Where did she come from?
The night was covered in a thick blanket of mist. No lights could be seen through the grey mist as Kakashi stood at the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village. His single eye darted about as if looking straight through this unnatural mist. The mist made the night so cold even though the day before had been perfect; with not one cloud in the sky. Kakashi stood alert and tense knowing very well that on misty nights was the time when enemies where most likely to attack without warning. He would not let his guard down for even a second. The village behind him lay quite and still, only the sounds of the trees whispering meet his ears. He kept his eye on the road ahead, staying perfectly still.Kakashi suddenly heard movement ahead. He clenched his kunai tight is his hand, with shuriken armed and ready in the other. His ears pricked up towards the movement, listening intently. The movements were slow, he could tell by the long paused in between steps, the sound of an approaching attacker? Kakashi raised his kunai ready for an attack. The sound got louder and louder as who ever it was draw closer. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. If this was an attacker then they really didn't know how to be stealthy or keep quite. The footsteps halted, the sound being replaced by hard heavy breathing. Kakashi tentatively stepped forward, still with his eyes fixed ahead. It might be a trap to lour him out from his position. He must be careful.
All of a sudden he heard a loud thud. Kakashi paused. What had that thud been?
"This mist is very covenant," he whispered to himself, crouching down slightly wile still moving forward. Without warning his foot came in contact with something soft yet hard on the ground. He bent close to the thing then suddenly realised what it was.
"Kakasha is something wrong?" called a voice in the general direction of the village.
"Come and see for yourself." Kakashi lifted the thing and started to walk towards the sound of foot steps. Out of the fog emerged Iruka with a puzzled look over his face. He glanced down at Kakashi's arms, taking in a sharp breath.
"We better get her inside," he exclaimed. Kakashi nodded and they both headed for the village, where Iruka called for two more guards to take over from himself and Kakashi. After this was done he followed Kakashi into one of the guard's spare rooms. He laid the body down on the bed. Then he and Iruka fell silent, unsure of what to say. Iruka spoke first.
"She's only a child," he whispered staring down at the limp body covered in cuts and burses, her cloths ripped and covered in grass stances; her long, dark chocolate brown hair falling over her scratched and tired face. She looked as if she was only 4 years old if that. "Is she still alive?" Iruka asked Kakashi who checked her pulse and the extent of the damage she had endured.
"I believe so Iruka but she's in quite a bad way. We'll have to get the medical crew in here to have a look at her. It looks like she's been trying to get away from somewhere and ran all this way," Kakashi muttered turning to his companion. The girl's breathing was sharp but long as if she was in a lot of pain from possible broken ribs.
"But where is she from? What if she's from an enemy village and is trying to spy on us?" Iruka questioned before beginning to pace the room, pondering his thoughts.
"Iruka you can't possible think she could be. She's too young and doesn't seem like a threat. These cuts weren't deliberate, there too rough cut for a blade to do. I think she must have been running away from something. I believe we should keep her here." Kakashi stared at his comrade who had stopped in mid-pace. Iruka stayed silent, thinking of what would be best to do. Finally Iruka turned to face him again.
"You're right Kakashi. We'll raise her here and protect her from whoever might be trying to harm her. No child should go through that. I'll go get the medical crew and file a report about this. Can you take care of her?"
"Of course, I know you are busy at the moment so I would be more than happy to take care of her." Iruka nodded to Kakashi with a smile.
"Very well, I will leave you and let the Hokage know." With that last word Iruka left into the lighting mist.
Kakashi returned to face the child who was now moaning weakly. Her eyes flicked open slowly to reveal purple pupils. She attempted to sit up but Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Easy there, just lay still. You've had quite a rough time tonight." She blinked at him as if he wasn't quite in focus.
"Where am I?" she whispered feebly, lying back down.
"You're inside the Village Hidden in the Leaves." The girl sighed with almost a smile curling her lips.
"Thank goodness."
Kakashi didn't want to rush her to answer all his questions so he decided to just ask one because the girl seemed to be going to sleep.
"What's your name child?" he asked gently, carefully brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"Sayo," she whispered weakly as sleep took her, "Sayo."