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"Gyunyu! Don't eat those!"

Oh. My. GOODNESS is this bear difficult to take care of. One minute he's quiet and sleepy and cute and adorable and the next minute he's running into bushes and hiding in corners and still being cute and adorable at the same time. But he's so ACTIVE.

And now he's racing ahead of me into the woods, trying to climb his first tree. How am I going to get him out of a tree? I don't want to climb a tree right now... urggggg...

"Gyunyu! Gyunyu get away from that tree-"

Too late. Up he goes. All I can do is stand there and watch him with dread, staring into the tree and wincing at the height. "Wow... look at you go... Guess I have to go up there and get you, you little..."

Ugh. I stepped closer to the tree and tossed down my sack, preparing my fingers for the torture I was about to put them through. I leaped as high as I could and grabbed the lowest branch, groaning as I hoisted myself up. Glancing upward into the sunlight, I glimpsed Gyunyu looking back at me, almost like he were amused. That bear. "Gyunyu-" I panted, throwing myself at another higher branch, "...we have to get Sasuke those good berries and mushrooms that are down by the stream and NOT up a tree. Do you hear me? DOWN and not UP."

The cub suddenly stopped his journey, staring out into the distance. Wondering what could have caught his attention, I lifted myself a little higher to see over the other trees. And then I saw what could only be perfectly described as pure beauty.

The sun had just come up over the horizon, it's blinding yellow light nearly completely clouded behind miles and miles of fog. Mist hung in the air, even at this height, and EVERYTHING between me and the sun was completely grey. As far as I could see trees stretched and rolled out before me, like a deep green carpet. Behind me of course there was the village. But right now I was drowning in green. I'd have to paint this too. Maybe from behind me, so that the painting included me and Gyunyu in a tree...

Shuffling from above snapped me back to attention. Gyunyu had settled into a nook on one of the branches. Time to focus. I was almost there. "Ok... ok buddy..." I lifted myself higher. Almost there... He was inches, within reach. I held out my arms as far as gravity would allow without having me tip over the edge, balancing on the closest branch beneath the bear. "Just- come here-"

Tip.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!"

We had been so high up that it took us at least ten seconds to get to the ground. All I could see was brown fur, grey sky, and green whipping by us. I tugged Gyunyu closer, curling in a ball. My brain was surprisingly calm as we sped toward the earth at eighty miles an hour. Just slow your breathing, close your eyes, everything will be fine... And I believed it.

But before we reached the ground and splatted into a large bloody mess, something rushed out and caught us, throwing us to one side. I felt it hit my ribs and hug me around the bear. Gyunyu, previously quiet, erupted in short shrieks as we made our bumpy landing.

My brain clicked. We're alive! I'm alive, Gyunyu's alright... We're safe!

Suddenly bark, pain, a shout, and then blackness.

When I next opened my eyes, I was staring at a pale, newly-painted ceiling upon which light streaked out almost purposefully. Turning my head, I saw the rest of the room bare excepting the bed on which I lay, a small irori fireplace in the center of the floor, and a chair surrounded by moving boxes. The chair was occupied by Sasuke, his foot tapping impatiently and his knuckles white.

Then I remembered. The tree. We were doing so well after that fall and then a tree had to get in our way.

Sasuke rose and hurried to the side of the bed with fervent motions although his face was still empty of emotion. "How are you feeling?" he asked solemnly.

My mind was numb as well as my body. "I'm not," I replied, and found my voice barely a whisper. Where the heck am I??

He sighed, relief washing over his face. "Good. A doctor had to come stitch up your side, and injected you with painkillers. You have four broken ribs and have to wear a cast for at least two months. Gyunyu is fine," he hurried when I guess he saw me about to ask. "He's downstairs eating. You're in my house, down the street from yours. I apologize for the mess, but I have yet to unpack."

"No... no it's ok," I answered. I didn't feel awkward in his presence like I usually did. I didn't feel embarrassed, curious, concerned, anything. Whatever they put in those painkillers, I wasn't so sure they were all that "legal"...

He continued, staring into my eyes. "I need to teach you how to use chakra. I've signed you up to attend courses in the village with me. You'll meet some acquaintances of mine, and hopefully make some friends." I noticed how pale his face was. "But I can't let this happen again. You need to be able to take care of yourself if I'm not around, at least until I get back to you."

Then all of a sudden sadness swept me and chewed me to pieces. I felt tears coming to my eyes. What the heck is going on? Is it these painkillers? "Sasuke..." I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, swallowing down the feeling. "Thank you for being there. Gyunyu and I are greatly indebted to you."

I was half asleep. Numb and crawling with emotion at the same time. But as I drifted off, I heard Sasuke climb over me onto my unbroken side, laying beside me and hugging me close. I shifted closer to him before letting myself go.