Tangled Roots

Chapter Six

“Naio.”

I groan and burry my head further into the pillow.

I hear a sigh. Something furry pokes my face.

“Naio! Wake up!”

I whine and roll away from the annoying poking and persistent voice.

A growl. “If you don’t get up, I’ll tackle you.”

I smile. “Like you could.”

A chuckle.

A furry brown thing pounces on my side, making me giggle. I roll over and scratch behind his ears.

“I can.” Kouken announces, and starts licking my face.

I giggle again. “You can’t call that a tackle! That was... A shove!” I swear he starts purring. “Get your sandpaper tongue away from my face!” I laugh, halfheartedly trying to push him off.

Kouken purrs more, then backs off. “If you say so, M’lady.” He bows his head exaggeratedly, and I roll my eyes.

I sit up and yawn widely, getting a head rush a few seconds later. “Geez, whens the last time I ate?” I ask no one in particular.

Kouken frowns and looks worriedly at my body. Being curious, I look down and I swallow hard at the sight I see.

“You need to eat more... You’re just skin and bones.” Kouken says quietly. I can hear the guilt in his voice and it makes me feel guilty that Im making him feel that way. ‘It’s not your fault, we just put the mission ahead of everything else, like we’re supposed to.’

I smile to show that Im okay. “It’s nothing! So I’ll remember to eat breakfast every morning, and then maybe a snack...”

Kouken doesn’t buy it. “You need to eat Naio. You’re a very young growing girl, and it’s not healthy at all to skip meals.”

“I know okay! Im not five... And Im not that young. I just forgot.”

Kouken stares for a moment, then rubs his head on my knee and sits in my lap.

“Im just trying to take care of you...”

“...I know...”

My stomach growls, and Kouken looks me right in the eye, with a determined look on his face.

I roll my eyes and smile. “Time for breakfast.”

-

I chew on my last pice of cheese while putting on my cloak. I glance in the mirror in the corner of my room and frown. With my Akasuki cloak on I look small, but it hides my malnutrition.

I lean closer to the mirror and see dark rings around my eyes. ‘Wow Im pale..’ Standing up again, I look myself up and down, trying to judge what other people(adults), think of me.

I frown in concentration. Turning to the side, I pull my cloak tight around my middle, trying to see just how skinny I am. I purse my lips and run a hand over my middle.

“Vain much?” I hear Kouken and I jump about three feet in the air.

“D-don’t scare me like that!” I yell, gasping.

He smirks and jumps off the bed, sitting down by my feet in front of the mirror.

“You want to know who I see when I look in that mirror?” He asks my reflection.

I pause, face the mirror and look myself in the eye.

“I see the most gorgeous, handsome, funny, loving caring, and just AWESOME young cat the world has ever seen!” He practically grins at himself in the mirror. If cats can even do that.