Tsuki reluctantly left Orochimaru alone with the leaf Shinobi to discuss what he knew about the Akatsuki. She wandered through the moonlit forest barefoot looking like a fairy as she wove through the trees humming a soft melody. A metallic scent enveloped her as a cool breeze swept past her rustling her long silvery white hair. Blood.

She turned her pale milky white eyes in the direction the breeze had come from and moved closer. Why was the scent of blood on the wind? Her fingers dipped into a warm liquid substance as she reached out to push aside some foliage. A gasp escaped her as she realized her fingers were soaked in blood. She pushed aside the branches of greenery to look into the clearing beyond and felt her heart drop. A scream bubbled up in her throat as hot tears welled in her milky eyes at the scene before her.

The clearing was filled with bloody carcasses of various woodland creatures, foxes, wolves, deer, rabbits an array of creatures all brutally slaughtered and left for dead. She screamed as she dropped to her knees next to the fallen blood drenched carcass of a snow-white wolf. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around the snow-white wolf sobbing into its blood-stained fur.

"TSUKI?!" Orochimaru's voice shouted in the distance followed by a yell from Jiraiya.

Her ears picked up on the sound of someone drawing back a bowstring. Had this been a trap? She heard what sounded like several bows release at once just as she heard Orochimaru, Jiraiya and Kakashi make their way toward the clearing. A violent torrent of wind swept around her with a shriek splintering all of the arrows that had been aimed for her.

Shakily she released the wolf from her hold and swayed to her feet sensing the presence of those who'd attacked her. There were seven of them in total hiding in the trees around her, they'd revealed themselves when they launched their attacks.

"Tsuki?" Orochimaru stared at the blood-stained girl in awe as strong gale force winds tore through the clearing like blades of air slicing through trees and the vile beings who'd dared to slaughter innocent animals. Screams echoed through the night as her blades of wind found their marks.

Her wind died down and all seven of the concealed men who'd been targeting her dropped from the trees they'd been hiding in. A strong hand clapped down on her shoulder giving her a gentle squeeze offering her strength and support. She turned to find Orochimaru offering her a sympathetic look.

"Help them." She pleaded, begging him to save the animals.

Orochimaru felt his heart clench, constricting in his chest at the desolate heartbroken expression on her tear stained face. "Tsuki, it's too late." He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her trembling form as she cried silently. "I'm sorry."

"No." She shook unsteadily, "It can't be too late. They were innocent." Her tears stung as they trickled down her pallid cheeks.

Orochimaru tightened his hold around her feeling the unsteadiness in her trembling form knowing she wouldn't be able to support herself soon as she was overcome with grief. Her tender compassionate heart couldn't bear to see animals suffering like this. He cradled her in his arms and looked to Jiraiya about to ask him to remove the bodies for Tsuki but cut off as a strange ethereal glow began to emit from the starlight girl in his arms.

His lethal reptilian eyes widened in awe as the glow around her began to grow and tiny tendrils of light seeped from the crying girl. He winced as he felt a sharp pain in his chest, whatever she was doing was using up an immense amount of chakra. "Tsuki?" Orochimaru gasped as he felt his own chakra begin to deplete.

Whatever she was doing, she was doing it unconsciously as she was still overcome with grief sobbing quietly against him. The tiny tendrils of light began to sweep over the bodies of the bloodied animals. Orochimaru watched in awe as the wounds began to mend and the tiny ethereal tendrils of light breathed life back into them.

"I don't believe it." Jiraiya gaped as he watched the once dead animal carcasses return to life.

The snow-white wolf that Tsuki had been crying over stretched to its feet and shook itself off, shaking the blood from its pure white coat. It took a step toward the starlight girl as she cried quietly and gently touched the tip of its cool wet nose to her blood covered hand.

Tsuki jumped at the wolf's touch and turned to find all of the animals that had been slaughtered looking very much alive and healthy. "You're alive!" She cried as she threw her arms around the snow-white wolf. "Orochimaru-sama how did you do it?"

Orochimaru struggled to keep himself upright feeling completely sapped of chakra, "You did this, Tsuki." He said softly as he cast a wary look in Jiraiya and Kakashi's direction. His chakra stores were too low to take them both on and from the look in their eyes, he knew they were aware of his predicament.

Jiraiya took a step toward the uncanny couple but paused as all of the animals turned on him. The wolves and foxes began to growl, the fur on the backs of the rabbits began to fluff up and the deer laid their ears back. All of the animals would fight him if he made a move toward the starlight girl. "I can see why the Towa Clan was targeted to extinction. A power like this supporting any clan would tip the scales immensely."

Orochimaru tensed, the animals would be no match for Jiraiya or Kakashi if they got serious. "I've told you all I know of the Akatsuki, our business is done."

Jiraiya felt conflicted once more, he wasn't entirely convinced his old friend had changed for the good. What if he walked away again and Orochimaru did something else truly horrific? How could he live with himself if his indecision caused the death of innocents? His gaze fell on the breathtaking girl at Orochimaru's side. She'd just slaughtered seven men, without moving a muscle. Was her innocence wavering? Even as the thought crossed his mind, he didn't believe it. She was still as innocent as ever. Those men had slaughtered animals in an attempt to lure and attack Tsuki she acted righteously to protect those who could not protect themselves.

"It seems they were targeting her." Jiraiya noted indicating the corpses of the men who'd tried to ambush the girl.

Orochimaru shot his old friend a glare, "Don't tell me things I already know."

"That means someone else who knows of her clan has discovered her, are you sure you'll be able to protect her on your ow-."

"Don't insult Orochimaru-sama." Tsuki cut him off and a strong wind rushed through the clearing shoving the two-leaf shinobi back. Her body shuddered at the effort she'd expended. She felt her knees buckle she'd used up too much chakra.

Orochimaru caught her in his arms and swept her off her feet in one fluid motion feeling his chakra beginning to replenish at a rapid rate. "I appreciate your concern old friend, but I believe our business here is done." He glared as he felt Tsuki's head drop onto his shoulder as she finally succumbed to the fatigue of whatever jutsu she'd used to bring back the animals.

The mark on Tsuki's arm left by Manda began to glow. Orochimaru smirked at this, he didn't even have to expel any chakra to summon the great snake. Since he was so taken with Tsuki, she could summon Manda without using any of Orochimaru's or her own chakra.

"I suggest you take your leave. Manda is quite taken with the girl and as you two pose the only threat to her at the moment, I don't think he'll hesitate." Orochimaru chuckled as Manda appeared behind them.

The leaf shinobi retreated as the great purple serpent appeared with a deafening roar of rage upon seeing the unconscious girl in the sannin's arms. "What happened to my favorite servant?" He snarled causing Orochimaru to shake his head.

"Watch over her for a moment." Orochimaru laid the unconscious girl in the plush grass and watched as the woodland animals began to swarm around her, lying beside her offering her warmth.

He moved toward the body closest to him and sifted through the corpse's pockets. There wasn't anything to identify the corpse but from what he could see of their marred face, it looked like someone he recognized from his days with the Akatsuki. One of the hopefuls wishing to join. Were they sent by the Akatsuki? Tsuki had had a run in with a likeness of Itachi and his partner, it was possible during their fight they'd noticed the mark on Tsuki's hand or recognized her eyes and relayed the information to the others. Someone among them would surely know of her heritage.

Orochimaru clenched his fists at his sides. He'd slaughter every man woman and child alive to keep Tsuki safe. "Let's go."

"Orochimaru, what's going on?" Manda growled.

"Someone is targeting Tsuki."

Manda let out a roar of rage, "Then they will suffer."

Orochimaru smirked at this, "My thoughts exactly." He reached for the sleeping girl and paused as the snow-white wolf placed its giant paw over his hand. "Interesting. You wish to protect her too?" The wolf nodded its head as it removed its paw from his hand allowing him to scoop the unconscious girl into his arms. "Very well."

Video- The Downfall By Ruelle