What do you call a group of Wild Cats?

A Destruction

She didn't know why she hasn't expected it earlier. Sora was aware time was quickly running out from the moment it was announced that their matriarch gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

Uchiha Sasuke.

It was the main rumour of the clan now. It wasn't worthy of throwing a party—not that their clan would do something so rowdy as throw a massive party. But people were happy for the head family and were wondering if Sasuke would turn out like Itachi who, for his part, was now in the academy and gradually cementing the fact that he was a genius.

Sora was not happy. Not in the least.

She knew that Sasuke's birth will only mean Naruto's birth couldn't be that far off. Though for the life of her Sora couldn't remember an exact date. It didn't help that the memories of the anime showed Konoha as being in a perpetual state of summer despite the fact that they did actually wave autumn and winter. (Which included a surprising amount of show for a country that was called Fire country) Meaning it was even harder to pinpoint a timeframe.

She supposed that it didn't really matter either way. What was she supposed to do? Go up to Obito and tell him to spot being such a winy ass bitch? Tell the Hokage that he and his wife were due to die and leave their child an orphan?

Yeah, she could see those scenarios playing out just great.

Maybe someone else in Sora's shoes would have done something else. Maybe they would have warned the Hokage and damn the consequences. Maybe they would have wanted to be a hero.

Sora didn't want to be any hero. She simply wanted to live the remaining bit of her life quietly with her family. Then again that also meant they had to survive the Kyūbi's attack.

Groaning once again in her pillow the three year old turned around to stare at her ceiling. She didn't care about the Hokage and his wife. She didn't particularly care about the village either though she did have a too bad feeling when thinking about what it was they were going to experience. All Sora truly cared about was her family. She liked certain members of her clan well enough as well though she didn't think she would be destroyed by their deaths in the same way she would be if someone like Umi died.

In the end, the girl had to get out of her bed when lunch was prepared regardless of the fact that she would have very much preferred to lay unmoving on her bed.

—.—.—.—.—

Autumn came late in Hi no Kuni, the leaves having just began turning colours despite it being October already. The day started like any other, with her sibling off doing menial D-ranks most likely and her father doing whatever it was he was doing as part of Konoha's military police force.

Her mother was sitting on the egawa, knitting away, while Sora was in the backyard practising her kyūjutsu.

It was a peaceful day all things considering.

And it stays that way till lunch.

Once they finished eating Kotori announced that she needed to go out for a bit. Sora didn't bother questioning her mom and simply bid her farewell as she went to grab a book from the shelf to read. It helped passed the time and before she knew it the sun was dipping into the horizon.

The girl stretched across the couch and wonder what everyone was up to. She was about to go grab some food from the fridge when it happened.

Sora was no sensor. For all that one might assume she would be one, what which chakra being a new feeling and stuff, she simply wasn't. Sure she was perfectly aware of her own chakra, anyone who bothered to even attempt meditation —in any form— could feel it, feeling other people's chakra was a completely different beast altogether.

So when a wave of intense, thick and angry, chakra slammed into her Sora knew it could only be one thing.

Dropping the plate she grabbed, the girl paid it no mind as it broke into dozens of tiny pieces. Running to the entrance of the house as fast as she could, the screams having started not long after the chakra blast.

And then she saw it.

Kurama was huge. A titan. Easily visible as he released a mighty roar.

People were running, screaming, crying. Desperation practically permeating the air and Sora felt herself being swept into the frenzy.

She didn't know where her parents or sibling were as she shakily looked around. Hoping against hope that one of them would turn up.

She was about to scream out for one of them—knowing logically that it would do no good in the clamour. She never got a chance to as some slammed into her, causing both of them to fall to the ground as wood and metal and concrete started raining from the sky.

Sora was terrified.

She has never felt like this, ever.

The emotion was raw and strong and primal and it screamed at her to get out. Run. Hide. Do something other than be a sitting duck.

So Sora ran.

Primarily following in the direction of the crowd, not really knowing where they were going but assuming based on the direction that it was somewhere in the Hokage monument's direction.

Another shock wave sent the people slamming in various place. Sora being no exception as her back it a hard surface. Knocking the wind out of her lungs and making her black out for a moment.

'Nonononono, I don't want to die. I don't want to die!' she thought dizzily, falling to the ground dry heaving. Her vision spotty at best.

'I don't want to die,' she thought somewhat more rationally, blinking in surprise as her vision began clearing. She was shocked. Shocked by the realisation that she meant it.

She didn't want to die.

Didn't want to wait for someone to just kill her for nothing more than the blood which ran through her veins.

The realisation caused uncontrollable laughter to bubble past her throat causing her to simultaneously cough from the pain. Tears were streaming past her cheeks and slightly deliriously the child wondered when did she start crying.

People were still running, still screaming around her. Giving no mind to the child on the ground that they all past in their desperation to survive.

Slowly, so as to not jar her body further, Sora tried to get up, ignoring the people around her. Ignoring the fox ravaging her home. Without truly meaning to, the girl turned her head to the side, body freezing as she saw a barely twitching man. He was impaled by a metal pole of some sort, blood pooling from the wound to the ground.

She watched transfixed as the life drained out of them, ignoring the stinging of in her eyes.

Then she clenched her teeth and turned away from the dying man. She needed to live. She wanted to live.

She will live.

—.—.—.—

Takeo was helping guide people to the shelters safely, all the while keeping an eye out for his family. He saw his eldest daughter be instructed to go inside the shelter and Hideo let him know that his son also safely made it. It lightened his heart somewhat, despite the destruction currently being waged across his village.

His children made it. At least two of them did. There was no word of his youngest and wife.

Speaking of which, Kotori barrelled her way to him, eyes wide and Sharingan activated.

"I can't find Sora," she said, and despite the calm with which she delivered the words Takeo could tell from the way her body was subtly shaking that the woman was anything but calm.

"She wasn't at the house and nobody has seen her or Umi or Riku and…" putting a steadying hand or her shoulder, Takeo waited for his wife to focus on him.

"Riku and Takeo are both in the shelter you go there as well," he ordered. And for all that the woman calmed at hearing her oldest were safe she tensed right back up at the order.

"Do as instructed Kotori," came Fugaku's voice, as he came toward them. "We do not have time for talking. Go to your other children now," and before any more protests could leave Kotori's lips she was made to move along with the others towards the shelter.

"Taicho—" Takeo attempted to say before being interrupted.

"I am aware but the chances are that your daughter could already be dead—"

"You can't know that for certain!"

"And your tracking isn't the best. You will be wasting far too much time," Fugaku finished, glaring at the man as the Kyūbi gave one last screech before quiet settled over them.

"What was that?"

"What happened?" Different voices asked in confusion, all looking in the direction the fox used to be.

"It seems like they sealed the Kyūbi. Somehow," Fugaku noted before sighing.

"Morisuke, you go look for survivors, keep an eye out for Takeo's daughter. You are familiar with her right? Hinoue, Daichi, you help him," Fugaku ordered as he got ready to manage the situation.

Takeo looked at his clan head gratefully, nodding his understanding when he was ordered to help out with the people already here.

—.—.—.—

Sora didn't know what happened. Only that she couldn't hear the fox anymore and the oppressive chakra that previously blanketed the entire village was now gone.

Nevertheless, she kept on walking, her legs shaking badly as she made her way towards the shelters. Having heard one of the police officers give out said instructions.

She really was out of it, but she turned her head just in time as a member of KMP landed in from of her. She didn't recognise the man immediately. In fact, she didn't recognise him at all till she was safely delivered to her mother who nearly pounced on the man. Thanking him over and over for bringing her back.

'Morisuke-san; he's one of oto-san's friends,' she recalled.

Neither adult commented on her red eyes though both paused momentarily when noticing it.

Sora really couldn't care about something like that now. All she cared for was the fact that she was alive, her mother was alive. She didn't know were her siblings and father were but she held hope that they were fine too.

All the child could do was unleash all her pent up emotions as she, for the first time, sobbed uncontrollably in her mother's chest. Her body rocking violently as the events of the night and the realisations it bought washed over her.

"I don't want to die," she cried pitifully in her mother's arms while the woman tried to soothe her, not understanding that Sora was referring to more than the Kyūbi's attack.

Eventually, exhaustion took over and the girl could no longer force her body to stay awake. With a whispered promise from her mother that all would be all right the girl gave in and allowed sleep to claim her.

All the while asking herself:

'Could I have prevented this?'

—.—.—.—

The destruction looked far worse in the morning. But for all that people were still recovering from last night they all got to work.

The bodies and rubble had to be cleared first to prevent disease spreading and to allow for construction to take place. Almost everyone was mourning something, a loved one, a home. Yet they all buckled up and did something. Even Sora, who was tasked with delivering water around for those that needed it.

All things considering the recovering process was going both smoothly and quickly, which when you considered this to be a hidden village made much more sense.

They couldn't appear weak. Lest someone gets any smart ideas and take advantage of their weakened state.

So gritting their teeth and stifling any and all complaints people worked and worked and worked.

Sora caught snippets of conversations and learned that missives were sent out for ninja to either return or hurry up with their missions. Despite the fact that they would need the income provided by missions in for the rebuilding.

But Sora wasn't about to question the [presumably] wiser political heads of the village and went about her own tasks.

For now, their clan lived in temporary shelters while constructions on their new compound were underway. She heard the mutters of disapproval as it was revealed that their clan will be relocated nearer the village border, further away from the centre.

'It was starting,' she thought. A sense of dread filling her, causing her fists to ball and her eyes to narrow.

'I don't want to die,' the girl reminded herself. Over and over till the thought solidified in her mind. Things that she couldn't even begin to comprehend or foresee were being put in motion but, for the first time ever, Uchiha Sora was filled to the brim with determination. A much colder emotion than one would think but there nevertheless.

'I don't want to die.'

A/N: Thank you for reading this lovelies! Cookies for your thoughts on it?