Mai began to feel labour pains in the early hours of the morning. Mai and Naru waited all day for the babies. When she changed in to her leopard she crawled in to her box that Bou-san made out of wood that was covered in carpet. It can fit Mai and Naru but Mai won't let him in.
The box was filled with thick warm blankets and underneath the blankets were hot water bottles. Mai stayed in there every night leaving. One night Naru heard Mai shuffle around in the box and Naru sprang to his four paws and raced down the stairs where Ayako was watching a movie. Naru gave a loud grunt to get her attention. When she turned her head to him he walked back up the stairs and stopped at the landing and gave another grunt when she didn't follow him.
Ayako frowned and tilted her head to one side and said to herself, I think he is trying to get me to follow him. Shrugging, she got up and followed the big black cat.
"What is it Naru?" She asked as they went in to his room. Naru went over to the box and jumped on top of it. Then it hit her. Mai is in labour. Ayako gasped. "She isn't dues for another three days."
Ayako poked her head through the box and spotted Mai in the far corner. "You in labour Mai?" Mai nodded her head in response. "Do you want me or Naru with you?"
Mai shook her head then grunted in pain.
Mai wanted to be alone but she didn't want them to got far. Stay out there. She sent to Naru.
We are not going anywhere. Naru responded.
"Just breathe and push Mai." Ayako said as she sat down on the bed.
For what felt like hours to Naru and Ayako the howls, the panting the crying from both mother and baby stopped after three small cries. Ayako smiled and looked at the proud papa who jumped off the box.
Ayako smiled a the black leopard and whispered, "You have three children." Naru poked his head in the box and sniffed. Two boys and one girl. Can I come in? Naru asked gently. Mai nodded her head. Naru slipped in and saw his two smokey-grey sons and his black daughter who looked smaller then her brothers for the first time. Then he went back out to Ayako.
He drew the number two then a B for two boys, then he drew a one then a G for a girl on the carpet. Ayako smiled. "Congratulations. I'll come back later to check on them."
Naru nodded and went back in to the box where he curled around Mai and began to lick the back of her head while she cleaned the little blind kittens.
Bou-san, Masako, Lin, Madoka, Yasuhara-san came back from the movies, (Lin was forced by Madoka to go with them).
"We're home." Madoka shouted. Everyone expect to see three leopards come down and greet them like they normally did but they didn't.
Bou-san frowned. "Mai, Naru, Gene?" He shouted louder then Madoka. Ayako came down the stairs with Gene behind her.
"Shut up. Mai just gave birth and both parents are sleeping."
Everyone's eyes widened in shock and Bou-san raced up the stairs to his daughter. In the room he poked his head in to the box but he couldn't see anything. Then Naru lifted his head and opened his eyes and gave a little warning growl that clearly said, Stay away from my children.
Bou-san only smiled and whispered so only Naru could here. "Congrats big guy." And left.
Gene slept on the floor outside in the hallway in front of his brother's room.
The next day Mai was still in her cat form because some time during the night the curse was lifted. Mai demanded her body to stay in her cat form so she can look after the little kittens and when she woke up she was still in her cat form. So was Naru.
To see if he wasn't stuck Naru came out of the box and pictured himself in his human form. When he opened his eyes he saw pale skin instead of dark fur.
It was the newborns that helped them. They needed
a very good reason to stay in a particular form. Naru got changed and went down to breakfast.
While the father was eating Ayako and Bou-san took this opportunity to check on the litter and their mother. Mai came out first completely healed. She let Ayako pick up her first born son, Isaac and gave him the all clear then handed the boy carefully to Bou-san for a gentle warm hug then returned him back to his brother and sister. Joseph. All healthy, got a hug from Bou-san.
When Ayako pulled out the little female Kara she gasped in surprise. "What is it?" Bou-san asked. It took Ayako a minute to find her voice. "She is black. How is that?"
"What do you mean? It just means that she is just like her father." Bou-san said as he stroked Mai head that was laying in his lap.
"Yeah I guess your right. Are you going to be a daddy's girl?" Ayako nuzzled her nose with Kara and then settled her back in with her brothers.
Mai got up and went down to get something to eat and drink then she and Naru went back to their children.
Over the next few days the three kittens got bigger and stronger. Their eyes are open and they were moving around in the box.
Soon the kittens were eight weeks old and feisty as hell and cheeky as hell. But that was only the boys. Kara preferred to play with her mother and father's tail while her father would lick behind her mother's ear. Wanting her father's attention Kara bit the long black tail hard.
Naru roared in pain loudly and Kara yelped with fright, raced to her mother's front and hid in her chest.
Naru realised that it was his daughter and not one of his son's but it was Kara. She only wanted your attention and now she is scared of her own father.
I didn't mean to, I thought that it was one of the boys.
Tell her that not me.
Naru sighed, got up and laid back down in front of Mai. Kara had only managed to hide her top half of her body, her bum was visible. Naru nudged her and Kara gave a warning growl. Go way, daddy. Naru heard a little voice in his head.
Kara, I thought it was one of your brothers not you. Naru said gently.
GO AWAY!Another growl. You're scarwey daddy. Kara is really upset and scared, she is mumbling her words.
I'm only scary when I need to be. Like when I need to protect you, your brothers and your mother. I didn't mean to scare you, baby, you just surprised me. Please forgive me, little one.
I only wanted your attention.
I realise that baby. Do you want to play?
No reply. But after a minute Kara crawled out from under her mother. She stared at her father and nodded then jumped on to his head but Naru easily shook her off and nuzzled her belly. Kara growling playfully kicking her father's head.
Mai watched them play. Then a loud crash came from upstairs. Isaac and Joseph are playing upstairs. Mai and Naru bolted up the stairs and in to their room where Isaac and Joseph were play fighting, well they where. Joseph was crying on the floor. A lamp had landed on his head.
Mai raced to him, picked him up, jumped on to the bed and laid him in between her front paws and gently licked his head. The crying changed to small sobs which turned in to purring. There were a few hiccups though.
What happened? Mai asked him.
I was trying to get the toy that daddy had put up there. Isaac and Joseph are smart boys they could speak properly at a very early age. Kara mumbles when she is scared or upset like before.
Naru went over to the drawers stood on his back legs grabbed the teddy bear with his mouth. Then he jumped on to the bed and gave his youngest son the teddy bear. Joseph looked up at him with his mother's eyes. Can we sleep with you and mummy? He asked.
Naru nodded. He couldn't refuse his children. He went down stairs to get Kara who was playing with Gene. Naru went over to them, picked her up nodded to everyone and went back to his bedroom. Mai, Isaac and Joseph were already in the box. Naru entered the box and Kara curled up with her brothers while Mai and Naru curled around their children.
Three years later
"Kara, come on hurry up, we don't want to be late." Isaac impatiently stood at the bottom of the stairs tapping his foot. Isaac, Joseph and Kara were going to stay with their grandparents at their hotel. Their father's parents learnt that their son had babies and rushed over to meet the children and their mother. Mai and Naru are going on a case and the kids weren't allowed to come. The siblings wanted to stay with their grandparents anyway. Martin would tell them stories and Luella would play with them.
"I'm coming." Kara yelled back. She looked at her pile of teddy bears that sat on the floor at the end of her bed. She didn't know which one to choose. There are large teddy bears, medium size teddy bears and small teddy bears. But her father told her she can only take one big one and medium one or one small one. At night time during the winter time Kara likes to change in to her leopard and curl up with the big black one, but the big white one is much softer then the black one. But the black one is the same colour as her leopard and her father's leopard. She likes to cuddle with it when her parents aren't home. Her father rubbed his scent all over the black bear so when he and mummy are away Kara wouldn't cry for him and mummy.
Isaac came in to the room. "Come on, hurry up." He said as he stood next to her. Kara looked at him. "I don't know which one to pick. The black bear has dad's scent on it and the white one has mummy's scent on it." Mai rubbed her scent on the white bear like Naru did with the black one.
"I'll take the white one and say that I want it and you take the black one and say that you want to take it with you." Isaac might look like his mother but he has his father's brains.
Kara squealed and hugger her brother then picked up the black teddy bear and the little black teddy bear that went with it.
Naru spotted Isaac with his sister's white teddy bear. "Isaac why do you have one of your sister's bear?" He asked his eldest.
"It has mum's scent on it and I want to take it with me. Kara wants the black one." Isaac hugged the bear to his chest and squeezed it tightly. Naru nodded, excepting the response.
Mai and Naru hugged their children goodbye when they dropped them off at the hotel.
Thirteen years later.
Three leopards tackled each other in play fight. Their parents watching them from the top of the hill.
Kara managed to squeeze out of her brother's body and ran with the plastic steak in her mouth. She ran and ran, her brother's not far behind. She could see them over her shoulder.
She wasn't looking where she was going because the next thing she knew she was on her back. She ran in to some thing. The thing turned around and bared it's teeth.
Teeth? Kara looked at the figure up and down. It was a big cat. Another leopard. Another Leopard? Daddy said that we are the only leopards in this area.
This leopard was huge. He looks like Uncle Gene but more bigger and more scarier. The big male hissed and growled. It was obvious that the male wasn't happy. Who are you? Kara asked.
Go away! Came a reply and the last thing Kara saw was his jaws snapping towards her. Kara quickly got to her feet, grabbed her toy and raced back towards her family.
Naru was licking Mai's face when he heard his daughter's cry for help. So did Mai who was sleeping with her head up. Her eyes snapped open. Naru stood up and turned to Mai, Stay here. He scent her. Mai nodded.
Naru raced through the woods in search of his children. He found his boys racing towards him. Go and stay with your mother. He told them and they nodded and raced towards their mother.
Naru finally found Kara trying to climb a tree and male leopard. A male leopard? Naru was confused. There a no leopards in this area except for his family.
Kara saw her father and raced over to him, crying. The male chased after but then he skidded to a halt when he saw Naru growling at him.
What are you trying to do to my daughter? Naru growled. Kara hid behind her father. Naru was much bigger then the male chasing her.
I'm scared. Can you help me?
Naru ignored him. No one threatens his daughter and lives.
The male looked towards Kara. I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to. The male slowly walked to Kara. Naru wasn't having it. He lashed out at the male. Stay away from my daughter. Naru growled even louder.
The male leopard was bleeding on the chest. The male jumped back. He watched the father protecting his daughter. The daughter was big enough to protect herself. Unless she's...
The male laid down and let the shift take over. Naru and Kara gasped in shock. A naked human had replaced the leopard.
Kara looked up at her father. Dad, he's one of us, we have to help him. She scent him. Naru nodded and went down to the man.
Start with your name. Naru said through though.
"Marcus."
How old are you?
"Twenty-five"
What happened to you?
"I was walking along the Markets when this old lady called me over to her little shop. She was selling rings. She showed be a ring with a white stone in it. I liked it so I brought it.
That night I went to bed and when I woke up I was a leopard. This morning I was back to my normal self. I figured out that it had something to with the ring. So I tried to get rid of it but it didn't work. When I was having a nap after lunch I closed my eyes and pictured the leopard and the next thing I knew I had changed in to the leopard. I freaked out and ran, that's when your daughter bumped in to me."
Why did you scare my daughter?
"I didn't mean to. I was scared myself I thought that she was going to hurt me."
Kara stared at the man for a while then she looked at her father. Dad, please...
Naru nodded again. Change back and follow me. But stay away from my daughter.
Marcus changed back and followed the man and his daughter. They led him to a clearing where more two male snow leopards were playing. Then the little black female raced over to them and tackled one of the males.
My sons. The man said with pride.
May I ask you your name?
Kazuya Shibuya. My wife's name is Mai, my children's names are Isaac, Joseph and Kara.
Marcus watched the little female play fight with her brothers. Kara.
My family and I have the same curse as you. We brought these rings and we changed in to big cats. But it took us years to figure out that we can change forms any time we want. That woman who you brought the ring from was the one who set the curse.
What? Really? What about your children?
They were born with it. But as you can see we don't treat like a curse but a gift.
Who else has the curse?
My wife, my children, and my twin brother. Come and meet them.
Marcus was introduced to Mai and the boys then to the others when they got home.
Marcus Fleming became part of some thing big. A family. It was some thing that he missed and longed for and now he has a family. A family of friends.
Everyone made him feel welcome.
Phew all done.
There it is everyone. Six whole pages.
You'll be happy to know that I'm going to add another chapter.
Kara means one who is pure.
Please R&R.
Vivi.