The task had been well-timed, and by 15 minutes to midnight, the shinobi were perched in trees waiting for the signal to strike. Sakura was kneeling next to the captain in the tree closest to the building.

He whispered to her, "Stay here and wait for us to come out. If we succeed, you'll tend to the injured in the grassy field we passed two minutes ago. If we're retreating, be prepared to carry bodies." He paused, "And if he follows us, you'll have to run."

Sakura nodded and gave a deep breath that smoked in the icy cold air. It began sprinkling. The trees smelled raw and fresh, and her skin looked blue against the moonlight.

The platoon waited. After a few minutes, which seemed like an eternity for Sakura, the light in the only illuminated room in the building shut off. The captain raised his right arm. In a flash, the five ANBU disappeared in the rain, their shadows moving swiftly toward their prey.

Sakura sat in silence. The rain was getting heavier. She was close to the building, so she'd be able to hear the screams as people were injured. This part wasn't fun; once she saw the extent of their injuries she could concentrate on healing, but right now she could only brace herself for the most gruesome infliction.

And suddenly, it began. Sakura heard the sound of metal clashing against metal, groans and cries. Fire and electricity were blinding in the midnight darkness. This persisted for a few minutes, and then there was the sound of broken glass.

Are they done? Already? It can't be. Sakura stood up to get a better view. She cursed the moonlight for not being strong enough. Luckily, just then a stroke of lightning swept through the sky. She noticed some cloaked figures now running across the lawn, closer to where she hid. Sakura squinted. Two of them were limping, obviously injured.

Damn this is bad, Sakura said to herself. Her heart started beating faster. Thunder rumbled.

There was a sixth shadow now, jumping out of the window and running toward the others. It was fast. He caught the two who were injured quickly and used what might have been strings to tie them against a thick tree. Then a massive fire emanating from the sixth shadow roared toward the two captured figures.

That's it. It has to be it for them. Sakura shook her head sadly. There's no way I can heal that burn.

Clearly, this was a retreat situation. Sakura felt her heart pounding through her chest.

I can't stay here.

She left her location and moved parallel to the direction of the three other escaping ANBU, jumping from branch to branch. The darkness made it difficult to see, and the trees were slick from the rain. A loose branch caught her arm and caused it to start bleeding.

Soon she caught up with one cloaked figure wearing an ANBU mask. He seemed to be breathing heavily but kept retreating.

Sakura called out to him, "Are you alright?"

"He's following us," the ANBU cried out. She could hear the trepidation in his voice.

"Use kage bushin, throw him off!" Sakura suggested as they ran.

"It's no use! Don't you know? He can see through it!"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. See through it? She couldn't think clearly.

"What about the others? Where are they?"

"The last two went the other direction. We stand better chances in pairs; alone, he'd finish us off easily."

Later, he shakily added, "You better pray he's not coming after us."

Sakura swallowed. She felt fear concentrate in the back of her throat and in the pit of her stomach.

It has never been like this.

After a few moments, Sakura noticed a long gash running down her partner's forearm up to his wrists. It was a deep wound and blood was spilling out at an alarming rate. Rain had made it run even more.

"You're bleeding!" She cried out. "If we don't take a look at that you'll die from blood loss."

The lightning struck again and the ANBU ninja grabbed his injured arm.

"There's no time," he replied.

"I just need to stop the bleeding and disinfect it for now, it will only take me a minute max," Sakura assured him.

The other ninja hesitated.

Sakura said, "Look, I don't hear him behind us or sense his chakra. He must have gone after the other group. He probably figured you'd die from this injury anyway."

The ANBU thought for awhile as they kept retreating and must have decided what she said made sense because he slowed down.

"Alright."

The two of them hopped down from the treetops. Sakura reached into her back pocket for a flashlight, some disinfectant, and some gauze.

"Hold this," she handed him the small flashlight that he held in his healthy arm.

"This is going to sting," she told him as she uncapped the disinfectant.

Suddenly she heard him give chilling scream as he began to collapse forward on top of her. He knocked the medicine out of her hand and dropped the flashlight, which went out when it hit the ground.

"What? Wait! I didn't pour it yet!" She tried supporting him under his shoulders.

His screaming continued, but Sakura heard a rustling sound in the darkness.

"Shut up! Did you hear that?" she yelled at her partner.

"He's...here...," the injured shinobi screamed out between moans of pain.

Sakura felt a shiver crawl up her spine.

"What did he do just now?" she asked him, still trying to support his weight.

"My foot...gah!!!! SAKURA-SAN!" the ANBU ninja cried.

Sakura flinched as her name echoed in the forest. He wasn't supposed to reveal her identity. But she understood now: the enemy had sliced the Achilles tendon. He was pretty smart- this injury was impossible to heal on the battlefield and rendered a ninja completely immobile.

Sakura tried to think of the best course of action. She was scared of course, but she also had to help this shinobi. Soon, his cries diminished and Sakura felt dead weight fall on top of her. It knocked her back to the wet ground.

The feeling of the leaves, rocks, and twigs on the forest floor seemed to solidify the reality of her situation. This mission was going so badly it had to be a dream, but the moment she hit the cold ground she knew it wasn't. A part of her wanted to give up and stay where she was- pressed against the ground- but she snapped out of it when she realized that her partner was probably only unconscious- not dead- and that he still needed her medical attention. It would be easier now that he wasn't screaming and flinching.

With some effort, Sakura rolled him off of her and knelt by his body. She reached behind her to grab something from her back pocket. But the minute she did, she felt a sharp, chilly object at her neck and heard a voice behind her that froze her up like ice.

"Don't move and don't scream or you'll die."