The spray of dirt and sticks created a small cloud of debris around Isha as she slid on her back across the forest floor. The force of the impact had managed to surprise her and set her off guard, but it was at a very inopportune moment which seemed like it was going to lose her this fight. Four dogs had surrounded her, each one more wild than the next. Isha was confident going in, dismissing her own canine companion for fear that the disease which had infected the other four dogs would somehow pass on to her closest of friends. Isha grits her teeth when she comes to a stop, though no sooner had the world stopped spinning around her than the largest of the beasts was closing in on her fast, with jaws open to snap down on her throat.

Frozen in place with a moment of panic, Isha could only reflect on just what had gotten her to this point. The mission sounded like an easy one. All she had to do was capture 4 dogs which had gotten free from the kennel and had been the unfortunate targets of a rabid raccoon. Their fight had ended easily enough; the smaller coon torn to shreds at the jaws of 4 larger dogs, but the infection had spread from the smaller animal to all four of the beasts. Isha had a great deal of experience in fighting with dogs, and not just dogs. Inuzuka dogs were a breed unto themselves, massive and far more powerful than any other normal dog had a right to be. She’d trained with one of the more aggressive ones, and even made a lasting partnership with Gizmo. At one time he was able to defeat Isha with ease, but she’d learned so much and come so far, it seemed unthinkable that a plain dog would be able to best her. Of course, she had underestimated the ferocity of spirit instilled within animals stricken by the scourge of rabies.

With her mission in mind she had tracked them easily enough. Catching their scent just outside of town she raced for miles, sniffing along the way to ensure she wouldn’t lose their trail. Just after midday she’d made her first contact, and all four dogs were still together. There was surprising disparity between the dogs, none of which seemed to come from the same breed. The largest among them was a pit bull, stocky and strong but seemed like nothing compared to the Inuzuka dog Isha tended to play with. The next most fearsome was a ridgeback of rich brown with hate filled eyes. All of the dogs had a rather intimidation posture to their movements and seemed unable to stop snarling at each other, and each one had the telltale white foam slathering their jaws. This was the result of dehydration, for animals infected with the disease began to fear water. While their brains swelled steadily within the prison of their own skulls, it was dehydration that tended to end the animals lives.

The last two dogs were much smaller, one a beagle, the other a grey hound. They both looked quite weak to Isha, and though the grey hound might have been fast, Isha knew she was faster. So with confidence in her mind she had launched her assault. She planned to target the largest dogs first, to take out the biggest threats then to deal with the others one at a time. She figured one or two good strikes would lay the dogs low and make them easy pickings for a quick hog tying, muzzling, and voyage back to Konoha for inspected at the animal clinic. As it turned out, Isha had been very wrong in her assumptions.

Her first attack went well enough; she sprang suddenly from the shade of some low hanging branches and rushed the pit bull first. Taken by surprise the dog only had time to yelp before Isha’s foot slammed against the animals flank and sent him flying a short distance away. Before the dog even landed Isha was spinning on her heels and planting her hands against the ground. She thrust both feet upwards into the ridgeback and with great forced knocked the dog out of the pack’s formation. Two down and two to go, she had thought, but no sooner had the dogs reeled from their respective blows, then had they gotten back up and charged after their attacker. This is what had taken Isha off guard, how the beasts could so easily ignore the powerful strikes Isha had delivered. Even if bones had broken, their disease had made them so wild it seemed they didn’t even register the sensation of pain. Of course, while this fact was becoming obvious Isha had very little time to account for it.

Two dogs still stand beside her, and neither had the intention of simply watching the fray. The smallest dog was already nipping at her heels, barking and growling at it took a mouthful of leather boot. The beagle twisted and tugged and shook for all its ineffectual might, but it served as enough of a distraction for the greyhound to move in swiftly. Though it lunged to bit Isha was able to present the lightning fast hound with anther boot, even while she was falling backwards. She didn’t so much kick the dog as she did stuff her foot into its mouth, but the action still served its purpose. Midway through her backwards fall she transitions easily into a flip and her arms reach back to grip the ground. She pulls both of her feet free from the dogs mouths and rolls backwards, putting distance between herself and the dogs and getting herself back onto her feet at the same time.

This fight was going to be a lot trickier than she had anticipated, and she was being left with little time to plan. No sooner was she on her feet than the beagle was in hot pursuit, barking growling and nipping at her feet. “Damn ankle biter!” Isha yells at the dog and gives it a solid kick to its middle. The dog yelps and goes flying, but the greyhound was on her just as fast. She didn’t even have time to watch the smaller dog land before she was leaning aside to evade the greyhound. She sweeps both hands over and catches the dog on the side of the head with one hand. The other lands on its neck and she continues her twist, using the dogs momentum to send it flying off to one side. No time, to fast; the pit bull and ridgeback were on her again. The largest beast lunges for her throat, but Isha manages to duck beneath it just in time, but then to ridgeback was there. It went low to bite her flanks, but Isha wasn’t ready for defeat just yet. She drops even lower until she’s crawling on the ground, just as the ridgeback’s foam covered jaws find purchase.

Isha finds herself stuck in place for a moment as vicious jaws sink into the thick fur and leather of her cape and narrowly miss finding the flesh of her shoulder. Isha rises and spins, giving her cape a hard tug with her hands but the powerful jaws of the dog held fast on the fur and leather. Isha was stuck for a moment, but only for a moment. A second later the beagle clamped down on her shoe again, and the greyhound rammed its full speed against her side. Isha topples over to the sound of leather tearing and falls backwards. Unable to get any leverage on the ground she simply falls, tripping over the beagle and flailing her arms with a complete lack of control.

All at once the pit bull leaps atop her, foaming fangs glistening with rage as they drive towards her throat. Isha saw her life flash before her eyes for a moment having well underestimated the power of this disease claiming the otherwise loyal and friendly minds of the four canines. What else could she do? It seemed like it was the end. The best she could do is lift an arm or leg in defense, but she’d still get bitten. A single bite and the disease could pass to her with no trouble, so what was she to do? How could she escape the oncoming jaws seeking to tear the flesh of her throat and let her blood spill forth like some manner of death bringing flood?

It did not matter how intense the dog’s attack was, it was not to find purchase. With Isha frozen in a moment of panic the dog’s fangs come within inches of her throat. She could feel the hot, angry breath of the pit bull and the warm wet foam dripping on her neck, but in the next instant the dog yelps loudly. A blinding white blur appears as if from no where and rams the dog as Gizmo’s massive frame slams into the pit bull. The dog bites into the pit bull’s flank and twists, once more sending the pit pull flying away like some manner of rag doll. That was all Isha needed; and seeing Gizmo attack brought her fighting spirit right back to the surface. In an instant chakra bursts through her body and fills her limbs.

“Gizmo! Gatsuga!” She shouts as her companion kicked his hind legs backwards and knocked the beagle backwards and away from Isha’s feet. Isha rolls over and pushes herself up onto her four good legs, and charges her chakra once more. All at once the world becomes a blur of pain and flying debris for her enemies as two tornadoes of chakra and claws and fangs and fury tear through the crowd and off into the distance. When the two finally land and come to a stop they’re about 50 feet away from the dogs, and the dogs are quickly regrouping. Isha crouches low to the ground on her hands and feet, her claws now more pronounced and strengthened with her chakra. Her hair seems to be wild, but it’s Gizmo that seals the show.

He’s furious and hate burns in his eyes. If not for the rabies the other dogs would have tucked tail and fled the instant they saw him, but their insanity gave them no pause from their assault. The greyhound moved first, racing towards them at a blinding speed which outpaced the other dogs, while ridgeback came bounding after it. The pit bull was beginning to show signs of wear and still charged, but now had a pronounced limp to its right foreleg and left a trail of small blood spatters behind it. The beagle was last, the slowest and smallest but no less ferocious for its size. Isha and Gizmo both growl as one, now fully prepared to take this fight to the dogs, with the serious intent to end it.

When the greyhound lunges to attack, Isha’s small frame pressed low and moves beneath it. At the same time Gizmo attacks high and leaps to the side. Furious jaws come snapping down on air as both dodge and Gizmo snaps viciously into the side of the dog’s neck. Isha flails upwards, claws raking across the dog’s underbelly and providing lift as Gizmo pulls to the side. With a loud yelp and generous spray of blood the hound goes flying and lands hard several meters away. When it comes to a stop it tries to move to rejoin the fight, but soon finds the injuries to its legs to serious to permit further movement. Now one was truly down.

Seeing its companion taken down does nothing to weaken the resolve of the other dogs, and the ridgeback is next upon them. Isha narrows her eyes, their previous strike a little to harsh for the mission parameters. Instead she restrains her claws and races quickly to the left. Within a heartbeat the ridgeback has an opponent on either side, and gizmo is the worst threat. With snapping jaws and fury Gizmo lunges, but the ridgeback turns to intercept. The two come within inches of biting each other, but Isha growls and grabs the dog’s back legs. With a single strong yank the ridgeback’s legs are taken out from underneath it. There’s a yelp of surprise, but there’s not a moment to spare in reveling in minor victories.

No verbal communication is needed between Isha and Gizmo, no sooner is Isha taking the ridgeback’s legs out than Gizmo is turning his attention on the charging pit. With the enemy dog already limping, Gizmo’s victory seemed a foregone conclusion, so Isha busies herself with taking the ridgeback out of the fight. Ninja wire in hand Isha loops several times around the dog’s back legs and one of his front legs, quickly immobilizing the snarling monster. All the while Gizmo and the pit meet in a tangled blur of snapping jaws and loud growls. The two battle for dominance, rearing up on their hind legs at times, or going in low to disable legs. The two seem equally matched, only because Gizmo also realizes he’s not supposed to kill these dogs. Limp and lame and whimpering, the greyhound in the distance still hasn’t recovered, and only lies in a slowly growing puddle of its own blood.

It was quickly becoming easy, as easy as Isha had thought this mission would be from the start. Two dogs were down, one was injured and the other was tiny. If not for their illness they might have tried to flee, but the rabies kept them full of hate and fueled by a bitter need to taste the blood of their enemies. The beagle once more reaches Isha while the Pit and Gizmo wrestle, but Isha just kicks the dog in the face. It’s a non-dramatic kick, a simple extension of her leg with booted foot meeting flesh and fur. The small dog is once more sent flying away a short distance, but the moment it lands it would be on it’s way back. Annoying though it was, Isha didn’t have time for the half pint just yet. Instead she turns her attention on gizmo and the pit bull. It was time to put an end to this.

In one deft motion Isha flanks the dog, rushing to the side while Gizmo has its attention and falling low. She spins, drops and sticks a leg out; one swift motion all that’s required to kick the dogs good legs out from underneath it. It falls hard on its side, and Gizmo seizes the opportunity to pounce atop it and drive his fangs for the dog’s throat. He doesn’t draw blood and instead just holds the dog firmly in place on its back. Though it flails and growls and snaps its foamy jaws, the antics are useless for anything but comedic value this late into the fight. Of course, Isha and Gizmo are not laughing. They’re both still snarling.

The beagle comes up once more, intent on taking a mouthful of Isha’s ankle, but once again all it finds is boot. Another simple kick sends the smallest of the dogs flying some feet away as it had over and over during this fight. They greyhound, maimed as it was, had managed to stand up once more, but it made it only a limping step forward before collapsing again and whining loudly. Isha kept her attention on the beagle now that she had time, and this time when it came rushing back all snarls and fangs, she didn’t kick it. Instead she sticks her boot in its mouth once more, and pushes it down into the ground. With a smirk she bends over and grabs the dog by the scruff of its neck and picks the little thing up.

It was all too easy when Isha and Gizmo worked as a team, and she held the beagle at arms length as it yowled and snapped and thrashed in her grip. Isha saw something of herself in the small dog with the heart of a giant, but she knew too well it was sickness giving it the ferocity it was showing. A few loops of ninja wire snapped the dog’s mouth shut and muzzled it, while a few more looped around its leg to immobilize it. She drops it unceremoniously and turns her attention to Gizmo and the pit. The same process would be repeated, wire securing mouths and legs until she had 3 helpless animals, and one seriously injured one. Isha smiles some with the job done, and gives Gizmo a good scratching on the side of his neck. “Good boy, Mo. I think we’re about done here” she says to the dog, who replies with a loud bark of agreement.

What came next was pure genius to the girl and the dog, but horror for the normal citizens of the city. She came through the city gates with a small train of tied of dogs being dragged behind her like so many spoils of the hunt. They were still growing, still flailing in their wire bonds, but each one was unable to move so much as a toe. Isha paraded her victory through town with little care for the screaming women and crying children she passed. Even grown men she passed backed away and gave her a wide berth. None it seemed wanted to approach Isha and her prize, perhaps for fear of the dog or perhaps for fear of Isha. She was spattered with a few spots of blood from her combat, though none of it was hers. She was filthy from rolling around on the ground and Gizmo, her massive beast of a friend, was still staring hateful daggers at everyone they passed.

So she went without incident the rest of the way traveling along the main roads towards the animal clinic with her prizes being dragged behind her. Only one of the dogs was not being dragged, the injured greyhound. Instead it was hogtied and balanced over Gizmo’s haunches, to spare it any further harm from sticks, stones and pot holes along the way. Isha smiles proudly as she travels, waving happily at those she passes like some hero on parade through a war torn city. The war had been her own, however, so no one who looked upon her saw the hero. They just saw that crazy Inuzuka, who always seemed to be surpassing her previous levels of craziness whenever she was spotted in the city. Of course, this one would take some effort to top.