The sun had finally dipped below the horizon, leaving the world cloaked in darkness. The only light came from the faint glow of the village's lanterns in the distance, casting long, eerie shadows across the clearing. The girl, still in her world of "Mori" and "Ie" didn't notice the fast approaching presences.
The girl, sharp in her own way, picked up on his sudden change. Her chant stopped mid-word. Green eyes wide with confusion, she glanced up at him, her entire body coiling in a familiar tension.
Before Kakashi could say a word, she darted behind him, peeking out from his side. Her playful energy had completely evaporated, replaced by something primal—fear. Her slightly crouched posture though… She's not hiding... she's preparing to run. Kakashi realized.
Kakashi stayed perfectly still as two masked figures emerged from the shadows, their steps soundless but deliberate. The first one wore a fox mask, his presence commanding. The second, with the tiger mask, hung back slightly, his stance more rigid, colder.
"Hatake," Fox-san voice was measured, but it cut through the tension. "She's coming with us."
Kakashi felt the girl clutch his shirt from behind at the detached tone, and Kakashi heard a soft, almost inaudible hum escaping her. He glanced back at the girl, but she was trembling, her whole posture wound tight. She's terrified.
Fox-san tone sharpened. "She's dangerous. We've been ordered to return her to T ."
T ? Kakashi blinked in surprise. She was already in custody? Kakashi's mind spun. His gaze flicked to the girl. The girl—this wild, frightened creature—had somehow escaped the highly secure interrogation unit. How in the world did she manage that? He glanced at her again, as if trying to reconcile this new information with the gentle, purring creature he had been teaching words just moments ago.
"She's been avoiding containment and not cooperating. She's a threat to the village. You know the drill," continued Fox-san, taking a step forward.
Threat? The girl's soft, anxious purr started again, barely audible. Kakashi shifted slightly, placing himself firmly between her and the ANBU, not letting them see her. They don't understand her at all.
Without hesitation, Shiba padded forward, placing himself protectively in front of the girl, a low growl rumbling from his throat as he glared at the ANBU.
"Shiba, stand down" warned Kakashi before the situation could escalate. Shiba shot him a disgruntled look but obeyed, though his ears remained pinned back in irritation.
"She doesn't understand what's going on," Kakashi said, his voice low but steady. "She doesn't know how to talk."
"Orders are orders," Tiger stepped forward, his voice as cold as the night air. "You're ANBU now, Hatake. You know the protocol. Step aside."
Kakashi's pulse quickened, and before he could form a response, his senses flared. Behind. A third figure—Hawk Mask—had silently approached from behind. The girl, still clutching his shirt, didn't see him coming. Hawk's hand shot out, reaching to restrain her.
No!
Kakashi reacted instinctively, spinning around in a flash. His sharp movement yanked the girl off balance. She gasped as her fingers slipped from his shirt, and she tumbled to the ground with a soft thud. Just as Hawk's hand reached for her, Kakashi intercepted it, gripping his wrist with lightning speed. Perfect way of not escalating the situation Bakashi.
Hawk-san froze, Kakashi's grip holding him in place. The tension between them crackled like lightning. "Don't touch her," Kakashi growled, his voice low, protective.
The two ANBU behind him tensed, clearly not expecting Kakashi to stop the move so quickly.
The girl sat on the ground, dazed, her eyes wide with surprise. Her eyes darted between Kakashi and the ANBU. But it wasn't long before fear took over. Her breathing quickened and Her hands trembled as she tried to push herself up, but she was dazed, overwhelmed. Damn it. Kakashi shot a look at Hawk Mask. She's panicking.
Hawk Mask's head tilted slightly, the cold glint of his mask unreadable. His voice cut through the stillness. "Hatake, you're out of line."
Fox and Tiger had moved closer, their postures tense and ready to act. Kakashi's grip tightened slightly, his pulse hammering. "You don't understand. She's not a threat. She's scared, not resisting." Kakashi replied coolly, keeping his body between the girl and Hawk.
Hawk Mask yanked his hand back, eyes narrowing behind his mask. "You think you can protect her?"
"I'm not trying to fight you," Kakashi said, his voice low. "I just want to help her. You know as well as I do that grabbing her like that would've sent her into a frenzy."
The girl let out a soft, desperate whine. Kakashi crouched down in front of the girl, placing himself between her and the ANBU. She was still on the ground, her breath shaky, her eyes wide and frightened. He needed to calm her down—fast. "Hey, hey..." His voice softened.
She responded by shuffling away from him, keeping her frantic eyes on him. Right, wait for them to come to you. But he didn't have that much time with the ANBU present. Kakashi's mind raced. She needed something more. Something deeper.
Kakashi's thoughts flashed back to his first encounter with Pakkun. The little dog had purred—a soft, calming sound—letting him know he was safe, that Pakkun was there to protect him. It worked on me when I was scared... maybe it'll work on her too.
Kakashi took a breath and, crouching lower, he let out a small, hesitant purr. It wasn't as natural as hers, and certainly not as smooth as Pakkun's, but the sound was meant to be reassuring. The girl blinked, her eyes locking onto him as the purr filled the quiet.
Behind him, the ANBU exchanged bewildered looks, clearly thrown off by what they had just witnessed.
"Did… did he just... purr? At her?" Fox muttered under his breath, clearly thrown off by Kakashi's unorthodox method, but his rigid stance softened slightly.
Hawk's eyes flicked to Kakashi, the disbelief palpable. "Uh..."
Kakashi, suddenly aware of how ridiculous the situation must have looked, felt heat creeping up his neck but ignored it. Okay, yeah, maybe purring in front of your ANBU comrades isn't the coolest move. But there wasn't time to dwell on it. He let the sound resonate in his throat, hoping it would reach her through her panic.
The girl blinked up at him, her trembling easing slightly at the sound. Slowly, she let out a soft, shaky purr in response, though still frightened, but her trembling began to subside. Hawk retreated a few steps, the tension in his posture still present but less aggressive.
Hawk watched, visibly taken aback by the girl's calmer state and finally retreated a few steps, the tension in his posture still present but less aggressive. "She's... purring back?" He murmured.
Shiba padded over to the girl, giving her a soft nudge with his nose, as if to reassure her further. The girl let out another soft purr, calmer this time, but still cautious.
Fox watched the exchange, then turned to Kakashi. "Explain yourself, Hatake."
"She's scared, she doesn't understand, " Kakashi said, turning back to the ANBU, his voice soft to not scare the girl. "She's been living with animals, not people. She doesn't know how to respond to your commands. Let me translate—I can help."
His gaze communicated a silent plea for cooperation. Fox Mask hesitated, clearly weighing his options. Then, after a long pause, he spoke. "Fine. But she's your responsibility. If she bolts, it's on you."
Tiger Mask's eyes narrowed behind his mask, his posture stiff. He clearly didn't like the decision,
Kakashi gave a small, almost invisible sigh of relief. "Understood," he nodded.
Shiba wagged his tail, barking softly. "Wow, boss, you stopped ANBU by purring? Impressive."
Kakashi shot Shiba a look, his eye narrowing in mild embarrassment. Yeah, let's hope this doesn't become a regular thing. He swallowed his discomfort, glancing at the masked figures still watching closely. He could feel their confused stares on him, and the awkward heat crept up his neck.
He stood up and offered a hand to the girl, who had managed to push herself up but was still looking around anxiously. She hesitated, her eyes darting between Kakashi and the ANBU. After a moment, she slowly placed her small hand in his. She's trusting me. Kakashi gently helped her stand, her fingers still trembling slightly.
The girl stayed close to Kakashi's side, her earlier panic now just a faint tremor in her hands. Her wide eyes flicked between him and the masked ANBU, distrust and caution still evident in her posture.
Kakashi moved his hands, using the simple signs they'd developed earlier: Me. You. Together. Safe.
The girl's gaze focused on his hands. She hesitated, her body tensing slightly before a small, relieved hum escaped her. The tension began to ease from her body, though her eyes stayed alert, warily watching the ANBU. Good. She's calming down.
The girl singled at him, at her and then did the together sign. Kakashi gave her a reassuring nod. She glanced up at him, the flicker of trust growing, and took a deep breath. Her hands stopped trembling, and for a moment, it seemed like the worst of the panic had passed.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The girl turned to face the ANBU. Her small frame trembled ever so slightly, but her green eyes gleamed with determination. And then... she purred at them.
Kakashi blinked. Wait. What?
The sound was louder this time—a clear, drawn-out purr, almost defiant, like a kitten trying to sound intimidating. The effect? Not quite what she'd expect.
The ANBU stiffened, completely thrown off. Fox Mask's head tilted just slightly, as if trying to process what on earth was happening. Tiger Mask visibly faltered, taking half a step back as if he had no idea how to respond to being... purred at. Their confusion was palpable.
Even Kakashi couldn't believe what he was seeing. She's… purring at them. He felt the urge to put a hand over his face, as the secondhand embarrassment hit him in waves. Oh no.