Chapter 16

Sakura followed Naruto and the group down the long flight of stairs and into the earth in order to meet the mysterious beings known as Druids. The cool and humid air smelt earthy and pleasant and their surroundings grew darker as they travelled further underground, but the walls spread further apart and Sakura was relieved at the increased amount of space, feeling that it was now easier for her to breath.

No one spoke and Sakura felt curious at Temari's earlier reaction to the animal-shifters. Most vampires, it seemed, disliked Druids and Gaara's mistreatment by others had clearly been caused by the fact that he had been a Druid before becoming a vampire. Temari had called them weak and useless but looking at Naruto walking in front of her, with his wisdom and humility and his exposed, lean and muscular body, Sakura couldn't bring herself to believe those statements.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and continued forward through yet another dark tunnel before it opened up into the most beautiful place Sakura had ever seen.

The enormous stone cavern was lit by pale silver-blue crystals and Sakura heard the soft rustle of overgrown emerald green grass, decorated with thistles and small flowers beneath their feet as they walked amongst green forests of large weeping willow trees lining glistening water springs and small houses made from wood and stone.

"Incredible," she heard Tenten whisper to Hinata in awe and couldn't help but agree as she took in the pure and natural beauty of her surroundings.

Druids looked up at them both curiously and wearily as they passed and Sakura noticed that all of them had the same feral and untamed look about them that Naruto had. It was beautiful in a way that was equal but also completely different to the beauty of the vampires.

"Where is Gaara?" Temari asked quickly, her eyes darting around nervously as they registered the strangers watching them as they passed.

"I have to bring you to see my father first," Naruto explained, "All outsiders are required to meet with the Chief."

"Your father's the chief?" Sakura asked and the blonde boy nodded with a small smile. "The Fourth Chief."

"Only the fourth?" She exclaimed incredulously at the small number and Naruto's blue eyes darkened as he looked forward and led the way. "Like vampires, my people live long."

They're immortal.

Temari sniffed disdainfully and Kankuro growled at her warningly. Naruto ignored them and stopped in front of what looked like a large stone hall. He led them through the wide wooden doors. Sakura glanced at the intricate carvings and artwork etched masterfully into the dark wood and wondered what the strange and pretty images meant.

A tall and incredibly handsome man with Naruto's wild golden hair and bright-blue fox eyes met them at the end of the wide hall, lit by candles, and bowed his head in acknowledgment with a gentle smile on his feral face. "Welcome. Vampires and human. I am Minato." The group returned the gesture and waited for the Chief to speak again, surprised at his lack of hostility.

His wise eyes were sad when he gestured to the stone archway to their left. "You will find the Kazekage through there. You may say your final farewells before he is buried by your mother's family. As is tradition." Temari nodded weakly and Kankuro took his sister's hand. Minato bowed to the two Sand siblings again, humbly and sincerely. "I am truly sorry for your loss. Please accept my condolences. Gaara was loved greatly by our people and will be greatly missed."

"Thank you," Temari whispered and allowed Kankuro to guide her through the archway. Sakura didn't follow and Tenten and Hinata stayed by her side. "There is something I must speak with you about," she told the Druid Chief seriously and Naruto chuckled at the determination in her voice. Minato looked at her knowingly and nodded. "I am already aware of what it is, but let us talk in a more private place." Sakura shot Naruto a questioning and surprised glance as the Chief led them further down the hall and into a medium sized room.

A wooden desk stood on the far side of the room, opposite the door, and Minato took his seat behind it. Sakura was reminded of the Kages' offices back in the Hidden Villages and decided that the Chief was basically a Kage himself, but for the Druids instead of vampires.

"Ino Yamanaka cannot be forgiven for what she has done," Minato said seriously as Naruto moved to stand at his father's side, his expression grave. The Chief's eyes hardened with anger. "She has killed a Druid in cold blood and broken the ancient agreement of our two species, made long ago by the Founders of our two kinds."

"I never knew of this agreement," Tenten said in a low voice and Minato replied darkly. "Younglings wouldn't," he explained. "Vampires chose to stop acknowledging Druids a long time ago." Sakura watched the two vampires standing next to her drop their eyes guiltily and stepped forward. "So does that mean that the Druids will help us and the Village Hidden in the Sand fight this war?" She asked and the Chief nodded his head. "That is correct. We will ally ourselves to your cause." Sakura felt her heart leap with relief and felt her pulse speed up at the new possibilities.

"Vampires and Druids will fight alongside each other again for the first time in one thousand years. In the Fourth Great War," Naruto said and his father nodded. "My son speaks the truth."

The Fourth Great War.

xxxxxxx

"You keep staring at me, Karin," Ino said suspiciously, raising a questioning eyebrow and Karin looked away before mumbling something to herself and fidgeting with the paperwork spread out in front of her.

"I can't hear you if you mumble, Karin!' Ino snapped impatiently and Karin could feel her hands shaking, no longer able to keep her distressed thoughts to herself. "You killed a Kage, Ino," she breathed and Ino frowned, surprised by the redhead's distressed tone. "Sasuke did it, and you helped, remember?" Karin cringed at the memory and the blonde shrugged casually, standing beside a wide window on the far end of the room. "It's a war. You kill people to win. That's how it works."

Karin glanced behind her at Sasuke guarding the door with a blank face and felt her chest tighten. You kill people to win.

"But what exactly will you be winning?" She asked in a low voice and Ino kept her gaze on the window, her eyes filled with a manic emotion Karin couldn't really describe. "Power," she said darkly, her voice quiet, "Respect. Sasuke. Everything."

Why did I never realise how corrupted she is? Karin asked herself bitterly, her thoughts a confused muddle as she attempted to sort through them. It almost felt as though a veil had been lifted from her senses, like she could see everything properly and clearly for the first time.

"But you killed the Kazekage to make the human suffer," she said quietly and Ino chuckled, "True. But what is a Village without its Kage? Eliminating him will help us to achieve our goal in the long run."

"Our goal?" Karin whispered, but Ino heard her and turned to look at the redhead curiously. "Well, it's mostly my goal, but you stand to benefit too."

"How exactly do I benefit?" Karin hissed and Ino flipped her hair nonchalantly. "Power gained from being friends with the next Overlord isn't something to laugh at," she said matter-of-factly and Karin growled angrily and pointed at Sasuke. "Sasuke was supposed to be for the both of us." Ino's relaxed stance tensed and the blonde rolled her eyes. "I lied, Karin. Honestly, I thought redheads were supposed to be smart."

Karin hissed at the insult and stood abruptly, throwing the table away from her roughly, the force of her strength causing it to hit the wall opposite her so that the wood cracked and split in half. "You can't do that!"

Ino took a fighting stance and frowned, snarling and baring her sharp fangs. "You're either with me, or against me, Karin. And if you're against me, you die."

"Die?!" Karin squeaked with disbelief, taking a step backwards towards the door and freezing when she heard Sasuke growling from behind her, unable to recognise the blonde girl standing in front of her. This isn't Ino anymore. This Ino is evil and corrupted by power that shouldn't be hers.

I need to get myself out of this situation, she thought, silently planning how to do so before coming to her decision. She fell to her knees and felt her body shake as tears leaked from her eyes and ran down her cheeks. "Forgive me," she sobbed, hating herself for having to be weak, but knowing that it was the only way to avoid Ino's wrath. "I don't know what came over me, please forgive me," she begged and watched as the blonde's furious expression softened with smug satisfaction. "Rise, Karin. All is forgiven," Ino said airily, "But just remember. Sasuke's mine."

Karin scrambled to her feet, "Of course, Ino," she stuttered, hastily picking up the scattered documents from the floor and hurriedly moving towards the door. "I have to deliver these documents," she said apologetically and Ino waved her hand dismissively, "It's fine. You may go."

The redhead fled from the room and ran blindly down the corridor and stopped when she was sure she was a safe enough distance away from the room she had just been in. She adjusted her glasses and pressed her back heavily against the wall behind her as she allowed what had just happened to sink in.

Ino had been completely prepared to kill her, without any hesitation. And she would have killed me too if I hadn't pretended to grovel at her feet, she thought bitterly, clutching the papers in her arms tightly against her chest. I don't know who that is anymore.

"Feel like talking about it, youngling?"

Karin looked up to see the Mizukage standing in front of her, her expression one of concern. Karin realised that she was crying.

"I shouldn't," she whispered and Mei brought her hand to her mouth and gestured zipping it and then locking it with an imaginary key. "I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed, youngling."

Karin released a shuddery breath. "I've made so many mistakes by helping Ino with this insane plan of hers," she whimpered, "I can't believe I never saw how wrong all of this was until now."

Mei watched her with a grim expression and spoke in a low and serious voice. "Can I tell you a secret, child?" Karin looked up at the tall woman curiously and nodded. Mei was silent for a moment, lost in thought, before she spoke.

"You've been under the control of the Yamanaka girl for quite some time now. By neglecting you, her control over you weakened until you finally broke free of it on your own. You're s smart girl after all. That is the only explanation for your rather sudden change of heart on the matter," the Mizukage explained quietly. "Until now you were simply just another one of Ino's pawns, a piece to be played in her twisted war that she seems to think of as a game."

Karin heard the papers and documents hit the ground as her arms fell to her sides in shock. The only thing she could do was gape at the woman in front of her in shock as the Mizukage's words sank in and realisation and understanding hit her hard.

She felt her legs give out and felt the wall move against her back as she sank to her knees, feeling the same icy feeling fill her veins and body, making her feel cold as the colour drained from her face.

For all these years, she thought numbly, staring blankly ahead of her at the wall opposite the one she was leaning against. She vaguely noticed the Mizukage crouched in front of her and trying to speak to her with a worried expression, but Karin couldn't hear her. For all these years. She closed her eyes when she felt two strong hands grip her shoulders.

I've been a pawn.

xxxxxxx

Sakura ducked to avoid sharp claws and propelled herself backwards with the palms of her hands touching the soft grass as she back-flipped to gain more ground away from her opponent. Fighting a Druid was exhilarating because she didn't know what to expect and could only act on the instincts the Vampire's Blood had given her.

Yugito grinned widely at her with sharp catlike teeth and flicked her long blonde braid back over her shoulder and adjusted her stance. "Not bad, human," she panted, narrowing her dark cat eyes and launching herself forwards through the air. The air shimmered around her slender form and then suddenly an enormous cat the size of a large lion, but a breed Sakura couldn't identify, was charging towards her instead of the slender and attractive blonde with long claws protruding from her fingertips.

Sakura growled and charged to meet the enormous snarling animal head on; the resulting impact was powerful enough to shatter every bone in a regular human's body, but Sakura wasn't truly human anymore and the two opponents roughly hit the ground hard, clawing and thrashing and snarling at one another.

Sakura tasted blood in her mouth but ignored it and seized the thrashing cat around the neck from behind, but Yugito easily threw her off and attacked yet again, roaring loudly as she descended upon Sakura viciously.

Sakura kicked up, remembering the hours of practice she had put in back in her old home on the surface in order to make herself flexible, and caught the large cat in the ribs, hard, and Yugito flew backwards but still managed to land on her feet before charging once again. Sakura was impressed by the incredible stamina Druids seemed to possess and jumped back to her feet just as the cat reached her. The two tumbled to the ground once again and Sakura hissed as sharp claws raked her stomach and drew blood, leaving four long rips in her shirt. She felt a bone snap in the Druid's shoulder as her fist made contact with it and claws raked down her arm. The large cat shrieked loudly and Sakura knew that the fight was over.

The two opponents stilled and the air shimmered again as Yugito returned to her human form and snarled at her rapidly blackening shoulder. "Fuck, Sakura," she laughed, climbing gingerly to her feet as Sakura did the same. "You're one hell of a human, I can tell you that. Fuck!" she hissed as she lightly touched the bruising, watching with amazement as the claw marks on Sakura's body vanished, leaving only the blood as evidence to them ever even being there.

Sakura bit into her arm and allowed Yugito to drink from the bite mark after explaining to the appalled blonde that her blood had healing properties, and the Druid hissed as the bone reset itself before she sighed with relief.

The two girls glanced over at the battles happening on opposite sides of them as Tenten fought a feisty Druid named Fuu and Hinata battled with a small boy named Yagura. Both appeared to be formidable foes and both battles were remarkably violent. Other Druids had stopped their daily routines to watch vampires and Druids spar with one another for the first time in a thousand years.

"Your companions fight well," Yugito commented and Sakura nodded with agreement as she watched her friends move with the skill and agility that could only come with being a fully-fledged vampire.

"The experience is good though," the blonde Druid said as she watched Tenten throw knives, silver blurs that shot from her hands while Fuu dodged well and retaliated by hitting the brunette with powerful blasts of air and sparkling dust that cut. Hinata dodged a powerful blast of water directed by Yagura from the water spring behind him and raced towards him, leaping over a second blast, her long hair billowing out behind her. Her large, silver eyes were wide with excitement and Yagura lashed out with the long staff he used as a weapon. Hinata dodged lithely, grabbing it with her hands and propelling herself over it, having already seen the attack coming with her Byakugan

"Now we know what we'll be facing."