"Sasuke! Where are you?" Itachi jumped from tree to tree in search of his idiot brother. He didn't come back for dinner and their mother was going insane with worry for her "baby." Naturally, she demanded Fugaku send all available hands to search for him. Of course her husband thought she was overreacting and told her Sasuke was mature enough to take care of himself. She would have went ballistic on him had Itachi not offered to look for Sasuke first. If he wasn't back in an hour, then they would send out a search party. With his mother satisfied, for now, he went off to the woods he and his brother would train at. So far his search has been fruitless. Sasuke had indeed gone to train, but other than a few weapons laying around there was no sign of him. Itachi was getting more concerned the deeper he went into the woods.

"Sasuke!"

"Ni-san?" Itachi never felt more relieved in his life to hear his brother's voice.

"Don't move, Sasuke, I'm coming." He leapt towards the direction of Sasuke's voice and dropped down into a clearing. He found his brother battered and bruised, leaning against the large roots of a cherry blossom tree. Itachi was in front of him in an instant.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. I just fell."

"This doesn't look like a little fall," Itachi said, looking at the blue and purple blotches that marred Sasuke's pale skin.

"...Down a cliff," Sasuke mumbled reluctantly, keeping his gaze on the ground. Itachi's heart skipped a beat. His brother could have died. But it looks like Sasuke came out of it all right. His wounds didn't look serious.

"Whatever mother asks, do not tell her that. She'll coddle you for the rest of your life." Sasuke made a face at that and nodded in agreement.

"Just tell her you were training and lost track of time."

"Okay."

"Now let's go home before mother has a heart attack." He turned his back to Sasuke and bent down, offering his back to him.

"But-" A rustle in the bush in front of him caught his eye. Instinctively he reached for a kunai and brought it in front of him. His guard dropped from disbelief when a strange wolf walked out with a branch of berries. It froze at the sight of him. Regaining focus, he lifted his weapon once more.

"Sasuke, get on slowly," he whispered, not taking his eyes off the animal that was now crouching warily.

"Wait! She's not going to hurt us. She's my friend!" Sasuke tugged at the back of Itachi's shirt, afraid he might attack if he didn't.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sasuke. She's wild and dangerous."

"But she saved me!" Now both hands clutched his shirt. Distracted by the remark, the wolf took that moment to pass him. His hand shot out to grab it, but Sasuke got to it first. He heaved the animal towards himself and away from Itachi's reach. Startled, the wolf dropped the berries and her belly sank to the floor with her head in Sasuke's hold. A surprised yip left her and Itachi moved forward, expecting it to pull back and bite Sasuke. But it did neither. Instead it starred him down out of the corner of its eyes as if he did something wrong, or would do something wrong, to his own brother.

"See! She's not dangerous," Sasuke said with that tone of voice he used when he didn't get his way. Knowing arguing would only keep them here longer he conceded defeat.

"Alright, she's not. Now let's go home. Mother's about to send out the whole clan for you." He had a bad feeling when a reluctant expression crossed Sasuke's face.

"Can Sakura come too?" He should have known that was what he was going to ask. And for the love of God, he even named it.

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why?"

"She's not some house pet you can just bring home, Sasuke. She belongs out here in her natural habitat," and he wasn't even sure of what she was in the first place. Their parents would maim them if they brought this...creature back to their doorstep.

"But won't she get lonely?" The hope in his eyes actually hurt.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but we can't." The note of finality in his voice must have gotten through to Sasuke. A glum expression pinched at his face. The beast behind Sasuke expressed her agreement by nudging him towards Itachi. Maybe he was wrong about her after all. Sasuke embraced her and pressed his cheek against hers.

"I'll come back and visit okay?" She wrapped her head over his shoulders in response. A content whistle sound could be heard from her. Itachi bit back his disapproval. After all, what are the odds of her sticking around for long?

Still stunned speechless, Sasuke almost fell over when Sakura plowed into him. Her slim arms wrapped around his waist and her head nuzzled the hollow of his neck. He caught her instinctively and steadied himself before he took an embarrassing tumble on his ass. The shock finally wore off when the tip of her ear tickled his nose.

"I finally got to see you again!"

"You're human..." He managed to spit out.

"Not quite," she pulled back to look at him with those bewitching green pools. He gripped her shoulders and held her at arm's length.

"What are you?" It came out harsher than expected, but in his defense his mind was still playing catchup with reality, or whatever this was. He kind of regretted it after a flash of hurt struck her features, especially when her ears drooped with it. He felt like he kicked a helpless puppy.

"I'm still the same Sakura. This doesn't change anything."

"...Have you always been able to do that?" She let out a tinkling laugh.

"Of course not. If I had I would have done it long ago. I've always wanted the chance to actually talk to you, Sasuke." Her eyes gleamed with sincere adoration. He couldn't help but relax a bit more. This was Sakura, his best friend, but...

"Why did you leave?" He hoped he was the only one who could hear the vulnerability in his voice. He'll never admit to how lonely he felt after her departure. And to add salt to his open wound, Itachi betrayed him not long after. It had been too much for him to take in at once. Sakura was gone. His clan, massacred by his beloved brother. He was truly alone.

"I never wanted to hurt you, Sasuke. Believe me, I didn't want to go." Her dainty fingers wrapped around his hand. He tried to pull away but she refused to let him.

"Then why did you?" He spat with an accusing undertone.

"To keep you safe."

"What are you talking about?" She looked right at him with hardened chips of emerald ice.

"Don't you remember? You almost died because of me. They came for me and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time." Sasuke vaguely remembered being attacked the day before Sakura left his life. They had been playing in their spot when these people came out of nowhere. He never saw it coming and was immediately dealt with. He had little recollection of the battle because he blacked out. The next thing he knew he was waking up in the hospital with his mother and brother hovering over him.

"Who were they?"

"Hunters. They've been chasing me since I can remember. Even before I met you," Sasuke didn't miss her choice of words.

"They're still after you." He concluded to himself.

"That's right. It was my fault you got hurt. I knew better than to stay in one place for too long."

"Then why did you?" Would it have been better if she'd left before he got too attached?

"I didn't want to." A self-deprecating smile met her face. It was a simple answer yet it so complicated. "You were the first and only friend I've ever had. I didn't want to be alone anymore." She reached for his other hand. He noticed a slight tremor in her grip and felt that she wasn't telling him something. His gut told him that there was a lot more to Sakura than just being a wolf.

"I never thought I'd see you again, but you're here," her delicate fingers laced with his. "You're really here," she said more to reassure herself that he was real as she drank in the rough feel of his hands.

"I love you, Sasuke. And I've missed you, every day since I left."

To say he was speechless would be an understatement. Her words were so honest, so innocent that his heart skipped and a warmth seeped into his body. And her eyes. So fearlessly showing her feelings. She had no doubt about what she felt and was not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. The complete opposite of him, but it made her more beautiful in his eyes. The silence that stretched between them didn't seem to bother her either, as if she didn't mind whether or not he returned her sentiments. As if he didn't have to say anything, that she understood him. He honestly didn't know what to say. Never had any girl been so sincere in her confession before her.

A shriek broke into their world, reminding him that they weren't alone. Without warning, a red blur knocked Sakura to the ground. Her fingers slipped from his as his brain tried to figure out what was going on.

"Who the fuck are you?" Karin hissed at the surprised woman beneath her. A kunai poised dangerously close to her throat.

Sakura's role in this story will put a twist on the actual storyline.

And to explain Sakura's feelings, wolves are like dogs.

So I believe they can be just as loyal and can love unconditionally.

XxUchihaCherryBlossomxX