Chapter 1: The fire she-wolf
You never lose by loving.
You always lose by holding back.
Barbara de Angelis
Viewpoint of Shika
I opened my eyes slowly. My eyes were dim. I could feel the sweltering heat. I could feel my body burning. I got up gently. My head was spinning. My legs shook. I looked at my body. There were flames all over my it. But i couldn't feel 'em. They were like a part of me. The only thing i could feel was the sweltering heat around me. Everything was burning. The trees, the bushes, the grass and the dead bodies of the other wolves. Again those bloody tears were rushing down my cheeks. I was watching at my mother's body. It was burning. The bloody tears made a big dark- red puddle under my paws. I screamed as loud as i could. I started to walk through the fire and the flames were just recoiling. Now i knew... I'm the fire she-wolf.
I was watching at the bloody snow. My legs were bleeding again. They start to bleed when i'm upset, just like my bloody tears. And i'm always upset. My life's the worst. You can't imagine what i experienced. First my sister died because of hunters, my father fell from the edge of a rock. I was sick from unknown illness and now my mother. She burned in flames. And now, i should live with this thought in my mind- i'm the fire she-wolf. I just want to lay on the ground and die from hunger. But i couldn't. I wanted revenge. I should revenge for my sister's, mother's and father's death. They all died because of the people. The people with the malice in their stone hearts. They don't spare us. I call them killing machines.
Soon the city was just in front of me.
Shika: Ready or not, here i come.
I told to myself. In my mind, there were only scenes. Scenes of dying people. Blood everywhere. They'll feel the pain i felt. They'll shed the blood i shed. They'll die the way my siblings and parents died. Everybody was watching at me. People were screaming. But i didn't pay 'em any attention. I had another work. I waited for the soldiers to come. And they came.
"Go get her!"shouted on of the soldiers.
The fight started. They defined their destiny. They were going to die slowly and painfully. I were going to break their bones one by one. I were going to eat them alive. Now i were rabid. No one could stop me whatever it happens. I didn't know what a monster i am now. I didn't care. I am a killer! Nothing else. I heard the last scream. My jaw opened and... Puff! The last soldier was done. I looked around.
"What did i do?!"i shouted.
I looked at my face in the nearest puddle. What am i? Who's that? It's definitely not me. There was blood all over my muzzle, my body, legs and nails. I looked at the dead bodies. I looked at their faces. Nothing, but fear. The inhabitants were looking at me with dread written on their faces. I knew that it wasn't me, but i was happy with what i have done. Actually i showed my real side. I showed the real Shika. The Shika who doesn't fear from anything. Shika-the killer.
Chapter 2: Burst in flames
The course of true love
never did run smooth.
William Shakespeare
Viewpoint of Shika
I walked through the bodies and the blood puddles. I knew that there was a whole army, but i just wanted to show who's the boss. Now, no one can defeat me.
"Well, well... What do we have here? A rabid she-wolf?"said someone behind me.
I growled gently. My head turned instinctively then my whole body. There was a white wolf in front of me. He was big and massive. I could defeat him now. My wolf instincts told me that.
Shika: Back off! I'll kill you without any effort!
"Try me!"he defied me.
He growled and jumped. I did the same. I teared his coat. He teared mine. We both fell on the ground with wounds on our backs.
Shika: I'm not going to fight with you!
"Oh... Are you frightened?"
"No! I want revenge!"i growled and showed my sharp teeth.
"On the heck! Why?!"
"They killed 'em! They killed my entire family!"
I said with bloody tears on my cheeks... again. The blood was rushing down my legs again and this bad feeling captured my heart.
"...Your face..."said he. It sounded like "On the hell, what's wrong with your face?!"
"I know!"I screamed.
I didn't like people who comment my crying or the blood rushing down my legs.
"What are you?!"
"My name is Shika... Shika- the fire she-wolf."i said while looking at the blood under my paws.
Then something unusual happened. My body started to burn, the flames seized my whole body. I were like a big fire. I closed my eyes and sank in the flames. I started to draw pictures in my mind. Memories. Memories of my sister Akemi, my father Hikaru and my mother Airi. My beautiful family.
"We can't change our destiny, we should accept it as it is..."
I said with a strange demon voice that i haven't heard before. It frightened me. Then the flames were gone. I were normal again. The tears were still on my cheeks, the blood was still rushing down my legs.
"What was that?!"i heard a voice.
The same voice. But the white wolf was gone. There was a boy on his place. A boy with black hair, jeans, white shirt and leather jacket.
"What are you?!"
"I am Kiba. I'm just like you. A wolf."he said with a serious attitude.
"No! You are a human!"
"No, you have a human form too! Just close your eyes and imagine yourself as a human."
I closed my eyes. I drew a picture of myself in my mind. I imagined myself with really thick light blond hair, white T-shirt with three-quarters sleeves, antique brass colored scarf, jeans and baby pink colored slippers. It worked! I took a look of myself. Not so bad. But i transformed into a wolf. I liked it more.
"Goodbye... Kiba!"
"Where are ya goin'?!"
"I want revenge! I told you! You think that i forgot it. I'll never forget my family. You can't stop me! If you try to stop me i'll kill you slowly and painfully. I'll break your bones one by one, i am gonna eat you alive. Stay outta my way! I warned you!"
After this i ran through the bloody puddles and dead bodies. Kiba was still there watching at me with anger in his eyes. I wasn't joking.
Chapter 3: The melee
A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer,
it sings because it has a song.
Maya Angelou
Viewpoint of Shika
I could feel the sweet taste of the blood. The blood of the soldiers. Again i had a battle. My teeth ripped the soldier's bullet off. My nails flayed his eyes. First i broke his legs, then his arms. It was so easy! I killed them all, without any effort. Their blood was like a drug for me.
Soon they were all dead. I licked my wounds. I could feel the blood on my muzzle. But i didn't lick it. I wanted everybody to see who i am. Who the real Shika is.
"I told you! Get outta my way or i'll rip your head off!"i growled, i could see his white silhouette with the corner of my eye.
"Do you really think you can beat me?!"
"I killed the whole lab! Again-I can kill you without any effort!"
"People are stupid! They can't fight, they only can shoot! "Kiba said through clenched teeth.
"Anyway, you can't beat me alone!"
"Yep. But i lead backup."
I saw four more wolves coming from the darkness behind Kiba.
"Surrender or we'll kill you!"
"You know you can't!"
Again i started to burn. Again there were flames all over my body. My demon voice showed again.
"Try me!"i defied them.
"We can't beat her Kiba!" said the black she-wolf with the silver collar.
"C'mon. You were fearless. Right, Kiba?"
"And you were invincible. Right, Shika?"
Then something happened. I couldn't connect the scenes. It happened so fast. First i saw water gushing from Kiba. Then a waterfall. And a wave washed over me. Fire and water-the biggest enemies ever!
My body stopped burning. The anger was gone and the sorrow left my heart. But the tears were still on my cheeks, the blood was still rushing down my legs.
"I've heard only legends about you. You're my opposite. You are the water wolf."i sobbed
"Now, you know what i am. You know that i can defeat you! Why don't you get back to the woods?
I was still lying on the ground."
"I have no one. I can't do anything alone. Wolves can't be alone. I don't want to be a lone wolf. The only thing that was maintaining my life was the killing. I lost my mother a day ago. There was a fire in the wood. She burned, i didn't ."
I got up. One of the wolves was watching at me grievously. He was light brown with four silver bracelets on his front leg.
"I'm sorry. We can't let you live here."said Kiba, trying to sound at least a little carefull
I started to walk slowly with my ears folded back and tail between my legs. I were going to go back to the woods. I were going to live a new live like a lone she-wolf.
My stomach was rumbling. I wanted to eat something. Just a mouthful was going to be enough." Why should life be so cruel ?! ". I asked myself. I didn't understand that. But mom was saying that you should wait. You should wait for the good to come. She was saying that every bad story has a happy ending. But first you should win it. Apparently mine will be a sad one.
Chapter 4: The rescue
Love is a promise;
Love is a souvenir;
Once given, it's never forgotten;
Never let it disappear.
John Lennon
Viewpoint of Shika
"Help me! Help me!"i were shouting without any reason.
I were just bursting. I were so hungry. I could feel my head spinning. And i couldn't go back to the town. I couldn't find food. Even a corpse. Like the whole wood was hiding from me.
"Kiba... you, bastard!"
I fell in the red snow, waiting for the death to come over my head and i remember about the poem. The poem i wrote for my entire family.
"A day ago we were together
having fun on the field.
A day ago your eyes were sparkling with my reflection in them.
A day ago your laugh
Was conquering my heart.
A day ago you were here,
lying on the cold ground
staring at the blood.
The blood falling from your wounds.
Now, I stare at your blood
fell from your wounds.
And I wait for the death
to come over my head.
'Cause I want to be
with you again,
this time on a better place!"
"C'mon, Mother Nature! You can't be so cruel! What did i do to you?! I'll pay for my sins... i've already paid."
The last thing i said quietly with a gentle sad note. I heard steps. Steps of a wolf. His paws were gently touching the snow. Soon i could feel his warm breath.
"Kill me... i don't care anymore."i sobbed while watching the bloody spots under my nose
"I came to help you!"
"You're one of them. Why would you do that?"
I looked at the pup. He was at least one year younger than me. His coat was light brown and gold brown on the stomach, the legs and a part of the neck. There were four silver bracelets on his front leg.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Toboe."he said firmly.
"What a strange name!", i thought.I looked really careful, friendly and childish. I guess, he was the youngest of the pack.
"I came to here to help you".
"Pffff... Sounds like an evil plan. I can't get up. I need something to eat... Go away!"
"What's wrong with your eyes? They are... bleeding."
" I know... It's just... They bleed when i'm angry or upset.
"Are you angry now?"Toboe asked carefully.
"No... For what? I already accepted my destiny. My mom was saying that every sad story has a happy ending. Well... Mine is a sad one."
The pup was looking at me sadly. I could the pain in his heart. He was suffering... Just like me.
"You should clean the sorrow from your heart. You shouldn't suffer because of me. Go away! "i shouted barely
"You're not right. I can't stand and watch you dying."
"Kiba is going to kill me, anyway."i said with a sad note in my voice.
"He shouldn't. He experienced a lot..."
"Do you know what I experienced?! My sister died because of hunters, my father fell from a rock and my mother! She burned in flames! My whole pack burned. I were ill from unknown illness, i could die. And everything happened because of the people. I wanted revenge. These monsters killed my entire family! And now i'm dying from hunger, outcasted."
"All of us."
"What?"i didn't understand him.
"We all have lost our families. Kiba, Hige, Blue, Tsume... I."
"What?"
"I don't even know 'em. I know how much you suffer."
"No, you don't!"
"I killed my own grandma!"
"She was a human, right?"
He nodded.
"Humans are traitors. We all know that! Because of that i killed all of the soldiers."
He didn't react. The pup came next to me and got me on his back. He started to run through the forest. I couldn't see anything. My head was spinning, my eyes were dim. Bloody drops were falling on the snow. The hunger was killing me slowly and painfully.
Chapter 5: New pack, new life
Love looks not with the eyes,
but with the mind;
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind
William Shakespeare
Viewpoint of Toboe
I were not going to leave her. Her touch was just like a caress for me. And now she was on my back. I could feel her heartbeat. It was slowing down every second.
"Are you OK?"i asked her sadly.
"...Food..."i felt her stomach rumbling.
"Hold on!"
I were so scared. Can i cure her? I didn't know her, but my heart was skipping a beat when she was smiling. Though she wasn't smiling.
Viewpoint of Shika
I could feel Toboe's heartbeat. He was uneasy. I didn't know why, but he was worried about me. I didn't know that there's someone who cares. The drops were falling from my chance, the pain was getting stronger and stronger.
"Lemme go! I should die! I want to be with my family again, this time on a better place! "i shouted barely.
The pup stopped and looked at me.
"I can't leave you here. I care about you! I want to feel the pain, you feel! Although i can't, i'll be next to you every time you need support."he sobbed."Now, i'll do everything to cure you!"
He started to run again. The snow was getting deeper and deeper. Toboe wasn't watching his feet. Then i felt him slipping down.
"What's that? What happened, Toboe?!"
"Calm down, just a little bit ice."
I looked down. A little?! We were walking on a frozen lake. The ice was breaking under Toboe's feet. He started to run.
"No! What are you doing?!"i shouted when he hurried pace.
Then we fell on the ice. He slipped away from me. The pup got up without any problem, but i were scared and i hadn't any power.
"Go away! You see, She wants to kill me!"i shouted and looked at the bloody puddle under my muzzle.
"Who? Who wants to kill you?!"
"...Mother Nature..."i sobbed.
"...No! Just try!"
I listened to his careful voice. It gave me power. First i lifted my front legs, then the rear. I were on my feet. I couldn't believe that! I laughed gently. The runt laughed too.
"Toboe... Thank you!"
He smiled. I started to walk to him. I wanted to hug him. Then something happened. I froze. The ice under my paws broke. For a moment my whole world wracked... again. I knew that if i make one step, the ice under my paws will break and i'll sink in the cold water.
"I can't swim!"
"Stay where you are! I'm coming!"
"If i die i want you to know that i... i... like you!
The pup stopped where he was.
"Your careful look makes me happy. I didn't know that someone cares about me!"i sobbed and looked at his light brown eyes.
"Shika..."
I nodded.
"I... I... Love you!"
And then i made the biggest mistake in my whole life. I made one really small step and the ice under my paws broke.
"I love you too!"i said and sank in the cold water.
The last thing i heard was Toboe's voice. He was screaming my name.