"You undermined my authority," Itachi said softly, poking a stick into the fire. It was not like Itachi to sulk, but it also wasn't often that Shisui lost it like he had. Shisusi didn't look at Itachi. "Why did you do that?"

He sighed. "Did anyone complain?" Itachi said nothing. Shisui didn't even look guilty. He seemed to feel bad, but that was it. "I already said it. There's nothing more to say." He rubbed his forehead. "I don't know what you want me to say, Itachi. It's only been five hours into the mission, and your judgment's already faulty. I can't stand by and let this happen. We've already lost so many people." His eyes clouded over, something akin to sadness and almost relief. "Nobody else needs to die."

Itachi felt anger coil up in his throat, but he remained silent. He simply pursed his lips and continued to poke at the fire.

"Sakura and Genma are on first watch. Go to sleep, little cousin." Shisui slunk against a tree and closed his eyes, his forehead creased with worry. Itachi threw his stick in the fire and leaned on his log, squeezing his eyes shut.

Sakura and Genma walked around the perimeter, setting up traps at each point where a visual could not be easily obtained from camp. Sakura put her mask on and took out a knife.

"I'll canvass the area, you watch over Shisui and Itachi. I'll be back soon," Sakura said. Genma nodded, and with the confirmation that he understood, Sakura bounded off, legs filled with too much energy than what he thought was appropriate.

It was minute, but Sakura felt it. Sasuke's chakra. Sakura knew what she was doing was wrong, but she couldn't help it. She had to see him, before anyone else. She needed to see him. He couldn't be what everyone said he was. He just couldn't be. That wasn't the Sasuke she knew.

The feeling was getting stronger. She was getting closer. She stopped in the middle of a clearing. This was the perfect place for a meeting. He had felt her too.

"Sakura."

She turned. There he was, shrouded in red clouds. His hair was longer than she remembered.

"Sasuke," she breathed.

Sakura returned an hour later. Genma could see it in her face; this day had been stressful. He was sure she needed a walk to clear her head, even just to be alone. He remembered his first mission on ANBU. Although normal missions were taxing, they were nothing compared to the horrors he had encountered in ANBU missions.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

Sakura politely smiled and shrugged. "It's just been a long day," she said, keeping her response short. She sat by the fire, hugging her knees. Genma decided to leave her alone. Clearly she wasn't interested in talking.

Sakura winced as she peeled her shirt away. The wound was still bleeding, but luckily she had managed to quell it a bit so Genma wouldn't see. She silently healed herself and held back the tears.

Sasuke returned to camp. Juugo was restrained, chains refusing to let him move. He was blindfolded and his ears were covered, muffling anything outside of his immediate surroundings. The only thing that Juugo could do was cry out uselessly.

Karin slapped Juugo. "Shut up!" she hissed. "We don't need them hearing you."

Suigetsu sighed. "Give him a break. He doesn't want to be here, you know that." Karin shot him a fiery look, and Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Okay, whatever." Suigetsu raised an eyebrow. "Why is your kunai bloody?" he asked Sasuke.

Sasuke turned his back on him. "It's nothing," he replied, slipping it back into its holster, giving a curt nod to Mora.

It was Itachi and Shisui's shift. Shisui stoked the fire and sat next to Itachi. "Okay, I know you're mad, but-"

"I know you're right, but it's hard for me to let go. You'll make a better captain than me," Itachi interrupted. "Can we please just not talk about this right now?" Shisui nodded.

"We can definitely do that."

The wind blew, and Itachi sniffed the air. "It's the dry season," he commented.

"Then why is the wind humid?" Shisui said underneath his breath.

Itachi shook Genma and Sakura awake.

"Itachi, what the hell?" Genma sputtered, wiping sleep from his eyes.

"Get up. We're being attacked."

Laughter came from the side, and they all prepared their weapons.

Suigetsu clapped his hands. "You were right, Mora. They are smart. Didn't even have a chance to use that attack." Water above them dropped to the ground, soaking them all.

"Your words, not mine."

This was the first time Sakura had seen him. Mora. She saw red and nearly lunged at him. However, Itachi grabbed her shoulder with a vice grip. "Don't," he warned her. "You don't stand a chance."

Mora hummed and laughed. "You're right. But the truth is now, none of you do."

Shisui yelled, "What do you mean, you sick fuck?"

Mora chuckled. "Tell Karin to release Juugo."

Suigetsu whistled loudly and strangely. The ground began to rumble. Close by, Karin had released Juugo.

Mora waved his hand at Suigetsu. "Let's go," he commanded, and Suigetsu obeyed.

"Where do you think you're going-" Genma started, but he heard the whistling wind above him and gasped. Something giant was coming toward them, and it was coming fast. "Watch out!" he yelled, but it was too late. It crashed into the ground, shattering the earth. Rocks came up and a giant crack split the forest. The rocks fell back and downward, and so did Itachi and Sakura.

Genma leaped to help, but he was grabbed by a strong arm. "Stop-" he attempted to speak, but his airway was restricted by the arm around his neck, and he promptly passed out.

Juugo started pressing down on Shisui's neck, and Shisui struggled against his attacker. However, he could not get enough air either, but Juugo didn't stop.

"Juugo, enough," Mora said. He gently touched Juugo's hand and lifted it. "You don't like to kill." Juugo breathed hard and reverted back into his noncursed state. "I'm sorry we blindfolded you and chained you up. Can you help us bring them back?"

Juugo swallowed hard and nodded.

Mora grinned. "Perfect."

As Sakura fell, she bent her legs and shot chakra to her feet. She smashed rocks that threatened to crush her, and before she hit the ground, she flipped and slid into a tree, staying relatively uninjured.

Itachi, however, was not so lucky. He heard a crack as he landed and immense pain filled his body. He didn't cry out, but he curled up into the fetal position, trying to heal himself but to no avail. He couldn't block out the pain.

Sakura quietly ran to his side. "Are you hurt?"

Itachi managed to nod and rasp out, "My leg."

Sakura scanned it. "Does it hurt when I do this?" She shifted it just a little, and Itachi screamed. "Okay, that answers my question. Hold on." She tried to gather chakra to her hands. Nothing. She tried again.

"What the hell?" she whispered.

"Surprised?"

Sakura froze in place. "Sasuke," she bit out.

He held up the kunai and flipped it in his hands. "This was laced with a specific toxin. It drains more and more of your chakra until you have just enough to live."

Sakura's eyes widened in horror, and she touched her wound. "You've changed," she said, a quiver in her voice.

Itachi gasped for breath, sitting up. "Yes, he has."

Sakura stood in front of Itachi protectively. "What are you going to do now?" she asked Sasuke, hand on her holster.

"Absolutely nothing." Sakura's soul chilled at the voice. She felt herself grow angry but reminded herself that she needed to keep calm. Neither her or Itachi were in the best of states, and they wouldn't get out of this situation if she lost her cool.

Mora stepped forward. "You're going to return to your village. You're going to disband your pathetic little force tasked with finding Sasuke. Then maybe we'll return your friends to you." Itachi cried out in pain. "You took Shisui?" he rasped, fear filling his eyes.

Mora smiled cruelly. "Yes. Now, get going." He motioned for Sasuke to come. "Come on, Sasuke. Let's see if they get back alive." They jumped away, dashing through the trees.

Sakura dropped to her knees and screamed in fury.

Words: 1407

Sorry for the long wait, I've had some extenuating personal circumstances preventing me from writing and updating. I'll try my best to update as soon as possible

Thanks, leave a review!