Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Skyrim.

"Do you think he misses us too?" Sakura's gaze is flat like the surface of a lake. Evergreen eyes reflecting the dance of the fire before her, shadows snapping across her brow to an unheard rhythm.

Naruto swallows and looks away from her forlorn features, rubbing his hands together lightly.

"I'm sure he does, Sakura. He has to." He tries to give her a small smile, but the muscles in his cheeks can only spasm in the cold. Outside the snow storm rages, wind howling and snow falling so thick the entrance of their cave appears to open into a void. As if the Nine themselves scooped their shelter from the ground in their palms and left them in another realm.

"Then why haven't we heard from him in so long? Why hasn't he sent any message? A smoke signal? Even a whisper to the woods? I'm sure I would hear it." She abruptly twists to face him. "Can I tell you something?"

Naruto bobs his head, leaning towards her inch by inch.

She bends forward, hand coming to her mouth as if there is anyone to hear them.

"Sometimes I swear I can feel him. Somewhere out there. Like something inside me knows that he is still around. Still so close to us." Sakura's eyes have started to smolder.

Naruto takes in a breath through his teeth, clenching his jaw lightly. She frowns at him, hurt flashing quickly across her face. Then something else entirely.

"I think…I think I need to lay down," she mumbles, almost trance-like.

Naruto watches her crawl towards her bed roll, blue eyes weary and waiting.

"She's gone?" Sasuke hisses. He fists the front of his friend's cloak, leather gloves creaking under the sudden motion.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Naruto places his hand gently over Sasuke's, knowing any sudden movement would trigger him into a fight.

"Why didn't you try to stop her? Why did you let her go?" Sasuke's eyes blaze, nostrils flared in anger.

"I did try. I did everything I could." Naruto's voice is weak, barely offering protest to Sasuke's accusations.

"We only just reunited, why would she leave?" Sasuke releases Naruto's cloak and turns away. Charcoal Eyes searching the room as if it could provide the answers he sought. Naruto watches silently, unable to begin comforting his friend. Then Sasuke stiffens.

"Her bag. What is her bag doing here if she means to leave us behind?" He grabs at the satchel left on the ground, accidentally dumping part of its contents on the floor.

Naruto curses under his breath as a jar filled with what appears to be mud softly collides with his boot. He was sloppy this time.

Sakura laughs, a sound he hasn't heard in a long time. Naruto turns to watch her wade through the babbling river that trails with them through the woods. She splashes a wave of water in his direction, spray shining like gems in the sun.

"I forgot how much I love the warmth," she admits, tracing unseen patterns onto the water's surface with the tip of a finger.

Naruto offers her an ear to ear smile, and begins to take his own boots off to join her. "I missed it too."

"My brother was always a better swimmer," she mumbles, "Once we went to the ocean and he dove so deep I thought he'd drowned. Then boom," Sakura smacks the water and sends a column into the air, "Itachi comes up with a slaughterfish practically the size of me!"

Naruto freezes, an icy hand reaching into his stomach and driving out the warmth just beginning to blossom. "What did you say?"

A/N: Drop a review if you'd like :)