Disclaimer; Naruto isn't my property. I own no rights to it or anything. Just this story. :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 9; Hunt

"So where is Naruto?"

The unspoken question hung in the air between Sakura and Sasuke. The pinkette had taken the lead and hadn't spoken to Sasuke at all about where they were going or what had happened. He knew she got what they needed, but nothing more.

Both ninjas were racing at top speed through the forest, well on their way to where Naruto was supposed to be. The closer they grew to their destination, the more despair and distress Sakura felt. She knew that with every giant leap, they grew painfully closer to having to… To… To kill Naruto.

She shifted her emerald eyes from the path she was forging ahead to Sasuke who was only a few paces behind her. He showed no emotion in those onyx eyes of his. He couldn't care less about what they had to do. All this did to Sakura was make her feel more fury towards him. Sasuke didn't care about his former friends and allies. He just wanted more power. No matter how much Naruto cared about him, no matter how much Naruto chased after him, Sasuke wouldn't come back; not willingly. That rotten little traitor…

And to think that she used to love him. She was so naïve, so foolish. Now, all Sakura wanted to do was to get as far away from him as she could.

But Orochimaru had to assign her to this mission with him. It had to be with Sasuke. Not some other puppet of his, not some other merciless Sound Ninja. It had to be Sasuke.

Why did this world have to hate her so much?

Sakura shook off the dark thoughts. She didn't want to be plagued with despair like this. This darkness that beleaguered in her heart made her feel no better, so she pushed it away. Now wasn't the time to wallow in self-pity. It was time to harden her heart.

Her eyes snapped back to the path she forged on through the trees. They had at least a few days journey ahead of them… A few days until she would have to battle Naruto. This battle, this mission, would change everything; Sakura felt that for sure. She just wasn't sure how.

Hidden deep in the shadows, Orochimaru rested, his amber eyes closed. Seated comfortably in one of his chairs, he sat silently, resting. He was so still, it was almost impossible to see his calm breathing.

Soft footsteps announce the arrival of Kabuto. The silver haired medical ninja entered the room and set something down on a table next to the door.

A single amber eye opened to the thinnest slit, focusing on Kabuto.

"I have brought your medicine, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto turned his black eyes to his master.

"Good." That eye closed slowly, like the lazy eye of a snake that rests in the warm sun.

Kabuto quickly started to distribute Orochimaru's meds to him. As he did, he shot his master a quick glance. With a nervous breath, he murmured, "Forgive me for my rashness, but are you sure that Sakura was ready for this assignment?"

"Are you questioning my judgment, Kabuto?" There was a touch of amusement in those shadowy words that the sannin hissed.

"Er, no, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto hastily added.

This evoked a soft chuckle. "Don't lie to me, Kabuto. I know that you are wondering what I could possibly be thinking, sending her on a mission like this so soon, especially with Sasuke, who she's shown an extreme dislike for." His tongue slid out of his mouth, then crept back into it. "I know this is her third mission and that she's only been with me for a few weeks… But don't doubt my judgment. I know exactly what I'm doing…"

"Do you really think she'll do it? That she'll kill Naruto Uzumaki?" Kabuto questioned softly, still busy with his work.

His lips twisted into a dark smile. "With Sasuke there, she won't have much of a choice." Orochimaru chuckled to himself. "She'll have to do it; I've shown her that much. Now we'll know just how far she is planning to go."

Kabuto nodded softly and didn't say anything else. He just did finished his job, grabbed the things that he placed on the table, and withdrew to the doorway. "We'll see," he called over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall, leaving Orochimaru in silence once again.

The flickering light of the single candle in the good-sized room cast long shadows on Orochimaru's pale face. He lowered his head, pieces of his long black hair across his face.

At last it was time to complete the mission.

Naruto could feel his anxiety creeping up in him. Shino had finally come up with a fine plan on how they were to proceed. The blonde ninja shifted his weight from where he crouched in the shadows of the bushes. Kiba and Akamaru were hidden well in a grove of trees just yards to Naruto's right, while Hinata was up high in a tree across from him. These three ninjas were waiting here, on a narrow stretch of the forest; it was in a small ravine that had a river cutting across it. High, rugged cliffs would keep the rogue ninjas trapped on this small trail. Just up ahead was a dead end. Once Shino led the ninjas in, they would be forced to turn around. That's where the Leaf shinobi would jump out and strike hard and fast. It would be over in minutes. At least, according to the plan.

It had been a couple of days since Shino first started planning. Apparently, they "didn't have enough information" on the first day, so they camped out for a while. The ninjas took turns going into nearby towns to get supplies and pick up a little information while they were at it. After two days of this, Shino had finally come up with a clever plan. They knew one of the things that these rogues were interested in getting, so it was child's play for the ninjas to find a way to trick their targets into believing that they had it. Just a little bit of clever planning, and they were well on their way to the perfect ambush. Now the only thing left to do for Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru, and Hinata was to wait.

Well, everyone knew that waiting wasn't Naruto's strongest point. It didn't take long for him to grow fed up with how long this was taking Shino.

"Where is he already…?" the blonde grumbled from his post.

"Oh, stop whining. He'll be here soon enough." Kiba snapped at him, clearly irritated. His dog whimpered softly, fully aware that his master was annoyed.

Naruto clenched his teeth but said nothing. They both just returned to waiting in awkward silence.

Eventually, all three of the waiting ninjas heard scuffling in the bushes up ahead. They tensed, realizing the time was upon them.

A sharp voice broke through the rising noise of people racing through the forest. "He just went up ahead! It's a dead end; we can trap 'em there!"

Right down the small animal path in front of Naruto's nose, the outlaws raced. From the glimpses he caught of them through the trees, Naruto saw that there had to be five or six of them, and they all had a variety of weapons. The leader appeared to be a tall, muscular man with a jagged scar that stretched from over his left eye down to his right cheek and dusty blonde hair. He had tan skin and brandished a pair of long, gleaming swords. The rest of the ragtag group seemed to, for the most part, obey his every command. This man looked like a true warrior, but he was the ideal one to capture…

The last of the fugitives raced down the path and disappeared into the blocked off clearing. Stealthily, the ninjas crept closer to their targets.

They crouched at the outskirts of the clearing and gazed in silently. The six ninjas were pacing around, beyond annoyed that their precious treasure—whatever that was—wasn't there.

After a last circle around the clearing, they all turned to exit only to find a group of Leaf shinobi standing in their way.

The leader stepped forward and waved a sword at them. "Move, unless you want to taste this steel when I blow this sword through your mouth," he called callously. None of the shinobi moved. He shrugged and turned to his men. "Three against six. This'll be a breeze."

With savage howls of delight, the men started to advance towards the ones blocking the way. Naruto whipped out his kunai and smiled mischievously. He was itching to fight after so much waiting. But despite the urge to battle, the blonde ninja couldn't help but wonder where Shino went. After a slight hesitation, he shook the feeling off. Shino would come when he was ready. No point in worrying about him.

Clang!

Steel clashed against steel, and the battle started.

Clang! Clash! Clatter!

Naruto lunged forward and dodged back, each time slashing with his weapon. Hinata weaved around the foes and delivered precise blows with her Gentle Fist attack. Kiba and Akamaru worked in perfect harmony and delivered blow after harsh blow, mostly through their combined attack Fang over Fang.

It turns out that these rogues were pretty good fighters. It took far more strength than expected for Naruto to fend off their attacks, and it turned out all six of them were talented in their chosen weapons. Each was strong and plenty powerful, although it was evident that the leader was the strongest of all. No surprise there.

More steel strained against steel. Grunts of pain rippled through the air as the two sides inflicted wound after wound and exchanging blow after blow. This had hardly been going on for ten minutes yet both sides were moving so quickly that it felt like it had been going on for hours.

Subconsciously, Naruto noticed that Shino had appeared on the sidelines and was gathering a large sum of insects in a cloud above his head. Soon he would be joining the battle, once all his insects gathered…

Snick!

A shallow but long cut appeared on the blonde ninja's forearm.

No, Naruto shook his head as if to clear it of random thoughts. He had to focus on this battle, or he would receive more cuts like the one that now stung on his arm. It's time to fight.

The clashing of steel rises through the nearby forest, disturbing the animals who call it their home.

It drew Sakura and Sasuke straight to their target.

From the trees up above the ravine where the battle was taking place, both ninjas watched silently. Sakura's breathing was short and rugged as she realized what was quickly approaching. She would have to do it soon…

Kill Naruto.

The thought was just so painful… So unbelievable… So callous. To kill one she cared about… One who trusted and cared about her… Sakura had never felt more like an animal in all her life.

And the fact that Sasuke had done the same thing so many times… That thought just rekindled the icy feeling she had towards the dark missing-nin. Working with him wasn't improving her mood; not in the least. With a rattling sigh, Sakura fixed her gaze back onto the battle unfolding before her eyes.

She counted four ninjas on the Leaf side, while six battled against them. As she recognized each person—Shino with his infamous bugs, Kiba and Akamaru battling side by side, Hinata striking precisely, and Naruto with his clones—Sakura's heart continued to sink. She couldn't fight them all… Her odds were small enough against Naruto. If only he would take off and separate… Then she could get this accursed mission over with.

The heated battle continued and the two observers watched in silence. Once Shino joined the battle, it was as good as over. One by one, the enemy ninjas fell to the ground—either unconscious or dead—until only one remained. But he didn't stand a chance. It was too late for him. One against four. With those odds, it was hardly a minute until he collapsed on the dirt and joined the rest of his team.

The four Leaf shinobi gathered and appeared to be talking about something, then they split up and went to each of the defeated enemies. They leaned down and did… Something, then moved on to the next. At the last one, who also happened to be the last to collapse, they leaned down and grabbed him, then took off towards the forest.

Sasuke shifted from his position and nonchalantly murmured, "Now's our chance."

Forcing herself to take a big breath, Sakura nodded slowly. She forced herself out of her crouch and stretched her legs tenderly. Anything to delay the imminent battle…

After a moment of staring at her, Sasuke growled impatiently, "Let's go already…"

She couldn't fight it any longer. This was something she had to do. With a sigh, the pinkette murmured, "After you…"

With a short nod, Sasuke took off, his raven hair flying back. Biting her lip, Sakura painfully followed.

It wasn't difficult in the least to track the Leaf patrol. They weren't trying to cover their tracks. They were just trying to get to their camp with their hostage. It probably didn't register to them that someone might try to follow them. After all, they already defeated all of their enemies and no one else should be looking for them.

After a while, it was clear to Sakura that the ninja were going to one of the villages in the area. They must be delivering their captive to this nation's ninja or something. It must have been part of their mission's criteria… With a pang, Sakura thought about having a mission. It would be soon nice to have one from Lady Tsunade again, not this snake-eyed creep who was now her master.

Shino and Kiba entered the village, leaving Naruto and Hinata behind. From the shadows, Sakura watched and listened. She knew Sasuke was nearby, doing the same.

"So… I'm gunna refill my water skin. I'll be back in a bit." With one of his large Naruto smiles, the blonde ninja took off into the forest, leaving a blushing Hinata behind. Sakura silently followed.

It didn't take long for Naruto to arrive at a small clearing in the trees. At the far edge, a creep bubbled down a hill and emptied into a large hill. The rocks next to the creek were mossy, making the place appear really green and fresh. Even the gleaming blades of grass made this a bright place.

Naruto leaned over the stream and pulled out a small worn water skin. He dipped it in the crystal clear water and waited for it to fill.

Now was her chance.

Her heart pounding in her throat, Sakura strolled out of the trees and stood behind Naruto in silence. She could feel Sasuke's onyx eyes burning on her back and knew that he was ready to step out at any moment. She had to do this.

Naruto froze for a moment, as if he sensed that something was wrong. Slowly, he turned his head, those bright blue eyes fixed firmly in Sakura's direction.

And he saw her.

"Sa- Sa- Sakura?!" With a gasp of surprise, the ninja staggered to his feet. His shocked expression changed to one of happy confusion. "What… What are you doing here? I thought you were on your top priority mission… The one in-"

Sakura's death stare cut him off, but it was too late. Naruto had already said too much.

"What mission?"

At the sound of Sasuke's voice, Naruto froze. His joyful confusion changed to shock—and even a touch of horror. "That's…" he whispered hoarsely. "But that's… Sasuke!"

He materialized out of the shadows, looking perfect as ever. The light hit his pale face, illuminating those dark onyx eyes. Strands of his raven hair fell across his forehead. His white shirt parted, revealing some of his muscular chest.

"What mission?" he repeated, eyes firmly on Sakura.

"Sakura… Wha… What's going on?" Naruto stammered, clearly baffled.

But she had nothing to say, allowing her emerald gaze to fall.

Naruto's sharp gaze shifted back to Sasuke. "What's going on?" he asked again, this time a little louder. His hand started to creep over to where he stored his kunai and he tensed.

"Sakura." Sasuke growled.

The pinkette flinched at those words. She knew exactly what he was saying… But how could she do it? How could she bring herself to actually do it?

Blue eyes flickered from one of them to the other. He still looked beyond confused, but slight recognition crossed his face. It was obvious that they were doing… Something. And they were clearly together. But what was really going on?

Emerald, onyx, and azure eyes wavered across the sets of faces. They all were waiting for someone to make a move, to say something.

"What is this?" Naruto tried one more time. But neither answered him.

Sasuke fixed his gaze on Sakura, forcing her to meet his gaze. He crossed his powerful arms and stared at her intently for a moment longer. The kunoichi allowed her gaze to drop and gave a slight nod. She had fought it as long as she could… But now she had to do it.

Naruto watched the exchange silently, trying to gauge what he could from the soundless gestures. His cobalt eyes narrowed and he took a slight step back. Something was wrong.

Closing her eyes painfully, Sakura let out a wheezing breath. She bit her tongue so hard that the salty taste of blood filled her mouth.

Sasuke's eyes flashed red as he activated the sharigan. He was ready for what was to come.

"Oh, Naruto…" Sakura whispered. "I'm… I'm sorry."

Uncertainty crossed the blonde ninja's face for a moment, then was flooded away by shock. But it was too late.

Sakura had already lunged.

A/N; Final chapter I'm adding in my huge "Big 3 Deal" today! (That was a pathedic name for it...)

Hope you enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it!

Poor Sakura... She has to kill Naruto... And Sasuke couldn't really care less... I'm such a mean author to do this to a character... *evil grin*

Got Questions?

If you're confused on anything at all in the story, feel free to ask! I don't want any confused people walking around. No matter how stupid you think the question is, ask away! After all, the only stupid question is a question not asked. (Don't forget that I have the right to not answer any questions… don't want to give away any surprises I have in the future!)

Review, if you please!

I'd really appreciate if you'd review. Tell me what you think I should change, any ideas you have, etc… I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Stay tuned to find out what happens next! Until next time, dear readers!

-Cynder7777