Living in the shadows (Shikamaru's sister story * Naruto fan fiction)

Chapter 30 - Darkness

'Hanku! ... You can't leave me too!' I cried and whispereded at the same time. I burried my face into her fur. 'Wake up! I didn't want to imperil you!'

The pain what I felt for sensei was already too much, but it was like it grew bigger and bigger in my chest with every moment I spent next to my brave panter.

Behind me Hiroto and Ashi were also weeping. I could hear their sniffle. Losing sensei is a big trauma for all of us.

Suddenly Hanku's eyelids moved slowly and she opened her eyes. I hugged her neck.

'Don't scare me like that again!' I whispered into her fur, still crying heavily. I waited for her to answer me, but she stayed quite.

'Say something Hanku! What's wrong?' I turned my head to face the panter. I looked into her lighting green eyes.

'Don't give me that look again Ichigo!' I became confused, but she continued. 'You did the Extreme Boundary Shadow Trap perfectly, but your actions were filled with darkness.'

'What do you mean by darkness?' I couldn't follow her.

'I mean, that you wanted to take revenge as much that you almost merged me into the shadows, you were using.'

Merging her into my shadows? But if I do that she will dissappear as the way she is now.

'But how? I can't do such a thing!'

'No, you can, and you almost did it too. ... The only thing which stopped you was that you ran out of chakra.'

'No no no! I never wanted to do such a thing to you! You are precius to me like... like... sensei was!' I broke out in tears again. Suddenly Ashi tapped my shoulder.

'We should get going Ichigo!' Her eyes were filled with sadness, but she forced herself to say it.

-----

We made a stretcher onto Shiromaru's back and placed Hayama-sensei on it. Ashi sat on the dog's back too. Hiroto joined me on Hanku's back.

By the first sunrise reached the ground, we got ready to go back to Konoha.