Author's Notes: Ok, this is a response to "Fang's Challenge" The pairing is Hige/Blue. Enjoy.
"Ice Blue Eyes"
Ch 1
She lost track. How long it had been. How far she had traveled. Where she was she was going. All questions that lacked answers. But she couldn't give up. She couldn't give in. In such a short period of time, her life had been flipped upside down. Nothing made sense anymore. She didn't know where she belonged anymore. She didn't know where to go. Where she belonged. Who she could trust.
Cheza.
Maybe that was what was calling her, the strange, sweet girl, with eyes like rubies, and a heart as warm as the sun. There was something special about her, she could feel it. She was neither wolf...or human....what was she?
Then there was Quent.
So many years they'd spent together. Helping each other. Living off each other. Quent's thrist to avenge the loss of his family was the solid driving force that led them on, day by day. It was all consuming, leaving nothing in the wake of its path to stop him from fulfilling that final goal.
Blue's painful realization had stung far worse than the injuries and the severe loss of blood. After all her years of loyalty and dedication to him, to help him get closer to completing his revenge, he abandoned her when she needed him most. She risked her life time and time again, hunting down wolves, his prey, not expressing any compassion for them. She hardened herself. What did she know? All she had known was her life as his hunting dog.
Dog. Wolf. She was neither, and yet she was both. It explained more than she knew. At least that part of it began to make sense. Why she could tell the difference, why she could see them for what they really were. For what she was herself, never seeing it herself. Until Cheza came....and opened that part of her she never knew to be buried within.
And now, she had a choice to make as she paused just outside the path into the dark forest infront of her. It gave her an omnimous feeling, yet...she knew...somewhere inside....the flower maiden....but so where the pack of wolves that had taken to protecting her. Blue wasn't stupid enough to think they would openly trust her, but she had no where else to turn. Everything she had worked so hard for was a lie, and yet...when Cheza had spoken to her...when the young maiden had smiled at her...she wanted nothing more than to be around her, to protect her. To make her happy.
She had to try. And so the black wolf dog stepped into the forest.
"I'm hungry." Hige whined, folding his arms behind his back as he stared up at the dark canopy overhead. "How much further?"
"You ask as if we should know." Kiba said. His shoulder still bled from the fresh gunshot, but he would live. At least Cheza hadn't been hurt.
"Kiba....your shoulder....you protected this one." Cheza said softly as Kiba smiled at her but didn't say anything more.
"Keh. Just great. We get stuck following another brilliant idea of Kiba's and it nearly gets us all killed." Tsume growled irratedly.
"Ah lighten up Tsume. Things could be worse." Hige replied.
"How could they be worse? I'm stuck traveling with you morons aren't I?" Tsume snapped.
"Tsume....don't be like that...." Toboe said softly as Tsume snorted and turned his head.
Cheza suddenly stopped, turning her head in the direction they had just came from, her ruby eyes watching the trees beyond. Kiba stopped in concern, staring at the flower maiden, waiting to see what was the matter.
"Cheza?" Kiba asked. The others stopped as well, looking over their shoulders at whatever it was that Cheza was so entranced with. Tsume and Hige suddenly growled, tensing up as Toboe took a step backwards.
"Our friend is in need of our help. This one worries."
"I smell blood...and a lot of it. Why are we waiting. We should get out of here!" Tsume growled.
"Tsume's right. Come on Cheza" Kiba said, trying to get the girl to follow. But she refused to move, instead taking a step forward as her eyes saddened.
"This one feels pain. This one wants to help." Cheza said, taking another step forward. Kiba shook his head as he gently seized her arm.
"Cheza, no-"
"Tsume and I will go." Hige suggested. "Besides, if it is you know who, that blood might be hers. Meaning, she won't be much of a threat. Couldn't hurt right?" He asked as he turned to look at the white haired older man.
"I saw we leave her and keep going. She chose her own path." Tsume stated.
"Fine, I'll go." Hige said irratedly before disappearing into the forest. Toboe paused before running after him.
"Keh..." Tsume glanced back at Kiba in silence.
"Gotta be close-Hey look!" Hige called, jogging over to the black canine. She was covered in blood and bruises, but she was still alive, and breathing. As they drew closer, she rose to her feet shakedly, growling weakly. Hige and Toboe stopped and looked at each other. She was too weak to attack, but she would defend herself obviously.
Blue growled threateningly, her tail in the air as she bared her fangs at the two wolves infront of her. They appeared as human boys, but she knew what they were. The Golden one with the collar, and the young pup. A part of her was greatful it wasnt the other two. They might have attacked and tried to kill her on sight. But she wouldn't drop her guard for these two. Her growls deeped as the sandy brown haired one with the yellow sweatshirt took a step closer, his hands help up infront of him.
"Easy.....easy....look......what do you say to a temporary truce? When you're all fixed up, then we can go back to being mortal enemies. What do you say?" Hige asked. Blue stared at him before her strength finally gave out and she collapsed unto the ground. She panted tiredly, whined in pain, and growled in threat as he looked at his companion before sighing and knowing it might come back later to bite him in the ass, stepped up closer to her.
"Look, I promise we won't hurt you if you don't hurt us ok?" Hige said, holding his hand out to her. He knew it was risky but hey, she couldn't be all that bad could she? Toboe looked uncertainly at the older boy.
"You sure about this Hige? What if she attacks us? What if Tsume tries to attack her?" He asked.
"Relax pup, the old geiser's got some honor in him. He won't attack a foe when she's down. Shame no one ever told him you're not supposed to fight a pretty girl either." Hige retorted.
"Shut.....up..." Hige and Toboe looked down in surprise at the black female.
"Ah so you can talk. Well its a start. So you have a name or is it what that hunter calls you?" Hige asked.
"Blue."
"Well Blue, try to play nice and we'll try to get you all fixed up." Hige said calmly. She growled at him even as she started to drift into unconsciousness.
