruto. I hope to see you do exceptional things one day."

"Aimi..."

I pat Kits shoulder and he sprints off with me on his back, leaving the two men and the boy in the distance as we speed off - making our way out the village as nightfall starts to hit.

****

We were out the city now, the gates and walls out of view as I whisper down to Kit. The sun pretty much set now as the moon takes its place in the sky, the dark clouds from earlier gone as the stars blink brightly against the dark canvas.

"I think this is good..."

I tap his neck this time as I let out a painful groan, my body sliding off his shoulders as I fall and hit the ground with one of those comical 'Ooft' sounds. What wasn't so comical however, was the pain my body was feeling after that pain in the ass ninja cooked my ass with a fireball jutsu. I sit up, the sound of my body literally creaking as my fox friend whines into me as he nudges my sore body under the cover of a tree, his large fluffy body curling up behind me as I lay my head and shoulders across the side of his chest and abdomen. His tail laying across my hips as I keep one arm tightly around my ribs, as if I expected it to help keep them from falling apart. It didn't, just to clarify. Every single breath I took hurt like hell.

"I'll be alright. He just surprised me that's all..."

I whisper, my voice hoarse as my head pounded inside my skull. As if someone had taken out my brain, threw it in a damn blender and poured it back into my skull. Shaking it around a few more times just for funsies.

"And if Naruto hadn't got in the way I would've deflected it... This is why I never had kids..."

Kit whines at me, licking at the side of my face as I close my eyes.

"I'll be fine... Nothing a little sleep won't fix."

I don't know why I bother lying when he can quite literally feel what I feel and I can feel what he feels. It's a downfall to being bound sometimes, you can't hide anything from each other. Times like this I wish I could because I didn't want him to feel my suffering right now, it's unpleasant enough as it is for me let alone having to share that burden with him.

"Wake me up every hour if you need too... I promise I'll be fine in the morning..."

He lets out a deep growl in defeat as I place my small hand on top of his giant paw, my body starting to feel like the world was sinking beneath me. Probably not a good sign, it's been a long long time since I've had injuries like this - I almost forgot what pain felt like and after getting a big ass dose of it? I remember how much is truly bloody sucks.

"I love you Kit..."

I whisper quietly as I look over at him, his big blue eyes filled with worry as the edges of my vision starts to turn black. Huh, I guess I'm gonna pass out. Great. I let out another shaky breath as my eyes flutter shut, my head rolling into his fluffy shoulder as the last thing I hear is a loud whine coming from my fox, the pain slowly disappearing as I fall into the abyss of unconsciousness.