The White Snake with Red Eyes

Chapter 1

     You stared up in anger at the director of the orphanage. "So what? That's it? You're putting a helpless child out on the street well before he can earn a wage by becoming a ninja?"

     They blinked, perhaps in shock that a girl your age was so well spoken. You cut them off as they prepared to reply. "Don't bother. I'm leaving as well."

     At this, Naruto began to protest from beside you. "That's ok, you should...Stay. It's safer here, for you."

     "Baka!" You weren't sure if you were replying to Naruto or scolding the director. Either worked in your book.

     "Actually, if either of you would have let me speak you'd know that (Y/n)'s adoption went through. She's got a home now."

     Fear filled you for Naruto. Your only friend. The boy you considered brother. You grabbed his hand and darted for the door. The director let you go, probably not worried you wouldn't be found in a village with so many jounin. You, however were not an average child. You immediately went for the gates, dragging your found family with you. He protested the whole way but allowed you to lead him. You felt like you could make it on your own; just the two of you. With your snake affinity, it wouldn't be hard to find water or food and some snakes would even be willing to point out shelters they used that were big enough for two small children.

     You ran out the front gate, past a jounin who seemed startled to see the two of you but didn't really have time to stop you. When you wanted you could reach decent speeds. You were in good shape for the ninja academy, despite being unable to use the chakra circulating in your body.

     If...you ever went, now that you were essentially abandoning the Leaf. For love. You told yourself. It's all for love. For my brother. My one constant.

     You had maybe twenty minutes before the director got ahold of a nearby jounin and tattled, half of which you had spent reaching the woods outside that lined the path into Konoha. Into the trees you went, under branches and over fallen logs. Naruto was beginning to tire but you pulled him along. These were some of the best ninja around and the Leaf certainly wasn't famous for nothing. Several of its shinobi had what you'd call Ishi no Ka or, a "will of fire". When they came for you as they doubtless would, it would be relentless. Therefore you had to run and run a long time at that.

     They might even send Anbu soon, considering you had just taken the nine tails jinchuriki with you. You smiled an ambitious smile. Let them all come. You and your snake friends would have a few surprises in store. Eventually you made it far enough and stopped to rest. For now, you held off on a fire, instead looking for a cave. It would help obscure some of that powerful chakra in your brother, bury it a little. Finding one, you gathered large leaves and moss together as a team to make a nest of sorts and Naruto settled on it for a nap while you reached out, searching for nearby snakes to help point you in the direction of possible food sources. You weren't sure why or how, but you'd always understood them; their body language. They understood you as well and would often help you in times of need or in the presence of perceived threats but helping you hide. Like now. Finding one in a crack in the wall you had silent conversation for a while before it told you there was a bush with berries that it liked to hunt mice and birds at. You promised to bring one back for it if you could and left it be.

     By this time Naruto had passed from napping into deep sleep so you left him and went out to grab some berries. They sounded a bit like blackberries from the snake's description. Realizing this may mean bears, you readied yourself to be as sneaky as possible. Finding the bushes and no angry, ursine beasts guarding it you began to fill the pouch on your side that you normally kept with basic medical supplies like bandages and ointment; most of which was currently on your brother's face. That was what had gotten you thrown out this time. Another fight picked in defense of your brother who had then been thrown out for being the source of the conflict. So you left with him.