Chapter 4

Ater the Hokage accepted Natsuki in Konoha and various formalities were regulated! The Hokage told her that she was for one month under observation, she would then go with a 3-man team on a mission to prove their skills and to earn the rank of Jonin. The Hokage even gave her keys to her new apartment and some money to buy everything necessary.

As Natsuki recite the Hokagetower and made her way to the market she heard with her elevated sense, silent wines and...fighting noises...from a back alley. Without long thinking she jumped on the roofs and ran toward the alley.

Natsuki could not believe what she saw! A silver-haired boy of only 6 years sat huddled in a corner and was beaten by 3 Chunin! As one of the Chunin wanted to strike with an iron bar again...jumped Natsuki quickly between them and kicked the pole during the jump away...before it could hit the boy. Kneeling on one leg, she blocked the way to the silver-haired and narrowed her blood-red eyes.

"What do you think you are doing? Beating a little boy! You better get lost or I will help you!" shouted Natsuki...this situation reminded her painfully of her own childhood...she would never allow that another child was treated like that ever again!

One of the Chunin grabbed a kunai and sneered: "You want to stop us...ridiculous we are three and you're alone, woman!" The second Chunin laughed gleefully and came a few steps closer. "He deserves it! He's just a coward like his father...come sweetness help us and later we could have some fun!" All three grin and Natsuki shook in disgust. "Dream on idiots!" she growled viciously and let her killer intent loose.

The 3 Chunin start sweating hard and their legs shake heavy...but were stupid enough and threw simultaneously Kunai and Shuriken at her. Natsuki caught one of the Kunai in the air and deflected with it all the other weapons easily. "You should have decided otherwise!" snarled the redhead, suddenly disappearing and reappearing in front of each of the Chunin in a blink of an eye to knock them all unconscious in one swoop.

Looking up on the roof Natsuki grumbled to the Anbu in the shade, which followed her and should have taken care of the 3 Chunin...and not her: "Bring the scum away before I do!". The Anbu, with the cat mask, appeared before her, grabbed all three and disappeared without a trace. Taking a deep breath Natsuki turned to the boy and saw how he looked at her with big frightened eyes.

*Kit! The boy is Kakashi!* Cried Kurama in her mind loud and Natsuki's eyes widened in recognition. *Kurama...why would Chunin beat the son of the White Fang*.

*Well Kit...I think we are in the time where Sakumo Hatake has abandoned his mission for his comrades and has brought shame to his family...and kills himself!*. Toward the end Kurama gets quieter and could feel how dejected Natsuki has got.

"Hey little man you don't need to fear me...I won´t hurt you!" she whispered softly and knelt before him. "I'm Natsuki and you?" The silver-haired relaxed slightly and said shyly: "Kakashi, my name is Kakashi Hatake"

Natsuki wanted to cry...the last time she saw Kakashi he was her courageous and selfless Sensei who dead protecting her and now...she saw how his childhood was...he was just a little shy boy! "Come Kakashi I'll take you home and look at your wounds!" Natsuki spoke resolutely and gave him her hand, which he accepted reluctantly...much to his surprise she helped him not only of the ground but picked him up and carried him on her hip.

As they left the alley, saw Natsuki to him and stroked his back soothingly. "Do you live alone Kakashi?" she asked gently, and looked as the shoulders of the boy slumped down. "No...my father is at home...but he currently behaves very strange!"

Quiet tears run down his face and Natsuki squeezed him a little closer. *So Sakumo is still alive...but what father would let something like this happen to his child? I hope he has a good excuse...otherwise gets the White Fang my new Hanyou-side to see!* She growled in her mind. *Easy kit...maybe there's a good reason!* Kurama tried to calm her down...what brought him a loud hiss *There is no good reason to neglect a child!*

Before Kurama could respond Natsuki felt Kakashi wince in her arms and pressed his head against her shoulder. When she saw why the little boy was scared...she moved her lips up to show her pointy canines and growled low...nearly all of the villagers the two passed...threw them dirty looks to!

Fools! If you knew that the boy will be one of the greatest ninja there is!. Inwardly shaking her head jumped Natsuki on a nearby roof to spare Kakashi the looks...she could feel how he stops shaking in her arms. "What's your father's name Kakashi and what did you mean earlier with...he's strange?"

The silver-haired boy looked uncertainly at her and muttered: "Sakumo Hatake I do not know...he behaves since his last mission differently...he drinks a lot of this nasty stuff what makes him sick the next day, he is almost the whole day in his room...and when he does go out at times...he speaks nothing with me but just looks at me still!"

As Kakashi began to talk about his Tousan he spoke with childlike admiration and love...but when he continued Natsuki heard...disappointment and concern! Abruptly she stopped on the next roof, put down the boy and knelt before him, so he could see directly into her red eyes.

"I promise you Kakashi...I will do everything in my power to bring your old Tousan back! But you have to help me okay?" she said seriously and looked relieved as a little smile appeared on Kakashi´s face.

"You know what happened in that mission of your father?" asked the redhead carefully.

Kakashi shrugged and answered somewhat uncertainly: "Tousan do not want to tell me what happened...but the villagers and ninja argue all...that my Tousan cowardly broke the mission up!"

*They have no idea what the lies that they spread do to a little child! They take all the faith in his father away!* Murmured Natsuki shocked to Kurama, who just sighed deeply, and then refocused on Kakashi.

"Have you heard anything else about the mission Kakashi?" she probed him and watched as he thought firmly, and then suddenly smiled wide. "I heard Jiraiya the Sannin talking to a blond Jonin! They thought that my Tousan has the mission aborted only to save his comrades...but even those he saved talk bad about him!"

*He probably means Minato, Kit!* Heard Natusiki in her head from Kurama and nodded internally. *Yes... it won't take long until I meet Tousan...Minato and Kushina* she replied and improved herself: They are no longer my parents! I need to get over it...especially when I see them for the first time!'

Her Thoughts Suppressing she turned to Kakashi and smiled at him encouragingly. "Do not worry Kakashi...we both help your Tousan and I will find out the truth for you! I'm here for you!"

The Kunoichi tore her eyes in disbelief when she suddenly felt two little arms around her neck and heard a faint sobbing "Thank you!". After brief hesitation were her usually scary fox eyes softened she hugged the little boy thigh!

Autor: reviews pleaseeeee ;) I hope you like it...till next time xxxfemNarutoxxx