Another year passes and she's four and her somewhat peaceful, idyllic life as Uchiha Hinata ends.

Shi for death. It's fitting.

Here's what happens.

After the death of the three youths, men of the Uchiha Clan deliberately hunt down children of the Senju in retaliation. The Senju does the same and on and on it goes. Over just a few months, the hostility erupts into regular skirmishes and battles.

With the deaths and losses piling up, her father, to her horror, decides to start sending Madara and Izuna to missions.

She knows that the Warring States Era is a harsh period that bred even harsher people. She knows that while she plays and trains and spars with her brothers, other children only a little older than them are going out on missions and are either killing their enemies or getting themselves killed.

But Madara is only nine and Izuna only seven! So very gifted and so very strong yes, but still only children.

"Madara is the heir to the Uchiha," her father says with hard, dark eyes. "If he is to lead the clan one day, then he must first learn how to serve now. He must prove to our people his mettle. He must show he is capable to fight and defend our clan from our enemies."

"Izuna is young, yes, but he will be Madara's second someday," he says next. "He will be your eldest brother's sword and shield. It is better to have him learn how to do so while he is young."

"And you, my daughter," he lifts her chin up and looks down at her, "Your will continue training. You will continue to grow strong while you guard our home with your eyes. And when the time comes, I trust you will support your brothers too."

Then he walks away with his head held high and his strong back straight. She looks and looks but there's almost no trace of the father she's come to love. There's only Uchiha-sama, the Head of the Clan.

She wants to call out, to plead, to convince him to let at least Izuna grow a little bit more before throwing him in such dangerous situations but she knows it's useless so she bites her tongue. Her mother has already done the same for her second brother and not even she—with her sad, worried eyes and secret bitter tears—has succeeded.

Once more she feels helpless, so powerless for being inside such a young body. For no matter the power, the genius and the skills he sees in her, no matter the pride he feels for her, she is still but a child. His little girl. And her words have little to no value in the face of it all.

She wants to be angry, to cry, to rage. But she knows it's pointless so she straightens her spine, clenches her hands and bites her trembling lower lip until she feels the iron in her mouth.

Fight or fall. Live or die. Endure the pain and the losses and keep moving ever forward.

This is the way of their world. This is the life of a shinobi. Their gift and their curse. Their glory and their tragedy. All bound together like tangled strings with no way to unravel.

There's no escaping it. The only choice is to face it. And Hyuuga Hinata or Uchiha Hinata—she knows better now than to close her eyes from the truth, to turn her face from the reality of the world.

…..

It's a painful thing. To watch her brothers get fitted for their armors. Dark blue metal plates serving as protective guards covering their thighs and little chests. The back of their high-collared blue robes proudly displaying a red and white fan, the Uchiha crest.

"Do you not have confidence in me? In my strength?," Madara smirks while mussing her hair. "I am Uchiha Madara and I will defeat any enemy who thinks to stand before me. So cease this useless worrying, little sister. We'll always come home." He says with the utmost confidence.

"I know you are strong." He is, he really is. She's using all her past knowledge and doing all her best to be stronger too but he's now moved beyond her reach. Not even her Byakugan is enough to keep up. "It's not really you I'm worried about nii-san. It's Izuna."

"What?!" Izuna erupts, "Oi Hina! Are you calling me weak?"

She sighs at the offense painted on her brother's face. "I am not calling you weak. You are strong. But you are so young still and prone to carelessness sometimes."

"May I just remind you I am already seven and almost three years older than you?" Izuna asks with a glare.

"That's just it. You are only seven. Seven. And out there will be men who are two, three, four times older than you. With years of experience more than you."

"In the shinobi world, age doesn't matter. Even years of experience sometimes don't matter. Only strength and skill does," Izuna responds heatedly.

"Enough" Madara orders in a hard voice, one that's starting to sound imposing each day that passes. "Hinata is right, Izuna. Do not be so careless."

"I may not have all-seeing eyes but I can tell you both now, your concerns are unnecessary. I can handle myself."

Izuna turns around and walks away and she remembers parting with people she loved without goodbyes. She catches his arm a bit desperately and looks him in the eye.

"Brother, I love you. Please, I just want you to be safe. Be careful and always come home."

An illusion or reality, it doesn't matter anymore.

…..

They go on mission after mission, each one more dangerous than the last. And though they always return, they're never the same boys they were before.

Here are the ones that she sees as beneficial: Every day that passes they are more powerful. They grow taller and gain muscles. They are stronger, faster and even more determined to develop their techniques. During trainings and spars, it gets harder and harder to keep up with them.

Here are the ones she's uncertain of how to feel: Madara becomes even more serious, more protective, more possessive. Always asking about her day and needing to know her every business. Izuna on the other hand turns softer, kinder and somewhat melancholy. He doesn't smile or laugh as much anymore and is now more prone to just sit with her in calm silence.

Then here are the ones that make her worry: Madara develops insomnia. Izuna gets bad dreams. Dark bags start to form under their eyes. Bruises and little scars appear on their arms and little chests.

One night, Izuna returns home with a large gash on his arm. She watches as the healers try their best to fix him and finds herself dissatisfied with the extent of their knowledge and skills. She decides then to improve her healing techniques, if only to be able to help her brothers and members of the clan in need.

She's not Sakura or Ino. She'll never be able to match the medical skills of Senju Tsunade's apprentices. But she's a believer of hard work and she does know a little about healing. She knows how to make the Hyuuga Clan's secret ointment and other remedies and she also knows the basics of the Mystical Palm Technique—something she took time to learn so she could heal herself and her teammates whenever necessary.

When she proposes the idea to her father, he denies her at first but the support from her mother and her brothers are enough to change his mind. He gives her permission but with the condition that if her healing pursuits interferes with her development, he'll put a stop to it. She agrees of course and becomes even more determined to prove herself.

With her own training schedule, her time with her brothers and her basic knowledge, it is slow, hard work. But it's all so very worth it. Her presence, at first, bothered the rather aged clan healers but over time, they grew to like her. She starts by asking questions and observing them first. She learns and adapts what they're doing well and over time works on what she's learned in the past and shares them with others.

Slowly, the conditions in the healing wards improve and more people are given better services. Her healing ointments become a staple for those going out on missions and she even gains a small business out of selling her products. It's nowhere near the future Konoha Hospital's level but it is big improvement compared to what was in place before.

Then, before the year ends, her mother gives birth to another boy and dies in childbed.

Everything goes from bad to worse.