This chapter can be a little confusing time-line wise since I didn't follow the episode on this one. What I've done here is I've actually taken what's at the beginning of episode 9 and moved it to the end. It'll make sense what I mean when you read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain. If I did, it would not be as amazing as it is. However, I own Feray and everything about her you will see in this story.


Chapter 4: Give A Little

They stuck in town for a bit, everyone running off on their own for a bit. Feray and Cheza, however, stayed together. After much protesting from Kiba, Feray managed to convince him that they could use some 'girl time'. Once Cheza agreed with Feray, Kiba couldn't say no to the two of them going their separate way. The only thing that really kept him from worrying terribly was the fact that Feray was a capable fighter – there was no doubt about that. As they wandered the streets, Cheza seemed to be rather carefree, completely opposite of Feray who was on guard. She was keeping her eye out for soldiers or that scientist from before. She had assumed the duty of protecting Cheza, and she wouldn't lose Kiba's trust by having the flower maiden captured.

"Are you alright?" Cheza questioned, her smile fading slightly.

"I'm fine. I'm just… on edge here. Do you mind if we go somewhere more secluded?" Feray questioned. Cheza nodded. Feray gently took the other girl's hand before heading off through the streets at a sprint. "Hold on," she said as she took a sharp turn right into an alleyway. Her grip tightened as she pushed off the ground and landed on a small surface before jumping again as she climbed her way to the roof top. Once near the top, she pulled Cheza up, allowing her to get on the roof first. Feray pulled herself up, swinging her leg over the ledge and relaxing. They made their way to the edge that overlooked town and sat, Feray with her legs dangling off the edge.

"You like roofs," Cheza commented.

"I feel much safer up here. I know a few things about rooftop running," Feray chuckled lightly and grinned even though Cheza couldn't see it.

"From Kebero?" she questioned. Feray nodded to the blind girl.

"Yeah. Like I said before, I learned a lot from her," Feray sighed.

"Why is she not traveling with you? It sounds like you two were good friends," Cheza replied.

"Kebero… is dead," Feray looked down. It was weird, talking about Kebero after not seeing her after what seemed like forever.

"Oh… This one is sorry," Cheza murmured. Feray wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt like she could tell Cheza just about anything. Before she knew it, she was spilling her heart to the flower maiden.

"Feray!" a dark brown wolf called out, trying to see the black wolf in front of her. "What makes you think this is the right way!" she yelled. Feray slowed to a stop, the wind blowing the snow all around them and howling as it did so.

"I just have this feeling!" Feray shouted back. Kebero quickly caught up to her friend who was only a few paces in front.

"So you're headed this way based on a gut instinct?" she questioned. Feray nodded. "I sure hope you know what you're doing." Feray grinned at her friend, continuing on. The two wolves' tracks were quickly covered as the snow storm raged on. It was a vicious journey, but to the two she-wolves, it was nothing. Kebero looked up at the gray sky. It was difficult to tell the difference between day and night anymore. The moon hadn't been out for a bit. "I think we should find some sort of shelter soon otherwise we'll use up all our energy trying to make it through the storm." Feray nodded.

The two were running through a grassy field. The sun was high in the sky and white, fluffy clouds dotted the blue canvas. Kebero slowed to a stop and Feray followed suit.

"What's up?" Feray asked, stepping alongside her friend.

"More wolves," Kebero muttered. Feray followed her friend's gaze, her green eyes locking on to five figures not too far away. Her eyes narrowed as she took on a defensive stance. As they drew closer, Kebero eyed them suspiciously. The leader of the pack sauntered up to them. The others began surrounding them, something that didn't go unnoticed by either female.

"My, my, what have we got here?" he chuckled, a haughty grin plastered on his face. "What might a couple of girls be doing, traveling around outside of the city?" Feray growled at him.

"What's it to you?" she spat. Another chuckle came from the leader as the other wolves closed in.

"Why, I'm just curious is all," he smirked.

"Like hell you are," Kebero snarled.

"Really. We're just looking for some fun, you know?" the leader stood tall, taller than either of the girls.

"Look for it somewhere else," Feray commanded.

"I'd say we found it right here." And suddenly, the wolves lunged. Kebero side stepped, allowing the male wolf to smack into the ground muzzle first. She turned and bit down on the downed wolf's hind paw, causing him to yelp in pain and surprise. Feray, on the other hand, had one wolf biting into her, his fangs digging into her flank. With a snarl, she pulled herself free from him and proceeded to latch onto his tail. He kicked her away with his hind legs. Kebero growled at the leader before leaping towards him. She managed to rake his side with her claws before one of the other wolves caught her alongside the head. As she moved to take another lunge at it, a sickening crunch paused the fight for a moment as everyone looked over to where Feray was. She was hunched over one of the male wolves, her jaws locked securely onto his neck. He lay motionless as she dropped him from her grip, his blood marring her usually-white canines.

"What the hell?" the leader roared, suddenly getting angry. "We were just looking for some fun and you go and kill one of our pack members?" His fur stood on end. Feray stared at him with cold, calculating eyes, as though killing one of her own kind were normal. Perhaps for her, it was. But Kebero stood, utterly surprised. As he charged for her, Feray moved out of the way.

"Go for the neck! There's no going back from here!" Feray yelled, headbutting a wolf that dared try and get near to her own neck. Suddenly pulled back to reality, Kebero pushed off with her left front paw, propelling her to the right as one of the wolves came towards her, teeth bared. She winced as she felt the sting from the wounds left before. It didn't take more than a few minutes before a second crunch was heard. Kebero winced, knowing what the sound entailed.

As Feray bit down, she winced and released as the leader dug his claws into her hide again. Before she had a chance to recover, he slammed into her, pushing her off balance. She staggered slightly, allowing him enough time to leave four red gashes along her left shoulder. She howled in pain, snapping in his general direction. Her attack missed, and he sunk his fangs into her hind leg. She lost balance and fell onto her side. Had he not been attacked by Kebero, he would have crushed her windpipe just as she had done to his comrade. Alas, Kebero came at him, shoving him aside.

"Stay back," he growled to the two other wolves he had. He wouldn't lose another friend. The other wolves obeyed as Kebero stood between the alpha and her friend. "Move. I'm only returning the favor," he growled.

"Heh, get over here and make me," Kebero taunted. He snapped at her, barely missing the side of her face. She reared up, swiping her claws at him. He knocked her back, but Kebero was quick to roll and get back up on her paws before he could harm her. The fight between them seemed more like a dance where one wrong move could mean game over for one of them. It wasn't until the alpha male finally brought his claws down over Kebero's left eye that he gained an upper hand. She closed them and staggered backwards as she shook her head to try and keep the blood from going into her wounded eye. It was at this time when he surged forward, knocking the wounded wolf onto her side. He towered over her before biting down on her exposed belly. She snarled and growled as he proceeded to pull at the flesh, ripping a good chunk of her side away. She whined, willing the pain to go away. She lay there motionlessly as blood seeped onto the grass. He left the torn flesh attached. It didn't matter anymore whether he tore it off or not. The alpha, satisfied with his work, turned back to Feray who was still on the ground not too far away. He began to stride over to her.

His golden eyes went wide as he felt fangs close down on his throat before it was promptly torn away from his body. In his last few seconds of life, he looked down to see that Kebero had been the one who beat him. Adrenaline coursed through her body. Had it not been for that, she never would've been able to move. He collapsed as did she, releasing the ripped body part from her fangs. Weakly, she turned her head to look at the other two wolves that stood, stunned.

"Get out of here," she growled, though her tone was hardly commanding. They bared their fangs.

"No way. You're in no shape to fight, we can easily take you guys," one of the hissed back, taking on an offensive stance.

"She might not be. But I'm still raring to go," Feray snarled, somehow up on her paws. Kebero noticed that she favored her hind paw, but that was to be expected as she watched blood drip down from a wound. As she looked at Feray's eyes, she could find little more than blood lust and hatred. Their usually green color had been darkened by battle. She growled and bared her fangs, snapping them as a threat. The other two wolves, stepped back, now frightened. "Go on. Move or I'll kill you both as well," she threatened. It didn't take much more for them to turn tail and run.

Kebero released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Feray limped over to her friend, her darkened eyes resuming their usual vibrant green. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kebero beat her to the punch.

"Don't say it," she said, a light tone in her voice.

"Kebero…" Feray breathed, her eyes traveling to the wound that was still oozing blood.

"Go to Paradise," she commanded. Feray's eyes widened.

"What?" she questioned. "No way! Not without you!" Kebero chuckled but soon regretted it as her wound pained her.

"C'mon. Don't pull that typical hero act. I distinctly remember you saying that you'd still find Paradise even if I weren't there with you," Kebero managed a weak smile.

"I was joking, you idiot," Feray growled.

"Joking or not, you still said it. Besides, as long as you remember me, then I'll still stick around. Promise," she said. "Now get moving or you're going to end up dead too, okay?" Feray didn't budge. "I'll get up and make you move if I have to."

"You couldn't."

"You're right. But it doesn't matter. Staying here won't benefit you in the slightest," Kebero closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed.

"Kebero?" Feray asked, staring hard at her friend. "Kebero? This isn't funny!" she huffed. Her vision was blurring. Kebero lay motionless. Feray's eyes watered, but she refused to cry. Kebero wouldn't want it. "Kebero, how could you? How could you die on me?" she growled. She sat down next to her friend and lifted her head to the sky. She breathed in deeply before letting out a mournful howl to the heavens.

As Feray finished recounting her tale, the two girls sat in silence. Surprisingly enough, Feray's eyes had not watered up as she recalled her friend's death. Kebero was right. As long as she remembered her, then she would live on, just not physically. The black wolf lied down on her paws. Cheza began stroking the fur on her head absentmindedly. Had Feray been a cat, she would have been purring.

"You miss her, don't you?" Cheza asked quietly.

"I think the answer is obvious here," she murmured, closing her eyes.

"About as obvious as another answer this one knows," Cheza breathed. Feray cracked an eye open.

"What do you mean?"

"Even though this one cannot see with this one's eyes… this one can still see things other cannot," she explained.

"You're not making much sense, Cheza."

"Do you like Toboe?" she asked abruptly. Feray lifted her head and stared at the flower maiden.

"What brought this on?" she asked.

"This one is curious. Do you like Toboe?" she repeated.

"Uh… yeah. He's a sweet pup," she replied, confused.

"And how about Hige?"

"Yeah. He makes for some good comic relief every now and then," Feray answered.

"Tsume?"

"He's a pig-headed bastard, but I can put up with him."

"And Kiba?" Feray shrugged.

"He's a good leader," she commented.

"Is that all?" Cheza questioned. Feray cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What are you implying?"

"This one sees things that others don't," she simply repeated before petting Feray's fur once more.

"Cheza, may I make a selfish request?" Feray asked slowly. The blind girl turned her head to the wolf. "Will… will you sing for me again? Whenever I dream of Kebero, it's usually her death. That was the first time I dreamt of her without her death." Cheza smiled lightly and nodded. It didn't take long before Feray was lulled into a peaceful sleep. Cheza fondly caressed her fur as she did so, watching as the sun began to set over the hills in the distance. Kiba was the first to find and join the girls. He sat down on the opposite side of Cheza.

"Is she okay?" he asked, taking notice that she hadn't stirred even though his entrance hadn't been the quietest.

"She's sleeping. Feray asked this one to sing to her again so this one did," Cheza explained. Kiba frowned.

"Well that was stupid! What if someone had found you girls up here and captured you two? She wouldn't have been able to protect you!" he growled. Cheza held a hand up to silence him.

"This one thinks that her reason for requesting to sleep was a good one."

"But Cheza, you were in danger," Kiba argued. Cheza shook her head.

"This one trusts Feray. You should too, Kiba," she said. He looked past her to glance at the sleeping wolf. Cheza looked at him with her blind eyes before giggling lightly. He looked back at her, confused.

"What?" he asked.

"This one has high hopes for you and Feray," she smiled. He was still confused, but Cheza merely proceeded to stroke his white fur, and he quickly forgot about it. There was a short silence before Cheza spoke up once more. "Kiba… Have you ever lost someone?" she asked.

"Yes," came the curt response.

"Someone dear to you?"

"Yes."

"I think you and Feray would understand each other fairly well, in that case."

Kiba sat up, back completely straight as he stared hard as Cheza, though not nearly glaring at her.

"What is it with this 'me and Feray' stuff all of a sudden?" he questioned. Cheza shrugged.

"You two are surprisingly similar. I don't understand why you two fight as often as you do. Perhaps if you spoke to one another about things, you two would fight far less often," she flower maiden explained. Kiba scoffed and shook his head as though doing so would get his point across.

"Where I come from and where she comes from doesn't matter. We're headed to Paradise where a future lies – a future for us wolves," Kiba explained calmly.

"She lost her best friend," Cheza persisted.

"Cheza, I honestly don't want to hear about it. It's none of my business just how my own business is for me and me alone. Please, Cheza, don't press the issue any further," he sighed, not wanting to argue.

"Then understand that you need to know Feray, and Feray needs to know you. This one knows that that is the way to Paradise."

"What do you mean?"

"This one isn't entirely sure. The thing leading you to Paradise is instinct. The thing that leads this one to think that you and Feray must understand one another is also instinct." Cheza stood up, watching as the sun dropped lower with each minute. Though she couldn't see it, she could feel the light slowly fading.

The black wolf to her right stirred. Cheza looked down at her. Feray's green eyes cracked open as she stretched. She shook her head and looked at the flower maiden with tired eyes.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked kindly. Feray parted her lips to speak but soon closed her mouth as she took notice of Kiba. She furrowed her eyebrows before turning and walking off wordlessly.

"She asked you a question, you know," Kiba huffed, opening one golden eye to look at her retreating back. Feray stopped abruptly but didn't look at him.

"I need to be alone for a moment," she said stoically. As she neared the edge of the building, Hige, Tsume, and Toboe leapt up, landing right next to her.

"Hey, Feray, where you going?" Toboe asked.

"I need some time to myself," Feray said. "We head out at dawn, right, Kiba?"

"We leave tonight," he corrected. Feray nodded before leaping down and heading off.

"What was that all about?" Hige inquired, biting into an apple he had swiped.

"She's a girl. They do weird things," Tsume huffed, shrugging and walking towards the alpha male.

Feray slipped through the narrow alleyways, running her fingers along the worn faces of the buildings. She tugged the collar of her traveler's cloak upwards to cover her trembling lips.

"Why?" she murmured, letting her arms fall to her sides. Feray closed her eyes, running the memories of the dream over and over again. Her breath caught in her throat moments before she blindly surged forward, only really focusing on not running into the buildings. The streets were empty, and Feray's disguise slipped a couple times before she finally dropped it entirely, no longer caring about being seen. Her necklace bounced against her fur as she ran; her paws hit the ground hard with each step. She slowed to a stop as she stepped into the main street. With her illusion back in place, she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her pants. Nervously, she bit the side of her cheek.

"Hey! You!" a voice called out. Feray looked over her shoulder, her eyes glassed over from the lack of reality. She blinked. "You were with those boys who are with the target! You're coming with us!" Two guards aimed their guns at her and approached the lone girl. Not quite registering what was going on, she turned and continued walking. It wasn't until a bullet sunk itself into her calf that Feray was fully pulled back into reality. Her brown eyes narrowed as she bared her teeth. A second bullet dig into her right shoulder, and she turned to lunge at one of the guards. She took him down with ease. The other guard quickly radioed in for backup, and Feray knew that shit was going to go down if she didn't move quickly. As Feray turned on the second guard, he proved to be more of a challenge as he aimed his gun and fired at her without hesitation.

It grazed her shoulder again, just beside the other wound that had been caused by the bullet before it. She snapped at him. He shuffled backwards as quickly as possible. As she charged for him again, he blindly swung his gun, catching her along the side of the head and tossing her aside. Feray snarled, tasting blood. She turned to run, but the bullet wound in her shoulder made it difficult. It was harder to get used to not using a front paw than a hind paw for her. Of course, she also had a bullet in her calf as well, making it three times harder for her to move. Despite her struggles, she managed to make it several meters away, but not before a group of gunmen was upon her, surrounding her with their guns. She still stood her ground – a lone female standing in the center of a circle of armed men.

"Now," she heard one of the men say into their radio. Immediately, she tensed, waiting for one of them to fire. She would lunge at them, take them out, and then run. However, a gunshot never rang out. Instead, there was a faint whistling in the air.

Feray lurched forward, her human hand moving up to her neck where a small dark was implanted; the red feathers a stark contrast against her black hair. She turned to find the culprit, but staggered instead. She didn't go down. Fueled by adrenaline, Feray dropped her illusion, leaving the black she-wolf snarling at anyone who dared get near her. There was a collective gasp from several of the men and the whole group took a step back. Three more whistling sounds pierced the air, the darts all landing along her lithe body. She clenched her teeth. It was taking everything she had to stay on her feet. She dared step forward, only to collapse onto her side. Whether it was her limbs feeling like lead or she simply misjudged her steps, Feray wasn't quite sure. Maybe it was a combination thereof. A thick cloud descended over her mind, and the world began to spin. Moments before she slipped into unconsciousness, she felt gloved hands collectively lift up her now-limp body.

She woke up with a start. Her eyes snapped open, and she shifted her legs in an attempt to stand. However, as she stood, the first thing she noticed were the leather straps wrapped around each of her four legs. Each strap was connected to a chain which was secured to the floor around her. She tested her boundaries, finding that altogether, she could move about three feet in each direction. As her nose flared slightly, Feray realized that not only had they restrained her movement, but had also gone and placed a muzzle on her. A muzzle. How demeaning. She snorted, shaking her head in hopes of throwing the thing off of her. However, to her dismay, the contraption didn't budge. She glared. The room around her was slate gray in color. Opposite of her was a single chair with a table. Her shoulder and leg was still sore, and she began to wonder just how long she had been out. A door opened, and she immediately went on guard. The blonde scientist stepped in, a clipboard in hand.

"I see that you're awake. That's good," she stated, taking a seat. Feray didn't respond. Instead, she simply kept her gaze trained on the woman in the white lab coat. The scientist wrote something down on the clipboard. "Can you understand what I'm saying?" Again, Feray remained silent. She wouldn't jump through the hoops the scientist held up for her. "You're a wolf, aren't you? Wolves are supposed to be extinct. It's common knowledge for people. They've been extinct for 200 years," she explained. "But you guys aren't really extinct. You simply hide among humans. I see how it is, now." Silence. "I had them remove the bullets from you. You should be thankful to me," the scientist said. Feray growled. She didn't want help from humans. "Tell me what you want with Cheza. Why do you wolves protect her?" Their gazes locked. "Speak!" she commanded.

"Don't treat me like a lowly dog!" she spat back, attempting to snap at her. However, the muzzle kept her jaws tightly closed. The scientist jumped slightly as Feray actually replied to her. "You've already got this forsaken muzzle on me. Don't taunt me further."

"So you really can talk. Now tell me why you wolves want Cheza," she demanded. Feray went back to her silent answers. "I know you can talk. So tell me."

"Take off this muzzle and maybe you'll get an answer," Feray responded. The scientist seemed to think it over for a moment.

"How do I know that you're not lying to me?" she asked suspiciously.

"Heh. You humans are all the same. You all lie to each other so much that you never trust one another. You've lost all sense of reliability in one another. How pathetic. Well let me inform you that, unlike you humans, I am a creature of my word. Even though I may hate your guts, if I say that I will do something, then you can bet that I will indeed back my word up," Feray explained, her gaze never once leaving the scientist's.

Slowly, the scientist stood from her chair. She took cautious steps closer to the female beast, slowing down even more as she drew closer. Three feet out of Feray's range of movement, she stopped entirely.

"Promise that you won't lash out at me," she said, standing tall. Feray glared at her. She ground her teeth together before managing a curt,

"I promise." As the scientist came up to her, Feray tensed up as the human's hands reached behind her head and carefully undid the clasp holding the muzzle on. Immediately, Feray shook her head, throwing the contraption off. The scientist jumped back, alarmed.

"You said you wouldn't strike!"

"I didn't strike. I never once bared my fangs at you for that. I simply shortened your job of removing that damn device," Feray corrected with a quiet growl. She forced herself to sit down on her rear and heed the word she had given to the human, despite how much she was regretting it. The scientist scrambled back to her seat where she felt safer.

"Okay. I held up my end of the deal. Now answer me, wolf," the scientist demanded.

"I have a name you know, human," Feray huffed.

"And that is…?" the scientist questioned. Feray waited a moment.

"Feray."

"Cher," came the response. "It's only fair for you to know my name if I know yours," she reasoned. Feray gave the slightest of shrugs, wincing as her wound pained her. The scientist, Cher, noticed this. "We can bandage that up if you want," she commented. Feray shook her head.

"As if. The day I accept help from humans is the day I die," Feray snarled. She stood back up, mighty and proud of her status.

"What do you wolves want with Cheza?" Cher asked, picking up her pen.

"She is the flower maiden. She is drawn to us; we are drawn to her," the wolf replied.

"And where do you wish to go to?"

"I cannot say," Feray lied. "I follow my instincts, just as the others do."

"But Cheza plays a role in it all, doesn't she. I've read the Book of the Moon," Cher insisted. "You and your mate are searching for Paradise, aren't you?" It was more of a statement than a question. Feray's eyes narrowed into a threatening glare.

"I haven't got a mate, so back off," she growled, taking on an offensive position, despite her confinements.

"Wait… the white wolf you travel with… isn't your mate? Is it one of the others?"

"I just said I don't have a mate. Drop the subject. Now," she warned, baring her fangs. A growl rumbled from the back of her throat, causing Cher to scoot back only slightly despite the restraints around the beast. "We have a purpose for Cheza beyond wishing to poke and jab her with things. We will find a better place. Cheza will help us," Feray said.

"I see…" Cher murmured, jotting down the things the wolf said.

"It's your turn to tell me something, Cher. How long was I out?" Feray questioned. The blond woman thought for a moment, making small calculations in her head.

"About nine hours. No one's seen anyone else from your pack. Any idea where they're hiding?" Feray scoffed before chuckling.

"Like I'd ever tell the likes of you. They're probably long gone by now, and your chances of finding them are way below zero."

"Would they really leave one of their own behind in the hands of humans?" Cher looked taken aback.

"Heh. I'm just a stray they picked up in some god forsaken town. A wolf protects its own. It's not natural for them to take care of another," Feray appeared apathetic despite the words she spoke. "So tell me. What're you planning to do now that you've caught a big bad wolf?" Feray taunted.

Cher never had a chance to respond to that question. A guard burst through the door.

"We have a problem! It's those boys that were with the target! They've taken down our first line of defense and are quickly moving in! We need to move right away!" the guard explained. Cher nodded, standing up from her seat. The guard promptly left.

"So, you're just a stray they picked up, huh? Sounds like they consider you one of them," she said, drawing nearer to the wolf again. Feray snapped at her as she reached out. "I'm just trying to undo your restraints for you. They're coming for you, I know it. And we'd save ourselves by letting you go with them," she explained. Feray shook her head, still growling.

"I told you before. The day I accept help from humans is the day I die."

"But you wolves won't be able to take these restraints off on your own." Cher reached out again, only to have Feray bite down on her arm. She winced but pressed forward still.

"Stop," Feray demanded. Cher didn't listen. "I said stop it. I don't want help from you!" she growled, though she didn't bite down any harder on the scientist's arm. Her lab coat was beginning to get blood on it. As the first of the shackles came off, Feray finally released the human's arm. "You're insane, you know that. First you capture me then you let me go so freely. I don't understand."

"You're not the target. There's no need to keep you here," Cher shrugged, quickly undoing the rest of the bonds. Even once free, Feray stood still, eying the woman suspiciously.

"What're you up to? Did you place a tracker in me or something?" she growled.

"Give me a little credit, won't you? Not all humans are the same."

Battle sounds drew closer, but it wasn't until a series of growls and snarls were heard that Feray perked up. Cher cradled her injured arm, standing up and turning away from the wolf. They stood still for a moment, neither one moving even an inch. Feray was the first to break the stagnant air. She strode over to the scientist before taking a tentative lick at the woman's bloody fingers.

"Thank you," she said. The door was pushed open, and Feray's gaze shifted. She leapt away from the scientist, expecting it to be a guard. However, standing in the doorway wasn't who she was expecting.

"There you are, princess. What do you say to being whisked away from this place?" Hige grinned. Feray couldn't help but return a smile of her own. She made a move towards him but, to her dismay, a particularly strong streak of pain surged through her hind leg, causing her to nearly lose balance. She ground her teeth together, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. Hige suddenly growled, baring his teeth as he caught sight of the scientist. "What'd she do to you?" he growled, suddenly going on the offensive. Feray shook her head.

"Don't worry about her. I thought we were concerning ourselves with getting out of here," Feray moved towards the door again, though a noticeable limp had her growling in disdain. Hige listened, backing down and turning to face the she-wolf. The scientist merely turned around to watch the two.

"Hope on my back. I'll carry you out." He offered her his back for her to ride on. If it weren't for the wound in her calf that was pulsating painfully, she wouldn't have accepted the help. She gingerly climbed onto his back, her human hands resting over his shoulders as he secured her legs against his sides. Feray didn't even glance back at the scientist as Hige darted out of the doorway and down the hall.

"So… a wolf protects its own…" Cher muttered, a light smile gracing her lips.

"Where are we?" Feray questioned. Ahead of her, the hallway seemed to continue forever.

"On a noble's ship. It took us forever to find you. Your scent just vanished, so we thought you were taken underground. It wasn't until Toboe suggested the noble's ship that we considered finding you here," Hige explained, jumping up and over a dead guard's body.

"Gee, what'd you guys do to the army and how?" She momentarily eyed a guard's body that they passed, taking note of the large gash wounds that were bleeding profusely from his back.

"I don't think I really have to go into it," Hige shrugged. They were silent for a moment, and Hige slowed to a stop as they reached a four way intersection. "This place is like a maze. We split up here to find you. Toboe's hiding out with Cheza. Oh," he suddenly perked up, remembering something. "Can you howl?"

"They shot me in the calf and shoulder, not in the vocal cords, Hige," Feray scoffed, though it came out more as a chuckle. She inhaled before mustering up as much of a howl as she could while still on his back. The sound reverberated and bounced off the metal walls, traveling down all four hallways at alarming speeds. It wasn't until after the fact that a thought struck her. "Isn't that going to attract soldiers?"

"Actually, Tsume and Kiba lured most of them away. The humans never saw it coming," Hige laughed. It didn't take long before footsteps could be heard from the right hallway. Feray's eyes narrowed but quickly widened as Tsume came barreling down the hall. He slowed down and stopped just short of the two wolves.

"About time," he huffed. "Any reason she's on your back?" Tsume shot the two an odd look.

"From what I hear, the humans shot her up pretty badly. Cheza should be able to help, though." Hige shifted slightly, beginning to feel the fatigue from carrying extra weight on his back. This small movement didn't go unnoticed by Tsume, though.

"Hand her over, Porky. You don't look like you could run another stretch with her on your back," Tsume looked smug.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Feray growled.

"Listen. Do you want to get out of here?" he shot back. Feray looked down at Hige who merely nodded. Feray slipped from Hige's back, landing on her left leg to avoid sparking pain in the right once more. She hobbled over to Tsume, doing her best to hide the limp as much as possible. Oh how she hated feeling weak! Carefully, she climbed onto his back, disliking how much taller he was than her. "For hell's sake, you're not mounting me! Why the hell are you climbing on me like that?" Tsume huffed, shifting as Feray climbed on his back from behind, almost as if she were mounting him.

"Well I don't want to hang over you like some fresh kill you made," Feray replied simply. Tsume snarled as Feray made herself comfortable on his back. Well, she wasn't as heavy as Hige made her out to be. Her chin rested against the top of his head. "Don't bite your tongue off," he warned before charging forward. "Find Kiba!" he called back. "We're heading to Toboe and Cheza!" Behind them, Hige nodded before taking off down the hall to their left. The trip was mostly silent until Feray spoke up.

"Just how big is this place?" she questioned.

"We're on the lower floors. So the layout is more complex. However, we're nearly out of the woods," he explained, dashing up a flight of stairs and taking at least four at a time.

"I'm surprised that you all are still in town. I thought the plan was to leave last night."

"Kiba wouldn't let us. Don't get me wrong, you're still as obnoxious as hell, and I ain't fond of you in the slightest. But you're a part of the pack, so we'll treat you as such."

Feray let out a light laugh, a smile gracing her features. She hadn't been a part of a pack since she was just a young pup. There were no words to describe the mirth she felt. Her heart was soaring. Tsume didn't question her as he continued on. The journey was short lived as they came upon the main entrance of the ship. The ramp was still deployed, making it easy for them to make a quick exit. The sun was blazing above them. No doubt that the city at the top of the hill would be bustling. However, the two didn't head towards the city. Instead, they followed a path into the nearby forest. Almost immediately, Feray picked up Cheza's scent that mingled in the air. Tsume slowed down before taking a sharp right into the depths of the trees. Feray slipped off his back and limped behind him.

"Hey, runt, you still alive?" Tsume called out. There was a rustling noise before a familiar redhead poked his head out from a bush.

"You're back! Where's Kiba and Hige?" he questioned, but his gaze quickly shifted. "What happened, Feray?" he eyed her shoulder wound.

"It's okay," she muttered. However, Toboe was already at her side, licking at the wound that had reopened sometime on the way back. She winced but didn't stop him as he cleaned away the blood. Cheza dropped down from a low branch and walked over to the wolves.

"This one is glad you are back," she smiled lightly, stroking Feray's soft fur. Feray's eyes closed in delight, a tingle running along her spine. Cheza's soft hands moved down her neck, her fingers brushing along the wound on her shoulder. Toboe backed away as Cheza's hand gave off a light glow. She leaned into the flower maiden's touch.

"Looks like we all got back in one piece," Hige's voice cut in. Feray pulled herself from the dream-like state to look towards the voice. Two familiar wolves strode into the small clearing. The first thing she noticed were the small rivulets of blood trailing down the tufts of Kiba's pearly white fur. There were a couple cuts along his cheek and several across his torso. She eyes the wounds, feeling guiltier and guiltier with each mark she say. The others, she noticed, somehow managed to escape unmarred by the winds of battle. Feray flinched as Cheza's fingers danced along the wound in her calf. The familiar melting sensation took over as the wound healed. It was the first time she really felt like she was a true part of the pack since she joined.

They didn't head out until nightfall. It was a long wait that Feray spent sleeping off whatever was left of the tranquilizer in her system. All the while, Tsume, Hige, and Toboe headed off into the town to grab some things as well as keep an eye out for soldiers that would, no doubt, be prowling the streets – at least… the few that weren't injured. Kiba and Feray were sitting on either side of Cheza who was sleeping peacefully. Kiba's head was resting on his paws, and Feray was sitting up, wide awake. Something was nagging at the back of her mind, and, after sleeping for the past five hours, she couldn't get back to sleep.

"Kiba… did you really keep the others from leaving?" she breathed, glancing at the white wolf.

"We wouldn't leave part of the pack behind, especially knowing that they had fallen prey to humans." Feray jumped as golden eyes stared at her. Feray stood up, turning away from him. Almost immediately, Kiba was at her side. "If you plan on going anywhere, I'm going with you. We can't afford to spend any more time here, and you getting caught is a risk we can't take," he said. Feray looked away again.

"I won't go far," she replied, beginning to walk off. Kiba growled, stepping in front of her.

"What's wrong with you?" he huffed. Feray's gaze was a steely one.

"I'm just… I don't know," she answered honestly. "I'm not used to things." She sighed.

The human illusion of her let her head drop, the long, black tendrils of her hair hiding her eyes. Kiba returned to his seat next to Cheza, no longer pressing the issue.

"You should get some more rest. We'll all need out energy to make it through the Forest of Death." Feray looked at him, confused.

"Forest of Death?"

"The humans can't follow us in there. It screws up their machines and throws them off." Feray scoffed, a smirk gracing her features.

"Suckers," she grinned haughtily. Kiba chuckled before resting his head on his paws once more. She yawned and stretched before taking her place on the left side of Cheza and lying down next to her. She slipped into a gentle slumber, letting her dreams take flight.

The town was nice at night, especially with friends now at her side. Tsume, Hige, and Toboe were ahead while Kiba, Cheza, and Feray brought up the rear. There was a growl that drew Feray's attention. A dog was standing, growling at them. Feray bared her own teeth, but Cheza calmed her.

"We have friends here, too…" she breathed, jogging over to the dog. Kiba and Feray followed after her. The flower maiden reached out to touch the dog, but Kiba stopped her. "It is alright," she murmured. As her hands drew closer, the dog backed away. "You did not know? You never knew what you are?" Cheza smiled gently. Then, confirming Feray's suspicion, she spoke again. "There is some wolf in you, too." A gasp passed Kiba's lips. "You were along your whole life, were you not?" Kiba suddenly perked up. He grabbed both girls' hands and tugged them away.

"We have to go!" he half-whispered with urgency. Cheza nodded and allowed Kiba to guide her away. Feray's legs were numb for a moment before she finally moved. As they got around the corner, Feray faintly heard footsteps behind them.

There it was! The group surged for the trees, stopping momentarily to make sure everyone was accounted for. A gunshot rang out, and a bullet dug into the ground between Toboe and Feray. Her brown eyes locked onto a man standing on a cliff, aiming his gun at them. He was dressed in a light brown overcoat along with a worn gray fedora hat.

"You goddamn wolves! You won't fool me anymore!" he yelled.

"Scatter!" Feray shouted. No one had to be told twice. Kiba reached for Cheza's hand, but Feray beat him to the punch. The two girls darted away. There was a pained snarl as Feray's leg was injured by a lucky shot. The black wolf stumbled before falling flat on her face. The man took aim at her. Moments before another bullet was fired, Kiba stepped in front of her. He barely even flinched as it pierced through his chest. "Kiba, move!"

"He protected her?" the gunman asked quietly, raising his gun once more. The wolf was in his sight. The gun clicked, but no bullet came out. Taking the chance, Kiba helped Feray onto his back.

"Let's go," he said, running for the trees.

"Kiba… your shoulder…" Feray murmured.

"No worries," he said, making sure Cheza was close in tow. Toboe, Hige, and Tsume caught up to them. The six of them vanished into the forest. As the man looked back up, he was left with an empty field.


I probably ended up making Cher out of character quite a lot, and I apologize profusely for that.