Once, my mother said to me, 'I never really realised what I had until I lost it. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't take anything for granted. Treasure everyday you have and don't forget how to love…'

And then her hand slipped from mine and she died. Next winter, my little baby sister died too, in the avalanche and I lost everything. It took my home, my sister, everything and anything I had left of my family.

I thought then, I knew, I understood what my mother had said. But I was wrong.

Now I've lost you too. Now I think I truly understand my mother's words.

When I met you, you loved me and healed my heart so that it was almost full again although I don't think the loss of my family can ever be healed fully. But I was happy again. And I think I healed your heart too because I loved you too. You stopped obsessing over your brother's betrayal and we planned to start a family of our own.

I feel like I don't understand this world at all despite my 16 years of living in it. I am only beginning to understand and feel the same pain you felt with the genocide of your clan.

Now I will become, as you used to say, 'the avenger'. I will avenge your death. Never again will the Fifth Hokage be able to hurt us again, that vain slut. She will not be able to hurt me or our baby any further – I will not allow her. Yes, that's right. I'm carrying your child.

I love you. I will be strong for you. To protect our baby and to avenge your death.

I swear on my mother's grave.

The cloaked female figure turned away and held her letter up, studying the neat curling handwriting. Tears shone in her eyes but never fell out. Her face was grim with conviction, her fist clenched tightly, her knuckles white with determination.

She signed the letter with a curlicue and slipped the letter into an envelope. She placed it before a candlelit shrine.

Her stomach was still flat as she was still in the early stages of pregnancy, although she could already begin to feel the movement in her belly. She smiled sadly at the shrine and leapt out the window and into the darkness stealthily.

Nobody saw her, she made sure of that. As an adept shinobi, she was very determined to complete her mission. She knew exactly where to go to achieve her goal.

As she left, a gust of wind blew into the room. The shrine's candles flickered and died out. An eerie darkness fell over the room. In the dim moonlight, all that could be seen in the shrine, was a photo of young man. He had a warm smile on his face that did not reach his eyes. His eyes seemed to carry a heavy burden of sorrow and guilt.

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