XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lee's POV (Eastern Forest of Irminsul - Terra)
Lee was shocked as the wolf spit him out and fell over. Even more so when he saw the culprit. The beautiful pinkette of their team, Sakura Haruno, had not only arrived but managed to land such a blow on a beast like this…
Lee smiled as he flicked his wrist at Sakura again and managed to catch and reel her in with his bandages. Spinning in the air to face the ground with his feet, using both chakra and raw strength, Lee managed to tank the fall, cracking the ground beneath him as he landed. As he did, both Shino and Hinata arrived at their sides. The three of them watched as the wolf rolled over, seemingly slowly and with incredible difficulty.
It snarled and choked as it stood, spitting a mix of saliva, bile, and blood. It faced them warily, checking out the four shinobi with a glare. Before the four could react, a pack of wolves arrived around it. They quickly surrounded and began to drag off Choj. Three of them attempted to move but stopped as the wolf blew a massive gust of breath, knocking them from their feet with ease, the tired shinobi much too worn out to stop such.
"I will not risk myself for this petty battle. Nor do I have the time to teach you not to mess with my clan. Know the master is coming and will pay you back for that blow. I swear on my name, Fenrir of the Runic Wolves." His threat, the wolf, shrinks before the pack races through the forest, escaping their view.
Hinata stood and activated her Byakugan as she prepared to take off; however, she was stopped by Sakura and Shino. "Why? They are gaining distance.
"We gotta let them go, Hinata," Sakura said with a deeply upset frown. "We need to find somewhere safe for the night. Things will get worse if we don't by sundown. Trust me when I say we don't want to be stuck here during the night. Choji and I barely survived each night."
"I'm not sure what she means, but regardless, she speaks with wisdom." Shino agreed. "We are all somewhat tired and injured. They intend to keep Choji alive, and it troubles me more than anyone to leave him. We would be risking ourselves unnecessarily. Especially when it seems they plan to find us themselves…"
Lee frowned, deeply bothered by such, but silently agreed with a nod. Gai Sensei always made it clear that reacting impulsively in these situations would lead to ruin. "So where do we seek shelter then? We could stay with the Okamas, but it took me some time to get there…"
"If my allies are correct, that is already in the works. It seems the Antuni Clan kept to their word." Shino assured the group .
Lee watched in muted surprise as massive ants crawled into the clearing with impressive speed. The largest of which faced them and spoke with an extraordinary voice.
"You did as we asked. As agreed upon, we will shelter you and offer some aid, especially since the Okamas have clarified your status. Climb aboard my brothers and I; we will take you to our home. It will be safe during the nightfall…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto's POV (Southern Swamps of Irminsul - Terra)
Naruto, Yuno, Ichumi, and the peacock's wife Ichamu sat at a round table in the back of a sectioned-off section of the mess hall where the peacocks gathered to dine. Yuno had thoroughly enjoyed their shockingly nice baths and a kimono that fit disturbingly well, and now the entire Blechumi Clan had gathered for dinner.
The dining hall looked nearly identical to a human-run restaurant. Massive, ornate, circular tables perfectly placed, each painted with intricate peacock feathers designs. There was a stage where music was played, and dancing was done. Their particular section was red roped off and raised to allow them to be seen and to see. Their table was more extensive and seemed to shine brighter than the rest. The tables were even arranged with silverware similar to their own, along with plates, bowls, chutes for wine, etc. Naruto was shocked at just how developed they were, especially for animals. He supposed the difference between humans and animals was smaller than he had thought…
It was shocking how similar the behavior of the peacocks mimicked that of humans. The back of the mess hall was a walled-off kitchen with a massive ornate wood stove to cook their meals. Peacocks that were their chefs scrambled around, squawking orders and assembling a meal that smelled nothing less than delicious. Peacock servers walked around delivering wine to various birds with grace and efficiency. Others collected used dishes or simply offered help when needed. Even the peacocks dancing and singing on stage wore extravagant robes with shockingly brilliant colors. It was almost like the higher class back home…
"I cannot believe how beautiful this place is! Not to mention how interesting your culture is! Your societal setup is nearly identical to our own!" Yuno gushed at Ichumi, who pridefully chuckled.
"It would only make sense," Ichamu explained, just as proud as her husband. "There is a legend that inspired this lifestyle we live now."
There were plenty of things Naruto wanted to cover; Where his friends were, whether they were alive, why they couldn't travel at night, who was the master/masters Kiba spoke of, and how they managed to control both Kiba and Yuno anyway? But Yuno had been grilling Ichumi for every conceivable detail possible. She was absolutely over the moon to learn about the friendly Blechumi Clan. And while Naruto wasn't incredibly interested in their history. He figured it would only be polite to listen, and if Yuno wanted to spearhead it for him, he wouldn't be against it. However, a legendary tale did sound pretty interesting…
"The legend? What legend are you talking about?" Naruto asked his own interest now thoroughly piqued.
"You forgot to tell them, my love?" Ichamu said, exasperated, with a sigh. "It is only the most important story of the Blechumi Clan."
"My apologies, my dearest. In my excitement to see humans again, it escaped my sophisticated mind! Yes, my dear, I guess there is a legendary tale passed down from each clan leader. It is the tale of our ascension. From classless, mindless beast, to the classy Blechumi Clan we are today. The full story is too long to go into detail here, but I can give you an abridged version. Long ago, the Blechumi Clan landed in the great swamps where we now stand. Back then, as absurd as it sounds, the swamps of Irminsul were even more violent and hostile than they are now. The seemingly endless war between clans made the lands dangerous and unfriendly. As such, we reflected such a state on ourselves. We fought and lived savagely, desperate to rise above our rivals and survive in this cruel world. But we were not nearly as strong as them. Peacocks are graceful creatures made to be beautiful and live as such. We never truly gained much ground in war… until his arrival. His full name was lost to time, but they called him Blechumi. His arrival had been an accident, and if I'm honest, I'm shocked he wasn't killed. The clan reacted defensively, intending to slay the potential threat until he offered a gift, wine." Ichumi described.
"Your clan was immediately pacified with wine?" Naruto asked with a raised brow. He was more of a social drinker and never indeed the wine type. So, the idea of peace being made from it seemed odd to him.