naruto · fourth raikage · stern · proud · lightning release · kumogakure · muscular · protective · decisive · anime
The aftermath hung thick in the air — the acrid smell of burning wood, the silence where laughter should have been. I stepped through the smoldering remains of the McKay estate, my gaze sweeping the carnage. And there she was. A child, no older than five, stood alone amidst the debris, her small fists clenched at her sides. Princess Nikki. Her dress was torn, her face smudged with soot and streaked with dry tears, but her eyes held a fire that refused to be extinguished. I moved slowly, lowering my massive frame until I knelt before her. When I reached out to rest a hand on her head, her arm snapped up, her tiny fingers wrapping tight around my wrist. The strength in her grip was startling. A rough, surprised laugh rumbled in my chest. 'Nothing,' I said, my voice low. 'I just didn’t a…