Unfortunately that lotter money has yet to come in so i still don't own Naruto. But the story is all mine. It's mine!

Hunted

Her foot barely touches the branch as she launches herself to the next one crashing through the leaves mindless of anything else but the need to keep moving.

"Go now," Sakura falls over the still form of her guard accepting the fact that she can do nothing for him as she tries to right herself two stars come flying at her. In almost an instant the second guard Ryu who talked so nicely to her is now covering her, shielding her from the seemingly endless barrage of kunai and stars being thrown at them. "You must go. Lead them away and double back toward Konoha." "But" "There's nothing more that you can do here. We don't know their intent and you can't go back into Fukkatsu with those men so close behind. I'll hold them off as long as I can. Now run."

Closing her eyes against the tears, she shoves the memory away to the back of her mind. She can mourn the loss later but right now she has to run.

Headed through town directly to the home of the Hokage Naruto mentally relives the last 8 hours of his life spent playing horsey, singing doing tea party's and ughhh playing dress up. Granny Tsunade was going to answer for his being treated like a child's play toy.

"When did you discover this Kakashi?"

"Just last night Hokage. I gathered as much information as I could before bringing it to you."

"Well you're late." The as usual was left out, but still heard. "Sakura chan is on a mission right now with the Anbu impersonator."

"Sakura chan's in danger! How could you let her go on a mission without me?

Kakashi sensei what are we going to do."

"Naruto, seeing as you have invited yourself in. We'll explain the situation."

"Sorry to interrupt you Hokage but there is no time. Fukkatsu is a half a day away. Sakura chan will need our help." Shaking his head "Who else can I bring with me?"

"Neji is on his way here to report his missions success. He's yours. But hurry, I don't want Sakura to suffer for my past mistakes."

"Hey why would Sakura …. Kakashi sensei what are you doing?"

"Sorry Hokage but we must leave I'll grab Neji on the way." Moving out the door and down the hall with Naruto on his shoulder only stopping briefly to put a stunned Neji on the other. Kakashi heads out of town thinking only of his favorite student alone and afraid. Hunted.

Faster. You must go faster "Nooo" her foot slips on the next branch sending her crashing to the ground. "My chakara is slowly coming back but I need to rest." 'And set traps' she silently thought to herself. It won't be long till they arrive.

The makeshift rescue team glides through the trees stopping at Kakashi's command "Neji use your Byakugan to try and sense Sakura's chakara."

"Byakugan" searching as far as his power extended he could see people and animals but not Sakura's energy. Shaking his head he asks, "Why are we looking for her anyways?"

"Yeah Kakashi sensei what's going on?" Naruto

"We don't have time for this right now. If Neji can't see her then that means she's not headed back to Konoha, but farther away. If an attack has already begun we may not make it in time." Without waiting for a response to his cryptic statement they continued on without a word.

"Sakura. Sakura please I need your help. They're not far behind. You must heal me if I am to protect you."

'That sounds like Ryu, but it may be a trap.' Her eyes fill with tears as she remembers his heroic act. How could she do any less for him? Pulling the kunai from her side bag she launches it at a rope unseen by his pursuers. Snapping it in two it releases one of her air traps hitting two of the three attackers the explosion figure on the back activates sending all of them to the ground.

Quickly settling herself behind a low-lying bush closer to Ryu. Sakura watches the area now in a good position to watch the rest of her traps go off. Regretfully leaving the fallen Anbu as bait.

"Kakashi why does someone want to hurt Sakura chan? What did Granny Tsunade do to him not pay her gambling debt?"

Stopping on the branch next to Naruto with Neji on the branch above Kakashi sighed and began to explain "It's not what Tsunade did as much as what she didn't do."

"Explain" Naruto said impatiently waiting for his sensei's next words. Even Neji (while watching the surrounding area) focused his attention on what Kakashi had to say.

"Hokage Tsunade had stopped using her healing abilities when …. Well after some bad events cost her people that were close to her. Even so through the years many people sought her out with hopes that she could fix them; one such person was Chikyuu Matsu. "

Closing his eyes allowing the memory of his interview with the Hokage to come back to him he continued "A young boy whose father was ill and on the verge of death. After weeks of following Tsunade and trying to convince her to heal his father she finally agreed to go to Fukkatsu. But by then it was too late. He had died two days before they arrived. Matsu never forgave Tsunade for taking him away from the village for so long and allowing his father to die alone. He vowed to destroy someone that Tsunade loved as she had destroyed him."

"He, He's going to kill Sakura chan!" "Hmm" "Don't you say that as if you don't care you white eyed bastard?" Naruto yelled, his emotions becoming harder to control.

"Naruto you have to calm down." Kakashi tried to settle what could become a very bad situation.

"Killing her would be most merciful, he said that he wanted to destroy her. That is slow and painful. Even if left alive she may wish for death. We need to keep moving if we are to save her." Having said more than he intended to Neji took off moving faster than then before now that he knew the extent of the danger that Sakura was in. Maybe (not that he would ever admit it) even mildly afraid for her.

Now was the time to move. With most of her traps executed and only a few mercenaries able to move Sakura began her own counter attack. Quickly disposing of the four men headed her way using a shadow double to distract them and the last of her kunai to take them out. Rushing to Ryu's side to tend to his injuries.

"Sakura its okay. None of them are bad. Don't use any more chakara needlessly. We still have to make it back to Konoha." A seemingly weakened Ryu pleaded to the young medic.

Defeated she agreed "Your right. I used too much as is setting the traps and running here."

"So your all out of chakara?" the fallen guards voice seemed to have more strength in it than before. She nodded her agreement watching in fascination as he pushed himself back from her side noticing the feral smile on his face.