Rebirth [MADASAKU FIC]

Mama Madara

"Stop where you are."

Madara froze, half his body out the door, and turned to face the owner of the voice.

Izuna was nearly completely hidden in the shadows of the dim hallway. His dark eyes glared at his older brother and his lips were twisted into a childish pout. "Just where do you think you're going this early in the morning?"

Madara smiled sheepishly. "Training."

"Take me with you."

Blink. "What?"

"You heard what I said," Izuna growled back, "take me with you! You haven't trained with me in forever. You're gone by the time I wake up and only come back when it gets dark."

Madara sighed, attempting to massage away the growing headache that was forming in this temple. Sakura decided to speak up right there, "You can train with him later, the lesson I have planned today is crucial to your progress, and we have the perfect chance today."

Madara nodded slowly, closing his eyes for a moment before walking over to his younger brother. Pushing a hand onto Izuna's head, he ruffled the thick black locks. "Sorry, Izuna, I can't right now. Your older brother is doing something very important, and I can't have you around. I promise I'll practise with you next week, got it?"

Izuna's eyes shadowed over but he nodded regardless.

Madara smiled at the young boy before turning on his heel and leaving the house. He headed towards the same spot by the river that they had trained at everyday, but Sakura spoke up. "You've mastered healing fish and small mammals, let's try something bigger. Over night I sensed a large mammal, I think it was a bear, get hurt. It's still alive but just barely. Today we are going to save it."

Madara nodded in understanding and changed directions on Sakura's command. Within minutes, they encountered a large black bear. It's charcoal fur was matted and stained red with the blood covering it and the grass surrounding it. Part of it's fur has been scorched off, and the skin under neither burnt to a crisp.

The sight was horrifying.

"Caught in a bomb explosion." Sakura mused sadly. "It's very common in war for animals to be caught in the crossfire."

Madara gingerly knelt beside the creature, the blood already soaking through his pants. Pumping healing chakra into his palms, her placed them lightly against the bear's bloodied side. Usually when he did this, the skin slowly knit itself together, but nothing was happening. He felt like his was pumping chakra into something cold.

Sakura swore softly.

He felt like he was pumping chakra into something dead.

Disappointment settled into his heart as Sakura said, "Jeez, she was here just a second ago... We lost her." Sensing his swirling emotions, Sakura continued. "Don't worry about it too much, bud. In life there's success and failure, it's only natural."

Madara nodded numbly, staring at the blood coating his hands.

Sakura press her lips into a thin line, before something caught attention. "Madara, I think you'd better look behind the bear."

He got up slowly and rounded the large corpse. Nestling into the dead bear's fur, was a small ball of black. A head lifted into view, revealing a brown snout and two eyes. Despite the fact that those eyes belonged to nothing more than a bear cub, the sadness swimming within them tore at Madara's heart.

A large and painful looking gash marred the left side of the cub's snout and curled up and around it's ear, so Madara knelt down in front of it and held a glowing hand to it's face. The cub didn't flinch and simply stared up at Madara with confused eyes, stunning both him and Sakura into silence.