__Sara Pov__

I walked quietly through the forest with Inari by my side. He didn't encourage conversation in his actions, but I didn't care.

"So, Inari, what is your favorite food?" I had in my voice what passed for genuine interest.

He looked up at me quietly. "What does that matter?"

"I suppose it doesn't really, but I'm curious, so humor me would you?"

A thoughtful look came upon his face for a moment before going back to that sorta crestfallen look, "I don't have a favorite food."

"That isn't true and you know it. Everyone has a favorite food. Whether it be the taste of it or the memory, maybe it even just makes you happy. No matter what everyone has one."

"I guess..." He let my words sink in a little. "I guess probably... roasted fish then." He said sadly.

I nodded and didn't press the answer. "I would like to agree and say I liked them also, but I can't remember if I've had them before."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I have amnesia of a sort. I can't remember anything past about a month or so ago when I woke up in a clearing."

"That must be nice." He said wistfully.

"Now Inari, I hope you don't really believe that." The look on his face told me he did. I knelt down on the ground and looked into his eyes, making sure he understood my words or at least remembered them so he would one day. "Inari, our memories are what define us as a person, lose those and you change completely. You must also remember that, even if someone has left us to the next life, they live on, inside both your heart and your memories. Never forget someone, it may just be the worst kind of hurt."

He looked at me as if I had just prophesied, which I suppose I might have. I had no idea where that came from, and I really had no right to say it without my memories, but at least it looked like it affected him a little, he would remember.

"Now then, after all that seriousness we need to have some fun, so, what would you like for dinner?" I questioned in a light, happy voice.

"Could we have... rabbit with carrots?" He asked hopefully. Judging from the breakfast we had, and the tone in his voice I could tell it had been a while since they had meat of any kind.

"We sure can, would you like anything else?" I took the bow off my back, my aim with this was still better than with my kunai's. I guessed that two or three rabbits would be enough.

"No, I think just some rabbit, I haven't had it for a while."

"Alright then, let's find some wild carrots and we can gather those, on the way I'll look out for rabbits." He nodded excitedly.

I had already shot two rabbits by the time we found some wild carrots to gather. The rabbits were in my basket wrapped in the cloth. We gathered a whole bunch of carrots together, enough for dinner tonight and probably lunch tomorrow.

"Sara, how did you get so good with the bow? It isn't really a ninja tool, is it?" I could sense his curiosity.

"No, it isn't. I have a vague memory of training with it and making it before I came to Konoha. When I woke up in a clearing with the three kids we started walking towards the village. Part of the way through the trip the memory came to me and I made the bow to survive."

"Do you know how you got so good with it?" He had a spark of what seemed like hope in his voice, but it may just be fanciful thoughts of mine.

I tried to remember, and finally I remembered hours of training day after day. "I will have to answer that with just plain practice."

"Oh," he seemed saddened by the answer.

"Hey, don't be so quick to give up. Hard work and determination make you strong!" I encouraged.

"Alright, thanks Sara." the sad tone didn't leave his voice.

I shot three more rabbits on the way back to the house. It was late afternoon when I got back and my team had already left for training.

"Oh my!" Tsunami exclaimed when she saw the 5 rabbits. "We haven't had any meat in a while now."

"I figured, I'll head out now, but come back in an hour or two. I can help you clean the rabbits and cook them."

"Thank you I appreciate it, but don't slack in your training! I've heard that you can be very lazy sometimes." She was pretty good at the whole scolding/lecturing mother tone and I smiled.

"Hey, who do you think your talking to? I'll try my best, see you soon!"

With those parting words I waved goodbye to all three of them, Tazuna was taking a day off from the bridge while we started our training.

_-_

I ran to my teammates chakra signatures and soon came to a clearing with them in it. I sat in a tree for a moment watching the three train while Kakashi read his book on the ground. All three ran at the tree after focusing their chakra to their feet. Sasuke got up about 10 feet, then used too much chakra cracking the tree. Naruto got no more then a foot or two off the ground before falling back, he was using too little and didn't get enough suction. Sakura was the best and made it to a tree branch about 25 feet from the ground and rested there.

While I watched Kakashi took a kunai and threw it at the tree I was on. It flashed an inch or so in front of my face then stuck in the trunk of the tree I was on.

"Use that to mark how far you get. You got the exercise from watching the other three just barely, so get to it."

I took the kunai and jumped into the clearing. I picked a tree and started to calmly walk towards it. Without hesitation I then walked right up the tree to about halfway and stopped sitting on a nice looking branch. I threw the kunai after carving my initials into the bark. It struck the tree about two inches above Kakashi's head, he just reached up and grabbed it putting it back in with his other weapons.

"Good job Sara, you can leave if you want now." The other three looked at me in shock that I did that so easily.

"Nah, I think I'll stay and take a nap, this branch is pretty comfy. I also want to make fun of duckbutt and spikes, I can't say anything about pinkette over there since she has pretty good control though." The two boys looked at me angrily. "Well if you can't be squirrels like us then I get to make fun of you."

"That's fine, I'll talk to you tomorrow about what else you could do for training."

"Sounds good mister pe- oops! I mean ojiisan!" I stopped with the first nickname when he shot me a venomous glare, the second didn't make him exactly happy though. "FINE YOU SHALL GET PIRATE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!!"

He sighed. "Whatever Sara."

"No wonder your hair is white, you sigh way to much." I teased.

He ignored me, of course.

I stayed and watched the three of them continue their practices. They were getting better for sure, but they had a ways to go. Sakura really did have the best control, but her stamina wasn't great. The boys... were being boys and making it a competition between them. I left about a half hour later to help with dinner.

"You guys better be hungry tonight, I caught some rabbits." They all looked at me like I was nuts. "So I hunt my food, big deal." They decided not to comment and I left.

Cooking with Tsunami was fun. We made some rice to go along with what me and Inari had brought back. After cleaning the rabbits we stuffed them with carrots and some onion, putting them in the oven to cook. The smell coming off of the food was making my stomach growl at the thought.

Two hours later my team came back, and just in time since the rabbits were done. I helped Tsunami set the table and then get the carrots out of the rabbit. We then carved the rabbit up and set it on the table. Everyone piled their plates up with food. Kakashi and I both got plates and this time I stole the room.

"No fair Sara, I am injured after all." He complained like a child.

"We're rotating! I got the closet this morning, you can have it right now."

He didn't reply but walked off. I ate quickly and walked back out to grab some seconds, adjusting my mask as I did. As soon as I left the room I heard Kakashi slam the door to it behind me.

"Hey! No fair! You stupid pirate, ojiisan! Kaka-baka!" He didn't acknowledge what I said at all. "Stupid old man." I muttered as I walked off.

I finished my seconds off in the closet and went to help Tsunami with the dishes. Afterwards I heated some water and made tea with the herbs I had picked for Kakashi.

"Here you go." I handed him the tea when I walked in the room. It had a straw the would wrap around the mask so he didn't have to expose his face.

"Thank you, but before I drink it, what herbs did you use?" I listed off the herbs and he nodded sipping the tea. "Why is it sweet?"

"I put a little honey I found from a beehive in the forest. Nice surprise right?"

"Does that have anything to do with the prank I heard you were going to pull on Sasuke?"

"No, but on a totally unrelated note, do you know where I could find something to make a fake flour?"

"You really should stop pulling pranks."

"And you should stop sighing, reading those books, and asking for the impossible." I countered.

We sat in silence and when he finished his tea I took the dishes to the kitchen. My team had dispersed for the night. Naruto and Sasuke had gone for late night training, and probably wouldn't return until morning, while Sakura had gone with them to watch, she would probably come back in an hour though.

I sat outside and looked out at the ocean wistfully, it was so calm tonight. I liked seeing the sun set over the ocean reflecting its light over the calm water almost like a mirror. It truly was beautiful.

I went back inside and to the room where Kakashi was already asleep. I laid out my bed on the floor and promptly fell asleep.

_The next day_

I awoke to noise in the kitchen and threw on my clothes. I walked out to see Tsunami cooking and went to help without a word, she nodded her thanks passing me a few vegetables to cut up. I did so quickly and we soon finished breakfast.

I noticed that while Kakashi and Tsunami's family was awake, the rest of the team wasn't. I looked at Kakashi and he nodded his head in permission. I walked through the house and into the room looking at the three sleeping forms of my teammates. I walked to Naruto and kicked his side, not hard, but none too softly either. He woke up in a racket like expected and woke the other two as well.

"Breakfast is done, come eat you lazy bums." I walked out to the dining room. This time I had already eaten in the kitchen with Tsunami. I had only pulled down my mask enough to show my mouth, so she didn't see my scar at all.

My team gathered and after they ate the two boys walked off to train while Sakura went with Tazuna to guard him. Kakashi pulled me along to the end of a dock for training.

"So what am I going to do now? Walk on water?" I said it with heavy sarcasm.

"Actually, yes you are."

"What? You can't be serious?" I was skeptical, to prove his point he walked off the edge and stood on the water.

"I am completely serious, it is a lot harder to do than a tree and requires more precise control of your chakra."

"I'm not doing it." I stated firmly.

"Why not?" He seemed confused as to my answer.

"Because..." I hesitated not wanting to finish, he rolled his hand in a motion signifying go on. "Well, I can't swim."

"You can't what? What do you mean you can't swim?" He seemed shocked.

"Just what I said I can't swim, I never learned how. I may not have a lot of memories, but I know for sure I can not swim."

"How about this? For today, you learn how to swim, then tomorrow you can start training for chakra control."

I nodded still hesitant to go in the water. "What if I drown?"

"That's why I'm here." With that he promptly shoved me in the water, most likely, to my death.

 Today was going to be a huge pain.