Chapter 2: The Sparrow and the Snake

Alrighty! So sadly Haru had a bad beginning in life, but luckily, he's too young to remember any of it...but then that just leaves his mother keeping the truth from him. Eventually he'll have to know, but for now, he'll have to grow. ENJOY!

Eventually, Fuyumaru's running slowed to walking as he traveled through the snowy wastelands with Haru and Yoko in tow. He knew of a place to go. It was his own tatami house which he once lived alone in...but it seems that he will now have company. As he came onto a clear trail through the forest that he knew, he sighed and glanced back at Yoko. "...Is he warm?" He whispered in an attempt to break the silence that filled the air. Flurries had now begun to fall.

Yoko took a minute to respond, but nodded, holding her baby close.

Fuyumaru neared his manor, walking to the front door and nudging it open with his muzzle. After walking in, he shut it so the cold didn't come into the house. Inside was warm.

The house was filled with old furniture and ancient relics, shelves filled with scrolls, and a fireplace, but this was only the living room. There were two bedrooms and a bathroom. It's size was quite convenient for his new company. "You will stay here as long you wish. I know that houses, even small ones, can get expensive. I hope you don't mind the lack of electricity here." Fuyumaru smiled as Yoko climbed off of him. He walked over to the fireplace that was now burning coals, and blew at it a few times, getting the fire going. He grabbed a stick in his mouth that had a small flame, and went around the house lighting the lamps and candles. Yoko walked over to the couch and sat down with Haru in her arms.

She was without a doubt still in shock from the earlier event...and Fuyumaru knew that, so he decided to stay quiet.

"Here, yours is damp and cold from the snow..." He walked over to her with a new and bigger blanket. "...Thank you." She whispered, removing her blanket and replacing it with his. "If you need anything, let me know..." He said before walking about the house, fixing things up, cleaning, and so on.

After fixing up things around the house for an hour, he returned to Yoko, placing a cup of warm tea on the table in front of her. "You may drink if you wish, it'll keep you warm." He stepped away, and laid down onto the mats. "You should rest Yoko...your tired heart has endured enough pain for today." He said before resting his head onto the floor, and soon slumbering. Yoko stared into the fire, holding her tea above Haru who slept in her lap.

...She silently wept that night, until she quietly fell into a dreamless sleep with her baby in her arms...

Yoko fluttered her eyes open as she awoke, her cheeks tear-stained from the previous night. She looked down to see Haru still in her arms. She had fallen asleep sitting up. She looked over to see if Fuyumaru was there, to only see that he was gone. Her eyes widened and she quickly looked around, before her eyes laid upon a note on the table in front of her.

"I'm getting proper nourishment for you and your child. By the time you should read this, I will be returning shortly. -Fuyumaru."

She smiled at the note, and right as she did, sure enough, the tatami door opened, and Fuyumaru entered with many bags in his mouth. He closed the door and walked into the kitchen area, placing them all onto the dining table. "I made sure to buy proper foods for both you and your child. I may not have electricity here, but traditionally freezing and reheating is not a problem." He said as he gestured outside. "I have a proper storage room outside that acts as a freezer, and the fire itself acts as your stove. Even though I may not cook, I still have all the necessary supplies in case I ever had company." He explained, unbagging the groceries.

"Fuyumaru...you've done so much for my family, I can't thank you enough." Yoko smiled with joy, Fuyumaru smiling back. "It's my duty...and my pleasure."

...Several years.

Several years have now passed since that fateful night.

Four years, to be exact.

Haru was growing big and fast, like any growing boy would, but...one thing became very evident to both Yoko and Fuyumaru. He refused to speak. He responded perfectly, but his words were few and far between. However, eventually this behavior left, and he began to speak normally again, but only to the two. He was incredibly shy whenever they brought him to a town for shopping.

Today, Fuyumaru was going to take him out shopping for more clothes while Yoko stayed home and watched the house.

Haru wore his favorite back, dark grey and light grey kimono. His hair was also quite long and fluffy, being just a bit above his shoulders. He loved it a bit long, and it helped his neck keep warm from the constant cold of their area. It was always winter where they lived, as it was Fuyumaru's home near Mount Shingetsu. The wolf summons home.

"We're heading out." Fuyumaru stated as he walked outside, Haru holding on tight on his back. Yoko nodded with a smile, waving to them and Fuyumaru shut the door. He quickly took off into a fast run through his path in the forest. It was a few minutes before he exited the Shingetsu area, and entered the normal Land of Water. As he continued to run, he eventually came across the small, peaceful town he commonly shops at and visits. The villagers are well acquainted with his appearance there.

This town was in one of the few sunny, drier places of the Land of Water.

He slowed into a walk as he entered the currently bustling town. It was rush hour, and everyone was hurrying to everywhere. As he let Haru down, he turned and whispered to him. "Stay close, okay? It's busy today and I don't want to lose track of you." He said before standing back up from kneeling. Haru quickly nodded, holding onto Fuyumaru's foreleg as they walked along. The marketplace had some booths that were set up outside of the stores for the sake of more business, which meant clothing stores had booths too, and that's why they were here.

As they peacefully shopped around, Haru stayed close, but kept looking around. He was curious of everything, as per usual. His wolf ears were perked as he listened to peoples conversations and the bustling of walking. But suddenly, his eyes locked onto something. Near the corner of an alleyway, a tiny little sparrow flapped and flailed around. Her wing was injured, and bent in a bad way. She was most likely stepped on...

Haru had a very caring heart for animals, and he couldn't just leave her there, she'd eventually get stepped on again, and squished. He slowly looked up to see if Fuyumaru was looking, in which he wasn't. Sneakily letting go of Fuyumaru's leg, Haru quietly ran over to the bird who was frightened, and flapped back into the very end of the dark alley.

Haru followed her, not wanting her to get hurt even more. He walked up to the bird slowly, trying not to scare her.

Slowly, he squatted down, and gently picked her up into his soft hands. He smiled, lightly petting her back with his thumb.

...Then suddenly his ear twitched to a sound behind him, causing him to hold the bird close and whirl around to see what it was. Haru's ears lowered, and he swallowed nervously as his eyes came onto a towering, slender, silhouetted figure in the shade of the alleyways entrance. He'd never seen this person, but he was scared of them. He sensed that something was dangerous about this person...

The figure lowly chuckled under his breath.

It was a man. As Haru looked closer at the figure, the man had long, black hair, pure white skin, and he wore a light purple kimono. As he looked at the face of the man, chills ran up his spine. A slender, cunning smile was plastered onto his face, his sleek eyes shut in a squinted way, almost like a fox. But this man was nothing like a fox...

...He was nothing but snake-like.

Haru's fear of this man grew, and he trembled as he stepped away, his back hitting the stone wall.

The man chuckled once again. "Well aren't you an odd one, hmm?" The man cooed in a raspy, menacing voice, cocking his head slightly with a long smile, his eyes opening. Haru's body froze as he felt those golden snake eyes on him. "Oh come now, don't be afraid..." His smile grew, and he slowly stepped forward from the shadows. Haru's breath quickened as he panicked, holding the bird very close to him.

The man chuckled in amusement. "You're quite timid for a child. Usually they're more rambunctious and eager to see something new..." He said, stopping right in front of Haru who held his head down and closed his eyes. "I'm a friend..." He knelt, his pale hand reaching down...and then petting Haru's hair.

Haru twitched, his ears laying flat against his hair as he slowly looked up to see the man smiling with his eyes squinted, just like before.

"See? There's no need to fear me." He then opened his eyes again, and Haru got to see it up close..

...Their malice...the murderous glint in those horrible golden eyes. The glint that struct fear straight into the heart of Haru.

Haru's lips trembled, fearing if he moved, he'd be struck...just like when a rattlesnake has its prey within it's range.

"Orochimaru..." Fuyumaru's voice was heard at the entrance of the alleyway. It was low and dark with an angered tone. Haru's never seen him angry before...so this was the first. Orochimaru's smile instantly faded as he moved his hand away from Haru, and he glared, looking over his shoulder back to the wolf who was snarling and baring his teeth. "You so much as lay another finger on him, and I'll tear it off..." He growled.

"...Hm." Orochimaru stood back up, his back facing the wolf. "...You must be Fuyumaru, correct?" Orochimaru's smile came back once again.

"Leave." Fuyumaru said with a very dark tone. He was not in the mood for games.

"...Very well, I'll leave." Orochimaru turned, and began walking to the exit of the alleyway, walking past Fuyumaru. "...For now..." He chuckled under his breath once again, before disappearing into the crowds. That bastard...he must've found out about his Kekkei Genkai... Fuyumaru thought to himself, before grunting a little as he felt Haru nearly throw himself onto his leg, clutching onto him desperately. Haru...that damn snake must've scared him. Fuyumaru leaned his head down and nuzzled Haru, comforting him. "It's okay, it's alright, he's gone now. You're safe, Haru..." He smiled, seeing that Haru was beginning to calm down.

Once Haru recomposed himself from his fear, he presented his little sparrow friend to Fuyumaru. The wolf smiled. "I see you found a small friend...come now, be sure to keep a hold of her as we continue our shopping. Once we return home, you can help heal her wound." He said, urging Haru to follow alongside him once more.

After the two finished their shopping and arrived back home, they hurried to fix up the poor sparrows wing.

The sparrows wing eventually healed, but as they tried to set it free, it refused, so now Haru had a small friend that would always fly around the house to follow him wherever he went, watching from a distance. The sparrow was never really given a name, and was mostly just called Sparrow, but the three did enjoy her presence in the household.

As an enemy was recognized, a friend was gained.

Haru and his wee little birb friend -v- also fuck off Orochimaru, no one likes you. Next up, Haru gets even older!