Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain and mean no disrespect to the actual owners and authors.
I don't know when I first started to believe. I don't know when I first began to love or when he began to love me. I did know that it was impossible in this lifetime. It was his path. I could only share it for as long as I was able.
I believe the first hint was when I stood up for him against the other pack, against the doubts of us ever making it to paradise. I was surprised at my own passion and belief that we would make it, even if it ended up being hell. The look on Kiba's face when I essentially stated that I would follow him to hell if that was where he led me. We were more like partners after that. We still fought but we knew that in the end we were on the same side.
Cheza knew I loved him. It was likely obvious to her, after all wolves are instinctively attracted to her and are soothed by her presence. I, on the other hand, resented her for taking Kiba's love and attention. I knew it was not her fault, she was Kiba's destiny and he was hers. I could not compete with that. That was when I knew that I had no chance. Surprisingly Cheza did become a comfort to me. She firmed my belief in paradise and I knew I would follow Kiba the entire way, or until my death.
When we lost Kiba to the Garden of Eternity, I couldn't believe the others were going to stop looking and just leave him behind. I could never have stopped searching. He was my paradise and I would have searched for the rest of my life if necessary. It would've been my quest, just as finding paradise is his.
The final battle at the end of the world. By then I knew that only Kiba could make it and the rest of us would be left behind to die if we weren't killed first. I knew my death was coming, just as Hige knew of his. Kiba didn't know until we began to die, one by one. When he ran back to me, after Cheza and Darcia entered the crater, I nearly cried (tough guy image and all). I knew then, beyond all doubt, that he loved me too. Cheza was his destiny and he loved her, and yet he came back to me while she was in danger. I also knew that he had to see it through to the end. I hid my wound from him, even though he knew something was wrong and that I was dying. I had to chase him away; he needed to finish what he started so we could have a chance in paradise. As he left me to die I couldn't help howling my love to him, it was my last chance to say what had never been said.
We had no chance in this lifetime. He had his path; I could only share it for as long as I was able. But in paradise we have a chance at a future.
This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper. T.S. Eliot
AN: I hope you enjoyed this. I would love some constructive criticism, I fully admit that I am a dancer and not a writer but this plot bunny would not leave my head once I watched Wolf's Rain and I couldn't find another story like it, so I decided to write it myself. Please let me know if I managed to keep Tsume in character, I wanted it to be something you could watch the show after and believe that it was plausible. I also have an idea for Kiba's point of view so let me know if you are interested in hearing his side of the story.