The Wolf and The Fox

Chapter 11: Epilogue

{I don't own Naruto...}
The Wolf and the Fox
Epilogue…End of Innocence and Rebirth.

Naruto watched over the kits as they played. Hinata sometimes caught him staring longingly toward the west, toward the wolves' territory. Strangely enough there had been a sort of unspoken agreement among the two species wolves did not harm the foxes and both tribes were able to pass freely between the two territories.
Naruto went off alone sometimes. He explained to Hinata that he was visiting an old friend. The look on his face was heart breaking so she didn't question him. It had been many seasons now since the tragic events that transpired on Tsunade's lands. Humans seemed to have been scarcer. Many thanked the Witch Tsunade, first daughter of the great Kyuubi. Tsunade was nothing more then a legend to the children of the tribe having finally succumbed to her protracted illness. Even the elders began to treat her as a mere fairy tale none but a scant few still lived who knew her personally.
Shizune carried on her mission, and was heralded as her acolyte. She traveled between the different dens treating the sick regardless of the species. She was marked as untouchable to mate though many todds tried because of her beauty and rarity. There were no other black foxes in the valley.
She had recently come to see Kushina who was to birth a new litter. Naruto was happy that her grieving period ended and she took a well respected todd who had lost his mate in child birth. Naruto was a big brother to two adorable little vixens. He loved them just as he loved his own offspring. Kushina was getting close to the end of her bearing years and Naruto was glad she had the chance to be a mother once again. His own first litter was old enough to look for their life mates. He was so proud to have the most sought after todd and vixen in the entire valley. His son Sasuke, named for the wolf that shattered his heart and took it with him to the grave. His daughter he named Tsunade. It seemed fitting because her coat was like molten bronze she could have passed for Tsunade's kit.
He felt the need to get away suddenly, "Hinata please keep an eye on the kits I-I need to go see my friend." She nodded and herded the three rambunctious fuzz balls into the cave. "Awe! Momma, we weren't done playing!"
"It's time for you to eat anyway, don't argue with me Ren," She nipped Ren's little ear. The kit yelped and hurried into the den. The others took the warning and trotted inside behind their sister.

Naruto ran through the underbrush. He gathered some flowers and herbs in his mouth as a gift. He stopped at the border of the wolves' territory and sniffed. He bowed his head and let out a whimper.
"Hello Naruto," a deep voice called sadly from behind a clump of evergreens, "It seems you and I were both missing him today."
"Hello Itachi," Naruto's voice was soft there was hint of the unshed tears in his eyes, "How is your pack doing?"
"They are good the white wolves have all but been run off. They headed for the mountains to find a new den for themselves. It is good because otherwise our pack might have gone to war." Itachi was sitting over a small mound that was covered in a soft bed of pine needles. Naruto trotted up to sit beside him. He laid the flowers and herbs on the mound that lay between the roots of a massive pine tree, "Hello Sasuke. I was feeling the need to visit you today. I hope you like my gift."
"I have to go," Itachi sniffed his brother's mate before planting his muzzle on top of the fox's head. It was something Naruto had gotten used to, "Thank you for visiting him I know he made you suffer so much…and I-I don't blame you for his death. He made his choices and this is the result." He lifted his head and looked down at the grave site. Then he turned to leave, "It is nice to know someone else remembers him." He left with those words allowing Naruto the chance to be alone with his mate's body. As Itachi was leaving he felt a chill go down his spine, 'You come here when he visits, that is the real reason I am grateful so as I am leaving him I get to feel you brother.' He felt something nuzzling his side for just a second before it moved on to the clump of trees where the fox was sitting. Then he turned back toward his den and ran.

Naruto laid his head on the mound of dirt. Grass never grew upon the ground in this part of the forest the tree cover was too thick. He sighed, "How are you today Sasuke? You are doing well I hope. Did the Kyuubi take you in as one of her cubs? You would be a cub and not a kit. One day we can see each other again…I don't get it!" Naruto suddenly turned angry. This happened often. He hated how out of control his emotions were around him; even his corpse, "You know I am still angry and hurt but I long for you so much. How could you make me love you? I feel like I am betraying Hinata every time I come out here I see the hurt in her eyes. I'm supposed to be her mate! I'm tied to you though. It can't be helped. I-I miss you. He curled up and sobbed quietly on the forest floor. He felt it that sense of being surrounded a warmth curled around him like Sasuke had done when he was cold or frightened which was a lot in those few days they were together. "S-Sasuke," Naruto nuzzled into himself making him look like a ball of fur. The thing closed around him tighter. You would think that a ghost would be cold, but he wasn't Sasuke's soul was warm. It made Naruto feel warm, almost happy and at peace. He let the feeling wash over him and basked in it until he decided he had neglected his family long enough, "I have to go now Sasuke. My other mate and our kits need me. He felt the presence flee. It was not angry but a little sad. Naruto stood and headed home. He was torn between the living and the dead, but Sasuke had Kyuubi to watch out for him and his kits needed him. He was biding his time until the day he would meet the wolf again. He didn't know whether he would lick the wolf or give him a piece of his mind but he looked forward to that day.

{I am finished with writting this story, but I marked this so others can add to the story if you wish to add to this story please do so.}