Watch Them Dance (Naruto fan fiction)

The Octopus Man

Ayako's POV

"Not particularly, I'd rather live in ignorance." I told the three sitting before Shimo and me. Trying not to attract too much attention Shimo moved to stand closer to me, her body pressed into its usual position at the bottom of my leg. Before anything else was said a flock of birds flew through the air above us, attracting the eyes of all around me.

"Marvellous thing, flight." The stripped man said, his head still angled to the sky. "Wouldn't you love to control that?"

"I already have speed and stealth, I don't think the world could handle me with flight." I joked, watching all three patterns as they sat unmoving.

"Well too bad for them, because you're not leaving here until you have learnt how to begin the summoning." Any happiness amongst them had been removed, instead replaced with an anger and annoyance which I really didn't want. "The summoning is similar to a usual one, you bite your finger or something and use blood. However, you have to have summoned at least five animals, tigers in your case, beforehand."

The man paused, turning to look intently at me, "we know you can do that. Now, the trickiest part is this; to summon the dragon you need to use your kekkei genkai."

Annoyed I rushed to speak, "what, no I-".

"Yes, you do, you just don't know how to use it yet. It's not anything too big or major, just that you are going to need to activate it before you summon the dragon. Should be easy. We'll leave that bit to you to figure out though." I looked across the short space before me, disbelief evident among my features. They can't be serious, I thought.

The other man rose, finally speaking. "Oh, and we will be coming for that dragon, just to let you know." Without warning he threw a rock away and off to the side, my eyes following the movement, losing contact with them for a moment. When I brought myself back to look at them the three people had vanished, their exit silent and deadly quick.

I gulped, the noise echoing through the now quiet clearing.

"Let's hurry back Shimo." I picked her up and pressed her close, soaking up her familiar warmth. With Shimo in my arms we found our way back through the forest, stumbling upon the group as it begun to stir, waking with the morning light. Naruto was still asleep, surrounded by a thick blanket he'd brought, stupidly in my opinion, a teddy like beanie atop his head. Still trying to supress the shudders which were raking through by body I sat and watched the camp before me come to life, the few remaining people rising from their slumber.

Shimo had begun to nod off, her small head dipping into my legs and as her strength left her, pressing down on me. My hand lay absentmindedly on her back, rubbing slow, small, circles into her soft fur and wedging its way in between my fingers. Like the last few days Naruto woke last, his yawn stretching out through the clearing and managing to startle me enough to jump, Shimo growling at my movement.

I shushed her, placing a feather like kiss into her side, before standing up and heading over to greet the people around me. Thankfully everyone else seemed to be morning people, happy enough that my own sour mood was missed. Shimo still lay in a tight ball on the far side of the clearing, lying upon the log I'd been at with her a moment ago.

"'Morning." Naruto spoke, announcing his presence behind me. His left hand had risen to his eye, wiping the sleep out. Apparently he was unlike everyone else and wanted to sleep in for longer.