A Kitsune Story

Chapter 17

"Really, I'm all right, Sasuke," Naruto insisted with a nod to indicate they should keep walking.

He said that, but he was rubbing and cradling his belly. So, Sasuke turned toward him and pushed the fingers of one hand through messy blond locks. Naruto looked away because a burp was bubbling out. He barely got his hand up to cover it.

"Naruto," Sasuke complained softly.

"Your son is doing back flips, he's fine," Naruto insisted, "And so am I."

Sasuke frowned at the evasion but knew Naruto would not give. Instead, he asked a question to stall and give Naruto more time to rest. Who knew what would greet them when they re-entered the village. "My son? You know the child is male?"

"I would not swear to it but yes, I know," Naruto answered with a smile. His hand rubbed up and down the very forward and vertical bulge of his belly, which was typical of a developing male. "Does that give you more joy?" he questioned with a humored smile, sliding both hands to hold his belly from beneath. "A male heir is what you need."

"Are you planning to give me only one child?" Sasuke asked softly, looking down and touching Naruto's belly. The silk layers hid it well, but there was indeed a lot of movement. He was almost certain he felt the shape of a foot against his hand.

"No," Naruto laughed, adding to the trembling. "Of course I will give you as many children as you can handle."

"Then it doesn't matter," Sasuke spoke with reverent focus still on Naruto's belly, "My joy is knowing better this child I am waiting to meet."

Smiling, Naruto tilted his head and found Sasuke's lips to kiss him.

"This is not the time," Katsuro interrupted them, dropping on the road nearby.

Both looked around at him.

"That is your victory?" Katsuro questioned.

Sasuke was holding the severed head of their foe by the hair, blood mixing with that already staining his haori. It was necessary to bring it back to the village as proof. He lifted it so Katsuro could see it better. "Yes."

"Good," Katsuro's yellow eyes flashed as he looked toward the head. "But the village is an angry hive. Hokage-dono is attempting to restore order but fear runs high. There are some who heard her try to claim to be the fox and know in their hearts truth lies there."

That wasn't a surprise. After all, Tsunade was a sixty-year-old woman whose features remained smooth and yellow hair free of any gray. That there was an aura of power about her was unmistakable.

"Is Tsuna-chan in danger?" Naruto demanded, hitching his kimono to start down the road at a quick pace.

"She is and so are you. And you," Katsuro looked at each of them. "They are certain the calamity of that man's attack would not have occurred if Naruto-kun was not among them. And if the Uchiha had not once again lain with yokai."

Sasuke's features darkened and Naruto glanced back at him.

"But you and Saren were trying to help them, did they not see that much?" Naruto protested. Gathering his ki, his aura began to light beneath his skin. He then turned his gaze toward his granddaughter and then his home.

"No. They recoiled from us. Saren-san has already run back to the estate. Sasuke-san should do the same. I can carry you to get you home faster, Naruto-kun," Katsuro volunteered, "But I cannot carry two."

"No," Naruto was not refusing, he was uttering horror. "Fire and anger," he reported, sharpening teeth creating an angry lisp, "The cowards go now, when they know we are not there. Shiori..."