Demon

A word that had been used to describe Sasuke for decades, the creatures that lived in the forest avoided the demon for, obvious reasons. The mighty black beating feathered wigs as well as the tattoos and horns gave off the impression that he was a foul creature. Sasuke had more often than not enjoyed the loneliness. He had also avoided the majority of the forests creatures. You see, Sasuke was a fallen angel sent back to earth to fill an empty void in the life he had lost when he was only in his early twenties living as a human. He had been searching, looking for that missing piece so that he could escape the hell on earth. However his motivation for escape diluted, fizzing down to near nothing. He now stood on a cliffside that dove down into an open valley of green grass and small shrubs where the animals made their burrows and nests.

The majority of humans would call the place inviting, peaceful almost. Sasuke wished he could say the same for himself, however the world he once lived in, ground his face in mud and spat at him in disgust. A cruel world this was, even if most people didn't see it, everyone hid behind masks of smiling faces and giggles, but everyone knew. Even if they didn't want the knowledge they possessed.

The setting sun seared Sasuke's vision, breaking his thoughts. The cool November breeze brought the promise of snow. The first snow that year. Sasuke had recalled the first winter he had experienced as a child, the joy he had felt was almost like a strange sensation to him, a forgotten memory that he longed for. Sasuke left the hillside, feeling lost as he always had during the first snow. The shuffling of bushes and the scurrying of small paw steps were the soothing night sounds that had become his favorite song. However, he had heard an unfamiliar sound that he had not heard the past few sunrises, a larger, more humane sound. Sasuke directed his attention toward the bush and began to walk.

Her Squadron had been set out on a mission in search of healing herbs and berries for the wounded in her pod. Sakura Haruno had just become a senior squadron leader for the healers, her pointed elven ears alert for any signs of danger.

"Take what you have and fall back. I want to do one last look around the perimeter."

Sakura explained in the most commanding voice she could muster, hoping to sound confident. The rest of her squadron nodded without questions and headed back to "HQ" Sakura had been a part of her pod for as long as she could remember. Since she was a child she had always been taught to stay loyal to the pod and follow orders that were given to you. As she reluctantly did so, Sakura was not one to take no for an answer very easily. She was often disciplined for stepping out of line or disobeying orders from her senior elves.

"It was for the good of the pod!"

She would say, and it was true. All the orders she had disobeyed, she had disobeyed for the pods benefits. She was still scolded nonetheless, taught that whatever the seniors told her to do, was the right thing to do.

Sakura pushed through the low hanging branches of the scattered willow trees throughout the forest. the cool weather was beginning to come, which meant more food gathering and herb collecting for the pod. Not that she wasn't loyal to her home, it was just utterly exhausting. Sakura's feet ached, she longed for her comfortable bed back home, next to the warm fire with her squadron, listening to stories of daring deeds and dramatic escapes.

The perimeter was clear, aside from the casual berries used for getting people sick to let out the infectious disease within them. She added them to her sack and headed back to the pods camp. when she had reached the entrance she had nodded to the guard keepers, her short, pale pink hair lacing her cheeks. The guards nodded a reply and allowed her inside. Sakura gave a sigh of relief when she saw her familiar pod, the young children, finished with their days chores, listening to the elders stories with great interest. The healers in training gathered by the entrance to the healers barracks, waiting for Sakura's arrival.

Sakura said her greetings and entered the barracks, setting her things down into a cupboard nearby. She figured she would reorganize her stash of herbs and berries once she was well fed and rested. Sakura entered the female lounge and gave a large sigh as her head hit the soft foreign pillow.

"Long day?"

A shrill voice asked. Sakura sat up from her bed, surprised that her friend was up this late when she would have normally been asleep at this hour.

"One of the longest."

Sakura replied. Her friend, Ino Yamanaka was her best friend since birth. Or so her mother once said. Ino was a healer in training, training under the super vison of the Elder healer because of the lack of teaching experience Sakura had, even though she had acquired the healers mark. A purple diamond in the center of ones forehead, a mark to show a healers capability and courage.

"I bet it was, I mean. With first winter on it's way I wouldn't be surprised if you were overwhelmed."

Ino teased, implying that Sakura could not take care of herself. A petty remark really, However Sakura played along, just for the fun of it.

"Who said I was overwhelmed? You're the one who should be overwhelmed with all that training you still have to do."

Ino gave a fake gasp of shock and put a hand dramatically over her large chest

"How rude of you! I shall report this at once!"

Sakura gave a small chuckle

"like you would!"

Sakura threw her soft pillow at Ino, who had caught it in an instant and thrown it back at Sakura. A few more girls walked into the dwelling and settled in for the night, eager to get a good nights rest after a hard work done that day. Sakura had not slept, despite her growing exhaustion. Instead she had volunteered o stand guard, and was declined. So she stayed awake, looking out the door of the female lounge. Seeing the small white flecks of first snow.