The trees danced in the early spring breezes, as Temari cradled Shikadai in her arms.

Shikamaru stood next to the monument, deep in the Nara forest. The shadows cast their mark on his face, cascading like spilled ink on paper

She smiled as fond memories came back to her mind, but today was not about her, it was about this baby she was carrying.

At almost half a year old, Shikadai looked around curiously - this was the furthest he had been from the house.

As she finally stood next to Shikamaru, her husband looked over and smiled.

"Today is finally the day." He said, as he took Shikadai in his arms. Turning around, he smiled at Temari.

"You can come along, just make sure we have to stay ten steps back." He said to her, Temari frowned a little, there was worry in her green eyes.

"What if they decided to hurt him?" She held his arm as they ventured deeper into the sea of trees.

"They won't," he said. "He is a true Nara, and they will know."

As the couple walked, the creatures began to appear from the woods, knowing that their caretaker was here.

Temari always found it fascinating how the herd would realise that it was Shikamaru, and how they would come out together to welcome him.

The first time she came in here still seemed like a dream.

"Are you excited?" He asked as he held her hand, the grass crunching beneath their feet.

Temari shrugged a little but Shikamaru knew better - she was trembling slightly.

"Don't tell me you are afraid of deers?" He chuckled. "The most troublesome woman alive is afraid of deer?"

Temari turned around, sighing exasperatedly as she blushed nervously. "Of-of course not, I am not afraid of deer."

Shikamaru held her hand tighter in his hand. "You do realise part of the life of a Nara is to take care of the deer herd right?"

"Who said I am going to be a Nara? I can always return the ring, or run off at the wedding." She teased, as she shook off her hand and she ran forward.

She heard him call her name, but she did not look back. If he was going to find her, she is going to make it a hard time for him.

She ran and leapt around the trees, and finally, she founded herself in the middle of nowhere.

The wind brushed across her face, as she looked around - there were trees and grass everywhere.

She gulped nervously, trying to listen whether Shikamaru was calling her.

She hopped down from the tree top down to ground, trying to figure out where she was - she began to wander, looking around, every shadow seemed the same to her. It was hard for her to resist the temptation to sweep her fan and clear the forest so that she could find her fiance.

She walked, and walked and then it happened.

A large stag appeared, a few dozen feet as it emerged from the back of a shrub.

Its coat glittered, in a light hazel brown that was borderline beige; the antler upon its head branched like branches of a majestic tree. She found the sight of the stag mesmerizing.

The stag looked at her calmly as it blinked its large brown eyes.

Temari stood there, her knees were slightly wobbly as she did. She dared not to move, scared that it would dart away, or worse, charge against her.

The stag's ears fluttered as it slowly turned around, and disappeared into the Nara Woods again.

As the glimmer sight faded, she found herself standing in an open ground of the forest; and finally, she heard him calling her.

He emerged, casually walking towards her.

He found her half shocked, half mesmerized as she stood there.

He later told her that she saw the Deer King, the alpha of the deer that often hid itself unless the herd was threatened.

"It only appears in front of those who are truly Nara," said Shikamaru, as he slung his arm across her shoulder. "Not even those who were born Nara may get to see it."

Temari found herself blushing into oblivion, as he laughed at his flustered fiancee.

Temari found herself smiling, as they finally stopped in the middle of the open ground where she met the Deer King the first time.

The herd had approached, surrounding them like a circle enclosing them.

Shikamaru lowered Shikadai onto the grass, as he stood up, he took Temari's hand and the two of them stepped back. With his warm grasp, Temari became less tense, her eyes fixated upon her infant son, as the herd closed in towards him.

A large doe approached, lowering its hand and sniffed the baby on the ground. Gently, it licked Shikadai on the face, as he raised a small chubby hand and touched the doe on its face.

Temari found herself strangely touched by the scene as she leaned against Shikamaru, her eyes were suddenly watery.

"Do you think the Deer King will appear today?"

"I am not sure, when I was born, my mother said it didn't." Temari looked up at Shikamaru, as he smiled at the scene of his son being surrounded by the herd. She arched an eyebrow in surprise.

"Even you?"

"I saw it once and once only, that time when I buried Hidan deep in the woods; I remember the herd was there watching, and as I walk out of the forest, I turned around and I saw it, the most majestic stag I have ever seen."

"That time in the forest when I saw it …"

"No, it was your moment, only you could see it." Shikamaru smiled at his wife. "The stag is very selective."

Temari smiled back at him. "I wonder when will Shikadai see the Deer King."

"He will," wrapping his arm around her, he smiled as the large doe led the herd away, the dispersed and disappeared back into the shrubs.

Temari approached, Shikamaru trailing behind her as she did, she took the baby in her arms and smiled at him.

"Now you are officially a member of the Nara family," Shikamaru smiled as Temari cooed over their son.

Little did he know, behind their backs hidden in the shrubs, a majestic stag with long, flowing hazel fur, stared at the family with its large brown eyes. Blinking, it watched on as the young family walked away, their backs facing the sea of trees as they left.

Author's note:

Update! Haha this story is purely random, just bits and pieces of family moments that came into mind :D Shikamaru and Temari are still the young, lovey-dovey couple ... wait until they grow older and then ahahah we all know what is going :D

Anyway, stay tuned for more Shikatema and baby Shikadai moments xoxo

V.S.V