Chapter 1: The Wolf Boy
Toboe (in wolf form) has caught a bird and is eating it. A young girl sees him and approaches.
"Hello. Are you hungry, Mr. Wolf?" She laughs lightly. "If you come with me, I'm sure I can find something to feed you." She reaches out her hand to pet him. "Oh, my, you're so soft. Mind if I call you Wolfie? Guess it doesn't really matter to you what I name you." She smiles.
She begins walking off into the dim sunlight. Toboe follows. They arrive at a small house that is emptied of people.
"My mom and dad are gone for the week. They left this morning." Toboe whines. "Don't worry. It's not my first time staying alone, you know." She opens up the cabinet. "Mom and dad are always gone. They do work a lot." She pours some cereal in a bowl. "But...well this time it was an illness in the family. My dad's sister is very sick, so they went to see her." She sits the bowl on the floor in front of Toboe. "I hope you like it. It's about all I really have right now. I was on my way to the store when I spotted you." She pets him again and then sits down on the floor, her back against the bottom cabinets. "I've heard stories, about wolves. I don't know if they're true or not, but I like to believe so." She looks off to the side, toward the window. "Wouldn't it be cool if there really were wolves that could turn into humans. I mean, well, you know..." She looks back at him. "I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Toboe looks up from the bowl. "...is that it would be nice to have a friend like that." She looks back up at the window. She looks back at Toboe who is now sitting on the floor not as a wolf, but as a boy. "It is true." She sits forward on her knees with her hands in front of the bowl. "You really are a wolf. What's your name?"
"Toboe, but you can still call me Wolfie if you want to."
"Toboe, huh? That's a great name." She reaches out her hand. "My name's Marina. I thought I should formally introduce myself." He shakes her hand.
"I'm glad that you're not afraid. The last time I...well I sort of scared someone and now I think she hates me."
"I could never hate you. I'm just not that kind of person."
They talked on their way to the store and back. Toboe insisted on carrying as many groceries home for her as he could. He told her almost everything about Tsume, Hige, Kiba and Cheza. He told her about paradise and how he couldn't wait to see it; he just knew it would be beautiful. She invited him to stay as long as he liked and he agreed to stay for a few more days. They became very close in that short time. Toboe couldn't believe how easy it was to make such a great friend and frankly neither could she. Neither had had very many friends in life, but now they had at least one. That was until the day came for Toboe to depart...
They traveled to the place where they first met to say goodbye.
"Toboe, thanks for everything."
"No, I should be thanking you."
"It's alright. I would do it for any of my friends. I hope you find paradise and that it's everything you've ever wanted. Say hi to the others for me too. I'm sure they're all great."
She looks as if she's about to cry and hangs her head down low.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." A tear tumbles down her cheek. "Toboe, I'll never forget you. Never!"
"I won't forget you either, Marina. You know what. I believe that paradise is found with the one you love. That's when you're truly happy. That's when everything feels all right. I'm sure you'll find your own paradise one day. I...never mind."
"Oh, Toboe..." She runs to him, crying fiercely. "...why can't humans go to paradise? I mean, I guess I'm just being selfish, right?"
"No, I'd like for you to be able to come with me too, but you can't. Besides your family would miss you." She looks up at him, tears still in her eyes. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. From a distance, Tsume watches. He runs to them.
"Toboe, let's go, the others are waiting."
She dries her eyes and smiles. "You must be Tsume. Nice to meet you. Take good care of him for me."
"Let's go, Toboe."
"Bye, Marina."
She waves a final goodbye to him.