"So you found this little thing outside?"

"Yes, Kabuto." Jugo said. Itia gently pressed down on the little bird's side. It stayed still.

"Good little birdy." She muttered as her hands glowed blue. Suddenly, the bird started to fidget, not liking the feeling of being pressed on. "All done." She removed her hands and the bird flew around, finally coming to a stop on Jugo's shoulder. He smiled.

"Thank you, Itia."

"All part of the job, love. Would you like to let her go? It's stopped raining outside."

"Yeah." Outside, Jugo held the bird in his hands.

"One, two, three!" Jugo sort of gently tossed the bird into the air and it swiftly took off, flying to freedom. It started to downpour and the two kids ran inside.

"Itia-sama? Are you coming in?"

"Itia-senpai?"

"Master! Are you okay?" Itia shook her head and darted past the kids. She skid into her room and collapsed onto the bed. Tears streamed down her face and stained her soft pillow.

"Why do you haunt me like this? Why? Nii..." There was a soft knock on the door.

"Itia-sama?"

"I'll be out later, Karin."

"What's wrong, master?"

"Just a little tired."

"O-okay." She walked off, worried. Later that night, Itia woke up. She felt like something was wrong. Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed through the home. The black haired woman shot down the dim hallway and hurried into Karin's room. "Master..." The red head was gripping the sheets so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"Bear? What happened?" Itia called Karin 'Bear' whenever she was trying to soothe her. She took the red head in her arms and petted her hair.

"Momma!" 'Not this nickname. Please not this nickname!' Itia's mind screamed. The nickname meant terrible things whenever she was called it. The teen broke down in tears. "D-don't ever leave me! Don't l-leave me here all by myself! Please! I-I'd dieeeeee..." The red head layed there, shivering and sniffling.

"Bear..." Karin cried harder. Itia took the younger girl's chin and made Karin look her in the eyes. "I would never, ever, leave you alone. Especially not here." She kissed her on the forehead. Kabuto and Kimimaru skid in, Kimimaru almost falling, both alarmed.

"What h-happened!?!" Kimimaru said.

"Just a nightmare." Itia said and looked down. Karin was already asleep again. Itia layed her down and threw the blanket over Karin's thin body. Kimimaru followed Itia into the "living" room. She plopped onto the couch in her silk nightgown. She yawned, tired, and looked at Kimimaru. "You guys just get home?"

"Yeah. I freaked out when I heard Karin scream." The fox trotted in and wound itself eagerly around the man's legs. "My, my. Who're you, you sweet little animal?"

"Her name's Karii." Kimimaru looked at the fox, his teal colored eyes shining.

"She's so sweet. How did you get her?" Itia tiredly rolled her eyes.

"Long fucking story." Kimimaru chuckled.

"Only you would put it so simply, Itia."

"Yeah..." She was so tired. She drifted to sleep and Kimimaru picked her up in that gentle way of his. In a just world, she would be his real sister. He layed her in her bed and trotted out the door, shutting it behind him. A few hours later, two males slid through Itia's window.

"I'm guessing the poison worked, un." The blond said.

"Of course it did." The red head snapped back, lifting the thin figure off the bed. He noticed Deidara blush at the sight of her. She was in a rather short black lacy nightgown, but who cared? "Immature brat." Deidara frowned and looked around her room for the first time. His eyes widened and he examined all the beautiful pictures on the wall. Some were drawn, some were painted. Most were of animals and flowers, but some were just splatters of paint.

"Wow..." He was amazed.

"Brat!"

"Hmm?"

"Come on. Now." Suddenly, a soft whimper came from the foot of the bed. A fox cocked it's head to the side. Deidara looked at the window. His superior was already out. Another whimper from the little fox puppy.

"Un." He picked the fox up and hopped out the door.

Few hours later

Itia slowly woke up from the affects of the poison. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was sitting next to a fire. For some reason, she just couldn't look away. "You're up already, un?" She screamed at the voice, incredibly surprised. She calmed down.

"W-who the hell are you?" The woman looked up at the man. He smiled.

"Deidara, yeah."

"Why did you kidnap me?"

"You don't sound too anxious to get back, un."

"There's only three reasons I'd go back to that hell hole."

"Hello." The red head stepped into the clearing. Then Itia's memory clicked.

"Oh my god! You're the guys that asked for directions!"

"You just remembered that?"

"I'm not thinking so clearly right now." She stood up and Deidara blushed, throwing a cloak to her. She looked down and blushed heavily, putting the cloak on. She wished

"It'll ware off soon." The red head tossed a bag to Deidara. "Take her to the river and let her clean up."

"Okay, Sasori-danna. C'mon, Itia." The woman followed the blond to a wide, yet calm, river. It was so clear that you could see the bottom. He climbed onto a large rock and started to mold clay into various shapes. Itia watched him as she cleaned up. Suddenly he spoke. "When we came and got you, I saw your artwork, yeah. It was amazing, un!"

"T-thank you." She finished cleaning up. There was a change of clothes in the bag and she gratefully put them on. Deidara hopped off the rock and walked over to her, watching her tug a brush through her black hair. 'Damn. She's hot.' He thought. "Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Do have an extra hair tie that I could borrow?"

"Yeah." He took a hair tie out of his pocket and gave it to her.

"Thanks. My hair gets crazy without shampoo." She quickly and flawlessly put her hair up in a high pony tail. It reached her shoulder blades.

"No problem, un. Oh yeah, this wanted to come with us." He whistled and a fox puppy bound into the clearing, crashing into her owner. She laughed happily.

"Oh my god! Thank you so much!" Deidara chuckled.

"She wouldn't leave your side. What's her name?" Sasori stepped into the clearing.

"Her name is..." Itia's eyes almost leaked tears, but she bit her lip. "Her name is Karii." She stood up and dusted herself off.

"We need to get going. Deidara, you know what to do."

"Gladly, un." He took some clay in his hand and closed it. When he opened it, there was a little clay bird in the palm of his hand. He threw it up in the air and it was enclosed in a puff of smoke. When it cleared, there was a huge clay bird on the ground.

"Whoa..." Itia said, amazed. The bird was beautiful.

"Yeah!" Deidara said as he hopped onto the back of the bird.

"Coming?" Sasori asked calmly.

"Don't really have much of a choice, do I?" She hopped onto the back of the bird.