Shadow (book 3)

Kiko, the new shifter

Kiko. A cute little nickname for a cute little girl who has everyone wrapped around her finger, just like I said she would.

I sit down on the couch of Kiku and Ken's place with a small bottle of sake in front of me. Kiko is now five years old and today is the day wwe watch her change.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIKO!!!" Everyone howls as Tsukiko blows her five birthday candles out. She grins as Kiku hands her a piece of cake with a wolf paw in blue icing.
"Thank you!" She shouts out before shoving a forkful into her mouth, eyes sparkling in delight.
"Hunny, after you open presents we will head outside."

"Why?" Is what Kiko responds with.
"Cause you might get your wolf ears and tail tonight." Ken tells her as he wraps his arm around Kiku's waist. I pour a little bit of sake into a little sake bowl and take sip as I watch.
"Oooo like the rest of the clan?" She grins before quickly shoving some more cake in her mouth and running into the living room where the presents lay. I pick my stuff up and put it in the kitchen where Kiko can't reach before following her, soon it was time for her to open Chi's gift. My gift was a stuffed animal for her to cuddle, it wasn't a wolf, instead it was a black panther. A little something from my past, I had a smaller one when I was younger, a gift from my father.

Kiko opens the small box from Chi in before launching herself at Chi.
"Thank you, thank you, Aunt Chi! I've been wanting this!" She exclaims, Chi laughs and hugs her back.
"Well then I'm glad I got it. Now let's go on outside." Chi tells her as she puts the necklace on Tsukiko. As soon as Chi is done Tsukiko jumps up and is out the door in a matter of seconds.

They have both grow a lot. Kiko can walk and talk. Runs faster than I ever could at that age and is a gymnast in training. Chi is now an official adult helping with many different things around the village and she's the one who goes to other villages for Ken.
"Dang your kid's fast Ken." Sota whistles, "I'll have to race her someday." We all laugh and go to watch Tsukiko transform.
I nudge Sota, "she'd beat you anyday." He shakes his head and turns back to Kiko.

Kiko seems to be one very special girl, from what the others have told me she was only supposed to get wolf ears and tail, but instead she turned into full wolf.

I cheer for her and clap as she jumps around in the snow. Chi then starts to tell her how to get back to her own human form. Since she was going to keep practicing with Chi I decide to take a right inside the glass doors, that way I could watch them and stay out of the cold snowy weather. A small plate of fries and breaded chicken was great. I'll have to have some hot chocolate later when the two come in.

***

After the party I help pick up the trash from Kiko's presents and helped to put away the chairs. I was going to stay until everything was done, but Chi told me and Aka to go home and that she'd take care of the rest.

Kiku made me give her a hug before I left and thanked all of us for our help.

"That was fun, she sure is just a bundle of surprises." I tell Aka as we walk home.

"Yeah," She lets out a laugh, a clear sparkle in her eyes, "who knows what she will be able to do."

"Yeah." We were already at our place, "goodnight." Kiku's home was not very far from ours, Kiko sometimes would walk over to play with Chi and make me create shadow puppets and make them all dance around the room.

"Goodnight." I hear Aka respond as she heads to the other part of the house to her room. Closing my door I switch on my light and head over to my desk. A few unopened letters sit in a basket on the desk, all from this month, I sit and start opening them.

One from my father, a few from Toto and Zee, and another from my old teammates. It seems like they are all having quite a bit of fun. Toto is a genin and my old teammates are jonin, like me. well, except for Waki, he's an ambu.

Zee was once again traveling around the world, she's out there helping where she can, she's even got another apprentice. My father's letter was informing me that I had to come visit him soon since I haven't seen him face to face since the first time I first saw him. It was more an order then anything.

Pulling out some paper I get to replying to all of them, better late than never.