Shadow (book 3)

The family of the owl girl

          I yawn, stretch my arms forward, bending over my legs and then swing my legs off the bed. I look over and see Chi sleeping soundly still on the bed on the opposite side of the room, Kira spread out besides her. I grin, an idea popping into my head as I stare at her sleeping face and the rising sun.
        After I was finished I stifled a laughing by biting my lip and place the pen back into my bag, then I quickly leave the room. I walk about the house, looking at the pictures, the decorations and down at the ground below. The house was big, two stories with a staircase that wound around the massive tree trunk. Its leaves completely cover the roof and hung low, covering some of the first floor, although it parted in a way that left some windows and the entries clear of leaves.
         I sit down, swinging my legs off the deck, my forehead resting on the railing and my hand by my sides. Looking over at the greenery that the treehouse towered over, at the border of big rocks and the normal sand of the Land of Wind was everywhere beyond that border.
          I stare out, my thoughts going into overdrive, running different reasons to stay and reasons to leave. I'm so used to traveling, even when I'm with people, and here I don't know whether we would be traveling or just staying here.
        "Shadow dear," I jump out of my thoughts, turning to see Miu standing behind me, "come eat breakfast." I nod, stand up and follow her to the dining table. Chi was already sitting at the table stuffing her face with food, I sniffle a laugh again at the sight of the pen on her face. Miu gives me a knowing look, a twinkle in her eyes and Chi looks confused at me.
         I sit and begin to eat some eggs and bacon. I sit in the same side of the table so I don't end up bursting out in laughter, Miu walked around the room, eating some yet not sitting down. After some time Miu finally sits down in front of Chi.
        "So Chi, would you like to learn about my family?" Chi nods eagerly with a smile.
       "Alright, let's all go to the living room." She motions us into the living room, "alright, now where should I start?"
           "Maybe explain what you guys are would be a good place to start." I say leaning back into the couch and start playing with a stream of shadow, bending and twisting it. Chi leans closer and I close my hand, making it seep back into my skin.
        "Ah yes, that's a fantastic place to start." Miu claps, getting our attention, "my family are guardians. We guard and protect the health of certain areas, for example for me I guard this area. I've created this forest here in the middle of the stones for my home and I make sure that the earth, air and water here is healthy and not ruined too much by humans." Miu explains.
          "My mother, whose animal is a golden dragon, watches from the sky. My father, a white rabbit when in animal form, guards somewhere around the Land of snow. Our oldest brother, a black leopard, guards an area of forests in the Land of wood. Second eldest, a grey otter, guards the waters near the land of fire. My sister Aka, a red wolf who was guarding another area not too far from the Land of fire." Miu stops again and takes a drink of water. But if Aka is her somewhere with Chi, how can she protect her land?
          "So do the type of animal you guys are effect where you guard?" Chi asks.
          "Yes in a way it does. Our animal forms also affect our names in a way. Mother's name is Katsu, meaning victory, I don't exactly know how she got her name. Father's name is Daiki, meaning great noble, I always assumed that the reason that's his name is because he is a great noble not because of him being a rabbit.
           Eldest brother's name is Moriko, means forest child, for he a leopard of the forest. Mother once told me he ran away for a week to live in the forest when he was only a 50 years old, which is very young to us. Second eldest is Kai, meaning sea or ocean, for otter live there.
         Aka means red, for the color of her fur and finally me. Miu means beautiful feather, for my beautiful brown feathers. At least those are what I think is why we are named that." She laughed, "well we've been talking for awhile now, why don't you both go and play a little before going to sleep. I'll answer more of your questions tomorrow." We both nod before walking out of the room and down the stairs.
        My mind was on the name of her eldest brother, Moriko. Could he be the one I'm looking for? Also does she expect us to play together? It's still very early in the morning, not even midday and she expects us to play all day before sleeping.