A Ninken's Recovery

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Late Night

Kakashi's POV:

Pakkun and I awoke early, the next morning to go to the village market. It took maneuvering to get out of the bedroom full of ninken. I was not surprised to see that Bull had indeed found his way in the room. The comfort of the pack was just something that was one of the most important relationships of a ninken. I was hoping that Kaito would be drawn to the comfort of the pack, but that was not to be apparently. We found Kaito sleeping in his spot by the stairs, in the same restless state of sleep last night. However, he did not wake up when Pakkun and I walked by. I made sure to place seals on the doors so that no one would be able to enter. Not that anyone would trespass on the Hatake Compound uninvited, they would be met with teeth otherwise. If Kaito should awake while we were away, he had the pack there to help keep an eye on him.

"So?" Pakkun started to say as we were walking.

"Yes." I answered.

"The pup, Boss. He does not seem interested in a pack relationship. Does he even know about pack dynamics?" Pakkun grunted.

"We are unsure. Give Kaito time. It is why Lady Tsunade assigned him to us. We need to help him heal and teach him." I explained.

"That just sounds like you don't even know." Pakkun accused.

We walked into the shop. "I don't. Neither does Lady Tsunade. She does however, have shinobi's looking into his background. We should know more about him in a few days. Right, now, we just have to make him comfortable and gain his trust." I said, looking at the different prices in the store.

Pakkun grunted off handily, looking at the items closer to the floor. "Pup's got a lot of healing to do."

"Mhmm." I agreed. Already going over in my head the information that I had read about the ninken from last night. Lady Tsunade expected his summoner had abused him. But P. T. S. D. could also be the cause of his behavior. Besides it was suicide to mistreat a ninken. Ninken's were the most loyal partner a shinobi could have. A ninken would watch your back when nobody else would. More time would tell. "What about this one?" I asked, taking a big round fluffy dog bed off the shelf.

Pakkun looked at it. "Bull could fit in that." He grunted. "Why are you bothering on buying a dog bed anyway? You never bought us a dog bed."

"You never gave me any indication that you wanted a dog bed. I thought you preferred sitting and sleeping on the couch and my bed, but if you would like your own bed then I will buy you one." I said, placing the bed back on the shelf.

"You would be lonely if we started sleeping in our own beds and you know it. Besides that's not what I meant and you know it." Pakkun grunted, walking on along the shelves."

"Kaito is sleeping by the stairs. That particular corner of the house has a draft that comes from upstairs. Until he starts integrating himself with the pack, I think it will be a good gesture to give him something other than the floor to sleep on. Also, I will sleep better, knowing I am trying my best to make him comfortable. You know why he waited till you ate a piece of his dinner last night right?" Pakkun looked at me from over his shoulder. "He thought I poisoned his food. Kaito's got the paranoia of a shinobi." I sighed, it was sad really.

"You think someone tried to poison the pup? A ninken? A thief's ninken? Do you know how unheard of that is?!" Pakkun objected.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. "I know. It just doesn't make sense though why a ninken should fear being poisoned."