Shikamaru stood dutifully but with the air of someone who wanted to leave as soon as possible. Shikaku’s lips twitched as his wife smothered their son who was accepting the treatment with begrudging acceptance and the promise of freedom.
“You need to always be aware of your surroundings, head on a swivel, ears up. Always stay near Choji and Ino, you three watch out for each other.” Yoshino, his mate and his herd's sentry, licked her thumb to rub a smudge of dirt off pudgy cheeks, the little fawn squirming but knowing not to reject his mother’s grooming. “You can never be too careful. And don’t go near the-”
“The Northern border, I know Oka-san.” His wife’s doe eyes narrowed in exasperation, swatting him on the head gently while her fingers threaded through Shikamaru’s long downy soft hair, finding and throwing a leaf to the side. Shikaku’s deep chuckles reverberated through the rain-damp ground as he leaned down to put a large palm on his son’s head. His antlers were coming in late but there was no reason to worry, Shikaku’s had grown late as well. He smiled gently before curling his fingers lightly to gain the young fawn’s attention, trying to ensure the gravity of the situation was understood through his war-hardened eyes.
“Shikamaru.” He spoke as soon as innocent round amber brown eyes met his dark narrowed ones, sternness hardening the scars on his face. Shikaku felt his son’s cloven hooves stop fidgeting under his hand, his white speckled haunches ceasing their twitching as he registers his father’s tone. “You must understand danger can come from anywhere and while you mustn’t fear it, you should always be wary of it. The Nara forest is a peaceful place but the illusion of tranquility can always be broken.”
“Just like Ino’s illusions.” Shikamaru’s calm quiet voice reached his ears and Shikaku was suddenly hit with the realization that this would be the first time Shikamaru would go into the forest without the outside supervision of the herd, himself, or his beloved sentry. He was still so small, head barely fitting in Shikaku’s palm.
“Yes, just like Ino’s illusions.” He smiled but his hand lingered on his son. Unable to part just yet, Shikaku picked him up easily, ignoring the squeaked protest from his baby. Holding Shikamaru under his armpits, he brought them close until he was able to lightly poke his son’s nose with his own. The affection was very rarely given and Shikamaru stilled instantly, seven-year-old independence forgotten to wrap his legs around Shikaku’s stomach and to nuzzle his father back. Yoshino’s presence came closer, arm wrapping around their only son and her Alpha, giving him then Shikamaru a lingering caress.
This. This was where they all belonged, together. With his large antlers wrapped around them both. With his Alpha Doe and her awareness, ears swiveling even now, to watch his back. Shikaku, in an even rarer show of fatherly instinct, breathed in his son’s soft downy scent; accepting Shikamaru’s small embrace, trying to remind himself why he had to let his son go with all the other fawns in the herd. To learn new things, gain independence, gain confidence. Shikamaru would be back by tonight, he had nothing to worry about.
Shikamaru’s small, so small, fingers grabbed a part of his rack in fascination. His son, always curious, taking advantage of his father’s closeness to feel the texture of horns that he too would someday have. When Shikaku glanced up, Ino and Choji were waiting at the end of the glade to unite with his boy. While it was common for the Nara Cervidauns to befriend Akimichi Willow o’ Wisps and Yamanaka Yakshini, there was no bond quite like the heirs to each of their species. They were almost inseparable, creating a strong bond at birth that would last a life-time, just as their father's had.
Shikaku knew that both Choji and Ino were raised right by those he would call brothers but he still found himself hesitating, hold on his son tightening.
A bundle of butterflies swept through the forest on a cool, pleasant morning breeze. Birds fluttering from tree to tree singing, waking up those still asleep and disturbing the leaves on branches. Occasional droplets from last night’s rain fell from the canopy of trees above their heads catching the light like precious rock on the way down to the forest floor. Small spirit animals creating an undercurrent of white noise as they played amongst the damp leaves, completely oblivious to the Cervidaun. The symphony of forest smells and noises, all wafting together in the trees calmed something in Shikaku that he hadn’t realized was raging. Every young Cervidae, including himself, went through the same coming of age trials but unlike Shikaku, Shikamaru would have the benefit of peace. There was no war with the Uchiha or the Hyuga and relations between the Creatures of the Leaves and the Creatures of the Cloud had never been more agreeable.
Yes, he thought as he gently untangled Shikamaru from his and his mate’s protective grip, Shikamaru would be fine.
His son had seen his friends and while he wasn’t one to show much excitement, his mother and father both saw the skip in his hooves as he bounded down the grove gracefully.
Yoshino grabbed his hand and they both basked in pride as they saw the young Nara heir get tackled by Ino, the children might have fallen if Choji hadn’t gripped them both tight to balance them.
“They will be fine." His mate repeated his own thoughts confidently. "They had to learn how to survive on their own sooner or later. It doesn’t change the fact that we will always be there for them.” Shikaku squeezed his mate’s hand, thankful for everything she had given to him, including the little fluff that was waving goodbye to his parents as he scurried away with his friends.
“I don’t doubt our son’s capability.” Shikaku spoke as the last vestiges of his son’s presence started the rustling in bushes. “You raised him after all.”
He could hear the smile in Yoshino’s voice as she replied, “We raised him.”