I know it has been awhile, but I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it somewhat! I hope everyone enjoys!

Chapter 35, Loss.

I crawled to her and reached out, but she shoved the mat at me, then swung a metal bar, screaming as her injured arm moved. I grabbed the bar and tossed it across the room. "Savannah, it's me," I whispered, trying to reach for her.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed. Savannah lashed out again, tears in her eyes. "Don't touch me!"

I backed off. I sat across the room, staring at her. Maybe this isn't my baby sister. Maybe I have it all wrong. I reached into my pocket and rubbed my fingers over the scarf. No, I remember this scarf now. It is the same one Mom gave her for Christmas last year. She moved slightly, her breathe showing in the chilly air. I frowned. How long has she been here? How did she get those wounds?

Why is she afraid of me?

I rubbed my scarf over my cheek, thinking how she looked the day I left her. She was healthy, clean, and was not bleeding. She loved me. She wasn't afraid. I saw her clear brown eyes in my head, the shine of her curls reflecting the sunlight. My baby sister. How could I possibly have forgotten to think of her everyday? She is the one who believed me. I shook my head. This can't be my little sister. She is to old. Savannah was only about seventeen when I left. This girl sitting in front of me can't be any younger than nineteen. She isn't much of a kid.

"K-k-kira?" I opened my eyes and looked over at the woman on the other side of the room. She moved the mat away from her body and was leaning towards me, squinting. "Kira?" she whispered again, "Kira, is that you?"

I crawled towards her slowly, giving her every chance to hide again. "Savannah?" It can't be. This can't be my little sister. But as I looked into her eyes once more I knew. I knew this is my little sister. I frowned. The time between our worlds is almost the same. This is not good. I grabbed her and pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly to my chest. "Everything is okay," I whispered to her. "You are safe now."

As I held my sister I sent my thoughts out. My thoughts rushed under the ground towards Konoha. I quickly found Gaara and brushed my mind against his, gently bringing his attention away from the group he was with. In seconds I had his full attention. I am safe, I whispered to him, do not worry. I ran my fingers through Savannah's hair. But I need help. Grab Sakura and meet me at the edge of the desert at dawn. I felt his thoughts already running through a thousand different reasons why I would need him and Sakura. But he didn't argue. I felt him move to find her the second my voice left his head.

I gently moved Savannah away from me and studied her wounds briefly. "What happened to you?"

She sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her hand. "I was attacked by the Orangutan's that came out of the hole." She nodded towards the door. "They haven't been able to get in here, so I've been safe."

I frowned. "The hole? They came when you did?"

She frowned, too, and shook her head. "N-no. I got here and was looking around for you when they came. I heard this awful screaming sound and ran over to see what it was. I saw them coming through. Some of them were ripped apart, only half of them making it. The others ate them without a single thought." Tears filled her eyes again. "And they ate the fruit I had found. They started acting funny after that. That is when they attacked me."

Fruit? I thought about the fruit we first ate when the plane crashed. Sakura had told me they were poison to us. Could that have been what turned the Orangutan's crazy? Is that what mutated them into what they are now? I swore under my breath. This isn't good. "We can deal with that later. For now," I said, standing up, "we need to get you to see Sakura." I took off my cloak and wrapped it around her, then pulled her onto my back. "Try not to move much. I may hurt you by bouncing you around."

She sucked in a deep breath and adjusted herself briefly, wrapping her legs tightly around my waist. "I'm ready," she whispered.

I moved her arms so one was under my arm and the other was over my shoulder, so she wouldn't choke me. "Hang on."

And I started the long run back towards Konoha, already knowing Gaara and Sakura would meet me at the tree line. Savannah felt heavy by the time the sun started raising. I was surprised that I made it to the edge of the desert before the sun came up, I thought Savannah would have slowed me a lot more than this. I decided to keep going until I met up with Gaara and Sakura. Savannah passed out a while ago, and her dead weight was staring to make my back ache badly.

I shifted her, bouncing her up a little more. Her blood has soaked my shirt. There is no way I can heal her myself. I need to save my strength encase we are attacked. She will have to hang on until Sakura can get here. There was a flash of color to my left. I skidded to a stop, whipping around so I could see what caught my eye. I didn't see anything. I sent my power through my feet into the ground and searched the area for danger.

I swore under my breath. In one motion I set Savannah on the ground and round kicked a snarling Orangutan away from the two of us. I fought the next one off while I stood over my sisters unmoving body, protecting her. A blast of fire came out of my palm and scorched one of the great apes as I kicked another away. I don't remember reading anything about them attacking in groups. Hell, I've always heard they are peaceful animals, unless threatened. I grabbed a kunai and sliced one of their hands off, following through to swipe at a Orangutan. Blood sprayed my face.

I screamed in pain as one of their claws tore my shoulder. Not too deep, but enough to gush blood down my arm. I swung at him with my kunai and he hollered as it sliced his face. Something under my feet was pulled and I tripped, falling to the ground. "No!" I screamed, jumping on Savannah's body, scratching at the Orangutan's hand that was trying to pull her away from me. "Leave her alone!" I screamed at it.

The Orangutan hissed at me, spit flying at my face. He started to drag the both of us across the ground, still snarling at me as he screamed his ape-monkey scream. Others started to grab at my ankles to pull me away, but I kicked at them as hard as I could. A claw tore open my leg, and I screamed, kicking at the stupid ape hard. Where is Gaara! I pulled out a shuiken from my belt and stabbed it as deeply as I could into the Orangutan's hand that was pulling Savannah by the wrist. He screamed again and let go, jumping around as he yanked it out. I flipped over on my back and kicked with both feet at the Orangutan trying to grab hold of my legs.

I flipped back over and held Savannah's head to my chest and screamed as loud as I could as flames burst out all around us, making them back up so they didn't light up in flames. They circled us, screaming to each other as they waited for the flames to go away.

My back stung. One had cut me open just before I could blow them away. I quickly put all of my wounds to the back of my head and focused on what I am going to do.

Thank any God out there that I didn't heal Savannah. I rested my head against her still body and breathed, pushing fresh air under the flames so we could breathe okay. I can't keep this up forever. Soon they will not care or they will jump down on me from the trees. Maybe they are stupid and I can get away with this until Gaara gets here. Him and Sakura can help me.

No, I told my self. Figure it out. Don't rely on anyone to save you.

I opened my eyes back up and stood, once again having to push my pain and wounds to the back of my mind. Focus, I told myself. I watched them as they watched me. I stared at one hard and tried getting into its head to multiply its brain cells to the point where its head would explode. The Orangutan collapsed as his eyes popped out of his head from the pressure. The others were on him before he even hit the ground, tearing him apart with their teeth and fighting each other.

I sighed with relief. I did the same to three more, but each took a lot of power and concentration. I noticed my fire barrier starting to grow smaller. I hope they are to stupid to notice. But once the dead apes were gone, or they decided I was a bigger prize to munch on, they started circling me. One noticed the thinner ring of fire and moved closer, testing my strength. I waited until he was ready to plunge himself at me to burst out with the fire, killing him. The others whooped and jumped up and down around me. I sucked in the fire a little, waiting for another to move closer.

Sweat trickled down my brow. They are testing me. They learn fast. I swore loudly and looked down at my sister. She is sweating, too, and her chest is moving with shallow breaths. At least she is breathing, I thought. "Damn it, Gaara," I whispered. "Where the hell are you?"

I can feel myself being drained quickly. I used gusts of wind to blow up the fire, no longer able to create more fire than what I have. I have to think of something else. I checked how many weapons I have left. Not much. Some must have fallen off while I was carrying Savannah. My stomach growled. Great. I knelt down and closed my eyes, thinking. My actions must have confused them because they fell silent, but they moved around restlessly.

I could barely open my eyes back up. My strength is almost gone. I can't keep this up. I have no idea why I am so weak. I bit my lip hard and placed my hand on the ground under my feet. I whispered an apology to the life around me as I began to suck their power and convert it into my own. If my sisters life wasn't at risk, I would never have done this. My fire ring grew with the more power I gained, and they backed off even more, whooping loudly again.

There was a snap and I had just enough time to look up to see the Orangutan hurtling down from the tree at me.

I screamed and put my arms up over my face as he landed on me. "Gaara!" I screamed. I have no choice, I need help now. I screamed his name again as I tried to fight off the Orangutan ripping at my body with his large claws. My breath was gone with my last scream. His weight crushed me. I grabbed and pulled at his fur, but it did nothing. Claws lashed at my face. I tried to throw him off, but the lack of air is killing me.

My head turned to the side and I saw Savannah's face, her mouth still slightly open.

The fire around us disappeared and my arms fell limp at my side. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek. I mouthed my apology to her as my eyes started closing. I feel dizzy from not being able to breathe.

– –

Something inside me exploded and I screamed, jerking up and reaching out, grabbing the neck of the person next to me. I squeezed and slammed my body into theres, knocking them over. I scrambled to my feet to run, but hands grabbed me by the waist and through me back down. "Savannah!" I screamed. I jerked my head back, catching my captor in the chin. There was a grunt and the hands let go.

I crawled away, searching frantically for my sister. It's dark again, and I can't see more than three feet in any direction. Hands grabbed my feet and dragged me backwards. I kicked and screamed again, feeling more than a little helpless. My powers wont work. I tried elbowing my captor in the face, but his arm wrapped around my arm and the back of my head, putting me in a head lock. I squirmed, trying to break free, but it was hopeless. I haven't been practicing any physical fighting moves. I've been so focused on my powers I've forgotten how to fight hand to hand.

I relaxed completely, falling back against whoever was holding me. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. If freak out I will never get out of this. I need to be calm. I need to think. I need to breathe.

The arms holding me loosened slightly, waiting. When I didn't move, and my head lolled to the side, the arms loosened even more. The person let me fall out of a head lock and he moved to my side. I heard him fiddling with a pack. That is when I knew I could move. I tossed my whole body into a roll and swung my foot out, kicking him hard in the head. I was up and running before he could hit the ground.

I ran and ran and ran, no idea where I was headed. I just knew I had to run. Something in my gut told me to get away, to put as much distance between me and that person as I could.

I didn't stop running until I felt like a lung would come up my throat. Then I finally slowed to a walk, putting my hands on my hips to ease the cramps. That is when the burning fire pain dropped me to my hands and knees. The air rushed out of my lungs again. Every inch of my body hurt. A crippling, breaking a bone, burning flesh with acid, pain.

I coughed and blood darkened the ground under my chin. I stared at it, noticing it was now light enough so I could see the color. As I breathed as deeply as I could I lifted my head and looked around me. I don't recognize these trees. Hell, all trees look the same to me. I could be anywhere in this world. I let myself fall to the ground beneath me and roll so I was on my side. I want to cry. I hurt so badly. I thought about crying, I tried to cry, but no tears came out. I am to tired to cry.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, as far as my wounds would allow, and closed my eyes.

I listened to the sounds around me. Birds whistling in the trees, a slight breeze brushing my face, the rustle of leaves. My pain eased as I fell out of consciousness.

When I came to again, the sun was filtering through the leaves, warming my body. I blinked away the blurriness and tried to sit up, but my body screamed at me not to move. I held my breath and squeezed my eyes shut tightly as I waited for the pain to die down. But it didn't. I knew my peace was over and it was time to start moving again. If I'm attacked right now, I will be dead. I have no powers to protect me, and I have no weapons. I can barely stand without falling over.

I just stood there, sucking in air until I got used to the pain. I looked at my surroundings a little closer. Everything is so alive here. Green everywhere. I don't remember seeing this much green since I returned to this place. I dared a look down at my body. There is blood everywhere. My clothes are so torn I may as well be standing here naked. At least they cover the important places. There was a rustle of leave and my eyes shot up, staring hard at the area that the sound came from while my body moved to catch up with my eyes. My chin lifted, and my feet spread apart slightly.

The rustle was closer, but this time a little to the left. As I adjusted my body to face where the sounds was, it moved again. I bit my lip and took a silent calming breath. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. Just kill me. Attack me and kill me and get it over with. Tears filled my eyes and I tried to blink them away. I can't do this. I just can't. I can't protect myself, I can't fight. I can hardly breathe. My arms fell to my sides and my shoulders relaxed. Why can't I even brush my mind against what ever is making that sound? That takes the very least amount of energy than anything else.

I can't do anything.

Another rustle, which had again moved more to the left. It has almost made a complete circle around me. I breathed in and out, waiting. Whatever it was made a complete circle and the last sound I heard was directly in front of me again. I opened my eyes back up, only barely remembering I closed them. Just get it over with. Just do it. I took another breath and squared my shoulders. I stared hard at the spot where I knew whatever it was was watching me from. I may not have my powers anymore, but I am not stupid. I am being watched.

There was another rustle. "You wont hurt me if I come out, right?" asked a quiet voice.

I frowned and tried to place the voice. The voice is familiar. So familiar. Who is it? I wanted to ask, but I couldn't make my mouth work. I tried to move my tongue and realized how dry my mouth was. I worked my tongue around trying to make the feeling more comfortable. The rustle of the bush snapped my attention back on the person watching me. I am so weak I can't even focus. Great. Wonderful!

A head poked out and my breath caught in my throat. I coughed, a hacking, dry throat, cough. It sent me to my knees and when I was finished, there was blood on my hand. I wiped it off on the grass. I can't do this. I need to rest. I curled up into a ball and closed my eyes.

Kiba can wait.

– –

Kiba spoon fed me some warm soup. He reached around and wiped my mouth for me. I let my head fall back on his chest. I can't believe I am this weak. I am so weak I can't sit up on my own. I have to lean against him and let him feed me like a child. He tried to explain to me that the Orangutan's had poison in their spit, which they found out after I left, and that is why I am so weak. My body is using everything it has to fight off the poison. His theory is the poison has either blocked my powers, or all of my powers have been automatically trained on fighting for my life.

I swallowed another bite of the warm soup. It feels good going into my body. I can't talk much yet, but he hasn't stopped talking. Even now he is going on about something or another. I've given up trying to listen. But the feeling of his voice rumbling in his chest against my back is comforting. When the soup was gone he wrapped a blanket around me and held me tightly as he continued to talk. I think he even kept talking once I had fallen asleep.

When I woke up again Kiba was fast asleep, snoring softly in my ear. I swallowed hard and smiled, then my smile got bigger at the fact that I could smile. I tried to lift my hand, and my smile started to disappear as it moved slowly, sluggishly. I sighed softly. It's a start. I gazed out at the trees around us. Through all of his blabbing he never said how he found me. Without my powers I should be untraceable. I should be untraceable anyway! Though, with all of my blood hanging around everywhere, its no wonder his nose picked up my trail.

Slowly, not because I didn't want to wake him, but because I could literally move no faster than a sloth, I pushed away the blanket and moved away from him. I stood on shaky legs and took a deep breath, proud of myself for getting this far. I turned my back to Kiba and took a step forward.

"Where do you think you are going?"

Shit. Okay, so maybe I was trying to sneak off so I could pee without him asking a billion questions. I glanced back at him, moving my neck slowly. "I need to find the little girls bush," I grumbled. I went on my slow sluggish way. "I will yell if I need you."

He chuckled.

When I came back he helped me sit down next to the fire he just started. Already food was heating on the stones in the center. I gratefully took the blanket from him and wrapped it around me. I am so cold. Thankfully I had enough strength this time to feed myself. He seemed impressed at my feat. When I was done eating it was still very dark out. He tried to get me to go back to sleep, but I said no.

"Where are we?" I asked. I have gotten progressively stronger since I've woken up. Still, though, I cannot touch my powers.

Kiba shrugged and stretched out his leg. "Last I knew we were somewhere in southern Rock country."

"Last you knew?" I swallowed. How did I get here?

He shrugged again. I watched him closely as he picked at some of the grass. "Well, after you beat the shit out of that guy holding you I followed you here. You ran for two whole days, Kira. I bet you didn't even know that, did you?" He chuckled when he saw the look on my face. "Guess not. I was surprised myself, with how much blood you were leaving behind. I wasn't surprised at all when you finally collapsed."

I bit my lip hard, so hard it started to bleed. I'm so stupid. Which way did I run? I can almost say positively not in the right direction. Of course my body would take me farther away from Gaara. His name brought up his subject. "What of Gaara and Sakura? They were supposed to meet Savannah and I-" I broke off suddenly and his eyes flickered over to me. "Oh my god," I whispered. "Savannah!"

He looked away. "She is alright. I made sure to get her to them before I came looking for you." He must have taken my silence as a question. "Kira, I told you once I am your guardian. I am always here to protect you." He shrugged. "I felt the danger before you did and I knew you would need help. I was only a hour ahead of Gaara, though. I got to you just as you passed out. I grabbed the two of you and moved before anything else could attack. But of course, it wasn't that easy. We were jumped by that person who had you. He took you and left Savannah with me. I had no way of protecting both of you, and I knew you would want me to make sure she was safe first. So, I dropped her with Gaara, and came after you."

I sat there staring at him. My guardian? I do remember him saying that before. So where was he the other times I needed help? I mentally shook myself. Because he knew I could get out of it, that is why. I traced my tongue over the split in my lip. Savannah is safe. Sakura would have healed her and brought her home. Gaara... Gaara must still be searching for us. "And Gaara?" I asked in a hushed whisper.

Kiba tried to meet my eyes but I stared into the fire. "He wasn't to happy when I told him to return with Sakura and Savannah to Konoha. He is probably already on his way to find you." He motioned to my arm. I looked down and saw the silver and golden bands on both arms. "He knows exactly where you are."

I nodded absentmindedly. Do I want him here? No, not really. I don't want him to see me like this. I shivered. If I ever found him a mess like I am right now I would go on a blood rage. My thoughts slipped to all the rumors and stories I heard about him my first time in Suna. Demon. All of the stories and rumors centered around him being a blood thirsty demon. All of the bad ones, anyway. The others were all good and happy and about how much they loved their Kage who saved them time and time again. I licked my lip again. The pain is a sweet pain.

"Kiba..." I whispered, "I don't want him to come."

Kiba looked at me with a frown, his eyebrow slowly going down, too. "Why?"

I motioned to my body. "He isn't going to like this."

Kiba scoffed and gave me a lopsided smile. "I don't like it, Kira. But I know you are alright. He will be the same. Just you watch."

I shook my head. "No, Kiba, you don't get it. I know Gaara. I know how he used to react when I got badly hurt. He wanted to hunt down and kill whoever did it. I want to deal with this on my own. I'm a big girl and I don't need him to deal with my messes for me." Kiba stared at the ground almost sadly. "Since I've come back I think I've done a damn good job showing I can handle myself. Right? I'm not above asking for help. I know I need it sometimes. Like when those stupid apes ganged up on me and Savannah. But I'm fine now. I have you here with me. He doesn't need to put himself in danger by coming here."

There was a clearing of a throat behind me. I gasped and spun around, ready to scream if the person who held me was there.

"Gaara!" I gasped out, my heart still hammering in my chest. I sucked in a breath and held my side, where a scab ripped open. He stood there without a word as he watched Kiba help me put clean bandage around my waist. "He was standing there the whole time, wasn't he?" I hissed in Kiba's ear, so Gaara couldn't hear.

I heard the creak of leather as Gaara folded his arms over his chest. "I have been here long enough." I wiped the blood on my hand on the grass next to me. "I know you are not a child, Kira."

Kiba pulled a little to hard on the bandage and I gasped in pain. He gave me a stern look. Jerk did that on purpose! He wants me to be nice to Gaara. I am nice to Gaara. I'm not who I was before. I've changed. I know I will not always have Gaara, but I will make it last as long as I can. I'm not so stupid as to push him away anymore. Gaara was silent until Kiba wrapped the cloak back around me and moved to the other side of the fire. Gaara sat down at my side.

His hand touched a cut to the side of my face, lightly trailing it down to my chin. "This is a time of war," He said softly. "I do not expect anyone, especially you, to let me protect them all of the time. You are here, alive, and that is all that matters. I am not a God, I know my limitations. But they are blurred with you. Kira, I want to protect you because I do not wish any pain to befall you. I know I cannot keep that from happening, and I am sorry if I have smothered you."

I glanced over at him. He is apologizing to me. I smiled slightly and took his hand in mine, pressing it tightly against my cheek, ignoring the sting from my wound. "I know you are only doing what you think is right," I whispered. "I am sorry for being upset."

He leaned forward and placed a light kiss on my lips.

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