Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Reading Totems ❯ Chapter 30 ( Chapter 30 )

Author's pre-ramble: I'm alive! I swear! I've just been…distracted by real life. CasaHouse was kind enough to invite me to tag along to Youmacon in Detroit, MI where I was witness and part of the running of the otaku… It was interesting. It was my first con.

 

This chapter is dedicated to all of my lovely reviewers…especially the ones who were calling out for revenge. And as always, a big thank you to my reviewers: otakutron, DragonTamer94, TheForsakenOne, tasuki001, Dwarfwarrior, ghostreader14, TheRavenQuoth, sotobell, interestingstuff, mousetrap, DemanFox, Simply Me, jadedkatrina, Alexeihowe, Meep_4ever

 

Title: Reading Totems

By: GrizzlyTeddyBear

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and this makes me sad. I do own Paige Stone, my OC! All information regarding animal totems was taken from the books Dancing The Wheel by Sun Bear and Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.

Main Pairings: ShinoxOC, NaruxHina, SasuxSaku

Rating: M for mentioned adult themes

Warning: AU, Post-series start time. Rookie 9 is 23-24 years old. Fic mentions pagan religions, if you can't handle it, don't read! Also is OC-centric. Hold your pants, all will be revealed as the story progresses. I like to take my time.

 

Chapter Summary: A sudden rescue turns into running for her life, and turns into something more…

 

*** Chapter 30 ***

 

Paige stared at Shino lying in front of her. It was all she could do. The rest of her surroundings were not important anymore. Absently she felt pain coming from her back, but paid it no attention. What was pain to a broken soul?

 

Suddenly, she felt a breeze against her face, and she was roughly shoved to the side. Stars danced in her vision. A fight could be heard and then silence. Roughly she was hoisted up and carried out of her cell, but she didn't want to go. She wanted to be near Shino. Paige struggled against whoever was holding her to go back to the body. The sting of a slap across her face stopped her efforts. A face swam into her vision. Sumaru.

 

“Paige! It was a genjutsu! He was never there!”

 

“Genjutsu?” she asked meekly, tears rolling freely down her cheeks.

 

Sumaru resumed carrying her down the corridor and to the interrogation room. “We have no time. We leave for Konoha now.” He pushed open the door which led outside and began to run.

 

Sunlight made Paige hiss and cower from its brightness. Still trying to come to terms with the idea that Shino was still alive, she took a few moments to let her eyesight adjust to her surroundings. Surroundings passing at an unnaturally fast pace, and passing below them instead of around them. They were actually flying! “You received the star training as well.”

 

He gave a curt nod. “I knew it was the only chance to get my wife and get out, but…”

 

Paige watched as a single tear slid down his cheek.

 

She looked down and watched the forest below her. “I'm sorry.” Thinking more clearly now, she wanted an explanation. “What happened to Hoshiro and Masa? Why am I not in more pain?”

 

“Hoshiro is dead. I killed him last night.” His eyes hardened. “I should have made it last longer for all that he has done to me and my family.”

 

“And Masa?”

 

“He's too powerful for me to kill. The star has granted him the ability to heal severe injuries. When he regains consciousness he will hunt us down.”

 

Her heart raced at the idea of being at Masa's mercy again, but she summoned her totem to calm her fears, think rationally, and ask questions to learn more about her situation. “Hoshiro will not heal?”

 

“Hoshiro was arrogant, but not stupid. He did not expose himself to the star as much as he exposed his students. He knew the star's effects of shortening the lifespan. Something about Masa though makes him immune to that effect.”

 

Raising her broken arm in front of her, she asked the question she almost feared the answer to. “And me?”

 

“You were not exposed to the star. I gave you a soldier pill. It suppresses the body's ability to feel pain and increases stamina.” He gave her a grave look. “If Masa gets me, you will need to continue on. But I will hold him back as much as I can.”

 

Paige's mind was a whirl. “But if you keep using your abilities from the star, you'll die even if Masa doesn't get to you.” Through the trees, she thought she spotted a figure following them, but it was too large to be human. Grizzly bear tugged at her. Feeling a small smile, she asked, “Are there bears in Bear Country?”

 

Sumaru raised an eyebrow at her. “Not for many years.”

 

There was an implied question in the raised eyebrow, but that answer would arrive on its own. Instead, Paige asked another question. “Why are we flying? It has to be more taxing for you.”

 

“It's faster for now. And it leaves less of a trail for him to follow.” There were signs of strain around his eyes already. “Tomorrow will have to be on foot.”

 

Giving a silent nod, Paige dozed until it was time to set up their camp for the night on the ground. She could not help Sumaru as much as she wanted. And she was beginning to wonder just how she was supposed to continue on without him when she was barely able to walk. She clutched a kunai to her chest before falling asleep while he kept night watch. The weapon gave little comfort. She needed Shino's jacket for that.

 

***

 

A hand over her mouth jolted her into wakefulness. Blinking she saw who it was. Sumaru.

 

“There is something in the woods. It has been watching our camp for several hours now.” He turned to scan the line of trees that the light of the fire did not touch. “It is not Masa. He would have attacked by now.”

 

Struggling to sit up, Paige attempted to see if she could find what Sumaru's eyes could not. Grizzly bear. And it was close! She felt hope well up inside of her. “It's a friend. Don't hurt him. I'll try to get him to come closer.” Taking a deep breath, she called out. “Mitiblo ki, Matohota.”

 

A figure moved closer.

 

Paige felt a smile grow on her face. Sumaru tensed beside her, and she reached out a calming hand. He turned to face her, and she shook her head. “He won't harm us.” Finally the figure revealed itself fully in the light of the fire, and a voice she had only heard in her visions before Mudjakeewis came to her filled her with joy once more.

 

“Mitaksi ki.” Matohota, Paige's grizzly bear totem, calmly walked over to sit next to her and gave her kind eyes. “I felt you call out to me. I am here now.”

 

Leaning into his warm fur, she closed her eyes. “We are being hunted. We need protection.” She gestured to where Sumaru had been previously stunned into silence. “He is ours to protect as well.”

 

Matohota bent his large head over her in a strange but comforting embrace. “A great evil does follow you both. It smells of death and ravens. It will be difficult, but I will do as you ask.”

 

Hugging his neck with her good arm, she turned to Sumaru. “There is now a bear in Bear Country. This is Matohota, my grizzly bear, mitiblo ki, my big brother.”

 

Sumaru was observing everything with wide eyes. “Danzo and Hoshiro were fools to think they could control you.” Regaining some of his composure, he continued, “They did not understand everything that you are.” He turned his attention to the grizzly bear. “Mitaksi ki is little sister?”

 

The grizzly bear gave a snort of amusement. “Fast learner, Tiblo. You will need all of your intelligence to rule over the bears of this land.”

 

Shaking his head in attempted denial, he stammered. “No… I… Not me…”

 

Paige looked between them, and understood. She turned to Sumaru. “You're mother, Sumaru. Have you forgotten your promise to her? To become a worthy Hoshikage?”

 

The Hoshi shinobi's eyes turned haunted for a moment. “No, I have not forgotten my promise to her. I had merely given up on being able to fulfill it.”

 

“Your mother never gave up hope.” She gave him an encouraging smile. “There's always hope.”

 

Matohota gave another snort that sounded suspiciously like laughter. “You give away hope like it was the warmth of Wakan Tanka, Taksi. Grandfather was right in choosing you over others.”

 

Looking up into dark laughing eyes, Paige gave a smile. “Right now, I think I need everyone else's faith in me.” Her face grew darker. “Because I'm not sure if I can make it.”

 

Sumaru came closer. “Are you in pain?”

 

She took her time in assessing her own injuries. “A little,” she admitted, “but I think it's Masa that worries me more.” Paige obediently took the soldier pill she was handed. She looked between the shinobi and the totem. “How do we stop something that can heal whatever we do to it?” Warm fur slowly eased out of her grasp, and Paige found herself being slowly pushed back to lying down.

 

“Worry not Mitaksi ki. You are protected.” Laughter filled the grizzly's eyes again. “And you have someone waiting for you. A beetle.”

 

Paige felt warm fur surrounding her again, keeping her warm. “Shino,” she smiled.

 

“Both of you need rest,” announced Matohota.

 

A small protest was made by Sumaru.

 

“Even you, Tiblo. You have drained yourself much. I will keep watch.”

 

***

 

Cold. Wet. She awoke with a startled gasp, and what turned into an aborted attempt at sitting up. Closing her eyes again, Paige hissed her pain through clenched teeth. Matohota had placed his cold wet nose in her face!

 

“I apologize, but it was necessary to wake you as quickly as possible. The one who calls himself Masa is close,” announced the grizzly.

 

Nodding in understanding, she struggled through the pain to sit up. Looking around, she watched the strange combination of Sumaru and Matohota break down the camp so as to leave little behind to track them by.

 

The group left in hast, Sumaru carrying Paige at a sprint with Matohota following behind at a speed unnatural for normal grizzlies.

 

Paige concentrated on tracking how closely Masa was following them. It was not good. His raven totem was steadily gaining ground. She gave regular reports to Sumaru, attempting to avoid an ambush.

 

The Hoshi shinobi cursed loudly. “At this rate, he'll overtake us within the hour.” He dropped back to run along side Paige's totem. “We need to slow him down somehow.”

 

Matohota bared his teeth in what looked like anticipation. “I will stay back and slow him down. You go ahead with Mitaksi ki.”

 

“Tiblo, no!” protested Paige. “You don't know what he's capable of. He might kill you!”

 

The grizzly regarded her with calm eyes. “Your fear clouds your mind. I am part of you, Grandfather, and Wakan Tanka. I am hard to kill.”

 

She fell silent for a moment. “Doesn't mean I have to like it,” she muttered to herself. “Be as careful as you can, Mitiblo ki. He has gained great healing medicine.”

 

“I am always with you,” were the parting words of Matohota.

 

Watching over Sumaru's shoulder as the bear slowed his pace to a stop, Paige sent up a quick prayer to Mudjakeewis. “Grandfather, protect your brave, noble, and foolish kin from harm from the one who misuses your ravens.”

 

A few moments later, a great roar could be heard throughout the forest, and Sumaru urged himself to run faster.

 

***

 

It took three days for Masa to catch up to Sumaru and Paige. Matohota had bought them time—more than either Paige or Sumaru thought was possible—even if it had been three days of sleepless nights, throwing kunai at shadows, and looking over their shoulders.

 

It was the laughter, horrible and haunting, that let them know they had finally run out of time. It seemed to come from every direction, thwart their every attempt to evade it. And then suddenly…silence.

 

Before Paige could process exactly what was happening, Sumaru ground to a sudden halt. Releasing the grip the sudden change in pace had caused, she looked up to see the one person she was dreading to face again… “Masa,” she breathed.

 

A malicious smirk appeared on his face. “Paige Stone,” he returned. “So glad our time together has allowed you to remember my name.”

 

Her eyes took in the sight of him and widened. There was blood everywhere…running down his arm to a hand which held a kunai and down the weapon to drip onto the ground. Scanning over the rest of him, it didn't appear he had any injuries at all. Paige was left wondering if any of the blood was his… And what happened to Matohota…

 

The smirk turned into a grin. “You have interesting friends, Paige. It was unfortunate he was as stubborn as you. He didn't seem to understand that I would kill him…until it was too late for him.”

 

A sharp intake of breath accompanied the painful constriction in her chest. Matohota said he was hard to kill. He had to be alive.

 

Grizzly Bear.

 

The feeling immediately calmed Paige. Her totem was definitely hard to kill, and still trying to protect her, even from her own fears.

 

Sumaru gently lowered her to the ground and assumed a protective stance over her.

 

Masa's attention shifted to the Hoshi shinobi. “And you, traitor,” he advanced slowly. “The question for you, is if you will scream as much as your wife did.”

 

Paige grasped at her kunai…unsure of how it would really help if she needed to use it. She watched Sumaru struggle to not react to the taunting.

 

Undeterred, Masa continued. “You killed Hoshiro-sama. Just as well. You saved me from having to do it later. He never was strong enough to be Hoshikage. And after I am finished with the two of you, there will be no one left to challenge me for the title. I will do what Hoshiro couldn't fathom. What he would never be able to do.”

 

A small tingling sensation on her arm managed to draw her attention for a moment. Scarab. Paige wasn't sure about the how or when, but was happy for her presence. “I need a favor little one,” she whispered. “I need you to go to Konoha and find help. I don't know how long we can last without it.”

 

Scarab waved her antennae strangely, and flew off in the direction they had been traveling.

 

Paige was hoping she understood and would return…soon.

 

Sumaru had moved faster than her eyes could track. They had been traveling at his top speed for days, and she still couldn't follow his movements.

 

…but Masa could. With an almost casual motion, the attack was blocked. He looked as if there was no effort behind it. And with an equally casual flick of his wrist, Sumaru was tossed back.

 

She didn't dare look away from the threat that was Masa though. Paige kept her eyes trained on him, and hoped her protector would be able to recover from the blow he had just received. Masa took a step towards her, and Sumaru appeared in the next moment, resuming his stance in front of her.

 

“Too slow, traitor,” Masa took another step forward. “Your feelings have always slowed you down. You used to be close in skill to me. Now you are a shadow of your former strength all because you care for her.” He pointed at Paige with the kunai in his hand.

 

This time it was Masa who moved first. The Hoshikage's former bodyguard met his attack and the two faced off, pressing each other, attempting to find any weakness to exploit. At once, the two leapt back. Again Masa was the first to move, but this time Sumaru could not match his speed.

 

Paige gasped as she witnessed her self appointed protector hurled through the air to land harshly against a tree in front of her. She winced in sympathy upon impact, hoping his injuries were not severe. After a few moments she began to panic. He wasn't moving!

 

Slowly, Masa turned back to face her and again, began to advance upon her.

 

The smile he wore sent chills down her spine, and Paige began to use her good arm and leg to slide herself back and away from him.

 

He stopped to watch her struggle to hide the pain and the fear.

 

Her back hit the trunk of a tree. There was no where else to hide. She couldn't really hope to fight someone of his skill and strength anyway.

 

Paige Stone closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable when she saw him ready his kunai for a killing throw… And then two things happened at once. A large shadow came over her, as well as a deafening roar ripped through the area. Opening her eyes, she saw something he both was hoping and not hoping to see.

 

Matohota had come to protect her again. Only this time, she witnessed the price. He had taken the kunai meant for her. It stuck out from his massive shoulder, the wound beginning to bleed. A wound to match at least a dozen others.

 

Wounds he gained from protecting her. Paige blinked.

 

Masa grunted in pain.

 

Matohota had moved in the time it had taken her to blink. He was now holding on to the Hoshi shinobi by the flesh of his thigh. And in one massive twist of his entire body, he sent Masa flying through the air.

 

The Hoshi shinobi landed harshly against a tree.

 

Fascinated and more than slightly nauseous, Paige watched as what only could be described as raw meat, slowly reform into muscle, tendons, ligaments, and was rapidly covered by skin. No trace of the injury was left.

 

“Taksi,” growled the bear, “you must call the Kagi Taka.”

 

Ravens. He was asking her to call her raven totem to the physical plane. “But I'm not even sure how I called you!” she panicked. “How am I supposed to call the Kagi Taka when I don't know how?”

 

Her grizzly bear readied himself for another attack from Masa as the Hoshi shinobi picked himself off of the ground. “They are a part of you. Ask them, and they will do what is within their power for you.” Matohota lunged at Masa to prevent harm from coming to her.

 

Paige was struck by the words. They were the same words spoken by the raven from her vision with Tamiko's grandmother. Forcing herself to look away from the clash of otherworldly powers, she focused on her spiritual connection to her ravens, and asked. “I have one who has missed his journey between worlds brothers. Help me to correct this. He has lead many to the next world before their time. Help me to give them justice. Help me survive to serve Wakan Tanka again.”

 

In answer to her request, there was a great rushing of the wind and a great clamoring among the branches.

 

She was forced to close and shield her eyes against the dirt and leaves that were stirred up from the gust. When the rush of air died down to a manageable breeze, Paige reopened her eyes.

 

He was rather large, black in color with a bluish tint to some of his feathers, and looking at her with a laughing glint in his eyes. Hopping from one foot to the other and turning his head quizzically from side to side, he asked, “Have something you do to ask of Kagi Taka, yes?”

 

Paige blinked.

 

“Kagi Taka Taksi has called. Ask help for you did.”

 

“Yes,” she managed to spit out. Her brain still hadn't quite caught up to the situation. It had worked. She had called upon her Kagi Taka. But…he wasn't exactly the same raven she had spoken to before.

 

“How wish do you for death of one caused much death has and die does not?” asked the raven. His gaze was piercing as he waited for her answer.

 

It had taken her a moment to process just what he had said. How did she want Masa to die? A smirk appeared across her face. She was going to let the side of her that enjoyed the idea of revenge have its way. “Be…unkind.”

 

Suddenly, Kagi Taka ceased all motion and a strange gleam entered into his eyes. “Good good. Say you unkind, unkind we be!” he said, taking flight.

 

Her gaze followed him as he flew in circles around Masa and Matohota, each circle becoming tighter than the last. She noticed strange shadows following his movements. Slowly they formed into more ravens. Page concentrated and felt that Kagi Taka was calling on the ravens of those Masa had killed to help him.

 

Matohota slowly retreated as the unkindness of ravens increased in number to almost engulf Masa completely.

 

What Masa had considered a mere annoyance, was now officially a threat. He made no noise at first. But that was soon to change.

 

It was her only hint that underneath the swirling mass of black feathers that Masa had lost control of his will…and his life. Screams. Screams that brought a small amount of satisfaction to Paige Stone. She decided there would never be enough pain for him to experience to equal the pain which he had caused others, not including herself.

 

Suddenly, all at once, the ravens dispersed…returning to whence they came.

 

Only Kagi Taka remained. He landed lightly next to Paige. “That which was, is now not,” he announced.

 

Paige looked at the body. Limbs strangle positioned, mouth open in a wordless scream, and eyes that shown with an emotion she never would have believed Masa could feel…fear. “What did you do?”

 

“Gone his essence now is.” He resumed hopping lightly from foot to foot as he chattered in strange excitement. “Too dark for Wakan Tanka's light was he. To darkness gave him we did.”

 

The threat on her life had finally been taken out. Relief washed over her in such great force that she fell backwards and sprawled on the ground. The face of Matohota swam into focus.

 

“Taksi?”

 

Tired. Paige Stone was officially tired. Blackness was creeping into her vision. “ `M ok… Just need sleep…” she muttered, closing her eyes.

 

Her grizzly totem sounded strangely worried, and far away, “Sleep is not something we can afford you doing. Stay awake and stay alive.” He gently pawed at her, shaking her awake.

 

“Tiblo…” she whined.

 

“How is your pain?” he queried.

 

Sleep was a warm blanket that surrounded her. It was so hard to concentrate and answer him. “Don't feel any pain anymore…” Darkness engulfed her.

 

***

 

Author's post-ramble: …so the revenge is good, no? I'm curious as to what you all think of Matohota and Kagi Taka. Anyone who's wondering, the names come from the Lakota Sioux words for grizzly bear and raven. The characterization I was aiming for with Matohota was combination big brother and spiritual advisor. The characterization I was aiming for with Kagi Taka, was “yoda on crack” as I had it written in my outline. Reviews feed my muse!

 

Post-ramble 2.0: Because I've gotten some questions here are the translations from Lakota Sioux to English:

 

Matohota = Grizzy Bear

Kagi Taka = Raven

Mitiblo ki = my big brother

Tiblo = brother

Mitaksi ki = my little sister

Taksi = sister