For a long, agonizing moment, the clearing was filled with nothing but the strange, vibrating hum of the girl's purr, mingling awkwardly with the tension. Please stop, please stop. The girl, proud and oblivious, eventually stopped, only to tilt her head and give the ANBU a tiny, innocent smile.

Kakashi's eyes darted between the girl and the ANBU. She thinks this went well, doesn't she? He was sure his ears were turning red under his mask.

The girl, blissfully unaware of how utterly baffling the situation had become, let out one final purr—this one softer, more like a question. She tilted her head slightly, green eyes wide and expectant. Was she... waiting for the ANBU to purr back?

Kakashi felt the overwhelming urge to melt into the ground and disappear. No. No, no, no. Please don't purr back. The ANBU did not purr back.

I think... Kakashi internally cringed, his shoulders slumping as reality hit him like a brick. Maybe I'm not the best role model for normal human behavior.

Besides the girl, Shiba's tail wagged furiously. "Purring at ANBU? That's a new one, boss! I think she's winning."

There was a beat of silence, and then—snrk. From behind, Hawk let out a low, strangled noise—a sound that could only be described as a half-scoff, half-laugh. He had suddenly stiffened, his shoulders visibly shaking as he desperately tried to hold back a laugh

Kakashi flinched and shot a withering glare at Shiba, his face burning with embarrassment. Of all the ridiculous situations...

"She's… she's communicating," Kakashi managed, his voice strained with the effort of holding his composure. "This is… normal for her." Somehow.

Fox Mask blinked once, then twice, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Probably questioning every life decision that led him here, Kakashi thought. Shifting his attention to Kakashi, Fox finally broke the silence, "You think you can handle this?"

The girl, still looking proud of herself, let out a satisfied hum and gave another soft, final purr. Please stop purring at the ANBU. I really don't need this in my career report.

Kakashi sighed, realizing this was somehow his life now. He cleared his throat, trying to regain some semblance of control over the situation. "Look, she's…"

Kakashi's instincts flared, and before he could fully process, Tiger moved, his patience clearly snapping. His hand shot out, grabbing the girl's arm with a firm, unyielding grip.

The response was immediate and visceral. The girl thrashed wildly, her body jerking like a cornered animal, her eyes wide with panic as a loud, sharp sound tore from her throat. It wasn't just a scream—it was more like the howl of a wounded creature, raw and wild, the kind of sound that cut straight through the quiet night.

He reacted on instinct, moving swiftly to intercept, but his hand only grazed the edge of her shirt as she was yanked away from him. The look she gave him in that moment—it cut deeper than any kunai. Her wide green eyes filled with disbelief and a deep hurt that made his chest tighten. The look she gave him was clear: You said you'd protect me!

Tiger-san didn't flinch, his grip on the girl tightening as she continued to thrash. "She's dangerous," he growled, voice cold and unyielding. "This... isn't normal behavior."

The girl's struggles became more frantic, her small hands clawing at Tiger's arms and her animalistic cries rising in pitch. Her wide eyes locked on Kakashi, pleading, accusing, desperate.

She thinks I've abandoned her.

Fox Mask stepped forward, his posture tense, eyes narrowing beneath the mask. "Tiger, that's enough—"

Before Fox could finish, Tiger's free hand darted to the base of the girl's neck with sharp precision, pressing down on a pressure point. Her body went rigid, a faint, whimper-like noise escaping her lips before she slumped.

Tiger clearly had no intention of catching her, but Kakashi moved faster. He caught her just before she hit the ground, pulling her unconscious form into his arms to prevent her from sprawling on the dirt.

Behind him, Hawk-san let out a soft grunt, his disapproval evident in the subtle shift of his posture. He wasn't pleased with Tiger's actions, but neither was he about to argue. "This complicates things," he muttered under his breath.

Shiba, ever the loyal ninken, chimed in with a growl. "She was just trying to communicate!"

Kakashi didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the girl's unconscious form in his arms. The weight of her earlier gaze—her hurt and disbelief—still hung heavily over him. She trusted me... and I let this happen.

Shiba padded closer to Kakashi, his ears flat in displeasure. "She was scared, not dangerous," the ninken said, his voice low and defensive. "You don't treat scared animals like that. She was just trying to communicate."

Tiger's gaze flicked down to Shiba, a hint of irritation flashing in his eyes, but he said nothing. Fox, however, let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to ease the strain of the situation.

Hawk glanced at Fox. "What's the plan?"

Fox Mask glanced between Kakashi and the girl before speaking. "We'll bring her back. Hatake, you're coming with us. If you've figured out a way to communicate, you'll be useful during interrogation."

Kakashi blinked, surprised by the offer. Still… interrogation? He glanced down at the girl again, her expression peaceful now, a stark contrast to the wild panic from earlier. He gave a small nod, his voice steady as he replied. "I'll stay with her."

Tiger's eyes narrowed, his annoyance palpable, but he didn't argue. He simply stepped aside.

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed as Hawk crouched in front of him, reaching out to take the unconscious girl. His grip on her instinctively tightened, his body curling slightly to shield her from the others. Not again. The thought surged through him like a wave, a sudden protectiveness he couldn't suppress. It wasn't just about the girl—it was about the past, the people he couldn't protect. Obito. Rin.

His chest tightened as the memories flashed before him. I couldn't protect them.

Kakashi's eye flicked to the girl, her face peaceful now, oblivious to the chaos around her. The sound of her earlier cry still echoed in his mind, the raw hurt in her wide green eyes stabbing at something deep inside him. She trusted me, and I let her down. Just like them.

Hawk, still crouched in front of him, hesitated. He could see the unspoken emotions swirling behind Kakashi's mask—the protectiveness, the guilt, the defiance. The infamous Kakashi the friend-killer—it was obvious now that the name was completely wrong. Slowly, Hawk extended his hand, a rare softness in his tone.

"Hatake," Hawk said gently, "I'll carry her."

Kakashi's jaw clenched. His fingers flexed around the girl's small frame. Can I trust them? His rational side won out as he carefully passed her into Hawk's arms. The ANBU cradled her unconscious form with surprising gentleness, adjusting his hold to keep her secure. As soon as the transfer was made, Kakashi felt a hollow pang of unease settle in his stomach. I'll be watching you like a hawk, Hawk.

Just as Kakashi stepped back, Tiger moved closer, his presence looming. "Don't let personal feelings interfere with the mission," he muttered, his voice sharp with warning. "A wild animal is most dangerous when it's cornered."

Kakashi's gaze remained fixed ahead. "She's not an animal," Kakashi shot back, his voice icy. "Understanding her isn't interference, it's ensuring we handle this correctly."

Tiger's posture remained rigid. "Our duty is to secure potential risks to the village," he replied tersely.

Fox, watching the exchange with narrowed eyes, intervened. "That's enough, Tiger. We're not here to make this more complicated than it already is."

Hawk, adjusting the girl in his arms, gave a quick nod of agreement. Then, in a completely out-of-character move, Hawk tilted his head, his mask hiding the mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He let out a soft, exaggerated purr—a mocking attempt to mimic the strange communication that had passed between Kakashi and the girl earlier. It was absurd and awkward, catching everyone off guard, especially Kakashi.

Kakashi blinked, utterly taken aback. Did he just…? He stared at Hawk in disbelief, his mind scrambling to process the bizarre turn of events.

Fox, clearly not expecting that, let out a quiet laugh, his lips twitching beneath his mask. "Well, that's a new communication method," he remarked dryly. "Perhaps we should all adopt it."

Hawk gave a slight shrug. "It seemed to help earlier," he said, his tone neutral but with a hint of amusement.

Shiba wagged his tail, his eyes gleaming. "Purring ANBU—now that's something I'd pay to see," he chimed in.

Fox sighed dramatically. "I'm going to have to write a report about this, aren't I?"

"The boss purring should be the highlight," Shiba replied, his tone teasing.

Kakashi didn't respond, still processing Hawk's ridiculous attempt at humor. Not exactly the best time to purr at me, Hawk. The absurdity of the situation—the purring, the serious ANBU trying to handle this feral girl—was almost too much for him. He wasn't amused, but the tension eased ever so slightly.

Even so, Kakashi couldn't shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at him. Something isn't right. His mind raced with questions—why was she in T in the first place? How did they not notice she doesn't understand? There were too many gaps in the story, and Kakashi wasn't content to leave it at that.

He gave a quick, discreet signal to Shiba, who immediately caught on. Without drawing attention to himself, the loyal ninken slipped away into the shadows, moving swiftly to find Minato. If something's off, the Hokage needs to know.

Eventually, he let out a long sigh and scratched the back of his head again, his mind still muddled with confusion. "Seriously... what just happened?"

With a nod from Fox, the group disappeared in a blur, using Shunshin to quickly travel to the T building.