A/N: I own nothing except for Reyna! Masashi Kishimoto owns everything and I don't think he's going to hand it over anytime soon…so I will simply continue to borrow and love this incredible anime!
SASKUE
The following morning Reyna rolled out of Kakashi's bed and disappeared into the bathroom to change after which she headed into the kitchen to make a quick breakfast for the two of them. Kakashi took more time getting ready before he stepped out of his room and sat down to eat quickly. Without a word the two of them grabbed their packs, put their vests on and headed out of the apartment to meet their team at the gates.
Naruto was already waiting for them, looking like he hadn't slept at all the night before and Sakura didn't look much better. It was a somber group that headed out of the village into the rising sun; even Naruto was quiet and serious. They moved quickly down the road that led to the Land of Mist. Tsunade hadn't known exactly where Sasuke was, so they had decided to reach the borders as quickly as they possibly could to try to track down their former team mate.
It was Reyna who called them to a halt when they were within an hour of the border with the wind blowing into their faces. The group turned to her expectantly while she contemplated the scents that were being blown into her face. She had no idea what Sasuke smelled like, but she was pretty sure that any fresh scents would be worth looking into the closer they got to their destination.
Finally, Naruto couldn't remain quiet any longer, "Well, what is it Reyna-Sensei?"
Slowly she opened her eyes and glanced over at him, "I'm not sure. It's just a faint scent coming in on the wind, which means that it's not directly in line with the direction of the wind. We need to get closer so I can try to pick up some sound or something that may tell us what I smell."
The group nodded and slowed their pace as they continued on their path towards the Land of Mist. They had travelled another half hour when Reyna once again called them to a halt, but this time her fingers strayed to the kunai on her hip. The group tensed as she listened intently to the sounds carried on the wind and once again scented the air.
"We need to head east of here. I can't guarantee that it's Sasuke, but it's worth looking into. The sound is faint so we need to move cautiously. The last thing we need to do is walk into a trap," she muttered to the rest of the team, her gaze intense as she turned back to them.
They followed her advice, heading east and abandoning the road they had been travelling down. Reyna lead the way, moving cautiously and silently. She reminded everyone on her team that she was a wolf the way she was stalking through the mist and trees around them. She paused again and narrowed her eyes through the mist.
She turned to her team and they all fell in as close as they could to her as she whispered, "There is a clearing about twenty feet ahead of us and there is someone there. I'm willing to bet that they are waiting for someone."
The group nodded and moved slowly towards the clearing, staying in a tight formation for the time being. Just before Kakashi motioned for them to fan out and move in closer, Reyna reached out and shoved Kakashi over a step, just as a kunai flew through the air where Kakashi had been standing, drawing a small amount of blood on her forearm.
"About time you showed up, Kakashi," a low voice carried through the mist.
Instantly Naruto leapt out of the cover of the trees and into the clearing before them. Sakura followed half a second later, leaving Reyna clenching her teeth and cursing her younger team mates in her head. She glanced at Kakashi and as the two of them started out into the clearing; Sakura and Naruto were sent flying back towards them. Naruto managed to land on his feet and slid back a few feet while Sakura landed hard on her shoulder, a trickle of blood starting to slide down her cheek from her temple.
"Still haven't learned anything, have you Naruto?" Sasuke asked, and Reyna finally got a good look at him.
One look in his eyes and she knew that there wasn't any way that he was going to return to the village with them. They were cold and ruthless, the eyes of a killer. She tensed even as his gaze turned towards her. He seemed to immediately disregard her and she ground her teeth. A quick glance at Sakura told Reyna that she was unconscious at least for the moment. Her gaze flew back to the form of Sasuke as he started the hand signs that she had come to know so well in the past few weeks working with Kakashi and his Chidori.
"Kakashi!" she hollered even as her own hands flew up and formed the single sign she needed to produce a shadow shield.
Even as Sasuke launched the attack at Kakashi, a solid shield of shadow formed between them, but not before a single bolt of the lightning attack reached the silver haired ninja. Kakashi stumbled back and Reyna leapt to his side, landing in a crouch. She bared her teeth and snarled at the black haired ninja they were facing. To this point, Sasuke hadn't even reached for the sword on his back.
"Looks like you found someone else to replace me. What happened, the last one too much better than you, Naruto?"
"Sasuke, no one will ever replace you! You could come back and be a part of our team again," Naruto pleaded, still not attacking his former team mate.
Sasuke just laughed at him, Chidori still crackling in his hand as he spoke with Naruto. Reyna released her Shadow Shield from in front of Kakashi and they shared a look. As Sasuke tensed to attack Naruto, Kakashi started to form the hand signs for his own Chidori and Reyna started her own hand signs when he was about half way through his own. What started out looking much like the same technique Sasuke held in his own hand quickly changed as Reyna finished her own hand signs. Kakashi's Chidori quickly turned inky black and whipped around his hand and arm even as he threw his own body between Sasuke and Naruto. The two Chidori techniques collided, each battling for supremacy. Sasuke's eyes widened when he realized that he couldn't copy the technique for his own. Shadow quickly seeped into Sasuke's technique and soon it merged in with Kakashi's sending Sasuke stumbling back as his chakra snapped back at him as well as sending both Reyna and Kakashi flying back with the whiplash of having the two conflicting chakra's merge.
In a blink of an eye, Sasuke had pulled his sword, "I've had enough of these shitty games with you three. You bring in someone who hasn't raised a hand against me other than to aid Kakashi. Even the copy ninja can't knock me off my feet. This is ridiculous and now, you can all die!"
"Sasuke, no. You have to see that there's still some good left in you!" Naruto screamed at his friend and Sasuke turned his attention back to the blonde.
"How many times and how many people have to tell you that there is nothing good left? I am what I am and I am not going to change for anyone! Especially not for you!"
Reyna, who had landed the closest to Naruto, could see the attack coming long before Sasuke even made a move, "Naruto!"
The only thought in her head as she scrambled to her feet and bolted for her team mate was that she wasn't going to be able to get there in time. She knew that if she didn't get there, her team mate and friend was going to die at the hands of a traitor. Growling, she let her form shift slightly, lending her greater speed to reach her team mate. Her hands never moved to form the seal, but even as she threw herself between Naruto and Sasuke, her back to their enemy, and threw Naruto back away from her a Shadow Shield formed behind her.
Sasuke grinned as he found the weakness in the hastily erected shield between him and his target. A slight shift of his sword and it dug through the shadows, stretching them around the blade even as the tip pierced the back of the woman. The sound she made as the blade slide into her body was a mix of a scream and a howl. Finally the shadows shattered around his blade, dissipating and falling around her in a fine powder. Kakashi, who had launched to his own feet the instant Reyna had started towards Naruto, could do nothing but watch in horror as the blade slide completely through her chest and blood trickled from her lips as she looked up at Naruto.
Pain speared through Reyna's chest and she howled again as Sasuke pulled his blade free, a few shadows still clinging to it. He smirked as she collapsed on the ground and his attention turned to Kakashi who was now on his feet, Sharingan revealed. He had to admit he couldn't remember having ever seen such a look of pure anger and desperation on his face before. As Kakashi attacked Sasuke, kunai in hand, Sasuke swung his sword again. Despite the fact that Kakashi had his Sharingan, he couldn't quite manage to dodge the blow, though he had to admit that he wasn't exactly in his right mind to be fighting after watching what had happened to Reyna.
They are right. There is more there than just a friendship, he thought even as he felt the blade of the sword bite deep into his right arm and Sasuke's leg connected with his stomach sending him flying back again. He didn't see Reyna's head lift ever so slightly, her eyes turning a deep burnished gold. Sasuke turned his attention back to Naruto who was still trying to talk to him and get him to come back to the village with them. He didn't even seem to realize that Reyna had sacrificed her own life to save his or that Kakashi was lying bleeding in the grass not far off.
Sasuke turned his back on the wolf and his former teacher, focusing on Naruto. He assumed that Reyna was out of the fight and that it would take Kakashi a few moments to recover and in those moments he intended to finish off Naruto before turning back to Kakashi. So he didn't see the wolf start to push herself to her feet again, jaw tight against the pain in her body. Blood soaked the front of her vest and dripped down onto her pants.
It took nearly the end of her energy and strength to get to her feet, her body hunched over in pain. Gritting her teeth, she managed to shift her body into what she had decided was her ultimate warrior form. She became the perfect blend of wolf and human and slowly lifted her head to stare at Sasuke's back. Pain and anger shone in her eyes and she peeled her lips away from her teeth on her muzzle in a silent snarl. She stumbled a couple of steps before she managed to force her muscles into compliance and crouched. She stalked towards Sasuke even as he advanced on Naruto, her legs starting to move her there faster the closer he got to his target. She was not about to watch one of her friends die while she still drew breath and could stop it.
A few seconds later and she was only a couple of strides behind Sasuke even as he twitched his sword into position to strike. A dreadful howl rose from her muzzle and Sasuke turned his head to see her launch her body at him and even he didn't have time to get out of the way of her attack. Blood soaked the fur on her neck and arms, making it appear clumpy and adding an even greater menace to her form. Without a thought, she dove for his exposed throat, latching onto it with her teeth and locking her jaw. Blood dripped off her lips as Sasuke fought against her hold.
As Reyna latched onto him, Sakura groaned slowly coming to again. She lifted her head and glanced across the clearing. Her eyes flew wide when she saw what she could only describe as a blood drenched monster latch onto Sasuke's neck. At closer inspection she deduced that said monster was, in fact, Reyna. She shook her head. She had had her suspicions about how Reyna could track as well as she did, but now she knew. She made a quick mental note to ask the senior ninja about it later, but her gaze then fell on the gaping wound between Reyna's shoulder blades and knew that she may not have the chance to ask her anything. She forced herself to her feet and stumbled towards Kakashi who was watching in horror as Reyna attacked despite the fact that she shouldn't even be able to move.
Reyna tightened the muscles in her jaw and she vaguely registered that Naruto was screaming at her to stop. Clawed hands dug into Sasuke's stomach and chest gouging out deep scratches. When his fighting lessened, she shifted her hold on him, ripping his throat out even as she raised her hands to the same wound and ripped the flesh back. Sasuke fell to his knees; his head hanging from his shoulders by a small scrap of skin, his eyes glazed over and empty.
"Reyna!" she heard Kakashi scream, but it sounded like he was at a great distance.
Again she was vaguely aware of Naruto cursing at her for what she had done, but she knew in her heart that it wouldn't matter. If she was lucky she would have enough time to tell Naruto that she was sorry it had come to this but as her legs gave out, she knew she probably wouldn't. Her body melted back to full human as she fell to her knees, darkness creeping in around the edges of her vision.
Just as she fell, something caught her gently and she opened eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed only to be met with Kakashi's broken gaze, "Reyna. Stay with me."
She managed to force her lips into a brief smile, "Sorry, Kakashi. That's one order I don't think I can follow. Tell Naruto…" she blacked out momentarily but fought her way back to the waking world again. "Tell Naruto that I'm sorry."
"Tell him yourself. Sakura's right here," Kakashi muttered, his gaze flying up to find the medical ninja.
"Too late, Kashi. This feels…different…as if something is tearing me apart from the inside…" she muttered, her voice starting to fade.
"No! Reyna! Open your eyes! Look at me! Hell, I'll take my mask off if you just stay awake!" the pain and panic in his voice managed to get her to open her golden eyes a slit.
"Kakashi? I love you…you know that right?" she asked before her eyes closed and her body went completely limp in his arms.
"SAKURA!" Kakashi's panicked voice had the young medic scrambling over to them. "Fix her!"
Sakura looked at the wound in Reyna's chest and cringed, shaking her head, "I don't think I can, Kakashi-Sensei."
"Then at least try!" he pleaded and she caught the tears in his eye.
"Alright, but we're going to have to get back to the village extremely fast. I'll do what I can here, but I need Tsunade for something like this," she muttered even as she laid her hands over the wound.
Kakashi slipped one hand out from under Reyna and bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood and gently laid her on her side before performing the hand signs for his summoning jutsu. In a puff of smoke, Pakkun appeared beside him.
"Yo, Kakashi! What's…" the pug started but the look on Kakashi's face stopped him dead and then he caught the scent of blood and death.
"Get to the village and inform Tsunade that Reyna's coming in in extremely bad shape. With luck, she'll still be alive," Kakashi barked at his summons.
The pug nodded and immediately took off after a quick glance at the wolf that was lying next to them with Sakura working furiously to keep her alive. Kakashi turned back to Sakura and Reyna, completely unaware that Naruto was heading away from the clearing moving the way they had come from.
Sakura looked up at him, doubt in her eyes, "I don't think she's going to make it back."
"She'll make it. She has to," he muttered before gathering the nearly dead Reyna in his arms and starting back for the village at a dead run, despite his own injuries.
Sakura matched him stride for stride, managing to send healing chakra to her other team mate on the fly. There was something very wrong with the wound, but she didn't have time to contemplate what it might be at the time. As they passed Naruto, Sakura got him to run with them. They reached the village in half the time it had taken them to reach the clearing, Kakashi leading the way to the hospital with Sakura right on his heels. Naruto separated from them at the gates, refusing to go to the hospital with the woman who had killed his friend.
As Kakashi rushed up to the main doors of the hospital, Tsunade was just walking inside the building, Pakkun riding on her shoulder. Gaara was only a couple of steps behind Tsunade and immediately stepped out of the way so that Kakashi could enter ahead of him. Tsunade led them into an operating room immediately and glanced over at Sakura as Kakashi laid Reyna on her side.
"Sakura, you're not going to be of any help to me in that condition. Ino is down the hall in one of the offices, get her to patch you up and then get back here. Pakkun, I hate to ask you to be a messenger again, but could you please fetch Shizune for me?" Tsunade spoke even as she started to assess the injury to Reyna's chest and back.
"I don't know how she survived the trip back," Sakura muttered to Tsunade even as she turned and left the room.
Gaara stood beside Kakashi who looked over at him, "Why are you here, Kazekage?"
"I had something important to discuss with the Hokage and she asked to me to accompany her here in case she needed someone to control you," Gaara replied calmly.
"Would you two shut the hell up so I can concentrate here?" Tsunade snapped concern in her voice.
The two fell silent and a couple of minutes later, Shizune entered the room as well. She took one glance at Reyna and paled instantly. It was several minutes after that before Tsunade finally looked back up at them, and shook her head.
"I don't know what's wrong with this wound. I can heal some of it, but it's like something is protecting it from the healing chakra. I don't think even I can do anything for her," she told Kakashi sympathetically.
Kakashi glared at her, "There has to be something!"
Gaara cleared his throat and they all turned to him, "I could send a letter to Kayha and see if she could heal it. It's a three day journey from the Sand though."
"Do it. She'll hold on that long," Kakashi said confidently.
Gaara nodded and disappeared out the door. Tsunade focused on stabilizing Reyna to the best of her own abilities and sent Sakura home to get some rest since she was going to need to be up to full capacity in order to help keep Reyna breathing until Kayha could get to the village. Kakashi collapsed into a chair and didn't even blink when Tsunade turned her healing attention to him. Sighing she left the room, leaving Pakkun with him for company as he stared at the still form of Reyna.
A/N: Now the question remains…will Reyna survive? Please review and the next chapter will be up in no time!
