Epilogue

In the Shizuka Plains, Dakuhosu grunted in frustration as he received a summons. Why the hell was Katsume calling for him before the sun has yet to rise? Odd… Not surprising, just odd. Katsume is a bit of an insomniac, but it was still unusual for her to bother him at this hour, especially if they are to set out at dawn… 

Must be important. 

The large ebony beast huffed and lunged to stand from his lying position beside his mate. Looking over his herd one last time before accepting the summons, he vanished. 

A plume of smoke made his arrival apparent, but when the cloud cleared, it revealed a sight he hadn't seen in years; Katsume, with flushed complexion and tear-stained cheeks, needed no words to tell him how much she'd cried. Was still crying. Her honey-brown eyes pleaded at him in the moonlit meadow, the willow tree they'd often napped under together in his peripheral. He'd known she had been putting off her farewells, and it seemed she'd finally mustered up the courage. A bit last minute, he thought, which didn't give her or her friends much time to process the departure. But maybe that was her intention. 

Daku's keen ears heard a strangled whimper sound at the back of her throat and he sighed. "Come here," he said in his gruff voice, so gentle that it surprised Katsume enough to widen her eyes just a bit. The simple words forced a choked sob from her as she rushed and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his thick noir mane. 

He let her hold onto him, let her soak his mane and shiny coat in her tears, allowing her to let it all go. Just as he used to do when she was young and she'd grip his mane tightly in her smaller fury-marred hands. There were times in the past when she needed comforting but wouldn't say it outright, she never really did. But he always knew, could always feel the shift in her aura. 

Unlike the toads of Mount Myoboku, the Equus residing in the Shizuka Plains don't rely on a physical contract, but through creating a type of bond through chakra and soul. It is quite difficult and requires immense training and control of one's chakra, which he knew Iroha drilled into her for good reason. To prepare her to intertwine her chakra with an Equus in the heat of the introductory battle…or die by their hooves. 

Papa Grande was bonded to the "Old Bat", as Katsume calls her, for nearly half a century. Katsume…she was her inheritor of the bond. Unheard of, but possible. But that didn't mean that the bond was just given over to her. Blood played no factor. Inheritor is just the title, he knew Katsume earned the bond he shared with her. He witnessed her grit and loyalty, and he wouldn't have accepted the bond had he thought her unworthy. 

The beast laid his massive head over her shoulder, pressing her close to his wide chest as she gripped his neck tighter. He could feel her pain, the guilt that weighed on her heart. Her soul. He had half a mind to scold her for waiting until the night before to tell her friends she was leaving, to tell him especially—the Scarecrow. But he understood. Despite her mind denying it for the sake of her heart…he could feel her love for the silver-haired ninja. 

"Katsume…" he said as he nudged her back a bit. She wiped her tears with the heel of her palm and sniffed, looking up at his horizontal pupils. Daku inhaled and spoke in a gentle tone, lowering his head so he was at eye level. "I can feel your turmoil. These people are your home…leaving it–them–is not easy." A shift of his weight. "But you have a personal mission that you must prioritize if you are to protect the peace you've found. You know that, and that is why we must leave. Your people love you, they'll understand. If not now, then eventually."

Katsume nodded silently. She knew he was right. She knew of her duty and the task at hand. The mission she hadn't divulged to anyone but Daku, and the research she'd done in secret and will continue on her two-year journey. 

She felt the light weight in the inside pocket of her jacket—the haphazardly folded papers she'd stolen from the safe in her mother's office. Based on the peeks at the piles of documents on the Hokage's desk, and the subtle glances her mother made when Katsume brought her Fate's Jeopardy and gave her the report of the mission—the memories that flashed through Tsunade's mind of her old teammate. Katsume was able to discern the location of the key to that Titanium vault. Files stowed away for their historic prevalence—secrets they held, the shinobi whose existences were sealed away.

She couldn't stop thinking about that day in Kirigakure—how Orochimaru could've possibly known that she was the one to be assigned to that mission. Her paranoid thoughts only ever led to one conclusion, one she had pushed away in hopes there was another explanation…

Betrayal.

As dawn threatened the new day, she sighed. Looks like she'll have to travel on zero hours. Katsume rested a hand on Daku's forelock and ruffled the course noir. "Thanks, Daku…I'll holler if I need you." A hollow chuckle.

Daku watched her scuff away, the weight of her exhaustion heavy in her steps. He snorted out a sigh as he returned to Shizuka Plains with a puff of smoke, nuzzling next to his mate once again.

What am I going to do with that girl…

__________________________________________

"The daughter of The Toad Sage and Konoha's Slug Princess. The Legendary Sannin…" The man held a hand out into the rain, watching the drops gather in his palm as he mused. "Quite the interesting development, Jiraiya…"

Kisame stuffed his clenched fists into the pockets of his cloak as his hard stare watched the holographic jutsu of his leader flicker. 

"A lot of liars out there…"

A lot of liars out there indeed, Little Hunter. I just didn't guess you'd be one of them, Kisame thought as he popped a knuckle with his thumb.

"She's one to be wary of." Itachi sounded beside Kisame, which was odd since he usually kept quiet during these meetings. 

Sasori chimed in, "My informant confirmed paternity as well, also that Orochimaru attempted to clone her abilities numerous times, but all attempts were subpar. The only successful experiment was taken out by the woman." His gruff voice was like gravel.

Kisame chuckled inwardly as he listened, having seen Katsume hunt down and dispose of Orohimaru's lackeys as brutally as possible—clearly in a fit of unbridled rage. They'd decided to follow her from a safe distance into Kiragakure after that night he and Itachi came across her camping out in the Land of Fire. There had been something off about her during their conversation, something uncharacteristically soft despite her front of hostility. 

He hadn't been the only one to be curious about their old friend. The ever-so-subtle widening of Itachi's eyes when none other than that Copy-Ninja appeared from the trees to join her at the camp, was confirmation enough. 

They trailed the two to Kirigakure where he and Itachi had just come—out of range of Katsume's sensory—as they coincidentally led them to the target they had been assigned from Pain. To Fate's Jeopardy. Kisame had quipped to Itachi that his curiosity and spontaneity ended up being an asset to their cause, to which was met by Itachi's usual contemplative silence.

But after the crystal dome collapsed and Kisame observed in anticipation as Katsume threw Orochimaru's experiment around like a rag doll…the gleam of sick amusement in her eyes as she cut out the woman's tongue and tossed the bloody mass aside like trash…

She was still The Huntress he knew.

No sense of newfound nobility would change that. 

And that temper of hers…

"The Huntress would make for a better ally than an enemy," Kisame added his thoughts with a smirk. 

Itachi side-eyed his partner, which made Kisame's smirk grow into a wicked grin.

There was faint murmuring from the other members as Pain contemplated his suggestion. The holographic jutsus hummed and echoed against the damp walls of the massive cave, glitching periodically as the rest of the Akatsuki awaited his decision. After a moment, Pain turned to the group, hands folded behind his back and his chin held high.

"Our main objective takes precedence. But an obstacle with such potential could become a nuisance…

…bring her to me."