A/N- I'm sorry for the wait. Please review! –Phoenix

Two weeks after Naruto's team had been ambushed by the Akatsuki, Sakura and Katsu found themselves getting more and more frustrated. Even though their month long training period was up, Tsunade hadn't allowed them to leave the village to do missions yet. They were both beginning to feel caged in the village, and the most dangerous animal is a caged animal.

Their hospital shifts had gotten more exhausting now that they had Sasuke as a patient. Sakura could barely stand being in the same room as him, but she was assigned to be his doctor and therefore had to put up with the 'mighty Uchiha' sulking during every shift.

After one particularly exhausting shift, Sakura and Katsu dragged themselves out of the hospital and Sakura nearly collided with a certain blonde right in front of her.

"Sorry Sakura-chan," Naruto said while he reached out to steady her.

Sakura suppressed a sharp retort and gave him a tired smile. "It's alright Naruto. If you came to see Sasuke I'm afraid that you'll have to wait until tomorrow, visiting hours are over."

Naruto shook his head and gave Sakura a smile. "Actually I came to see you and Katsu. Tsunade-baa-chan has a mission for us!"

It took a moment for the words to sink in. While Sakura was gaping, Katsu was yipping excitedly and butting his head into Sakura's stomach.

"We get to leave the village," he said excitedly. "Sakura, we finally have a mission!"

"A mission," Sakura repeated. Excitement began to fill her tired eyes and they began to sparkle. "We've got a mission!"

Naruto watched with a big smile on his face while Sakura launched herself at Katsu and gave him a tight hug.

When Sakura and Katsu were done hugging, they followed Naruto to Tsunade's office. When they arrived, Sakura noticed with a slight frown that Kakashi was already there, waiting for them.

"Yo," Kakashi said in greeting.

"Hello Kakashi," Sakura said politely. Even though she had put aside most of the animosity that she felt towards the Copy Ninja, she couldn't forget how little faith that the man had in her. To her, he was not much of a sensei to her and therefore did not deserve the title from her.

Kakashi gave no sign that the lack of 'sensei' affected him. "The three of us will be going on a mission together…"

Before Kakashi could continue, Sakura interrupted, "Kakashi, don't you mean the four of us?"

"Yes, of course," Kakashi said indifferently without noticing Katsu's glare.

Tsunade watched the interaction with a hard look before she sighed deeply. "I won't sugarcoat your mission. The Akatsuki's movements are headed back to Sunagakure and we're afraid that they're about to make an attempt to retrieve the Biju that resides in the Kazekage. I want the four of you to intercept them."

Naruto's eyes grew wide. "They're after Gaara? We have to stop them!"

"We will," Sakura assured him. "They already have a few Jinchuuriki; we can't allow the Akatsuki to get the one-tailed, Shukaku."

Naruto looked at her, appreciation evident on his face.

"I do not need to warn you to be careful," Tsunade said. "These are dangerous opponents and I would rather not have to work to replace you four. I don't want you doing anything stupid."

Naruto scoffed at the comment, but Sakura knew that it was really directed at her and Katsu.

Tsunade-sama doesn't want Katsu and me to hunt them down, Sakura thought grimly. But, if we engage even one member in combat and we kill them then that's one less Akatsuki member.

"When do we leave?" Naruto asked, interrupting Sakura's thoughts.

"As soon as possible," Tsunade replied. "Be careful."

"Hai," they all said at once before they left the office.

Once they were out of the building Kakashi turned to his team. "We meet at the main gate in an hour. Remember, Sunagakure is in the desert which is rather hot and that's the area that the Akatsuki are heading. Bring extra water and light clothes."

"Hai, Kakashi," Sakura responded. With a slight nod to Naruto, she and Katsu went back to their apartment.

Sakura quickly packed her belongings and packed four large canteens full of water before sealing enough food portions for both her and Katsu in one of her sealing scrolls. Once she was done packing she went with Katsu to wait by the gate, even though they were ridiculously early. They sat on the closest roof and waited for their teammates to show up.

"We need to kill any Akatsuki member we find," Katsu said quietly. "You won't be safe until we do."

"There are others who are in just as much danger as I am," Sakura pointed out.

Katsu put his head on Sakura's shoulder and sighed sadly. "But I don't care for them," he said honestly. "Except for maybe Naruto. It's you that I'm scared for, Sakura."

Sakura put her hand on Katsu's muzzle lovingly. "I'm scared too."

They waited in silence for the remainder of the hour. Once their teammates arrived, then their hunt would officially begin.

Sakura kept up with Kakashi's pace effortlessly. Because of the urgency of their mission, their pace was very quick and they were currently less than a day from their destination.

"How are you doing Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked from behind her.

"This pace is nothing," Sakura said softly while Katsu huffed in agreement.

Naruto sped up so that his pace matched hers. When Sakura looked at him, she only saw concern in his brilliant, blue eyes. "Sakura-chan, will you tell me a story about your training with Izumi? Please, I need something to keep me from worrying about Gaara."

"Why do you care so much about him?" Sakura asked harshly. "I thought you said that he tried to kill both you and Sasuke."

It was a couple moments until Naruto spoke again. "Gaara and I understand each other. W-we both know…"

When Naruto broke off Sakura realized that he didn't know that she knew his secret, even after what she had said in the hospital. She tentatively reached her hand out and gently put it on Naruto's face. Naruto's blue eyes widened in surprise at her touch and a faint blush filled his face.

"It's alright Naruto," Sakura assured him. "I know."

"Y-you what?"

Sakura smiled reassuringly. "I know that you're a Jinchuuriki," she said bluntly. "I figured it out a while ago."

Naruto's eyes widened before he turned his head away. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner Sakura-chan."

"It's perfectly alright," Sakura assured him. She hesitated a second before adding, "I know what it's like to keep a dangerous secret. So, you and the Kazekage are friends because you're both hosts?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," Naruto sighed. "But that's a big part of our bond I guess. Sorry I'm being a little vague Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled at Naruto and turned her attention back to the route they were running. "You're not vague at all Naruto. That's one of the things that I've always liked about you."

The rest of the journey, Naruto had a far off look in his eyes and a goofy smile on his face. Only Haruno Sakura was capable of making the Kyuubi host feel that warm.

When they were a day away from Sunagakure, Sakura and Katsu found themselves to be incredibly on edge. They kept scanning the surrounding area and they couldn't pick up any scents, but they couldn't help but feel that they were being watched.

"Kakashi," Sakura muttered to her former sensei. "Do you feel it?"

Kakashi looked at her from the corner of his eye and nodded. "I sense two opponents. Sakura, can you and Katsu confirm if they are the Akatsuki?"

"If you mean by using my irritatingly strong sense of smell," Sakura said dryly. "Then no, we can't tell. I can smell people, but I can't tell if they're from close by or if they're from the village that's a couple miles east of us. The Akatsuki are incredibly skilled at concealing themselves, if it is them then we need to draw them into the open."

Kakashi nodded in agreement and motioned with his hand for Naruto to come forward. When the loud blonde came forward Kakashi stopped on the closest branch and knelt down next to Sakura with Naruto and Katsu in front of them.

"We need to lure them out," Kakashi said quietly. "I want Naruto and Katsu to continue on the main path with Sakura and I providing assistance above. Sakura, Katsu, I need both of you to alert myself and Naruto if any human scent gets close."

Everyone nodded and Naruto and Katsu leapt down to the main path. They walked side by side while Sakura and Kakashi continued to travel above them. For half an hour they continued this formation without any changes when a somehow sharp and dangerous smell filled Sakura's nose.

"Duck!" she shouted to her friends below her.

Naruto looked up at her in surprise before Katsu pulled him to the ground. The tree right behind Naruto's head exploded, sending splintered wood all over Naruto and Katsu.

When the dust caused by the explosion cleared two figures appeared right in front of them on the path. Sakura's eyes narrowed when she recognized the red-cloud cloaks and immediately began to inspect her enemies.

One of them was blonde and had a sneer on his face. Upon closer inspection she noticed that he appeared to have a mouth on his hand and a bag of what smelled like clay attached to his hip. The one who interested her though was hunched over and was wearing a hat but Sakura could see that he also had a tail. When Sakura pushed aside the scent of his partner she realized that the hunched over Akatsuki was made of wood and was coated in the sharp, dangerous smell that had alerted her to the attack.

It smells like a type of poison that Katsu and I have encountered, Sakura mused while she took out her tessen. Which means that close-range combat can't be used against him. One scratch by that tail and the poison will incapacitate us. But, the other one was the one who caused the explosion which makes him long-range as well.

"Kakashi," Sakura said seriously. "The hunched over one is made of wood and is covered with poison. Katsu and I are capable of fighting long-range. The other one has clay that is infused with chakra and I'm sure that that's what caused the explosion."

Kakashi looked at their opponents in interest. "I do believe that I've heard about the hunched over one. His name is Sasori and he was once a Sand ninja."

Katsu looked up at them and gestured towards Sasori with his tail. Sakura didn't need to hear him speak to know that he thought that they should take up Sasori.

"Kakashi," Sakura said softly. "Katsu and I will take on Sasori while you and Naruto take on the other one if that's agreeable."

"If you'd like," Kakashi said with a shrug.

After an affirmative nod from Sakura they leapt down to join the rest of their team. Sakura noticed with alarm that Naruto's eyes were beginning to get red, just like Katsu's did when he got mad.

"Naruto calm down," Kakashi ordered from the other side of him. "You and I will fight the blonde."

The two Akatsuki in front of them seemed indifferent while their opponents were decided for them. The blonde was grinning eagerly while Sasori was moving his tail from side to side.

"I don't care who I fight," the blonde said arrogantly. "My art will be beautiful no matter who my opponent is. And if I can capture the nine-tailed Jinchuuriki then this trip will be twice as profitable."

"Don't be a fool, Deidara," Sasori said dryly. "A nine-tailed is more powerful than any other Jinchuuriki. You are still new to the organization."

Deidara scoffed. "My art can take care of anyone. You take care of the girl and fox and I'll take care of the other two."

"Very well," Sasori consented while he turned his attention to Sakura and Katsu who got in their offensive stances. "Then go away."

"Whatever," Deidara said irritably. He stuffed his hand into the bag of clay that was on his hip and then held it in front of him. Sitting on his palm was a clay spider. "My art will make your remains into a masterpiece."

A/N- I know that this isn't very long, but it's been so long since my last update that I wanted to get a chapter out as soon as I could. Hopefully come fall I'll be updating a lot more frequently. I know what I want to happen; it's just difficult to get it written up. -Phoenix