A Dog's Life

Welcome everyone to the new chapter of ‘A Dog’s Life’ I am sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but I had a hard time in figuring out how to do this chapter, it seems the closer I get to the end the more I am doubting how I want to write it out. So I appreciate your patience and hope that you guys all understand that not all conclusions are happy, but they are necessary in the end. Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto that honor is held by Masashi Kishimoto; I am just a fan fiction writer doing this for fun.

A Dog’s Life-Chapter 20, by KitsuneFun

Having made sure that Naruto was injected with the anti-venom Kabuto had given him after Gaara released the blond from his chains, the redhead turned to walk out the cell door, hoping Naruto would follow him to safety.

Gaara was confused by the sudden burst of burning pain that spread from his temple, he felt a sudden and slow dripping sensation fall from the side of his head, the redhead moved a hand to touch the substance and pull his hand away and towards his eyes to look at it in shock, ‘Blood,’ he eyed the substance in confusion before turning to look behind him at the blond.

Naruto was shaking on his feet due to the still lingering effects of the poison in his system, but he had managed to stand and was holding the long and heavy metal chain in his hands that had once been used to tie him down earlier, “I can’t let you take me to him,” Naruto managed to say as he faced Gaara, gasping for breath, the blond held up the metal chain in front of him like a weapon, “Even if it means my death… this ends now,” Naruto lifted his hands and flung the flung the metal cuff attached to the end of the chain quickly at Gaara’s head again.

Gaara watched in shocked fascination as the heavy cuff attached to the long metal chain swung towards him, “Naruto?” their was a large wet crunch as the cuff hit him directly in the center of the forehead causing more damage than when Naruto had first struck him from behind, “Why he managed to say before collapsing at the blond’s feet.

Naruto trembled in pain after the movement, still trying to get over the semi paralysis he had received from the snake venom. He watched Gaara fall to his knees before passing out from the blow to his head, “I’m sorry Gaara…” he felt a slight feeling of remorse for the action, but knew that if he hadn’t he would never survive his next encounter with Orochimaru.

He knelt quickly down next to the redhead’s side and relieved Gaara of his sword attached to the scabbard on the redhead’s back. Naruto didn’t know the first think about swords, ‘but it was better to be prepared,’ he thought, Then to be without any weapon as he tried to exit the castle.

He eyed Gaara a moment as he stood, feeling his heart beating loudly in his ear as he stared down at the man he had once loved, without thinking he lifted a hand to touch his belly softly, ‘I’m sorry, but I have to choose my child’s life over yours… even if it isn’t Sasuke's own,” the thought of what the redhead had done still angered him, but he realized it wasn’t the child’s fault that Gaara had sex with him.

“Don’t worry Chibi…” he found himself mumbling as he rubbed at his still flat belly, “I’ll make sure Sasuke understands… I only pray he doesn’t hold it against me when he finds out.” He felt a warm sensation spread out from his center calming him as he left the redhead behind as he exited the doorway, “Goodbye Gaara.”

Naruto after exiting the cell, starting running in the opposite direction than he had seen Itachi and Orochimaru turn as they exited the door, hopefully it would lead him to where Sasuke was.

Now with the poison dissipating from his system, Naruto could feel the light presence of Sasuke in the back of his mind and he smiled as the presence gave him strength, “Wait for me Bastard… I will find you soon.”

(Outside Itachi’s Castle)

Sasuke paused as he felt the sudden touch of warmth at the back of his mind; “Naruto…” a light smile touched his lips for the first time since he noticed that the boy had been kidnapped.

“I guess that’s a good sign then?” Sasuke turned to look at a slightly drunk Jiraya, who was swaying slightly on his feet as he addressed the Uchiha, “You can feel him can’t you.”

The raven nodded at the sennin’s question, he couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he answered, it must have been the affects of having his connection restored in part from the Dobe, “Your right I do feel him…”

“Thank the gods…” Jiraya muttered taking a another quick swig from his bottle of sake, he turned to eye Tsunade as she talked ahead of him with Shikamaru who was not only the head of the kings guard, but also the general of Yondaime’s army, “Let’s hope they manage to find some way inside.”

“Do you know how they plan on breaking down the barrier?” Sasuke asked as he watched the slight wavering rainbow glow from the magical barrier that had started to swirl slightly around the outer shell of the castle.

Jiraya shrugged, “Don’t know kid… that’s one hell of a barrier you brother placed,” his eyes narrowed slightly a moment as he noticed a figure he hadn’t expected appear at the top of the castle, “Well I’ll be damned… if it isn’t the child molester himself…”

Tsunade, hearing her husband’s voice turned to look up at the battlements in shock to see Orochimaru standing there with Kabuto and Itachi at his side, “That bastard… I knew he had to have be here too… there is no way Itachi could have erected a barrier like that on his own.”

(At the same time)

Orochimaru stared down at the surrounding army with a smirking grin on his face, “Well… well… if it isn’t my old friends Jiraya and Tsunade,” he watched in glee as they turned to look in his direction as he faced them, as if they had heard his comment, “Kabuto did you make sure Diedara has gone to get ‘the key’?”

Kabuto nodded, “Of course Orochimaru-sama… Diedara said that he spoke to Gaara earlier and that he was assured by the assassin that he would bring up ‘the key’ soon.”

Orochimaru tilted his head slightly as he eyed Kabuto a moment with a blank look on his face, “The assassin is bringing him?” the cold tone made even Itachi pause as he turned to watch the exchange between the sennin and his subordinate.

“Yes Orochimaru-sama…” he stated slowly wondering why the older man was upset, “Diedara assured me that Gaara would bring him,” he felt a shiver of dread race up his back as he eyed Orochimaru’s eyes as they narrowed slightly in anger at his words, “Is there something wrong?”

The sudden darkening of Orochimaru’s eyes from gold to pupil-less black was Kabutos only warning before the Sennin thrust out his hand and clasped it tightly around the white haired man’s throat, “Has it escaped your attention that the assassin is in love with ‘the key’,” Orochimaru hissed through his clenched teeth as he tightened his hand reflectively around Kabuto’s throat causing the younger man to gasp and clutch at his neck due to the lack of air, “I suggest you fetch them both now or his life won’t be the only one that dies tonight.” He threw the white haired man in disgust at his feet, “Now go before I change my mind!”

Kabuto gasped trying to catch his breath quickly as he got up from his felled position, “Yes Orochimaru-sama,” he bowed his head quickly in front of the Sennin, “Thank you for sparing my life,” he bowed again before running off in the direction of the cell that held Naruto.

Itachi slowly watched as Orochimaru refaced the army below him silently, the scowl was still plastered to his face, “What will you do?” he found himself asking the older man despite his reservations about questioning the older man’s actions.

Orochimaru turned to eye Itachi reluctantly as though he didn’t want to see the other’s face, Itachi felt a sudden trepidation as he looked deeply into those yellow snake-like eyes, “I plan on returning him to them of course.”

Itachi wondered at the Sennin’s generosity, “And what about our plans to destroy the curtain separating the worlds, “ he asked hesitantly, not wishing to anger the older man further.

Orochimaru gave a sudden and chilling smile, “He will die before he’s returned to the others,” he turned from Itachi slightly and leaned down to pick up a bow that lay at his feet, holding it up along with a lone arrow that leaned against the wall next to it, he held it up for Itachi’s eyes to inspect, “This will make sure he dies before they can even touch him… he’ll die before their eyes,” his grin was almost maniacal in his anger,” and then you my dear Itachi… you will get what you desire most.”

Itachi found himself doubting if he really wanted crown anymore after Orochimaru’s words, it seemed that he was damning not only himself, but also his own family by allowing Orochimaru to kill Naruto along with his own possible blood relation, “If you say so,” he mumbled, fingering his sword that hung at his side, as he debated what to do next.

Orochimaru seemed to mistake Itachi’s words as concern, “Don’t worry… I have never missed my shot in a thousand years… he will die…” With that the sennin turned back towards the wall stare down at the army, in particular in the direction of Jiraya and Tsunade that were huddled close together talking, ‘You’ll both wish you had never messed with me,’ he thought giving a smirk as he stared down at them.

(Meanwhile)

Naruto was surprised by the lack of guards as he traversed the many hallways of the castle, he heard some clanging noises close by along with some raised voices, so he slowed his steps till he reached the doorway where the noised where coming from. He stopped and peered slowly around the corner at a couple of guards inside, they were busy chatting with each other from inside the room.

“I don’t understand why Itachi doesn’t have us protect the gate,” a guard with short green hair muttered as he leaned down to open a chest while a white haired man stood next to him picking out a couple of spears.

The other guard sighed rubbing at his sweating and bald head, “You forget that as long as the sennin is here that Itachi doesn’t even sneeze without his say-so.”

The other guard snorted in annoyance as he continued to work on lock securing the chest close, “I have a feeling that we are all going to die because Itachi refuses to stand up to that jerk.”

The bald headed guard only nodded, “Yes,” the guard suddenly froze and lifted his head sensing Naruto’s presence, he turned his head to look at the blond, “What the hell are you doing there?” he yelled, watching as Naruto slowly moved to reveal himself from the side of the doorway.

The green haired guard turned to look over his shoulder at Naruto as well and just snorted again, “He’s probably one of Orochimaru’s new sex slaves… I wouldn’t worry about him he probably has never seen war before.”

“All the better for him that he learns it now,” the bald man answered facing the other briefly before turning to eye Naruto again, “Why don’t you go find your master, you’ll only hurt yourself hanging out down here with us.”

Naruto licked his lips nervously as he decided to play along with what the other guards were saying, “I was trying to find my master but… er…” he licked at his dry lips again, “I don’t know where he is so I thought I would go this way, “ he pointed in the direction that he had intended to go in only to have the bald man look at him horrified.

“Are you an idiot that door leads outside to the army… you step through those doors and your as good as dead kid,” the bald headed man moved a hand to indicate a cutting motion across his neck, “Just like that,” Naruto nodded at the guards actions making the other one realize he understood, but inwardly he sighed in relief at the words, ‘so that’s where Sasuke was’, “If you wait a moment I can show you?” the guard suggested.

Naruto shook his head in the negative, knowing there was no way in hell the guard’s suggestion would benefit him, “No that’s alright… I will look for him elsewhere,” he said giving the guards a slight bow before the doorway.

The bald headed man only shook his head, “Whatever…your Orochimaru’s responsibility not mine,” he muttered before ignoring Naruto completely and turning back to the task he had been working on before he had noticed the blond’s presence.

The blond gave another sigh of relief at his luck before running towards the doorway that the guard indicated would lead him to the army outside and to Sasuke, ‘Almost there… wait for me…’

(At the same time)

Tsunade watched in surprise as the front door to Itachi’s castle opened, “What the hell is going on!” she found herself yelling out, wondering what Orochimaru had in store for them now.

She watched in surprise however when a familiar shock of spiky blond hair peeked out from the doorway, “Oh my god its Naruto!”

Sasuke turned at the mention of his mate’s name in the same direction, at the site of the blond the slight smile on his face widened as he saw his mate exit the door, “Naruto!” the blond looked up at the yell in his direction and gave an answering smile, “Thank the gods,” he felt a release of the tension inside his body, the nearer his mate was to him.

Some of the soldiers had raised there weapons at the appearance of the blond only to have Shikamaru hold up his hands in their direction to stop them, “Hold your fire… it’s the prince,” the solders dropped their weapons in surprise at their general’s words and started muttering to themselves over what was going on and if this was some sort of trap.

Sasuke didn’t listen to the other men’s words as he found himself walking quickly in Naruto’s direction, “Sasuke!” the blond yelled while waving happily in his direction.

It was almost too easy, but Sasuke didn’t care about the circumstances as long as his mate was with him again, he watched as the blond started to run towards him excitedly, he could feel his heartbeat quicken in excitement as he mate grew closer.

“Oh god what is that!” Sasuke looked over at the solder that was yelling next to him and watched as the plan looking man pointed up towards the battlements where Orochimaru still stood, but now the sennin had raised bow in his hands and it was pointed in Naruto’s direction, ready to fire.

‘No this can’t be happening,’ the raven found himself panicking and running towards his mate that had paused to also stare up where the soldier had been pointing, “Naruto get down!” Sasuke yelled while trying to make it in time towards the oblivious blond’s side.

The raven watched in slow motion as the arrow let loose and flew down towards Naruto.

Itachi’s body moved before he thought about the consequences and thrust his sword out impaling Orochimaru through the heart from behind the sennin, just as he shot off his arrow towards the blond, he watched as the arrow was released and flew towards its intended target, hitting Naruto in the chest.

Orochimaru cluched at the still imbedded blade, trying to loosen it and gave a sickening gasp as he fell toward the ground choking on his own blood as it fell from his mouth, he watched in satisfaction however as ‘the key’ fell along with him after his arrow hit its mark, ‘At least I won’t be the only one dying today,’ the sennin thought in satisfaction as he eyes finally closed to the darkness surrounding them.

“NARUTO!!!!” Sasuke yelled from below, he held out an outstretched hand towards his mate as the blond fell, finally reaching Naruto’s side he collapsed at the blond’s feet and clutched his mate’s body close his own.

Sasuke could feel the echoes of answering pain that wracked through his own body as he clutched at Naruto’s prone body, “Don’t you dare leave me Dobe,” he muttered while pressing his face against the blond’s still warm neck, he felt a stinging pressure at the back of his eyes as the tears escaped and started running down his face.

Naruto body shook in pain as he stared up at Sasuke, he lifted a blooded hand towards the raven’s cheek caressing it slightly, “Sa…su…ke,” his mouth suddenly felt dry and the words had a hard time reaching his mouth as he tried to talk, “Don’t… cry…” he saw his vision started to blur and he no longer had the energy to hold up his hand and it suddenly dropped to his side as he passed out due to the blood flowing slowly from his body.

Tsunade had reached Sasuke side, by that time, and started yelling out at the surrounding solders, “Get Neji… we need a doctor here quick!” she knelt nervously by Sasuke’s side and gingerly touched her grandson’s wrist, a slight heartbeat still thudded there to her relief, but she knew that if they didn’t work fast to save him it wouldn’t be there for long, ‘Gods I hope Neji gets here on time.’ she prayed.

Well that’s the end of the chapter, I know its short and a long time coming out, but this is in no way the end of the story, I don’t work that way. If your confused at this point, don’t be, everything will be explained in the next chapter, so I hope you all look forward to it. Thanks for reading ^_^;;