Hey guys, thanks for reading. Just wanted to thank SasuSakuKawaii, JakuraAngel, NamelessLurker, Wahyah and vero1092 for reviewing. You guys are all awesome and your feedback helps me a lot. Here is chapter 4. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

…SilverMoon…

Chapter 4

Sakura gasped for air.

Angry shouts from the hunters above pervaded her ears, but she ignored them.

Struggling against the current, she dragged Hinata's limp form with her to the riverbank.

The hunters had stopped shooting at them when it became clear that they were out of range for their weapons, even though they could see them. To the hunters' vision, they are little more than dots on a river bank downstream of the great waterfall, almost hidden by the trees which obscuring their shots.

Finally, they reached the shallows where the water only reached Sakura's knees. She paused for a moment to catch her breath and hunched over panting. Her breaths whistled out of her quickly, almost too quickly for her to draw another breath. The current was still strong even in the shallows so she had to hold on to Hinata to keep her from getting taken away. Weakly, she straightened. Sakura groaned in pain. The movement caused her already sore body to ache even further. Luckily she hadn't been injured from the impact of the water when they had jumped off the cliff. They had only just missed the sharp rocks below. Her wolf growled at her spurring her into action. Sakura groaned again, but agreed. She could rest once she had Hinata safe on the sandy brown river bank. Sakura carefully grasped Hinata under her armpits, mindful of the tender area where the silver bullet had entered and gave one all mighty heave. However, Sakura had miscalculated her strength and the momentum of Hinata's body weight. They both toppled over and collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs. Sakura was momentarily winded from the impact of landing on the riverbank and Hinata landing on top of her. She lay there for a second stunned as she tried to get her breath back. But the weight of Hinata's body on top of hers wasn't helping. Sakura's wolf took over and managed to scrabble her way out enough to be able to push Hinata off her. Finally, Sakura was able to breathe properly. Hinata lay beside her, their legs still in the cool water and their upper bodies out of it.

Sunrise crested over the waterfall in front of Sakura and illuminated Hinata's black hair forcing hidden shades of blue to emerge from it.

Sakura rolls over and feels for her pulse. It was weak but steady. Still alive. Using her healer magic, she ran a quick scan to make sure there were no silver fragments left from the bullet that passed through her shoulder. When she was sure there were no fragments, she drew back her magic and slumped, exhausted. She had used all her healer magic to the point where her own natural wolf healing magic that was healing her body has almost come to a standstill. However, Sakura was in better condition than Hinata.

Hinata had gone into a healing sleep and won't be waking up for a few days at least. Her purple eyed friend won't be helping her escape anymore. It's all up to Sakura now to save them both.

There was a commotion from the cliffs above. Straining her ears, Sakura listened for remnants of the hunters' conversation.

"Are you an id … cliff … high … ropes … stupid animals … trouble …circle … find … down cliff … that … take … long … no choice." Their voices were scattered and being thrown about by the wind up on the cliff.

From what Sakura gathered they will be circling back and it won't be long before they find a way down. Her wolf pricked her ears and senses the hunters' presence steadily moving away from the cliff.

Moaning, Sakura and her wolf relaxed for a short while, safe from the hunters.

However, Sakura knew she and Hinata can't stay. Only, she wasn't strong enough to drag Hinata and let alone herself away. Her magic capacity was depleted completely and her physical strength was almost gone. Changing into her wolf would do more harm than good and would exhaust her even further. There was no way she could do anything more than drag her and Hinata a few metres before she would collapse. Then the hunters would be down and they would be 'punished' before being taken back to camp. Sakura shook in fear. Her limbs trembled uncontrollably. No, she doesn't want that.

There has to be a way to leave.

There has to be.

But there was nothing. She was too weak.

And now … and now she can barely keep her eyes open.

Not for the first time the brunt of her despair eclipsed her stubbornness and strength to carry on. However, it was different this time.

There was no hope.

They can't escape. They will be captured once more. Fortunately, Hinata will be unconscious for 'punishment' when the hunters make it to them. Small mercy. But if they were really, really lucky, the hunters' will kill them right after, instead of dragging them both back to camp.

Tears fell from her eyes slowly and Sakura rubbed them away in frustration. But just as they are gone more appeared. She was just so tired. Tired of fighting her tears, tired of running, tired of saying everything was going to be fine when it was clear it won't be. Not now. Not anymore. Everything hurt. Finally, Sakura couldn't take it anymore and she broke down and cried.

Time passed slowly, the hunters grew closer and still Sakura cried.

Useless., the voice in her head taunted. They were right. You are useless.

A harsh sound caught somewhere between a laugh and a sob broke free of her chest.

Look at yourself lying there and unable to do anything more than cry.

More tears fell.

No wonder Sasuke didn't choose you for his mate. Weak.

No, no it's not true. I'm not weak.

Ha. From where I'm standing you shouldn't even have the right to live. Useless.

No., she quietly denied.

Weakling.

No!

Burden.

NO!

Useless!

Sakura sobbed even louder and covers her ears in vain; the voice is in her head not outside her. It continued to taunt her ruthlessly, bringing up all her insecurities and using them as cannon fodder. Round and round and round, the abuse was never ending. And then …

"Hn. Annoying."

Sasuke?

Quickly, she looked around painfully hopeful he is there. Had he come to rescue her? But he wasn't there. There was no one there. The forest around her was empty. His voice was in her head, just like the other one.

Delirious., the word came to her at the same time as her realisation. She was delirious. So much for staying sane. Go away Sasuke-kun.

"So that's it. You're going to give up."

So she tried to ignore his voice too, but he was much more stubborn. And he said she was annoying.

"Hn." It was cloaked in disapproval. "After everything you've been through. You're not going to even try."

Sakura was silent.

"Sakura, you are the smartest next to Shikamaru when it comes to plans."

Shut up I don't know what to do. Didn't you hear her? I'm weak. I'm useless. I'm nothing more than a burden., She squeezed her eyes shut to block him out, not wanting to hear his cutting response.

"So prove her wrong"

What?!

"Prove her wrong. You're really not giving up now, are you? You're smart not stupid. I just said so and I am right. Only stupid people give up"

Well maybe I'm stupid as well!

He was quiet for a moment.

"You're going to leave us all? Leave the dobe, Kakashi? Leave me alone?"

She stayed silent.

"Hn." His favourite non-word was full of emotion. Yet, it conveyed exactly how he felt without having to put it to words.

They were both silent for some time, each as stubborn as the other.

Until Sakura gave in.

Fine, I'll try.

"Annoying."

And then his voice was gone. Sakura was alone in the forest with Hinata's limp body beside her.

Alright, alright. I can cry when I get back home. Sakura wiped her eyes and weighed her options once more, thinking clearly now and without the fog of despair. She stated everything she knew; Hinata is unconscious and won't be moving anywhere anytime soon, I have no energy to drag her or myself away from here, the hunters are on their way down here …

Sakura panicked at that thought.

Calm down Sakura. Focus. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before letting it out. It seemed to help somewhat.

She looked around at her surroundings; the forest is at her back and the nocturnal animals are going to sleep while the others are waking up. The river rushed around rocks and lapped at the riverbank. A fallen tree was floating in water lodged against the bank, but the strong current from the rushing river created by the waterfall would soon take it away.

Floating log. Strong current.

Of course!

Heaving herself up, Sakura slowly dragged Hinata over to log. It was a struggle; she only moved a metre or two before she collapsed. Her and Hinata's body tumbled ungracefully to the ground again. But she doesn't give up, she was going to make it home to see all of her precious people again. And she'll be damned if she leaves her purple eyed friend behind. They escaped this nightmare together, so they are sure as hell are leaving it together. Screw exhaustion and her aching body. Slowly but surely, Sakura dragged Hinata and herself over to the log, resting every so often to catch her breath. One more heave and she moved Hinata's upper body so it lay over the top of the log, making sure her face was out of the water.

However, she realised she won't be able to hold both of them on the log. She was too weak from exhaustion and the silver poisoning. Her body ached as if in agreement and her wolf groaned tiredly. A broken branch on part of the log looked sturdy enough to tie them to it. But she needed some sort of rope. Sakura scanned around for something to tie them both to the broken branch sticking out from the log. Nothing. Then she glanced down.

Well they're rags away.

Tearing off a piece of her shirt, she tied Hinata's and her wrists together with some difficulty. That way she would know if Hinata slips off and they wouldn't get separated in the strong current. Then Sakura ripped another strip from her shirt and also Hinata's clothes and tied their wrists to the part of the tree that sticks out where a branch used to be.

Her vision began to blur forcing her to rest for another minute to catch her breath. She had to hurry the hunters would be there any minute.

Using the last of her willpower, Sakura kicked the bank where the log was stuck into, but it doesn't budge. It was dug in deep.

She lets lose a cry of frustration. They are so close to escaping she is not going to let one stupid log keep them from getting captured again. Sakura kicked it again in anger and the log shifted an inch. Hope surged in her veins and Sakura lets her anger take control since she has nothing else. She kicked and kicked at the bank, until finally the stubborn log was free. The strong current swiftly took them away. The river deep was enough that neither of their legs dragged along the bottom of the river, as the water took them along.

Her eyes began to close involuntarily. She fought it to stay awake but can't. Her body had reached its limit and she fell asleep.

…SilverMoon…

An immeasurable amount of time later, Sakura woke up to the feeling of the log hitting against something. Tiredly, she opened her eyes and groaned in despair. The log was stuck in the riverbank again. Sakura kicked at the bank, but it was no use. It had firmly rooted itself into this bank and Sakura's weak attempts to make it move had no effect. She tried to summon her anger but she is too tired to do even that. The river's current wasn't as strong anymore, anyway. Sighing, she looked around.

Hinata was still unconscious beside her but was breathing steadily, which was a good sign. Taking in the forest around her, she tried to find something, anything that was familiar. But there was nothing. Sakura was not sure where they are or how long she was out for.

She heard a fast clicking like noises. Quickly, she searched around trying to work out what it was and where it was coming from. Was it the hunters? A hungry animal? Or heaven forbid, friends?

Then Sakura realised what it was and her hopes sunk. She was making the noise.

Her teeth were chattering, which meant she was cold, Sakura somehow recalled fuzzily. But she doesn't feel … wait she does now that she thought about it. She was cold from the freezing water. And if she was cold, so was Hinata. They had to get out of the water and dry off, the healer in her urged. They had to get warm.

With numb fingers that didn't want to work properly, she painstaking tried to unknot her and Hinata from the log. After multiple unsuccessful attempts, she finally managed to unknot it and drag Hinata's limp form of the log onto her. The weight of her friend's body sent her underwater in the waist deep river. Somehow, she surged back to the surface. Luckily, Hinata's body was face up so she didn't have to turn her to keep her head above the water.

Sakura didn't remember the next few minutes very well as she tried to move her friend to the bank. She knew there was a lot of slipping, falling over and cries of exhaustion and frustration which included a lot cussing. The only clear point in the haze was when they are both lying down on the sandy riverbank, wrists still tied together. Her teeth were still chattering, so she wriggled closer to Hinata to share body heat.

The quiet sounds and rustles of the forest comforted her as she lay there letting the sun dry their wet rags, which would never pass as clothes. The warm summer sun was half way up in the sky. It was somewhere close to midday. They had been on that log from sunrise to midday surely that meant they had covered enough ground to be away from the hunters. Finally, Sakura's teeth stop chattering and Hinata's lips were no longer tinged blue. Her friend was breathing steadily.

That's good.

Then Sakura heard something that made her believe she was dreaming and she will wake up back at the hunters' camp at any moment. A lone wolf howled in the distance. It was such a mournful but yearning sound. Tears of disbelief and homesickness filled her eyes.

The wolf howled again. Her wolf whimpered, desperate to howl back, but was too weak.

More howls joined the first, but Sakura still couldn't howl back. All she could manage was a pitiful whimper.

Time passed and she drifted in and out of consciousness. The leaves from the tree branches above swayed in the warm summer breeze, casting shadows across Sakura's face. Blinding her when the sun peaked out from behind them. Sakura closed her eyes.

Then suddenly, she smelt wolves. Her tired green eyes gradually opened and Sakura tilted her head to side, trying desperately to find its source.

A lone black wolf appeared from the tree line and paced forward sniffing at the ground. Ten metres separate them and Sakura nearly cried. Not in fear, but in weak relief. It is a male werewolf. She must have made a sound because he froze and looked up; his inky black eyes falling on her and Hinata's forms. Human eyes and not that of a wild animal. More werewolves of different shades of fur appeared from forest, at least ten of them. They stopped just at the edge of the tree line like the first wolf, their human eyes locked on them.

They can … they can help.

"Please", Sakura begged, but the word was inaudible. She attempted to lift her tired body up, but it was too heavy.

The werewolves don't move, seemingly frozen in place. Sakura wondered if she was delusional again and was hallucinating this entire thing. Maybe they aren't there at all.

But then the first black werewolf hesitantly prowled closer and his scent hit her like a punch to the gut. And for some reason she knew she couldn't be hallucinating. Sakura tried again and somehow she managed to sit up. Her voice only just strong enough to be heard, "Please help us."

Her vision blurred; she could only see fuzzy black shapes now. Her body swayed uncertainly.

Shouldn't have moved. Sakura thought blearily.

There was that comforting smell of musk and pine trees again. Closer this time. It invaded her nose.

"Sakura?"

The male voice was familiar. Like his scent.

But she couldn't place it.

Then the world tilted and her vision blackened. But in her final conscious moments she swore the scent of musk and pine grew stronger. Something strong and warm caught her.

Surrounded her.

Safe.

"SAKURA!"

…SilverMoon…

(Cue evil laugh) Guess who has finally appeared in the story.

Please review and you might find out. Kidding, you'll find out either way when I post the next chapter. But reviews are always appreciated.