Welcome to the next instalment of the one, the only, thrilling Lost on an Unknown Island narrative. I hope you enjoy reading :)

Chapter Eleven

Sakura hardly felt the earth beneath her feet as she ran like her life depended on it, and in a way it did. The villagers were her life. She hardly saw the forest as it blurred past her, her feet moving faster and faster as she dodged the trees. With a voice full of plea she screamed to the surrounding woodland to carry her warning back to her village. She knew Tsunade would get the message in the sounds of the wind and only hoped that the village would be getting ready to evacuate when she got there.

Sakura entered the clearing with hardly a flutter of sound and saw that all of the villagers were in a state of calm order, packing their most prized personal possessions before making their way towards the rocky path up the mountain. With a nod to Kiba she flew up the ladder to her hut and began to rip off her casual clothes to don her warrior outfit; long wolf pelt boots, a simple longer lion skin skirt with a belt of bear hide with thick stitching holding it on her hips. She ripped off her shredded top to replace it with an almost identical top, except with a thicket strip at the bottom, to hold her chest tight. She tied a single strip of bear pelt around her neck, identifying her as a warrior and tied two strips of the same pelt around each wrist identifying her as an archer and heaved her bow across her shoulders, her arrows tied across her back, held in place by two straps of animal hide. She attached her two katana sheaths to her hips, criss-crossed at the back for easy access, and finally attached her two matching daggers to each calf, slipped inside of her boots.

After she had finished, in a world record of less than a minute, she jumped from the bridge outside her hut to another lower to the ground and began running towards the meeting hut where she knew her mother would be. She ripped open the door and stood in the doorway, her chest heaving with adrenalin. Her gaze flittered over the people sitting in the chairs surrounding the wooden circular table, and felt a stab of annoyance as she noticed that all the outsiders were in attendance. She cared not for what they had to say and opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Tsunade,

"The village is beginning to move towards the mountains. The altitude is too high for the Airan's to reach without having to climb on foot. They would never enter without fear of their own life." Sakura nodded in agreement before Tsunade continued. "How much time do you believe we have?"

Sakura panted from exhaustion as she began to stretch her bow, ready for battle. "We have less than 15 minutes before they enter the clearing." Tsunade's eyes widened and tears began to well, never falling, as she realised the villagers would never be able to get far enough away to reach safety.

Her head bowed, Tsunade got to her feet before opening her mouth to speak, to give what order no one would ever know as Sakura spoke across her delivering words that nearly stopped Tsunade's heart. "I will fight and buy as much time as I can give."

All at once there was yelling from three different people in rage as soon as Sakura spoke her words. She lifted her hand in the air, silencing them with a sharp glare. "The more time we spend arguing on this the closer they get. Tsunade… they need a leader, and as much as you don't want to admit it you are too old to go into battle. Shikamaru, you have just been reunited with your friends and family. Do not make this the last time you see one another alive. And Kiba, Guta hiyu ya ho tsi ara ho yui deraco weri qie."

A sudden silence seemed to echo around the walls before a gasping sob sounded from Sakura's mother-figure as she came to the realisation that this truly was the only way. Sakura would not allow any other warriors to follow her into this battle as she already knew deep within her heart that it was not going to be a winning one. It was the villager's only chance to get to safety.

"Come back to us, my child," Tsunade whispered, her voice breaking as she tried to deny her daughter's soon-to-be demise.

"Always," Sakura cracked a smile as she crouched and bowed her head in acknowledgement. The outsiders all looked on with wide eyes, trying to understand what was happening. Gaara's eyes narrowed as he realised that the hostile pink-haired princess was planning on going into battle, alone, against an army of 200.

"Why does it have to be you?" Gaara demanded, trying to act nonchalant, but failing as he got to his feet, her stature easily towering over Sakura's bent body.

"I will not ask anyone else to fight a losing battle. Would you?" Sakura queried, her body straightening as she readjusted her arrows, knowing that the more time they spent arguing, the less time they had to escape.

"Sakura, there has to be another way!" Shikamaru cried, already on his feet to grip the arm of the woman he had come to call friend. She was the one rescued him from the rotting plank he was adrift on and nursed him back to health. She taught him her language and together they taught one another their own culture. She had always been there, fighting against the councils want for his death as he was an outsider. She was the one who convinced the villagers to accept him… and now she was going to go to war, to what? To die? And he was not able to help her. Not this time.

"Shikamaru, it truly has been an honour," And with those parting words Sakura whistled her high pitch whistle and an answering roar followed. With one last glance at the surrounding people she whispered one last request before throwing herself over the wood outside the hut and landed with a thump on her familiar's back, already riding off towards her oncoming demise. A growl at her side only confirmed her belief that her Hiyuia was following her. Kiba's scruffy brown hair whipped around in the wind as he rode beside her, his easy smirk pulling a smile at the corners of her own mouth as she scanned his body and felt a smell of admiration and satisfaction as she counted the many weapons on his body. They were not going down without a fight, and taking down at least half their army as they went. They knew the forest… the Airan's didn't. They would use that to their advantage.

Sakura's last words seemed to echo in Tsunade's mind as she finally came out of her haze when a baby's cry pierced her near comatose state. With a hard line to her mouth and narrowed eyes, she began to bark orders to the surrounding people, telling them to hurry and get to the mountain path. She grabbed her necessities; a few weapons and some jewellery, as well as a painted portrait of her and her two adopted children, the two people now barrelling towards an unwinnable battle to protect the entire village. Even in such a dark place Tsunade couldn't help but feel a swell of pride beneath her breast at the knowledge that the village would be alive because of her children. The strong-willed young woman, and kind-hearted young man she raised were going to become the greatest heroes in their history.

Tsunade stood at the door of her hut, watching as Shikamaru and his people ran towards the mountains, their belongings hitting them in the back of their knees as they ran to catch up to the now unseen villagers only a few minutes in front of them. The remaining warriors in the village, only 30 or so sifted through the village huts, making sure no one returned before they too made their way towards the mountains. They remained at the back, alongside Tsunade, just in case… just in case any Airan's made it through. Tsunade held her head high and promised to follow her daughter's last request.

"Please Urra, do not let my death be in vain…"

Translation;

"Guta hiyu ya ho tsi ara ho yui deraco weri qie" = "I cannot ask you to put yourself in such danger with me"

"Hiyuia"= We would call it a bond mate? Not as in romance, but more like twins I guess.

"Urra" = Mother