[AN: OMG I'm back, uhh sorry for no updates I'm writing chaps for my fanfics now don't worry.]
Karin woke up to the sound of birds.
She blinked against the light filtering through the cracks in her hollowed-out log. Her body ached from the cramped position, but it wasn't unbearable. Pain was something she knew well enough to ignore.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and glanced around. Nothing moved nearby and there were no chakra signatures within her sensing range.
She was Safe, at least for the moment.
"Good," she muttered, stretching her arms. "Means I bought myself another day."
Pulling the map from her pouch, she spread it across her lap. The parchment was sligthly wrinkled but usable. Her finger traced along a thin blue line. "If I follow this river south, I'll reach the border in maybe two days. Three if I move slow."
She paused, frowning. "But if patrols from Grass are already looking, this route might not be an option."
Her stomach growled, interrupting her thoughts. Karin dug into her pouch, pulling out the last scraps of Jerky she'd stolen the day before.
'The Land of Fire,' she thought, her crimson eyes narrowing. She'd overheard enough in her captivity to know that Konoha was powerful and had some kind of connection to her clan.
Power attracted power. If she wanted to grow, that was where she needed to head. Still… she'd need to play this carefully.
She pushed herself up, brushed dirt from her cloak, and stepped into the trees. The forest wasn't dense, but thick enough to hide her from unwanted eyes. "Alright then. South it is."
By midday, she found the stream. Clear water rippled over stones, the sound soothing. She crouched down, cupped her hands, and drank greedily. Cold water spilled down her chin, but she didn't care. After a few gulps, she splashed her face, enjoying the feeling of the cold water against her skin.
Karin sat back on her heels, staring at her reflection. She touched her face, her expression hard. The red hair, the crimson eyes "It's still hard getting used to this new body of mine..."
Her thoughts drifted as she sat by the water. The man she killed had given her just enough to understand the basics of chakra.
"Alright, let's see…" She pressed her palms together, channeling chakra to her fingertips. It was rough, shaky, but manageable. Then she lowered her hand toward the stream. The water rippled slightly, barely more than a quiver, before settling again.
Karin frowned. "So much for my so-called Water Affinity..."
She tried again, forcing more chakra into her palm. This time the water surged upward in a small splash, droplets scattering across her face.
Over the next hour, she kept at it. Each attempt showing slight improvement. By the time she stopped, her body was trembling, and sweat dampened her forehead. But when she lifted her hand, she could coax the water into a faint, swirling orb no larger than a pebble. It collapsed after a few seconds, but that was enough.
"Not bad for a first attempt," she murmured, her voice carrying a note of pride she hadn't felt in a long time.
Her stomach growled again, reminding her of more pressing concerns. So she followed the stream until she spotted a cluster of berry bushes along the bank. She plucked a handful, sniffed them cautiously, then took a tentative bite. Sweet. Good enough. She ate until her stomach stopped complaining, then wiped her stained fingers with river water.
As she rested against a tree, Karin's mind shifted to survival beyond food. She couldn't keep drifting aimlessly. Sooner or later, the Grass shinobi would widen their search. If she stayed in their borders too long, they'd catch her.
Her gaze dropped to the kunai strapped at her side, She twirled it idly, thinking back to Jianghu. Disguise had never been her style. But here, in this fragile young female body, she had to be smarter.
Still she pondered 'What to do after I cross the border..?'