Hey sorry It took so long I was away on Va-Ca for a week and I just got back so sorry for any delay.

NaruHina: Petals

Chpt 3

Naruto was running through the woods looking for any sign of Hinata. A twig, a piece of hair, pleas God give me anything! As if answering his prayers something caught his eye. A tree, a think oak with an arrow carved into its trunk. He clenched his fist tight and hit it against the trunk... Of course they want me to find them.... He kept running as fast as his legs would carry him. He didn't care what happened to him but if anything happened to Hinata... he shook any thoughts of Hinata injured out of his head and simply thought about what he will be facing. He knew for a fact that there was more than one but other than that...he was in the dark. He was still at a full run until he came across another sign the kidnappers gave him. Attached to a tiny tree a little to the right was a Leaf headband with multiple scratches in it. Hinata-chan... There was blood soaked into the cloth and dirk in every grove. His teeth clenched in pure anger...just thinking about them dragging her through the dirt... He forced it off the tree and starred at the symbol very intensely. He gripped it tight and returned to running, there was no time to stand around. Hinata-chan...Images of her giving him a blushing smile flashed through his head. Hinata-chan...He thought of all the good deeds she had done for him in the past, giving him her test to cheat of during the chunin exams, giving him medicine when he was injured, talking to him whenever he was down. Hinata-chan! He thought of them talking all night only hours before. Hinat-chan! Please! Be Alive! What if i can't make it? NO! I will save her, I have to! He ran for a long while, following directions until he noticed something ahead which made him stop. He started to walk slowly forward, staying absolutely silent. He crept into some bushes which opened up just enough for him to look ahead but he doubted others could see him so easily. He was looking upon an open field with a large rock tucked all the way in the back, in the rock lay a huge opening. The cave had two men around it, obviously set as guards. One was laying off somewhere completely knocked out while the other was asleep in the upright position he obviously fell asleep at his post. Naruto didn't want to think of a plan, any second wasted to be Hinata's last so he jumped out of the bushes. "HEY WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HINATA-CHAN?" the one stationed at the front was startled awake and looked around unfocused. His attention landed on Naruto and before he knew what was happening Naruto made seven clones that all ran straight for the man and all attacked in a blur of orange. He beat him until he was knock unconscious. He stood over him thinking of that he should have went a little easier to at least keep him conscious but as he thought this he jumped as he heard a yell from behind him he turned to see a foot fly and hit him straight under the chin throwing his neck back the was a fierce crack as pain shot threw his spine. He flew back landing on his side. He looked up to see the other guard standing there. Naruto stood up and decided he need to beat him as quickly as possible. He made one more clone, while he focused chakra in one palm, the clone guided and directed the chakra into a spiral. They did this for a until the Rasengan was formed perfectly. His clone then grabbed his opposite arm and flung him straight for the enemy, making contact with the man's stomach and sent him flying back, crashing into trees. Naruto ran to where the half conscious lay, he had blood running down his mouth and down his forehead. He looked up at Naruto who picked him up by the collar and started to shake him. "Where is she…." He gave Naruto a confessed look.

"W-who?" Naruto shook him even more fiercely.

"Hinata-chan….THE GIRL YOU TOOK FROM THE WOODS, WHERE!" the man was still wearing a look confused but soon became wide eyed and glanced over at the cave. Naruto set him down and turned to look at the cave opening just as three figures started to stumble out. Naruto was about to attack them but he noticed something odd, they all had a very hard time walking. The men speech was slurred and made absolutely no sense and it soon became very clear to Naruto the they men were completely drunk. Naruto paused for only a second and then ran straight for them he attacked them and they seemed to fall so easily he didn't even need clones. While he ran straight for one, the man just turned around to laugh with the others. Naruto only needed one good punch for the man to collapse. The others just laughed even harder at there friends misfortune. Naruto took them out with a kick to one stomach and a punch to the others mid chest. Naruto stood up straight and looked in the cave it was nearly pitch black but he could barely see a small bit of light some where deep in the cave. Naruto went in side though he didn't have any idea for his surroundings, he walked fast searching every where for Hinata he didn't dare yell out to her, fearing to alert someone else. He finally came across a lantern that was attached to the wall. He grabbed it and started walking. There appeared to be some torches on the wall, all going in one direction so he followed. He soon came across a very large space. He couldn't see much but there was one thing he could just barely make out. It was a figure huddled in the corner. He approached it slowly yet cautiously, ready for a fight if there was one. He watched the figure moved slightly but very franticly. He the heard a slight murmur barely a whimper. It was tiny small and very fragile, it sounded as if someone was crying very softly. "H-hinata-chan….is that you." The figure froze and remained completely still for only a second.

"N-Naruto-kun? You're really here? Or am i just dreaming again?..." Naruto moved the lantern so he could start to see Hinata more.

"Yea it's me I'm here Hinata-chan." Naruto went to her and she fell into his arms, tears running down her cheeks.

"Naruto-kun…..it was horrible…." Naruto looked at her getting a better look. Until now he hadn't even notice the condition she was in. It was obvious she had been assaulted physically, sexually and mentally. She had bruises and cuts all along her face she had defensive wounds on her hands and arms. The zipper on her jacket was broken, as if it had been forced open. She even had bite marks on her neck and arms. Naruto was horrified at what a state she was in and he couldn't even imagine what other wounds she might have. He cradled her in his arms as she sobbed into his shirt. He whispering soothing words to her, which seemed to calm her down slightly. As she tried forced herself to pull herself together, she looked up at Naruto. "N-naruto-kun….I know this is an odd request but…..can you…can you please tell me a story?" Naruto had a puzzled look on his face which made Hinata turn a little pink in her cheeks. "I-I know it sounds childish, but it will help distract me…." Naruto thought for a second then nodded.

"Sure Hinata-chan." He thought of which story he could tell. Seeing that he knew a very slim his mind kept going back to one particular story. He tried to think of another but he just wandered back to it. He gave up trying to find a different one. He took a quivering breath and began his story.

"Once upon a time, in a place called the Village Hidden in the Leaves, there lived a little boy. This boy just sat on a swing all day, crying about the parents he had lost. He hated how the other people could just move on with there pleasant lives while he was miserable. For reasons unknown to the boy at the time everyone hated him and avoided him he was completly alone. But as he grew a little older he learned a little more about his past. There was an attack on that same village by a horrible beast called the Kyuubi. It had attack the village destroying everything in sight, it killed thousand of people…" He paused at this point looking at Hinata, whose face was unreadable, but she had stiffened in his arms. So he unwillingly continued. "There was only one person who stop such a horrible beast. They called him the Fourth Hokage. He had sealed the beast inside the boy right after he had been born. The boy started to grow up, understanding why people hated him, but he had made a pact to himself and to almost anyone he met. That he was to be the Hokage and have everyone in the village respect him and love all he do for them." He stopped, searching for words but found none. Hinata who had dried her tears at this point sat up straight with a knowing expression on her face. She looked at him.

"Tell me something…..what was exactly this boy's name?" He paused looked her in the eye and looked down at the ground.

"Naruto…His name was Naruto Uzumaki…" Her expression didn't change. Naruto closed his eyes, knowing he had just lost one of his closest friends. He started to move but was stopped as Hinata threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Naruto just sat there stunned for an instant, he didn't know what to do but he quickly recovered and hugged her back tightly. And there without exchanging any words, something had changed between them, and they both knew it. After a few seconds Naruto pulled away and looked Hinata in the eyes. "Thank you Hinata-chan…." She answer him with a blush and a smile.

Naruto was walking out of the cave with Hinata on his back. When he found out her ankle had a slight sprain he had picked her up and put her there with no complaint from Hinata except than a blush. As they passed the unconscious bodies Naruto felt Hinata stiffen and tight her grip on him. Naruto made an effort to walk faster until they were well away from the cave. When Naruto and Hinata finally reached the camp sight it was nearly dark. They were greeted with echoes of "Were have you been?" and "Do you know how long you were away?" Neji asked about Hinata's injuries, Naruto had saved a flustered Hinata by merely saying they ran into a little trouble in the forest. Everyone was a little skeptical but didn't bring it up again.

For the rest of night Hinata was latched on Naruto, nothing big like hanging on his arm. Even if her pinky was merely touching the brim on his jacket, that was good enough for her. She always made sure that Naruto wasn't getting angry with her but he didn't seemed bothered by it at all. On more than one occasion she had even seen a flash of pride on his eyes. As if he was happy and proud to be Hinata's own personal protector. But as the sky grew darker Hinata knew everyone would get even more suspicious so she forced herself to stay at least one person away from him. But while they were all around the fire talking Naruto just came around and sat right next to her making the other girls laugh among themselves and Hinata blush. During that time any rustle in the woods or a snap of a twig would make Hinata grab on to Naruto's arm. The first few times this happened it made Naruto jump, but after a while Naruto started to find it very amusing. Even riding in the cart Hinata was terrified. But other then that everyone seemed to be just fine.

Hinata woke up to something hitting her head fiercely, only to find her head bouncing of the side of the cart. She looked at her surroundings and found that she was the only one up, except for Katashi. She slowly got up, making sure not to wake a snoring Naruto in the process. She slid over and sat next to Katashi, she hugged her knees to her chest. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did….but sure."

"Why were you the one who was asked to escort the prize? Is there any reason?" He signed and seemed to looking somewhere, thinking intensely.

"Well it either this or prison…" Hinata was shocked she didn't even know what to say to him. "I was chosen for this because it is basically a suicide mission. They knew alone I would never be able to live through this. That is why I asked the Hidden Leave for help."

"What did you do to have them hate you so much?"

"Well it is kind of a long story….You see when I was a little boy I grew up in one of the most powerful clans in the village. I was even called a child prodigy. I suppose you have heard of the Summoning Jutsu?" Hinata nodded. "Well our clan was known for summoning one particular animal, a lion with wings. Each person has a soul lion who they grow up and train with normally they can summon that particular lion around age thirteen. Well I summoned mine at age three. Apparently that was a sign. There was a meeting with my family and the lions and they all reached a decision. I was to go to the world of the winged lions and train. I lived there until I was twelve. They focused on teaching me one specific technique called the " "Lion's Instinct Jutsu." In which my physical strength and speed be comes almost god like. But it has a deadly price. I lose track of all common sense rely only on instinct. I start to forget who is a friend and who is and enemy. I just kill what or whoever is in front of me. Well one day my clan was under attack by jealous clan from the Village of Steel. We were under attack, we were useless just sitting ducks. I watched my entire clan fall before my eyes. I got so angry I just lost control. I went on a rampage kill everyone who even dare got in my way and in the process of kill the other clan, I killed about seventy others wounding hundreds, without even knowing what I was doing. Well after that day the village were debating what to do with me. They didn't want to try to kill me for fear of just triggering my anger again. So they sealed away all of my powers and destroyed it so I am no longer able to even be a ninja anymore. I can't even mold chakra. Still afraid of me they made me and offer. If I came back on this suicide mission alive I was free to go, but if I refused then I was to be sent to the worst jail in the whole land. I knew I could survive in prison so here I am….." Hinata was speechless the only thing she could muster to say was,

"I-I'm so sorry…."

"Don't worry about it….Hey you might as well go back to sleep we will be arriving in the Village of Smiths tomorrow and trust me, as soon as we get the prize we are going to be in a whole lot more danger." Hinata nodded and after saying goodnight she slid back next to Naruto and faded away into a peaceful sleep.

The End

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