Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Another world.
It was late afternoon on a sunny day in Konoha and Sakura ran to home so fast as she could, hopping on the branches of tall forest trees. That morning she had learned through Tsunade to summon a ninja animal, not news to her, since she had read about it before on some scrolls, but the practice was always more exciting than the theory. Tsunade taught her how to make a contract and introduced Sakura to her own summoning, Katsuyu. Sakura tried not to shudder the first time she saw the gigantic slug in front of her and was proud of herself for the first time since Itachi had left. She was a prodigal kunoichi at the age of fourteen, the second apprentice of the Hokage of Konoha, and had the privilege of having the same summoning of the woman she admired.
She entered the room through the window and picked up Kuro, who was resting on a pillow on the bed. She placed the bird on her shoulder, apologizing to him before making a small cut for the blood to drip into her hand, she cured him immediately but did not spare her from getting a peck on the head in retaliation for the action of cutting him.
Keeping the bird on her shoulder, she opened the scroll she had copied from another forbidden scroll she had found a few weeks ago in the Hokage's private library, mixing her blood with the bird on the seal that was on the scroll on the floor, she made the signs that Tsunade taught and disappeared from the room leaving several crow feathers behind.
Sakura and Kuro appeared in a dense forest that certainly did not belong to the Fire Country. Sakura looked around and admired how the sun was still high in the sky as if it were morning, she looked at the leafy, fruit-bearing trees that were around her and smiled unconsciously, the air and sky in that place seemed cleaner and pure. Kuro jumped off her shoulder and flew slowly waiting for her to follow him, he guided her out of the forest to a waterfall with crystal clear water that was surrounded by wildflowers. Sakura felt a presence next to them but decided not to move and wait.
"What are you doing here, human?" A low, husky voice made her look around, but she could not find the owner of voice. Kuro flew to her again, resting her shoulder as if to tell whoever it was, that Sakura was a friend.
"Hello, er... sorry to invade your home." She apologized in advance. "I want to make a contract."
"The bird on your shoulder already has a contract in moment." The voice answered and this time it did not seem so intimidating.
"I know! Tachi, I mean, Uchiha Itachi allowed me to take care of Kuro." She clarified.
"So is you that Kuro always talks about. By the way, before you name him, his name was Kūfuku."
"I prefer Kuro." She murmured and Kuro nodded, snuggling against her neck.
"I see you appreciate him." A crow twice the size of Kuro came out of a rock into the waterfall and approached her.
"Kuro is precious to me." Sakura smiled and sat in the grass willing to do whatever it takes to get a contract with them, it was a way to make her feel closer to Itachi and ensure Kuro's safety in case she needed to send him back to his world if he was hurt or something like that.
"I'll allow it." The crow flew and dropped in front of her making Sakura smile and caress his head. "You can have the same contract as your Uchiha friend, if he and Kūfuku trust you I will also give you a chance, little..."
"...Sakura, my name is Sakura." She looked around and saw that some more birds flew toward them.
"I can teach you some useful tricks, little Sakura." The crow offered genuinely interested in the peculiar girl who was standing before him who somehow managed to get into his world.
"I'd love to learn anything you teach me." She exclaimed with obvious excitement and for a moment the crow regretted having offered, something told him that this would not be the last time he would see that girl.