• (That Night- Mountain Trail Clearing)

    Sasuke got the fire going and we all shared food supplies.

    "We wouldn't have to if Naruto didn't let that bandit splatter it with that kunai." Sakura said taking a bit out of bread. I sat a ways from the fire, staring wide eyed at it, nibbling at my bread. While that others sat close to it to keep warm, Hiroto who understood how I am with fire, sat somewhat with me.

    "Sakura, it wasn't my fault. I didn't see it coming," Naruto whined. Sasuke sighed.

    "Will you stop? I'm getting a headache from you two," Sasuke said. Sakura gasped.

    "Really?" She said. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke." Naruto grummbled as he ate. Kakashi shook his head at his students and look at their guests.

    "So where are you two from?" Kakashi asked going for his book but decided not to.

    "Just from a small village here in the mountains, but we're looking for a new place to live," Hiroto said.

    "Are you two family?" Naruto asked. Hiroto shook his head. I just spaced off.

    "No, she's just my.. student," Hiroto said.

    "He's my caretaker," I zoneing out at the fire still.

    "Then why are you two looking for a new place together?" Naruto asked. Sakura hit him on the head.

    "You idiot, don't ask those kinds of questions," Sakura yelled at him.

    "We were banished from our village," I said in daze of the fire.

    "What!?" Naruto and Sakura yelled at the same time. Sasuke just looked at us. Kakashi blinked.

    "Hatsuyuki, why did you go and say that?" Hiroto said in shock. I snapped out of the daze and looked at him.

    "Why? Is something wrong?" I asked.

    "You were banished?" Sakura said. "Why?"

    "Were you two..?" Naruto rocked back and forth. Sakura hit him over the head again.

    "Ow Sakura! That hurt!" Naruto yelled grabbing his head and dropping his food.

    "Well, if you stop with those questions!" Sakura yelled at him.

    "But still, you don't have to hit me," Naruto whined.

    "Actually, I was banished." I said, "Hiroto was suppose to stay, but he came with me so I wouldn't be alone," I smiled at him. He nervous smiled back at me.

    "Why were you banished, Hatsuyuki?" Kakashi asked.

    "The village didn't like me and wanted me out, so I was kicked out," I said cheery as if nothing was wrong and bit into my bread smiling.

    "Well," Sakura said. "That's not right. Just because they don't like you, doesn't give them the right to just throw you out," Sakura said. I just shrugged and ate my dinner.

    "Oh well," Hiroto said. "What about you guys? What's your village like?"

    "Well like any other village I guess," Kakashi said.

    "What's there that you liked best?" Hiroto asked. Hiroto and Kakashi kept on talking and Naruto and Sakura joined in. Naruto talked something about ramen. I looked at the silent boy in blue. He sat still, just eating.

    "Sasuke, what's family like?" I asked completely out of nowhere. Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi went silent. Hiroto looked around between everyone, lost. Sasuke looked at me.

    "My family is dead," he said plainly lowering his head, his eyes got shadowed off from his bangs. I looked at him in wonder.

    "Do you remember family at any point of time?" I asked him leaning towards him. Sasuke put his food down and got up, his eyes shadowed still.

    "I'm going to get more fire wood," he announced.

    "Okay," Kakashi said, but Sasuke already left. I watched Sasuke leave confused.

    "Did I miss something?" I asked. Sakura looked down and Naruto grummbled. "Did I say something wrong?"

    "Sasuke doesn't like to talk about what happened to his clan," Kakashi said.

    "Why? What happened?" I asked. Kakashi sighed, but it was Hiroto that spoke up.

    "When Sasuke was seven, his older brother Itachi, killed their entire clan. Their family. Leaving Sasuke alone just filled with hatred to kill his brother to avenge his clan," Kakashi looked at him.

    "You're well informed," Kakashi said.

    "Well, the Kokage-" Hiroto cut himself off slapping his hand over his mouth.

    "The Kokage? What about the Kokage?" Kakashi asked. Hiroto shook his head.
    "No. It's nothing. Just ignore me," Hiroto said taking huge bites of bread. I finished the last of my food and stood up.

    "I'm going to the lake," I said. Hiroto nodded.

    "Stay out of trouble and if the bandits come back you come right here." Hiroto said. I nodded and ran up the dirt trail. After a second, I started to walk. I walked for several minutes spacing off in thought. ~Family killed by brother?~ I thought. ~Hatred?~

    Then I heard splashing of water. I blinked and looked around. I saw Sasuke by the lake throwing rocks into the water. The moon rippled on the water as rocks broke the surface. I walked slower. Then I noticed something. Sasuke's face was wet.

    He picked up another rock and chucked it as hard as he could into the lake. I walked to Sasuke. He stopped and looked at me. His eyes were a little red and wet. I tilted my head in question, but he quickly looked away from me and wiped his eyes with his arm warmer.

    "Are you okay?" I asked. He didn't answer. He was about to run, but I was already infront of him. He stopped and quickly turned to leave. "Brother?" I said. He stopped completely. "What is a brother?" I asked.

    Sasuke turned and blinked at me shocked.

    "What?" He asked unsure he heard me right.

    "What is a brother?" I repeated. Sasuke turned away from me and sat down on the ground by the water in shock. I sat down by him.

    "A brother?" Sasuke said. He sighed. "I don't know,"

    "But brother killed family," I said, repeating what Hiroto said. "And 'Hatred'. What's hatred?" I asked.

    "You don't know what hatred is?" he asked. I shook my head innocently. Sasuke looked out to the lake. "How to explain hatred?" Sasuke thought outloud. He then turned to me.

    "Is there something you just can't stand?" He asked.

    "What do you mean?" I asked.

    "Hmm, give me a second," Sasuke spaced off at the lake again, then back at me.

    "Um, you know, a person or thing that you don't like at all. Someone or something you wish that would just go away?" Sasuke said. I thought for a second. Then it hit me.

    "Yes, I know something I wish would just go away," I said happily.
    "Good, what is it?" Sasuke said.

    "The Snow Hare Demon that's inside of me," I said cheery pointing at my chest. Sasuke's face dropped.

    "What?" I asked as if something wrong. ~So that explains it.~ Sasuke thought.

    "So you're like Naruto?" He asked. I tilted my head again.

    "What? I don't understand." I said. Sasuke shook his head.

    "Never mind. But what you feel about the...demon is hatred." Sasuke finished explaining.

    "I hatred the demon?" I said.

    "No, it's I hate the demon," Sasuke corrected. I looked at him. He just sighed. I shrugged and got up. I walked out onto the lake surface, disturbing the moon's reflection of light. I turned and held out my hand to him.

    "Come dance with me," I said. Sasuke blinked. "Come dance," I said again. Sasuke shook his head. "Why not?" I asked hurt.

    Then Sakura ran in from the dirt road. She smiled when she saw Sasuke and ran to him, but she didn't see me.

    "There you are, Sasuke." She said. "You food has gotten cold." I appeared behind her.

    "Hi," I said smiling. Sakura jummped but smiled when she saw it was me.

    "Hi, Hatsuyuki," Sakura said and tugged on Sasuke's arm. "Let's go Sasuke." She said. "Kakashi-sensi's staying up to keep look out," Sasuke pulled his arm away from her and walked back down the dirt trail, hands in his pockets.

    ....to be continued. Please to go chap. 4 Kiddnapped