It's been a year since I left that village. I had turned 6 not long after that day but I am now 7 years old. I have been living in the forest, surviving by following unguarded travelers and stealing things from their bags when they weren't looking. I stopped caring a while ago that I was doing something wrong. They forced me into this life. Why should I care if they suffer the consequences because of it?
When I first started I would mess up, get caught and then get beat up. Once, I almost got sent to konoha for the reward money, but luckily Kyuubi intervened and helped me get away by killing them. I don't kill people unless I am attacked. Although they deserve it, I don't enjoy killing.
My thoughts are interrupted by the growling of my stomach. I haven't been able to find any targets for a while. I was to(?) busy fleeing some Konoha ninja's almost found me a couple of days ago. So I've been putting as much distance between me and that location I could but now it was time to focus on looking for someone who could be my next target. I start walking, keeping my senses sharp. Being blind on the left side and deaf in the right ear had its disadvantages but I make up for it by sharpening my remaining senses.
As I focus on my surroundings, using my senses, I hear crackling of a fire and smell a faint scent of smoke. I smile. I slowly and silently approach the place that held my next victim.
I slowing approach, knowing I'm close. I stealthily peak out from the trees. It was a woman. She had long black hair that was kept in a ponytail and from what I can see her eyes are green. She was bent over tending to the fire. I start to ponder. Do I find a way to distract her? She is a ninja by the looks of it. I don't think that strategy would work What about waiting until she was asleep? Again ninja's are very aware of their surroundings, she will probably sense my presence before I get even close . . . but I'll have to take the risk. I need the food to keep my strength up. I can't afford becoming weak.
So, with my decision made, I lean against the tree, hidden from the ninja, just waiting. I don't want her to sense that I'm watching her. I wait for the sun to set. I close my eyes, listening to my surroundings. The birds signing, the rustling of the trees and most importantly, I listen to the ninja lady move around.
As the sun sets I hear something else move. I perked up, listening closely. More out of place rustling, I carefully peak out from my tree just in time to see some ninja attack the lady. It was three against one but the lady was holding her own well. In fact, she was obviously superior to the others in skill I watch as they left the area. I waited for a second then darted to the lady's pack, grabbed it, and left the scene. After I moved a long distance away, I figured it was far enough to be safe from the battle.
I sit down and take out a small worn down pack I carry for my stolen goods. I go through the stolen pack. I take out some food, some water, and found some soup! I smiled at the find. I grabbed a couple items then start to put the other stuff back. I leave it there, knowing the ninja could find it again. I start to leave the scene.
"Well, what a naughty kitten we have." A female voice said behind me
I froze. Shit, I'm dead.
Yuki's POV
After dealing with the ninja, I left the bodies and headed back to my camp site. Only to find my belongings missing. I notice some footprints and decide to follow them. I can tell I'm getting close when I hear soft rustling, the sound of someone going through my bag. I approach cautiously and silently, expecting another ninja or a filthy bandit. But as I peek behind the tree I'm behind, I'm surprised to see it's a kid. He had hair the color of the sun. He looked between the ages of 6-8 years old. It looked like he was finishing up. He was putting the rest of the items he didn't take in his pack, back into mine. He must be experienced at this, I thought to myself. He moved with sure movements, and he sure was quick. I hadn't been fighting long and yet he was already done. If it had been anyone else, they would have never caught him. I saw that he was getting ready to leave, and I decided it was time to reveal myself.
"Well, what a naughty little kitten we have."
I watched as his movements freezed up and his muscles tense. Then before I could say anymore he took my pack and threw it at me, and ran. I easily caught it. I put it on and went after the kid. He was quite fast but being a ninja has its perks. You tend to be better than the average person at athletics. I got close enough to him to grab the collar of his shirt.
"Now that's no way to treat a lady is it? Now," I said with him firmly in my grasp, with him struggling. "Can we have a conversation like civil people or do we need to do this the hard way?" He paused, looked at me, sighed, and then sat down cross legged.
"Wise choice my friend." I said smiling. I went in front of him and sat down, which oddly, seemed to surprise him a little. I took this time to study him. He had torn up long sleeved shirt, his pants had holes in them too. And his hair, looked like he made friends with the dirt. He had his hair covering part of his left eye. Last but not least, he had these beautiful eyes, Even though I could only see one of them, they were the color of the sky on a bright clear day. But as I looked closer there was darkness to them and had a harsh look but looking beyond that I saw that there was a deep sadness to them.
"So neko-chan," I started, amused as he gained an annoyed look at the nickname. "Where are your parents?" No response. "Well, may I assume that they aren't in this world?" Orphaned children weren't uncommon. With all exiled ninja causing havoc and battles between ninja's, normal citizen sometimes got caught in the crossfire sometimes. Leaving children, orphaned.
The boy nodded. I sighed. His story wasn't hard to guess from there. This boy was orphaned and having no one to care for him he had to resort to stealing. I looked at him, I saw a fairly deep cut. Not enough to be life threatening but enough to be fairly painful. I leaned forward, to get a better look at it. The boy tensed and looked ready to bolt. I paused.
"I just want to look at your cut, may I?"
He looked at me suspiciously, but nodded. I slowly moved towards him and took right arm and looked at the gash. It obviously needed bandaging.
"It needs to be bandaged, give me a second and I'll patch you up." I grab my pack and look to see medical supplies that I have left. To my surprise there was some left. As I look further, I notice he only took half of my supplies. Half of my food, half of medical supplies, some matches, etc. I smiled to myself. Beyond his stubborn act, he was actually a kind boy. Anyone else would take everything. I grabbed some disinfectant and bandages. I get up and sit beside him. I take my container of disinfectant and open it. I get some on my hand and reach over to put some on him but then I felt the boy tense. He slaps my hand away and pushes me roughly away.
"Don't fucking touch me!" He shouted at me angrily. I look at him surprise at his outburst, but Bust as I look at his face I see anger but in his eyes look scared. I then understand what happened. He is scared of medicine. Just as he gets up to run I grab his hand, he struggles, but I pull my kunai out. He flinches, I then raise my kunai and bring it down it use it to cut my arm. He looks at me in surprise and confusion. I let go of him and reach own to grab the fallen medicine. I took some of the cream and put it on my arm.
"It is only so your cut doesn't get infected." I told him. His face was one of confusion, surprise and suspicion. "May I put some on you please?" I ask "I'm sorry for scaring you earlier. He looked even more surprised. He stood there for a bit and just as I was going to speak again, he sat down and slowly held out his arm. I smiled and grabbed some of the ointment. I felt him tense as I put some on him. After that was applied. I grabbed the bandages. And started wrapping the arm. As I focus of wrapping the wound I hear a soft, almost a whisper.
"Thank you…"
I smiled. "You're welcome neko-chan." I heard him as he sighed in annoyance. I chuckled. I finished wrapping his arm. "You're good to go!" I say to him. He gets up. "Thanks…" He looks up to see if I make a move to stop him as he leaves.
"Where do you plan to go neko-chan?" I ask him, concerned about this young boy who only made an appearance in my life minutes ago.
"None of your business." He said harshly. It breaks my heart to see this boy so shut down. I watch him as he walks away.
"Be safe neko-chan." I say to him softly. He pauses.
"Naruto." He says. I looked at him, confused. "My name is Naruto." Then he walks away, disappearing into the forest.
"W-wait!" I say getting up, running after him. I don't know why I'm doing this, I don't have time to take care of a child. But something inside me tells me I can't let him go. It isn't long before I see him. I go up to him and grab his arm, his flinches and looks back at me.
"Wait." I say. "Why don't you come live with me?" I watch as his facial expression becomes guarded and angry.
"No" he says harshly
"Why not?" I ask.
"Because I don't trust you."
I frown. "Why not?" I ask
"Because once you find out who I am you'll betray me." he said. What he is? What does that mean?
"Then tell me now." I say. He looks up at me with suspicion, sighs, then says,
"Since you're a ninja you'll understand if I show you this. " He says, pulling up this long sleeve showing his right shoulder. There lays a tattoo of a fox with nine tails, and a snarling face. I understood what it meant. Naruto was correct in assuming that I knew. All ninja's did. He was in the Bingo book after all. And there was a reward for him. A big one. I looked at him and sighed.
"So you're the nine tails?" I asked. Naruto tensed, ready to bolt or fight.
"Does that mean I have to call you Kitsune-chan now?!" I whined loudly, smiling to myself as Naruto looked bewildered at my reaction. "That's so long and it's not cute at all! I DON'T WANNAAAAAA!" He opened his mouth to say something. "NO!" I interrupted "I refuse to! No matter what you say! You're my neko-chan!"
He closed his mouth and looked frozen in shock.
I giggled. "Can I take you home now? Or do you have more to say?" He thought for a bit.
"Won't your village hate me?" He asked.
"Well it's nothing they aren't used to. We also have a Jinjuriki." He looked interested when I said that. "All we have to do is get the Kazekage's approval."
I let Naruto-kun look it over. Then after some time he nodded.
"YES!" I shouted "then let's go!"