The blooming of a cherry blossom tree

Chapter 5 : Returning to Konoha

Sakura leaped from tree to tree as fast as she could, worry tacking place in her stomach. Something was off, she could sense it, and not only because thanks to her new sensing jutsu she could actually sense it, but because she had this feeling in her gut that told her something was off.

She rushed to Konoha entrance and the moment she stepped inside the village it hit her. A strong chakra coming from her left side, growing more and more as time passed. But as much as that was worrying in itself, it wasn't the part Sakura caught first.

No, what she caught first was a faint, way too faint, chakra signature that she knew way too well. It was Sasuke chakra signature, and it was dangerously low and unstable.

Without thinking twice, she started running in that direction and what she saw once she arrived there made her nearly froze on the spot. Sasuke was here, crouched on itself on a tree branch, and his cursed mark was running free on his neck and right arm.

In front of him was a half boy half monster that she identified as Gaara. He was about to attack Sasuke whit his enormous claw, a crazy look in his eyes. Sakura leaped from the tree sha had landed on and charged her right hand with a big amount of chakra.

She charged on Gaara whit rage and hit him square in the face slightly breaking his sand amor and sending him a good 20 feet away from her and Sasuke.

He crashed into multiple tree before finally stopping on a branch. She quickly landed on the branch Sasuke was and tried to take his attention.

- Sasuke! Sasuke-kun can you hear me?!

He looked at me from the corner of his eyes and slightly nodded. Taking this as a sign he was still conscious enough to recognize me, I quickly helped him on his feet and put his arm around my neck.

- Are you hurt anywhere or is it just the curse?

Sasuke took a sharp breath and tried to stand on his own but failed miserably and ended up putting more weight on her shoulder.

- I think I have a few broken rib and his claw managed to slash deep enough in my back.

- Okay, let's go far away from here and then I'll heal the wound. I can't do much about your broken rib thought, I'm not good enough at medical ninjutsu to repair broken rib. So we will have to go to the hospital afterward.

Sasuke looked at her slightly shocked that she said she could heal him but a sudden pain on his back made him nod without asking question. Thought she knew that the moment he would be better she would have to answer to his questions.

She looked quickly behind her to see if Gaara was still unconscious and was a bit relieved when she saw the boy still on the same branch he had landed earlier. But her relief didn't last long, because just when she was about to turn around, she saw his eyes slowly opening.

- Shit, we have to go away right now or we're going to have problems.

She quickly started to jump from tree to tree while supporting Sasuke weight. They had been able to make barely ten step that she had to suddenly throw them on the ground.

Thanks to her inner skill, she had trained so hard during the past month, she had been able to sense Gaara attack before it came and therefore dodge it.

They both rolled on the ground for about two meter before she stopped their movement by sticking one hand into the ground.

She saw Sasuke eyes opening widely due to the shock of her breaking the ground with her bare hand. But she couldn't be distracted by it so she quickly turned her gaze to were Gaara was now standing.

- You're fast, but this won't save your life twice.

She slightly shuddered at the tone of his voice before helping Sasuke sit down on the ground with his back on a tree base. She then got up and positioned herself in a fighting stance.