Ryter: Yo, people! I'm bringing you a new chapter!

Harpie: (Trying to push her away) NNOOO! I mean...You're still tired. Very VERY tired. I can handle everything here.

Ryter: (Giving her a suspicious look) Really now. You're concerned about me?

Harpie:(Giving her a innocent look.) Why shouldn't I be worried about you. You're my f f friend.

Sasuke: (Storming from his dressing room and walking up to Ryter.) You ever leave her in charge again and I'll slit both of your throats.

Ryter: What? What's the problem?

Sakura: (Skipping out happily to hug Sasuke) Sasuke-kun! You still owe me that back rub. (She blinks and looks up at Ryter.) Oh. Hi, Ryter.

Ryter: Um...Hi. Soooo, uh...We should star shooting and...WHY IS SAKURA HUGGING SASUKE?

Harpie: (fidgeting) Well...heh...you see. We were playing poker, and I had a really good hand. I had a five, a two, and a blue uno reverse card. I knew I was going to win, so I...kinda...bet Sasuke.

Ryter: FOR WHAT?!

Sakura: My hamster.

Ryter: (Falling anime style) You know what. I don't care! Keep him, but he still has to get on set. YOU (Points at Harpie.) Thank everybody who reviewed. (Goes off mumbling annoyedly.)

Harpie: Um...Sure Ryter. Whatever you say. We at RyterHarpie Inc. would like to thank the following people: In memory of wicked fire, Danimals21, HiN4-cH4n, unbeatablehinata, NaruHinaforever, Draonheart0000, A Robbed Heart, TaichiSpirit, and Notapunk.

Disclaimer: Hey hey you you I don't own Naruto. No way, No way, but I owned this story.

Hinata looked down at herself in the huge pond where Itachi had left her. He had asked her kindly enough where she wanted to go, and had even taken her to the far side of the castle to a spot where there was water. Luckily he didn't ask her why she had wanted to come here, or had stuck around to keep her company.

'Unfortunately, that is where my luck ends.'

She paddled on the crystal waters, barely making a ripple as she moved gracefully towards the shore. She stood on the muddy ground and looked up at the forboding gray of the castle walls. She needed to find a way inside, and more importantly, a way to get her friends and family out. Hinata bowed her head in shame. If she were in her real form, it would be simple, but like this...

'I'm weaker than usual. It's all my fault! If I had been more careful. Hadn't hesitated...'

She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the soft swishing of a tail, or the content purr until it was too late. The cat pounced at her. Hinata looked up in time to flap out of the way, but the cats claws had come down on her wing hard. She couldn't fly at all now. She flapped her good wing wildly, trying to flee as the large feline came after her. Finally, she had no where to run. The cat watched over her, ready to lunge and finish her off. Hinata buried her head under her wing.

'This can't be the way it ends for me. It just can't!'

The creature pounced, and Hinata waited for the crushing blow that was sure to come. It never came. There was a shifting of grass, and a terrified yowl. When Hinata opened her eyes, she saw a the cat running with its tail between its legs. A tall figure stood over her holding a broom in his hands. He looked down at her smiling. She could feel herself blush on the inside as she took in his handsome face.

"That was close huh little guy? I suppose Sasuke will want ya inside of the palace. Between you and me, that guy's becoming a little too obsessed with bird collecting."

The boy picked her up and rubbed her head like she was a pet. She let out a small squawk, before hiding her head under her wing in embarrasement. The boy let out a warm chuckle and his smile widened.

"Let's get inside."

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Sasuke tore through the castle, checking every nook and crany of the fortress. He even double checked the dugeon to make sure that the others were still locked inside of their cages, and still no sight of the eldest Hyuuga daughter. He stormed through the halls fuming at his own stupidity.

"There's no help for it. I'll have to tell the others to search the grounds for her. Hopefully she didn't get to far. I can't let her get away again. I won't."

He turned a corner quickly and was instantly sent on his butt as he hit something coming around at the same time. He stood up slowly, and clenched his teeth in hate, as he tried hard to keep his voice at least semi-calm.

"You have ten seconds to tell me why I shouldn't burn you alive and rape you with your own leg, And know I count by fives."

"HEY, DON'T GET MAD AT ME SASUKE-TEME! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance. Just what he needed, a run in with the loud mouth. He was about to just push by him, when a movement under his arm caught his eye. He stopped and glared at the swan who was cowering in his friends hold.

"Naruto. Where did you find that?"

The blond blinked in confusion, before he remembered the swan he had saved earlier. He gave his famous fox like grin and held up the bird. The swan looked back at him frightened. It began to honk and try to flap away from Sasuke as Naruto held it out to him.

"Oh him? I found this little guy by the pond while I was throwing the rotten food into the pon...I mean sweeping up the court yard. He was about to be eaten by a cat when I got there. Figured you'd want him more alive than dead."

Sasuke wasn't even registering what Naruto was saying as he gave the swan a look that promised a severe punishment. He grabbed hold of the creature by its slender neck. It struggled and looked at Naruto pleadingly. A lot of good things could be said for the blond, but when it came to noticing small details, Like a swan pleading for her life with her eyes, he tended to be a bit dense. He grunted and crossed his arms annoyed.

"You could say thank you? Seriously, Teme, who taught you your manners? I mean I thought a 'prince' was supposed to be all sophisticated."

As he said this he wiped his nose with the back of his shirt sleeve, and picked inside of his ear. The Uchiha shook his head and walked away, finally having his prize back.

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When the ebony haired boy finally arrived back in his room, he growled and slammed the door shut, this time remembering to lock it. He threw Hinata onto the bed, causing her wound to start bleeding again. Sasuke didn't notice this as he began on an angry tirade.

"How dare you go off with him! You should have known better than to follow ITACHI of all people."

He showed no mercy as he verbally tore into her. There was no time for it. He had been lucky this time, and no one had seen her transform, but next time...No, there would be no next time. He would find a way to make sure of that.

"I don't care if you've never seen him before in your life! A blind fool with half a brain cell would know enough to avoid him! Even Naruto knows to give that sick freak room, and he IS a blind fool with half a brain cell. You're to not go near him again understood."

Hinata nodded her head. Human terror clearly present in her pale eyes. Then something struck Sasuke. Something about the way Hinata had looked back at Naruto, had pleaded with the dobe, something didn't sit right with him about that. He narrowed his eyes even more at her as he hissed the rest to her.

"Or Naruto."

Those expressive eyes of hers, which could never belong to a swan, widened. She cowered away from him, and shook her head.

'I won't. The boy who saved me, Naruto, I will see him again. I'll see him as a human, and he'll help me. He'll help me free the others like he helped him today.'

Sasuke snarled. He couldn't read her mind, but it was obvious what she wanted. Somehow, someway, she had fallen for the dobe! It made no sense?

'How can she want him, over me? I'm Sasuke! Sasuke UCHIHA! Sex incarnated! How could she want him?'

He moved towards the bed, and started to reach out for her. Hinata flinched away, cowering behind her bloody wing. Sasuke saw this and froze. The pale white of the feathers was stained crimson with her own blood. His fury dissolved almost as quickly as it had came. He gently lifted her from the bed and moved her towards his bath room. Hinata paniced and started flapping wildly. Not realizing that she was causing more damage to her wound. Sasuke let out a tired sigh and held her wings so she couldn't flap.

"Stop that. You'll only cause more damage."

He sat down on his toliet and quickly started to run water in the bath tub. While the tub was filling up, he reached for a bath cloth and ran cold water from the sink over it. Then he gently cleaned the wound, making sure to get under her feathers, to clean the drying blood from her cut. Paying careful attention, so that he didn't cause her further pain.

"You are starting to become a problem."

He turned off the tap and placed her inside of the tub while he searched for some gauze and anticeptic in the cabinets.

"But if I was in the same place you are. I would cause some problems too."

Hinata looked at him confused. He pulled out what he needed and took his seat back on the stool of his toliet. He picked her back out of the tub without looking at her. Slowly he applied the anticeptic. The Hyuuga winced in pain slightly, and he fought not to chuckle.

"I learned about you from a friend of yours. Sakura something."

Her head shot up looking at him, confused more than ever. He took the moment of surprise to wrap her wing tightly with the gauze, already knowing he'd have to change it once she grew back to her normal size. He looked into her gaze, trying to understand how this revelation had hit her. A thousand emotions played over her face at once. Fear, sorrow, anger, hope, jealousy, bafflement, and most shockingly of all a twinge of hate. He smirked slightly.

'So, my Hime does have a bit of evil in her. Interesting.'

After making sure the dressings wouldn't come undone, he wrapped a dry towel around her and took her back to his bed. He lay her there. He rubbed a hand down her neck, much like Naruto had after he had rescued her, but this time her reaction was different. She was frozen, not sure if this was a trick or not. Giving up on winning her over this time, he stood up from his spot on the edge of the bed.

"I'll go get you some food. After a day like this, you could probably use something to eat."

He left the room. Making sure he locked the door before heading towards the kitchen.

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He pushed the doors to the kitchen open, and walked through to be greeted by the sight of his men, and some of his flirtier fangirls stuffing their faces. He grunted as he walked towards the freezer. Kiba raised his hand up at Sasuke.

"Yo! You gonna join us?"

Naruto sniffed and flicked his nose at the Uchiha.

"Nah. You know that the 'great' Sasuke wouldn't waste his time with trash like us."

Shikamaru let out a loud sigh, before giving a flirtatious smile at some of the girls, causing them to break into giggles.

"Speak for yourself Uzamaki."

The kyuubi growled and jumped at Shikamaru, knocking him out of his chair. Shikamaru pulled down Chouji who was sitting next to him. He in turn pulled down the table, which splattered food everywhere. Wiping icecream out of his hair, Sasuke slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a deep dent. Then he walked away calmly. They all looked at him worriedly.

"Hey. You guys think he's really mad?"

The guys shrugged and shook thier heads. Their leader was starting to change, and no one was sure why.

Ryter: (looking at Naruto intensly) Hmm...

Naruto: (Getting irritated.) WHAT?!

Ryter: I always wanted to ask you something. (He raises an eyebrow and looks at her) How are you a ninja if you wear an orange jumpsuit.

Harpie: (Appearing over her shoulder) Yeah. That is a good question. I mean, a bright orange track suit doesn't exactly scream 'hi, I'm a silent and unseen killing force. Oh, wait, you're already dead.'

Naruto: WHAT?! Come on! It's not like I'm wearing a green spandex jumpsuit and talking about youth constently.

Ryter: HEY! Lee is fast and blends in with the leaves! He's practically invisible.

Lee: (Doing taijutsu pose) Yosh!

Harpie: And you gotta admit. You aren't that quiet. Especially when you're practically screaming 'believe it'...

Ryter: Worst catch phrase EVER by the way.

Harpie: On every mission. I'm amazed you haven't been killed yet.

Ryter: Yeah. What part of NINJA didn't you get.

Naruto: (Sitting in a corner whimpering) I am a great ninja. I am. You wait and see. I'm..I'm gonna be the next...the next...

Harpie: Hokage. We know already. It's the second most frequent phrase out of your mouth other than...

Ryter: (Throwing her fist in the air) Believe it! (They look at him as he starts tearing in the corner and sigh) I think we were a little to hard on him. Come on Naruto. We'll buy you all the ramen you can eat.

Naruto: Your treat?

Harpie: Our treat. (He grabs them and pulls them away happily.)

Sasuke: (rolling his eyes) Now review, or I'll attack your stuffed animals.