It took a while, I know, but I finally got the next story up! All right, those who read my first Naruto fic probably all hate Kiba by now. I never intended for you to hate him, but I guess that's just what happened. Now you get to like him again! Why? Because you get to see what a nice guy he can be, given the chance.

Kiba: You're so sweet, Ruthie.

(glomps him) Yeah, now you say it! Heh, he hated me for the longest time, you know. But now we're cool again. Anyways, I'm getting way off track...as usual. I'm sorry to say that this isn't a slash pairing. Nope, in fact, it's an OC kind of thing. (giggle) It makes me feel cool to use acronyms like this.

Full Summary: When the wandering Ookamizuka clan finds their way to Konoha, Inuzuka Kiba finds the girl of his dreams. But something isn't right. His mother Tsume and sister Hana seem to know something he doesn't know, and they won't tell him outright what it is. Can Kiba and Toboe's Romeo and Juliet-esque love stand firm in the face of old vendettas and years of inter-clan hatred?

"Beautiful day for a walk, eh, Akamaru?" Inuzuka Kiba asked cheerily as he glanced down at the long-legged dog walking beside him. Akamaru wagged his tail, barking in agreement. Kiba smiled. "Yep. Sometimes, you just have to get away from training and missions and just smell the flowers."

We're not 'getting away from' anything, Akamaru pointed out. Kurenai-sensei gave us a break for the day, remember?

Kiba grinned, kneeling down to scratch behind the pup's floppy ears. "I know, I know," he said. "But still, it is nice to get away, isn't it, just the two of us?" Akamaru nodded in agreement. Kiba sighed and looked out into the distance, if you could call it that. The forest was close-knit, so all he really saw was the trees. "That Shino can get on my nerves sometimes."

Akamaru nodded knowingly, then hopped up onto Kiba's head, one of his usual perches. There's something different about the woods today, the dog remarked. I can smell it. Do you? Kiba shook his head. No? Well, we'll just have to see for ourselves, won't we? He thrust out a paw. Onwards!

Kiba laughed as he bounded ahead through the sun-dappled woods outside of Konoha, his village. It was, as he had said to his partner not long ago, a beautiful day for a walk. The sun was hot, but deep inside the forest, it was reduced to mere speckles of warm light scattered throughout patches of cool shade. The sky above was clear with only a few cumulus clouds bubbled across the brilliant blue background. A gentle breeze ruffled the leaves overhead, and they murmured together in some secret tree language. On a lark, the Inuzuka youth reached up and grabbed a thick, low branch and swung himself over it in a full circle. Akamaru let out a sharp, wordless bark of surprise and gripped Kiba's head tightly. Kiba laughed again.

"Gotcha, Akamaru!" he teased, tickling the dog's nose. Akamaru gave him a gentle, playful nip before leaping down to the ground.

If you're going to play like that, I'll walk, he growled, but his tail was wagging. Kiba smirked and started walking again. He wasn't sure where he was going, but then again, when he walked with Akamaru he usually didn't. He let himself wander aimlessly. Wherever he went, Akamaru followed alongside him. The two of them never went anywhere alone if they could help it.

Another breeze whispered through the forest, this time blowing lower. As an Inuzuka, Kiba had a sharper nose than most, and he could even gather chakra to his nose to enhance his sense of smell even further. He did this now, tilting his head to the wind and sniffing hard. The slight wind had brought a strange scent to his nose, and he was determined to get a better sniff of it. Akamaru had noticed the scent as well, and he took a step in its direction before glancing back at his partner. Kiba nodded. "Let's go check it out," he said. The two of them darted off in the direction the smell had come from.

;-:-;-:-;

The infamous duo of chunin boy and dog skidded to a halt at the edge of a small drop-off. Kiba was panting from his run, and he dropped down to his knees as he panted. He didn't know how long he had been chasing the scent for, but it didn't matter to him now. He reached out and ruffled Akamaru's ears, then flopped back onto his bottom to rest. "Well," he whispered, "it's only been getting stronger, Akamaru. Do you think we found it?"

Akamaru sniffed the air again. I think so, he barked. He prodded a few bush branches with his paw. Whatever it is, it's probably down there. Kiba nodded and reached forwards with one hand to brush aside the branches. His dark eyes widened at what he saw.

The forest dropped off for about twenty feet into a small valley of sorts. That wasn't what interested him. He had seen that place before. What he couldn't tear his eyes away from were the people setting up a sort of camp down there. They all had the lean, muscular bodies of nomads, and something shaggy trailed after each and every one of them. Some of them were unpacking and handing bundles of stuff to others in the group. Kiba watched in amazement as those who were given the packages scurried around and, once they found a suitable spot, unpacked small tents. Other people were pulling out food from their backframe packs or the travoise toted by the sturdy animals, and handing it off to those who had produced pots and pans. An officious-looking man stood at the head of the group, barking out orders, which were promptly carried out with quick salutes and nods. He must be their leader, Kiba guessed, seeing how much power the man had.

As he looked a little closer, Kiba noticed something that didn't quite fit in with the picture of burly adults: a young girl. She was darting from group to group, sometimes carrying a bundle to a waiting group of three or four, sometimes stepping down on a tent stake to push it into the ground. Whatever she was doing, she seemed to have her hands comfortably full keeping up with the older members of her group. Kiba was impressed by the serene grace and deftness with which she carried out her tasks. It seemed to him that she had been doing this for a very long time. He also noticed that everywhere she went, a white, furry beast trotted after her. It was a constant help to her, whether it was toting a clanging pot by the handle or pulling a tent taut with its teeth and backwards straining paws.

Another breeze drifted up to his nose, bringing him the scent of the nomads. It was much clearer this time, having come to him straight from the source without picking up other woodsy smells. Kiba realized why it was that the scent that had so intrigued him earlier. It was hauntingly similar to that of dog, a smell he had known his whole life, but it was different. It smelled darker, heavier, wilder, muskier. It smelled of running in the night and tackling problems as a family bound by blood and loyalty. His mouth dropped open slightly in amazement. Just the smell of the group made him quivery. He looked down to Akamaru, and the tawny-furred ninken gave the scent a name. They're wolves, he murmured, sounding both awed and scared.

"Wolves?" Kiba repeated softly. He looked down at the newcomers again, in particular at the animals following each one of them. Now that he was really looking, he could see their long, narrow muzzles, their graceful legs, their thick pelts and bushy tails, their hard-padded paws. They looked like dogs, but different. "So that's what wolves look like? I've never seen a real one before."

Those are wolves, Akamaru confirmed, nodding seriously. For a while, their scent had me confused. I thought they were just wild dogs at first. Kiba rose halfway to his feet, ready to run down and give the wolf clan a warm Konoha welcome, but he was stopped by a soft bark from Akamaru. Don't go down there, he warned. You smell like dogs, and if there's one thing a wolf can't stand, it's a dog. They'd tear you apart!

"But I can't just stand here and do nothing," Kiba protested, slumping back down. He found himself watching the girl again. She was bickering animatedly with a young woman, gesturing fiercely and stomping a foot to emphasize her words. The older girl, who couldn't have been older than Hana, watched her young friend with cool eyes. She said something in a soft voice, but Kiba couldn't hear what she had said. The golden-pelted wolf beside her tossed its sleek head scornfully at the equally temperless white wolf. Finally, in the climax of her argument, the girl turned to the commanding man and presented her argument to him. The man studied her carefully, the pointed out towards the forest and gave her an order that Kiba couldn't quite make out. The girl stomped her foot down in frustration and beckoned to her wolf companion with a swift, sharp flick of her hand. The pair trudged sullenly away from the camp and into the woods. "Wonder what that was all about."

I'm not sure, but it looks like she doesn't want to do what they're telling her to, Akamaru muttered. He shook himself vigorously as another gust of wolf-scent washed over them. Kiba, I don't like this place. We should get back to the village now. It's probably getting late, and Hana will be worried about you.

"You can go back," Kiba told him. "But I'm staying here." Akamaru groaned softly. He wouldn't go anywhere without his human partner. Kiba hated to force the dog to do what he didn't want to do, but he was just too curious about this wolf clan to head back. "Come on, let's find a better place to watch from." He held open the front of his jacket, and Akamaru hopped inside. The boy raced off into the woods to find a new lookout perch. For his own sake, he decided to get closer, but for Akamaru's sake, he decided he wouldn't venture too close.

"Go get firewood, Toboe," a soft voice growled sarcastically, mimicking the voice of an adult. Kiba froze. "Pff! I'm telling you, Shiromaru, it's just not fair. I have my moontime, I'm a woman now! A woman doesn't go for firewood. That's a pup's job! That's an Omega's job! It's not a woman's job."

A gruff voice barked its own opinion. The first voice scoffed again. "Well I know I'm the youngest, but that doesn't mean I'm still a pup! And it doesn't mean that Father always has to take Fumoto's side, either. So what if she's older?"

Kiba looked fearfully down at Akamaru. The wind had shifted, and he felt it blowing across the fur of his hood. He was upwind of the voice now. As if on cue, he heard heavy sniffing, followed by a sharp snarl. Akamaru shivered. "What is it, Shiromaru?" the voice asked. Kiba heard softer sniffing. "Oh...well, let's go check it out. Mother and Father should know about it."

The Inuzuka boy jerked his head from side to side as he sought an escape route. He hadn't liked the tone of the voice, and he was determined to get away from it as fast as he could. He spotted a low tree branch nearby and jumped for it.

"Howoo!" the voice called cheerily. It sounded like a greeting, but at the same time, like an eerie howl. Kiba struggled to pull himself up onto the limb, but found himself pulling too hard. He slipped right over the branch to land in a confused heap below it. Bushes rustled around him. Before he could move, the girl he had seen earlier stepped out in front of him.

She had looked so much younger when he had watched her from above. Now that she was closer, he could see that she was older than he had thought at first, probably about his own age. She had the same look as the rest of her clan, wiry and muscular with long limbs. Her eyes were incredibly dark; he thought they were black until he realized they were just a ridiculously deep shade of brown. Her hair fell down her back in a low ponytail in thick, brown waves. Her skin was a sort of medium brown, and Kiba guessed she was used to traveling in hot sun. She dressed simply, in a crimson vest and brown khaki shorts that exposed her a little of her tawny-skinned belly. She wore thick gloves on her hands, almost gauntlets, and her boots were rugged and made to last for years. Finally, Kiba noticed something that chilled him. Gracing both her cheeks were two triangular shapes tattooed in dark cerulean blue. They were like his own Inuzuka Fang markings, only flipped upside down, so that they pointed upwards.

While he was at it, he studied her wolf as well. It didn't take more than a quick look to determine that the creature was male. His shaggy white fur was stained pale brown on his paws and a good way up his lanky limbs from the dusty forest trails. He was a good deal taller than Akamaru, but Kiba could tell just from looking at him that he was nowhere near finished growing. His eyes were eerie yellow shade and looked like golden moons hanging in a cloudy, white sky. He bared his sharp, white puppy-fangs in a snarl that was clearly directed at Akamaru. Kiba stood up, placing an arm protectively over the dog in his coat.

For the longest time, both youth were stock-still, each evaluating the other carefully. The girl cocked her head to the side at the sight of Akamaru. Her eyes were smiling, as was her mouth. She nodded her head in greeting. Kiba returned the nod, a little stiffly. Akamaru gave him a warning whine to stay on his toes around the newcomers. Finally, he spoke. "So..." he began a little lamely. "I guess you and your clan will be staying here for...a while?"

"Oh!" the girl said softly, looking a little startled. Her voice was unusually mellow and carried a tinge of an accent Kiba had never heard before. "Are we outside your village?" She glanced down and side to side. "Well, we're only nomads, so I'm sure they won't mind us staying for a few days," she continued under her breath, pacing a few steps. "We can probably trade, too. Besides, we've already got the camp half set up, so I don't think anyone will want to leave now, especially not Father—he's so stubborn about these things. He'd rather fight than leave now." She looked back up at Kiba. "You don't mind, do you?"

Kiba wondered how much of her little monologue he was supposed to have heard. He hesitated. "Well, I'm not really in a position to say yes or no for the village," he told her. "But I can probably find someone who is. I don't think anyone would have a problem with your clan staying. After all, our village is back in the woods a ways from here." The girl's face lit up, and she smiled even more. Kiba felt a jolt of warmth. She was so pretty when she smiled.

Then he noticed that her smile wasn't the only thing causing him warmth. Now he realized that he had been sitting in a patch of hot sunlight for a while with his fur-edged hood up. He pushed back the hood. It made things a little better, but not too much. He would either have to take off his jacket or move out of the light. He chose to move, since he doubted Akamaru wanted to be on the ground with the wolf close by. When he flipped away his hood, the girl's eyes widened for a few seconds, as though he had startled her. But, he saw, the look in her eyes was not surprise, but a sort of confirmation. She nodded to herself.

"What's your name?" Kiba asked.

"Toboe," the girl replied. "Ookamizuka Toboe."

"Kiba. Inuzuka Kiba." He paused. "Ookamizuka...House of the Wolf God."

"Inuzuka, House of the Dog." Toboe flashed him another grin. "The wolf here is Shiromaru."

"This is Akamaru," Kiba told her, gesturing to the shaking dog in his jacket. Toboe looked a little confused. "I know, he's not really red right now, but he can be under certain circumstances." He wasn't quite sure how to explain Akamaru's color change to this girl, so he left it at that. Toboe seemed to understand there was more to the story, but she didn't press him.

Toboe glanced up at the sky, then around her. "Listen, Kiba, I have to go now. What direction is your village in?" Kiba pointed. "Great. We'll probably stop by later today. I have to get working and get wood." She turned to go. Kiba stopped her.

"I can help if you want me to," he offered. Toboe's dark eyes flashed a look of uncertainty, and she shook her head.

"No, it's all right. I can do it myself. Shiromaru helps too." She started to walk away. "Maybe I'll see you around, Kiba."

"Maybe," Kiba repeated, although he had a feeling he wanted it to be a little more certain than 'maybe.' Toboe turned back, nodded again, then slipped back into the forest with Shiromaru behind her. The wolf turned around at the last second and gave Kiba and Akamaru a venomous look before trotting after his human partner. Kiba watched them go openmouthed. Then, nodding to Akamaru, he bounded off in the direction of Konoha. The wandering Ookamizuka clan had found its way to Konoha, and he was determined to give them the biggest welcome he could manage—if only so that he could learn more about the mysterious girl Toboe.