During the winter before she was to turn eight when sickness was going around the village like the plague, Isha fell ill with double pneumonia, after tending to several sick patients and despite Sakura's best attempts Isha died in her sleep a week later.
Leaving the small village with a doctor and Sakura without someone to care for her, it was then she saw the people of the little village for who they really were because as soon as Isha was buried the place she'd called home for the past almost three years was torn down.
And suddenly no one even cared about her anymore once again so with what she'd managed to save up and supplies she'd bought in preparation for some trip that Isha had wanted to take her on Sakura left the little village she'd run to after waking up with no memories.
Where she was headed she didn't exactly know, Sakura just knew that she couldn't stay in that little town any longer, and though it was still cold out, past her eight birthday, she walked, stopping very little along the way to some destination that was unknown to her at the moment.
The one thing that she kept up however were her chakra exercises as she retained the knowledge of everything Isha had taught her and learned from the books that had been donated to the local library with her getting not a single thing from her mentor.
Despite Isha's wish that she'd inherit it all the village had ignored that plea from Sakura, eventually after a few weeks of wandering about here and there, learning to fend for herself with the added stress of possibly being attacked by bandits or rogues.
Sakura ran into another village, this one was a shinobi village however but it looked like she was on the outskirts where there was only a single house built, loud crying came from within concerning Sakura.
Who cursed her damnable curiosity as she went to check on the person who was crying and possibly hurt, what she found churned her stomach and she very nearly deposited what she'd eaten for breakfast on the ground.
Inside was a girl about her age covered in bruises and bite marks "A..Are you okay" Sakura asked hesitantly remembering how the children she'd thought had been her friends had treated her after Isha had died.
Almost instantly the redhead whipped around at the sound of her voice and scrambled backwards "Please I don't want to heal anymore" the crimson haired girl cried, afraid of the newcomer and obviously traumatized of something.
Her heart lurched sympathetically in her chest "It's okay I'm not gonna hurt you, see I'm a traveling herbalist, my names Sakura and I heard you crying, will you let me tend your injuries please" Sakura greeted.
Ruby irises blinked at her in confusion "He..Herbalist and my names K..Karin" Karin introduced, not to sure what to think about the pinkette in front of her who was sliding her backpack from her shoulders and pulling out a petri dish with some bandage wraps.
Very tenderly ointment was rubbed on her bruises and bite marks from where she'd been bitten to have her chakra sucked out in order to heal people then wrapped carefully "Yeah, I was learning how to be a medic to but the lady that was teaching me died a few months ago" Sakura nodded.
Once her task was finished, expecting to not get paid for her work, Sakura turned on her heel intent on leaving when Karin gripped her sleeve tightly preventing her from going "P..Please won't you take me with you" Karin begged.
Fear in her brightly colored orbs as her hand shook violently "But what about your mom and dad Karin-chan won't they worry about you if you run away" Sakura frowned, confused as to why the redhead wanted to come with her.
Karin shook her head adamantly "Never knew my Dad and my mom died today, she was killed and I don't want to stay here where the same thing could eventually happen to me" Karin declared, admitting to the only other child she knew that she was an orphan.
Verdant orbs widened in horror "Okay, I guess, I mean I'm not an expert on surviving out there or anything so you have to pull your own weight" Sakura shrugged, feeling like she'd found a kindred spirit in the redhead.
Both of them were orphans that she knew of anyway with both of their villages mistreating them in some way "Lets go then" Karin said, one part eager and two parts nervous to leave as she marched towards the door.
Sakura stopped her "If you want to leave we have to do it when no one is possibly watching you to ensure you aren't going to run on them, plus you should pack some things like food, clothes and any money that might be here" Sakura informed.
Realizing what a bad idea it would be if Karin disappeared when there was still sunlight left, it was better to leave after dark "Right, sorry" Karin apologized sheepishly understanding she'd been to hasty a moment ago.
Because she certainly didn't want to be caught running away mere seconds after leaving so went around looking for stuff to pack, while Sakura peered out the window cautious to a fault "Grab those cloaks as well" Sakura requested.
Midway through after taking a minute to look around the cramped living room "What do we need them for, it's starting to warm up outside being so close to summer as it is" Karin asked, baffled by the actions of the other girl.
"Cause if I'm gonna sneak you out of this village Karin-chan then we don't need anyone patrolling the area to see your or my bright colored hair alright, as Isha-sensei always told me ninja are supposed to be sneaky and you can't be sneaky with bright anything" Sakura lectured.
Exceedingly smart, Karin ducked her head, feeling as if she'd just received a scolding but grabbed the cloaks anyway and took them over to where Sakura was in the corner of her tiny living room, immediately the pinkette set out to making them appropriately sized for the both of them.
As she resumed packing until the sun set on the horizon, exchanging daytime for nighttime "Shouldn't we go now" Karin questioned a few hours later after Sakura had snuck out of the window at the back of the house and returned through that very same window.
Obviously extra cautious now than when it had still been light out "The cost seems to be clear so yeah, out the window though since it's already open, I'll go down first and help you down after then you have to follow me and keep up as best as you can" Sakura announced.
Throwing the cloak that she'd shortened over Karin's shoulders and buttoning it while pulling the hood over the girls bright crimson locks, before doing the same for herself to cover her bright pink hair then led the way to the window.
Less than a minute later she dropped silently to the ground, looking around warily as she did so "Is it safe" Karin called quietly in a nervous tone of voice only to get a hand thrown up in her way indicating for her to be silent.
Half a minute later Sakura gestured for her to climb out the window and helped her so that they wouldn't make to much noise, once the both of them were safely on the ground Sakura grabbed Karin by the wrist gently.
And tugged her towards the large bushes before getting down on her hands and knee's prompting Karin to do the same as they crawled through the bushes to the exit of the village out from beneath prying eyes while their hearts beat fearfully within their chests.
Not wanting to be caught the two continued with their crawling well into the night, looking like misshapen moving rocks what with their heavy backpacks and the dull black cloaks that covered their entire forms from head to toe.
Until they reached a safe place to appropriately hide away in "We're safe enough to rest for a little while but don't fall asleep yet Karin-chan" Sakura warned when she caught Karin's eyes drooping closed out of tiredness from being up past her usual bedtime.
Immediately the redhead jumped a foot and nearly screamed but her yell was cut off by Sakura slapping a hand over her mouth "Sorry I just wasn't expecting you to talk so suddenly since you've been quiet since we left the house" Karin apologized.
Twisting her now dirty shirt anxiously with her hands still afraid that they were going to be caught and that she was going to be dragged back to the village, Sakura rubbed her eyes tiredly but remained alert as she peered out of the little hole in the ground she'd found hours earlier.
Waiting and watching for any sign that the shinobi of Karin's village were on to them in any capacity as the rest of the night flew by rapidly "I think we can take a little nap now" Sakura yawned after pulling out some wild carrots she'd picked.
Knowing it wasn't a whole lot but that this was about all she was going to get for now Karin ate her share of what Sakura had given her as the pinkette pinned the cloak up to cover the entrance to their hiding spot before curling up and going to sleep.
"Are we only going to move at night Sakura" Karin inquired when they woke around three in the afternoon and had an extremely late lunch, instantly Sakura bobbed her head up and down in answer as she looked out of their hole again.
Making Karin extremely confused until the rosette decided to elaborate "Isha-sensei always told me that if you were trying to escape it was always better to do it under the cover of night until your certain that you were safe and far away from those harming you" Sakura explained.
Her unexpected companion cocked her head to the side "What happened to this Isha-sensei…oh wait you said that she passed away didn't you Sakura-chan" Karin questioned only to remember what Sakura had told her yesterday.
And the pinkette nodded her head sadly "Yeah she got really sick over the winter months tending to patients who were really sick themselves and didn't ever get better, I left after my eight birthday still no closer to knowing who I really am" Sakura admitted.
Resting her head on her knees as she curled them into her chest looking even smaller than she already did "But you said your name was Sakura didn't you, so how could you not know who you are" Karin furrowed her brow.
Even more lost "I don't actually know if that's my real name, it was just the name Isha-sensei gave me, cause a couple of weeks before I met her something happened that I don't remember and I got amnesia so I don't remember anything" Sakura said.
"Hey Sakura-chan will you teach me how to be an herbalist to so that I never have to rely on that stupid ability that allows people to heal themselves by biting me and sucking out my chakra ever again" Karin requested suddenly.
When Sakura pilfered through her backpack and pulled out a book on medicinal plants that could be found and used to treat injuries "Sure, I'm still learning cause I want to honor Isha-sensei by becoming the best medic ever but I have other books that I bought" Sakura shrugged.
Gesturing for Karin to grab a book as the redhead settled at her side and in silence they read until the sky grew dim on them once more, after an even lighter dinner than what they'd had for lunch the two young girls waited until it was even later before leaving the safety of their hiding spot.
Once again trekking on their hands and knees through bushes, grass and undergrowth in order to leave Kusagakure far behind them, the village in an uproar trying to find the missing Karin as she escaped their abusive clutches.