"Really now?" Masoto proded the fire. "Is there anything else about me that reminds you of him?"

"the way you fight" she said.

"So your father was also trained in the ancient ways of ninjistu. Not a lot of ninjas today train in the ways of the first school"

"yeah thats what he was trained in. i forget what my om was trained in" she said.

"Transformation is one of the new schools. I haven't seen that many people use it"

"i just learned it recently" she siad.

"So, why did you choose a wolf?"

"because they are feared and they are the allies of the ninja. they blend with the shadows, unseen until they strike" she said.

"I've never actually seen one. But I do see that tiger from time to time"

"yeh they are allies too" she said.

"Perhaps one day I will get the answers about my past from that tiger" Masoto layed out a blanket and layed down. "Good night, Tasha"

"good night masoto. good night Kiara" she said.

Kiara nodded and sat down leaning against a tree and fell asleep.

Tasha fell asleep too.

The next day Masoto led Tasha and Kiara up the road. When they came to a stream, Masoto made them stop.

"i wonder if it is shallow enough to cross" she said.

"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about kappa's" Masoto pulled out three cucumbers and handed one to Tasha and Kiara. "Carve your name in these and toss them in the water"

"ok" she said getting a knife out and carved her name in it and threw it in the water.

Masoto did the same. "There, now they won't suck our souls out from our anuses"

"huh" she said.

"That's how the water demon feeds. You do know about different types of demons, right?"

"yeah bu i didn't know there was one here" she said.

"There are demons everywhere, You just have to keep an eye out" Masoto crossed the stream without harm.

Tasha followed him slowly.

"So why do you want to head north? What danger lies there?"