Chapter 37: Picnic day Part 3

Arriving back Kai-La was surprised when he was tackled by TenTen and Karin.

"Woah there you two. Thought you were napping? Shouldn't you still be asleep." Kai asked the two.

"We wanna see them," TenTen said.

"Yeah show us already," Karin asked next.

"Huh, show you what?" Kai-La said setting the two down. 'What are they yammering about.' Looking up past the two, he noticed some Inuzuka clansmen had set up their blankets nearby.

Tsume was talking to Pakura. Hisa and Kari were using medical techniques on some of the clansmen. Paying closer attention Kai-La remembered he forgot to go visit them and help patch them up.

"The foxes! Naruto said you found some baby foxes. We wanna see them." Karin said. She pulled on Kai-La 's pant leg strongly. With a little more force, she would rip the clothing.

"Ok. But you have to be quiet. They are resting and need to recover. The moment you act up I will send them back understand?" Looking at two in expatriation, Kai wondered if it was a good idea.

Both girls nodded there heads adamantly. Around this time Ino woke up as well. Noticing her friends excited faces she walked over to find out what is going on.

"Why are you two so noisy?" Ino asked wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"This is why," Kai-La said reaching over from pulling the little kits from the pocket dimension. Placing them on the ground he watched as the kids went over to touch them.

"Gently. You may startle them if you brush too hard." Watching the girls touch the little babies he checked over the three kits again. "Wait there should be four? Where is the other one?"

"It is atop your head." Tsume said pointing. "I Did not know you knew how to care for ninja animals." Standing up from the tree she was at, she walked over with her own wolfdog.

The wolfdog stood about her height on all fours. With powerful legs, it was ready to pounce at a moments notice. One eye was covered with a patch, while the other never left from staring at Kai-La.

Reaching up to grab the little thing, Kai-La was shocked. "How the hell did I not see you, or feel your presence? How did you do that?"

"Because I didn't want you to. That simple." The little kit said.

"Did you just talk..?" Looking at the others Kai-La wondered if they heard it too. "You all heard that right?"

"No, we didn't. It just yipped to us." Tsume said shaking her head. "It might be a trained companion. Or a spiritual beast."

"I understood some of it," TenTen said.

"So did I." Karin seconded.

"I did as well." Said Ino.

Looking over Kai-La saw each girl had a kit on their lap. The more they petted the animals, the more the animals tail would wag. Activating his eyes he was able to see the animals were feeding off the chakra of the kids. Small amounts nothing too big.

"Hey, your little things stop that," Kai-La said sternly. This caused the girl to become startled. It served its purpose in making the animals stop feeding off them.

Grabbing each of them Kai-La forced the kits to go to sleep. Next, he changed their furs to gather a little bit of chakra from the surroundings and not the girls. If the foxes tried again it would put them in excruciating pain.

"Definitely spirit beast. You found a lucky batch. None of them are tied to anyone else yet." Tsume said clicking her tongue. "Tch, wish I could have gotten hold of them. They are worth a fortune." Looking back at Kai-La she braced herself for the conversation she was about to have next.

"Before you start. Don't. If it is anything related to the mission it can wait till tomorrow. This is not a business picnic. Sit and enjoy yourself. Bad stuff can be discussed later." Not waiting for an answer, Kai-La sat back down next to Hisa. Looking at the last fox he wanted to ask it some questions but decided to wait for later. "If you cause any trouble I will put you to sleep just like them.'

" I won't. I will be good. Thank you for not hurting them master." The little kit said. It climbed out of Kai-Las hand once his grip loosened. Climbing onto his shoulder it wrapped its tail around his neck and went to sleep.

"It's so cute," Hisa as id. "Are you going to keep them all." She asked with a pleading look in her eyes. Behind Kai-La Pakura had her thumbs up at her.

Kai-La just stared at her. "Yes we will. No point in trying to talk them out of it." 'That removes any second guessing I may have received for deciding to keep them originally.'

Looking over to Tsume, he watched as she became lost in thought. After a little play time with the foxes, Kai-La sent them away for they could rest.

At some point, a member of the Akimichi clan came over with some samples of pastries. The kids, Hisa, and Pakura left to go mingle and play. Anko appeared with her two Jounin companions. The group was working detail for the event. With a wave of her hand at the others, they continued working the rounds.

Kari finally made her way over. She looked exhausted. Plopping down on the blanket Kai-La snakes his hand around to pull her close.

"You have worked entirely too hard. Don't you think you should take a break sooner." Kai said as he held her closer circulating some chakra to help relieve her fatigue. Her natural Uzumaki abilities worked already on her tired muscles. "Seriously, stop it. I will ground you if I have to."

"I am just doing my part. Besides, would you want a useless woman?" Kari asked looking up. Her breathing already normalized. "I have to do my part just like the others. Also just like you." She said looking down slightly embarrassed after catching his gaze. "I have to keep up with the others. I am not as young as they are. Considering I am used goods I have to try way harder." She whispered the last part at the end.

"Woah. Used goods yes. But so am I. I had a family before all of you. So unlike some of the others, I am definitely not pure, if that is where you were going with this. You are fine the way you are. Just relax more. Let some of us pick up the slack." Kai -La said to her, looking over to Oreo as well he said, "that goes the same for you as well."

"Uh huh." Oreo leered at the two. Blowing her hair from her face she humphed. Leaning over into Kai-La as well further. "I don't care what the others say. I also know you don't care. So cuddle time."

On his left, Oreo rested against his chest. On his right, Kari had settled into her place as well. For awhile the trio just rested together. A few clans passed by giving them dirty looks. A few received a deadly glare from Kai-La. They averted their eyes after that.

After an hour of this Kari asked without looking up.

"Will you really keep me and my daughter?" She asked her head went down further touching her chest. She started to shake when Kai-La didn't answer.

"Here. This is yours." Handing her a box he urged her to open it.

Kari opened the box and marveled at the design on it. Inside was a silver band. Inscribed on it was a set of chains wrapped around an engraving of a shield. The chains resembled the appearance of the adamantine chains of the clan. A purple shine radiated when held to the light. Inscribed on the shield was the words La.

"This should help with convincing you yes?" Kai said softly. Reaching out with the one hand, he helped place it on her. "The purple represents compassion."

"This... thank you," Kari said looking up with tears. With a quick kiss to Kai-La's cheek, she embarrassingly laid back into his embrace. Her fingers running over the ring. "The words La... they represent La in your name right?"

"That is correct. It is a symbol of the house among certain other things." Kai-La said. His hand grabbed tighter on Oreo when he felt her tense when the ring appeared earlier. Whispering with his voice he told her, "stay put. I will not let you leave because you are uncomfortable. Stay put."

Oreo stayed where she was. Layed against him she watched the ring. 'I wonder if I will get one as well.' Oreo was broken from her thoughts by Kai-La. He was staring at her intensely. His gaze never left her own. She could feel her heart rate increasing and face flush. 'Why is he looking at me like that?'

"Oreo you are thinking too hard on this. Your ring is already done. Just haven't given it to you." Kai-La whispered to her. Reaching down and kissing her strongly he bit her lip. Licking the blood away from her side lip. "I will give it to you soon don't worry." He said sternly to her. Oreo looked at him smiling.

"Kai-La?" Kari asked. "You don't have to be addressed fully by name, do you?"

"I do not. It is a title I suppose."

"Good then. Glad you said it." Kari said rubbing the ring again.

"So I will call you Kai from now on then," Oreo said.

"Me too," Kari said.

"Oh, that sounds nice. We will as well." Pakura said walking up. Naruto, Ku-La, TenTen, Karin, Ino, and Hisa bringing up the rear.

"Papa you all look so comfy. How come there isn't any room for the rest of us?" TenTen asked with her cheeks puffed.

Caught off guard Kai-La grip released on Oreo. Taking that chance Oreo slipped from his grasp and stood up. Sending him a coy smile she walked away. Kari stood up as well. Slightly flustered she made an excuse to move away.

"I need to check on the others as well. Make sure they are healing ok." Looking at Karin she walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Glad you are having fun sweety. I need to go back to work now."

"Ok, mom. Don't work too hard. If you do, I will tell papa on you." Karin said.

"Heh. You little brat who side are you on?" Kari asked smiling. Giving her daughter a noogie she walked off.

"I am going to go check on Kimimaro and the others." Looking over her shoulder at the rest she waved goodbye and walked away.

TenTen and Naruto came and sat down by Kai-La. Looking at him they kept fidgeting. TenTen looked at Naruto who looked at the sky trying not to catch her eyes.

"Fine you big baby," TenTen said. "I will ask him then." Putting on her best puppy dogs eyes she asked, "can you tell us a story? It can cont as a bedtime story to since it is getting late."

"Sure. How about an adventure story then. It is called Jack and the Beanstalk." Kai-La said. Looking around he noticed a lot of the kids from other clans had made there way over as well. 'What the hell have I been set up again?' Looking over at Pakura he saw the smirk on her face.