Chapter 25: Ninken puppies
Hana said, "Katsumi, get those towels! We'll need them to help Kurami once she starts giving birth." The female Inuzuka was usually kind, but today needed someone in charge and giving orders. Katsumi followed Hana's instructions and carefully getting the towels without disturbing her growing womb. She thought, " I can't believe that today is the day for Kurami's puppies. I'll be having puppies of my own within the year…" Sakura and Sasuke were out of the hospital and had recovered from their injuries. Sakura, Ino and Hinata came to help support Katsumi. Ino had told the other kunoichi about Katsumi's pregnancy but swore them to secrecy. Hinata took the news well. She had thought that Katsumi was acting strange before and her symptoms of illness did match morning sickness. Sakura was completely thrown by the news of Katsumi being pregnant. She couldn't believe that it was actually true. The guys were being kept out of the loop, with the exception of Shikamaru. Ino knew that she could trust her boyfriend.
Ino took the towels from Katsumi and Hinata offered her a seat on the couch. Hana was still making preparations for the female ninken. Hana said, "It has been a while since new ninken were born into the Inuzuka clan. The last time was when Akamaru was born." Katsumi thought about the white ninken, which made her think about Kiba. Sakura smiled and asked, "Katsumi, are you feeling okay?" Katsumi replied while twisting her hair: "I am… except that I am worried about everything… especially Kiba and our children." She placed a hand on her stomach only to find that Hinata had placed her hand on top. Hinata said, "We are here to help in any way that we can." Ino came back after giving Hana the towels and interrupted, "It will also give us time to talk about things just between us!"
Ino smirked as she asked, "So, Katsumi… how was it with Kiba? Was it wild and rough? You have to tell us!" Hinata replied, "Ino! I don't think that we should talk about that sort of thing.." Sakura answered, "I agree with Hinata. Ino, why do always have to bring up topics regarding sex?" Katsumi calmed the situation down by replying to all three: "It's all right. I want to let you know since I am the only one here who has experienced it. It will give you some insight for the rest of you. That night with Kiba… it was amazing. He was so gentle with me despite Kiba being well-endowed." Katsumi turned crimson as she continued to tell about that night at the waterfall. She resumed talking: "His body is so muscular and lean that I just wanted to be near it and feel its incredible warmth. The way he kissed me so passionately… I will never forget it."
Katsumi was about to say more when Hana called them into the room where Kurami lay in her labor. All four kunoichi ran into the room and Hana told them to be ready in case she needed their assistance. Katsumi stroked Kurami's head as the female ninken began to have contractions and started moaning in pain. Katsumi wondered if she would experience the same kind of pain once she gave birth. Hana helped to deliver the puppies and clean them off. She placed them near their mother and they instinctively began drinking milk from Kurami. Hana said, "There are four puppies- two male and two female. I think that it would be appropriate for Katsumi to name them since she is Kurami's owner."
Hinata, Ino and Sakura adored the cute little ninken puppies. One of the females had white fur, black ears, black snout and a black birthmark on their foreheads. The other female ninken pup was completely white. One of the males had black fur with white legs, white faces and white fur on the inside of their ears. The other male was completely black from head to tail and had his mother's yellow eyes. Katsumi decided to name the all-white female as Luna because of her fur color and the all-black ninken pup as Shadow for the same reason. The black and white female was named Akira by Hinata. Sakura and Ino both named the black and white male Kato. They laughed when the two realized that they had said the same name at the same time. Despite all of the happiness in the room, Katsumi's thoughts drifted to Kiba and she hoped that Akamaru would find him to bring her children's father home.
(Author's note: The next chapter will show Kiba with the ANBU. Will he escape to find his way back to Katsumi? Are the villager disappearances connected to Katsumi's past? Find out in the next chapter! Please read and review if you want to.)