(2021/11/16): Hey everyone!

This chapter is a bit late being posted (I just got lost on the path of life, ya know?) but I can now confidently say - it's ready! After some discussion with other fanfic authors about Sasuke and Sasuke-bashing (I admit, I don't very much like Sasuke as a character because of the War Arc and fandom hype of him and Itachi, and have bashed him A LOT on Quizilla as a preteen) but I've come to realize that I actually like Sasuke as a character despite my original dislike as a fanfic author. So I figured, why not have Sasuke as a POV character? I have to admit - writing Sasuke is hard stuff (which is why this chapter has been sitting in my word docs for over a month), but I think his perspective as a narrator will be a good fit for the story I want to tell with this work of fiction.

I hope you all enjoy! Next chapter is due to drop Friday, so stay tuned!

Chapter 6
Sasuke I

The winding rocky path grew tiresome upon the final ascent.

Keeping his steps firm, Sasuke climbed to the summit with ease. The sharp mountain winds slapped his cloak and moved his night-black hair over his gaze towards the encroaching forest he saw below. It appeared to him as if the grand plateaus of the Land of Earth went on forever. Green rolling hills swirled below, following a cascade of red, orange, and yellow. Once again, the seasons were changing, and it was clear that summer had come to an end. Soon enough, Sasuke would see the white snows of winter and the emerging green of spring after another year of self-exile had passed. For a moment, he found himself reminiscent of his homeland – Konohagakure.

The Will of Fire, he realized, The bastards have grown on me.

"Sasuke!"

Turning behind his path, the sweet-sounding voice of spring brought him back to reality. Catching her breath, he saw the pink-haired kunoichi adjust her cloak and pack while the cool wind kissed her cheeks. Sakura played no part in his redemption for his crimes, but she decided upon herself to accompany him on his course. Kakashi even agreed to her proposition, stating that their communication would become easier. Sasuke was always terrible at communicating anyways – even on their days back on Team 7. When the two reunited after the skirmish in the land of wastes, Sakura was adamant on joining him and would not take 'no' for an answer. She might as well have been made from stone, refusing to move from his path no matter how much he resisted.

"I can't leave you to do this alone," she said to him that night, "It's not fair – I'm going with you whether you like it or not! You need someone to watch over you… so I think that person should be me."

Her green eyes were vibrant with determination, hope, and deep care. Sakura always held a fondness for him that he could never grasp, but nonetheless he slowly grew to appreciate it. A part of Sasuke felt responsible for all the pain and suffering he caused her over the years – while the other part was glad she gave him some much needed human company after everything that lingered between them. He would never admit to himself aloud, but the lack of human contact over the years left him feeling a strange sort of emptiness. He even found himself missing Team Taka, wherever they may be in the world. The only company he made on his travels were the stray and feral cats of the small villages he passed by that would find him and warm themselves by where he slept under the tree canopies and dimming campfires. Sakura made her presence to him known – making their meals, setting up camp, and pulling her weight. Yet, she practised hesitancy on their closeness. Small-talk often graced the two, with Sakura making more of an effort due to his relentless focus on his guilt and shortcomings deep in his thoughts. Still, he found her accompaniment strangely comforting.

If not for the trouble Gaara and that she-wolf caused, I would be walking these tiring steppes alone. I ought to thank them, I guess.

"It's getting close to dusk," Sakura reminded him. "Should we make camp soon?"

She was right. Looking back to the horizon of autumn trees below that blanketed the valley, Sasuke could feel the winds turn cold. Night would come sooner than anticipated – and with the night all its follies. "There's a village just ahead. We'll make camp after we pass through."

With a huff, Sakura agreed. "Alright."

The village was just like all the other villages he saw thus far on his journey - barren.

As the afternoon sun grew smaller in the orange skies, the buildings and houses they passed by appeared more decrepit the closer they came. Only a scarce few souls wandered the narrow streets, with stray dogs begging for scraps amongst the alleyways and beggars starving and crying for food at those who passed on the road. Not a single merchant in sight, or an inn for that matter. The village might have seen its prime during the Warring States Era where feudalism reigned strong and shinobi were mere hired mercenaries for their daimyo, but in the new age of peace the village was nothing more than a plane of ghosts.

Suspicion high in his thoughts, Sasuke kept a careful watch along the road as they walked. Even with his Sharingan deactivated, his Rinnegan could detect the chakra he sought. He could sense Sakura's growing nervousness, her pace tense beside him as she unknowingly pushed herself closer to him. Chakra coursed through his vision, enlightening him towards a small decaying home near the village outskirts.

"Here," Sasuke directed. "There's something I want to investigate."

"What sort?" Sakura asked, her green eyes worried. "Is it the Ōtsutsuki clan?"

If only I knew. "Not sure, but we need to hurry."

Approaching the structure, an aged man with a dull spear saw them drawing closer. Flinching, he entered his fighting stance and held his wobbly weapon as best as he could muster. "AH!" He jumped, his grip tightening on the spear's hilt. "W-Who goes there-?!"

"We're not enemies." Sasuke assured, his voice low. With a blink, the purple glow of his Rinnegan faded. Seeing a stranger approach with glowing eyes may appear frightening to some – as Sasuke had learned earlier in his travels. Although the Rinnegan could not be deactivated, he practised a simple blink to at least seem an ally. "Lower your weapons. We're just travelers."

As Sasuke met the man face-to-face, he noticed a fresh scar stretched from his frayed eyebrow to his jawline – and it was deep. The flesh was red and open, with bandages wrapped around his neck and his arm below his tunic's torn sleeves. There was an attack, he surmised, Bandits, perhaps? No wonder this place is so desolate. And no doubt why not a soul dared to wander from the shadows of the decaying buildings. Bandits and renegades have grown bolder since the war, pillaging and raping the land while the five great villages were playing their hand at peacemaker. If anyone were to be blamed, the newly formed Shinobi Union should be burdened by that responsibility. All too often in Sasuke's eyes had he seen settlements and villages ransacked by outlaws during his travels. The aftermath was always the worst – witnessing the grieving villagers bury their dead, the crying orphaned children, and the weeping women clinging to their torn clothes. It near made his quest for redemption seem pointless in the bigger picture.

"Let them pass…" A weakened voice sounded behind the makeshift door of ragged tarps. The spear-wielding man looked back, his wobbly movements ceasing. The voice coughed. "I believe them… They may be outsiders, but… they're not like the others…"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "The others?"

Being lead inside by the lone guard, the voice drew the two Konoha-nin to a wounded man spread on a makeshift bed of straw and tarps. His bandages were soaked in crimson, and his breathing was slow and laboured. The man coughed again, a trickle of blood slowly leaking from his lips. "Some of our people were attacked by these beast-like men… wearing strange armour…"

"Beasts?" Sakura repeated, her eyes shocked. As she watched him breathe, she jolted at the faint sight of a rib. Seeing the gravity of his injuries, she gasped and hurried to his bedside. "Your wounds!"

Wolves? No, he realized, It wasn't them. While Sakura began to use her medical ninjutsu on the wounded man, Sasuke directed his attention back to the guard. "Can you give a description of these men?"

"Y-Yes…" The guard spoke as he sat, his tired eyes facing Sasuke. In the background, the wounded man's breathing grew eased, free from struggle as his body was stitched back into form below the skin. A panic appeared through his gaze, haunted by the attack. "They were silent as shadows! They descended upon the village at night, using fire-release ninjutsu and a strange ominous power I've never seen before… It was… horrible…"

This intrigued him. "What did this power look like?"

The guard averted his frantic expression from him, grasping his knees tightly with shaking hands. "Many inscriptions, a strange chant… -," Glancing back to the stranger who stood before him, he swallowed the fear. "… and blood."

His words struck him as both odd and ominous. "Blood?"

"Yes, blood." The guard nodded. "They used blood to activate whatever it was they used… it claimed the lives of some of our best villagers as if in a flash of light… leaving many wounded -,"

"Let me heal them." Sakura stood, her green eyes firm. The wounded man slept peacefully on his bed of straw, with fresh bandages dressing his healed wounds. The medic-nin nodded at the guard as his face turned to meet her. "Show me."

With a wince, the guard stood from his seat and directed her towards the tarp-covered doorway at the far end of the rubble-filled room. "This way, young lady."

As Sasuke followed behind, he saw Sakura begin her healing of the dozen villagers who lay bandaged and bloodied. Men, women, and children were scattered throughout the room, with the few villager healers overworked and fatigued. A green aura covered her healing hands of care, seamlessly attending to the wounded villagers. Her kindness was admirable – and so was her courage to help those who needed it. She was truly selfless, even in his case. Watching her from the doorway, he saw her talk gently with compassionate bedside manner – asking what their names were, how they were feeling, and that the jutsu would only sting for a moment. Sasuke could not help but feel guilt for how he treated her in the past. He was wrong for all of those things.

And for that, he was sorry.

"My…!" The guard sighed, astonished. "Just as the tales of the Princess Tsunade of the Senju!"

"She was my mentor." Sakura smiled softly. "I'm her protegee, Haruno Sakura."

Looking back to the guard, Sasuke's expression firmed. "I suspect this was work done by fūinjustu." He said, catching his attention. "Of the forbidden sort, to be exact."

The guard was taken aback. "Fūinjutsu?!"

"Can you take me to where the attack happened?" Sasuke asked, stoic-faced and as firm as stone. "I would like to look into this further."

Reluctantly, the guard nodded. "Yes, sir." Leaving the kunoichi to continue her healing, he started back for the village road outside. "Follow me,"

The sky darkened quicker than expected.

Above, the blue autumn skies were a dimming orange as the sun descended beyond the plateaus and the forests that surrounded them. The days were growing shorter as the winds grew cold, and the equinox was soon near – and the changing of seasons along with it. And it would be three years since his redemption journey began.

The road was different under dusk, the path appearing near twisted as the Uchiha was led by the aged guard towards the heart of the village. Pausing in his steps, Sasuke stopped beside him and followed his gaze. What he saw took him aback. An inscription of blood spanning the village square was still present, while craters of ash and bone littered the road under blown buildings and burnt market stalls. It appeared as if a scene from a war – and it was then that Sasuke realized that it was far beyond the ability of bandits. The inscriptions appeared as if a language he did not understand, an old tongue lost to the ages before shinobi or samurai. That's not an ordinary fūinjutsu, he thought, It's riddled with dark intent.

"This is where they used that jutsu." The guard spoke, his voice low and fraught with trauma. "I've never seen anything like it in my years of living in this hamlet! It was… terrifying. It was as if I felt the very air turn cold with death."

This is kinjutsu… a forbidden sealing technique, Sasuke thought as he examined the bloody inscriptions with his Rinnegan eye. Taking out a scroll from the small pack strapped to his waist, he spread it out upon the ash-covered ground and formed a series of hand-signs. Before long, a symbol appeared on the blank parchment and pulled the bloody inscription towards it. After making the final hand-sign, the inscriptions of blood were sealed into the scroll and vanished from the destroyed village square.

"I'll investigate this on my travels and return to you." Sasuke stood, placing the scroll back into his pack under the cover of his cloak. Eyeing the guard sternly, he sensed his fear amongst the cool air but maintained a calm-face. "For now, keep your eyes on the road and don't let anyone to enter the village who isn't from here. I'll relay these findings to the Tsuchikage and send for the help your people need."

The guard bowed his head, grateful and with shoulders shaking. "Bless you… thank you…"

Turning back towards the refuge, a thought crossed Sasuke's mind. Perhaps Orochimaru might know something about this jutsu… or of the ones who attacked.

The skies were pitch with night as he reached the crumbling structure. Entering the doorway and moving past the thin tarp, he saw the villagers awake and no longer in pain. The children were playing amongst themselves and the adults who were wounded were conscious and no longer in danger of death. Sweetly, Sakura conversed with one of them as she finished healing their sprained wrist. A knife twisted in Sasuke's heart as he was reminded of his duty.

"Sakura," He called. "Time to move on."

"But they need our help!" She whipped her head towards him, her eyes pleading. "Sasuke, please -!" After seeing the conviction in his mismatched eyes, she surrendered. Once the villager's wrist was healed, Sakura stood and held their hand gently. "…I'm sorry," She spoke, her voice low and smooth. "This is all I can do…"

With her head hung low, Sakura took her place by Sasuke's side and joined him on his path back to the village road.

The lone guard followed close behind, bidding them safe passage as they departed. "Take care on your travels." The guard said, his expression firm and foreboding in meaning. He met Sasuke's Rinnegan cautiously. "The world is a cruel place."

Without saying a word, the two Konoha-nin bowed their heads and continued on their way through the rugged stone path.

I already know, old man. I already know.

The campfire was near dim as dark painted the skies above.

Resting off the main road towards the birch forest that hugged the valley cliff, Sasuke decided they stop for the day. While he kept watch and wrote notes in his journal, Sakura took out a cast iron pot from her pack and brewed soup. It was of the vegetable variety, seasoned with spices and composed of sliced potatoes, leek, carrot, and diced tomatoes. A hearty meal for a hearty journey. Sasuke could smell the aroma from where he sat in solitude, resisting his hunger that burned in the pits of his stomach. He decided he would eat later, as his mission had to come first. An hour passed, and the moon rose further into the sky before being obscured by dark clouds. The clangor of gear going back into Sakura's pack could be heard across the distance. Sasuke heard a yawn escape her, the sound near swallowed by the crackle of the fire.

"Sasuke," Sakura called out. "Are you going to eat? The soup will get cold soon."

"I'm not hungry." He said, keeping his attention to his journal. "…but thank you."

Sakura sighed. "You're always so sullen… You should at least eat something." Cleaning up, her expression softened. A sadness lingered behind her emerald eyes. "Even as kids, you never bothered to mingle with any of us. You were always by yourself brooding in a corner… even when we asked you to come play or go for dango."

Closing the journal, he sat against the tree at his back. "I gave Naruto a bento that time."

Sakura chuckled.

She must remember, Sasuke thought.

It was years ago when the three awkward genin stood in the training field with their sensei for the first time. After a long day of trying to ambush Kakashi-sensei individually, the loud-mouthed Naruto found himself tied to a post while Sakura and Sasuke were instructed to take a break and prepare for their last chance at teamwork. Kakashi-sensei forbade them from feeding Naruto, but that did not stop Sasuke from going against his will. If Naruto went hungry, he would only hamper their mission to obtain the bells dangling from their sensei's belt. And his incessant grumbling would be too distracting to deal with – and annoying. Reluctantly, Sasuke handed the whining knucklehead his bento, with Sakura offering hers soon after. When Kakashi suddenly appeared under a darkening sky of lightning, Naruto near wet himself from fright.

Surprisingly, the only words Kakashi had to say was "You passed!".

Those seven years seemed eons ago now.

Across from where he sat against the tree, Sakura began to roll out her sleeping bag and pillow. "You did." She said, focusing on her task at hand. "I… understand better now, of course… why you are the way you are. Your clan, your… brother… everything."

A quiet came over her, her hands falling to her lap as she lowered her head. Was it sympathy? Sasuke could not tell from the pink strands that cascaded her expression amongst the firelight.

"But Sasuke," She spoke, her voice quiet. "You shouldn't feel burdened to reach out to your comrades, or your friends." Raising her glance, her expression appeared brave and firm. He could see the determination within her green eyes that near appeared a forest green in the dimming flames. "That's why I'm here… to make sure you're looking after yourself."

Even after everything, she still cared for him.

Something about her glance conveyed a deep sense of care and devotion. It was not the fawning schoolgirl obsession – this was different. Sakura was a young woman grown, dealt with love and loss, and a love that went unreciprocated for years. Still, her eyes were strong and her words were firm with promise. It was a sense of maturity, he realized. Her girlish love transformed into a deep compassion, near moving him to tell her how much it meant to have her presence near. Still, a strong sense of guilt lingered.

Sasuke averted his glance as he felt his lips near form a smile. "It's funny… you're not as annoying as you once were."

"Annoying, huh?" She sighed, patting down her sleeping bag.

"You were never annoying." He admitted, his voice low. "I'm… sorry I said that. Old habits die hard, I suppose."

A giggle escaped under her tired breath. "Still, it's nice to have you back in Konoha… even if you are on this redemption mission." She sighed. "Naruto certainly missed you… and so did I. It's good to have Team 7 together again, even if we are scattered to the winds these days."

Sasuke glanced towards her. "Is that why you asked to come with me back then?"

"Yes and no," Sakura replied, crawling inside the sleeping bag. Laying on her belly, she leaned her elbows onto her pillow, resting her chin on her hands. She gave a light smile. "I wanted to make sure you were… the same Sasuke that was on Team 7."

"And your thoughts?"

She nodded, a gentle smile on her lips. "You are."

Her answer surprised him.

For a moment, he swore he saw her cheeks turn red as she spoke – but it may have just been a trick by the dimming campfire. Even so, her expression spoke for itself. Embarking on a mission of self-redemption with a former comrade was not something he anticipated, but the assurance she gave him despite the guilt that plagued his thoughts was remarkable. As he met her smile across the fire, he noticed every detail of her. Her smooth, silk-like hair that reminded him of spring cherry blossoms, her soft and delicate fair skin, the rosy tint to her cheeks in the cool autumn air, and the way her lips curved into her gentle smile. And even after all that occurred, she still held her heart out to him upon her sleeve. For a moment, he found himself viewing her differently. His chest felt surprisingly light, unburdened by his chosen fate.

And then he realized.

Sakura was everything to him.

Turning back towards the view of the darkened valley, Sasuke looked away and kept his expression stoic. "You should get some rest. Using medical ninjutsu probably takes a lot of chakra." He spoke, as he felt his own voice begin to grow tired. "We have lots of ground to cover tomorrow, if we're to make to Iwagakure by winter."

"Sasuke, you need to sleep, too." She reminded.

"I will eventually." He assured, glancing to the fire. "I'll keep watch for a while longer."

In tired surrender, Sakura slowly sunk into the sleeping bag. Laying on her side, she bundled herself up to stay warm from the cold. Sasuke turned back to the valley, his mind wrought with the memory of the ravaged village, the dead, and all the blood. My true mission might have to wait, he thought, If these Tenbu mercenaries have truly returned, they may prove more troublesome than the Ōtsutsuki revival.

Whatever the next day may bring, he knew he had to face it head-on.

And returning to Konoha early might be in the cards.

"Goodnight."

Catching his attention, Sasuke turned to where she lay. Her eyes were already closed with sleep, and a gentle hum escaped her lips as she drifted. With guilt marking his miscoloured eyes, Sasuke looked upon her. Unable to bring himself to say 'goodnight' in return, he closed his eyes and turned back to the valley of cedars that lurked below the cliffside where they rested.

Perhaps he would say it tomorrow.

The winds were cold that morning.

Rippling through the scarce remaining foliage of the orange and yellow canopies that shrouded their path, the air was near as brisk as the winter itself. Soon enough, the snows would arrive and blanket everything in white. Walking side by side upon the road, they wore cloaks lined with fur and dressed accordingly. Sasuke braved a winter by himself already on his travels, but Sakura was ill-equipped. While glancing over her shoulder that early morning as they took down the campsite, he saw that she only packed a thick cloak and fur-lined boots. Her pants were warm, but would not stand against the bitter cold – especially if a blizzard drew near. Even his own clothes were worn and not nearly as thick as they once were.

Perhaps we can stop by Yamagakure and gather supplies, Sasuke thought, Or even on the tundra where the Kumatsume trade their wares. Reminding himself of his last visit, he remembered there were beast-people in those lands – and their intrusive purple eyes. He disregarded the notion. We're better off travelling back to Konoha.

A chakra suddenly entered his senses.

I shouldn't have spoken so soon, He thought.

Coming to a halt on the wide expanse of empty plateau and geysers, he glared towards the far west with his Rinnegan ready and his Sharingan activated. Under his cloak, he unsheathed his katana, its steel gleaming in the sunlight.

Sakura tensed beside him, alarmed. "What is it?"

"Sakura, watch your back." He warned. "There's a strong chakra approaching." His Sharingan flickered red from the sun, the Mangekyo ready to form. "Correction… many chakras. And all aggressive."

She readied in her stance beside him, her gloved fists ready to strike. "How close?"

"They're here."

From the rocky horizon and thick mist of the geysers in the distance, a rumbling of thunder was heard. Then a howl broke against the frigid winds. In a burst of power and snarls, a pack of giant white wolves stormed towards them with fangs gleaming like pearls in the bright sunlight. Their claws skid across the harsh rocky earth as they came to a stop, circling the two shinobi. The wolves were as large as horses, with jaws large enough to snap a human in half. Their snarling muzzles were monstrous. Sasuke remembered the wolf he met in the snowy meadow, and soon realized that these wolves were smaller. But they each had the same eyes – purple. Tense and with slight fear in her eyes, Sakura's cloaked back met Sasuke's while the pack surrounded them.

"Wolves?" Sakura stammered. "They're… They're so big!"

Feeling her back inch forward, Sasuke whipped his head towards her in haste. "Wait, Sakura!" He shouted. "Don't attack them! Stay close to me! We have to remain calm."

"Why not attack?" She questioned, raising a pink brow. "These are beasts!"

"It's the Yamamori clan."

"Yamamori clan?" She repeated.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, from the Land of Mountains." Putting his blade back into its sheath, he straightened his stance and eyed the pacing wolves in a stern calmness. Blinking once, his Sharingan deactivated, his sole human eye returning to its familiar onyx shade. "I've dealt with them before, just stay calm."

Trusting him, Sakura nodded. "Alright."

Taking a single step forward, Sasuke eyed the snarling wolves. "We're not your enemies. We're shinobi of Konoha who've come to deliver news to the Tsuchikage." He spoke aloud, drawing their ire. As the beasts snapped their jaws and tensed their backs, a slight smirk curved on his lips. "…and if I'm correct, these aren't even your lands. So by that logic, we're both trespassers. We wouldn't want another border conflict now, do we?"

A figure moved amongst the beasts, making them back away for them to enter. Standing at the front of the pack with two armed guards at his sides, there was a man of long dark hair and beard. He was dressed in a fur-lined tunic with patterns embroidered in green and gold, dark pants, fur-lined boots, and a cloak of dark animal furs. At his hip, a katana was sheathed, but what Sasuke noticed the most was his eyes. Just like the wolves that surrounded them, the man had brilliant violet eyes that gleamed in the sunlight – and they were near as feral as the wolves themselves.

"Uchiha Sasuke… I knew it was you." The man spoke, his voice as firm as unbending iron. "Your foul chakra is too pungent to ignore… even for a human."

Sasuke's expression was unmoving. "I don't remember you. The clan elder?"

"Ekashiba, the sworn right-hand to the chieftain of Yamagakure. As you can see, I'm not the matriarch." The man answered. His brow furrowed. "You've interfered with our scouting. You better have a decent explanation for this, or so help me you'll have to answer to our village."

"If scouting is what your dogs are doing, you missed your targets." Sasuke said, curtly. "They attacked a village further south, we just passed through yesterday."

Some of the wolves snapped from the remark, while Ekashiba ignored the quip and hushed their snarls with a single arm raised. His purple eyes narrowed, meeting his Rinnegan in suspicion. "You're certain it's Tenbu?"

"Must be." Sasuke nodded. "I don't know of any others fool enough to wreak havoc in the Five Great Nations following the demise of the Akatsuki."

Sakura stepped forward, pausing at Sasuke's side. Unafraid of the beasts, she faced them head-on. "They used a forbidden sealing jutsu." She spoke, her voice crisp in the cold. "I healed the villagers myself, so I can attest to that." Her expression saddened, her pink head lowering. "It was… ghastly, what was done to them. It was almost as if they were flayed…"

Ekashiba took in their answers with careful silence. "This is worse than I feared…." He growled under his fanged breath. Urgently, he turned towards the wolves at his back. "We must send a message to Kyō-sama immediately! Tenbu must not be allowed to cross these lands! And notify the Kazekage, he must be aware of what's happened!"

The two sole Yamamori clansmen in human-form both nodded. "Yes, sir!"

"I take it they're the target?" Sasuke questioned, drawing the man's glance.

"…Yes. As far as we know." Ekashiba admitted. "There was an assassination attempt, but it was foiled by my lady and her aide. However, the assassin took their own life shortly after being captured, so their true motives still remain a mystery. We suspect it may be because of clan matters… due to them currently being with child."

Realizing the implications, Sasuke stood in stunned silence.

His expression soon firmed as he sensed Sakura's bewilderment. Of all things… "I see."

Slowly, the white wolves ceased their growling and began to retreat. One of them howled, and the others soon followed as it dashed towards the thick mists. Before following with the rest, Ekashiba paused and turned back towards them. "Tread carefully, Uchiha. These roads are treacherous, even for S-rank shinobi such as yourself."

Sasuke nodded, expressionlessly. "Same to you."

After giving a brief nod, the purple-eyed man and the wolves disappeared. As the geysers roared in the distance, their howls were drowned out and the mist swallowed the beasts. Sasuke turned on his heel, his cloak flapping in the harsh winds. Before Sakura could say anything, he spoke.

"Change of plans." He said, his face stern. "We're heading to Konohagakure. We must inform Kakashi of what we saw, and what the Yamamori clansmen just told us."

Sakura flinched, urgency marking her expression. "What of the Tsuchikage? Those people from that village -!"

"I'll send a scroll," He replied. Biting the corner of his thumb, he formed several hand-signs in quick speed and slammed his palm onto the earth. "Summoning Jutsu!" From a cloud of smoke, a brown hawk appeared. Taking out a blank scroll from his pack, he quickly wrote down as much as he could and sealed it closed. Wrapping it against the scroll from yesterday, he fastened it to the hawk's leg as it perched itself onto his arm. He eyed the hawk with a slight smile. "You know what to do…"

Thrusting his arm into the air, the hawk screeched and took to flight. Its large wings flapped, and it soon ascended into the clear blue skies above. Within moments, the hawk was nowhere to be seen. They should receive that by nightfall. Hopefully we still have time.

"But Sasuke," Sakura asked, her voice hesitant. Turning towards her, he saw that her eyes held onto some fear of the unknown. Then, she spoke again. "Who were they talking about? Who is… the target?"

The target…

As the winds flapped against his cloak, Sasuke turned to meet her face through a cascade of onyx strands. Even with his Rinnegan, he could see the nervousness behind her emerald eyes – only now it was a plain sight to see.

"That she-wolf," He answered, his voice even. "Nomasaki of the Yamamori clan."

Notes: For those who've read the previous fanfiction in this series, there is a fun-fact that carries over from my Quizilla days.

When writing the original (and I mean pure OG) form of this fanfiction series, called "The Wolf Princess", there was a love triangle written between Nomasaki (my OC), Gaara, and Sasuke. Looking back, it's funny because I - for the life of me - cannot write love triangles, unless one of the three parties remains purely unrequited and secret until it's too late (see: Nomasaki, Gaara, Shinto). I also wrote that love triangle because of my obsession with the Twilight series - which I still love to this day as a 20-something.

I know now that if I were to write a *true* love triangle in a future fiction, it would be quite different in structure and characters.