Just A Kid

Chapter 12

As Kakashi and Team 7 walked through the gates of Konoha, Araile opened her eyes slowly, hoping they wouldn't sting. Araile smiled slightly when her eyes did in fact not sting, but her head continued to throb with each step her caretaker took. Letting out a small yawn, the ill child buried her head in Kakashi's back as voices appeared around her. Why wouldn't they let her sleep? Couldn't they see that Araile wasn't feeling well? Why won't they be quiet?

She heard Naruto shouting for Sakura to wait for him, and the sounds of Sakura's feet hitting the ground at a fast pace. If Araile was feeling better she would have giggled. Naruto was funny when it came to his infatuation with Sakura.

Then it was just her, Kakashi and Takumi.

She could feel Kakashi walking again, the rhythm of his footsteps having an almost hypnotic effect on her small body. She yawned and decided to get some more sleep in the already comfortable position she was in against his back. Kakashi always said that sleep healed practically everything. Finally Kakashi walked up a small set of steps and unlocked the door to their apartment. Takumi padded in, nose down to the ground as he went around taking in the different smells. Sighing, Kakashi walked to his young charge's bedroom.

Another mouth to feed.

Araile was half-asleep as she felt Kakashi shifting her on his back, and then gently placed the child on something soft and firm, before covering her shivering body with something soft. She laid still for a couple moments, then opened her eyes. Araile sat up slowly, blinking when her blanket slipped off her shoulders. She looked around, relieved that she was back in her bed in her small bedroom, just to the side of Kakashi's room. Nothing really special struck her when looking at her small room; her bed was against the white wall, a small square window faced her on the other wall, and a small dresser held her clothes and other possessions that she had collected over the years.

Smiling slightly, she took a hold of a stuffed blue cat from the edge of her bed. She missed her Ao-chan, lovingly named for its blue fur.

Suddenly, Takumi lept out from a corner and onto her bed.

She gave a small shriek as Takumi began licking her all over, making her laugh. Araile then pushed Takumi off of her with a small giggle. She slowly got up from her bed and walked to her door that held an array of pictures she had drawn over the years, and opened the door quietly. She looked around, sighing when she realized that the house was empty.

Kakashi must have gone out to get groceries. Araile walked back to her bed slowly as Takumi plopped down beside her bed and fell fast asleep with a quiet 'woof'. Araile curled up on her bed, and started to doze off as warm sunlight shone on the back of her neck. She placed a soft hand on Takumi's back as the black dog snoozed. A small smile spread across Araile's face as she fell asleep.

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A couple months went by as village life got back to normal. 

Araile's eyes twitched open one morning as she heard villagers outside going about their morning. Yawning, she got up from her bed and rubbed an eye. She heard a clatter of claws as her companion rushed up to her, barking and jumping with joy. 

"I know, you want to go out," Araile mumbled sleepily as she dragged her body out of her room and opened the front door of the apartment. 

She leaned her arms on the small railing as her furry companion went about his business. He sniffed around on the ground as Araile leaned her forehead against her arms and dozed against the railing. A nudge against her leg caused Araile to look up from her arms. Takumi's dark eyes gazed at the young, pink tongue rolling out of his mouth. 

"Araile?" she heard Kakashi call out, and the young girl looked back at the apartment.

Takumi rushed back into the apartment, and Araile followed the dog. She saw her caregiver putting his vest on

"I'm going to the Hokage building for a little while. I'll be back," he said, and the nine year old nodded. 

"Don't get into too much trouble," he said as he ruffled her hair.

"I won't," Araile said with a toothy grin.

Kakashi sighed and headed out the door. Araile watched him leave and went to her bedroom to get changed. She shrugged on a purple shirt and black pants, and looked up when Takumi whined in the doorway. 

"I'm coming!" Araile huffed as she put on her sandals.

Takumi scampered to the door of the apartment, barking at her to hurry up. 

"Okay, okay," she said as she walked out the apartment and closed the door. 

She followed Takumi as the dog padded through the streets, his tail a curled flag over his back. She gazed around the village, watching the villagers walking back and forth. She enjoyed watching the people working. A bark suddenly sounded, and she looked to see Takumi race forward, following a squirrel through the front gates of Konoha. 

"Takumi! Wait!" Araile shouted as she raced after the black dog.

The guards at the front gate blinked in surprise as the dog and young girl raced through. They called out to Araile, but she did not hear them as they became further and further away. Takumi continued barking and snapping at a squirrel as it continued running. As Takumi got closer and closer to the squirrel, it suddenly exploded into a puff of smoke. Takumi skidded to a stop just as Araile came up behind him, panting and tired. 

"What did you do that for?" she panted, hands braced on her knees as the dog looked around for the squirrel. 

"Huh? Where did the squirrel go?" Araile said as she looked around. 

Takumi began sniffing around the trees, intent on finding his squirrel prey. Araile sighed as her companion continued sniffing around. 

"We're so far out from Konoha," she murmured as she looked around. 

She couldn't see the gates at all out here; Kakashi wasn't going to be pleased with her. 

"Come on, let's go back," she said to Takumi. 

He let out a yip and the two began their trek home. After a few minutes of walking, Takumi stopped suddenly as a twig snapped in the forest. His ears perked forward and he stood still, muscles trembling. A low growl sounded, and Araile peered into the forest. 

"Takumi? What is it?" she said, placing a hand on his back. 

A hand suddenly grabbed the back of her shirt, and Araile let out a scream as another hand covered her mouth. A male laugh echoed in her ears, and Takumi whirled around with a snarl and launched himself at her captor. Araile struggled as the person continued holding her, and her heartbeat thudded in her ears. She was too far away for the guards at Konoha to see her and help. Takumi latched onto her attacker's arm, teeth sinking in deep as the man yelled and cursed. He snarled and tugged on the arm holding Araile, and Araile continued struggling. 

"Stupid mutt," the man growled as he kicked Takumi away, and he skidded back with a yelp. 

"Takumi!" Araile yelled as she continued to struggle out of the man's hold.

"Lemme go!" she yelled as Takumi grabbed a hold of the man's leg, biting deep. 

The man cursed and quickly took out a kunai and slamming it into Takumi's front leg. Takumi let out an animalistic scream as the blade plunged in deep. He hobbed back as the man took out another kunai as Araile continued to struggle. She needed to get away! She needed to get Kakashi! 

"Takumi! Let me go! Let me go!" Araile continued screaming.

The man growled and stars exploded in Araile's vision as the handle was smashed against her head. Araile's mind fled into darkness as she crumpled to the ground. Blood trickled from the back of her head as Takumi snarled, teeth bared. The man grunted and picked up the nine year old by the back of her shirt.

"That's better," he said before disappearing in a puff of smoke. 

Takumi ran to the spot where his friend was, sniffing around the ground, hoping to find a trail. He whined as blood dribbled from the wound. He needed to get back to the village.