For some reason the line break won't work unless I do this -_-

Sasuke ran as fast as he could. He had to find her and make sure she was all right. He ignored the pain all over his body and kept going. He was almost there. He burst through the trees into the clearing, but there was no one there.

"Sakura?" He looked around frantically.

"Sakura! Where are you?" He suddenly noticed something.

"The tree…" His thoughts were going wild. Did he go the wrong way? No, he knows he didn't, but where is she? Where's their tree? Why did they both disappear? Is she okay?

"Sakura!" He didn't like this. Why won't she come out? She always came when he called. He felt tears prickling his eyes, but fought them back. A lonely whisper slipped through his clenched jaw.

"Where did you go?"

To Suigetsu's relief, there was no doghouse. Sakura led them to a nice, large room with a view. The shoji doors leading outside opened to a magnificent cherry blossom tree hidden in the back of the inn.

"Maybe you aren't so bad after all mutt." Sakura ignored him. Instead she pushed Sasuke towards the tree. When he got close enough he noticed something on it. He went ahead of her to inspect it. Sakura's named was carved on it and so was the Uchiha fan. His fingers traced the marks reminiscently. He did this. The tree went with her, but why? He was brought out of his musing by the sound of sifting earth. Turning to his right he could see Sakura's rear on the other side of the tree. Her paws dragged against the ground.

"Are you digging up bones? If that's what you call a meal, then I'd rather starve." To Sasuke's amusement, Sakura had the audacity to snort at Suigetsu's comment before resuming her hunt. She finally stopped after her hole was about two feet deep. She stuck her muzzle in and pulled an object out. Shaking the dirt off herself, she happily trotted to him, item dangling back and forth. He automatically put his hand out. Cold metal cooled his skin. He couldn't believe what he held in his hand.

"You kept it." She made a whining sound and then circled him, pressing her pelt against him. Her head squeezed under his other arm. He absentmindedly stroked her neck, stilling looking at his hand. Covered partially by grit was his family crest engraved on a thin sheet of metal. A ring of metal connected it to a circle of black cloth. He had given it to her years ago. Because he believed Sakura was a part of his family even though she's a wild animal. But she was his best friend and had never hurt him. She had worn it without protest and he thought she liked it. But after she left without warning he thought she didn't want to be with him anymore and moved on.

Sasuke brushed it off as best he could. He held it up to her and she stretched her neck out. He slid it over her soft ears and down her strong neck until it settled. The steel gleamed in the moonlight.

"It suits you," he told her softly, brushing his knuckles across her ear. She leaned into his touch. Her eyes brightened, the way they always did when she was happy, before closing them contently.

"Are you done yet? You're starting to scare me." Suigetsu wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable and a little weirded out. They've never seen a sentimental Sasuke. They didn't even think Sasuke could be sentimental with his personality. Yet here he is having a moment with an annoying animal over a tree and...what was that...a collar? Now Suigetsu snorted to himself. Looks like she's his bitch. Literally. But a bitch that meant something, if not more, to him. Now there's a scary thought, Sasuke can actually care.

"Shut up mutt," the growl rumbling in Sakura's throat only grew louder.

"Enough. We'll figure out what to do in the morning. I'll take first watch." He needed to sit down and tend to his injuries.

"You need rest Sasuke. You haven't had enough time to recover."

"I'm fine Juugo, get some rest," with that he sat outside on the raised flooring with his back to them. He was too wired at the moment to sleep. Slowly he unwrapped the bandages around his arms and head. He peeled off the small one on his cheek and inspected it. Most of the bleeding stopped and his recovery is progressing nicely. How much longer was the question. While he's here doing nothing, Itachi is getting farther and farther away. An impatient huff escaped him. No point in sulking over it. With that in mind he retrieved some clean bandages. Before he could rewrap himself Sakura came up to him, sniffing at the gash on his forearm. She whined and looked at him sadly.

"I'm fine," he reassured her. She leaned back in and gave his wound a lick. He flinched a little at the sting but then the pain disappeared altogether. He glanced down at his arm. There was nothing there except for a pale line of skin where the wound use to be. He turned to her in surprise. He was about to ask her what she had done but she craned her head up and pushed her nose into his cheek. Her tongue swiped across it a few time before she pulled away. He reached up to his face. The little nick was also gone.

"Still mysteriously strange aren't you." He gave her chin a scratch in appreciation. She pulled away first, walking back to the tree. The wind suddenly picked up. Leaves rustled around him. He was mesmerized by the sakura petals that seemed to have multiplied. A blizzard of them surrounded Sakura. He leapt to his feet, hand reaching for his blade. The petals started to recede and melt away. Through a thinner rain of petals he could see a figure. He spread his feet apart, ready for whatever's coming. He could finally see now that the sky has cleared. A green-eyed woman dressed in a light sky blue kimono with a barely noticeable diamond pattern. Beautiful peonies trailed along her long, wide sleeves and the bottom portion of her kimono. At mid-thigh the kimono parted on the left, letting it billow behind her in the breeze. Slender legs led to bare feet. A light grass green obi tied a large bow behind her, the tails tangling in a waterfall of silvery pink locks. A white camellia adorned each side of her head. Two short vines of smaller white blooms trailed from each. The most distinguishing characteristic were the ears fanning out near the sides of her head, slightly hidden behind the camellias. They matched her hair and tipped white. Tufts of white also lined the inside. The image she painted was ethereally stunning. And stunned he was. This woman appeared in the spot Sakura disappeared. Which could only mean...

"Sakura?" The woman's lips curved into a sweet smile. A charming little fang peeked out. Even her voice sounded majestic and otherworldly.

"Sasuke."

I know I said I wouldn't update this until I finished one of my other stories, but I couldn't resist. It's really fun to write this!

READ: The poll on my profile is still there. For those who don't know about it or haven't voted please do. It'll decide what my new story will be.

XxUchihaCherryBlossomxX