Escape

A dangerous sociopath with no regard for human life…the purest of evil.

The fox was aggressive and belligerent, but he was the only one that didn't hate him. He taught him how to hunt, prepare food, build a shelter, filter water and planned his escape from the village. He'd escaped from that hell just two days ago with no intention of going back. After everything he's been through; all the bruises and broken bones, every night he'd cried himself to sleep, went to bed hungry, all the insults and abuse. And he was the monster?

Naruto stands in a clearing somewhere outside of Konoha. He didn't know how far he was but Kurama had led him to a cave entrance, said it was safe here. Having no reason to distrust the fox, Naruto makes his way inside. It was dark and damp but the boy found the place comfortable, like a cold drink during a hot day. He weaves the tiger hand sign and the place lights up. Naruto smiles as he looks over the glowing crystals, admiring the luminescence that now doused the earthy walls in a mix of bright green and blue.

Kurama speaks, startling the boy. "Straight ahead, see that outline?"

He looks ahead of him, seeing a door like indentation set into the wall of the cave. He goes up to it, trying to push it, as if it were an actual door. Kurama holds in a laugh.

"Remember what I taught you. Use the tiger seal."

"Oh, right." Naruto weaves the tiger seal and the wall melts into the ground. He steps through the opening into a round walled cavern. The place is damp and cool, perfect for getting away from the heat. Naruto decides to sleep here, believing in the protection of its walls. But walls can only protect against external threats, and nothing can protect you from your own mind.

—

He opens his eyes to a sea of yellow. He tries to move and terrible pain shoots through his body from eight different directions. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" He feels stinging tears run down his face as he screams in agony. He looks down, noticing the giant pole in his chest that restricts his breathing. Chains rattle around his neck as he scans the area. His hands are pinned into place and his wrists are held down by lengths of chain. He realizes that he can never escape and cries out into the void.

—

Kurama wakes from his nightmare, sensing that the boy is still asleep and does his best to steady his heavy breathing. His claws dig into the ground of his enclosure, leaving jagged marks under the dark water. He stays up through the night, listening through the boy's ears for anything while keeping him in a light sleep, making sure he could still get his sleep. The morning is routine; wake up, head to a nearby river to clean up and wash his clothes, head downstream and catch some fish, cook said fish and head back to the cave. Kurama stops him on the way back, sensing someone.

'Who is it?' Naruto asks.

"No one from Konoha." The fox growls. "That chakra is…unique."

'Unique?' Naruto pulls a short, makeshift knife from his beige shorts. Kurama has taught him how to make his own a few weeks before his escape, given that no one would sell him one.

'What now?'

"Falcon. Do you remember falcon?"

Naruto nods and flickers behind a nearby bush, peeking through the leaves and watching as the stranger with the unique chakra leans against the cave's entrance, knees to chest and possibly asleep. 'Do you know who that is?'

"No but that chakra is familiar. Cat form."

Naruto flickers out of the bush, knife ready to strike and looks over at the stranger wearing a clearly oversized blue shirt. He recognizes bruising on the arms, black eyes, scratches and cuts all over the face and a reddish purple ring around the neck. The hair catches his attention; shoulder length and lime green with light purple ends, messy and loosely clumped. He takes a few more steps, making sure to ruffle through the grass a bit, just to make some noise so he doesn't scare whoever this is.

"Naruto, be careful."

'I am being careful.'

Kurama sighs. "Make some noise before you get close."

"Hey." The boy says, keeping his voice just loud enough to stay hidden.

The stranger shifts, looking up to see Naruto sitting cross legged about a dozen feet away, looking at him with a worried expression. The blonde stands and moves a bit closer, moving slowly and staying in view. "Hi. I'm Naruto."

The stranger looks at him through swollen eyes and croaks out a response. "Mika."

"Do you need somewhere to stay?" The stranger nods.

"Naruto." Kurama says, his voice stern.

"Not now, Kurama." The stranger doesn't seem to notice the remark, keeping an eye on him as he approaches the cave's entrance and weaves five seals, watching as the makeshift door melts into the ground. Naruto offers a hand and the stranger flinches, looking at him.

"Sorry." Naruto apologizes. The stranger stands and walks into the cave with a heavy limp, relying on the right leg to move around. A fire roars in the middle of the cavern; the smoke being let out by a small collection of holes at the top and letting in a little bit of sunlight. Not much happens the next few hours; the stranger's injuries heal with the bruises being left as light red patches on pale skin. They eat and Naruto eventually falls asleep; Kurama tasking himself with keeping an eye on the two of them. The night goes on and the sun sets on a new day.