Kiba took one step closer to his trusty companion and his grieving colleague, and then cursed violently after. He broke a twig. A fucking twig! Kiba growled as Sakura shot up in surprise, 'So much for being subtle'
"Who- who's there? Come out you coward!" Sakura shouted into the foliage as she swiftly righted herself on her quivering legs once again. She got into a battle stance and surveyed the landscape. Even though she was completely out of chakra and exhausted beyond belief, she would not just sit around and let someone beat her senseless not matter what the circumstances were.
Kiba stepped out into the clearing, holding his hands up. Why get her even more riled up then she already was? He didn't want to get in front of those fists with, or without chakra.
"Calm down Sakura. It's just me."
She lowered her clenched fists and relaxed her shoulders. No wonder Akamaru didn't jump in to help; he knew it was his master and that there was currently no threat. How could she have been so stupid? If Akamaru was there of course Kiba wouldn't be that far behind! They went absolutely everywhere with each other. The duo even managed to coerce her staff into letting Akamaru into the hospital.
'The hospital…Mom" Sakura choked back a sob and tried to swallow it back down her throat, but the damage was done. All she could see was her mother's lifeless face and cold pale skin, dying in her very arms. Sakura fell to her knees and this time, made no attempt at righting herself. What was the point? She just lost the most important person in her life; she had never met her father, though many say he was a great man. She had his eyes, but her mom's personality.
The Dog-nin panicked as he saw her fall. He didn't know what to do. Of course he had plenty of experience with women; he did have both a mother and a sister. They were far more reserved when it came to their own grief though, like most kunoichi. In fact, Sakura was one of the only kunoichi he knew that openly showed her inner most thoughts and feelings. Even Hinata had a barrier that kept her emotions in check, and that was saying something, though, he supposed, coming from a prestigious clan like the Hyuuga did that to you.
As Kiba was stuck in his thoughts, Akamaru went back to Sakura's side and allowed her to clutch his fur like a lifeline. After a while now distressed the Nin-dog yipped to get Kiba's attention back to their charge. Sakura was practically pulling his fur out from the roots!
After Tsunade was informed of her apprentice's loss and departure, she summoned the best trackers in Konoha to "Fetch her most cherished apprentice, and succeed, unless they wanted to both be castrated within the next hour" Both dog and Jounin paled visibly at the threat and then proceeded to quickly pack their shit and leave after the distraught Medic.
It wasn't too hard to find her either. In her mad dash to escape, she didn't bother to suppress her chakra or cover her scent. Not that they wouldn't accomplish their goal should she have, they were the best for a good reason.
Akamaru barked again, this time more forcefully; his boy did seem to get lost in thought in the shittiest of times. Kiba responded this time and approached the duo carefully. Sakura was fine with Akamaru being near, but that didn't mean she would be too fond of him coming any closer. She was fragile and unpredictable in this state. When the rosette didn't react to his nearing presence, Kiba came further in until he could see her face amongst the crème colored fur she was nestled in. It was then that he realized that Sakura had passed out from the stress and emotional trauma of the day; he knew he would have too.
Kiba scooped the slumbering Medic into his strong, lean arms and headed back to Konoha, making sure not the jostle her anymore than what was necessary. She needed her sleep, and he didn't mind. No, he most certainly did not mind.