(2/23/15)
Hello, dearest readers!

It's been quite a while since I've updated due to the death of my old computer, and I'll admit that I still haven't updated this one yet due to most of my focus being on another fanfic of mine called Mother of the Noah. I will not abandon this one, though.

I am considering scraping these chapters and restarting from scratch, but that probably won't happen. I'll do my best and try to get a new chapter out to you guys. Thank you for all of the support all this time.

-JD

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in the Naruto franchise, but I do own a few OCs.

Far away from Konaha, in the outskirts of a village, there was a cave. It seemed lonely until you realized that there were children freely playing outside by it, hanging yet-to-be-lit paper lanterns. All of the lanterns had either a picture or the kanji for "fox". It was time for the Fox's Festival there. The holiday had not been started until three years ago. Even so, it was one of the most festive celebrations that the village had all year.

Hanagakure, the Hidden Village of the Flower, really was well hidden. They lived in peace, even if they weren't rich in the least. None of the other villages would really hear much of them and they never caused trouble. But it was here that a tailed beast dwelled. Yet, unlike most of the other villages who also had a tailed beast with them, this village and the creature corresponded with each other peacefully.

In truth, the cave was the beast's home. The village and the mystical being were on such good terms that even the children were allowed to play near its home. In return for tranquility, the being agreed to protect those close to it. It also agreed to heal any injured person with the Uzaki, a flower with remarkable healing abilities.

No human was able to reach an Uzaki because of its location. It was in two places in the cave: one was at the top of the cave, where the sharp stalactites pointed menacingly down upon any person who tried to reach the red and yellow flower, and the other was in the deepest part of the cave, where people had died because of lack of a way to get back out. It was only the beast who had the ability to reach the flowers, be it the first location or the second one. It wasn't life threatening for it in either situation.

Because of this, the village considered the beast their savior. It was well respected and it respected them in return. People were healed and the beast was given food and praised for its hard work. That's how life had been there for three years…only to change this single season.

"Ne, ne, Naru-chama! Are you up yet, Naru-chama?" a little deep blue haired girl called into the cave.

"Aiko, you know better than to disturb her!" a brown haired boy growled gruffly.

"Don't worry, Aiko. Keichi's just being stingy!" a red haired girl teased.

"Oi, Ryoko, don't make fun of me!" he pouted.

"Hehe! It's all cause you have a crush on Naru-sama!" the girl retorted light-heartedly as she played with Aiko's neatly braided ponytails.

"I DO NOT!" he objected strictly.

"Ya do too!"

"DO NOT!"

"DO TOO!"

"Hey, you guys having fun?" a soft voice cut in.

All eyes turned to the opening of the cave. There stood a young woman of at least sixteen years, her hair blond at the top and trailing down to above her shoulders turning red as the strands closer to her face turned toward it. She had tanned skin, almost caramel colored, and blue eyes the color of the clearest sea. Her white and blue kimono slipped had slid off of her shoulders during her nap, lightly revealing the top of her average chest, her left arm limp at her side, right hand rubbing her eyes. There was a long slit on the side of it to her mid thigh, revealing a long, tanned leg, black shorts peeking out at the very top. She had a smile that seemed to sit easily on her face. Aiko's chocolate brown eyes brightened with joy along with Ryoko's green and Keichi's blue ones.

"Naru-chama! It's so good to see you!" Aiko squealed as she ran into her arms.

"Good morning, Aiko," she smiled as she hugged her lightly, "How are you doing today?"

"Good! Momma says that I'm the healthiest I've ever been!"

"Mmhmm! Ever since you got her the Uzaki medicine, she's been as jumpy as a grasshopper!" Ryoko cheered, jumping up and down as her shoulder length hair bounced.

"I'd say that you're the one that's jumpy," Keichi joked.

"Ha! I'm dying of laughter," she grumbled back.

"I've gotten better at fighting, Naru-sama! Do you want to see?" he announced.

"Sure, why not?" she chuckled lightly as he began.

He pulled out a wooden sword and held it like a samurai, eyes closed and ears listening for the slightest sound. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open as he slashed at something to his left. Hiding his sword behind his back, he looked closely at the leaf that he slashed at. There on it sat a beetle…it split into two after a few seconds. Everyone clapped wholeheartedly at the feat.

"WHOA! You didn't show me that, Kei-kei!" Ryoko cheered.

"That's cause I wanted to show Naru-sama first!" he announced before covering his mouth.

"Aww, that's sweet! You wanted to show me first?" Naru-sama bent down to his level and ruffled his hair affectionately, "Well, I'm very proud of you, Keichi!"

Keichi blushed a deep color of red while the girls giggled.

"Will you play with us today, Naru-chama?" Aiko requested.

"Hmm…I guess. What do you all want to play then?"

"NINJA!" all three children squealed at the same time.

Naru-sama sighed. She continued smiling, but her mind was elsewhere when they said that. Shaking her head lightly, she drew the collar of her kimono up until it was straight and fairly neat, then she held onto her right shoulder, swinging it's arm around in a circle with a grin on her face.

"Alright then! Who will be it? You know I can't."

"You'd find us instantly!" Aiko laughed.

"I'll be it this time! I want to catch Keichi!" Ryoko yelled as she turned around to a rock, ignoring the "As if!" he yelled behind her back.

Everyone braced themselves. Legs locked and eyes searched for a quick moment. All they had to wait for was…

"One, two, three…"

And they were off.

Aiko sped to the trees and jumped up the sides of two of them to get to a branch before propelling her small body through the trees. Keichi did the same, but with the boulders around the cave instead of trees. He got to the top of it before dashing off. Naru-sama simply jumped up to a tree branch and hid behind the tree, masking herself. She paused as she began sensing the other two's chakra. After assuring their safety and keeping her senses trained on the chakra of the three children, she rested there and decided to take a short nap.

'Ah yes…these are the days…'

And she fell asleep.