Ursine

Under normal circumstances, Sakura would have excused herself from the patrol. Tsunade-shishou didn't mind keeping her best medic-nin in the village, and away from boring patrol missions. In fact, had Kakashi not laughed outright at her sloppy technique at their last team practice, she certainly would have stayed behind. Unfortunately, Sakura wanted to be a medic-nin in every sense of the word. A medical professional with the skill of a ninja.

That practice had been three days ago, just long enough for the patrol mission to be assigned and for them to relieve the team at Iwa's border. Sakura hefted her bag, and with a grunt, slung it into the make shift shack the other team had built against the elements. Identical grunts sounded, as the guys tossed their packs inside.

"Kakashi, it's pretty obvious I need some of the rust knocked off. Do you think you'll have some time for training?" Sakura dumped an armload of firewood next to the fire pit.

Kakashi ran a hand though his hair, "I was planning on running the dogs, Sakura. I can't train and do that." Her frown and narrowed eyes spoke volumes, "We are here for patrol, Sakura, but I was going to say that Sai and you could have the day off day after tomorrow."

Sai's blank expression shifted to Sakura, "You want me to train her?

"You want him to train me?" Sakura's pointed finger was stabbed at his chest viciously. Sai winced as she continued, "Why can't you do it, Kakashi?"

"Because I'm the taicho, Sakura. Now you two set up camp. I will want dinner when I get back from setting up our patrol routes." With a gust of displaced space, Kakashi vanished.

Sakura spoke in a highly squeaky version of Kakashi's voice, "I'll want dinner!" She looked at Sai, "Go fetch water all right, Sai?" She heaved a colossal sigh and went about getting a fire started, and some prepackaged food out of their packs. She unhooked the rice pot from Kakashi's pack, and set it aside. Sai silently set down the canteens full of water, and measured the rice for the pot.

"It will not be so bad, Sakura-chan. I am a trained ANBU, after all. I can help you as well as Kakashi-taicho."

"Except that Kakashi has been my teacher since I was twelve."

Sai tilted his head quizzically, "I fail to see what that has to do with my training."

"It's nothing. Just put the pot on?" She settled the grate over the pit, and put a fat tea kettle on as well. "It's going to be rice and miso with tea."

"Do you want trining while we patrol tomorrow, too?"

"No." With that, Sakura stared moodily into the fire, as Sai tried to understand why she was so unhappy.

XoOoX

The next day, Sai and Sakura took off over Kakashi's planned out routes. Sai had been observing his pink haired companion since last night. She had gone to bed without saying more than two words to the both of them. When they'd rolled out of the rickety shack, she'd looked like she'd never even went to sleep. Her eyes were blood-shot, and her clothes uncharacteristically wrinkled. In fact, she reminded Sai of one of those bears they'd seen when hiking into the mountainous region.

And she had a bear-like demeanor all the day. Every time he suggested a course of action, she would either roll her eyes before acquiescing, or she would argue and make a fuss before doing as he suggested. He'd never been real good at conversation, and for that he was glad. There was no way he wanted to try and talk to her without Naruto to grease the wheels.

Getting back to the camp did nothing to lift her mood, even when Kakashi had presented fried fish with their noodle soup. Sakura ate sullenly, drank her tea, and went off to the stream with a washcloth and a bar of soap. Sai looked at Kakashi, "Kakashi-taicho," he waited for the other man to acknowledge, "Do you know what is wrong with Sakura-chan?"

Kakashi adjusted his mask, "I think she may be embarrassed, Sai. Tomorrow, be hard on her, accept no mistakes." Lifting the bottom of his mask just enough to expose his mouth for while the man drank deeply of his tea, he finished, "That should bring her around. She enjoys the fight. Give her something worth fighting for."

Sai listened carefully. He hadn't been planning on making things easy on the girl, she was still kunoichi, but he could be more exacting than he originally planned. He was looking forward to working with Sakura now that he knew what he should be doing. He put her actions of the day behind him, and got some good sleep.

The next morning saw the reemergence of momma bear Sakura. This time, she looked even worse. Same red eyes, and wrinkled clothes, but this time, she had not even bothered to pat her hair down. He stared openly, which turned out to be a huge mistake.

WHAM! She punched the small hillock Sai had been seated on. Abruptly, she looked much less rusty.

Sai stood, dusting his uniform, "Good morning to you, too, Sakura-chan. I thought we could start with the basics. I noticed you could use some help with your form in several key areas."

"Key areas?" Sakura stretched her back with a couple of audible snaps, "where's Kakashi?"

"He's gone on patrol, he'll be back for dinner. Now, as I was saying," Sai leaned down, and picked up his scroll with the hidden brush and ink well that he used for all his missions, "You need to improve your form." He pulled the brush free, and dipping it in ink, drew a human shape. Ninja art: Chōjū Giga he said over the drawing, making it come to 'life'. "Sakura-chan, please try to break my ink warrior using only strikes. Please hold your hand in the proper pose for holding a weapon."

Sakura snapped her right arm out towards the faux warrior. "Stop," Sai came behind her, correcting her stance roughly, settling his knees behind hers, and nudging and outright kicking her feet to get the right footing. Next he leaned his body flush to her back. Sakura blushed, glad he would not be able to see it. His longer arm slid under hers pushing and applying pressure to get her arms in the correct position. Next, his hands gripped hers firmly. "Strike!" His voice was behind and to the left of her head, the command blowing against her ear made her shiver. But, with him guiding her steps, she sent a perfect strike into the center of his drawing, splattering the ground with ink.

"Yes!" Sakura yipped. Then she turned suddenly, "I'm sorry, Sai, I've been grumpy for no good reason."

His smile was small, but unusually sweet looking, "It's ok, momma bear."

AN/ Ursine means bear like. I hope I captured the word here. And the beginnings of a love story? If I were Sakura, I would have died to have that little hottie pressing every inch of himself to me. Anyhow, next word is: vermeil. Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you thought by leaving me a little note?