The whole smelled like home.
It was an odd thought — especially for someone who'd only lived here for five years. But something about the air — the earthy scent of fur, the faint musk of wild instincts, the clean traces of dried herbs and antiseptic used by the clan healers — it all just felt… right.
The compound stretched wide; a low structure built into the slope of a forested hill. It wasn't fancy. Rough stone floors, bamboo walls, wooden beams that some pup probably chewed on at the corners. But every part of it was alive — with barking, with growling, with the heavy thud of paws and the subtle tension of canines who knew you were there before you even stepped inside.
And they were watching me.
Hundreds of eyes, golden and green and dark, staring from the shadows of enclosures and from the tops of platforms. Every Inuzuka knew — the choosing wasn't just about picking a ninken. It was about being acknowledged. About someone choosing you back.
My father rested a hand on my shoulder. His usually wild energy was subdued, but I could feel the pride humming in his bones.
"This is it, Rei," he said softly. "From today onward, you're not walking alone."
I swallowed. My throat felt dry.
I'd been preparing for this for years. Training my senses. Learning to fight. Even learning to care. But now that I was here, everything felt different than I had pictured. There was this inner-voice of mine that told me that no one would accept me. I wasn't stupid. I knew very well that this self-doubt is just a psychological response to the miserable life I had before. That along with the fact that so many eyes were watching me made me more nervous than ever. I could even see the clan elders at the very corner of the compound. After all, I was the 'prodigy'.
I knew very well that I was not a genius by any means. I was just a man who was way too much matured than he should be at his age. This along with the fact that I have already learnt a few jutsus at such a young age made me out to seem like one. Which was way too much attention than I wanted on myself. But at the same time, being noticed by the elders was also a good way to get better resources from both the clan and the village.
I would usually consider that a win. But now it just felt more like an invisible weight more than anything.
My father gave me a gentle shove forward.
"Go on. Let them meet you. Your brother is already there."
I swallowed my nervousness and went inside. Kuro was wearing a white lab-coat. His hands were softly petting an injured dog.
Hearing me come in, his eyes shifted towards me and his face brimmed with happiness. Kuro was one of the kindest people that I have ever met.
He had our mother's eyes, piercing blue and her blonde hair. Kuro was almost as tall as our father, with 6 feet height. His body was strong for a veterinarian but weak for a ninja.
I liked him.
"How're you doing Rei? Father isn't giving you trouble with your ninja training, is he?"
"Not more than usual." I replied with a grin. "Besides, I think I'm going to start classes in ninja academy soon."
"Good for you. I always just knew that you'll become the genius of the family." He said as warmth crossed through his face. "Just don't overdo it, okay? Putting too much pressure on yourself is extremely harmful in the long run. Besides, the war has already ended. Kids don't need to grow up so fast anymore."
"Thanks, Kuro. But I'm fine, really. I actually like the pressure. Keeps me focused."
Kuro just smiled and waved me along. "Come on. Let's see who's waiting for you."
As I followed Kuro through the compound, I got a closer look at all the ninken.
There were so many kinds. Some looked like proper war beasts — all fangs and muscle. Some were lean and sleek, built for speed. A few had chakra signatures flaring faintly with elemental affinity. Others were just… huge. Like bear-sized "dogs" that made me wonder how anyone slept with those in the house.
I looked around again and again but still couldn't exactly find the connection that I was hoping for. They were all impressive for sure, but it just seemed that I was missing something.
Half an hour after roaming around, Kuro got called in the clinic about an injured dog. So, he left me there to choose and said that he'll be coming back shortly.
I just roamed around aimlessly and tried to find the connection that I was hoping for. While I was focused on a particularly large veteran wolf, something brushed through my senses. I looked towards where the disturbance came from and found a pair of glowing yellow eyes looking at me, half-hidden in the dense forest behind.
Why couldn't I sense it at all? I might not be able to sense things with my chakra yet, but I was still vastly superior in my physical senses due to my bloodline.
Locking its eyes with mine, the small wolf moved and padded out from the trees. It's black fur blending in perfectly with the shadows. Just as it started moving, I realized why I did not notice it before.
It had no presence at all.
No scent. No sound. No chakra signatures. The wind passed through him like he didn't even exist.
Genjutsu? Or was it just a natural ability of it?
My brother was still tending to the patient. So, I moved myself over to the black wolf. It stopped moving as it saw me approach.
With soft movements, I crouched and gently ran a hand over his head. His fur was smooth and cold to the touch — and yet it felt familiar. Almost like déjà vu.
Somehow, I knew that it was a 'He'. It seemed as if I could communicate with the wolf pup just as soon as I had touched his fur. It was weirdly familiar talking to him.
When I asked him why he was hiding in the corner, he simply replied saying that he was shy. It seemed that there were more to it than that. But I didn't press it anymore. This wolf pup seemed to have a lot on its mind.
I sensed my brother coming in just a moment later. Before he could say anything to me, I asked,
"Why is this little guy staying here all by himself? Doesn't he have any friends?"
Kuro seemed hesitant but replied to me with utmost sincerity, "Yureiken (ghost dogs) are notorious for their conservative attitude. They like keeping to themselves most of the time."
"Then where is his family? They should be here taking care of this one."
Kuro's face turned bitter as he answered. "He has none. Not anymore. His species has always been one of the main combatants for our clan. And... the Third Great Ninja war hasn't been kind to anyone. Not to our ninken either. He's the last of his kind."
I looked at the wolf's bright yellow eyes.
Last of his kind, huh. That must be lonely.
"But, why hasn't anyone chosen him yet? He already displays slight mastery over genjutusu."
My brother chuckled hearing that, "To be honest you are the only one he has ever let this close. Most of the time he doesn't even reveal himself to others. Even the staff can't find him most of the time. I don't know why he has let you close. Maybe he sees something in you that he hasn't seen in anyone else. Who knows?" He stopped for a moment to think. "I'm going to go to the office for a bit for...something. Take as much time as you need." He was clearly giving excuses to give us space. Truly was a kind person.
Roughing my hair with a smile Kuro left, leaving two of us alone.
I looked at his bright yellow eyes. I asked him why he chose me.
Was it because I was special? A reincarnated soul? Destined for something?
No. It wasn't anything complex like that.
He was just lonely. And somehow, he knew that I knew loneliness too.
Suddenly my eyes were wet as memories flashed through me. Memories of a time when I felt crippling loneliness every single day. I hated it. It made me feel that I didn't matter. It made me feel that I could just disappear from the world some day and nobody would care.
And even now when I have all that I desire, I was still haunted by that loneliness every day.
Pathetic, really. It has already been five years and I still haven't moved on from the experiences of my previous life.
He knew how I felt. He knew that I still felt like an imposter in this world. He knew that I didn't fit in.
But it was okay. He didn't fit in either
So maybe it would be best if we don't fit in together.
I reached out and scratched behind his ears. With a cute howl, it asked me for a name. So, I made a vow. To him and also to myself.
'From today onwards till the day I die, you and I will be together. You shall be the shadow that protects me from harm and I shall be the light that guides you. From today onwards, your name will be Umbra.'