__Sara Pov__

The team was leaving at 7:00 the next morning so I had time to do what I needed to if I got up at about 5:30 or so. I got ready with my knives and new sword strapped tightly and secured in their sheaths. I looked my room over and noticed my quiver of arrows, though I didn't have a bow, and probably wouldn't for this mission, I grabbed them anyways and strapped them on the bag I had packed the night before.

I made the kids breakfast and lunch and ran out of the house while I ate an egg sandwich. It was a little after 6 by now, so I'd have to hurry a little to get to the store.

I walked into the wood working store and looked over the wood they had. It would be preferable if I could find an oak or hardened hickory for my project. I examined a few peices and picked up the ones that would suit my purpose, the wood wasn't too expensive, so I still had quite a bit of money.

I was planning on starting construction on my new bow during this mission. The bow I had made before arriving in Konoha was, in truth, very low powered. I was surprised it had lasted almost clear through the mission to the land of waves. Now that I could get proper materials though I could make a stronger bow with a draw of about 60 lbs.

I didn't have a bowstring yet, but I wouldn't need it until I completed this arms of the bow anyways.

When I arrived at the gates it was only about 5 minutes before the schedualed time to meet, and everyone was already there. I waved and walked over to them.

"Heya guys, sorry to make you wait, I needed to get some materials."

"You're fine Sara. Since everyone is here though, how about we get going?" Kurenai spoke up.

"Sounds good, let's go." I agreed and the other three nodded their assent.

We all started to walk off out the gates when we were stopped by shouting behind us.

"SARRAAA! You can't leave without saying goodbye!" My team ran to catch us.

"Hey guys, sorry, I didn't think you were all awake." I turned slightly as I said this to look at them.

"You still can't leave without saying goodbye to us!" Sakura scolded playfully.

"It's super mean!" Naruto put in. Sasuke didn't say anything though, mainly because this time, he was dragged along by force.

"Sorry, sorry. I do need to go though, the faster I get gone the faster I come back. Right?" I held my hands up in a placating gesture.

"Not without a hug goodbye!" Sakura proclaimed. She and Naruto tackled me into a hug while Sasuke stood to the side.

"Alright! Pinkette and spikes! Could you get off now? Don't you two and duckbutt have missions today with Kaka-baka?" I peeled them off of me.

"Yeah! We're going to do awesome in these missions! Believe it!" With Naruto's proclomation they all ran off to where they were meeting with Kakashi.

I turned back to my temporary team and gave them an apologetic look. They all looked like they were trying to hide smiles. All except Kiba of course, he was smiling full on.

Kiba smiled a little wider, "What? No nicknames for us? You've known us three just as long as them." He teased me jokingly.

"So you're saying you actually want a nickname Kiba? It's unfair if I only give you one, I'd have to give them to the entire team..." I trailed off a little, "You guys want nicknames?" I asked all four of them.

They all nodded, but Shino at least seemed reluctant about it. "It might give us a better idea of who you are anyways, and what you see of us." Kiba rationalized.

"Well I don't know about the whole how I see you. I just say one of your most prominant features. Whether that's your personality or physical appearance..." I just shrugged at the end.

"So get on with the nicknames then," Kiba probed.

"Let's start walking at least." We did so and offically started on the journey. "Now that we're actually going somewhere I will give you nicknames, alright? There is one condition though."

"What's the condition?" Shino asked in his slight mumble, but it was loud enough and clear enough that it couldn't be considered so.

"You can't argue with the nickname, and once I give it to you, I can call you that without too much bellyaching about it. In emergencies I'll call you by name though." They thought it through and nodded. After all, they reasoned, how bad could a nickname be?

"We agree, so what are our new nicknames?" Kiba prodded me with his finger.

"Right then! I'll give you choices! That's fair right? So Kiba first... you can choose from either dog-boy or kibbles. What is your choice?"

He looked a little sad by the choices, but remembered the promise and replied, "I'll take kibbles."

"Really? That was what I wanted to call you anyways kibbles! Weird huh? Anyways, on to Shino. Let me see... it's either bugs bunny or lil buggy." I said with finality.

"Give me a third choice," was all he said.

"No way! I didn't gi-" I cut off when he got a dark aura and stood in front of me menacingly.

"A third choice." Dang he was scary!

"Uh... right... third choice is beetle. Don't even try for a fourth choice either!"

"I'll take beetle." He said simply. What a weird attitude, but it was sorta cute in its own way.

"So we have kibbles and beetle. Now for Hinata! Let me think a second... how about... sunflower or Hina-chan?"

"Hey! How come Hinata gets a normal choice?" Kiba complained.

"Because I felt like it kibbles! Got a problem with that?" The look in my eye must have scared his snobby reply out of him.

"Not at all..." He replied meekly. Or as meekly as Kiba could sound.

"So, what's your choice Hinata?"

"I- I'll go with sunflower." She replied quietly. She was so like one, quiet, but a spot of brightness nontheless. She always faced a ray of hope too, maybe that was why she liked Naruto...

"Great! So in all we have kibbles, beetle, and sunflower! So lastly... Kurenai." I gave a considering look towards her and she looked back with a smile. "Red rose or bandages?"

She thought it over intensely for a bit before deciding. "I think I'll go with bandages beleive it or not."

I nodded. "Now that the whole nickname thing is settled, can w-"

"Hey! What do you mean over? What about Akamaru?" Kiba piped up, and Akamaru yipped his agreement.

"Well... I didn't plan on giving Akamaru one, but I guess I could if you'd like. I may not call him by that though, Akamaru just fits him too well."

"Suppose it would be pointless then." Shino said loud enough to be heard.

"Fine, we'll just forget my partner's nickname!" Kiba was getting a little angry now.

"Yesh Kiba! Never said I wouldn't give him one!" I thought about it. "Akamaru, since I can't understand you, and don't trust Kiba enough to tell me the truth for which one you want, each hand will represent one name, lick the one you like." He yipped his understanding.

"Hey! I would tell the truth!" Kiba protested. Both me and Akamaru just looked at him, we knew he wouldn't have.

"Alright then! The right hand is jaws," I held my right hand out for him to see, "and the left is pipsqueak." I held up my left hand.

He looked at the two ands then and licked the left.

"So we're going with pipsqueak right?" Akamaru nodded his head, or what passed for that. "So now we're done with the nicknames, right kibbles?" I turned my gaze on him.

"Yeah, we're done Sara."

"Good! Well then, I never did get a good look at that necklace, do you have the picture bandages?" I turned to Kurenai and held a hand out. She took a paper out of her pocket and set it in my hand.

It was a simple affair. There was a small white egg shaped stone no bigger than the center of my hand. Around it hung greenish beads and on the sides were eight small round river stones, four on each side. The simplisity made it beautiful, but it didn't look like it was worth much. There must be some kind of sentimental value to it.

The necklace seemed familiar though, like I had seen it before at some point in time. Then again, I never paid any attention to necklaces, and I'm sure there are dozens that were in Konoha that looked similar.

"It's rather simple, isn't it? Did the client say why they wanted it retrieved?" I questioned Kurenai.

"Well, it seems like they didn't put any reason why, and we didn't pry. I suppose we can ask when we get back to Konoha and give it to them."

"Yeah, I guess."

_-_

We were over halfway to Ishigakura when we stoped for the night. Another half a day would see us into the village. It was a small ninja village that the leaf was allies with. It came in handy to have alliances, especially on missions like this.

We set up two tents. Or should I say those four got out their team tent and I set up my small one man tent? Either way, after that we started a small fire and I helped to get a stew made. We enjoyed the meal together, laughing and joking with eachother.

The light-hearted feeling around the campfire felt nice, and I realized this team got along well. Sure, Shino and Hinata weren't great at talking, but they were friendly and caring. The teamwork in this team was nearly perfect, and after another few months together I knew that they would be a strong unit, made of strong members.

After eating I pulled out the wood I had gotten to make my new bow. I would have to bend the wood and glue it together, alternating the direction of the grain. It would be a slow process, but doable. The bow should take about 3 weeks of working to complete.

"What are you making Sara-chan?" Hinata spoke up.

"I'm just making a new bow. My old one's string broke in the land of waves, so I need to make a replacement." I explained.

"Where did you learn how to make a bow? Do you craft your own arrows as well?" Kurenai asked interestedly.

My hands paused in their movement and I stared at them as I tried to remember who had taught me. I know someone had to have taught me, it isn't exactly normal for it to be natural to craft weapons. I tried and I saw a blurry face, I still couldn't remember clearly. Her hair was red though, so we weren't related. I started to get a headache from the effort of remembering so I let the memory slip back beneath the surface of concious thought.

"I was taught... by a woman." I answered slowly, still slightly unsure.

"Who?" Kiba rudely put in.

I just shook my head, then looked up with a fake smile in my eyes. "I can't remember her name, but she had bright red hair. She taught me how to make the arrows as well."

"I see, well we should get some sleep, let's get in the tents." Kurenai ended the discussion, for which I was grateful.

I climbed into my tent with my pack. I just sat there for a long time, letting silent tears fall slowly from my eyes.

I wouldn't let anyone see how much not having any memories hurt. Others could recall friends from their past, all the fun they had as kids. They knew they had family, even if they were orphaned or didn't remember them people could tell them stories. They had people special to them. They had a past. I had nothing, I was alone, stranded.

I was angry at whoever did this to me. I didn't know who I was angry at though. I felt abandoned. It had been over two months since I woke up in that clearing. My parents probably weren't even looking for me.

I just felt so alone.

So I cried, silently. No one would know how much I cared about the blankness in my mind.

I had no idea who I even was! No last name, no history, no memory. I could be a criminal and not know it.

Even worse, I could be an enemy to the only home I can remember. I could have been on my way to destroy the leaf, and I don't even remember it.

Eventually I drifted off into sleep, the tears still streaming down my face.