Okay so I wanted to do something related to the Sakon&Ukon fight and my original plan was too difficult and I gave up on it, but here’s Kiba and Akamaru in the hospital on the road to recovery, fairly close to recovery except for the lack of sleep.
Okay, listen. I was actually going to dray something BUT I got so busy that I had no time for what I wanted to draw so I decided to write instead. Ao3
He was silent as he leaped to the forest floor, a large mammal carefully using chakra-induced paws to walk down the tree trunk, its legs far too old to withstand the leaping burden. He stayed in his crouch, just listening. His sister was coming today, bringing her two children to visit.
There was a soft rustle of leaves that shook rhythmically with the telltale sign of shinobi moving through the trees. His head tilted towards the noise, chakra rushing to his ears and he muttered to his companion. “Fifteen miles east.” The mammal huffed in agreement, falling to the ground silently and getting comfortable.
Kiba looked at Akamaru, feral grin looking all the more wild with how sharp his teeth were. The ninken was getting too old for this, Kiba had half a mind to ask Hana to take him back with her this time-- he was getting too old to bounce through the trees as often as Kiba still did. He wasn’t that much older than Kuromaru was when his mom was Kiba’s age but Akamaru had been a sought-after dog for breeding purposes, being the partner of a prestigious Inuzuka.
The breeding had only taken place every three years but it had eventually taken a toll on Akamaru and stressed him out enough. That was before Kiba decided to leave Konoha.
He had left Konoha fourteen years previous, just after Hana had her third and final child, two years after their mother and Kuromaru had passed from an incident on a mission. He wanted to get away, get out of the place he grew up in and had expectation after expectation thrown upon him.
Hana had been coming out every few years with her kids, taking a week off to allow her kids to explore the old Inuzuka traditions. Every Inuzuka knew the stories, how they lived and survived in the wild before their ancestors joined with Konoha at Hashirama’s request.
Most of the old ways vanished as they integrated into a village society, although their feral personalities and appearance remained the same. Not to mention the few Inuzuka who were more in tune with their animalistic side and gravitated to nature more than others.
Kiba was one of those Inuzuka.
From a young age, he had always felt a connection to the earth and nature in general. He drew his strength from the earth and was able to tell the most minuscule signs from listening to what the trees told him. The more time he spent away from civilization, the easier it was for him to become so involved in nature.
He sat beside Akamaru, one leg propped up and arm resting over it. His other hand fell over his partner’s back, scratching over the white fur. He was lucky Akamaru had agreed to leave Konoha with him, otherwise, he’d have feared he would have lost himself to the wild tendencies that sang in his blood when he moved through the trees on a hunt.
Kiba paused his ministrations and his mind flowed over to when Hinata had brought Boruto and Himawari out a few months back, to celebrate Himawari entering the academy and Boruto becoming a Chunin. Shino had also come with them, except on more official business-- i.e. bringing his Academy students to experience a real survival course.
His other friends had visited in the past few years as well, none of them ever willing to just let him be-- he supposes he has to thank them for that, keeping him in the loop instead of forgetting completely about him. He was proud of them, for having their families and living their lives how they wanted to. When they were teens the lives they lived now just didn’t seem possible.
He huffed in amusement as a crashing came from directly behind him, his youngest niece screeching his name and flinging herself onto his back. With a hearty laugh, Kiba grasped her arms and lifted himself to a standing position, flinging around in a circle and causing his niece to happily laugh in response.
“Uncle Kiba!” the girl on his back exclaimed, claws digging into his shoulders as he slowed his spinning and she climbed until her legs were over his shoulders and she could peer into his eyes over his head.
“Kibishi!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and roughly swung her over his head, letting her flip and land on her feet in front of him. She screeched cheerfully and threw her head into Kiba’s gut, arms wrapping around his waist.
He grinned over his shoulder, meeting his sister’s amused eyes. Behind her stood his only nephew, Yasashi, shyly shuffling his feet. He was just barely eighteen but still so tender and sympathetic when compared to other Inuzuka, especially his sisters.
Speaking of sisters… Kiba glanced up, smirking inwardly as he spotted his eldest niece, twenty years old and still a child at heart, a pure Inuzuka through and through as she watched them all carefully, golden eyes predatory as she grinned wildly at her family below her.
It was obvious she thought Kiba had missed her, despite all the years they’ve played this hide and seek game, she still thought she could get the upper hand on him. Hell, she probably dragged Kibishi into it to distract him. With an arrogant laugh, he waved a hand upwards and called out, “Ya gotta hide better than that Hokori!”
The young woman cursed colorfully, letting herself drop from the tree silently. “I’ll get you one day Uncle Kiba.”
Kiba ruffled her already wild hair, matching her grin with one of his own. “Not likely, squirt.” She pouted in response, arms crossing over her chest and grumbling, not unlike what Kiba did as a child to his mother.
Hana laughed, pulling Yasashi in front of her. “If I hadn’t pushed her out of my vagina I’d swear up and down she was your kid Kiba.”
“Mom!” came the indignant screech from Yasashi, cheeks lighting up a bright red to completely cover his clan markings. The others laughed, he was the only Inuzuka Kiba ever knew to get embarrassed by casually mentioning genitalia or other personal matters.
“If you hadn’t broken my hand when birthing Yasashi then I’d swear you kidnapped him!” Laughter flung around the family, Yasashi groaning loudly, burying his face in his hands.
Kiba had missed the banter he held with his sister, her constant presence by him. He never did regret leaving Konoha, but he did wish he had stayed until Hana’s kids were older. The only time Kiba had returned to Konoha in the past fourteen years was when Kibishi had turned two and gained her clan markings. Any other time he saw them was when Hana brought them out into Kiba’s domain.
He loved his family dearly, but his calling was out here, free to hunt and chase as he pleased. Konoha had been where he grew up and where he found the people he called family, but his place was out in the wild.
Happy Birthday to my favorite boy!!! I was so happy to participate in this Kiba Week, had a ton of fun! And I’m so glad I got to appreciate one of my favorite characters! And yes that’s Hana shoving Kiba’s face into a cake
