CCNote: **Momo206 and Shikara Grizzel I can't PM you but the last note was not directed to you lovely people at all. It was more for anonymous guest reviews and not so anonymous users that send me angry PMs (direct/private messages).* I love you two!

Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!

More Mistakes than Fingers to Count Them

From time to time

The clouds give rest

To the moon-beholders

(Basho)

The Twentieth Spring of the Hato

Uchiha Shiro- Atami Shrine

...

Although her attendants chased after her, she paid them no mind. The only thing she could worry about was the state of her mother in law. She sprinted as best as she could through the courtyard until she reached the main house, her long hair whipping behind her. There was sure to be tangles later but she couldn't be bothered to care.

Once she reached the man house, she skirted between the traffic that had descended upon the building. Elders and high ranking family members alike were surprised to see her skirting by but again she paid them no mind. The hall to the Master's Quarters was even busier than the rest of the home. Paintings and tapestries were being moved and carted away to who knows where. Seeing those personal effects being removed made her heart ache even more.

Hinata sped up her pace as she rounded the corner where she found the woman she'd been looking for standing in the open doorway to her rooms directing the bustling attendants.

"Be careful with that vase." She said with a short giggle. "It may be ugly but it was a gift."

"Yes, Uchiha-sama!"

"Goodness, this rug has never seen the light of day. Roll it up and take it out for an airing."

"Yes, Uchiha-sama!"

Hinata approached the woman tentatively. She didn't look upset or even phased by the news of the morning. Had her worry all been for naught? Just as she was starting to feel foolish, Mikoto turned from the door and smiled broadly at her.

"Hina-chan! What are you doing over here dear?" she asked, stepping away from her perch in the door frame.

"I…well…I…" Hinata stammered as a blush spread over her cheeks.

"Were you worried about me?"

The younger woman nodded with downcast eyes only to have her chin tilted upward by warm fingers. Mikoto smiled at her softly, the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes were the only thing that gave away her age when she did so. No matter how many times she looked upon her mother in law she would always be in awe of her beauty.

"Thank you for worrying about me Hina-chan." She said as she released her chin. "You shouldn't bother with an old bat like me but I thank you."

"But…Uchiha-sama he…they say that Uchiha-sama was captured."

"Oh, that?" Mikoto shrugged. "It comes with the territory. Uchiha men were never meant to last long."

Hinata gaped at her. How could she say such a thing about her own husband? If a long life evaded Uchiha men did that mean Itachi would follow the same fate of his father? Mikoto seemed to notice her shock and the smile she wore slipped. She gently took her hand and led her over to a large, overly stuffed ottoman. There she sat and patted the empty space beside her. Hinata took the seat tentatively but Mikoto wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her in close. She smelled like lemongrass and her embrace was impossibly warm.

Without thinking, she buried her face in the crook of Mikoto's neck and relished the way she held her. She hadn't been embraced in such a way since she was a child. Sure she'd hugged her cousin and sister but this was different. This was from a mother.

It was shameful for her to indulge in such a way, especially when the room was swirling with activity around them. Yet... it felt like they were the only two in the room. Gentle fingers began to run themselves through her hair, working the tangle in a way that only an expert could.

"I wish I could tell you a different story but this is the truth." Mikoto whispered. "I love Itachi but he is no exception to the rule. There is always another battle to face. There will be more nights you spend alone than together before one day your bed will always be cold. Don't worry. Someday soon you will have sons and they will fill your heart so you will never be lonely.

And….one day… when they have grown taller than you a girl will come to marry them. She will take up space in your heart as well. She will bring you many grandchildren to love and cherish when you are old and gray and I hope you come to love her the way I love you."…

….Uchiha Mikoto was a woman she'd always seen as infallible. Since that first day in the snow, she had been the image of perfection. Even now with her husband's fate in jeopardy, she stood before the Atami shrine with the elders as if there was nothing wrong. Not a wrinkle marred her skin and no tears came from her eyes. On the outside, she was perfection but on the inside…Hinata couldn't tell how she truly felt. She masked everything under that beautiful smile of hers.

Hinata frowned as she watched the prayer taking place on the floor below her. Her fingers gripped the red wooden railing and her heart beat in time with the slow ringing of the gong.

"Hinata." A deep voice said from her right.

Hinata slowly turned her head from the ceremony to find Sasuke still staring in that direction with a look of mild distaste on his face. She hadn't seen his face in over two weeks since that day in the Heir Wing garden. That was the day that everything changed. Although the time had been short, it had changed the District immensely.

She was no longer allowed to leave the Shiro and even within the walls she had an escort that was never more than a shout away. The awkward dinners with Sasuke and Mikoto ceased and instead she took her meals with the elder's wives. They were not the liveliest bunch of women but it was better than being alone. Speaking of which, this was her first time being alone with Sasuke since their eavesdropping escapade. He looked more tired since that day, more burdened than he should be at twenty.

"How long has this been going on?" Sasuke asked and Hinata turned her head back to the ceremony.

"Since sunrise." She replied softly.

Sasuke scoffed as the monks lit more incense below.

"They are wasting their time."

"I don't see it that way. They are doing what they can from where they are."

"And what might that be aside from making the entire Shiro smell like it's on fire?" he snapped. "If you think this is helpful, you are more of an idiot than I thought."

Hinata turned to retort but dark eyes were trained on her face. If looks could kill she would surely be dead. She might not have as sharp of a tongue and the youngest Uchiha. She might not know him as well as she would like but it was clear that he was hurting.

'Spoil him enough for the both of us.'

Itachi's words from their day at the koi pond smoothly wafted in her mind, and soothe the sting of Sasuke's harsh words. Without much of a thought, she placed her hand over his on the railing and ran her thumb over his tense knuckles.

"Uchiha-san…have you eaten today?"

He blinked at her. Once. Twice. It was clear by the way he had trouble even processing her question that he hadn't actually eaten anything. He probably wasn't going to either. Hinata curled her fingers around his hand and pulled it gently off of the railing. He resisted her leading him away from the ceremony a bit but she only had to glance back once before her reluctantly followed her.

Silently she led him out of the shrine and through the courtyard. As they walked she grew nervous that at any moment he would have enough of her antics and pull away. She was positive that there were already insults ready at the tip of his tongue. Still, she wasn't going to let him go away to sulk on his own and take his bad attitude out on others. She didn't want him to lash out at her either but she could take it. In Itachi's place, she would take it.

Feeling more emboldened, she intertwined their fingers together and sped up their pace. Their geta clacked loudly on the stone path until they reached an outer door to the East wing where she'd been moved to. It was smaller than the Heir wing and not at all where she should stay but she didn't feel right moving into Mikoto and Fugaku's rooms. Until everything was officially settled, she refused to kick her mother in law out of a place where she drew comfort. Even though the attendants had started the process of moving the older woman, Hinata made them put everything back. She felt embarrassed to order people around but they looked happy to do something nice for their former mistress. In any case, the East wing was more than enough room for her and her attendants to reside.

"Hey, Sakura!" Ino's voice called just beyond the paper shoji door. "I think I hear someone coming!"

"Really or are you lying again?"

"I'm serious I really hear someone this time!"

Hinata felt a small smile spread over her face as she listened to the two bicker back and forth. Sasuke, on the other hand, did not seem to enjoy the noise. He stopped on the steps that led to the covered walkway and tried to tug his hand away. Hinata paused and turned back, prepared for whatever mean excuse he made to leave. Instead, she was greeted with the face of a man that looked nervous. Well…as afraid as someone like Uchiha Sasuke could look. Dark brows knitted together and lips turned downward ever so slightly into a frown. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong but the back door slid open with a bang.

"Oh! Hinata you're back early!" Ino said cheerfully and an excited squeak close by let her know that Sakura was there as well.

"Yea, I got a little hungry during the ceremony. Is it too early for lunch?" Hinata asked without taking her eyes off of the reluctant Uchiha.

"It's never too early for lunch! Come on in!"

There was another incomprehensible squeak before the patter of excited feet raced back inside of the building. Hinata gave Sasuke's hand a squeezed and pulled a bit on his hand in a silent gesture to come up the stares. He had no reason to be nervous. Whatever he was worried about wouldn't be that bad.

...

Hinata liked to consider herself a humble girl. She had no problem admitting when she was wrong. In fact, most things she undertook never turned out the way she wanted to. That's why it only took her five minutes to realize why Sasuke had been so hesitant and now she was kicking herself for being so naive because…well…

It was that bad.

"Uchiha-san would you like some more rice?" Ino asked, batting her lashes and grabbing an already full bowl of rice from in front of Sasuke.

"Uchiha-san doesn't want your rice Ino. Try some of this grilled eel." Sakura said, cutting her eyes in an irritated fashion before turning to smile at Sasuke. "I made this dish myself."

Hinata looked at the offered fare and pushed her own plate away. The eel was burnt nearly to a crisp but Sakura swore up and down that this was the way it was supposed to look. Sasuke didn't appear to find the offering appealing either but then again his face was unreadable. Maybe he was tempted by Sakura's eel?

"No." he said firmly and Sakura's face fell slightly.

Or not.

"Do you have something else that you'd prefer?"

"Yea! What is your favorite food maybe we can make it for you!"

The new Uchiha matriarch knew that Ino and Sakura found Sasuke to be…attractive. He wasn't bad to look at either. Pale skin, dark hair, and aristocratic features that almost bordered on feminine. He was very easy on the eyes when his own weren't glaring at anyone. Unfortunately, he had such a rotten disposition that she couldn't understand why her attendants were so eager to be in his presence. He most certainly didn't want to be in theirs. He refused to eat even a single bite of what they offered him and they'd brought half of the cupboard. There was more food ladened on the table than they could possibly ever eat between the two of them. Hinata looked between the three and sighed. This whole being nice to Sasuke thing was not working out well at all.

"Um…Sakura-chan…Ino-chan…" and the two stopped fighting each other for Sasuke's none existent attention to look at her. "Could you…would you please…maybe bring us some tea?"

"Tea?!" they said simultaneously and jumped to their feet. "I'll get it!"

The pinkette and blonde glared at each other.

"I'll be the one to make the tea." Sakura instead and Ino scoffed.

"You'll just burn it like you did the eel."

"It's not burnt. For the last time, it's supposed to look like that."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is!"

The two fought each other all the way out the room and their muffled voice could still be heard from down the hallway. Once the room fell silent again, Hinata let out an awkward sigh of relief and grabbed an orange from the too large pile of fruit. Slowly, she began to peel it.

"Sorry about that." She mumbled and Sasuke scoffed.

"Why are you constantly apologizing?"

"I-"

"If you're really 'sorry' you'll learn to control you attendants and teach them some manners."

"They were just excited to see you." She countered but that only earned her an indignant eye roll.

"All women are."

An 'I'm not' was on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed her words. She was supposed to be nice. However, just as she finished peeling the orange it was plucked away from her possession. She stared in shock as Sasuke halved the fruit and took out a small section for himself to eat without offering her the other piece. He noticed her shocked expression and shrugged.

"You look as if you're ready to throw up."

She didn't want to 'throw up', as he so eloquently put it, but she was definitely ready to scream. She hadn't eaten breakfast this morning and she really wanted that orange! Just seeing him eating it all on his own was enough to make her blood pressure rise. Sure there were at least five more oranges in the bowl but it was the principal of the matter and he looked so smug as he ate too. Drawing on all of the patients she had left, Hinata grabbed another orange from the bowl.

"So…" she started in an attempt to break the awkward silence between them but she really didn't have anything to say.

"So?" Sasuke grunted as he put the half-eaten orange on his plate and went for an apple. "Are you going to suck up the air in the room with nonsense like you're attendants?"

'That's it!'

She wanted to satisfy Itachi's wishes and be kind to Sasuke but he was making that very very difficult. With her lips pursed together, she grabbed the apple before he could bite into it much to his dismay. He glared at her but it was only mildly effective. She was tired. She was hungry. She was not going to put up with his attitude a minute longer.

"They were only trying to be nice to you!" she hissed but it didn't come out as harshly as she wanted. Still, she gestured to the burnt eel, copious amounts of rice, runny eggs, and other dubiously prepare dishes. "They didn't have to bring all of this but they are trying to be welcoming for your sake."

"Hn. For my sake?" he snorted and crossed his arms. "Is that why you brought me here?"

"Yes. Itachi said-"

"Itachi said, I don't care what Itachi said and I sure as hell don't need your pity party."

Sasuke rose to his feet in a huff but she got up as well and followed him across the room to the door.

"You should care. Itachi could very well be in danger right now trying to save your father. The least you could do would be to not act like such a…such a-"

"Such a what?" he snapped, turning on his heel to face her.

He was right up against her and although he towered above her own height she didn't look away. He was angry. He was irritated. Most of all…he was hurt. She wanted to say something, to reach out and do something -anything- useful but her breath caught in her throat. It felt like an eternity passed before he turned away with a scoff.

When the shoji door closed behind him, Hinata was left alone stupidly holding an apple. She looked down on the pettily stolen fruit. Yet again she'd been unsuccessful at well trying.

'Oh Itachi…I don't think I can do this.'

...

The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu

Hyuuga Mori

...

The new Commander pressed his lips together in a tight line as he led his horse to the river so that it could drink. This morning was supposed to have been productive. He was supposed to have met with Hiashi to deliver the conscription of new recruits to the Emperor's army. After that business had been taken care of he would have negotiated for his younger daughter to become a ward of the Uchiha and made arrangements for her to join his wife in the District. The plan was simple enough but all of that had been derailed with the news of a murder within the walls of the compound.

He'd never met the now deceased Hyuuga Head but he'd seen the skills of the Hyuuga boys and men that were sent to fight alongside his own in battle. There was no way that the leader of such a people would succumb to being murdered in his own bed.

'And yet he did…' Itachi started, his thoughts trailing off as a headache began to form in the front of his mind.

He'd ridden nearly nonstop for a week on his personal mission to the Hyuuga. It wasn't a difficult journey but it did put a bit of wear on the body. Despite leaving empty handed he was able to hand the conscription to the guards and they assured him that the new recruits would be sent to the nearest encampment within a month. Now he just had to figure out what to tell Hinata about her father and sister…. With a sad smile, he patted the side of his horse's neck and the black steed huffed.

"You're tired aren't you?" he said.

The beast could not respond but Itachi knew that it was. He grabbed the end of the reigns and led them up to a tree not far from the river bank. There he tied the leather straps to a low hanging branch before going into his saddle pack for food. When he was only able to spare three apples the horse snorted indignantly at him and scratched his hoof on the ground.

"Don't look at me like that." Itachi chuckled and sank to the ground to lean against a tree. "We are only a day away from more."

He wasn't sure if his horse could actually understand his negotiations but he did stop protesting. Sighing, Itachi sank back against the rough bark of the tree and closed his eyes. Sleep never came easily to him but he had to at least try before continuing on the last leg of this journey. It would be cruel to run his horse into the ground due to his own insomnia and restlessness.

When was the last time he'd actually gotten a good nights sleep? When he was thirteen?

The Uchiha took a deep breath and then another, trying his best to clear his mind. Slowly he counted backward as he inhaled and exhaled. All the while he prayed that the eyes of the men he killed didn't appear….

There was nothing but fire for as far as he could see. He knew that it couldn't be later than midday but the sky was stained black with ash, blotting out the sun. At his feet lay the bodies of dozens of men. Their blood coated his blade so thickly that the steel no longer showed through.

Was this what his mother saw all those years ago?

Was this what it meant to be a monster?

Itachi stared back into the sightless eyes of one of the fallen, his face warped with a scream that would no longer be heard….

...

The Sixteenth Spring of the Suzume

Hyuuga Mori

...

Running away wasn't a mistake.

It wasn't.

It wasn't.

It wasn't.

Not when the night grew cold and the glowing eyes of creatures descended. Not when she'd slipped on wet leaves and branches and ended up badly scrapping her palms. Not when she'd been walking from midnight to sunrise. She was pretty sure that she was walking in circles but this wasn't a mistake. It wasn't. However, Hanabi grimaced as her stomach growled due to being empty for hours. She should have thought this through a little better. She'd been so focused on just getting over the wall that she hadn't made a plan for what to do after that. She should have squirreled away food in the days leading up to her wedding. She should have brought more clothing than just what was on her back.

She should have...

She should have...

Oh! There was so much that she should have done but it wasn't a mistake. It just wasn't. Hanabi held her middle as she wandered through the forest. The only time she'd missed a meal had been from punishment. Going to bed without dinner was nothing compared to the hunger she now was facing. Her stomach grumbled furiously at her and she held herself tighter.

"This wasn't a mistake." She whispered to herself as she stumbled forward.

This wouldn't be half as bad if she at least had something to drink. The Hyuuga licked her lips and tried to swallow with an already dry throat. Water. She needed water.

She put one foot in front of the other without a destination in mind. One step at a time until the sun was high in the sky and beat down uncomfortable on her pale skin.

'Hyuugas were never meant to get this much sun.'

Hanabi chuckled at her own dry humor and pushed forward. She wasn't sure how far she'd walked but eventually, she heard a noise that sounded like rushing water. It was probably a trick of her own ears brought on by desperation. It could have simply been the rustling of leaves with the wind. However, she was too tired to care and rushed forward towards the source of the noise. The trees thinned out as the noise got louder and soon she found herself facing the most beautiful sight- water.

Sunlight danced on the water, enticing the thirsty runaway to its bank. She dropped to her knees and sucked in a sharp breath at the impact but ignored the pain long enough to cup her hands into the water. When she brought the water up to drink it was slightly bloody from the cuts on her hands and a bit of dirt floated in it. She drank it anyway. The relief was almost instantaneous and she continued to drink from the river until her stomach was near to bursting. When she finished, she sat back on her haunches and sighed.

"This is going to be a lot harder than I thought."

Getting beyond the walls of the compound was easy. Surviving was going to be harder. Still…this was not a mistake. At least now that she wasn't so dehydrated she could think clearly. Like that strange whinnying was just the wind. Wait…

Hanabi turned her head to the left and her mouth fell open slightly. Either she was going crazy or there was a lone horse tied to a tree. She pinched herself but sure enough, she was not hallucinating. The massive black steed was a sight to behold and even more of a miracle than the river itself. If she had a horse she could put more distance between herself and the compound. She'd be able to find another village and…well she didn't really have a plan from that point but this was a good first step. Besides, seizing the opportunity when it presents itself is half the battle.

'Although.' Hanabi thought as she slowly rose to her feet. 'I've never actually ridden a horse before. It can't be that hard right?'

No. She'd be fine.

Steeling her confidence, Hanabi approached the side of the horse and its head turned to face her. The beast was massive and intimidating as she drew closer. When she was only a few feet away, it grunted threateningly at her, the sound itself was enough to make her a little afraid. Just a little. Holding up her hands, she slowed her walk to almost half steps.

"Easy there. I'm nice." She said softly, inwardly feeling stupid for talking to a horse. "You don't know me but I promise I'm very nice."

The horse snorted again and scratched at the ground. Apparently, her own insistence of being nice was not enough to validate her reputation to the beast. She might not know a lot about animals but she certainly didn't want to make it angry.

'What do horses do when they got angry?' Hanabi thought and shuddered at the image of getting her arm bit off by its massive teeth.

Maybe she shouldn't try to take the horse. It was clearly tied up and its owner was sure to come back for it. Slowly, Hanabi circled to the horse's front and its eyes followed her every move. However, her own eyes couldn't stay focused on the horse and instead drifted downward to the strange sight of a man slumped against the massive trunk of the tree.

"Dammit." She cursed.

It was a lot harder to steal a horse when its owner was sitting next to it. That is unless…Hanabi took a step towards the man and the horse neighed. It was a loud whining sound that should have awoken the man if he'd merely been sleeping. Was he sick? No…as she drew closer he didn't look sick. Tired perhaps but not sick. She crouched down next to him and frowned. Maybe he was dead? Some of the scrolls in the compound library likened death to slumber. If he was dead it was only right that she take his horse. That was better than allowing the poor thing to die beside him.

"He should have let it run free if he was just going to die in the woods." She mumbled under her breath and waved a hand in front of his face.

He didn't react to that and when she poked his cheek he didn't even flinch. She bit the inside of her cheek. How was she going to tell if he was dead or not? Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a simple black kabuto and a sheathed katana nestled into the grass beside the man.

'So…he's a warrior.' She thought.

For a moment this discovery filled her with excitement. She's never met a real warrior before but her happiness was short lived by the simple fact that if he was dead he wasn't very good at his job. If he wasn't a good warrior it was a crime for this horse to be attached to such a man. Still, she was curious about this stranger's belongings and the kabuto was tempting.

Against her better judgment, she grabbed the headpiece and upon further inspection was impressed by the intricate depictions of battles on its helm. The cold metal felt nice against her injured palms but the temptation to don the helmet was even stronger. She glanced warily at the probably dead man before putting it on her head. It came down a bit over her eyes but the feeling of it on her head almost made her giddy-

"What are you doing?" a deep voice drolled and Hanabi squeaked, falling back from her crouch and onto her butt.

The kabuto rattled on her head and fully obscure her view of the man she knew now to definitely not be dead.

"I will ask you again boy. What are you doing?"

His voice was even and cold. He didn't sound like he'd just woken up from a deep slumber either. Nervously, she lifted the kabuto over her eyes and was met with the blank black stare of the stranger.

'Ok.' She thought as she gulped. 'Maybe this was a mistake after all.'

"Are you trying to steal my things?" he asked smoothly and Hanabi felt her heart skip a beat erratically.

How did he know?

"I thought you were dead-" she blurted out before quickly covering her mouth with both of her hands.

Mentally she cursed herself for not being able to think before she spoke. The stranger did not appreciate her outburst. His head tilted slightly to the side and his eyes narrowed.

"So because I am dead that gives you license to pilfer my things?" he asked but it didn't sound like a question. "Did you mother never teach you any manners?"

"I don't have a mother." She snapped defiantly and once more regretted that decision.

The stranger blinked for a moment as if taken aback. Dark eyes took in her appearance and frowned before grabbing her wrist. His hand was calloused and felt rough against her skin. She tried to pull away but his grip was too strong as he yanked her closer and inspected her scrapped palms.

"A Hyuuga outside of the compound." He mused, his lips turned downward with a frown. "With hands like these, you will not last more than a day on your own. I should return you."

"No!" she shouted and the outburst surprised him enough that he let her go. "I don't want to go back. I'm sorry for thinking about taking your things. I won't try to steal anything from anyone ever again but please don't take me back."

The stranger stared at her again, this time even longer than before. Was he really going to take her back? If so she should use this opportunity to run while she was still able-

"How old are you?"

This time Hanabi felt caught off guard by his question. Why did that matter?

"Sixteen." She answered truthfully but a small scoff told her that he didn't believe her.

It didn't help that at that moment her stomach growled and made her appear even more childish and stupid. The stranger smirked knowingly and the expression made heat rise to her cheeks in anger.

"I turned sixteen at the beginning of spring. I swear I'm not lying!"

"A runaway that steals from dead people is not the most honest person I've come across."

She opened her mouth to retort but there really wasn't anything she could say to defend herself. Even the horse had found her untrustworthy. Her own words sounded like lies but it really was the truth. Embarrassingly, her stomach growled again and she couldn't help but wince. The stranger shifted to his feet and moved over to where his horse was tied up. Hanabi stood as well and took a step back, ready to sprint if the situation called for it.

"Are you still attempting to take my things?" the stranger asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The stranger turned from his bag and stared at her or more specifically her head.

"What are you…" she started, afraid she might have something on her face. Thoroughly confused she touched her cheek and forehead until her hand brushed against cold metal. "Oh! This thing!"

She quickly tried to take it off but the stranger simply turned back to his bag.

"Keep it. It's a standard issue and I can get another one at the camp. Consider that one yours." He said as he finally pulled out what looked to be dried meat from his bag.

Hanabi watched him suspiciously as he approached and when he held the meat out to her she took a half step back. She didn't eat dried meat. If he was going to offer her food he should at least give her something better than that. Unfortunately, her stomach growled in desperate protest despite her disgust. She reached out to take the meat but the stranger snatched it away just out of her reach.

"Before I give this to you, tell me why you can't go back to the compound? You are clearly ill equipped for life out here and you will be eaten by a wild animal before you find food on your own."

"I…I can't go back."

Her eyes fell from the meat to her dusty sandals. Despite how hungry she was. Despite how miserable she'd been for the last few hours. She knew that she could never return to life behind the compound walls.

"Did you kill someone?" the stranger suddenly asked, his tone hard.

Her head snapped up at that question. His dark eyes were accusing but it was a startling thing to say nonetheless. She opened her mouth to deny the claims but a smirk appeared on the man's lips.

"No. You have no idea what a dead body looks like." He said and finally handed her the dried meat.

She was hesitant to accept it after being accused of murder but she took it anyway. She brought the unfamiliar food up to her nose and gave it a sniff and was rewarded with a smell similar to what they fed their dogs. Holding her breath she put the meat in her mouth and tried to break off a piece but found it to be incredibly hard to do so. The stranger crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled at her struggle.

"Come on. There is more food at the encampment."

Hanabi finally broke off a piece of the meat and chewed the hard texture as best as she could.

"Why should I go anywhere with you?" she asked suspiciously. "I don't know you."

"That jerky you're eating is the only food I can spare. If you want to continue to scrounge around in the woods that's perfectly acceptable." He shrugged and turned to walk back to his horse.

Hanabi continued to chew and thought about his words. She'd rather her last meal not be salty, hard to chew meat. She'd also prefer not to be eaten by wild animals since she could only do so much damage with her woefully dull katana. Was it a mistake to take this man's help? Probably. Did she have any other options? No. Hanabi swallowed the chewy meat just as he began to mount his horse, the black beast shaking its mane back and forth in anticipation.

"Wait!" she shouted and the stranger looked back at her with a raised brow. "You're not trying to trick me are you?"

The stranger stared blankly, giving her no response. His-now her- kabuto slipped down over her eyes but she adjusted it nervously.

"Um…You say that there's better food?"

"I never said it was better. I said there was more."

'Rude much.' Hanabi thought before walking up to the horse and rider before she talked herself out of going.

She really didn't have another option. She could let her clan members eventually find her bones in the woods but that wasn't very appealing.

"Where are we going?" she asked, once more adjusting the helmet as it slipped down.

"We will be joining the Uchiha training camp. Fortunately for you," he said as he held out a large calloused hand to help her onto the horse. "We need all the boys we can get."

...

The Twentieth Spring of the Hato

Uchiha Shiro- Main House

...

"Mikoto-san." Hinata called through the closed shoji door. "Mikoto-san, I have your tea."

She met with silence on the other side but she knew that the room was occupied. Mikoto's own attendants had informed her that she'd returned to her rooms right after the ceremony at the shrine had been completed. Hinata bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to be a bother if Mikoto really didn't want company but there were rumors swirling around that she hadn't been eating well lately. If nothing else she had to check on her. Taking a deep breath, Hinata set down the tea tray on the floor and opened the door without permission.

"Mikoto-san, I'm coming in."

Again she was met with silence but that did not deter her. Instead, she picked the tea tray back up and proceeded inside. A quick glance around the ornately decorated sitting room revealed it to be empty.

"Mikoto-san." Hinata called as she slowly crossed to the room to a door that led to the bedroom resided.

She put the tea tray down again and knocked softly.

"Mikoto-san."

Silence.

"Mikoto-san."

Now she was concerned. Worriedly, Hinata moved to open the door to the bedroom but a hand grabbed her elbow and stopped her. Hinata whirled around in surprise to find Sasuke glaring down at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"I-I- I was just checking on Mikoto-san." She glanced down pointedly at the tea tray on the floor and Sasuke followed her line of sight. With a grunt, he stopped down and picked up the tray. "Wait-"

"I will take it to her." He said and Hinata shook her head.

"You don't have to bother yourself Uchiha-san-"

"Open the door Uchiha-sama."

The way he said her name almost didn't register to her mind but the cutting tone he used made her jump. Nervously she slid the door open with a bowed head and stepped aside. Sasuke brushed past her into the room without sparing a glance in her direction. Was he still angry from earlier? She really hadn't meant to insult him and her own temper had gotten the best of her. She should be more patient with Sasuke at a time like this. If something happened to her own father she wouldn't be the best company either- a thunderous crash of wood and porcelain broke Hinata from her thoughts.

"Uchiha-san-" she started as she ran into the room.

The man in question's broad back was turned away from her, his shoulders uncharacteristically slumped. At his feet, the tea tray had been dropped. The steaming tea spread over the hardwood floor among shattered pieces of porcelain.

"Uchiha-san" she asked again and stepped forward, her own eyes followed where his were trained and her next words were swallowed by a silent scream.

Hung from the rafters with a white bedsheet around her neck rested the body of the Uchiha Mikoto. Of the last three years that she spent within the District. Of all the laughter. Of all the love she freely bestowed. The smile on her face was the first genuine one Hinata had seen.

To be continued….

In the cicada's cry

No sign can foretell

How soon it must die

(Basho)