AN: Moi moi, dear readers. Peruna here. So, this is a little spin-off to "A Bearable Fate", which will mostly explore the impact our friendly neighbourhood bear left within the Nara clan. The chapters will be short and updated irregularly, since this will mostly be random stories and anecdotes. I hope you can enjoy it.
I do not own Naruto.
Taking a walk.
"But I just wanted the clan crest on my shirt, just like Shikamaru-kun."
There is a chuckle and the middle-aged woman pats the little girl's head fondly. "You should be proud of your heritage, Ha-chan. This is the crest of your family."
"But I'm a Nara! My parents were Nara! Shouldn't I be wearing the crest of the Nara family?" Brown eyes overlook the stitched symbol on a simple grey shirt. It's almost like she had wanted it, the wavy lines of the Nara in black on a brightly green background, but the green of the backdrop is overlayered by a stylised white paw print. Going by it's shape it's supposed to be the track of a bear.
"Little Ha-chan, your parents were part of a line of Naras that take pride in their special history within the clan." The woman's smile remains, her eyes shining with mirth when the child looks unconvinced still.
"I've never heard anything about that. And you and oji-san don't wear it either. You're my family, aren't you? So if this is a family thing you should wear it, too."
"Oh honey, of course we are your family, but your kaa-san and I were merely friends, not sisters. Kota and I took you in because none of your closer relatives were able to."
These big brown eyes become dangerously wet and and pouty, childish lips start wobbling. "So, you-you're not re-really my family?"
The woman sighs sadly and pulls her ward into a hug, patting her back as the girl starts crying into her shoulder. "Of course we are your family. We are both Nara, aren't we? Our clan is our family."
"Wh-Why do I ha-ha-have to wear a different crest then? I wanna wear the Nara one, just like Maru-kun."
With a heavy heart the woman listens to the sobbing child of her best friend all but denouncing her heritage. She remembers when she herself was a little girl listening to her distant cousin rave and brag about being part of the distinguished branch family. Like it was only yesterday, she recalls her friend's excited voice when they got their first clan jackets with graduation.
"Look, look! It's Kuma's mark! She protects all of us, but especially those who carry her mark!"
"That's nice, Ago-chan, but can you stop being so loud?"
"Hey! I'm not loud! You're just too quiet!"
Yes, her friend had been a distant cousin. The Kuma branch family had prided themselves on being the more energetic vassals of the clan.
"Why do you always rant about the pet of one of your ancestors? I've read that in the Warring States Era a lot of shinobi used tamed beasts and none of them made such a big deal out of it."
"Shikafoooooon, don't say something like that! Kuma was special! You're just jealous that we have a patron spirit and you don't!"
"You know that the Nara have deer. They might as well be our patrons."
"Hah! I knew you were just jealous!"
"Whatever ..."
"Now, now, honey. I know you look up to Shikamaru-kun, but being different isn't a bad thing. Your kaa-san loved the old stories her kaa-san used to tell her dearly."
"Shikafon, will you be my witness?"
"Are you sure, Ago? What about Choutama or Inome?"
"The boys will manage, I want you to be with me, we used to do everything together and I miss that."
"... Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I know you mean to say 'Whatever'."
"Yeah, whatever. Do you need any help with the wedding?"
"I'm so touched! You volunteer to do hard, exhausting work for me?"
"That's not what I said."
"No take-backs. We'll hold the ceremony by Kuma's shrine, so we need to bring all the chairs and decorations and tables there. Maybe we can get one of those really big tents to set up there? That would be so nice."
"... Whatever. Just tell me what you need me for when you're done daydreaming."
"Come now, Ha-chan. We'll go for a walk, okay?"
"O-Okay, ba-chan." Still sniffeling, the little girl steps back and rubs her tear-streaked face with her sleeve.
The woman straightes up and offers a hand for her ward to hold. Together the two leave the house and stroll over the clan grounds, greeting their fellow clansmen with lazy nods as is the norm for the Nara.
They walk along the edge of the forest, the trees casting their shadows over them and a warm spring breeze ruffling through their loose clothes. Neither of them talked, both enjoying the calm of the moment, even if the little girl holds some curiosity about their destination also.
After about half an hour of skirting the forest and leaving the other houses behind them the treeline recedes to circle a large, peaceful meadow.
Saturated green grass is spotted with blooming wild flowers, the long stalks swaying gently in the breeze. The surrounding trees rustle softly and songbirds within their crowns call and sing to each other while a group of deer graze peacefully amongst the greenery.
Two frugal buildings have been built here. One is a family home, large enough for a happy and fulfilling lifelyhood but sparing with unneccessary luxuries. The other is an elegant gazebo with invitingly open shoji screens.
Both the achitecture with it's slanted roofs and the patios surrounding the buildings as well as the dark, aged wood of the buildings give them an atmosphere of well-maintained seniority. Their composed beauty is simple and serene at the same time.
The view awes the young girl and she stares in wonder as the woman guides her towards the gazebo. She stumbles slightly on the steps to the patio, but quickly finds her balance again, still craning her slender neck to take in the inimitable sights.
Only when her caretaker sits down in a seiza position does the child focus again. Hastily it follows its elders example.
Inside the gazebo sits an old woman, aged beyond the understanding of little girls, her face marked with deep wrinkles and old scars, her skin thin and brittle-seeming and marred with liver spots, her hair dark grey and done up in a drooping bun. Despite her fragile looks the elder's eyes are still sharp and intelligent, holding knowledge far beyond the comprehension of the young.
Beside the wisened old woman lay a beautiful katana in a polished green sheat with a white-wrapped hilt. On her other side rested a large hare with it's head on her lap while gnarled fingers carress its ears.
Along the back wall, the only solid one of the structure, a small shrine is set up. Wooden figurines of various animals surround the larger statuette of a sitting bear. A few sticks of incense are arranged along the paws of the beautifully crafted wooden bear, but none are lit. Instead of thick perfume, there is only the fragrance of spring in the air.
It is beautiful in here, too, the girl decides, the scene before her awing her as much as the initial sight of the meadow.
The Nara clan is known for their connection with nature, their herbal medicine and cultivation of deer herds bring them closer to the forest kami than any other clan, their calm disposition and clear minds letting them experience peaceful serenity much easier. This woman incorporates all these facets of their clan. She is a true representative of what many within it reach to achieve.
"Shikaina-sama", the middle-aged woman bows from her seated position until her forehead rests on the floor, her ward quick to follow her example in showing their deepest respect.
"Shikafon-chan, it is good to see you well." With their heads still lowered, the girl's care-giver couldn't see her elder's expression, but at the fond sternness of her tone the younger woman suddenly feels nervous. "I had expected you and young Shikahana-chan much earlier."
"My apologies, Shikaina-sama, I didn't want to interrupt your peace." The woman speaks to the floorboards, uncomfortably aware of her mistake in not taking her little girl to the elder before. Her excuse is weak, but the retired kunoichi before her had indeed sought peace and quiet in the last years, withdrawing from the clan dealings to her secluded home in this tucked-away haven.
"Nonsense", scoffs the elderly, "But I forgive your foolishness. We all make mistakes, whether we are young or old ... Even if a majority of failings fall to the youth", she chuckles.
A few moments of silence follows before the elder chuckles again, much livelier now. "Rise, children, straighten yourselves. I am only an old hag, there's no need for such exaggerated formatily."
Both of her juniors sit up properly again and the elder notices how the little girl's gaze immediately wanders to her companion. "This is Nousagi, little Shikahana-chan. She is very friendly. Nousagi, this is Shikahana-chan, she is the last of Shikagoma's decendants."
The jack rabbit perks up at the introduction, lifting it's head to take in the little girl. Long, straight ears lift up and swivel in her direction, the furry nose snuffles and the animal tilts it's head from side to side to better observe her.
The little girl bows again to the hare. "Hello, Nousagi-san. Please take care of me." She had practised this introduction with her oba-san to be ready for the Academy and is quite certain that it fits this situation. The way the rabbit looks her over makes it seem much more intelligent than it's fluffy exterior would suggest.
In a slow, elegant and weirdly preditorial movement, the hare stands and hop-prowls over to her. It comes to a stop right in front of her bent knees and the girl instinctually straightens until her spine is ramrod still and tense.
The hare shifts it's weight onto its hind legs and stands. With impeccable balance it hovers in front of her and inspects her face. It is that action that highlights exactly how big this animal is, with more powerful muscles and longer than normal appendages.
After a long moment of eye contact the hare leans forward and rests its front feet on the girl's shoulder, before nuzzling her cheek. The child giggles and hungs the rabbit, which in turn nibbles on her ear.
Joyful laughter fills the gazebo and both older women watch the two of them fondly.
"Leave Shikahana with me for the day, I'll make sure that she gets home safely in the evening."
The younger woman nods and gets up to leave without another word to the elder or her ward. Shikahana would be safe here. If she believed her late friend, it was "the safest place in all of Konoha. Kuma protects it."
"... Whatever."
With a heavy heart, Shikafon decides to head for the graveyard. Ago, too, hasn't been visited nearly often enough in the last years.