I wake up feeling unsettled because of what I know I have to do today. I'm just grateful that I don't have to do it alone. I look at the stitches in my tail and a frown comes to my face. It turns into a half smile as I remember that I'll be having a long private moment with my [kin.]

After I get dressed, Aunt Linda appears. "You ready Nori?"

I nod. "Yeah. I'm not really looking forward to telling my [kin], especially my [brother], what happened to my [tail.]" "Can't say that I blame you. But you'll be with your [family] too." I smile. "I know."

It's not long before I get the private moment with my [kin.]

"[Hello Clark and Linda. Sister, I sense that something happened to you. Do you wish to talk about it?"

I pull out my tail.

"[Sister! What happened to your tail?]" "[I hurt it while rescuing some one. The rescue was successful, even though this wound happened.]" "[It is good that you rescued some one. Will the wound stay? Or will your tail be the same as it was when you saw me last?]"

My eyes well up with tears.

"[Sister? Your eyes are wet.]" "[The wound will stay Brother. There will be a white mark on it that will be there for the rest of my life.]" "[I am in deep regret over this. But it will not stop you from being my Sister. It will not stop you from being kin.]" "[Much thanks Brother.]" "[Thanks accepted and received. Linda do you wish to introduce yourself? I hear you speak our tongue.]" "[I do. I'm sure you were told that I was taught by your sister.]" "[I was. I can see you learned it well. It is good to know that I have you as my kin.]" "[Much thanks Nori's brother.]" "[I sense my sister was right. You do have a great heart. You also act well among us. It is a good thing to see such.]" "[I'm glad you think so Nori's brother.]" "[Good. Sister will you be O.K? I sense sadness in your wet eyes.]" "[Yeah. I'll be fine.]"

I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"[That is good. Show me you as an otter. I wish to see it.]" "[How do you know I can do that?]" "[I not only sense it but the same thing was in your Father. He was much like you.]"

So I did get that ability from him.

"[Did he have a tail too?]" "[No. Somehow you got that gift Sister.]"

I nod, then shift into an otter.

"[You do make a good otter. Just like your Father did. My Father told me about him. Do you wish to swim with us Sister?]" "[Can we speak a little longer? Can you tell me about my Father?]" "[Yes we can speak longer. I regret that I do not know much about your Father. Though, from what little I was told about him, I can sense him in you. Is there anything else you wish to speak about? I was also told about your Mother. I do not wish to speak about her. Though, from what my Father told me that he sensed in her, I regret what she made you face. It is good that you have a new family. Good that some of them are my kin. I sense there are two other members of your family. I sense they raised Clark well.]" "[I'm sure they'd be pleased to hear that. Though they do not speak Otter tongue.]" "[Ah. I will not hold that against them. It is not a tongue every one can learn to speak. Though it is good that you and Linda can. Like Clark, Linda is a good name.]" "[Much thanks Nori's brother.]" "[Thanks accepted and received. It will always be so with kin. Sister do you wish to swim now. I sense that we should swim privately.]"

I nod eagerly.

"[Good. I meant to tell you this the first time we met but I like your colors. They shine well in your fur.]" "[Much thanks Brother.]"

I eagerly dive into the water. I've always dried fast. Pa and Aunt Linda know that.

"[You're a strong swimmer Sister. Do not thank me. I sense it is hard for you to talk under water.]"

I nod. The water feels so good. I feel my tail twitching as I swim. It hurt so I (barely) manage to make it stop twitching. Though I guess my [brother] saw me wince.

"[Sister, I see that your tail hurts much. Do you wish to get out of the water? If you do I will not hold it against you.]" I manage to get across the message that I'd like to swim a little longer. "[I would expect no less Sister.]"

About 5 minutes later, I do get out of the water. Somehow, I dry instantly.

"[H-How did I do that?]" "[When your Father swam with kin, the same thing happened. But only when he swam with kin.]"

I nod. I like knowing that I got something else from my Father.

"[I have to go get some thing. I'll be right back. I wish you to stay an otter for as long as necessary though.]"

I smile. "[I will gladly do so.]"

My [brother] comes back a minute later holding a shell of some kind in his front paws. "[This belonged to your Father. My Father told me to give to you when you brought family with you. I did not find the moment to give it to you when I saw you last. This is a very important shell to have. Whenever you carry it, you will feel your Father with you and your kin. We know not why that is such, but we do know you should receive it.]" He places it in my front paws.

"[Much thanks Brother.]" "[No thanks are needed. The shell was meant to be yours. After you see us, place it to your ear. Do not ask why you should not do this in here. Though I'm certain you wouldn't do such. Like Clark and Linda, you have a great heart. I sense one in all three of you. It is toward otters and human alike. But, Sister, you will always have a strong bond with your kin. It is good to sense these things.]"

I nod. "[I am glad to have such things.]" "[That is good. Since you are kin, I would expect no less. I regret I do not have anything to give Clark and Linda though. It is good to give gifts to kin.]"

Pa and Aunt Linda say, in unison and (of course) in Otter, that giving them a gift isn't necessary.

"[Ah. Now I really see you are close. It is good to see such. Good to have such people as kin. No thanks is necessary. Sister, I meant to tell you this at the start of this meeting. Your tail may have changed but no matter what happens you will still be kin. Your Father would be happy to see you now. See how strong his girl has grown. No thanks is necessary since I speak the truth.]" "[Much thanks anyway. That means much to me. I'm sure your Father would also be happy to see you now. I sense him in you. It is good to sense such. I also speak the truth so no thanks is necessary.]" "[That means much to me Sister. I give you much thanks anyway. It is very good to have you as kin. I meant to tell you that when I saw you last. Given how strong you are now it is good to hear such.]" "[Much thanks for telling me such Brother. It is good to hear such words from kin.]" "[Thanks accepted and received Sister. Clark, Linda, I sense that you and your family take good care of my Sister. It is good to sense such.]" "[It is something I gladly give Nori's Brother.]"

Pa and Aunt Linda say that in unison. My [brother] smiles.

"Good. It is good that my Sister receives such from you. Good knowing that it comes from her family including members of our kin. You three will always have a place here. Given that you are kin it is good for you to receive such. I suppose that will have to be my gift Clark and Linda. Though it isn't as good a gift as I would have liked to give I wish for you to accept it anyway.]" "[We gladly receive such a gift with much thanks.]"

Pa and Aunt Linda end up saying that in unison too.

"[Thanks accepted and received. Though, since you are kin, it was not necessary. One more thing about your tail Sister. My Father told me that one of the strongest otters there ever was had a white mark on his tail just like the one that will be on yours. I know you will bear that mark well just like he did. Though there are some who say he is still alive. It makes a good mark of the strength that I sense in you. Even if you do not feel ready to accept such a mark.]" "[Much thanks for telling me such Brother. It is good to hear.]" "[It is gladly told. Will this stay be much longer?]" "[I wish that was such Brother. But I regret that it is not. I must turn into a girl now. I have to end this stay soon.]" "[I will not hold that against you or the kin that you brought. I sense that you will come back. Until we meet again Sister, Clark and Linda. Come back soon my kin. It is good to see and speak with you.]"

I nod, then shift back into a girl. Since I've been in Otter form so long, I'm starving. I put the shell into my pocket. "[Until we meet again Brother. Much thanks for everything.]" "[Though it was not necessary, thanks accepted and received Sister.]"

I head out and, sure enough, when I carry the shell, I feel my Father and my [kin] with me. It's an awesome feeling.

Aunt Linda smiles. "It was good talking to your [brother.] Do you know what kind of shell he gave you?"

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I admit that I don't.

"It's a cockle shell [my Nori."

I nod, then pull it out of my pocket to get a closer look. It's white and it fits perfectly in the palm of my hand. "I really like it Pa." "No surprise there." I put it back in my pocket, a broad smile on my face. "My [brother] was right about it Pa. And the feeling I get from it is awesome." "[That is much good daughter.]"

I grin. "Yeah, it really is."

Later, after lunch, we're at home (with the door closed). Yes, I had sushi for lunch. What did you expect?

I eagerly put the shell to my ear. My eyes widen at what I hear. It's got to be my Father's voice! He's speaking to me in Otter.

"[My daughter. If you are hearing this then you must've received the shell. Do not ask how it is possible to hear me for even I do not know. I regret that I can not leave as long a message as I wanted. But I want you to know that I love you. I'll always love you my Nori. My beautiful otter girl.]"

So Nori is my real name. Did I somehow know that when I named myself? His message makes me decide to keep my hero name. I'll do that for my Father.

I can't help but smile as I tell Pa and Aunt Linda what I heard my Father say. His message ends up giving me a nightmare free slumber. I had an awesome day today. In fact it was, by far, one of the best I've ever had. I grin as I write about it in my journal. I can't wait to tell my grandparents about this. I feel like they should know. I feel completely sure that my [brother] would agree with me if I told him that.