Silverstar

by Whitehair-Dogears

Silverstar, a blue-gray wolf, follows her grandfather's path to find paradise. Will she succeed where he failed? Based on the first ending.

1. The Search Begins

Disclaimer: The ending would have been so much better if I owned it. glares at lawyers Happy?

A/N: This story will be good dammit! I least I hope…. My fanfics have all sucked lately. :P Hopefully people will agree that its good. I came up with the idea while picking my nose when I was using the crapper. It's amazing the things a person can think up when their busy "downloading". dies laughing, gets shot by Quent and dragged away

'words'- the wolves speaking

"words"- human speech

italics- Silverstar's thoughts

Prologue

My name is Silverstar. I am wolf.

A pack of wolves is seen running single file. Five in all, led by a small bluish gray wolf. Her tail is held high, and she is running in a flat out gallop. The red wolf behind her has a canine grin and his tongue is sticking out as he runs. A strange scar runs from his cheek to the tip of his ear, which is torn. Behind him is a large black wolf. Only her glaring golden-brown eyes are seen in the darkness. On her tail is a white wolf, pure white. His shining sea gray eyes show a hidden cleverness. The last one in the pack is an old light brown wolf. A strange silver bracelet jingles as he runs.

I am the leader of these wolves, and we are searching for paradise. I found them, and gathered them, giving them a family and hope. Each has their own reason for joining the search for paradise.

The five wolves tirelessly continue to run, even as the ground begins to slant into a steep hill. The white wolf and bluish gray wolf have trouble getting up the steep slope. The brown wolf helps them as they travel up. The determination written on the small bluish wolf's face shows she will never give up. She continues even though she falls behind.

We have come far in our journey. We have faced unrivalled terror, fought for our lives, and have felt the betrayal of our brethren.

They reach the top of the hill and look out into a vast sea of beautiful white flowers, seemingly dipped in moonlight. They stand as one as a feeling of peace flows through them. The soft thundering of hoofs reaches their ears and they know. They know they belong here.

We are some of the last free wolves left in this world, and we will find paradise. This is our story.

Chapter 1: The Search Begins

Silverstar woke up to the same howling she heard every night. She shook herself awake and ran to where she knew she would find him. A large very old white wolf, on the verge of death, who still howled to the full moon. He stood as though carved out of stone. He was calling the pack to him.

'Grandpa Kiba,' Silverstar whispered as she ran to him. He paused his call to acknowledge her presence.

'Little Silverstar,' he said, bowing his head and smiling. She was the pride of the pack. He went back to his calling and delighted in the fact that Silverstar joined him. As soon as all the other members of the pack answered to their calling, Kiba pulled Silverstar aside.

'My dear little one, you always listen to my stories. You believe in paradise. Are you willing to go seek it?' he asked seriously. The rest of the pack was too busy playing and howling to care what the Alpha male and Omega female were speaking of, but if they had been paying attention they would have scoffed at his words. They had long ago abandoned paradise.

'Yes, grandfather, but who will believe me?' Silverstar asked as she was led further and further away from the pack.

Kiba looked at her reassuringly, 'I know a wolf or two who will be more then willing to help. You have been feeling it, haven't you?'

Silverstar cocked her head in confusion.

'The moon calling you forth. You can smell lunar flowers. You are missing something. You must go and find it.'

'I am to seek paradise? Alone?'

'No. I know at least one wolf that will help you. He used to travel with me. He lives in the city to the east. He will be in human form. You choose which form you want to be in. He goes by the name Toboe. Tell him who you are and please be careful. The road to paradise is paved in blood.'

'I understand. Goodbye Grandpa,' Silverstar said as she nuzzled the old wolf. He bathed her face in wolfish kisses and pushed her in the direction she was to face. She ran off without another word, without turning back. Kiba watched her, wishing he still had the strength to search for paradise. The Flower Maiden was just created, the journey, Silverstar's journey had just begun.

As I ran to the city to find Toboe, an old memory tugged at the back of my brain. Grandpa and I had been searching for an old carcass that still had some meat on it. Instead we had found a lunar flower. The last one left in the wild. He showed it to me and let me breath in its scent. It smelled like heaven. He then told me how he once saw a whole field of the beautiful flowers. The white petals creating a whirlwind as the wind swept them from the ground and into the air. How I wish I could've seen that.

Silverstar arrived at the city, blinded by the bright lights. The high walls that surrounded the buildings were easily jumped over, but the alleys between the buildings would be narrow and hard to navigate. Hundreds of humans swarmed everywhere. How was she suppose to find a strange wolf in this mess?

She lunged into the city and immediately tried to find the comforting scent of wolf. She flew down alleys, avoiding the main streets, dodging any creature in her way. She passed many humans and nearly fought with a stray dog. She could not find anything. Finally, she decided to try the main streets to avoid the cramped reeking lanes.

I had never really been in a city before, but I never thought it would be this bad. Everywhere I turned humans were stealing and killing, as though their lives had no purpose. We wolves kill and steal but only when there is the need. The humans seemed to enjoy it.

'Hey, you're like me,' a small voice said. Silverstar turned to see a small white wolf cub standing behind her. He was about her size, maybe a little smaller, and looked to be very timid, but his eyes said something different. They showed a clever mischievousness.

'No I'm not,' Silverstar said flatly as she turned away. The little wolf followed her. She turned down an alley, trying to get away, only to find herself cornered. She turned and growled at the little wolf.

'Aren't you nice?' he said as he blocked the exit, 'I've never seen another wolf in this city.'

'You're no use to me then.'

'But you as a female are to me.'

Silverstar growled threateningly as she realized why he cornered her. He was not going to have her without a fight.

"Hey runt," a gruff growl snarled, "Leave the lady alone."

Silverstar looked passed the white wolf to see a light brown wolf. He looked old, but his eyes said he wasn't. A strange bracelet hung loosely over his right wrist. He stood behind the white wolf and even overshadowed him.

'Who are you calling a runt?' the white wolf growled. Silverstar looked at the little wolf like he was crazy. It was obvious he was far outmatched.

The light brown wolf laughed, 'My name is Toboe. What's yours?'

'Yukio.'

'Well, Yukio. You're still a pup, and the lady is obviously older then you. Plus, she looks like she's about to rip you to shreds.'

Silverstar growled another warning, even as she realized she found who she was looking for.

'Toboe,' Silverstar shouted to him, 'I have a message from Kiba, the white wolf.'

Toboe looked at her with mild surprise and extreme interest.

'Another white wolf? Where?' Yukio asked. He seemed genuinely interested, but Silverstar could tell he was not to be trusted with just his word.

Toboe pushed pass him and walked up to Silverstar. He towered over her. 'You know Kiba?'

'He is my grandfather.'

Toboe laughed and then looked at her slyly, 'The old bag of fur had offspring?'

'Yes.'

'Who is this Kiba?' Yukio asked. Silverstar and Toboe ignored him.

'You are Kiba's granddaughter? The old fang sends me a message with you? Is this about paradise?'

'I am going to find it. I need your help.'

Toboe shook his head and laughed. 'Yes. You are his offspring. You are just as crazy.'

'My grandfather is not crazy! Don't you remember the lunar flowers?'

Toboe looked down at her with a hurt look. He glared at her for a moment and then turned his back.

'You're new to this city, aren't you little wolf? You'll need a place to stay tonight before you leave here. You can stay at my place, but I want you gone in the morning.'

Silverstar glared at him, 'You forgot. You forgot what it was like to run free under the full moon. You forgot the scent of lunar flowers and the pull of freedom. You are no better then a whipped dog.'

Toboe turned on her, 'You know nothing about what I have been through. You think I didn't wish to see paradise? The field of lunar flowers that called in my blood and made me stronger. I had seen the path stretch out ahead of me, I had seen the road to paradise, and just as we were going to make it, the lunar flower, the flower maiden… she… she died. The Flower Maiden can only bloom under the full moon three times. We didn't know. We ran, and ran, for miles, but we never seemed to get any further. It was because we were running in circles. We had to continuously save her from other wolves and the humans who created her. She died on Kiba's back. For the last fours days of her life, Kiba continued to drag her forward, hoping that when we reached paradise she could rejuvenate. He loved her. We never made it. Paradise seemed further and further away as we went forward. It was not worth it.'

The flower maiden… grandpa had only mentioned her once. Cheza. I never asked about her again. The look on his face as he spoke of her, I had never seen such pain. I could tell he loved her. When he said her name, his heart was in the word. That said more then enough.

Silverstar remained silent, but followed after Toboe as he left. Yukio moved out of their way and watched them go. He glared after them and then followed them.

'If you wish to travel through this city,' Toboe started as they went through the crowd on four legs, 'you must learn that human skin is the only way to truly get through here alive. The entrances to the city are easy enough to get through at night, but in the morning you will need to look human. If not, you'll be shot on sight. Not even livestock is allowed by the gates, unless it's being ridden or has someone driving it. Come into this alleyway with me.'

Silverstar followed Toboe and then found herself face to face with a middle-aged man. Light brown childish eyes stared into her golden brown orbs. Light brown hair fell around his eyes and made him look younger. A tight red collar shirt hugged his muscular torso. A pair of tan khakis hugged his well-developed legs. His face hardened as he realized Silverstar was staring… and drooling.

"Is there something interesting I must know about?"

Silverstar coughed and smiled, 'Um… no. Sorry. I just thought of… um… something…'

Toboe raised an eyebrow in interest, but was distracted by the noise of a cat jumping from a garbage can to ground. When he looked back at Silverstar, he saw a young teenage girl in front of him. Her straight shoulder-length hair was silver, with dark blue highlights. Her eyes shown amber in the darkness. Her body was lean, and was hardly seen within the folds of her blue hooded sweatshirt. The torn jeans she wore were incredibly baggy and had large pockets.

"Not bad," Toboe said as he pushed pass her, "You look like you belong here."

"I don't belong anywhere," she whispered to herself.

It's true. I don't belong anywhere, that's why I look for paradise. I know that there, no one needs to belong. Everyone just is.

"Silverstar, be careful. Yukio is not the only one prowling for a female tonight," Toboe stated as they walked through the dark street. Silverstar looked down another alleyway and saw two dogs fighting viciously. Their masters were throwing money on the ground betting which dog would win as the fight intensified.

"How can humans be so cruel?" Silverstar asked as they continued their walk.

Toboe looked down at the younger wolf, "Do you speak of the rape of females, or the cruelty brought upon other animals?"

"Both. Aren't they both horrible?" Silverstar asked with the innocence of a child.

Toboe smiled down at her, "After a while of living in the city, people tune it out, like a bad song. Some even stop noticing. I cry to the moon every night asking her why humanity is stricken with such a disease. She still hasn't answered me."

When I heard him say that, I realized Toboe was in pain, not because of the loss of the flower maiden, but because he was stuck with humanity. He wanted more then ever to find paradise, but his heart could not take it if he didn't get there again.

"We're being followed," Silverstar whispered. Toboe didn't need to look back to know Yukio was still following them.

"I know. I don't worry myself with such trivial matters. He is just a pup, like you. I would be more worried if there were humans following us."

Silverstar looked at him puzzled, "Why? Humans are not as strong as us."

"True, but they hate and fear us. That alone makes them fearful enemies. Especially if they knew you were searching for paradise," Toboe said knowingly. He stopped in front of a house and walked into the back door. Silverstar realized it was in fact a small shack connected to a larger house. The comforting smell of wolf invaded every corner. Toboe shook himself, as though getting comfortable with his fur again. Silverstar also went back into her wolfish self.

'We are safe from prying eyes and listening ears in here. You should not speak of paradise so openly. There are many who would kill anyone for speaking of it. Paradise is not for humans, but for the wolves who created man. Wolves were not meant for this world. Too much suffering and pain. Especially, when surrounded by humans.'

'Toboe, why are you here in this city if humanity pains you so?' Silverstar asked they laid down to rest. Toboe said nothing, but placed a paw over his muzzle, as though to say, I don't know. Silverstar curled up into a ball and placed her tail over her nose. She sighed heavily.

Even as I went to sleep all I could think about was Toboe. How he tortured himself by staying in the city. Why would any wolf do that? As I slept, my dreams lead me into a laboratory. I saw her, the flower maiden. She was waiting for me. She looked down at me with pure kindness. I breathed in her scent and fell in love. My heart melted and I praised humanity for creating a wonderful and beautiful creature. I never knew beauty until my gaze fell upon her.

Silverstar woke abruptly. Toboe stood in front of her, gnawing at the carcass of some bird. He looked at her through the corner of his eye.

'You hungry little one?' he asked, moving over and nudging it towards her. She got up groggily and took what few pieces of meat were left.

'I know where she is,' Silverstar said as she gulped down the last bite. Toboe threw the bones into a corner.

'Who?'

'The flower maiden.'

Toboe paused before he walked to the door. He glared at the wood and then looked at Silverstar.

'You know where she is?'

'She's not that far from here. We could find her today.'

'The next full moon is a month from now. How will we know where to go?' Toboe asked.

Silverstar realized the hidden meaning in his words. She smiled slyly, 'You know the direction, if not the road.'

Toboe nodded and then left. Silverstar followed, and shed her fur. Toboe also had his human guise on as they walked away from the shed. They walked towards the main gate of the city. As they were about to pass it, a young boy, about the age of ten ran into Silverstar. Dark hair covered his head and his blue eyes showed a hidden cleverness. His white wife beater showed off his muscular torso. His blue jeans were torn and hid his black boots from view. He scratched the back of his head.

"I couldn't help but overhear you two last night. Can I come along?" He asked.

Silverstar was able to recognize his scent before he spoke. It was Yukio.

"Come along for what?" Silverstar growled.

"Hey, truce. Truce! I'm just curious. I wanna see paradise," Yukio replied, whispering the last part.

Silverstar was ready to say no and maybe rip out his throat, but Toboe interrupted her by asking a simple question.

"Why?"

"I don't belong in a city, but I lost my pack. I have no where else to go, and you're the only wolves I've seen since my pack was slaughtered. I have no one else."

Silverstar was ready to just walk away. He smelled funny and the stuff he was saying didn't seem trustworthy.

Toboe looked at him with a raised eyebrow. His story sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before.

"Ok kiddo," Silverstar mumbled, "You can follow us until you find someone else to bother, all right?"

Yukio smiled and nearly jumped into the air. Toboe firmly planted him to the ground with a hand on the shoulder. He looked at the overly excited cub with something that resembled patience, and looked at Silverstar curiously. It was obvious she did not like him or even buy his story. Why was she letting him come along?

As much as the cub annoyed me, I understood what he was talking about. He didn't belong anywhere either. Maybe he could help, since only wolves who don't have a pack and who don't belong seek paradise.

They joined in with the parade of humans trying to leave town. Considering the long line to get out of the city, Silverstar was surprised that there were even people in the city. She noticed that each person was searched and then sniffed at by dogs. She could understand if the people in the line were entering the city and they were being searched, but leaving?

"Toboe, why are there dogs?" Silverstar asked as the line slowly moved forward.

"I guess they're looking for someone, or something."

Silverstar, behind Toboe in the line, nodded as he looked back. She noticed that he was looking beyond her, at Yukio. She turned to look at him and realized that he was nervous. He kept looking from the ground to the guards and dogs to the ground again.

"What's wrong?" Silverstar asked, as Toboe went through the gate. The dogs cowered away from him.

"Stop being so scared!" the guard yelled at the dogs he usually had to hold back. The dogs cowered at his feet and refused to move.

"I think you need new dogs," Toboe said arrogantly as he walked passed. The guard glared at him, but let him pass through.

Silverstar walked through next, before finding out what was making Yukio so nervous. The dogs didn't cower as much as when Toboe passed, but they stayed by their master's feet with their tails tucked firmly between their legs. Silverstar passed without a word and met Toboe on the other side. Just when they were about to wait for Yukio, he burst out of the gate at top speed. He dashed pass them with three of the dogs on his tail. Toboe and Silverstar immediately took chase.

They heard guards shouting behind them and the pop of 9mm handguns as the guards began to shoot at them. Silverstar and Toboe easily outran the bullets and caught up to Yukio with his finely fanged friends.

'What the hell did you do?' Toboe growled turning wolf as soon as they were out of sight of the guards. Yukio and Silverstar followed his lead.

Yukio ran forward blindly. He barely had the ability to breathe, let alone talk.

Silverstar, being the lightest and fastest, ran pass the dogs and Yukio. She slid to a stop and lunged at the nearest dog. They flew back and fought each other furiously. She bit at his throat and tried to pin him down more then once. The dog kept out of her biting range and tried to use his larger girth to intimidate her. It obviously didn't work. She was finally able to clamp her teeth down on his throat after she side-stepped a lunge. She twisted her jaws and snapped his neck. The wet crack met her ears. Her blood stained muzzled made her look furious as she looked for the others. Toboe was busy bringing down another of the dogs and Yukio was busy trying to dodge an enraged dog's claws and fangs. She decided to help Yukio, since the young cub looked like he didn't know what he was doing. Silverstar ran, resembling a gray streak as she rushed towards the dog. She leapt up and landed on its' back. She bit into its' neck and twisted down towards the ground. The sickening snap was like a thunder clap in her ear.

Yukio cowered into the short grass that surrounded them. Blood flowed freely from Silverstar's muzzle as she chewed furiously on the carcass. After a short meal, she glared at Yukio and looked for Toboe. Toboe had also made a short meal out of the dog he killed.

'You're a ferocious fighter Silverstar,' Toboe complimented as he looked at the blood masked face. She nodded, and then looked down at Yukio.

'What did you do!' she growled. Yukio sunk as low to the ground as he could. His tail was firmly between his legs and his throat was unprotected. He was groveling.

'Please, I didn't know it was me they were looking for,' he whimpered, trying to look as pitiful as possible.

'Why were they looking for you?' Toboe asked.

Yukio looked away, and then wished he hadn't. Silverstar lunged forward and grabbed his throat within her powerful jaws.

'It's because they implanted something in me!' he yelped.

Silverstar let him go, 'Implanted?'

'Yeah. I was in this lab with some girl. They took some of my blood and injected it into her. I think the scientist called her the Flower maiden or something. After they took my blood they implanted some little black thing into my leg. I don't know any more then that.'

'The Flower maiden?' Silverstar asked excited. Yukio nodded furiously as Toboe sniffed at his legs. He found an old wound on the pup's leg.

'We should try to find out what they put in your leg,' Toboe stated as he sat back on his haunches.

'First we should get away from here,' Silverstar interrupted, 'We don't need those guards after us. Come on.'

Silverstar ran in front of Yukio while Toboe took the back. After hours of running, they found a quiet forest in which to rest. They went in quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence that surrounded them.

The only noise made within the forest was the quiet buzzing of insects as they mated, fought, and died. Yukio looked around in wonder while Toboe and Silverstar went about with caution. A quiet forest usually meant the beasts were sleeping. They would not want to awaken the guardian of the forest.

It had been a long time since I had been in an unknown forest. I had never really strayed outside of my old pack's territory. When I did, usually Grandpa Kiba was with me, but now I had two strange wolves with me. I knew the road to paradise was going to be hard, but I never thought I would be in a situation like this. It was perhaps the most awkward one I had ever been in.

The three wolves traveled silently, their paws' steps were whispers in the lower brush. Thorn bushes lunged in the way, while weeping willows hung, suspended in the sky. They traveled low to the ground, the trees and foliage making it near impossible to stand straight. After awhile Silverstar's ears heard the sound of rushing water. She followed it and lead Toboe and Yukio to the side of a river. The river was neither fast nor deep. But it was indeed wide.

'We should rest here,' Toboe stated, not for himself but for the tired cub that struggled behind him.

Silverstar trusted her instincts, and they said this was a bad place to stop. 'We should keep going Toboe.'

'Look at him,' Toboe said, indicating Yukio, 'Do you think he would last another ten minutes?'

Yukio just fell to the ground and stopped. He did not look like he was going to move any time soon.

'I am warning you now Toboe. This is not a good place. I will stay though, if only to prove a point.'

Toboe looked at her in surprise. It was true that Toboe was no leader, but as the oldest of the trio, he should at least have some authoriity. It seemed as though his words meant nothing to Silverstar. Little did he realize the reason why she had responded that way was simply because every single one of her senses told her that this was not the place to be.

'I think I can… Keep… Go… Go… Ing…' Yukio promptly passed out. Toboe smiled to himself. Yukio was reminding him of himself when he was younger.

'I'm going to see if I can go and catch something to eat,' Silverstar growled. She was not trying to be the leader. She was trying to protect those around her.

'Don't go too far,' Toboe warned. This forest was unknown even to Toboe.

'I'm not the one that has to be careful,' she replied as she walked away. Toboe watched her with something that resembled interest. Was she able to tell the future?

I ran as fast as I could to get away from that river. Something about it made me want to leave and run as far as I could. As I ran I tried to catch the scent of any and all prey, but the only scents I found were that of insects and forest. What type of forest had no animals? I ran back to the river without any luck to even finding a scent of another four-legged creature. Such a strange forest…

Silverstar arrived back at the river. Toboe was gone. Yukio was still passed out. She nudged him hard and woke him up.

'Where's Toboe?' she asked, ready to chase him down. There was no way he had gone off on a hunt, she would've smelled him. He just seemed to disappear.

Yukio looked at Silverstar through groggy eyes. 'What do you mean where's Toboe? He was drinking from the river two minutes ago. He woke me up like you just did so I could tell him when you came back.'

'Let me guess. You went back to sleep? When an older wolf tells you to do something, you should do it. You said he went to drink from the river?'

'Yeah, he should still be there.'

'Fine,' Silverstar replied as she walked to the riverbank. She looked down and up the bank, but did not see hide nor fur of Toboe. She sniffed the air cautiously. No scent. Wait… There was a slight scent on the ground. But it disappeared into the river. Did he cross the river? No, he wouldn't have left Yukio alone. He was too tired to fight for himself and Toboe did not look like the type to abandon others. A loud howl brought Silverstar from her thoughts to the situation. Yukio needed her.

Silverstar jumped up and immediately ran to where Yukio was. Three guards from East City were trying to net him. He dodged between their legs and ran. Silverstar leaped onto the nearest guard and ripped out his throat before he even saw her. She attacked the next guard before he could notice. The last guard took his gun off his shoulder and aimed it at her. Before he could squeeze off a round, Silverstar tackled him. His rifle flew away from him and as he smashed backward into the ground, Silverstar switched to her human guise.

"What do you want with us!" She yelled into the guard's face. He stared at her with surprise and fear. She growled menacingly and he cringed away.

"I was just following orders."

"Who's!" She screamed.

"General Miran!" the guard yelled in pure fear.

Silverstar ripped out his throat quickly and tore apart the net that held Yukio down. He stared at her in fear.

'Why? Why did you kill him? He told you what you wanted to know.'

'He was in my way. People who are in my way should not live, especially those who threaten those who I am in charge of.'

'Who says you're in charge of me?' Yukio growled as Silverstar walked pass him. Silverstar looked at him for a second and then began to look for the humans' trail.

'I told you to come with us. When I did I meant simply that you were my charge until you left us or until you can fight me and win. I will protect you until then. Now, come on. I think these humans will lead us to where Toboe is.'

'How do you know?' Yukio asked. Silverstar looked up. Though it was still day, the moon was still visible. She looked directly at it and howled one single short note. Yukio understood, though he didn't know how. The moon seemed to be pulling him forward.

Silverstar broke out into a run with Yukio following her closely behind. She followed the humans' trail until she came to a clearing in the forest. A large black van was parked in it. Silverstar tried to listen for sounds of Toboe, but she heard nothing that resemebled the wolf's deep growl.

'There are three more humans guarding the van and I think two more in the van itself. I'm scared,' Yukio mumbled.

Silverstar looked at the pup and rolled her eyes. She thought carefully of how to approach the humans without being shot.

'Are you willing to be a distraction?' Silverstar asked. Yukio looked at her as though she was crazy.

'What do you mean?' he wailed silently.

'I'll kill them before they can even take their guns from their shoulders. They won't touch you,' Silverstar promised as she stared at the humans. She had to make sure they did not hear her and the cub.

'Give me five minutes,' he begged.

'We might not have five minutes, GO!' she yelled snapping her jaws at his hindquarters. Yukio jumped up and ran. He ran as fast as he could across the clearing. He heard yelling, then screams, but he didn't stop. He didn't stop running until he got to the other side of the clearing. He turned around and watched as Silverstar killed two of the guards. The third pulled off his gun, whistled for the others, and squeezed off one shot as Silverstar leapt at him. He hit her in the shoulder, but she continued to sail through the air until she pulled him down and tore off his throat with one of her claws. The other two guards got out of the van. Silverstar immediately killed the one closest to her. The other guard came around the front of the van with his gun drawn and was about to kill her when Yukio suddenly shot out from the underbrush. He looked away from Silverstar and looked at the new threat, but was killed before he could do anything. He fell to the ground, lifeless. Yukio looked at Silverstar. She looked like a demon. Her face and half of her body was covered with blood. Whether it was hers or the guards' it was hard to tell. All Yukio knew was that he never wanted to piss her off.

"Come on," Silverstar growled as she stripped of her fur, "We need to get Toboe."

Yukio nodded and shed his fur as well. It was the only way they could get tall enough to open the door. They opened it and saw Toboe biting the bars to the cage he was in. That was why they didn't hear him.

"We're here for you," Silverstar said as she got into the van. Yukio stayed outside, there wasn't enough room.

'I could've gotten out myself,' Toboe pouted. Silverstar laughed lightly. It wasn't that funny, but Yukio guessed that she was laughing to relieve the anger she felt inside. She had killed to protect those around her, and because they were in her way. Those still didn't sound like good reasons to Yukio, but he was so glad to have not been killed that he didn't care.

"What happened?" Silverstar asked as she opened the cage. Toboe shook himself as though being freed of a collar.

'They snuck up on me while I was busy drinking. They tranquilized and netted me. I just woke up as soon as I heard the screams. I thought it was because one of the humans accidently shot himself,' Toboe joked as they both jumped out of the van in their original skins.

Silverstar and Yukio laughed. Toboe motioned for them to leave and they left without another word. The three wolves went back to the river and then crossed it.

'Silverstar,' Toboe stopped the younger wolf after they crossed, 'I'm sorry.'

Silverstar gave him a questioning look.

'I should have listened to you, obviously you knew what you were speaking of. I believe you have something of a foresight, don't you?'

'No, but I follow my instincts. My instincts told me that place was wrong. I warned you, you didn't listen. I'm use to that. I was the omega female in my grandfather's pack.'

Toboe cocked his head in confusion. 'You were the omega female? Why?'

'My grandfather knew I still believed in paradise. He made me the omega wolf simply so I would be more then willling to go on the search for paradise. If I was higher on the leadership scale I probably would not have been willing to go,' Silverstar explained. Toboe nodded as they found a small unused den under a tree. Yukio was the first to find it and he showed them were it was. Toboe entered the den first and went to sleep. Silverstar stopped Yukio.

'I didn't get to say thank you.'

'What?' Yukio asked.

'You saved my life earlier. I forgot to thank you.'

'Oh, well, you're welcome.'

'Don't ever mention it,' Silverstar growled at him. Yukio slunk into the den and went to sleep. Silverstar stayed outside and went to sleep.

I never liked sleeping in dens. I stayed outside. Always. I felt better living under the stars. I went to sleep that night knowing that my journey just started, but that we would find paradise. At all costs.

A/N: Silverstar and her companions have started their journey. Do ya wanna know what happens next? Then review you american pigs! You money grubbing sons of an uncle!

(Moo-chan, the authoress, walks in)

Moo-chan- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BARBADOS! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK TO THE READERS! proceeds to beat the crap out of him

-.->pops up out of no where Cwazies chickies. Justies reviewyness!