Disclaimer: We all know I don't own Naruto, or any of the characters, animals, weapons, shrubbery, or even the poor little logs that are oh-so-often mutilated with replacement-jutsus. –sobs- those poor logs!
Prologue
The fire licked at the night air with the knowledge that soon its light would be exhausted. The wood underneath crackled as it sizzled away to ashes, sacrificing its life for the sake of the flame it supported. It was the cycle of life; one organism lived only to be the energy source of another, which in turn became life line for another organism higher up on the food chain.
The dancing fire took pride as it reflected within the dark pupils of two green eyes, their host depending on the burning embers for warmth. She, in turn, watched over her comrades, protecting them from any danger which might choose the opportune time to strike.
A ninja waits until the time is right,
When the enemy sleeps and drops his guard,
When his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night,
That is the moment for a ninja to strike.
She could recite the words like her own last name, yet only once were they ever given to her. It was so like him to come up with something so poetic, intelligent, complex, and cunning. Had it not been for those words, they wouldn't have known who their true comrade was and who wasn't.
She still worshiped him, the enemy, for the memories of who he had been before; the person he was today seemed like a ghost, a mirage. It was all a masquerade, and the betrayal was only an act to fool them all. They would get him to remove the mask, no matter what. Because people cannot kill their inner-self as easily as they wish, she would put her life on the line for the sake of him.
Crackle…crackle…pop…sizzle…crackle…
The air was still, the night was quiet. Crickets sang their song in a soft lullaby, making Sakura wish she too could curl up in her sleeping bag and drift away. The day had been long, having walked all the way to the 8-tailed jinchuriki's village, only to find that it was him who had teamed up with Akatsuki and him who had slain the man for the sake of his biju. She didn't know whether or not to be more disturbed by the fact that their former teammate had done this or the fact that Naruto would not say a word to anyone for the rest of the day.
Suddenly she heard a rustle in the bushes behind her, her guard instantly on alert, kunai ready in her hand. She stood up, leaned against a tree, then tossed the metal object in the direction of the sound, only to watch as a harmless rabbit scampered out. Rabbits aren't awake at this time… she frowned, then gasped as a hand was placed over her mouth.
Two blood red eyes bore into hers as all consciousness began to slip away to the wind and her body went limp.
RA: Well, not much to say here except let me know what y'all think! Ja ne :D