The War Angel (A Naruto Fanfic)

Itachi and Kisame

I fell back on my butt with a frustrated groan. I was so tired it felt like my bones would melt and soak into the ground like the water I was trying to control. Scrap what I thought before. This wasn't just hard, this was impossible. Almost twenty four hours standing out here trying to perfect it and so far, nothing. The blasted piece of bark barely had a scrape on it.

I could feel my exhaustion creeping up on me but I pushed it aside. I had no time for sleep. If I was going to get this done then I had to get it done as soon as possible. Besides, I could always just keep going at it until I could go no longer and my body collapsed, but until then, I'll just keep trying.

With a determined nod of my head, I quickly caught my hair up into a ponytail and got to my feet. The bucket of water was almost empty now. Surrounding the tree stump was the mud I had created when I had made it half way to the bark and fell short. There was about two tiny slices in the bark now. Yep, Horo was definitely right. I was really, really, really weak with my water element.

"The sun is already up," I muttered. "Why can't I get this thing? Ugh!" I stomped my foot on the ground harshly. "Am I this slow?"

I lifted my hand to my lips and closed my eyes, repeating what I've been doing so many times before. When I finally felt calm, I opened my eyes and struggled to channel my chakra into the remaining water in the bucket. Slowly, it rose it into the air. It trembled and wobbled.

I exerted a bit more chakra and the water sharpened. Finally, I used just a little more chakra and the water went flying towards the bark.

"Yes!" I whooped as it flew towards the bark. "Yes! I finally did it!" Excitement rushed through me. After all this time I finally did it. I couldn't help the girly jump of glee as I watched the water fly.

Then it fell just an inch short of the bark.

"What?" Dumbfounded, I rushed to bark. My mouth fell open then closed just as quickly in shocked acceptance. Nope, I didn't do it. I didn't do it and now I was tired, out of hope, and out of water.

"And here I was thinking that I'd grown stronger. But no, of course not Rei - I mean, Lea. You were always a slow learner. Why would that change?"

And when did I become so lonely, I've resorted to talking to myself?

Sighing, I picked up the bucket and headed for the lake. Talking to yourself wasn't such a bad thing, was it? Who else will be as interesting as me?

"You're tired, Lea. You've gone mad from exhaustion."

What I wouldn't give to be lying in my bed right now. I thought I loved sleep before this pushed it to another level. After this, I'm sure sleep will become my bread and butter.

Despite my many failures and my exhaustion, my heart felt light. I guess it was because the weight of what Horo had said finally settled on me. My family ... My great-great-grandfather ... The pride I was feeling could fill the tallest volcano right now. Just thinking about it made me smile to myself. Who would have thought?

But, the fact that Horo knew about me made me wonder just how many others knew. The Third Hokage no doubt but he was dead. And Kakashi, definitely Kakashi. He knew everything. Sakura maybe?

Nah, she's smart but not that smart. Not even Sasuke should know. Definitely not Naruto. Hell, I hadn't even known so how could they?

Well, it isn't anything to worry about anyway. That isn't the secret I was keeping. If they found out about this, they'll stop being curious about me and leave me alone. Then I can live my life in peace.