AN: sorry about the delay on updating chapter four, my computer finally fizzed out and I had to by a new one. Now with all my priorities taken care of, here is chapter five.

Chapter five:

The first day(s).

Hinata felt a rough kick to her legs and bolted awake, pale eyes shined in a hidden ire-promising pain for the rude awakening. A older women, her age could have rivaled the Sandaime's, gave a uninterested look down at her rumpled form. "get dressed and meet at the ration tent in five, that's an order trainee." the lady turned on her heels and walked out of the tent, probably to get some food before the day started.

Looking around at her Spartan settings, Hinata simply sighed and got dressed in her tan training outfit and white lab coat. she had only been here for a few days and already she was ready to go back home to her friends. Moving aside the tent flap, she blinked against the glare of the false dawn. Here people scurried around, moving across the clearing-most to the communal rations tent, others to watch the camp or take care of patients. Not yet awake, Hinata moved stiffly towards the call of breakfast-as meager and plain as it was, and mentally prepared herself for her day.

The bright lamp light blared in the confined space of the huge tent. Keeping her head down and trudging forward she got in line for the food. Hard oat bread and some hard boiled eggs, a few steamed vegetables and an apple all fell on her tray. To tired to care and knowing everyone else was eating the same thing, Hinata didn't make a fuss, not that she would in the first place. Walking and sitting down in a vacant seat, she started to eat and think. How were Naru and Lee doing, were they okay, did they miss her like she missed them? So many questions flew through her mind, sighing and then berating herself for sighing, she chewed her food in silent vexations.

She had nearly finished her meal when her sensei suddenly sat down in front of her. This small women of about forty, was tougher then nails and harder then rock. With steel colored hair pulled into a tight bun and piercing green eyes, Shifune-sensei commanded the medical corps of the camp with an iron will and let it be known easily that her word was law. She was a fighter and proved it by the large scar on her forehead. The older women did have a kinder side- unfortunately no one in the camp besides the patients ever saw it.

Hinata watched as Shifune-sensei leaned back, arms over her generous chest. Pale lavender tinted eyes met wintergreen, a silent war seemed to start, with neither side willing to give in. maybe it had been minutes, maybe seconds before her sensei slapped her hand on the crude table. "well… I'm surprised, Hinata-chan, who knows what will change you the longer you stay here with us. But sadly today is not going to be a fun filled and easy day." Hinata was in a mind to glare at her sensei for the joke, but before she could do that, Shifune continued. "yep, all of us are moving to the border… we have a camp set up already, and this will allow us to transport some of the more critically injured patients to the hospital in Konoha. Don't expect anything amazing when we get there, Hinata-chan, you are going to fully start your training and believe me, all of us are going to work you to the bone…get ready to leave, we disembark at noon.

She watched as Shifune-sensei left, her mind in slight turmoil. Of course Hinata had known that she would be leaving to the border with the rest of the med-corps but, she didn't think it would be so soon. She got up and handed her tray back, content to go back to her tent and collect her already packed equipment.

0-0-0-0-0

Hinata walked out of the clearing-now bare with only flattened area's that told their presence had been here at all. Easily the youngest person here, she tried real hard to make herself invisible before her sensei had found out her plan and was now trying to include her into the conversation-it wasn't working. After an hour of this, her sensei dismissed everyone around her and admitted defeat.

Since she had been here, her stutter was practically gone. Yet, she had spoken like that since she was very young and in a way, it was her security blanket. She knew she was being cowardly and that this was only going to get her in trouble, but she just needed time to come to terms with it all. Already considered an adult, expected to act like an adult, commanded respect as an adult-Kami she was only seven years old, too young to even be home by herself without someone checking up on her. She should be in the academy, learning how to escape knots and evade capture, not force march across the land of fire to a border to heal people…she stopped, her breathing was erratic and her heart was skipping beats. oh Kami, I don't belong here. Naru and Lee, I'm sorry guys, how could I believe I would amount to any greatness as yourselves. My father was right, I am worthless…I'm sorry…

Shifune caught her charge as she fell. Waving over some of her helpers, she moved her chakra covered hand over the fallen girl, pleased to note that no injuries had befallen her. Her sharp green eyes noticed the light and fast breathing and considered on what had made the young girl hyperventilate hard enough that she passed out. A small whisper-no more than a breathe of air, moved by her and her harsh features softened somewhat. "no Hinata-chan, you are so much better than what you give credit too…even I know you're not worthless." gently hoisting the young girl up on her shoulder, Shifune gave the all clear and they started moving once more. The border was only a day or two away now.

0-0-0-0-0

The world was dark and oddly peaceful. No noise disturbed her, Hinata felt she could live here forever with only the silence to keep her avid company. She opened her eyes, or were they already open, and met the vast eternity of slate darkness. Like warm velvet it caressed her, comforted her, told her she would only be here for just a little longer. She asked the nothing…were was she going, Hinata never got the answer. She felt all things fading and then it hit her.

All things fade, given time…even I will cease to exist, along with both Naru and Lee. One day we will all be names on a rock, people will speak of us on what we did good or wrong in our lives, they will count the victories and losses and look to remaining family to provide these answers…but they will never understand 'us'. they will never know that Naru can't sleep a whole night through or that Lee thought green spandex outfits were the most amazing thing since sliced bread and they will never know that I bought my exile from my clan. But most of all they will never know how we became friends and changed our lives around…and that's okay. Hinata felt herself awakening, and for once truly welcomed the harsh sunlight, happy that she understood herself better then ever.

The first breath as a changed person was always going to be the sweetest that Hinata had ever taken. Finches in the surrounding forest cheeped out hello's and insults. A body shifted next to hers and caused Hinata to have a mild heart attack. She relaxed when she saw it was Shifune-sensei. "hello sensei." she felt the urge to giggle uncontrollably when she saw her sensei's eyebrows shoot to the top of her hair line."Hinata-chan, well now I'm surprised you didn't stutter, let me guess I have finally cured the unthinkable." giving a small laugh, Hinata was hoisted up and out of the tent, pulled by the ridiculously strong women.

"well, now that you're awake, I guess we can start on your training. Man so much to do so little time, I personally blame our Hokage, but well that doesn't really go well with most of these shinobi. Ah well another day, another age. Come Hinata-chan, we have to get you some food and then into one of these handy-dandy tents. Following the passionate women, Hinata had to nearly trot to keep up with her long strides. So much for being under med care for several days.

Walking along the perimeter of one of the med-tents, Hinata watched as patients came and went. Some were really badly wounded others had only minor inconvenients. She watched with horrified, yet fascinated eyes as a man was brought in. He had bad third degree burns-probably caused by a katon justu. Parts of his legs and arms had gouges in them and littering his torso was a mass of bloodied flesh and shuriken. Hinata wanted to gag, the smell of burnt flesh and blood was overpowering her senses and making her woozy.

When she had first arrived at the camp, she was given the fish revival training and had completed the assignment in record time. Unfortunately, now she was finished with the saner project and would have to start her job as a trainee medic. "Hinata-chan, bring some boiled water and some clean gauze, now." needing no second bidding, Hinata ran like the devil was at her heels, happy to be out in the sunlight. Not stopping she ran into the supply tent and asked a person for the things she needed. Running all the way back, she burst through the flaps and distributed her burden to the qualified med-nins. By now the man was thrashing in agony, mouth open in a silent scream, sweat pouring down his face. He was a young man, maybe in his late twenties.

Hinata felt herself tremble, could this happen to her or her friends? She closed off her mind to distractions and grabbed a roll of gauze, starting at his left thigh she worked her way up. Of course she was a trainee, not even cleared for handling patients, but seeing no one stop and the nods for her to keep going, she did the job like her colleagues and she was going to make damn sure that he lived another night.

The work was precarious. One bandaged leg done wrong, chakra wavering, shitty work, all of these could harm the patient and even kill them. Being from a clan, Hinata had been trained practically from birth to control her chakra, to sense it. Then she had met the Hokage, Crane-sensei and Anko, these people had taught her the uses for chakra. Lee had made her notice the merit off having useable chakra, while Naru had helped her to understand the very nature of the energy of everything living. Hinata rolled the gauze around the wounds of the man, he moved his tired hazel eyes towards her. "a-are you a-an ange-l." shocked eyes turned towards him, he smiled, showing bloodied teeth. A glowing green hand touched his forehead and his eyes closed in final exhaustion. Looking at her sensei, Hinata tried to find the connection between the hard women who commanded the med-nin and this tired looking doctor of only forty. "come Hinata-chan, lets leave the men to his rest."

It was a calm night. Several hours had been taken to heal the man, and as such the balance between night and day had flipped. Walking along a small overgrown path, Hinata and Shifune spoke no words. The met a fork in the path, directly in front of it lay a broad lake, sparkling blue with the white disk of the moon reflecting on its still surface.

Shifune stopped walking and stared out at the peaceful setting. "Hinata-chan…why did you not follow your orders today. A trainee does not help out with the patients, you know this and I know this, and yet, I allowed you to prove yourself in the face of opposition…you did very well though. You could be a natural if you worked on being more assertive." Hinata waited, knowing there was more to come. " did you know my sensei brought me here, and basically gave me the same rundown…it was during the second shinobi war. We, the med-nins, were down several men and women…I was only a trainee like you, yet I was compelled to work alongside my fellows and try to save as many I could. We were camped near this same border, the sounds of fighting rang loud and clear in the night, you couldn't even see the moon from all the smoke obscuring the sky." a lone flash of nostalgia flickered in her sensei's bright green eyes.

The moon seemed to only illuminate the silhouettes of the two people. The dark night held its secrets well, by morning there would never be any sign that such talks had been held in the company of the wind and trees, natures own witnesses.

0-0-0-0-0

Later that night, Hinata watched the stars through the flap to her tent. Maybe she could find that inner strength, conquer it and move on in her life. She knew life was hard for most folks, and that her lot in life, besides Naru's and Lee's, made everything that much more difficult. Hinata sighed, why couldn't life just hand her a list of all the horrible, hard or depressing things that would happen to her.

Rolling over she closed her pupil less eyes and fought for her freedom to sleep.

0-0-0-0-0

Hinata found herself in a small, rural village. Wooden houses on stilts rose from the hard, packed ground, the smell of salt and brine filled the air, and on the wind, seagulls looped and dived. The village was obviously poorer then Konoha, but everything about the place spoke of comfort and simplicity.

Moving her legs, Hinata walked forward. A few wisps of dust puffed up from under her bare feet, the ground felt cool and slightly sandy. A faint crashing sound issued from over a small community of pale gray hills, reached her ears. Looking around, she realized that she was alone, a sense of foreboding, raced up Hinata's spine…why was she alone and why was she here? Continuous steps echoed loudly in the abandoned village as Hinata searched for the locals. Nothing was found.

She was just about to turn back when a shrill squeak forced her attention over. She saw nothing that could have made such a sound, but by this point she had stopped searching. In front of her, a monster of a mountain loomed over her and the forgotten village. It spiked dramatically towards the heavens and seemed to pierce the clouds-like the teeth of a predator tearing at the fleece of lambs. Shivering, Hinata walked slowly towards the rocky giant, neither willing nor able to turn and walk away.

It might have been minutes, maybe hours before Hinata had reached the base. Large boulders seemed to be the only occupants on the face of the silent mountain, besides the occasional scrub grass. Looking around, her sharp eyes searched every crevice and crack. Another squeak alerted Hinata to a small cave like opening and crouching down she fully intended to follow where it led. A harsh gasp of air flew from her frozen lips as she fell down into a body of icy cold water. Not having time to scream for help, she felt herself being born down a torrent, the water bearing her further down a tunnel, deeper into the earth.

Hinata fought the rapid moving water, her lungs and muscles strained while her skeleton groaned in the arctic clutches of the tunnels life blood. To her, it felt like she was a small paper boat on a stormy sea, she had no control and was in desperate fear for her life. A roaring mass of white, blinding in the darkness churned chaotically ahead of her. There wasn't even time for a prayer, before Hinata was born over the side of a gigantic underground waterfall, which was only too eager for her to be swallowed up.

0-0-0-0-0

Hinata bolted straight up out of her small cot. The desperate hammerings of her heartbeat and the slickness of her sweat dripping down her body calmed Hinata. She was alive. Not one for analyzing dreams or for believing in superstition, even she felt the undeniable attractions of one who was courting disaster. Slowly working to breathe normally, Hinata shivered. The water, the fall, the icy touch that froze the breath in her lungs, everything had seemed real: a scary fate for her it seemed. Quickly looking out the tent flap, she noticed that it was dawn and not wanting to get into any trouble, practically raced to get her clothes on, her hair brushed out, and her med-gear stowed in scrolls before she had to run to the rations tent for breakfast.

The calm buzz of conversation cloaked Hinata in a warm shield, preventing her from thinking about the mysterious dream. Grabbing her tray filled with some type of fish and rice mash, she took a seat with some other trainees.

She had expected to be greeted with a apathetic look of greeted tiredness, but instead got a look mixed with annoyance and jealousy. Slightly ducking her head and whispering a good morning, Hinata focused half of her attention on her food and the other half on the conversation.

"yeah can you believe…"

"or have you heard…no I haven't"

"huh, great medic my ass, she couldn't save the life of a paper bag, let alone a human being…why is she even here, look at her she is too young to be a genin much less a med-nin in training!." a loud, whiney voice cut the gentle lull of conversation in half. It was Fugiwa Ioku, a second year med-nin trainee, one of the most celebrated of her class and had record of the best known bitchy attitudes ever categorized.

Ioku stood at a impressive five ft. five inches, had shoulder length-curly black hair and brown eyes. She wore the standard clothes for a med-nin, except hers were tailored to fit a slightly sultry appeal. She was one of the rudest people to ever come out of the medic corps, always bossing others around, making them do her work and then taking credit for it, and generally causing mayhem in camp with her whining. "look around you…all of us trainees have been going through camps such as this one for several years training on just the basics…and then she comes along, with her 'I'm such a defenseless little girl routine', pathetic." snarling Ioku faced Hinata down, a silent challenge being issued.

Hinata felt a wave of animosity hit her hard. "Ioku-san, p-please, keep your voice down." cringing internally at the slight stutter, she turned her pupil less eyes at the now red-faced teenager. Anyone with half a living brain cell was watching the staring contest. Until a crash was heard.

Random snarls and growls kept spewing from the livid teen. Her pretty features were screwed up in a ugly mask of rage. Killer intent flowed freely and with clear purpose. Hinata wanted to run, but knew she wouldn't get far. "You dare tell me what to do. You are barely out of academy bitch, here let me give you a lesson they never taught you!" without warning, Ioku ran at the stunned Hinata, a fist upraised. A bolt of actual fear gallivanted Hinata to run, and run she did. Not knowing any specific direction to go in, she chose one at complete random. Into the woods, briars and weeds attempted to hold the running seven year old. The crashing sounds of her pursuer echoing her own ungainly retreat, followed shortly behind.

Then they stopped.

Hinata pushed on harder. The only reason she wasn't hearing Ioku anymore was because she had probably wised up and was now stalking her and concealing her chakra. It was either that or someone had managed to capture Ioku before she killed her.

She never stopped once, not even when she fell, Hinata would get right back up and keep running. Unfamiliar terrain blurred past her, trees and rocks became undistinguishable and yet she kept running. Night fell and the moon rose high in the inky blackness, the stars kept her company as she started to slow down, the adrenaline wearing off. Confused, hungry, and in desperate need for a bathroom break, Hinata had no choice but to stop and rest.

She moved around the small little clearing, large pine trees dominated the area, but underneath them laid tangles of blackberry bushes. Walking over to them and grabbing a several large handfuls, Hinata chose a spot under one of the trees with out the prickly bushes and took stock of her situation.

She had no weapons save some kunai and shuriken, no water or shelter. Some where along her run, she had lost her sandals and now her feet were cut up and bleeding, the skin red and puffy from being rubbed raw and from infection. Her clothes were in tatters, not even fit for use as rags let alone some bandaging for her injuries. Her body was exhausted and refused the commands for getting up and moving. Her face, hands, feet and lower torso was covered in dust, sweat and mud-gained from her untimely falls.

Looking around, Hinata saw only the hidden expanse of forest surrounding her. With her back pressed up against the rough wood of her pine tree, Hinata sprawled out her body and tried to get some sleep.

Several hours later Hinata flashed her eyes open, and held her breath. Several large, vicious looking wolves stared back at her. She didn't know how long she stayed there, only that by the time the sun had peaked the tree tops, the wolves had vanished, leaving her in isolation once more.

With a muffled groan of agony, Hinata heaved her broken body upwards. The only thought in her mind was to get away fast. Leaning on the trees, she walked slowly away, picking blackberries for later and searching for a suitable shelter.

Hours crawled by and the sun had slowly gone down. Hinata was in a world of hurt. Not able to take anymore, she dropped to her knees. The blood was sloughing out of her feet, leaving little bloody footprints along the unforgiving ground. Tears randomly fell from her pale eyes, a twitch was being developed in them along with a slight burning that had started after the sun had dimmed down. Hinata felt the shaking in her limbs and knew it would be pointless to go any further that night. To make her matters even worse, the wolves she had thought she left behind were back and had settled among the trees-their yellow eyes watching her every movement, waiting for the time to strike.

Twisting herself around, Hinata placed her hands on her feet and concentrated hard. For a few minutes nothing seemed to be happening, then out of nowhere, a deep green light started to cover her hands. A rush of cool chakra hit her injured feet, repairing her torn skin and muscles. A sigh of relief escaped her.

Smiling in satisfaction at her newly developed skills, Hinata laid back down, too tired to care if today was going to be her last. Glad that the roaring pain had stopped in her feet, Hinata quietly took stock of her situation-no food, no water, no shelter-her chances of survival dropped dramatically. She was also with out any good weapon-sure she had some kunai and shuriken, but those required some form of accuracy and the ability to spot your opponent, something she couldn't do because it was darker then ink out there.

Resigning herself to the waiting game, Hinata got on her hands and knees and slowly crawled to a tree so she could have something at her back. In the undergrowth, she could hear the sound of the wolves pacing and the barely audible growls that emitted from them. Slightly hissing in annoyance at the continuous stinging in her eyes, Hinata calmly watched her surroundings-tonight was not going to be an easy one.

0-0-0-0-0

Shifune watched as her med-nins rushed around the camp. Outwards, she looked calm and collected but on the inside she was a mess-anger, sorrow and surprisingly fear plagued her when she closed her eyes. How could she have let one of her own become so uncontrolled. Ioku was supposed to go places after she had completed her training, she had hoped that the rude teen would learn some measure of humility and kindness, sadly she had been mistaken and now Hinata was paying the price for her impotence. Grimacing in self-loathing, Shifune walked to the forests edge, lost in thought. If only she had stopped Ioku, then maybe Hinata wouldn't be all alone in the forest hunted by a apparently insane med-nin trainee.

"Hinata, please be careful and come home soon."

0-0-0-0-0

Oh kami it hurt. Hinata rubbed her eyes, they were stinging. It felt like someone had heated up small metal needles and then shoved them into her eye sockets and then twisted them around. The pain was something she was becoming used to, but kami it was becoming too much. The wolves were shifting and whining in the shadows of the trees, safe from prying eyes, Hinata could almost taste their excitement at the hunt. A ragged scream was suddenly torn from her throat at the intense burn that started in her eyes, something wet slipped from the closed lids. All her other senses became haywire, Hinata picked up the crack of sticks as the wolves rushed forward, the loud thud of their paws hitting the densely packed ground, so close-too close.

The lead wolf pounced, the rancid breath from its mouth, drool flying, stray pieces of fur buffeted by the wind, she could hear the others following suit, eager to tear limb from limb. The pain kept building, tears continued streaming, her breathing increased as well as her heartbeat. Then time stopped and Hinata became calm.

Rising on suddenly steady legs, posture erect-yet flowing, arms forward but bent at the elbows, fingers together. Her hair blew in the wind, so short but showing her hidden strength. The collective intake of air collected by both parties, a preparation for something bigger then fight or flee. Claws shot forward leading the charge, yellow eyes looking ahead, anticipating the outcome of its victory. She suddenly dropped in an unfamiliar stance, the grace of a women who hid her wildcat interior, the building heat in her eyes screamed out commands that neither girl nor wolf heeded. One arm bent back above her head, the other beckoning her adversary. So close, a howl ripped from the wolf leader, sounding the hunt, a small voice yelled out her challenge:

"Byakugan!" her pale lavender tinted eyes shot open.

The flow of the wolves chakra was easy to see. Hinata didn't waste time. Slaps were heard that night as one by one the wolf pack was defeated-by the hands of a little girl with pale, pupil less eyes. The battle raged for moments, one slap earned her a snarl and a snap of teeth filled jaws-she was past the time of caring. Chakra filled hands beat the hostility from the wild animals. A splash of scarlet indicated the injury to both sides, a hush fell as the last wolf rose from the ground. The lead wolf walked over to the girl until they were a foot away from each other, clear respect for the other fighter was evident in their eyes, this fight was a lesson both needed to learn. With out a sound the wolves turned and ran off in the other direction, leaving Hinata all alone once more-a small smile curled at her lips.

That night as she healed her injuries, she looked to the moon hidden beyond the canopy of the forest and grinned at the howls of wolves.

0-0-0-0-0

Ioku was on the hunt.

Blood stained tracks led her to her prey-the stupid Hyuuga. Soon she would show the bitch why her rule was undisputed. The shadows never bothered her, she had become well versed in their secrets. Why her master had made her join the silly camp of med-nin in the first place was beyond her. All her orders were to kill off the Hyuuga chick before she realized her true strength, besides that she was free to torture the submission of the once heiress.

Ioku was on the hunt.

A face that was once so filled with life had hardened into a mask of hate and rage. One she would never be able to remove. If only she could be young and carefree once more, a grin of bloodlust clouded her vision-she only saw red. Trees blurred in a mindless wave of bland colors as she traveled through the branches of the tall trees.

Wait little Hinata, Ioku is coming.

Ioku was on the hunt.

0-0-0-0-0