A/N UPDATED 4/16/2018

8/29/2014 I find it hard to believe it's been 3 years and 8 months since I wrote this first chapter. This is where everything started, my entire writing career and I can't thank you all enough for the love and support you've shown me. I'll write more below so that those who are new to the story can enjoy without my rambling.

"We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone -

but paradoxically,

if we cannot trust,

neither can we find love or joy"

~Walter Anderson~

Lavender eyes dared not move as men circled the caravan. Hinata glued hers to the ground, hoping to avoid unwanted attention. Her clothes were plain and tattered, sweat and muck plastered her hair to her face, and she was sure she reeked from not having a bath in weeks. Hopefully this was enough to keep these men at bay.

Hinata balled her fists as she looked at the corpses lying around them. All those that protected the cargo were dead. Those men might not have been kind, but at least the slaves, herself included, knew what to expect. The men now in possession of them appeared bloodthirsty and unpredictable.

They were on a path that would lead her closer to home when the attackers burst from the shadows of the forest. She'd ducked to the ground with the others, submitting to their enemy. No one knew where she came from and she liked to keep it that way. She cared for the other slaves and vowed to free them when she finally made her escape. For now, small gestures indicated a friendship they all longed for.

A rough hand wrapped around her arm and hauled her up. She winced from the grasp, sure she'd have bruises by morning. He tilted her chin up and studied her face, tilting it back and forth. She struggled not to gag from his stench. Wild eyes scanned her dirt covered face, eyes that craved more than just the murder of a few slave drivers.

He shoved Hinata to the side with four other women and two boys no older than twelve. All seven knew to keep quiet as they knelt in the dirt.

"These will do, kill the rest." She turned too late, watching as their enemy's blades pierced those she'd come to care for. She'd only been with this group three months, but they'd created a bond, however small. Now their blood stained the ground, left to mix with the other innocents taken too soon. Hinata despised being this helpless, but these were the atrocities that bred with war.

The seven were bound together, hands connected by a rope and they were forced to match the warrior's fast pace for days. The young boy in front of her struggled the most, but she kept him upright, whispering words of encouragement whenever the guards weren't listening.

With muddy feet and sore bodies the group came over a hill to reveal hundreds of tents lined as far back as a river would allow. A muddy moat surrounded the area, with tree trunk spikes amidst the murky water. Guards stood every ten feet, their eyes scanning the trees around them. Judging from their defences, they'd been here a while.

As the group trudged down the hill, Hinata caught site of the flags that proudly displayed the emblem of Sunagakure. Every ounce of hope she still possessed plummeted. This was the last place she wanted to be, especially being a ninja of Konohagakure.

The two nations, Konoha and Suna, had been in a war for the last nine years having no other cause than wanting to conquer one another. The former Kazekage of Suna died a few years ago and it was with much hope that his death would mean the end of the war. It was not to be. His eldest took the throne and seemed determined to finish what his father had started. Countless small villages had suffered due to this war, but it still seemed there was no end in sight.

As they continued walking, Hinata glanced around and watched men clean and sharpen their weapons. None of them cast the newcomers a second glance. She peered into the tents to discover half naked women and felt a chill run down her spine. She could fight, she was a Shinobi, but fighting an entire army was a feat impossible to most.

Hinata was forced to the ground along with the others and she kept her head lowered. "Is this it?" Muddy boots paced between them and she could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"We discarded the old and weak."

She bit back tears as the man before them let out a long sigh. "We needed more people to work and I was hoping to have someone to…occupy the commander." Her skin crawled at his last words.

"He'd just kill them."

"Yes, well, perhaps that would spare one of us."

Hinata was grabbed by the arm again, fingers pressing into her already bruised flesh. She kept her eyes averted despite being shoved inches from the man evaluating them. "What about this one? She's young enough."

He grabbed her chin. "Look at me girl." She did so, meeting his dark gaze and prayed he wouldn't recognize the tell tale sign of her being a Hyuga. "Take her to Mitori." Hinata took in a breath as she was handed to another guard. A million thoughts ran through her mind at once. Who was this commander and what did they mean by occupy? She doubted she'd like the answer.

A large woman took Hinata without question, stripped her of her clothes and threw her outside the tent before she could to ask questions. The men around them hooted and she tried to cover herself as the woman threw a bucket of cold water over her bare skin and started scrubbing. The brush felt as though it'd rip the flesh from her body. Hinata tried to ask a question, but another bucket of freezing water came in place of an answer.

Once satisfied, the woman gave her fresh clothes, ensured she dressed and threw her back to the escort. Dusk was beginning to settle before she was presented to the one who'd sent her off.

"She cleans up nice." Hinata flinched as he reached forward and smelled a strand of her hair. "Still smells like a slave girl through."

"Can't expect much else considering," his companion answered.

They led Hinata to a cabin on the far side of the camp and her heart pounded from the numbers. Escape would be tricky if not impossible. The cabin had a small fence around the yard with stones that led to a doorway. She peered at it curiously, wondering why the living quarters were so different from the breezy tents of other shinobi.

She tripped as he shoved her through the door. "Keep your mouth shut and do as you're told." He slammed the door and left her standing in the entryway uncertain. Hinata rubbed the burn marks on her wrist and took a few steps forward. The short entryway led to a small living space. A bed sat directly to her left with a cold fireplace on the other side and a door that led to a small bathroom. To her right Hinata could make out the faint outlines of a kitchen.

Her exploration was short lived as yelling ensued outside. Glancing around, Hinata ran to the far right hand corner, the only place not occupied, and knelt on the floor. She kept her eyes down and hands on her thighs, the position any slave would take.

A man burst through the door and she cringed as he slammed it behind him. He kicked off his boots and continued around the bed, removing his shirt and belt, again casting the offending objects aside. It was then that he noticed Hinata. She froze as his movements ceased and risked a look up. Striking green eyes turned her blood to ice, that dark emotionless look enough to make even the most seasoned of warriors cower in fear. She averted her gaze and prayed his anger wouldn't be turned on her.

A/N Update 4/16/2018 cont.

For those new to the story: I hope you enjoy and bear with me as I update the story to my current writing potential. If you want to wait, you can check back periodically as I give updates, but the original content is available for your reading pleasure.

For those returning: I promised a while ago that I would give a short story update to add to the lives of Hinata and Gaara. Naturally, as I was thinking about what concept I wanted to focus on I began reading the story. This made me realize how much better I could make the content. The story will remain the same, don't worry, but I plan to go through and rewrite the chapters. I hope you enjoyed this first one and noticed some of the minor changes. Perhaps I'll sneak something new in, perhaps not, we'll see. I just love this story too much not to leave it alone.

For my curious mind, how many times have you read this?

As a side note. I will be a published author this July. My work is currently available to request through LibraryThing's Early Review Program if any of you are interested. "Running with the Wolves" by J.E. Reed. All are welcome to PM me for more information.

Till chapter two!