Just keep walking…head down…just keep walking…she told herself, walking as fast as her legs could manage without breaking into a run. She didn't want to look like a paranoid freak, even though she felt like one.

The Foot Clan was after her. Ever since she left the Clan, and even leaked information of the clan's whereabouts to authorities.

She had served as a nurse while with the Foot. She could never master the fighting techniques as fast as the Clan's masters wanted her to. They said her hands were too gentle, so she became the official nurse of the Foot Clan. None of the ninjas showed any gratitude though, not even a single "Thank-you" was said. The living conditions were horrible too; just a scratchy pillow and an equally as scratchy blanket. That was it. There wasn't a lot of food either, most of it was given to the ninjas.

That's why she left.

But now they were after her. She could feel their eyes on her.

She weaved through the bustling crowd of evening New Yorkers. Anyone of them could be onto her…

I need to find a safe place…where they can't find me…at least for tonight.

Without being consciously aware, she walked towards Central Park. She just kept walking through the winding paths.

The city lights soon became to source of light as the sun took refuge for the night by the time she realized how tired she was.

For once, she took in her surroundings as her stomach complained painfully with hunger, snapping her back to reality.

She moaned. A nearby trashcan seemed tempting for its possible prospect of some food. But then she saw the dark figures of a few bums rummaging through it. She didn't want to risk getting jumped.

Need sleep then..she reasoned, eyeing a thick cluster of maple trees, then making her way towards them.

She slumped down between two thick roots that burrowed into the earth, shivering in her brown hoodie with the evening chill.

Just….need…some rest…She began to nod off. She sighed; on the run from ninja thieves, hungry, alone, and cold…some spot she was in.

Maybe tomorrow will work out…she thought, trying to nourish the little hope she still retained within her.

Sleep began to creep into her, making her eyelids heavy and her mind dull. She surrendered to it.

It must've only been a few hours until she felt the collision of something hard impact against her left temple in a very rude awakening…