The night was quiet and cool. The sound of night animals could be heard in the quiet forest while a dark figure was resting against a tree. She was comfortable by the dark forest because it kept her hidden in the shadows and she like the smell and sound of nature. A woman, wearing black garments, fully equipped with weapons, such as many throwing knives, daggers and – her favorite weapon – her black katana which was specially made.

Her long black hair resting on her skin smoothly like small strands of waterfall, her golden eyes closed as she was sleeping but she was still holding her guard by holding a throwing knife in one hand and the other holding her katana. Her face covered by mask and hood since she doesn't like people staring at her. She hated it whenever people stare at her, it just ticks her off. But she was trained to not let emotions control her. Whoever knew her, she was known as Shadow. She never revealed her real name to anyone.

When the first light of sun came from the horizon, she opened her eyes and saw the beautiful dawn. She stared at the beautiful scenario for a while, remembering every detail of its beauty. She decided that it was time to go. She stood up from the ground and stretched her neck a bit to earn a few sounds of cracks from her neck. She safely put her throwing knife and katana away then turned towards the north. *I believe that…Leaf village is that way. I should get some supplies there.*

She walked through the forest path calmly with her hands in her pockets and her eyes glued on forward. She didn't bother to count how many hours she had been walking but she find it comfortable for just walking. Suddenly she heard a voice not far from her and it sounded like a big hot-headed to her. "Hey! How far are we from the village, sensei!"

Shadow stopped for a moment while arching towards the direction where the voice came from. *I wonder who that is…* She shrugged it off since it doesn't matter to her and just kept walking towards the Leaf village.

Suddenly, she heard the voice again but it was shocking "H-Hey! Where did these thugs come from!"

Shadow stopped once more while staring at the same direction. She looked between the path of the village and the direction of the voice. She sighed heavily, knowing what she has to do. *Doing the right thing sometimes sucks…* she thought glumly. She quickly dashed towards the voice swiftly, dodging thick branches and bushes. She stopped when she saw three kids with an adult who were facing 10 thugs and they were surrounded. Shadow climbed onto the trees and sat on a high branch while looking down at them while keeping her chakra low. She wanted to see what happens first before interfering.

One of the thugs shouted "Give us everything you got or die!"

The one with she heard from before shouted "Like hell we do!" The kid had blonde spiky hair, blue eyes, whiskers on his face – making him to look like a cat – and wearing an orange jumpsuit. He was looking around the thugs daringly and determinedly.

Another boy got black hair in a shape of a chicken's ass, onyx eyes while wearing blue and white clothes. He was staring at the thugs coldly yet calmly.

The third child was a girl with pink long hair, green eyes and wearing a red dress with short green shorts. She was staring at the thugs in fear and determination. The adult was wearing a Jounin uniform with silver spiky hair going to one side, wearing a dark blue mask while his left eye was covered by his headband. Shadow looked at the headbands properly and saw the leaf village symbol. *So, they're from the Leaf village…* she thought while she was quietly studying them.

One of the thugs shouted "Oh, you ask for it, kid!" All the thugs immediately charged towards them while holding kunais in each hand. Shadow watched as the two boys fought the thugs, but the girl was not really capable of fighting. She was having trouble fighting with a thug with a kunai in her hand and she looked like she was going to scream.

But her mentor quickly saved her by kicking the thug in the stomach. Once he was dealt with, he turned to his female pupil "Are you all right, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded to her mentor "Thanks Kakashi sensei!"

Suddenly the boy with whiskers was pushed back and he landed on his back. He cursed loudly "Darn it!" He was going to get back on his feet but soon he was pinned down to the ground by a thug with a kunai holding to his throat.

"Move and you die" growled the thug who tackled the boy.

Sakura cried out for the boy "Naruto!" Kakashi was going to save his pupil but soon he was hit behind the neck and he groaned in pain. He landed on the floor and he was pinned down by three thugs with three kunais at his throat. "Kakashi sensei!" cried out the girl once more. She looked at the other boy to see him pinned as well "Sasuke!"

Now, what's all left is that pink headed girl. The other five thugs came walking towards her as she took a few steps back while looking at them in fear, trembling while holding a kunai. Naruto cried out "Sakura!" as he struggled under the thug's grasp. Sakura hit her back against the tree that Shadow was sitting on but she couldn't move any further as she was surrounded.

One of the thugs chuckled deeply "Now, if you want to live, give us everything you got." He eyed her dangerously and Sakura trembled even more. "Hmmm, you're quite cute. I wonder how much they would pay for you…?" he said thoughtfully as the other thugs chuckled.

Kakashi went tense and shouted as he struggled under the three thugs. "Get away from her!"

The thug who spoke glanced over his shoulder to Kakashi and smirked widely "You're not in any position to order me around, are you?"

Kakashi growled and the thugs pinned him down with more pressure to keep him down. "Damn you…" he growled deeply behind his mask as he glared at the thug.

The thug chuckled deeply then turned his attention back to Sakura. "Now, let's tie her up." One of the remaining thugs was already pulling out their ropes to tie her up and Sakura's legs were shaking. It caused her to drop on her knees then she finally screamed loudly at the top of her lungs as they approached her.

"SAKURA!" cried out Naruto.

Sakura shut her eyes tightly, expecting those thugs to tie her up but she didn't feel anything except heard the sound of bodies dropping to the floor. She hesitatingly opened her eyes and saw a woman wearing black garments with her back facing her. Sakura looked to see the thugs who were going to tie her up were lying on the floor, headless. She gasped softly as the sight of it "Oh my…" she looked up to the woman as she heard from her.

"My, taking advantage of a harmless girl?" asked the woman teasingly then shook her head disapprovingly as she clicked her mouth. "Now, that's hardly fair, is it?" she asked while putting her weight on one leg, putting a hand on her waist and her free hand holding a bloody black katana while looking at the thugs under her hood.

The thugs looked at her surprisingly then the leader demanded "Who the hell are you, bitch?"

She sighed heavily through her mask and rested her katana on her shoulder. "Well, since you're going to be dead in a matter of seconds. I guess you should know my name."

"How DARE you talk to us like that? You're dead, bitch!" shouted the leader in fury. He quickly pulled out some kunais with bomb tags attached to it then threw them to the woman.

"Sakura!" cried out Naruto one more time.

Sakura covered herself from the impact of the explosions. Although, Shadow quickly get to the side, grabbed the kunais as they passed by and threw them back to the thugs. They screamed when it went off. She mumbled under her breath while looking at the dead five corpses after the smoke cleared "Such idiots these days. When are they going to learn…?"

She turned to the others who flinched from her stare "Get out" she growled at them and they didn't hesitate to do so. Once they were gone, the comrades composed themselves as Shadow swung her sword sharply to one side to get the blood off then swiftly put it on her back.

Kakashi was the first to speak "Thank you, for saving our lives." Shadow only nodded to him as a 'you're welcome' gesture. Naruto immediately ran to Sakura who was still on her knees but she quickly stood up when Naruto came.

"Sakura, are you all right?" he asked worriedly. It was quite obvious that he has a big crush on her. Although, she looked quite disappointed while looking at Naruto and then glanced at the other boy who was studying Shadow.

Sakura sighed disappointingly *Darn it! I was hoping for Sasuke to worry about me! But no! It's always Naruto!*

The woman approached to Sakura and asked "Are you all right?"

Sakura stared up at the woman and froze when she saw her eyes, those deep golden eyes that were hidden by the shadow of her hood but Sakura could clearly see them. Sakura was quite for a minute while just staring at her. Her comrades were glancing at each other confusingly then Kakashi got to their side. "Sakura? Are you going to say 'thank you' to her?"

Sakura quickly snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. She blushed furiously and bowed her head quickly to Shadow "I'm sorry! And thank you for saving my life!"

Shadow just smirked softly behind her mask. She shoved her hands in her pockets as she replied "No problem." She turned to Kakashi and nodded goodbye. Then she turned the direction down the road to the Leaf village.

Naruto quickly shouted "H-Hey, wait!" She stopped to glance at him over her shoulder and she saw him running to her. When he approached, he asked her "Where are you going? Are you going to the Leaf village?" She nodded. Suddenly his face beamed and said "Hey! That's where we're going! Why not come with us?"

Shadow looked down at the boy then glanced at his comrades. Kakashi walked towards them and asked appropriately "May I talk to you in private?" He nodded towards the side as Naruto glanced between them. Shadow nodded and went to the side with Kakashi. He asked her quietly so his pupils can't hear him. "I'm grateful for what you've done for us, truly. But why are you heading to the Leaf Village?"

Shadow stared at him blankly then glanced at his pupils who were talking with each other. Probably talking about what Kakashi and she were talking about. She returned her attention to Kakashi "I just need to get some supplies. Then I'm off. Although, I'm also meeting a friend there."

"A friend? Who?" Kakashi asked as he crossed his arms on his chest while eyeing her suspiciously.

"Anko Mitarashi."

"Anko?" Kakashi narrowed his…eye at her and asked her "What's your name…?"

"Shadow."

"…Just 'Shadow'?" She nodded "And how come Anko never mentioned about you?"

"…We worked together once or twice."

Kakashi arched a brow at her "How can I know that you won't be a threat to the village?"

Shadow inspected him carefully and she could tell that he was doing the same thing. She grabbed her katana and the team went tense. The kids went into fighting stance but stopped when they saw Shadow holding her katana to their mentor. "Will this ease you?" she asked him flatly while still holding her favorite black katana to him. He nodded and accepted it.

He mumbled "Well, that's a start." Then he said to his pupil "Come on, let's go home!"