Told you the next chapter would be up soon. :D Well here we go.
If writing looks like this, it is a flashback.
There is going to be a bad attempt at fluffiness in this chapter, so be prepared!
Disclaimer: Characters belong to their creator.
Sasuke's POV:
It was time. "Is everyone ready?" Neji murmed in my ear. I nodded, "yea, let's just get this over with." The monkey nodded, "OK, but tell me again why we're are going to a deserted area?" My ears twitched in annoyance, "I've told you four times already, Kakashi has spotted a group of lions there. You know we can't risk them getting into these lands again."
He nodded, "I know, I know. It took us four years to chase them away." "Exactly. Some of the pack has already left, so let's get the rest of them and get going." I just wanted to get this over with. The sooner we got this over with, the better. "But wait, who's going to watch your cave? And what about the prisoner?"
"No one. The cave will be fine, nobody is stupid enough to go in there. And that raccoon isn't worth worrying about, it's not like we exchange pleasantries with it." The monkey looked nervously back at the cave, "maybe I should stay and-" "No. We are all going." I snarled. The monkey jumped at my ferocity. "OK, Ok! Let's go then, jeez..."
Gaara's POV:
Day four. It was day four without food or water, and I couldn't even feel my legs. I hadn't moved from the corner that I had curled up into, and I did not plan to. There was no point, no motivation. The wolves were leaving. Why? I didn't even have the strength to lift my head.
Where were they going? Must have been something big since they all left. It was rare, if not impossible, when the Uchiha pack would leave their cave unwatched. But then again, what did they have to worry about? Nobody was fool enough to just waltz in here.
The conscisquences were big if anyone was caught, those wolves were brutal. They showed no mercy, no compassion. I doubted that they even souls. I think I might have been dying. I wasn't sure, but I kept hearing a strange buzzing sound in my head. I hoped I was close to death, I really just wanted to get away from this. I wanted to see my mate, no I needed to see him. He had saved me, he gave me a reason to live. Without him, I would have been dead.
If I had died back then, I never would have realized what the word love meant. He should me that even I could be loved, and I returned the emotion ten fold. It sounded cheesy, even to me, but it was what happened.
"If I told you that I loved you, would you think me wierd?" Rock Lee said shyly, "I know you said you don't believe in that emotion, but I want to show you that it can be real." I stared at the squirrel in curosity. "How would you do that?" I was doubtful that love existed, it wasn't something that held real meaning. The word love was tossed around so casually much too many times that it just became a word.
"Follow me. I want to show you something I've never shown anyone before." I nodded and followed the energetic squirrel, which wasn't easy at all. It took all I had to keep up with him, and through the burls of branches and leaves, I had almost lost him twice. Finally he stopped and I nearly bumped into him.
"You ready to see it?" Rock Lee was excited, but nervous as well. What was it he wanted to show me that would prove love existed? What had him so excited? "Yea." The squirrel jumped through the leaves and I followed. He stopped in front of the trunk of a tree, and as I looked up I was amazed. "Do you like it?" I couldn't respond. I was too shocked at the site before me. The trunk of the tree was white, the leaves were a light purple, but that wasn't what had me speechless. On the branches were plums and acorns growing side by side.
"Beautiful isn't it?" I nodded slowly, afraid if I spoke the magic would be broken. The squirrel moved in closer to me, "when I see this tree and what grows on it, I think of you." I snapped out of my stupor, "of me?" He nodded, "the beauty of the tree reminds me of the warm feeling I get when I see you. Gaara, I really love you."
I didn't believe in love, and yet here was this squirrel confessing his feelins. "I'm sorry, I just don't-" "Don't say it." The squirrel stopped me. I stiffened as he began to nuzzle me against my neck, "please say that you love me too." Me say that word? In a sentence that didn't include me saying that I didn't believe in it?
"You don't have to say it now. I just want you to know that this tree will always be ours." He murmed into my neck. I shivered. What was this warm feeling I had? "Lee, can I ask you a question?" I shifted in an attempt to get him loose, but he latched on tighter. "Sure." Now I was feeling shy, "when we first met, why did you talk to me?" He moved away from my neck a little and looked into my eyes. I could have swore I felt heart leap as I looked into his face. "I talked to you because you were alone. No one should ever be alone like that."
His sincerity was making my stomach churn in a wierd way. "Something wrong?" He asked worriedly. I was too embarrassed to say anything. Lee cocked his head, "you look funny." "I-I can't really explain it, but everytime I look at you, I get really happy. I feel as if I want to keep you next to me forever, and when you leave, I feel as if my heart is breaking." A big small spread on the squirrel's face before he buried his face in my neck again. "Gaara, that means you love me too. I'm happy." There was that word again. Love. Was it true? Did I love Lee? I felt strange whenever I saw him, so it must have been true.
"Lee...will you be my mate?" I murmured coyly. The vibrations from Lee's laughter tickled me, "of course I will Gaara, I told you, I love you." I could sense that warm feeling coming into my stomach already. Was it because of those three words? I put my head ontop of Lee's, "I love you, too."
That day had truly been a dream come true. It seemed absolutely impossible tha I could feel such an emotion. At first I thought it was just a fluke, that one day Lee would tire of me. But that day never came, he continued to stay by my side, and the happiness had never ended.
Until now.
I could feel tears coming down my face. The pain of that memory when we were happy was too much to bare. I really wanted to end this. End the depression, the pain, everything that made life too hard to live through.
Voices came to my ears, someone was in the cave. No, there was more than one animal. Were the wolves back already? Maybe it was that stupid damn monkey. Whoever it was, I didn't really care. I had no strength to move, so what was the point in wondering? There was the sound of padding paws coming closer to where I was. And the voices were coming closer.
"So where exactly was he suppose to be?" One voice whispered to one of their friends. "Just follow the smell of decay. I'm sure it was here somewhere, just hope there aren't any Uchiha's around." The sound of agreements went all around. So they weren't wolves, and from the sound of it, there had to be at least three of them. What did they want? Who were they looking for?
"Hey look, it's right here." I could sense a presence near me. "Yea that's him alright. Shit. He looks half dead already, that makes our job easier." So it was me they wanted? Was I finally going to die? If I was lucky. "Yuck, you sure he isn't dead? Raccoon looks as if he hasn't moved or eaten in days." The sound of the cage being messed with could be heard above me, and I couldn't resist as I felt jaws clamp onto my body. "No, he's definately alive, look. His stomach is moving up and down."
"Let's just get out of here, the sooner we leave the better, I don't want to meet one of those wolves." "Don't worry, Gozu is guarding the entrance. If any wolves are near, we'll hear a warning." Their scent spelled coyote. Strange, coyotes weren't usually in this area. We were moving now, what the hell was going on. I could feel the outside air hit my body.
"This is the area. Do it." I let out a small grunt as I felt my carrier drop me to the ground. Was this it?
Naruto's POV:
Nothing could be worse than this. As I looked around, disgust filled me. Who the hell had done this to my territory? There was the smell of death all around me, and the intestines that were strewn everywhere was obvioulsy the source. I couldn't believe this happened, why did others have to be hurt on my account. I shivered as tears came from my eyes. "It isn't your fault Naruto."
I looked up at my friend, "Shika, it is my fault. How's Temari doing?" I was almost afraid to ask. As soon as Temari had seen the sight that was her brother, she immediately went back home. "She'll be fine. I'm more worried about you. That wolf is going to be back for you, so I want you to stay with me and Temari for now." I nodded, "OK, but only if Temari wants me there. She probably hates my guts." I saw Shikamaru flinch. "Sorry." The deer shook his head, "come on. Temari isn't going to hate you." I nodded and followed my friend to his and his mate's territory.
Sasuke's POV:
"What the hell was that all about." The monkey whined in irratation. "First Kakashi tells you that there lions in that area, and when we arrive, we find no lions and no Kakashi." I shrugged, "who knows what he was thinking. My sempai is a strange one." The monkey sighed, "I'm going to go check on the prisoner."
I watched as the monkey hurried into the cave. "Uchiha." I slightly turned my head to the speaker, "did you do it?" Zabuza nodded, "yes. The raccoon is dead." "And his remains?" "Spread all over the fox's land." A smirk comes to my lips, perfect. "You didn't disappoint me this time. Good." The coyote growled, "the last time wasn't our fault, it was yours! You're the one who jumped in and attacked. No one was told that part of the plan!" I shrugged, "that's because it was a last minute decision. I had been planning on continuing as planned, but that bothersome deer decieded to tag along, and it ruin the whole plan."
The coyote growled, "but was attacking one of my pack members really necessary?" I let out a small chuckle, "it wasn't as if I killed him. I only left a small amount of cuts and bruises on him. You should be grateful." Zabuza seemed to be about to object, but his ears pricked and he retreated back into the bushes.
"Sasuke, the prisoner is gone!" I looked at my stressing friend. "What? Well, go look for him." I growled getting back into character. The monkey nodded quickly before rushing to go start searching. I turned back to the bushes where I knew the coyote was still waiting, "your job is done. You are dismissed." A small snarl was the only reply before the sound of a retreating animal rustled through.
Done with this chapter. Finally. Sorry, I know the last chapter and this one were short. They were both just one chapter, but I decieded to cut them in half to make more chapters and drama, failed drama anyways. I hope you are enjoying these stories. Review? It helps motivate me! I applaud those who knew that the animal working with the coyotes was Sasuke, and sorry if it was obvious...Tune in for the next chapter, you'll probably be surprised. ;P
Well, till next time! Peace!