Tsume Inuzuka and Kushina Uzumaki were best friends , and swore when they were teammates to look after each other ' s kids if the worst happened . When the village council says no clan can adopt Naruto , Tsume acts like a ninja and employs misdirection . With Hiruzen ' s help Tsume swaps Naruto for a stillborn infant from a woman in her clan , and he ' s raised as an Inuzuka . The village believes Minato and Kushina ' s son died hours after being born , his powerful Dead Demon Seal taking the Kyuubi into the shinigami ' s embrace . Most people in Konoha are happy the Kyuubi ' s ' gone ' and don ' t question it . Danzo suspects the ruse , but doesn ' t know where Hiruzen hid the child and thus keeps his silence , waiting for an opportunity . Naruto and Kiba grow up as close friends , basically brothers . Naruto initially has trouble bonding with a ninken puppy due to the demon inside of him , but when he finds the runt of a litter dying after a birthing , the Kyuubi slips some of its essence into the empty vessel , giving Naruto a ninken partner with bright orange fur and unusual intelligence . The connection works both ways however , and the ninken ' s inbred loyalty to its master starts coloring the Kyuubi ' s perception of Naruto , making it less hostile to him . Some themes to explore would be How Naruto would be different raised as an Inuzuka rather than shunned and alone Naruto ' s relationship with ninkenKyuubi and his peers The balancing act of keeping his identity hidden to protect his clan even as his powers and prestige grow Eventually the machinations of Root once Naruto ' s activities start raising Danzo ' s suspicions . Danzo might make a play to try to control Naruto through recruiting him into Root , offering him poweradvancement for his loyalty , trying to blackmailcoerce him , etc