Chapter Seven: As Long as We Live, Part Two: Some Kind (We Never Forgive)


An hour or so passed.

The sky was beginning to darken, tingeing the dreary gray sky a warm shade of light orange.

The rabbit flew away from the snapping jaws of the blonde wolf, hurrying into the nearest brush the wolf couldn't stick his nose in.

He swore under his breath and growled, perking his ears as the sound of bones crunching under the pressure of teeth sounded shortly as he began to walk away defeatedly.

The white wolf appeared from behind the brush, the rabbit he'd been chasing carried in the triumphant alpha's jaws as he came into view.

The blonde wolf wrinkled his nose in disgust and huffed, watching him drop the rabbit.
'Show off.' He growled.

Kiba lifted a brow at his words, a huff escaping his mouth, his breath coming out in a soft fog.
'I told you, it's easier for me to catch something that can't see the color of my fur.' He reminded with the patience of an old man, tilting his head slightly.

Mitch huffed again. 'Just because you're the alpha; is that where your confidence comes from? Or is it something else?' He asked pointedly, remembering the black wolf's earlier scent that stunk of the white wolf standing before him.

He scowled.
'No, it's not because I'm the leader of my pack. It's not something you'd understand, either way.' He added, picking up the rabbit from the ground and walking away.

He bounded forward to grab the rabbit from his jaws and toss it aside, scowling at the male; he looked strong, but he felt like he could probably take him in a fair fight. ''It's not something I'd understand'? Enlighten me then, hotshot. 'Cause whatever the hell makes you so confident is pissing me off.' He growled, his lip curling.

Kiba raised his tail again, his amber eyes tightening.
'Why does my presence bug you so much?' He demanded, his thick pelt bristling as he could smell a challenge coming on from the blonde male that seemed to detest his very being.

Mitch flashed his teeth.
'You damn well know why. Just because you're leader doesn't mean you can choose a female that's already leading her own pack.' He spat.

Both brows lifted in slight surprise; he lowered his gaze minutely, meeting the garnet gaze of the beta.
'She never said anything about you. She doesn't know you like her.' He said.

He looked past him at a tree, his tail lowering slightly.
'I know.' He looked at the white wolf and huffed. 'She saved my brother and me, when we first met; I guess I feel indebted to her for taking us in. But I've seen how she looks at you, how she's looked at you since the day you and your sister came into our clearing. She looks happy with you.' He said, almost reluctantly admitting defeat.

He couldn't love her like this fearless leader could, he mused. Not if he'd claimed her as his mate, the possible future mother of his pups.

His white face softened slightly at the mention of the black wolf.
'And I with her.' He looked at the blonde wolf again. 'Sorry, if I sort of pulled the rug from under you that way.' He added, an apologetic look appearing on his face.

Mitch smiled slightly, nodding. 'It's all right, I'll get used to it.' He mused.

Kiba nodded slightly, his tail wagging briefly. 'Right.'
He quieted and sniffed the air, perking his ears as he looked over his shoulder.

The blonde wolf sniffed the air as well and huffed, smiling as he caught the scent of a wounded deer nearby; he sprinted past the white wolf in the direction of the deer, hopping over a small mound of snow as he went to finish off the wounded animal.

He smirked slightly after his fleeing form, picking up the rabbit from the ground.

Kind of acts like a pup, he mused…

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A soft 'flop' sounded infront of her, perking her ears.

She awoke from the short doze she'd taken, looking up into the face of the white wolf.

He seemed to smile.
'Dinner.' He offered, indicating the dead rabbit he'd dropped at her feet.

She returned the smile and nodded, watching him sink to sit on his haunches at her side out of the corner of her eye as she ripped into the dead rabbit, snapping the spine in half and offering the first half to him.
'You caught it, and I don't mind sharing.' She pointed out calmly, her silver eyes meeting his slightly curious amber eyes.

He nodded and took his offered half, tearing into the meat and quelling the growling in his stomach.

She smiled at him, tending to her own part of the rabbit contently.

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The wolf-dog grunted as she flew after the sprinting rabbit, snapping her teeth at its hind legs and missing by a few inches each time her jaws snapped on thin air.

'Damn it!' She growled to herself, hearing a light bark sound before a brown wolf dove for the rabbit, his jaws clamping down on the neck and crushing the bone.

Mary skidded to a halt and looked at the bright gold eyes of the brown pup, a sore look crossing her face. 'I was gonna get it first, Toboe,' she chided.

Toboe looked sad for a minute before he dropped the dead rabbit on the ground.
'Sorry, Mary, I didn't think,' he apologized with a soft whine of repentance, nudging the rabbit's form closer to the older hybrid's large paws.

She looked at him and her eyes softened; she nosed his cheek gently, meeting his slightly confused lantern-amber gaze.
'It's okay, pup; try not to do it again though, okay?' She reassured.

He nodded vigorously and smiled, nosing her back. 'Okay, I won't, honest!' He declared.

She smiled gently and nudged the rabbit back to him. 'You carry it, it's your kill.' She said.

Toboe tilted his head to the side. 'But you were the one who hunted it…' He began.

Mary rolled her eyes at him. 'Toboe, you killed it, goof…' She interjected.

A loud deafening roar sounded near them, making both of them start before they whirled to see the hulking figure of a brown bear staring them down with beady black eyes that gleamed angrily at seeing wolves had invaded his territory.

The wolf-dog growled and bared her teeth, her orange eyes narrowing. 'Toboe, get moving, now; before it charges.' She barked at the pup.

Toboe watched as the bear snarled and lunged at the brave female, torn between running to the cave for his packmates and helping the kind wolf-dog.

Mary hopped out of the way as the bear lunged for her body, growling as she leaped onto its neck and dug her claws into its thick hide.

The bear snarled annoyedly and swatted his right paw at her head; the wolf-dog yelped as she fell off and rolled in the snow, landing on her side.

The brown wolf snarled as he threw himself onto the bear, his teeth grabbing its left ear and tearing it to ribbons as he dug his claws in and held onto him as he reared and roared in pain.

The gray and black wolf-dog flew at him with a short bark, her teeth ripping into the fur on his exposed neck as she tried to get at his throat.

The bear slammed back into a thick tree, making the pup yelp loud as he fell off into the snow and slapped the wolf-dog sharp across the face; she cried out as she was thrown back into a tree, her back slamming into the hard surface before she limply sank to the ground at the foot of the tree, her head spinning.

'T-Toboe…!' Mary growled as the bear turned on the disoriented brown pup…

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A loud howl sounded before a streak of black crashed into the bear from the side; the bear snarled as he reared slightly from the third wolf's crash into his ribs, his lip curling angrily as he glowered down at the furious black she-wolf.

'Nikki!' Mary exclaimed in relief.

Nikki bared her teeth and snarled, her tail in the air like a flag as she briefly looked over at the crumpled form of her friend; she released a brief bark as she leaped at the monstrous animal, clawing at his thick fur.

The bear clawed at her, dragging his claws sharply across her back; she yelped slightly but growled loud as she clung to him and ripped into his neck.

Frustrated, the larger mammal snarled loud as he smacked the she-wolf in the ribs with his free paw, making her yelp again as she bounced away into the snow.

A loud snarl rang out as a white blur hurtled into the brown bear, sharp teeth sinking deep into his neck.

The bear roared as he reared and tried to shake off the angered wolf; a gray streak leaped at his arm, his sharp claws digging deep into his shoulder.

'Toboe!' Blue rushed to the pup's side as he shook his head and looked to see Kiba and Tsume attacking the bear, Hige leaping at the larger animal as he bit down into the bear's side.

Jen looked at Mary as she straightened shakily, her icy blue eyes concerned. 'Are you all right?' She asked the younger female, Eri coming to her side.

Mary nodded and smiled at the two she-wolves. 'Yeah, thanks. Where's Nikki?' She asked, looking for the black she-wolf.

A short yelp came from Hige as the bear threw off the white wolf first, slapping the tan wolf away and shaking the gray wolf off as well, lowering to four paws and snarling at the three pissed off male wolves.

A loud snarl rang out as the black she-wolf leaped onto the bear's back, digging her claws into his flesh as she tore viciously into his spine.

The bear roared in pain, trying to shake off the pissed off female, but to no avail, slamming his side into the trees around him to vainly hope to get the she-wolf off his back.

Kiba watched him lumber closer to their scattered group and then grunted as he leaped at the bear, latching his claws into his side and tearing into his ribs.

'Kiba!' Eri declared alertly, perking up as a blonde streak flew at the bear with a thundering growl, his claws raking across the bear's right eye and scratching it out; the bear roared in further pain, thrashing about to try and get the three wolves off him.

Josh and Tsume flew at the distracted bear, Hige joining in; Tsume's claws tore into his back as he scrambled to ride the bear and he jerked and twisted and thrashed about.

Josh's teeth tore into the bear's exposed throat, blood flying from his bleeding jugular and dripping into the large wolf's jaws.

The bear snarled angrily, air leaving his lungs as more of his blood spilled out, painting the snow crimson; he wobbled and staggered, growling before flopping down onto the cold snow, felled at last.

Tsume hopped down from the dead bear's back, shaking his fur of snow and twigs and huffing. 'About time that damn thing is dead,' he growled.

Mitch and Josh fell away from the dead bear, also shaking their fur of snow, Hige following them.

Kiba jumped down into the five-inch-deep snow, watching the black she-wolf hop down from his back; she stumbled slightly and fell into the snow.

He went to her side, looking at the four bleeding lacerations on her back, the crimson dripping into her dark black fur; he nosed her cheek gently, lowering his ears.

Nikki blearily looked up at him and smiled. 'My back is killing me.' She grumbled before letting her head droop down.

He nuzzled her cheek, worry in his eyes.
'Mitch, help me,' he called to the blonde male; he trotted to his side, helping the tired she-wolf onto the white wolf's back.

Kiba carried her back to the cave, the eight members of their packs following shortly at his heels.


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["Song of the Lonely Mountain" - Neil Finn, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)]