9/10/12: Doing a little housekeeping on each chapter of A Voice in the Wind. Sweeping out the spelling and grammatical bugs, ironing out the continuity wrinkles, etc. etc. Starting with chapter one. Will eventually hit them all, but I'm in no hurry. You'll see the note at the bottom stating I've edited it. If you come across an error in a chapter I've already edited, I would love for you to drop me a note! *hugs*

Swirling petals, falling leaves: New website for extended author's notes and spoilers! Check out swirlingpetals.com.

Finally giving voice to "my little ninja problem," as we so fondly call it in my house.

Like: music, writing, painting, sketching, anything crafty, long drives, Rumi, red wine, grafitti, Hayao Miyazaki

Love: my family, immeasurably

Laugh: I write lists like stranded people yell at helicopters (oh so true)

Dislike: eggplant (not the color though), mosquitos, white wine, not being able to "go and do"

Catch me, trixieg, on deviantart for artwork.

A Voice in the Wind

Sakura is abducted on a mission by a rogue nin. He reveals himself to be about the same age as she is, but is very cagey about most all other details of his life. However they form a strong bond in their short time together, stronger in fact than any of the bonds with her assigned teammates from her village. She manages to escape, returns home and works over the next few years to be a stronger, more capable ninja. But the bond she had with the rogue nin is never matched with any of her fellow nins.

She encounters the rogue again over the course of the next few years and forms an even stronger friendship with him. But that bond is shaken to the core when a mission goes terribly wrong. Both betrayed, Sakura turns to her true teammates, strengthening her ties to her village. Katsuro sheds his former identity and turns fully into the life that Itachi had planned for him.

But when a chance encounter turns into a nightmare battle, the Akatsuki's newest member, a young blonde mercenary, has to make a hard choice. Will he keep his identity hidden yet let the pink-haired girl die in his arms? Or will he do what he knows is necessary to save her: wrap her in his hard-earned Akatsuki cloak and head straight for the village which failed him as a child?

• Spoiler: Katsuro's identity... I am not a huge fan of original characters, I just can't seem to find a great deal of like or dislike of them as I would rather be reading about the manga characters themselves. So I would hate to put someone off of reading the story because they believed Katsuro was an oc. So, hopefully you've guessed already, but Katsuro is Naruto.

He was abducted by Itachi at a young age, who realized the power a child like that held and seized on the opportunity presented to him by a village that did not take better care of its orphaned jinchurriki. In creating a new identity for him, Naruto chose the name Katsuro, meaning "victorious son," as a snub to the village that failed him.