A/N: Hello dear readers. After I posted the character list I realized I had forgotten someone, Nozumi, Nen and Jin's daughter.

Nozumi is only a few weeks old. She has brown eyes and no hair. She is a typical newborn and doesn't really have an discernible personality as of yet.

Enjoy!

Emi left Sana to go to her own hut to collect her basket her friend had helped her weave. Picking it up she placed the straps on her back and sighed.

The hatchlings nest was a mess. Since the girls could walk they had begun to bring back rocks, sticks, leaves, and whatever else they could find tucking their treasure in between the blankets that they meticulously maintained.

Tadashi had no such inclination and had crawled away from the nest as soon as he could but his sisters seemed more in tuned with their demonic bird nature.

Not wanting to disrupt their safe space Emi left it be and went back outside. Deciding to start the harvesting before her brood returned she placed the basket down and knelt beside a particularly heavy bush laden with berries.

Singing softly to herself in a cooing tone she began the task of picking and sorting the fruit resisting the urge to eat most of them.

A loud crashing sound caused her attention and she looked up quickly to Chiases hut to see Kino rushing out.

Half of her hair was wild and nearly sticking straight out from her head if not for the weight of it while the other appeared to still be braided.

"Kino, I have barely begun." Chiase appealed standing in her doorway seeming somewhat amused.

"That water was hot!" Kino nearly whined.

"I told you, it is the only way to get the resin out your hair. It has to be hot." Chiase said kindly and patiently.

"When I said I would run out like a scalded dog I didn't mean literally Chiase." Kino defended. Smiling to herself Emi resumed her task not wanting to make it appear as if she were eavesdropping.

"Kino, I will not allow you to walk around looking as if you were struck by a lightning bolt." Chiase stated crossing her arms over her front.

Shifting from one foot to the next Kino seemed uncomfortable. "I will heat up some more water and bring it out here."

"Alright." Kino relented sitting down with her arms and legs crossed. "Just, not so hot this time."

"I will see what I can do." Chiase said going back inside. Emi smirked to herself glancing up again as she heard Jins voice.

He and Nen had their weapons and armor on.

"I am not going to let you win Nen. There is no way I will end up being the woman in this relationship." Jin said.

"Funny, I thought you already were with your nagging." Nen replied cooly.

"I wouldn't have to if you listened to me once in a while." Jin retorted. Both stopping by Kino they looked at her taking in her appearance. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Chiase has decided to fix my hair." Kino said looking up at them from the ground. "From the looks of it though I would much rather go wherever you both are."

"Uh, we're going for a walk…privately…together, obviously." Jin stumbled somewhat embarrassed.

"We are going to decide whom gets to mark the other." Nen said.

"Nen! That's…private." Jin blushed considerably at his mates words.

"You do know that everyone here will know when I do give you my mating mark, right?" Nen turned to his husband clearly amused.

"Well, you don't have to tell everyone and besides, I already said I'm not going to be the woman. If anyone is going to get bit, it's you." Jin replied defensively.

"Go easy on him Nen." Kino smirked at them both.

"I make no promises." He said continuing on his way.

"Good luck with your hair thing." Jin said as he followed after his mate.

"Good luck with your mating." Kino called after him seeing him falter somewhat in his steps. Smiling and chuckling to herself as Chiase came out of the hut with a steaming bucket of water and combs Kino quickly sobered up.

"Now, hold still this time." Kino said taking out a hot cloth from the bucket. Wringing it out she wrapped it around Kinos head gathering up as much hair as she could to steam it.

"It's still hot!" Kino complained nearly bolting to her feet. Placing her hands on her shoulders Chiase held her down even though Emi was certain Kino could have broken free from her.

"You are a fidgety pup, aren't you?" Chiase teased.

"I am older than you." Kino said defensively.

"Than start acting like it." Chiase chided gently. Emi giggled behind her hand and shook her head.

"Oi!" Hearing Mitsuo she turned behind her seeing him returning. Ko and Saki ran ahead of their father giggling and chirping as they did with their small kimono pockets and hands filled with new treasures.

Mitsuo carried Yoshi as Tadashi walked dutifully by his fathers side.

"Hello my loves." Emi said gathering her daughters to her as they began to drop their things on the ground to show her.

"Decided to get a head start?" Mitsuo asked motioning towards the basket.

"Attempting." She replied as he bent down to give her a light kiss on the lips.

"I'll grab the other baskets." Placing Yoshi on the ground next to Emi he took Tadashis hand. "Come help son."

Watching as they went into the hut she saw Iku leave hers with Mizuchi and Chiases son tumbling over one another barking and chasing one another.

Yoshi laid himself down and rolled onto his hands and knees to crawl after them. The two dog demons ran over to him happy to include him in their game even though he was slower.

"Would you like a hand?" Iku asked coming towards her.

"Of course. We have always seemed to work well together since we have met." Emi said cheerfully.

"That we have." Iku agreed kneeling down beside her. Mitsuo emerged and was soon abandoned by Tadashi to play with the other boys.

"Lady Iku." Mitsuo greeted respectfully.

"Mitsuo." She nodded her head. Gathering the berries Emi glanced up at the children to see Hikari standing some ways off.

"Hello Hikari. Would you like to join us?" Emi offered. Receiving a nod Hikari approached them.

"Why are you standing over there and staring?" Iku chastised. "That is rude Hikari."

"I apologize." Hikari said wringing her hands. "I did not want to impose."

"Never." Mitsuo said standing to hand her a basket. "We are a pack here. We help one another and ask for help in return."

Taking the basket from him she gave a happy nod. "Will you help me over here?"

"Yes." Hikari nodded following him to another bush.

"When will my granddaughter be here?" Iku asked bluntly.

"Oh, Orla has written and said she will not be joining us. She has met a male and they are getting along quite well. He is a lesser lord to the house in the north she is serving." Hikari replied.

"Shame." Iku sighed out.

"Yes but she is grown and I will not interfere in her life, unless of course it were to be in danger." Hikari said.

"Hikari, do you have any others?" Emi asked.

"No. Kiyoshi and I only have the one. We are both satisfied with our daughter." Hikari said with a small smile. "In all honesty it was not a pleasant experience for me."

"Oh?" Emi pressed.

"It was very stressful. Kiyoshi was away and…" Stopping herself she looked away to the bush she was working on.

"I made her life hell." Iku said. "I was terrible to her the entire time before she whelped."

"Oh." Emi said softly. Deciding to leave the matter alone she resumed her work.

"No! No!" Kino shouted causing all eyes to turn to her and Chiase.

"Hold…still…Kino!" Chiase ordered her as she tried to comb out the mess of hair. Breaking free from her Kino ran towards the tree line. "Kino! Incorrigible pup!"

"She is an interesting one." Emi said with a small smile. "Kino is unlike any female I have met."

"You have no idea." Iku said shaking her head as if she were embarrassed.