Kakashi POV.
Kakashi moved soundlessly, slipping through the trees like a shadow. His students were safe for now, the flare Sakura had fired had drawn plenty of attention, enough to scare Orochimaru off before he could finish that plan he had.
But Kakashi also knew that Orochimaru would not give up. He is deeply obsessed with the Sharingan.
And somewhere out here, there could still be other threats lurking.
His eyes scanned ahead sharply, as he sensed a small chakra signature flickering weakly, deeper into the woods. And it should be probably injured.
He changed course immediately. Whoever it was, they wouldn't last long with the forest in chaos like this. And he also wanted to know whose chakra was so strong that even the weak could be sensed from afar.
As he landed lightly on a thick branch, he spotted a girl, slumped against a tree, clutching her side, her Kusagakure headband tilted sideways. Torn clothes and blood staining her side, but her chakra wasn't completely drained. She was trying to hide it, suppress it, a basic trick to avoid predators.
Clever.
But not clever enough to hide from Kakashi.
He dropped silently beside her.
The girl flinched, raising shaky hands defensively, but paused when she saw him, the unmistakable Konoha Jonin vest, and the gentle way he crouched.
"N-No… I'm not… I'm not your enemy…" she stammered quickly, her voice trembling.
Kakashi studied her. Bright red hair. A strange vitality to her chakra, even injured. And those eyes were intelligent, alert, trying to gauge if she should run or beg.
An Uzumaki.
He recognized it instantly. His past life memories stirred, Kushina's smile, Naruto's fierce energy, the signature wild chakra every Uzumaki carried.
And now this girl… tucked away under Kusagakure's banner.
Karin Uzumaki.
"You're hurt," Kakashi said simply, voice calm.
The girl nodded stiffly, still wary. "My… team abandoned me. I-I got attacked by a giant snake."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Orochimaru's summons. He must have been clearing obstacles, or clearing his traces.
"What's your name?" Kakashi asked.
"…Karin," she mumbled, voice barely above a whisper. "Karin Uzumaki."
"Um." Kakashi nodded even when he knew. Now all he wanted was to get this girl with strong potential on his side. With his training on the seals and Tsunade's training, she will probably become a second Tsunade or Usumaki Mito.
Kakashi softened his posture, giving her an easy smile. "It's alright, Karin. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm Kakashi Hatake. A jonin from Konoha."
At the name, her eyes widened slightly. Kakashi's reputation, even outside Konoha wasn't unknown.
She relaxed, but only a little.
"I-I can heal myself…" she said as she was about to bite herself but Kakashi stopped her. He naturally knew her abilities, but right now she didn't have much chakra.
He made a seal and activated a simple treating medical jutsu and, without asking, he began treating her wound with quick and efficient movements. Karin winced but said nothing, biting her lip hard.
"You know, your chakra's special. That healing ability, your sensory talents… they're not normal. They're Uzumaki traits."
Karin blinked at him in confusion.
"You… you know about my other abilities and the Uzumaki clan?" She said.
Kakashi chuckled, tying the bandage neatly. "I knew someone very dear from that clan once who had the same abilities as you."
The wind stirred the trees, and for a moment, there was only silence between them.
Karin bit her lip, looking small and unsure. "…I don't have anywhere to go. Kusagakure… they just use me for my abilities. That's all I am to them."
The bitterness in her voice wasn't new to Kakashi.
He had heard it before, in Naruto, and Sasuke. The pain of being alone without anyone caring for them.
He leaned back on his heels, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Would you like to come to Konoha?" he casually asked her.
"You'd be safe there. No one would use you."
Karin's head snapped up, startled. "R-Really? I could… stay there?"
"Of course. Konoha has strong people. Good people. You'd fit right in."
Karin hesitated, hands twisting in her lap. Then, almost timidly, she whispered, "C-Can I stay with you?"
Kakashi blinked, momentarily surprised.
He expected her to ask for a place… but not him personally.
But looking at her small, lost, and desperate for even a single thread of kindness, he couldn't say no.
'Fortunately, I made those sound isolation seals, otherwise my nightlife would be over,' Kakashi thought as he also had Ranmaru but he had thrown him to stay with Sasuke.
He reached out and ruffled her wild red hair gently, making her squeak in surprise.
"Sure," Kakashi said warmly. "You can stay with me. Until you're strong enough to choose your own path."
Karin stared at him, stunned, and then a bright, tearful smile broke across her face. She wiped at her eyes roughly, trying to hide the tears, but Kakashi saw them anyway.
He stood and offered her his hand.
She took it without hesitation.
As they started toward his house together, Kakashi thought quietly about the future.
Karin wasn't just an Uzumaki she had rare talent, even Naruto's hadn't awakened any of the Uzumaki bloodline traits but she did. Karin was basically a second Kushina if trained properly.
Her sensory abilities were already remarkable, with training, she could become one of the best chakra sensors in the world.
And with Tsunade's guidance which Kakashi believed that she would agree to, Karin could master healing jutsu, and even become a legendary medic-nin.
Seals, healing, sensing…
She had all the potential of a strong Ninja in the shinobi world.
Kakashi chuckled softly to himself.
Another reckless, stubborn Uzumaki in his life.
And Naruto would probably be overjoyed learning that someone is related to him. Even though they are probably very distant relatives.
He looked down at the small figure walking beside him, her steps still a little shaky, but her face determined.
"Welcome to Konoha, Karin," he said quietly.
She beamed up at him.