The pressure at his ankle brought him back to reality. Where he had been before, he did not know. Now, it was dark and cold, and that pressure at his ankle was turning into something more.
Trying to make sense of his situation, he took in a breath. The air was damp, the smell putrid—it reeked of rot. No matter how hard he tried to focus, nothing made sense. Where was he, and what was wrong with his ankle?
The last thing Kakashi remembered was protecting his former students from some missing-nin while escorting merchants through the Land of Fire. The mission had been intended to be casual, and he had looked forward to spending time with Naruto and Sakura again, hearing about their training under Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade. They had been three days into the mission when they were ambushed by three nin from the Land of Waves. Kakashi had been locked in hand-to-hand combat with one of them when he heard Naruto call out to him. After that—nothing.
With a groan, Kakashi tried to shift his weak body. He discovered he was chained to something, either the floor or the wall. Was there even a wall? At least he was beginning to take in some of his environment. The chains, he assumed, were suppressing his chakra. His heart sank as he realized his situation was more dire than he had initially thought. From the humidity, the darkness, and the feel of the ground, he deduced he was underground. But this still didn’t answer what was wrong with his ankle—or the source of the awful smell.
It was then he realized everything was muffled. Am I deaf? he thought. Exhaustion overtook him before he could process anything further. Feeling his strength drain away, he promptly blacked out.
The next time he woke, he could hear and see more. It was his ankle that brought him back—sharp stabs of pain. He tried to sit up, but the chains around his wrists stopped him. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings. A small beam of sunlight filtered through a rectangular window high up on the wall—a basement window, he speculated.
The room was small and damp, with dirt floors and a single door to his right. Looking down at himself, he noted he was in his typical navy pants and dark fitted tank top, though his mask was gone. He felt exposed.
Discomfort turned to disgust as he realized the source of the putrid smell. He had soiled himself. Kakashi grimaced, the humiliation cutting deep despite his experience. Captors and interrogators rarely allowed such luxuries as a restroom. It wasn’t the first time he had been in this situation, but it never got easier. He would always prefer to lose a little dignity than a few fingers or toes.
His ankle drew his focus once more. The pain was persistent and… strange. It felt as though something was moving on its own. Frustration mounted as he tried and failed to get a better look. Then he heard it: a high-pitched noise, faint but familiar.
A rat scurried up his torso, sniffing. Kakashi froze. The creature climbed to his face, pausing at his nose, one paw sinking past his lips into his mouth.
Sweat beaded on his brow as he resisted the urge to move. His body wanted to shiver, but he forced himself still. The rat stared at him, unblinking.
A squeak came from somewhere near his leg, followed by another. The pressure and pain at his ankle intensified. The rat on his face turned and scrambled down to join its companions. Kakashi sighed shakily, trying to shift his body, when the door swung open with a crash.
Naruto, Sakura, and Tenzo entered with purpose. Relief crossed their faces, only to be replaced with disgust when they saw him. Kakashi understood; he was a wretched sight, but something about their expressions unsettled him.
Naruto broke the restraints, and Kakashi felt immediate relief as his chakra returned. He could hear Tenzo talking to Sakura about his ankle while she worked with quick, precise movements.
“Kakashi-sensei, just relax. You’re going to be okay,” Naruto reassured him. But Kakashi could hear the worry in his voice. He didn’t understand why they all seemed so concerned.
With Naruto’s help, Kakashi forced his exhausted body into a sitting position. He was about to make a joke about being caught in such a vulnerable situation when he looked down at his feet.
His breath caught in his throat. His right ankle was a mess. Flesh, tendons, and muscle were shredded and torn. Scratches crisscrossed his foot and leg, leading up to patches where flesh was simply… missing. Blood was everywhere.
He understood what he was seeing, but his mind refused to process it.
“The rats were eating your leg, Senpai,” Tenzo said quietly. “Sakura is working to stabilize you so we can get you to the hospital without losing too much blood. Try to stay still. Moving will only make it worse.”
Kakashi stared blankly, the words not registering.
Naruto crouched beside him. “There were rats all over your legs when we came in, Sensei. There were so many of them,” he said, his voice trembling.
Kakashi blinked, his mind numb. He felt a chill seep into his bones.
“Just relax,” Sakura added, not looking up from her work. “We’ll get you out of here soon.”