Liberosis

She doesn't care.

She just needs to walk by the bleeding boy that is surrounded by six armed men.

She just had to turn away and walk back home, and everything would be okay.

That's all she had to do… and yet…

There she was, running towards the group as if she cared about the predicament at all.

All the group was able to witness was a black-cloaked figure grabbing the wounded boy and in a flash, vanishing before their eyes. Impossible, most of the men were thinking, but they had no clue where to begin searching for their victim and his savior. None could have slipped past their defenses and disappeared from them all.

...And yet there they stood, flabbergasted and alone.

oOo

She inwardly hit herself for her foolishness. This war between the clans had nothing to do with her. She had no reason to reveal herself and get involved. Why would she risk her safety for a stranger?

Perhaps it was because of his age. She was shocked to see someone of his youth in the midst of battle. He looked to be around eight or nine. Barely enough to be a boy, let alone a soldier.

Perhaps she found it unfair that he was surrounded by several adult men and wounded, for that matter. Life was not meant to be so short to someone that young or unfair.

But she knew that wasn't the case for these times.

So why did she leap to his rescue? Why was he laying in her make-shift home in the trees with bandages and her beside him taking care of his wounds? She owed nothing to this boy and this life.

Maybe… It was to make herself feel better. That her life had some form of good that came from her existence.

She banished all thoughts from her mind and focused on taking care of him. Her chakra control was superb. The best from her clan that could be produced during such times. Perhaps… she could use that to help the healing process.

The girl laid her hands on the boy's wounds, noticing his uneven breathing and the sweat rolling down his face. He had a fever… and the wound was still bleeding despite the bandages.

She concentrated, her brow furrowing in an effort to stay focused. Her hands began to emit a pale blue light before flickering to green. She felt his skin push against her healing, as if telling her that it didn't need her help. She forced more chakra to her hands to push the skin together by force.

As if by magic, the wound began to close completely. The skin stitched itself together and the bleeding was put to a stop. She sighed, and as she did, the green aura around her hands disappeared. The boy's face relaxed, seeming to have calmed down now.

It had been a couple months since she had used her healing powers. The last time she had used it was when she had fallen down a hill of rocks and scraped her knee. However, the power to heal always came back to her with ease. It was as if she had taught herself how to play an instrument, stopped for a while, and picked it back up.

When had it become natural to her?

The boy would be asleep for a day or so, she noted. While she had healed the wound, his fever still remained. Either way, she had to begin to prepare dinner. That was the reason she was out earlier anyways.

oOo

A couple of days passed before the boy woke up. She was taking care of her garden on the ground below when she heard him call out.

She left her watering for later and ascended up the ladder towards the small, wooden hut perched between two strong trees with one strong branch that grew between them. When she arrived, the boy was sitting up, looking confused and alert. His dark, obsidian eyes landed on her and widened out of fear.

She held a hand up. "I'm not going to harm you," She promised.

The boy stared at her some more. "...You… saved me?" His voice was deeper than she expected. His black hair was wild and thick and fell to his neck but parted in the middle of his forehead.

"I did," She answered, shortly, "I'm surprised you took so long to wake up. Although I suppose it makes sense. That was a nasty cut on your chest."

At the word 'cut', the boy's eyes widened and desperately grabbed at his chest. His eyes were glued to the pale, healed skin. All that was left from the girl's healing was a long scar that looked to be years old.

"Did you… heal me?" He asked as if she couldn't have done it herself.

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Yes, is it that surprising?" She asked.

He could only touch his skin again, as if he was in some illusion.

"I am not capable of genjutsu, I assure you that this is no illusion." She said, sitting down in front of the makeshift mattress she made out of grass. He flexed his fingers before putting his hands together.

"Kai!"

A moment of silence passed by. Nothing happened.

The girl smirked in amusement and only held out one of her hands. The chakra surged into her palm and flickered green. "I told you, I healed you."

"How?" He demanded. For such a young boy, he was quite aggressive.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Can't you just accept that I healed you without an explanation? I haven't even heard you say thank you for saving you."

The boy's cheeks flushed red before he looked down at his lab, fiddling with the blanket she had given him. "...My apologies… T-thank you… for saving me."

She smiled at that. "You're welcome. Are you able to stand or walk?"

He winced as he attempted to stand, only to fall back again. She sighed, "I guess not. Don't worry, it'll probably be another day or so for you to be able to stand properly, let alone walk. I will help you with rehabilitation." The girl stood up again, going to the exit hole she made. "You must be hungry, I'll fetch you something to eat. I caught a rabbit this morning out of luck."

"Wait," He said.

She turned around.

"Why did you help me?" He asked.

For a moment, she stayed silent. She, herself, did not know why she saved him.

"...I don't you rather me leave you to die?"

The boy shook his head, but looked annoyed at the lack of clarity.

"What's your name, kid?" She asked, sitting on the edge of the hole in the floor to get to the ladder.

"...Ginjiro Uchiha…" He said, slowly.

She only scowled, "Uchiha, huh? Damn… I was trying to stay out of this stupid war but I saved an Uchiha."

"You know of my clan?"

"Of course I do," She turned to meet his eyes, "You have been at war with the Senju even before I began to live here."

"What clan do you belong to?" He questioned. He seemed relentless for answers.

"None. I am alone. I have no clan and no association with anyone. Now, Uchiha-san, excuse me while I fetch you some rabbit."

She began to descend the ladder, but he had another question.

"Wait, what is your name?"

He got no answer.