Quent didn't know where he could possibly be going in this world anymore, but did know that the wolf was somewhere nearby; maybe even in this city. He was hellbent on going to find the demon no matter what. They killed his wife and son, laughing as they burnt everything down to to the ground.. A wolf was a demon who walked upon the Earth who needed to be dealt with. They only thing he had to remember his old life was the family dog Blue. He found her out in the wild when she was younger. Those were better days.

As the flames flickered and danced in the dark night, a wolf with a blue and yellow eye stood on top of what used to be a home. Quent stood watching, helpless to do a thing.

There was some commotion up ahead. Blue immediately turned her head in the direction, sensing the wolf who was nearby. The tracks they followed which led into the direction of the city had suddenly disappeared into a Human footprint; which further strengthened Quent's theory of them using a spell to hide in plain site. Quent peeked into the direction of the noise with his constantly moving vision from being drunk. After several seconds of squinting his eyes, Quent could not believe his eyes for what he saw.

There was a wolf. No wait, a Human? He blinked a few times and shook his head. "That must be a wolf playing a dirty trick on me," Quent thought. He then noticed a crying kid sitting on the ground. Quent had to stop this beast, before his past re-enacted itself again. Blue was waiting eagerly to charge in, eyes dead set on Kiba. Quent lined up the shot. His vision was blurred and mind clouded from all the alcohol; which didn't help the slightest. "Steady, breath out slowly."

He expertly pulled the trigger and the bullet goes flying through the air. Blue waited patiently until it was her turn. It hit; not its intended mark, but it was good enough. The bullet barely misses Kiba's heart. "Damn wolf, you kids stand back! I'll finish him off!"

Hige's primal instincts awoke as he quickly stood in front of the man who met had seen earlier and his friend Kiba. Hige would protect him no matter what. They needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Move outta the way, don't you see the wolf right behind you!" yelled Quent aiming for a second shot. Blue begun to inch closer.

"Damn, this is the worst possible situation," Kiba thought to himself. Kiba was still standing, now as a wolf, snarling with his fangs showing. The fur on his back was spiked up, eyes glued to the man. His vision was becoming darker with everything turning red. He would try to escape without harming the man or Blue, but if it came down to a fight there was no helping it.

Quent and Blue were destined to be intertwined with us again. Of coarse something like this happening was inevitable, he was so blind not to see it until now. Kiba stopped snarling and stood there, waiting for their next move and time to come up with a plan of action.

"Hige, we need to get out of here for now." said Kiba.

Hige understood that they needed to leave before things went south, but he just stood looking at Blue. "Was I really ever in love with a wolf dog?" he thought to himself. He blanked out and wasn't paying attention anymore.

Toboe about fainted from the sudden danger, no one could blame him. He didn't know Kiba was a wolf when they met, let alone seen one. Things took a quick turn which left him slightly traumatized. Toboe was helpless as he watched the events unfold.

Quent's finger was haired on the trigger, he started to shake uncontrollably as sweat ran down from his brow. He was slowly coming closer to pulling the trigger and releasing a shot. Could he sacrifice this kid's life to take his revenge? No, he couldn't do it just to kill the wolf, he would be no better than them if this was how he chose to do it. Quent kept his rifle pointed at Hige even though he had no intention of firing with him in the way. He ordered Blue to circle around the opposite side of Hige to attack Kiba. She didn't need to be told twice; Blue took the initiative of the attack.

Tsume was walking with his arms stretched behind his head in a lazy manner.

What was that kid thinking, running of on his own asking a complete stranger to be his friend. He must have really bad luck to bump into someone like me. I don't need friends, I already have everything in life. This city will be my home and grave, nothing can change that now. Someone like me doesn't deserve to have friends.

Tsume stops walking and sighs heavily. Why am I getting so worked up over nothing?

Fine, I'll go check on the runt and see if he's alright, then I'm gone.

Tsume is going back to where he left Toboe. Suddenly, he hears a gunshot in the distance.

Whats the kid gotten himself into now? There's no way the Noble's men would actually shoot a kid would they? Or could it be bandits?

Tsume arrived to the scene and methodically analyzes the situation. Tsume was studying the dog. "Is that a dog? No, it was much to large to be considered one. I've heard that they were hunted to extinction awhile back, yet here one stood." The wolf was grunting with crimson blood running down from its side. It was going to die any second it seemed. Also, there was the man with the rifle with a look of bloodlust in him. Tsume decided it be better to just leave and not get involved.

Tsume turned to leave but heard Toboe's cries for help. His heart cringed, and finally decided that this was the moment for it to do the right thing. He seen the blue dog going after the wolf; who was obviously not going to be able to defend itself. The wolf was about to fall down from blood loss, swaying back and forth shaking its head from time to time. Tsume's decided if he wanted get all the answers to what happened he had to save all the strangers for the time being.

Blue lunged at Kiba but was quickly thrown into a wall by Tsume. Blue was more surprised than hurt. While she was contemplating what had just happened, Tsume went running towards Hige. "Let's get out of here now," Tsume yells. Hige nodded and began running. Toboe didn't flinch or even bother to move. Tsume grabbed him and was now carrying him on his back. Several bullets went flying their way, one grazing Tsume's leg. Blue was strangely not chasing them, she was feeling something she hadn't experienced since she was a pup. Because of the bond she felt with her friends in the previous life, Blue was experiencing sadness she did not know the source to. Someone was calling out her name, it was a caring voice. Quent tried to get Blue to snap out of it, but her mind was somewhere else.

Soon they were out of sight, but didn't look back or stop. The man was still yelling angrily after them a short distance away.

A few minutes later Kiba fell behind. Hige convinced the others to stop and take a break.

Kiba was starting to slow down considerably. If he didn't stop moving and close the wound he was going to bleed out faster. The bullet had punctured one of his lungs, ripping through many tendons. Blood was filling his lung with blood; it became full effort and fight for every breath. Hige had a concerned look on his face. "Hey, can you walk now?" Tsume says while lifting him from his shoulder.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me."

Tsume gave him an angry look and said, "I didn't do it for you, I just acted on a whim, nothing more. Your lucky you survived that maniac with the gun. This wolf on the other hand looks as if it could die any second."

"This is not enough to kill me."

All but Hige were startled by Kiba's voice. "Oh sorry, your probably confused." Kiba changed back into his Human disguise.

"Hey, that's a pretty strange sight," Tsume said sarcastically.

"We need to get someplace safe for now to allow his wounds to heal," Hige said aloud. Hige new Kiba wouldn't survive even if they found somewhere safe, they need to use Cheza and her healing abilities. It was still better to think positive in a time like this.

Toboe's heart was racing a thousand beats a minute. After the first shot he was frozen with fear. His body felt like a stone, unable to make any movement. Before Toboe could blink the person he met earlier with the scar came to his aid. He saved Toboe even when his leg was injured from a stray shot. Toboe wanted to tell him sorry, and that he should've listened to him. Toboe still couldn't find the source of this feeling that has been swelling within him. Somehow it seemed he understood these people more than himself.

Kiba suddenly collapsed onto the ground, changing back into his wolf form.

"Hey, Kiba!" Hige went over to Kiba; thankfully he was still conscious but breathing was hurting his body now. "We need to get him out of the open now!" Hige ordered. If anyone seen him like this they were sure to get caught.

"No thanks I'm leaving now," Tsume says annoyed. Toboe grabs him from behind. "You can't go, not after what just happened. What if that man comes back again?" Tsume picks Toboe up by the collar of his shirt. "What do you think your doing anyway? Your just a kid and these guys don't seem like your friends."

Tsume slings Toboe away from him sending him flying towards Hige. He catches him before he falls to the ground. "Hey what do you think your doing? That's no way to treat a kid," Hige says while letting Toboe down. Tsume shoots him a nasty glare. "Stay out of my business, I've lost interest in this whole thing anyway."

Toboe needed to say something before he lost his new friend. "Wait, you don't have to go, we could be still be friends you know. You seem the kind of person who feels the need to push everyone away. You don't have to be alone anymore. All the pain you are probably feeling, I can sort of relate to. Can you at least stay long enough to help these people out? It's my fault this happened to them, I can't do anything right by myself."

That last line really hit Tsume. "Sheesh, I'll stay, I'll stay. As soon as your all safe I'm ditching you guys, got it?" Toboe's face lit up with excitement and he returned back to his normal self. "Got it, but feel free to change your mind.

Tsume actually wanted to go with them from the beginning. Even through his hard outside shell, and crude words, he was actually the most caring out of the group. He would do anything to have friends again, but was too frightened to go through with it. This time was different.

"Hey, how about you guys help pick up Kiba and move him somewhere fast. He is feeling sleepy you know." That was an understatement, Kiba should have already been dead; yet he was still alive. His will to survive and reach paradise with his friends kept him from passing over.

The newly formed friends carry Kiba back to Hige's hideout. Toboe tried to ask if Tsume's leg is ok, but the response he received was silence.

Tsume was up against a wall sharpening his knife. Toboe and Hige were able to stop to flow of blood together, but who knows what internal damage had already been done. Miraculously, the bullet passed all through his body despite the amount of muscle Kiba had on his begins to speak. "This is the plan, we have to sneak into the capital and find Cheza. She can heal Kiba's wound, and the one who will lead us to Paradise.

"Paradise? Ha, what blasphemy did you parents teach you?" Tsume snarked. "Hey hold on a minute you don't even know the stor-" Hige was cut off by Kiba. "Paradise is real, and I'm going to find it; together with you guys. You don't have to understand right now, but I believe Cheza will be able to make you remember, so for now being her back."

Everyone in the room was shocked, until finally Tsume said, "This supposed to be some kind of joke? There's no way I'm going into the capital for a dumb wolf. I've got what I wanted, I'll just stay right here." In his mind he was intrigued by the thought of Paradise, just not wanting to admit it. Tsume once heard about it on his travels.

"Doesn't matter to me, I'm still going. My friend needs me, so I'm going even if alone. I believed in Kiba, and now he's going to have to believe in me. I will not fail to save him." The short speech left a huge impact in the room. Kiba was surprised but understanding, Toboe was about to start crying again, and Tsume's look of frustration settled the slightest bit.. "Fine, go. See what I care," Tsume said as he stood up and moved to sit in the window seal. He stared out over the horizon, seeming to try and comprehend something.

"I'll go with you Hige," Toboe exclaimed. "Besides, I know a way we can get in undetected. There's this place I've seen once that has a way into the capital."

Toboe had went on a walk with Granny one day near the capital and his nose twitched. It was the smell of a flower. It was coming from an underground passage that had an off limits sign. There were guards, but he managed to sneak in after learning the hours their shifts changed. Upon closer inspection of the strange tunnel, he realized it ran directly into the keep of the Noble. Toboe was too afraid to venture any further, so he headed back home to Grandma.

"Who knew you could be so useful," Hige smirked. "Let's go save our friends. But first, I think everyone should get to know each other; you know for communication reasons. My names Hige, and this is Kiba." Toboe stands up presenting himself. "My names Toboe, it's nice to meet you guys!" Everyone is then starring at Tsume waiting for him to speak. They start to get impatient.

"Alright fine. My name is Tsume, are you happy now?" Hige lets out a small grin. Hige then heads off with Toboe to rescue Cheza. Somewhere a great distance away, an unknown dark force was beginning to make its move.