Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain. The time-line and plot DO NOT go according to the anime.

A/N: Omg… I'm so sorry for not updating for so long. A nod of pure gratitude and acknowledgement for my first three reviewers; you guys are the best! Thanks so much. So without further rambling, here it is.

Chapter 2 – The Hidden

-Coy-

You were still asleep, basked in the soft morning sun that crept into the cave through small cracks at the top. I stood up unsteadily, shaking off the horror I experienced throughout the night, blinking away the images that still tickled the edge of my mind. Air, I thought, fresh air. That would definitely clear my head before your keen eyes notice anything more than you should.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that you knew a lot more than you let on, that you could tell how I was feeling inside – cracked and broken – even though I tried so hard to mask it up. I stepped outside, into the fresh morning air and breathed in. I felt the cold breeze tickle my hair as I relaxed under the bright sun. It was still winter; the snow on the ground still haven't melted. It was rare to have such a warm morning, but I knew our journey to wherever we're going today would be a long one.

Should I go? I asked myself silently. I watched as you stirred in your sleep slowly, eyebrows creasing as your hand touched the wound on your stomach. You were in wolf form, curled up with your paws under your head. Your claws were sharp, as if you hunted and killed on a daily basis. Perhaps you do, I thought, that's why your name's Claw, isn't it?

Since the journey would be long, I trudged through the snow and came to the place that had become my hideout for so many years. My human clothes and old stock of dried fruits/berries were gathered in a pile against the moist walls of the cave. Ducking inside the low and cozy cave, I quickly selecting a few comfortable clothing and grabbing a set of combat attire, I wrapped up the parcel and departed, silently thanking it for providing shelter when I had nowhere else to go, but still, I was not willing to give the place another glance.

Grabbing a set of blue attire, I went behind a tree and changed quickly, wincing as my bare feet stepped on the pebbles scattered across the ground. Throwing away the battered white dress, I walked towards the only source of water I found since the day everything burnt out.

I sat near the river, my feet triggering small waves among the fishes, making several leap out of the water and splash back down with a tiny flop. I gazed upwards, squinting as the sun glared in disapproval. It was a beautiful morning; you sure were missing out a lot of unique scenery. The clouds were moving slowly, idly, taking their time to cross the sky. Not for the first time, I wished I were as free as those birds dancing among the thick clouds, worrying about nothing but the rain that would soak their feathers and cause them to plummet to their death. But that was a quick death, not like that agonizing death my parents went through because of my vicious clan. I shuddered, pushing the image away from my mind. It was a long time since I ever felt this light-hearted. Was it because of you? I was still cautious about your every move, not trusting you completely, but there was something about you that made me less afraid, that made me feel safe. That aura of protectiveness and confidence surrounded you even when you were beaten and bleeding to your death. That smile that showed the two sharp fangs in your mouth – genuine and gentle, full of care and sorrow. Sorrow. That was something we shared in common.

My mind wandered freely as the serene environment calmed me, soothing my tensed body, brining the slightest smile onto my lips. That was my first mistake – I let my guard down… against myself. And my second mistake was not realizing it before it was too late.

The blow came to me as hard as usual; the pain didn't subside even when I whimpered with pain. It always started at my left eye and then it slowly trailed down towards the rest of my left-side body. The blinding pain in my head was unbearable. A tiny part of my mind controlled my voice, preventing me from screaming out, disturbing you from your already-restless sleep. I morphed into my wolf form and quickly curled into a ball, fangs digging deeply into my jaw, stopping a howl of pain just in time.

The images came slowly, and gradually increased in speed. I tried to block them out, but the pain was too much. I feel to the ground and felt a distant throb as my elbow connected with the edges of a rock. I was almost grateful when the darkness smashed down on me and I let out a high-pitched howl before everything went black.

~BMaDM~

-3rd person-

He heard the howl first, and then he felt the absence of warmth next to him. He blinked his eyes open and sat up quickly. Coy. A feeling of dread spread in his chest as he scrambled towards the opening of the cave, catching sight of the limp form of a black wolf. Coy, he silently ran the word in his mind once again. He changed into his human form and carried her back into the cave.

Relief flooded through him as the familiar feeling of a pulse beat under his hands. She whimpered slightly as he moved her into a more comfortable position.

Whatever happened in her past? He thought somberly, she flinches whenever I touch her. Wiping away the blood on her elbow with nimble fingers, he dressed the wounds with wet leaves – the best medicine there was around the deserted place.

She was wearing a light blue long sleeved shirt under a dark blue short dress, tied with a black belt in the middle. Her legs were covered with leggings with the same tint of light blue as her shirt. Tsume brushed away her tied up white hair, feeling her forehead burn with fever. What happened when I was asleep? He thought, curious as to how she got so sick in just a few hours time.

It was then that he saw the bruises under her light-colored shirt. There was a long scar running down from her shoulder to the middle of her back, jagged and ugly, a sharp contrast with her otherwise pale skin. Tsume shuddered involuntarily, his curiosity suddenly burning away, unwilling to learn the truth of her past. Whatever it was, it wasn't bright and beautiful.

"T-tsume?" Her voice was hoarse and quiet, if it wasn't for his wolf hearing, he wouldn't have looked down and saw her pain-filled eyes.

Tsume kneeled down beside the girl, "Coy, are you feeling better?"

She smiled weakly and nodded, "We can go in a second," she said as she struggled to sit up, only to pale and wince in pain.

"What hurts?" Tsume asked, concern lacing his words.

Coy shook her head, indicating that nothing was wrong. But something was wrong. Her elbow cut was very shallow; it couldn't have caused this much pain. Tsume shook his head, deciding to let Coy speak when she wanted to, giving her some space.

Coy closed her eyes with relief and let yet another wave of blackness drag her away.

~BMaDM~

The hooded black cloak trailed behind her as the wind bellowed, making their journey harder than it already was. Tsume hunched his shoulder to block out the wind, trudging up towards the top of the hill where they can discard their human façade and morph into what they really were. There were too many vacation huts scattered around the place, so changing into wolf form wasn't a good idea.

Tsume stopped abruptly, sensing unwanted attention behind them. Coy turned her head slightly, hands up to push away the hood of her cloak. There was no one in sight, but she couldn't push away the prickling feeling that someone had been following them, watching their every move. Coy looked at Tsume and their gazes met briefly. She nodded, understanding the silent warning in Tsume's eyes.

Tsume smiled a bitter smile. Hidden past. Hidden destiny. And now, hidden person. So many mysteries jumbled together even before the journey has started.

They moved on, pretending to ignore the presence lurking behind the shadows. Coy hastened her pace and soon was walking side by side with Tsume. As the tip of the hill came into view, Tsume pressed closer to her side, causing her to flinch in surprise. Tsume tapped her lightly on the elbow, hidden inside her cloak. She looked up and watched as Tsume mouthed the words. She nodded and pulled her cloak closer towards her body, praying that this journey would end sooner.

The forest came into view when they stood at the very top of the hill. Running towards the trees, they gradually morphed into their wolf form, Tsume's words still ringing in her ears.

"Don't let your guard down."

A/N: *wince* I know, I know. I'm sorry that was such a bad chapter. But life's been treating me badly these days. I'm sorry.