-1First fic, so don't take it seriously, and normal disclaimer follows:
I do NOT claim ownership or influence of any kind of Wolf's Rain or their characters, Bones and Bandai does.
Wolf Within
Chapter 1
As long as I can remember, my grandfather's words remained with me. 'As long as the moon rises, Kalishka there will always be wolves, even if they are in the heart.' I often wondered at what he meant by that, he always had an affection for the wolves, even if they had been extinct for two hundred years. But that seems like a distant dream now. I became a thief in Freeze City when the fire consumed my entire life, my grandfather and my memories. Freeze City was the closest town so I decided to take my chances begging for money and more than often food.
However I ended up being a main target for local thieves and ended up losing one too many meals to them, due to their resources. I then had two options, steal or starve, I chose the thief's path. Ironically enough, thieving came naturally for me, and was soon working my way up above those who used to steal from me. I'm now one of the most wanted thieves in Freeze City, a title that fills me with both pride and shame.
The heist I was supposed to do was simple. Get some information from the mark and get out. That was when my grandfather's words struck me for the first time in years. On the surface they didn't look much different than the next person you see on the street today, they blurred into view into what I first thought were two very large dogs, glancing back to them again they were young men, I thought it an illusion of sorts but curiosity held me to their trail. I abandoned the mark and followed them instead. Two minutes later once again I saw two dogs, one brown, the other a beautiful snowy silver.
"What the hell is happening?" I mutter to myself as the dogs disappeared into the two men. The younger of the two stopped to smell a hot dog vendor, but I catch him swiping two of the sausages.
Amateur I think smirking at his carelessness. Both of them turn into a somewhat quiet alley. The dark-haired stranger glances around distrustfully, while the 'thief' seemed relaxed in the dingy corner, tossing the dark stranger a hot dog.
I watch them from the alley then decide to listen to their conversation from above. I run up the buildings walls but my momentum falls short of landing with both feet on the rooftop and I scrabble for the ledge pulling myself up.
"This tastes bad," the dark stranger comments after taking a bite off the hot dog.
you should try the dumpsters here sometime I remark scathingly in my mind.
"It's better than a lot of things around here," the collared thief replies easily. "if I find a wild deer somewhere, I'll chase it for you."
"What does that mean" I murmur, cocking my head at the comment, leaning closer in from my perch. Watching as 'collar' swallows his entire hotdog whole. The stranger takes another small bite and I fall back onto the roof just before the dark stranger looks up at the sparrows I just disturbed.
"It seems like some idiots from somewhere were caught by the nobleman's guards," 'Collar' comments.
"Where will they be taken?" 'Dark' asks, not really interested in this news.
"Probably the same place we were." 'Collar' answers.
Now this is getting interesting. I smirk
"Perfect timing." 'Dark' mutters barely loud enough for me to hear from my height.
"Either this guy's a cop or a pro" I tell myself but neither seem to fit, he stands out too much. And he's never had a decent hot dog.
"huh?" 'Collar' turns to him somewhat confused.
"Oh, jeez" these guys are pathetic.
"We'll use this chance to break in."
"What? We just got out, you know." 'Collar' exclaims looking at 'Dark' like he's just lost his mind, and apparently so do I. "we fooled them and-" he goes quiet at 'Dark's' gaze, and even from my perch it's a cool and determined look, like that of a hunter or… or a wolf.
"No freaking way" I comment trying to get a better view of this guy.
"I'm going back there." 'Dark' replies steadily.
Collar leans forward completely confused. "but why, weren't we heading to Paradise?"
Paradise. That word sent a thrill through me. Like I was attached to a live wire.
"why would a pair of amateur thieves know anything about paradise?" I wonder aloud. The only thing I knew of paradise was that grandfather would tell legends about how wolves would open paradise and the world would begin again.
"It's because the scent is coming from inside those walls" 'Dark' answers. That's the only entrance that we know of."
I don't know why but I felt like I needed to go with them, so I just jump down from the roof landing on a lamp post.
"You mean that's the only entrance you know of" I correct.
'Dark' looks up towards me, anger brimming into his eyes, no, not anger, pure untainted hatred.
the hell? I wonder leaning back on the street lamp, just as he jumps towards me I grab the lamp's bar and swing, but not before he slices my shoulder. I look at my shoulder and I see four neat stripes. "how in the name of all things sacred did he do that?" I wonder.
"Kiba, wait!" 'collar' yells out standing in front of the large white dog, who has the same expression 'Dark' had before he attacked. The dog snarls in reply glaring at me like I'm lunch.
"Easy, easy, I just want to talk," I say quickly, trying to get on top of my perch again.
"What do you want?" the dog snaps.
"Huh, wait are you… wolves?" I ask completely amazed, both of them are shocked as well.
"Does it matter?" 'Collar' responds coldly, crossing his arms.
"Well it doesn't help to hide the obvious jr." I toss back. "unless you want me calling you two 'dogs'." yeah, stupid move, but it got a reaction.
"'Dog' is that what we are to you?" Kiba demanded, his hackles standing on end.
"No, just wanting a straight answer." I remark. "but may I come down, without getting my neck ripped out?" the claw marks on my shoulder begin to throb.
"Risk it," 'Collar snorts.
I shrug. "okay" and jump down which shocks them further.
"You're not scared?" Kiba asks bewildered.
"Kinda, but I just- look why does it matter?"
"It doesn't," 'Collar gripes then turns to Kiba. "c'mon, let's see what we can do about getting in that place."
"Which noble are you going after?" I ask, determined not to lose them.
"Does it matter?" Kiba retorts.
"Yeah, cause you obviously have a death wish if you think you can do some work with that amateur." I nod towards 'Collar'.
"Amateur?" He demands, nearly pissed at me for calling him that.
"Yeah, if you can't do a decent lift on a couple of hot dogs, what makes you think that you can get in a noble's place, jr.?"
"Hige," he growls coldly.
I shake my head focusing back onto the conversation. "look, I can help you guys if you want, but it's your choice."
"We don't need help from a human. " Hige snorts.
"What do you know of the mansion's laboratory?" Kiba puts in
This one gets me but I decide to chance it. "not much. What do you need from the labs?"
"Kiba, you can't seriously be considering her guiding us in there!" Hige exclaims glaring at me like I'm inferior.
"Why not? he was considering you." I smirk.
Kiba shakes his head at me. "you can't fight what we know, you can't run, you can't hide."
I clamp my jaw shut, but I know my face is turning crimson with rage.
I'll be there, one way or another, wolf. I think acidly. "you're right on that part," I mutter, then turn walking away disappearing into the busy streets.
the next block I jump up to the roofs heading to my apartment
The roofs are quicker than the streets, but I pick up the newspaper along the way, hoping to get a clue on where these wolves were heading.
The thing about the roof is that we have stairs from the roof, but the land lady has this thing that it can only be opened from the inside, and she hates her tenants popping in and out at random hours. Thankfully, I can pick locks, and I have a room on the top floor.
I make it to my place easy enough, and I get to business.
"Alright, which mansion were you looking for?" I ask, sitting down to my computer and scanning the newspaper.
"Noble's residence ransacked." one of the headlines read and I continue to read for the details, searching for some info of this place. I find it, easily. I know some who worked in the place, so I knew where to look. Along with power grids of the place and everything else. So I had a pretty clear map of where we were going.
"Gotcha," I grin triumphantly, whatever these wolves were after it would not be on the power grid, where the power grid did not occur, that was where they would head. Now the problem was getting myself in.
"Blend in with the other den" I answer my own problem. I print out the map and head out looking for the authorities, hoping to get caught.
That part was easier done than said. I got into the ghettos I saw someone who was one of Tsume's men, Now Tsume was one of the few people that I'd never particularly seen but I knew his reputation. The cops show up and both of us start running. I skid around corners, my feet barely gripping the ground, dodging stray cats until we run straight into the cop's trap.
Most excellent timing I think as they shove me to the ground, the other guy is struggling so hard I know his arm is going to be disconnected. They haul me up to my feet and I start towards the van.
The ride to the holding cell was dead quiet. Some of the expressions were solemn and grave while others had fear engraved on them. But no one moved from their seat, I just crossed my arms and endured the silence.
Once we were in the cell I pulled out my notes and tried to match it with my location. I knew the lab's location would more than likely be off the power grid so I started there. The easiest route would be the ventilation system so that was a start. I was about to gather up the notes when I saw Kiba walk into the cell.
Perfect I mutter, reaching for the notes, but the wolf walks over seating himself beside me.
"What's all this?" Kiba asks when he sees the prints of the power grid and the ventilation system.
"It's commonly called a 'map'," I explain, and gather them up not daring to hint what I'm doing.
"What are you doing here?" he glances over to me.
"Nothing for you to worry about," I mutter. "Where's your friend?" I inquire looking around at the others that came in.
"He didn't come," was the wolf's terse reply.
I shake my head, and then Hige walks in, smirking at Kiba. "speak of the devil, he's here."
"Huh?" Kiba asks then notices Hige for the first time. "you came?"
Hige shrugs, "yeah, we're friends aren't we?" I tense up at the word 'friend' I'd never really been one to attach myself to anyone beyond the surface.
Kiba grins. "that means a lot coming from you." he then stands up about to grab the bars.
"Hold on," I say smugly standing up. "I can get out quicker than either of you."
Both of them stare at me like I'm crazy. I just step over and squeeze through the bars easily.
"Hige, I know you, noticed, who had the keys?" I ask once I'm out. Both these guys just stare at my like I was a goddess, "Hige!" I snap, pulling him out of his trance.
"What? Oh," he reaches into his hair and pulls out the keys.
I slump down, "why didn't you tell me two seconds ago?" I mutter, snatching the keys from his hands. I unlock the cell and these two rush out, with me right behind them.
"Where do you think you're going?" Hige asks when he sees me following.
"Same place you guys are, out," I retort sprinting ahead of both of them to find a break in the vents. "you guys coming?" I demand, pulling the cover off.
Kiba nods, then crawls inside, I follow, Hige sighs and ducks in behind us.
It's gonna take us several minutes to get out so I decide to ask a few questions.
"Where'd you guys come from?" I ask hesitantly.
Hige was the first to answer. "Off the streets, same as you."
"Not from here," I return, "I've known this city for the past fourteen years, you guys just got here."
"He didn't say he was from here," Kiba commented. "he just said 'off the streets'."
"he didn't confirm it either" I snap back, "what about you?" I turn to him "You seem to stand out as much as a tree in a bare field."
"I don't care to indulge to you." he replies sharply.
"Figures," I mutter.
"Why don't you indulge us?" Hige comments behind me. "You know what we are, our names, and our path, but we know nothing of you."
I stop dead, these guys didn't even know my name. "the name's Kali, and I guess I'm walking the same trail with you 'cause, I just feel like I'm needed there, like a voice calling me or something." I confess quietly. Kiba glances back to me.
"What does the voice sound like?"
His question stuns me, I've never really thought about the voice until now. "It's almost like two voices saying the same words, one of them is very soft like… like wind in tall grasses, I think it's a girl but I don't know. The other is a little more clear, it almost reminds me of you," I clamp my mouth shut, hoping he wouldn't notice my words.
"What do they say?" Hige asks.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's along the line of 'Come, find, follow,' and something else, but I just can't discern it yet"
"Simple messages are often hard to discern," Kiba remarks blandly.
"You're telling me, but the voices have been easier to hear recently," I explain
Neither of them say anything, Kiba kicks out the outer vent, sliding out. The moonlight is streaming though the buildings. No lights are on this isn't right at all, the power's out. My breath catches in my throat, and my blood starts ramming through my veins.
"So you are wolves?" a voice comments from the poles.
Kiba and Hige tense up at the comment, I look up and I see this guy in dark clothes, holding a very frail girl.
"My deepest thanks for awakening Cheza." he comments snidely.
Cheza, Cheza I think trying to place the name with a memory that's just out of reach.
"Who are you?" Kiba shouts up to him.
"So that's Cheza," Hige says quietly.
"What do you want?" I yell at this noble, I feel my fists curl, ready to fight this jerk.
"A human?" he regards me with little interest. "I'll be taking the flower maiden," He announces, holding the girl up.
Cheza's eyes snap open and she screams, only I don't hear it, I feel it. The hair on my body stands on end and tears start swelling from my eyes. It's not pain, that's she's feeling, it's sorrow. My knees collapse from under me, but I keep my eyes on dark caped noble.
"Let's meet in Paradise," He remarks as light begins to envelope him. "If you can get there that is."
Kiba rushes forward, desperately trying to reach Cheza, but the light disappears, so does the noble and Cheza. The three of us stand there in dumb silence before the lights begin coming on in the sector again.
Kiba turns back and rushes into the sewer, Hige follows with his face drenched in sweat, but I stay rooted for a moment. Cheza, she was the voice. I can barely feel my legs move as I join them in the sewer.
When we're out of sight of the building we walk in silence, each of us contemplating what had just occurred.
"Where are we going?" Hige asks when the silence becomes a wall between each of us. "This kinda place isn't exactly ideal for my delicate nose, you know," he comments, feeling his way through the dark tunnel.
I can't help but smirk at his comment.
Kiba simply treads further in the sludge. "There's food around here somewhere." he answers.
"Huh?" Hige asks, unsure of where the comment came from.
"How do you know that?" I inquire, glancing at him
"Call it intuition," is the terse reply he gave as five large sewer rats scampered across our path.
Kiba snatches them up instantly.
"Save me one," I call out. Both of them look at me hesitantly
"After living on these streets for a few years, anything can taste good." I reply defensively, snatching one of the thinner rats out of Kiba's hands.
Hige and Kiba settle for the rest of the rats. Raw meat does not agree with my stomach well, so I just opt for it's blood, after I slit the rat's throat, I just drink, it's still warm as it glides over my tongue.
The bars let the moonlight in between the shafts, as Kiba lay the last rat's tail down.
"I guess we lost the trail?" Hige asks disappointedly. "the flower's scent has completely disappeared."
"That man knew Paradise," was Kiba's hard reply, his blue-gray eyes were like cold granite.
"Well, we can look for a different flower," the brown wolf responds easily. "There has to be other ways around it."
"It's not that simple," I say quietly, "That girl, her voice, she was calling to me, to … us."
Kiba's troubled eyes glance over at me, then back to the water, "That man… knew exactly who we were."
Hige leans back casually. "Let's hurry out of this town and go to that Paradise place."
"He told me to meet him in Paradise." Kiba replied ruggedly.
"So what?" Hige answered uneasily. "You wanna go after him, doesn't sound too appealing. That guy was definitely a noble."
"A noble?" Kiba asks,
"Ah, right you wouldn't know," Hige replies rolling his eyes. "nobles are a pretty tiresome bunch, I never want to get involved with them no matter what."
Kiba gave no response.
"Let's drop this." Hige ends the conversation, lying down. "just forget about him."
"He was from the South." I clarify.
"Huh?" Hige asks, lazily opening an eye at me. "how can you tell?"
"His accent," I explain. "it's similar to those from the South, only more pronounced."
"Not much we can do about that," he says groggily, before going to sleep.
That's where you're wrong, I think, trying to recall the Cheza's words from my dreams.
"Come, find, follow,--" the last one still eludes me.
Come where, find what, follow who? I ask, trying to make sense of the words, before I surrender to the slumber.
Dreams are often real to me, like recalling a memory. The trees are gnarled and dead, crowding around me, like a cage of twisted dead bars. The winds are dead here yet every direction is throwing out its voice, calling to me.
"Find, follow, --" the voices chant, some are taunting, others are beguiling, but still a few are sincere.
No longer does the word 'come' haunt me, I came, now I have to find and follow. I tear through the darkness and the branches trying to find the voices.
The branches turn to stone. And the voices haunt me further, I listen for the flower maiden's voice, for Cheza. But the man's voice leads me on still.
"Find, follow,--" the voice slips further into the darkness. Before fading. I step into the shadows, trying to follow the voice.
"Kali, wake up." Kiba says sternly, shaking my shoulders.
"Ah, leave her here, she can find her way out." Hige whines.
I flip him the finger, "Shut up I'm awake," I growl, mainly for getting woken up. Climbing unsteadily to my feet.
"Fine, let's go already, Chibi," Hige retorts.
That name gets me fully awake. I grab his shirt and pull him towards me. "It's Kali, or Kalishka," I snarl at him "Hige, get it right." I push him away, then brush past Kiba, bristling, "Chibi indeed,"
We spend the next half hour wandering around the sewers. At times Hige leading us with his nose. When he reaches a man hole I hear the angry dog barks and wild cry of ravens.
"Huh?" Hige asks, lifting up the man hole cover. Did I come out the wrong way?"
"If you did, I'm going to beat you," I shout up to him.
"Hey, a lone ranger, eh?" he replies snidely. To someone up top.
lone ranger, no, lone wolf. I realize, "Hurry up" I yell up to him wanting to get out of this sewage.
"Hurry up and get out" Kiba pushes the brown wolf out of the man hole, following quickly and I jump out of there as well. "your nose isn't so trustworthy after all."
"Having stayed in such a smelly place all day, I'm not surprised." Hige protest.
"Shut up, Whiner" I bite back. Replacing the man hole cover, then notice the chestnut brown wolf.
"Y-you guys… you guys are also…!" he exclaims shocked.
"Hey there," I say casually, "What's your name?" then look up to see a girl carrying a sack of groceries.
"Leara," The new wolf turns to her, his bracelets jangling as he moves.
Owner or friend, I tell myself. Only the girl seems frightened now.
"Don't be scared, I'm not going to do anything" the chestnut wolf says quickly, turning to this girl. "I just wanted to see you again I wanted to apologize about the bird."
Leara is too scared to consider his apology, and begins calling for her father.
Crap this does not look good. I shake my head.
"There it is, it's a wolf!" She yells out waiting for her father to help. "There's a wolf here!"
We run out of the alley the newcomer at our heels, Kiba, in the lead, followed by Hige and myself, and leaping into a rusted pipe.
"Great, this again." I mutter jumping in.
The pup doesn't follow. But I hear him
"Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm" he tells himself, like a mantra. Then a human voice emerges. "Leara, why?" he asks
"No, don't get closer," I hear Leara scream. "you're not normal. No one will ever trust you."
That last comment makes my blood boil, That pup is as trustworthy as you can find kid I ask angrily.
"Why?" The pup inquires innocently. "I'm happy with just you by my side."
I feel a twinge of jealousy, this pup offering his loyalty to someone who was afraid of him.
They banter further, but I don't hear it. Until Hige climbs over me, asking if the kid's coming or not.
"This way!" Hige calls to him. The pup climbs into the tunnels hurrying after us.
"I told you I hate smelly places," Hige whines when we return to the sewers.
"I will agree with you on this one Hige," I mutter.
"What's wrong chibi?" He asks the new kid.
The boy slumps, feeling the same dispassion for that name as I do.
"I'm not a kid, I'm Toboe." he announces.
"Oh, right, I'm Hige, this is Kiba," Hige introduces him and our Alpha
"Kali here, welcome to the pack, Toboe," I say patting his shoulder.
"What pack?" Hige snorts.
"Kiba, you, Toboe and me," I announce, "No one's protested it, but it's a fact the four of us are a pack, or route, or den whatever you prefer."
"Where are you guys headed?" Toboe, asks, scampering after us eagerly.
"What do you mean where? an exit of course." Hige retorts snidely.
"The exit?" Toboe repeats in a confused tone.
"We're leaving town." Hige clarifies.
"Leaving town, where are you going from there?" the kid asks.
answer one question from this kid, and a dozen more pop out. I repeat the old saying, shaking my head.
"To Paradise" Kiba answers, the first words he's spoken to Toboe at all.
"Paradise," he repeats wistfully "do you guys know of Tsume?"
I stop dead, this kid knew Tsume?
"Tsume, never heard of him." Hige remarks.
"I've heard of him, but never actually met him, he's rather elusive in my area of work, but I've met some of his men," I offer Toboe.
"The guy with the scar on his chest?" Kiba inquires, the edge of his voice tinted with anger.
"Yeah, that's him, that's Tsume!" Toboe perks up excitedly.
"What about him?" Kiba asks, uncaringly.
Toboe looks down "I was wondering if he could come along as well."
"I don't have a clue to who he is," Hige offers, "But where is he?"
"I don't know," Toboe confesses. "we split up in the town."
"That's not good," Hige protest, "we can't go back, are you his friend?"
Kiba seems to be completely ignoring the exchange between the two, finding something on the ground. I walk over, lean over his shoulder, to see spatters of red on the gray concrete.
"Is that… blood?" I ask hesitantly. He nods. "can you tell what it came from?"
Kiba nods again.
"It's fresh, maybe an hour, cat, or human would be my guess" I rattle off. "or another wolf."
The rugged man wolf frowns at the last suggestion, like he knows who the wolf is.
Hige ends the conversation, Kiba still looking up at where the ladder goes above.
"This way," Kiba announces following the traces of blood.
It takes a while but we come around to an abandoned apartment complex. I take the outside of the building, working from the top down. The rest of the pack takes the stairs.
Leaping off the sides of the building, catching handholds, racing on the windowsills, barely wide enough for my feet. That is a rush, the danger, and the risk of being caught, I love it. It's a drug for me, and I love the addiction. I see a leg move a few windows over, and I take my leaps, standing at the edge, waiting to hear one of the others before I go in.
"What Why did we have to come here anyway?" Hige says upon entering.
"Tsume," Toboe confirms cheerfully.
Here goes nothing, I breathe deeply before coming in through the window, this was Tsume, and I was going to show him my best.
"You," a gruff voice comes out. As I slip into the shadows, clinging to the cracked walls. Just looking for Tsume's shadow.
"It was this guy?" Hige asks, looking back to Toboe.
I land lightly behind this thief, careful not to let my breath make a sound, but step out of immediate striking range.
"I smelled your blood," Kiba says, not bothering with formalities.
"What?" Tsume asks, not getting the hint.
"You left a trail from where you started bleeding, all the way here." I speak up finally, causing him to whirl around aiming a punch towards me. I duck and sweep his legs out from under him, barely.
"What? Who are you?" he demands, pushing himself up, ready to attack.
"Kali," I reply easily, "You don't know me, but I've had a few dealings with your colleagues." I offer him a hand, he simply pushes it away. Glaring at Toboe.
"Did you come to try to nurse me or something?" he demands.
"Tsume, I… you know," Toboe stumble over his words, before blurting. "Let's go together, let's get out of this town together."
"Where do you plan to go, all bunched up like that?" Tsume asks unmoved, his rat tail of white hair flickering from the night breeze, I see a knife hilt emerging from his pocket, while his black leather outfit gives the message to back off. I ignore the warning and slip the knife out of the pocket quickly, and slide it up my sleeve.
"To Paradise," Kiba answers Tsume, his voice is completely confident, unwavering.
Tsume laughs at Kiba's reply. "Don't kid me. You really think I'll believe something like that and just tag along?"
Toboe gives the reply. "I'm not really sure, but if we stay here all we can do is hide for the rest of our lives." he glances down "It's impossible to live as equals with humans after all."
"The kid's got a point," I agree, from behind Tsume. "and humans are impossible live as equals with each other." I keep my expression as stony as possible, he wants to play 'tough' so can I.
"Anything's fine with me," Hige puts in looking nervous as he looks out the window. "But a nauseating scent is coming this way."
"We're surrounded," Tsume replies coldly, and I glance out, to see the cops hiding, ready to attack.
"Why did you guys come to this town?" Kiba asks,
I glare at him, trying to tell him that this was not the time.
"Wasn't it because of the flower's scent?" the rugged human demands. So much of Kiba getting the hint. "There's no reason for us to be here anymore."
Tsume turns back to the window. "I don't care about the flower's scent, this is my kind of town."
"You're right," Kiba agrees snidely. "It's a filthy town, after all." I was half tempted to slap Kiba for that comment right then.
Tsume turns back to Kiba, his gold eyes cold. "Our match hasn't ended." he says, coming closer to Kiba, challenging him.
"There's no time for that." Hige protests, starting to edge between them.
"Didn't you say that your pride wouldn't forgive you for being in human form?" Tsume taunted. I look over at Kiba surprised. "What happened to that worthless pride of yours?"
At the moment I didn't care about these guys butting heads, I don't care who started it, but I was willing to finish it. They needed an exit, and fast. I edge over to the window,
"It hasn't gone anywhere," Kiba retorts, "and it hasn't changed either."
"Do you know what leaving this town means?" Tsume inquires tensly.
"Yeah."
"You'll just end up dead."
"Correction, if you're not out off here in two minutes, we're all dead." I pipe up.
"Dying or being killed isn't anything unnatural," Kiba remarks, blandly. "Living aimlessly without a purpose, is,"
"Folks," I interrupt, "The cop's are gonna be heading east in two minutes, you guys head west, I'll meet you a few minutes after you get outside the city." I rattle off my plan.
"How do you know that?" Tsume demands,
"Cause they'll be chasing me east," I tell him, smirking at the others.
"That's too dangerous," Toboe protests.
"I know," I nod to him, "and I love it."
"Why do you want us to wait?" Kiba asks.
"Do you honestly think I've stuck with you this whole time just to get you out of a mess?" I return snidely. "Think again, cousin, I'm coming with you, even if I have to follow you ten miles in snow. I've been getting messages telling me to come, find, and follow for several months now. And it's gotten stronger since I've met up with you guys, so therefore I'm coming." the rant spills out without interruption, just as a high beam of light burst through the window, along with gunfire.
I leap out the window, catching the next ledge down, swinging up, heading east., trying to keep the cop's focus on me.
As expected they all started shooting, I feel the rush flowing through my blood again, as the bullets chase me, exploding the mortar beneath my feet, and I land on the roofs. Hardly enough time to catch my breath.
"C'mon, fellas," I taunt, "all that target practice and you can't hit one girl?"
I keep on the roofs with in their sight, trying to keep them interested.
"Tsume!" one of them shouts, I turn back.
They keep shooting, but over the gunfire I hear them shouting to get the others.
"So much for plan A," I mutter, trying to catch up to the pack. I'm on the buildings, they're already on the pipes, I put on an extra burst of speed to make up for lost time. Bullets rattle the pipes, shaking my balance. The pack's not in sight now, I'm the only target the cop's have and their aim is getting better. I move out of the pipes and to the older run down parts near the outside of the city. I see Tsume just ahead of me and I follow after him. Silently I come closer until I'm within his footsteps.
"Move," I yell at him. He seems surprised by how close I am. I take the opportunity and hurdle over him. We reach the end of the tunnel, and I see Kiba waiting with the others. The architecture is in shambles in this area, Tsume make good timing with spectacular jumps, while I'm bouncing off corners and running up the arches trying to catch up.
"Tsume!" Toboe shouts from the roof.
Tsume glares up at them. Kiba just turns to the walls. "This way." he orders.
I get to the top, following after them, seeing them jump from the ledge. Toboe stops at the edge.
"Hurry up." Hige yells up to him.
"I'm getting ready," Toboe shouts back.
"Jump," Tsume growls, before shoving him off. Tsume looks back at me, coming up behind. "you should stay here, human."
"My name is Kali," I snarl back, "and I'm not staying here." I smirk at him, I hear a gunshot behind us, I turn and see an old man holding a rifle, aiming for Tsume. "Tsume, jump already" I hiss, standing between the old man and Tsume.
"What are you doing, c'mon Tsume?" Hige calls up to him. Tsume remains solidly rooted.
"Are you scared?" Kiba asks calmly. For once, a calm, taunting challenge was what we needed.
"Don't kid me," Tsume remarks jumping off.
I breathe a sigh as he goes down. Then turn, leaping from the building, giving a warbled howl all the way down. I tumble slightly when the next roof greets my feet. I glance up at Kiba, smiling.
"That was insane, Kiba, let's never ever, ever do that again." I say laughing, and ready to run from this town.
They follow after me, then pass me, but Kiba glances at me with sun-gold eyes, regarding me. Tsume turns looking back at the city.
"What part of this is a 'journey'?" He asks no one, but I decide to answer anyway.
"Leaving one place, and going to another is the journey." he stares out at the city a moment longer, then turns following the rest.