Chapter 42 - K

The expression on Sasha's face is familiar. It's the same Naruto always wore before he started shouting. Though hers is more subdued and Kurama pities that. However, before words can come out of her mouth, her brother stops her with a hand on her shoulder. It works as she backs away to glare at her brother. She frowns at him, a silent conversation happening with expressions before she rolls her eyes at whatever thing she finds on her brother's face.

She returns to look at him. "We're running from a town half an hour from here. Don't know exactly where we are going. We just want to be away from that place."

Kurama glances in the opposite direction the car was moving towards and sniffs. The scent of death is strong. He spreads his newfound awareness and is surprised when he can sense faintly the dead. He hums distractedly, more curious about the new development. "Yeah, can smell those things from here. It's a wonder you managed to survive with that many."

"Yeah. A wonder," Adam says sarcastically, glancing at his son whose face is pressed to her mother's side. "Wait. Smell them? Can you do that?"

Kurama smiles in that sociopathic way Naruto has told him so many times how scary it is. It seems to work fine on adults, too. Or that's what he gets from the way he sees the humans inside the car as they tense. "Of course. I can do that. I can do even more, human."

"Does that means you're not as weak as before then, Nine?" Sophia asks with furrowed eyebrows. Kurama is reminded that from all that he managed to teach her, she's still but a child. He could ignore it as he feels she's truly worried about him but that kind of question is not meant for company and Kurama thinks of himself as her teacher so he can't let it slide.

He makes another tail appear. This one with more difficulty as it seems three tails are his limit and flips Sophia on the head. She doesn't complain but her hand still goes to rub her forehead.

"Kid, you need to learn when not to divulge things. Never put all your cards on the table. But yeah, that's true. I'm not at my normal level of power. When I'm around the height of a house you will know I'm improving. Until then, I can only do the basics, but those seem to be enough for this world."

There is a lull in the conversation in which the adults take the time to glance at each other meaningfully. It's Donna the one who stops them by looking at him in exasperation. "Look, we all would love to know what hell you are and what your intentions here are. But the truth is that my son is unconscious and injured. We could barely stitch him and we still need to check those up. We don't have any painkillers for the fever that's breaking and we've been almost a week on the road so we don't have enough gas either. We need to search for a place to sleep. So if any of your mysterious abilities can help, that'd be great."

"Donna—"

"Shut up, Adam," she shots her husband before turning to look at him. "Can you do it?"

Kurama glares at the human, a slight thread of killing intent sweeping in the background. It's not enough to face a genin but for a civilian with a non-developed chakra network is enough to make them freeze.

"Let's be clear in something, human. I'm not a pet. I'm not someone you can order around. If I'm here, with your group, is because of a whim. These 'walkers' don't face me; they're just a nuisance to me. You'll do yourself a favor in showing me some respect."

Donna's head slightly tilts down. Her brain recognizes him as the threat he is, but her glare doesn't lessen and for that, he's gained some of his respect. "The fever can kill him in this weather. Can you help my son, please," she asks between gritted teeth, a bead of sweat falling from her hairline from the exertion his killing intent is taking on them.

Her determination reminds him of Naruto's and because of that, Kurama smiles. "I don't think I have enough energy to completely heal him, but I can try, human."

She nods and signals her husband to open the door. He seems reluctant but eventually accepts. Kurama jumps from the roof and is slightly surprised to notice that the wind is stronger from outside his roof box, or whatever is called. He looks up to the sky and sees it darkening. It'll rain in a few hours.

"Here," he hears and turns to see the man, Adam, helping her wife to pull his son into a better position, closer to the door.

Kurama notices the red mark on the kid's head and the gash on his upper arm that has darkened the dark green shirt he's wearing. He's sweating and the heat he's exuding can be felt from where he's standing. He glances once more at Donna before he tries to concentrate his energy, pull it away from Nature, and for one hand of chakra.

It works, if barely, but the arm is red instead of yellow. He knows if he tries to touch the kid, he most likely will end up burning him. He moves the arm away from the humans to avoid accidental touching and Kurama closes his eyes to better ignore his surroundings so he can concentrate, but it's still hard and only gets the arm to turn orange.

"Fuck," he hisses and makes the arm disappear as he shakes his head. He looks up at the kid and sees Sophia peeking from behind his form. Seeing her reminds him of something, giving him an idea.

.

.

Reviews fill my soul with motivation :D

Also if you wanna read chapters ahead, go to:

www - Pat - reon - com - /JorieDS