Epilogue:
How many years had it been since he had last seen his father? He didn't know. He could barely remember what the older man looked like. Sighing he rubbed his forehead, fingering the delicate kanji. Father how could you do this to me? Where can I go? No one will accept me like this. Turning his head up to the night sky he shivered. He had never felt warmth. "I need to move," he said to himself. Sensing another presence his body tensed. He was in a forest on the outskirts of Kohona. It was most likely a Leaf-nin on patrol. He could not afford to be caught. He would have to kill it quickly before he was discovered.
Prowling toward the nin he became confused. The chakra is weak, too weak to defend Kohona. He heard the nin before he saw her. Her voice filled with sorrow.
"Father, how could you do this to me? Where can I go? No one will accept me like this."
He looked upon the broken body on the ground. Streaks of tears dried on her face. Her bloody hands clutching her forehead as she struggled to stand up again.
She is not a threat. She was insignificant. He should ignore her. Or he could be generous and kill her to end her suffering.
His sand coiled around her small frame. She gasped as she realized she was not alone. Removing her hand from the green seal freshly placed upon her forehead her empty lavender eyes stared into empty pale green eyes.
She smiled. The sand wrapped around her body squeezed her slightly. She did not cry out in pain. No, to her it was how she imagined an embrace from her father to be, lethal. But yet, the sand was warm. She yearned for this warmth.
He couldn't do it. The sand yearned for her blood, yet he could not bring himself to end her life yet. Her eyes were the same as his. He wanted to touch her. The sand said her blood would be warm but he wanted to touch her while she was still alive, to actually feel something warm and living. He yearned for that warmth.
Pulling her closer to him with the sand he saw she did not struggle. Her eyes were closed. She seemed at peace.
Fearing he had crushed her too soon he removed the sand. Her limp form fell to the ground. Instinctively he caught her body before it hit the ground and he pulled her close to him. A faint heartbeat and shallow breathing assured him she would live for a few more moments. Though he was certain she would die soon, her body was still very warm. He needed this warmth. Tracing the mark upon her head he felt at peace.
Encasing the sand around them, he wanted to hold on to the warmth.
Tomorrow she would most likely be dead. But for now, she was still warm.