Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or the original characters…if I did, it wouldn't be called a fanfic, now would it? But I do own the rest of these characters.

"I'm a stitch away
From making it
And a scar away
From falling apart...apart"

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In his dream, Kiba was motionless, suspended in the air. And suddenly he was above a vast forest, looking down on a white she-wolf. She looked up and around, and Kiba gasped. He felt as if he was looking in a mirror, so unnatural was the resemblance; but he knew instinctively that they were not of the same blood.

Without a moment's notice, the she-wolf bolted, and Kiba remained directly above her no matter how much she moved. Then, below, she stopped on a dime. As Kiba looked around, his eyes caught a man kneeling on a ledge of rock. The rifle in his hands was pointed directly at the she-wolf. Kiba opened his mouth, trying to howl out a warning, but no sound came.

She leapt at the instant the hunter fired his gun—and time seemed to stand still; the bullet could have hit or missed her. But it found its mark, just below her ribs, and she hit the ground hard.

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Kiba jerked awake, sitting up and finding himself drenched in a cold sweat. He took a quick look at the others. Toboe wasn't far off, curled in a ball; Hige and Blue lay further off; Tsume was alone; and Cheza was nearby, sleeping silently. Kiba sighed and tried to shake off the feeling of sorrow from his dream.

That's all it was, he told himself, it was just a dream. He laid back and closed his eyes, and instantly fell asleep—just as Hige opened his own eyes.

He stood, stretched, and looked down at Blue. He knelt and shook her gently.

"Blue…wake up, Blue."

She opened her eyes heavily. "What do you want, Hige?" she said sleepily.

"Let's go for a walk, huh?"

Blue smiled and yawned. She got up and they walked out of the clearing. The two ambled along for a couple of miles; Hige making bad jokes and Blue playfully criticizing them.

Hige stopped dead. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air.

Blue stood beside him. "There's another wolf here," she said, surprised.

Hige gave her his famous carefree grin. "Why don't we pay our friend a visit?" He started forward, Blue following cautiously.

"Are you sure, Hige?"

"What've we got to lose?" he said. "Not much, that's for sure!" He took off and they followed the scent for a few miles.

He halted in front of the oldest and very simply the largest tree they'd ever seen. It was easily six feet around, and a hundred feet tall.

He looked at Blue; the scent was strong. She nodded and they started around the side of the tree.

Hige couldn't believe his eyes. We just saw Kiba! So what's he doing here…and how did he get here before we did? Wait…this is a female?

Blue immediately rolled the unconscious she-wolf onto her back. She was bleeding from the chest—a gunshot wound? Blue thought of men shooting wolves and was painfully reminded of her former "owner."

The strange wolf stirred and opened her eyes. Unlike the gold of most wolves', they were a deep, piercing green. She sprang to her feet and snarled, but slowly sank back to the ground from the pain.

-Who are you-, she asked, -and what do you want?-

"Hey, take it easy," Hige said. "We just wanted to see if you were okay."

The white wolf eyed Blue curiously. -You also have something to say.-

Blue hesitated, and then said, "Come with us."

Hige's eyebrows shot up, but he kept his mouth shut.

The she-wolf stared at them thoughtfully. -Well, where are you going?-

"To Paradise," said Blue and Hige in chorus.

The wolf cocked her head. -I'll come with you. But I have to see what the rest of my pack wants to do.-

"Your pack is here?"

-Yeah.- She stood, wobbled for a moment, and sat down.

"Wait," Hige said, "I never got your name. Mine's Hige, by the way, and this is Blue."

-My name is Shaera.- The she-wolf lifted her muzzle to the sky and howled. She held it for so long that it seemed to reach the rising sun. Then she stopped and listened, and several calls answered hers.

Shaera stood now without shaking and looked Blue in the eye. -They'll come, but I think…- Her eyes sparkled inquisitively. -There are other wolves here.-

Hige and Blue became wolves as well.

-Yeah, our pack,- said Blue.

-It smells like…flowers…-

Blue took the time now to look Shaera over. She was a magnificent she-wolf, with a proud muzzle and shining eyes. Her tail was unnaturally long and bushy and, unlike most, her coat was pure and had no variations of color.

Just like Kiba, Blue thought wonderingly. Exactly like Kiba…

She was snapped out of her reverie by Hige's voice.

-…yeah, that would be Cheza.-

Shaera looked confused. -Cheza is a flower? You named a flower?-

-Well, not really. How would I explain this? Um…Cheza is a flower maiden, and…-

-Hige!-

Toboe ran through the trees, his furry face lit up with joy. -We found you guys! We had no idea where you went, and Tsume said…- His voice faded as he studied Shaera.

Kiba and Tsume came behind him, as wolves, with Cheza. Kiba immediately went to stand beside Hige, and spoke with him softly. At one point, Blue reminded Hige of Shaera.

Kiba looked up and froze. He seemed to shake the surprise off and took two cautious steps forward.

There, in the center of it all, Kiba stood face-to-face with his mirror image.

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This is kind of my first actual fanfic, so…I want reviews! I will accept flames, cuz you can't be a better writer if you don't fix anything!! I don't care 'bout anything else, but pleeeeez review!!! Lyrics from "The (After) Life Of The Party" by Fall Out Boy.