A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back!

Thank you for the comments thus far!

Rated: "M" for gore / fighting / blood / light yaoi

So, without further delay, Chapter 4 of "The Collector"

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Sakura made her way slowly towards the large wooden gates, beyond them laid the Village of the Trees. Blood, both wet and dry, covered her right leg and ankle, and with each step, intense pain shot up her wounded limb. "Just focus on the goal," Sakura closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and concentrated. "One foot in front of the other."

After what had seemed like an eternity, she finally approached the timber double doors. They were made of pine with huge steel rings hanging about three quarters of the way up on each door. A giant serpent slithered across both doors, sharp teeth bared, claws extended, its golden eyes glaring at the outside world. A large wall of stone shot off from each side of the doors, creating a rocky fence enclosing the village. Looming above Sakura, the place seemed very cold and unwelcoming.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted one fist and began to pound on one of the gates. "Please, someone, I need help!" she cried. No response. Raising her voice and bringing up her other fist, she began to pound harder, calling out through raw chapped lips, "Help! Someone please!" She continued to shout and holler creating quite the commotion, yet still, no one arrived. Growing frustrated, she pulled back one gloved arm, balled her fist tight, and rammed it through the door on the left. It bent inwards, creating a small gap in the heavy wood. Pealing away a few loose boards, Sakura managed to wiggle herself through the broken entryway and into the village.

She took a moment to take in her surroundings, trying to locate the hospital building. Taken aback, Sakura scrunched her eyebrows and her jaw dropped. This village was nothing like the bright cheerful one of her homeland, Konoha. Here, everything was dull, drab, and gray. Even inside the gates, snow was everywhere and blanketed everything. Glancing down at her boots, she noticed a partially shoveled path leading away from the doors, winding itself towards the center of the of the village. Trudging along she passed many small, brick cottages surrounded by thick stone fences. They were built in a formation as if the village was huddling itself to stay safe and protected from something. Though there were many homes, their simple exteriors were devoid of light and life. It was downright eerie.

She felt hot tears forming at the corners of her eyes while her boots crunched along the snow. Once again, she drew a deep breath, bringing her hands to her mouth, and called out "Hello? Anybody?" as loud as she could. Her echo carried through the buildings as if on a breeze and yet, nothing. All she could hear was the groan of the trees as their limbs swayed in the chilly breeze. They almost sounded alive. She looked warily upwards, and was startled by the presence they possessed. "I see why they call it the Village of the Trees," she muttered to herself. "They're growing all over the place."

Walking in depressed silence for a few more minutes, her ears picked up the faint murmur of voices. "Could it be…. people?" he heart skipped a beat and she headed across the path. A wooden sign entitled, "The Boar's Head" swung idly from a plain stony two-story cottage. She rubbed her sleeve on the frosty window, and squinted her eyes, but she couldn't make out what exactly "The Boar's Head" was. No matter. There were lights and voices coming from inside and that's where she'd find help.

Limping towards the front door, she pushed it open, then slumped against the doorframe.
Staring inside, she noticed it was quite the contrast to the dreary outside. Animal skins and antlers decorated the wall above the fireplace on one side of the room while a long bar counter lined the other. There were various drinks and rows of glasses lined up on shelves in front of a giant mirrored wall. Plush couches were placed in a half circle around the fireplace. The warmth was welcoming to her chilly body.

But what caught her attention were the two faces that stared back at her. One from behind the counter, who was dark and looked disapprovingly at her while the other leaned against the counter from the opposite side, whose thin red eyebrows had drawn together in concern. They each seemed to be in their early twenties. "Please…. help…. me," she panted out, her voice raw and raspy. Her breath came in exerted breaths and her vision had begun to grow hazy. She felt herself begin to pitch forward, her eyes closing, succumbing to the darkness that had invaded her mind.

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Sasori wasted no time and dived to catch the falling girl. With a hard thud, he hit the floor, the girl slipping into unconsciousness. He let out a quick sigh, then narrowed his eyes at the man behind the bar counter. "Don't stand there gawking, Itachi. I need a room for her." He hastened to his feet, the girl draped in his arms bridal-style.

"First one on the left," came the stiff reply. His dark eyes followed Sasori as he took off down the hall. "Why my bar?" Heaving a heavy sigh, he tossed his cleaning rag aside. "Guess I'm closed now." Reaching back, he undid the tie that held back his long raven colored hair, which spilled over his lean shoulders. He then loosened the straps on his bartender outfit, letting them fall off his shoulders and down to his sides. "At least I can get out of this monkey suit," he snorted, loosening the black bowtie that was around his neck, and popping open a few buttons that ran down his white shirt. He strode towards the front door, bolted the lock and flipped the status sign to 'Closed.' "Another of Sasori's lost puppies," he mumbled.

Sasori shoved open the door to the tiny room. It was dark but he was all too familiar with the layout of "The Boar's Head." He'd been visiting here since the days before his sensei had died. Even so, his sensei was a good, kind man and so what if he over-indulged himself once in awhile. Sasori usually helped him into one of these guest rooms to sleep off the booze, while he himself became quick friends with the bar owner's son, Itachi.

He laid the girl down gently onto the mattress. Rolling up the long sleeves on his deep green tunic, his amber eyes took a moment to survey the damage. There was frostbite, the loss of blood, bite wounds on her leg and ankle, not too mention exhaustion and fever. "What could have happened to her?" he wondered.

"Sasori," Itachi called from the entryway tossing him a brown leather bag. He flipped on the light switch and a small bulb came to life. The room itself was simple with a twin bed off the left and a small wooden desk and chair to the right.

"Thanks," came the hurried reply. He pulled the thin blue curtain shut on the window, and then drew himself up a chair. Taking a seat, Sasori snapped open his pack, and began pulling out a variety of surgical instruments and wads of gauze.

"Good luck with her," Itachi whispered, closing the door as he exited the room.

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"Finally, she's stable and sleeping soundly," Sasori wiped his brow while taking a seat on a plush barstool. Itachi slid him a mug of his favorite ale. Sasori grasped it quickly and downed its contents in one gulp.

"So," Itachi snapped, "why help the girl?"

Sasori only stared. "That's a stupid question."

"You know how the elders feel about outsiders," Itachi bit out through clenched teeth.

"I'm a doctor and it's my job to assist people," Sasori stated matter-of-factly. "To hell with what the elders think."

"Well, I for one DO care what the elders think. This is my bar and I won't have you compromising it for some stranger!" Itachi shot back.

"Look, give me a day or two. I'll get her ready for transport and we'll go someplace where she can recover unnoticed by anyone. Alright?" he stressed, raising a thin eyebrow.

"Sasori," Itachi's dark eyes edged with concern, "you're already on pins and needles with the elders, and have been ever since you found that pathetic excuse for a human being…" He was cut short as Sasori grabbed his shirt collar, pulling them nose-to-nose.

"Never call him that again," Sasori growled. "That man is a miracle in surviving all that was done to him." Itachi winced at the sharpness of his friend's tone. Sasori shoved Itachi back and placed his hands on his head, his fingers entwining themselves into his red, short shaggy hair.

"You can't keep him a secret forever. They'llfind out, and take him from you," Itachi stated flatly, staring out the window. "They'll take away your license to practice medicine and put you to work in the forest, like some damn servant. Is that what you want to happen?" Itachi clenched his fists, turning back towards Sasori.

"I need him," came the reply. "I'm so close." He raised his head. "The cycle is repeating itself and he's the link. I just need a little more time," he sighed.

Suddenly, a loud knock came from the front door. The two friends locked frantic gazes with one another. "Open up, we'd like a word," a harsh voice boomed from outside. Itachi slinked over to the window and lifted back one side of the heavy drapes.

"It's one of the elders," he mumbled irritably.

"The girl's footprints in the snow!" Sasori gasped. "They know she's here!"

"Okay, now don't panic," Itachi smoothed his hair and headed towards the door. "I'll come up with something." Unlocking the deadbolt with a heavy click, Itachi slid his lean frame into the small crack that he allowed for himself. Giving a lazy smile he said, "Evening, sir. Something I can do for you?" he drawled.

"Itachi," came the stern reply, "you weren't at tonight's meeting." The older man puffed his chest and scowled. He was a large man who wore a oversized red overcoat, tan pants, and dark brown boots. His fluffy white hair billowed about his face and a long ponytail trailed down his back.

Itachi sighed mentally. "Whew. It's not about the girl." Brushing back his bangs he said innocently, "Meeting?"

Jiraiya grew flustered, his small eyes glaring at the young man, making the dark lines of red that streaked down from his eyes blend in with the redness of the man's round face. "Of course the meeting. The one this village has every night to do a headcount. It's critical that everyone be there so we know who's here and who's not." He waved a fat finger at Itachi and poked at his chest, "You could have been taken."

"I was treating him," the lean redhead said, sliding in next to Itachi.

"Ahh…Master Sasori, the other elders and I were wondering about you as well. A pleasure to see you as always," Jiraiya replied with a curt nod. "Goodness knows what would happen to this village if you had disappeared. Men as skilled as yourself are hard to come by."

"A sickness?" came a bland voice from behind the old man. A young man of eighteen stepped forward. He was dressed in a thick wooly gray overcoat, with black pants and boots. He stood lean and pale, yet his dark eyes were full of doubt and suspicion. He raised a thin black eyebrow. "Really now?"

"Quite so," Sasori replied professionally, "It was best that he not be with crowds."

"Oh Sai, do relax," Jiraiya playfully ruffled the dark-haired man's short hair. "They are both here and accounted for." Sai stared hard at both Itachi and Sasori then returned to his usual bland expression. "They are hiding something sir," he stated simply.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think, Sai?" Jiraiya warned. "It's true that faith and trust are very rare these days, but let's not accuse our friends and people who are loyal to the village, now shall we?"

"But sir," Sai pressed.

"Not another word," Jiraiya waved a hand shooing Sai away. "Don't mind him," he said apologetically to Sasori, "He's rather in a rush to get to the bottom of these disappearances. Just like the rest of us are, no doubt. But youth can cause one to jump too quickly to conclusions." Sai's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"The old fool," he thought to himself. "I will find out what happened to Ino. Until then, everyone is under suspicion," Sai countered flatly.

Jiraiya cocked an eyebrow. "Sasori, Itachi. Do be at the next meeting. You do not want to end up a 'statistic,'" he said, turning and heading back down the steps.

"Of course sir. Do have a pleasant evening," Itachi bowed from the doorway closing the door.

"Sai, do try to be more personable, will you," Jiraiya disciplined.

"As you say sir," replied Sai, bowing slightly. He didn't tell the old man about what he saw in both Itachi's and Sasori's eyes when he had mentioned they were hiding something. He also saw the faint traces of sweat that had formed on their brows. "They know something," Sai thought to himself, "a fact which they will share with me, all in due time."

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Itachi sighed and leaned against the closed door. "That was close." Sasori merely nodded, his hand on his chin. "What is it?" Itachi's dark eyebrows shot up.

"That boy, Sai. We need to be very careful around him." Sasori warned.

"Don't worry about it," Itachi interjected. "But those ridiculous headcounts. Why doesn't this town actually do something for a change? We're all just sitting ducks waiting to be hunted and taken to who knows where. Never to be heard from again. It's all so maddening," Itachi slammed his hands on the bar counter.

"That's why I need him," Sasori said softly. "He can help us end all this."

"I hope you're right," Itachi muttered back. "Damn the elders for shutting us all off from the outside world. To hell with their "self-sufficient" attitudes. Their damn pride has doomed this village and the people in it," he thought bitterly to himself.

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Naruto awoke from his restless slumber, his eyes filled with grime and rimmed with red. Glancing over towards the still asleep Sasuke, he heaved a heavy sigh. They were safe, at least for now, from the harsh snow and wind that was blowing around viciously outside their humble cave. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes, his mind drifting back towards the events of the previous night.

Hitting the cold water was a shock to his system. His muscles cramped and protested, but he willed them to keep going. He could barely see Sasuke, a fuzzy form being dragged along the river's floor, dangling from the crocodile's mouth like some prize. The closer he got to the raven, the murkier the water became. Blood filled the icy waters, blood that enticed the crocodile and infuriated him.

Dangerous red chakra had quickly overtaken Naruto's body, his features becoming harsh and feral. Lashing out a giant red chakra hand, he swung at the croc, digging his claws into its back. It screamed, wriggling in pain, dropping Sasuke from its powerful jaws. Sending out another clawed hand, he latched onto the retreating croc's tail, tearing it from its bony spine. The croc withered and bucked. It was finally put out of its misery as an angry fist collided with its skull. Its eyes lolled back into its head as it rolled onto its back and floated upwards.

The urge to further rip apart the beast coursed through Naruto's veins, the thrill of destruction was intense. Yet he was able to hold onto the grips of humanity, turning his blood red eyes towards Sasuke. He dove down, retrieving the unconscious Uchiha by his collar with his oversized fangs, and then made for the surface. Once they broke the water's edge, Naruto swam to shore. He crawled onto the snowy riverbank, dropping to all fours, and dragged Sasuke by the scruff of his neck to a relatively flat spot. Releasing Sasuke from his jaws, Naruto let out a loud, deep throated howl.

Surveying his catch, he found Sasuke's body to be in pitiful shape. Rips and tears in his legs and back had blood seeping deep into the snow, changing it from an off-white to deep pink. Sasuke's hair hung limp around his pale face, ice crystals forming at the tips. His skin and lips carried traces of blue and was cold to the touch. Frostbite nipped at his exposed fingers. Naruto dropped his blond head to Sasuke's chest, searching for a heartbeat. Even with the acute sense of hearing from the Kyuubi, he could only hear the faint traces of wind.

Naruto's engorged red eyes enlarged further as shock set in. Lifting his head quickly, he slid a clawed hand underneath Sasuke's neck, tipping his chin back. He hastily brought his lips down onto Sasuke's, his rough canines ripping into the raven's thin lips and mouth. He forced a few deep breaths into his friend. Then he lifted his head back up, flattened out his palms, and gave a few hard presses to Sasuke's chest. "Breath, you bastard," he mumbled angrily.

Naruto repeated the process a few times before Sasuke began to respond. Sasuke choked, rolled onto his side, and heaved up all the water and blood he had swallowed. He wearily opened his eyes, a dull gray as opposed to the sharp onyx ones he usually had, and mumbled out "Naruto," before falling unconscious again.

Naruto pulled Sasuke close to him, wrapping his arms around the Uchiha. His giant fox tail wrapping around them, enclosing them in a cocoon of red chakra. Sasuke's head leaned back; his thick icy bangs sliding past his face and over his ears. Naruto looked hungrily at the exposed skin and in both desperation and relief, began to bite and kiss at it. He could feel the warmth starting to enter back into Sasuke's cold body, reassuring him that there was still life inside. Damn, he'd almost lost him again! When they got home, he was going to have to put a collar on this kid.

Pulling away regretfully, Naruto's red chakra had begun to fade and he opened his eyes, revealing his natural cool azure color. Looking around, he had no idea how far or where they had drifted. The scenary looked the same as it had all day, full of snow and trees, yet the village gates were nowhere in sight. "There must be something," Naruto thought frantically, "we need to get out of the elements." Squinting his eyes, he was able to make out a small cave not too far off. "Perfect!" And that was where they had spent the night.

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Opening his azure eyes once again, he moved closer to the sleeping Uchiha. Sasuke's color had slowly returned, the blue tint finally fading from his skin. Naruto intertwined his fingers into Sasuke's, and he began to massage them, the movement keeping the circulation going. His skills as a medic-nin were average at best. Heck, this was Sakura's specialty, not his. He had patched up Sasuke as best he could, but what he really needed was a trained doctor. Groaning at the helplessness of the situation, he sat back on his hunches.

Sasuke stirred, his movements startling Naruto from his depressed thoughts. The raven began to shiver and it was all Naruto could do but lie down next to him, sharing his body heat. Stroking the long ebony bangs with his fingers, Naruto leaned in to place a long, deep kiss on his friend's warm lips. Stifling a yawn, and satisfied that Sasuke wasn't ready to die just yet, he snuggled into the Uchiha's body and drifted off into a deep sleep.

Sasuke was not so lucky….

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"You really mustn't move around so much," Sasori pressed, "your bandages will break and you'll reopen your wounds." He firmly pushed Sakura back into bed.

"My friends are out there, and they need help," she insisted, struggling against the redhead. "Now let me go!" Sasori grew annoyed as he found himself practically wrestling with the girl in order to keep her still and healing properly.

"You better knock it off, girl," came an aggravated voice from the entryway. Both Sasori and Sakura halted, turning their heads in unison to stare at the tall pale man. "Do you have any idea how much Sasori put on the line for you?" he bit out. Sakura shrank back from the intense dark gaze and averted her green eyes.

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Don't worry. Itachi might look like a prick, but he's really just a softy," Sasori added light-heartedly. Itachi snorted. "It's true," he smirked. "Anyways, my name's Sasori."

"S..S..Sakura," she choked back, stifling a sob. "From Konoha."

"Konoha? You're a far way from home. What brings you way out here?" Sasori asked kindly, offering the girl a handkerchief. Sakura gingerly took the cloth and dabbed at her eyes.

"Well, we were sent out on a mission by your hokage to come help in the disappearances that were happening here," she sniffed in reply.

"Hokage?" Itachi and Sasori stared curiously at each other.

"What is it?" Sakura questioned.

"Well, we don't have a hokage. It's the village elders who run the show here. And hell would freeze over before they asked anyone outside the village for help," Itachi muttered disgustedly. Sakura blinked in surprise.

"If that's the case, who would have sent us the request letter then?" Sakura asked anxiously.

"Good question," Sasori wondered aloud.

"Can I trust this guy?" Sakura though warily to herself. Sasori's amber eyes were so full of genuine concern that she couldn't help but blurt out, "Well, what about the crocodiles then?"

"Crocodiles?" Sasori and Itachi said in shocked unison.

"Sorry, kid, but crocodiles don't live anywhere near here. It's much too cold for them to survive, plus the river is almost always iced over," Itachi stated matter-of-factly. Sakura's jaw dropped.

"But it's true! They were crocodiles and big ones at that! They attacked my two teammates and I!" Sakura cried out in defense.

"I'm telling you, crocs don't exist here. It must have been a bear or something that scratched you up like that," Itachi rebuked.

"I know what I saw, and what I saw was crocodiles," Sakura insisted. Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Itachi. A word, please," Sasori interjected, rising and heading towards the door.
Sakura slipped her feet over the side of the bed. "You, young lady, will be of no use to your friends in that condition. Please wait here," he ordered. Sakura slumped back into the soft bed, crossing her arms over her chest. Sasori and Itachi quickly left the room, closing the door behind them. She could hear them murmuring, but couldn't make out the words. She sighed, knowing that Sasori was right. What good was she in such a condition? She might not be able to do much now, but she could speed up the healing process. Smiling devilishly to herself, she concentrated on drawing upon her pink chakra, but was left startled when she failed to pick up the familiar flow within her body.

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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Itachi asked Sasori, his voice edged with worry. "I mean, you said you wanted to run a few more tests."

"I have no choice," came the pre-occupied response. Sasori was focusing hard on the syringe he was filling with a clear liquid. "You've known him almost as long as I, and there's no way he'll go along with this willingly."

"I don't know," Itachi rubbed at the back of his head, "he's so unpredictable."

"Well, that's what this is for," Sasori squirted a bit of liquid from the needle. "It'll keep him under control while I get the answers I need." He raised the syringe towards the light, making sure the dosage was correct. Nodding in satisfaction, he brought it back down and placed it inside a small wooden case. "I'm leaving now. You stay here to keep an eye on the girl and make sure she's not found out.""Do you think he'll ever trust you again after this?" Itachi questioned. Sasori paused in mid grasp for his brown coat. He said nothing but Itachi didn't miss the wave of guilt that had washed over his friend.

"I have to get going," he finally bit out, snatching his coat and thrusting his arms angrily through the sleeves.

"Be careful," Itachi warned, placing a hand on Sasori's shoulder. The redhead nodded and opened the door into the wintry night. A light snow had begun to fall.

"I'll be back in the morning," Sasori called over his shoulder. He heard the door close behind him and was thrown into darkness. It didn't bother him though; he knew the village well and could navigate through anything. Taking light steps, he descended the stairs and proceeded to walk through the quiet village. This place was home to him, and yet, he'd always lived in fear of the 'it' that prowled the town, taking its inhabitants.

"All the people that are missing, where have they gone? Why don't we ever find any sign of them? It's like they never even existed," he thought bitterly to himself. His brows furrowed thinking back to what Sakura had told him. How bizarre. Crossing the threshold of the village, he then entered the Western Woods.

The air grew cold and he lifted the collar on his jacket closer to his face. Taking a long glance behind him, he squinted his eyes, making sure that no one was following him. He'd been making this trip for almost ten years now, but it was crucial that no one knew where he was going. He couldn't let him into society just yet; he wasn't ready and either were the people who lived here. Even so, he had to be careful. Exposure could cause grave troubles for them both. He fingered the wooden box that was inside his pocket. He really didn't want to get the information using this method. But something had to be done, he'd have to put any personal feelings aside and do what was best for everyone.

Sasori was so lost in his own thoughts and feelings that he was completely unaware of the young pale man silently following behind him.

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A/N: Lots of things happening in this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and am intrigued.

Stay tuned for Chapter 5 coming next week.

Please comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks!