"
Akamaru! Slow down!" the blonde shouted, jumping over puddles and trying to follow the dog while holding her hood over her head. Akamaru bounded off towards Konoha's open gates.
"
No! Akamaru! We have to go to Tsunade-sama!" Ino hollered, finally running straight through the puddles.
How could such a small dog be so fast!?
She was nearly out of breath when she passed the tower Izumo and Kotetsu were in; trying to stay awake during their night watch.
"
Akamaru and Ino? Where are you two hurrying off to!?" Kotetsu exclaimed; waking Izumo up from his nap.
"
Help!" Ino shouted back at them, "
Kiba sent Akamaru, he's in trouble!"
The two guards stood up and exited the tower, beginning to chase off after Ino who was chasing Akamaru out to the open pathway before the gate.
Kiba was woken up to voices in the distance, they seemed almost muffled by the rain hitting the trees around him.
"
He's right there! I see his jacket!"
"
D-mn it, he's down!"
"
I'll go back and signal the medics from the watch tower."
A familiar barking woke Kiba up completely, almost a little too completely.
The pain swelled back into his body and a chill shot up his spine, forcing the brunette to start hyperventilating.
Two pairs of knees dropped beside him.
"
Oh man, oh man." a feminine voice gasped, inches from sobbing.
Kiba rolled onto his back, looking up at them and blinking water out of his eyes.
"
Alright, he's still conscious." Izumo said, relieved, "Kiba, can you hear us alright? What got you?"
Kiba flexed his fingers and nodded slowly, "
A lycan..." he said softly.
"
A what?" Ino stammered, suddenly noticing Kiba's wounds. Tears welled up in her eyes when she realized that the cocky boy that once teased her in the Academy might be in his final moment right now.
"
A lycan is a werewolf..." Izumo informed her, rolling up Kiba's left pant leg until the bite wound was visible, "
These look like the wounds on the men that were slaughtered last night... Kiba, are you gonna stay with us so we can get you back?"
Kiba's eyes were wide open but he was still breathing heavily, "
I better stay! I better!" his voice was rough and frustrated.
I will not leave this life this soon! I won't let this kill me!, were the only thoughts that could run through Kiba's head. He couldn't recognize Izumo... or Ino... and Akamaru began to just be a blur at the moment. But he knew he knew them, and he knew they were gonna help him get out of this mess right now.