~ * ~

As we walked deeper into the forest it looked as if dead and dead trees surrounded us. The hunger in my stomach made it feel like it was burning a hole inside me. It was like when we left Freeze City. I stuffed my fists into my jacket and looked around at everyone. Everyone seemed to stay near each other due to the awkward surroundings. I shivered and looked up at the top of the forest. The top, not the sun. No sun came through this place, not where we have gone anyways.

"Man, this place is so depressing." Hige moaned with a small sigh. "I thought forests would be more alive or something you know?" Hige said looking around.

Toboe blinked and looked back at Hige. "It's the Forest of Death, remember?" Toboe remarked turning his head back around.

Kiba looked back behind his shoulder at us. "That's why the humans can't follow us in here." Kiba said. Hige closed his eyes and snickered.

"Well, we don't have to rely on compasses and all that. Besides don't you think there should be more animals, like a rabbit or a fox?" Hige pondered. I laughed lightly as Toboe stopped.

"Rabbits huh? So in other words you're hungry." Toboe smirked. Hige got in his face and snickered.

"Sue me alright!" He barked back. I laughed lightly and held out my hand to Toboe. He gave me a high five and I turned around to Kiba.

"We'll probably come to a town once we get through this forest." I smiled and closed my eyes thinking of a few animals I would like to eat once we got outta this place. I licked my lips and chopped my teeth together. "Just hang in there till then." Kiba added.

"If we make it outta here alive that is." Tsume grunted kicking a human skull. I growled and listened at Toboe gasped and stepped back wards. He stepped on something that flew up in the air and swerved around. It headed right for Toboe. He let out a scream and Tsume held out his hand and caught it for him.

"There are a lot of bugs though." Tsume said with a smirk. I groaned with disgust and looked at Hige. Toboe thanked Tsume as Tsume examined the bug. "Mhm, I've never seen a bug like this." Tsume said. He crammed in into Hige's face and smirked. "Here, you're hungry aren't ya?" Hige pulled his head back in disgust and groaned. "Chow down." Hige took a step back.

"Why the heck should I?" Hige growled. Toboe looked at him mockingly.

"Cause you have the strongest stomach right?" Toboe mocked. I raised my eyes brows and smiled at Toboe. Dang he was really being snooty.

"Eat it." Tsume ordered. I growled lowly and peered at Hige.

"I ain't your taster and why are you giving me orders you aren't the leader or anything, right?" He looked over at Kiba and glared. Kiba didn't say anything but stared. He wasn't getting in this one. "Ugh, I know! Lets give it to Cheza." Hige suggested taking it from Tsume's grasp and running over to Cheza with it. I shuddered and stepped back biting my lip. I didn't think she was going to eat that even if it was going to save her life. "I bet you're hungry right?" Hige said holding it up to Cheza's face. She took a couple steps back and Kiba ran over to her and karate chopped the bug from Hige's hands. It hit the ground and green blood oozed out.

"Cheza does not eat bugs!" Kiba growled with a glare. Hige took a few steps back and I began to get angry.

"Well then what does she eat?" Hige asked. Cheza shook her head.

"This one eats nothing." She said. I gasped lowly as well as Hige and a few others.

"Nothing?" He asked. She nodded. Tsume grunted.

"You know, now that I think about it I've never seen her eat anything." Tsume said. Toboe stepped forward and nodded.

"Yeah, she drank some water that one time." Toboe added. Cheza stared at us blankly.

"This one drinks and basks." She said. Kiba looked at her.

"Basks in what?" He asked. She looked up. And when she looked up all of us did but we saw nothing. I let out a small sigh and growled.

"But not here." Cheza said sadly.

"Oh I get it." Toboe said straightening his back. Hige looked at Cheza and nodded.

"Makes sense. She is a flower." Kiba just stared at her with a blank stare but it was intense. I swallowed and rubbed my tongue against my dry mouth. I was thirsty. I looked back at Rusty and smiled as he smiled at me. Kiba began to walk leaving the dead bug to rot. I walked over the bug and began to continue walking through the forest. I could feel Rusty and Hige getting closer to me and sticking side by side. I took in a deep breath closing my green blues and let the air out. I smelt nothing except the faint stenches of the bug Kiba had killed. Ugh, I was so hungry.

~ * ~

My legs began to drag on the grey ground that I'm sure wasn't dirt. I was growing tired and I didn't think my human persona would last any longer. Though as we continued to walk I could hear poor Toboe's feet dragging on the ground. At times he would have the energy to pick up his feet and at times he didn't. As we walked I heard a thud and I turned around to see Toboe on the ground. I walked over to his side and asked if he was okay.

"Yeah." He answered shortly. It was time to take a break. He crawled over to a large root and sat down. Cheza walked over to a tree and sat down on the other side and away from all of us. She looked exhausted and rested her head against the tree with a sigh. I felt bad for her, though she had the option to stay.

"Let me see." Kiba walked examining his foot. I walked over to Toboe side and looked to see Cheza but couldn't. I sat beside him and took in a deep breath then subconsciously groaned. Toboe rested his foot on a rock and moved it up and down. Hige walked over to Toboe and stood on the other side away from me. Rusty went and sat down on the tree that Cheza was on the other side of. Tsume had walked a few feet away from the group and just stood there looking around. Okay, maybe he was a little more then a few feet away. "Well, it doesn't look sprained." Kiba assumed. Then he touched a sore spot and Toboe yelped out in pain.

"He can't even handle this little forest. Like I always say, can't take city kids to the woods." I shot Hige a glare and growled a warning growl. He looked at me and smiled sheepishly.

"Do you think you can walk?" Kiba asked ignoring the comment. Toboe nodded.

"I'm okay, I can walk just fin-.." He went to get up but yelped in pain again. He fell back down to the root and stared at Kiba.

"Mhm, Cheza?" Hige said as she walked towards us and kneeled down. She took Toboe's foot and took her other hand and began to rub it. Toboe looked at her curiously and began to moan trying to keep his mouth shut. I looked at him and laughed a little.

"Does that feel good?" Hige asked. I stopped laughing and stared at Hige with a soft gaze. Toboe nodded.

"Yeah, the pain is just melting away." He began to laugh once more and Hige looked at her with curious eyes. I could tell he wanted to be petted like that.

"Cheza? Could you pet me too?" Hige asked. She smiled and took her hand to his head and began to pet him. Kiba stared at her with a soft gaze and smiled. She took her other hand and moved it to my head and began to rub me as well. I smiled and giggled with pleasure. Rusty got up from his spot on the tree and walked over to us and whimpered. She took her hand and began to pet him as well.

"Tsume," Toboe called. "Have Cheza pet you too. It feels really good." He said. Hige moaned and laughed a little more.

"Awe, she smells so good." Tsume groaned and gritted his teeth letting his shoulder slump.

~ * ~

On the move again everything was pretty calm. Since our last rest I hadn't become so tired but I was still exhausted. I was leaning up against Hige when he opened his mouth. My eyes had been closed but the sound of his voice made me open them.

"You know, this forest isn't that bad once ya get used to it. Nothing to fight over, and the best part is that there are no humans around." I nodded with a small grin. Hige looked down at me and wrapped an arm around my waist. "We got it all to ourselves." He said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, and if we get hungry there's plenty of bugs we can eat." Toboe said with a smile.

"Yeah fat chance runt." Hige said. I chuckled and closed my eyes once more.

"Then you better not complain when we don't share them with you." Tsume said with a grunt. Why was he so gruff and such an instigator?

"I'll say again, who the hell died and made you the leader huh?" Hige growled looked back at Him. We stopped and I opened my eyes then looked at Tsume with tired eyes. Kiba took in a deep breath.

"Neither one of us is the leader Hige. Ours just isn't the kind of pack that has one." Kiba said softly but gruffly. I looked at him and sighed shortly.

"Then what kind of a pack are we?" Tsume asked turning to Kiba. Rusty, being in between the two took a step back and swallowed. I growled and bit my lip.

"C'mon guys, that doesn't really matter right now does it?" Toboe intervened. I felt back for the runt since no one seemed to acknowledge him. "Hey I know! When we get outta here what's the very first thing you want to do?" Toboe asked with a smile. My stomach growled and I laughed lowly.

"Stuff my face." I said with a groan.

"What do ya think?" Hige snapped. Tsume looked down at Toboe.

"Eat as much as I can." Tsume said gruffly.

"Eat a lot." Rusty said with a grunt.

"Eat and sleep." Kiba glared. I burst into laughter and snorted as Toboe's stomach growled. It was a funny thing to pass up laughing at since no one else was enjoying it. Hige joined my laughter as Toboe said something but I didn't hear it. Rusty began to chuckle. I stopped laughing as some one began panting. I looked over at Cheza to see that she didn't look to well. She collapsed and fell into Kiba's worried arms. We all gasped as Kiba held her close to his chest.

"You must be exhausted, we'll rest for a while." Kiba said. Cheza placed a hand on Kiba's, which was placed on her heavily beating chest.

"No, this one is alright." She argued softly. Wings flapped above our head and I looked up.

"A bird!" Hige called.

"Where?" Toboe yipped with excitement. They all looked up at the trees only to see nothing. I looked around and whimpered.

"It's the Forest of Death, you must be seeing things." Tsume grunted with his hand on his hip.

"No, I'm sure I heard the flapping of wings above us!" Hige said. I nodded my head and looked up.

"I heard it too." I said.

"It was from an owl, which mean meat!" Hige ran off towards the sound went to and yipped.

"Hey! Hey get back here!" Both Tsume and me said in unison. I ran after him and Tsume ran after me.

"What an idiot, stay here." Tsume muttered. I caught up to Hige who was looking around. I placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed when he turned around.

"You must've seen some dead leaves falling or something." Tsume said walking up behind me.

"But Tsume, there are no leaves." I argued.

"But it either way, it doesn't make sense. I could have sworn I saw it." Hige said looking back up at the trees. We heard hooting and turned around to see an owl perched up on a tree branch. "See what'd I tell ya? It was an owl." Hige said. I nodded and looked up at the owl with curiosity. "But there isn't enough meat to share with everybody." Hige said walking towards the tree. Tsume held out his arm in front of him as I sniffed the air.

"There's no scent!" I yipped running to Hige's side.

"There's something suspicious about that owl." Tsume said glaring up at it.

"An owl that's suspicious, wolves that look delicious. They all wondered in and got lost as one, well done." The owl cocked his head as I bared my fangs. Tsume growled and stared up at the owl

"That things screwing with us!" Tsume growled as he jumped up the tree. The bird flew away as Tsume kicked then landed on the ground. I glared at the bird with a growl as he mimicked the words. Freaky thing. A tingle ran up and down my spine. A howl pierced the sky and I let my breath slip as I followed the sound with my ears.

"That howl is that--" Hige began and Tsume finished.

"Toboe!" we ran after the sound and back to where Kiba and Rusty were. When we came up to where they were Cheza's eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily.

"What's wrong?" Tsume barked. Kiba looked up at him as he kneeled down and looked at her.

"What? Is that? Is she? Withering?" Tsume asked. Vines seemed to be growing up around Cheza's neck and cheek.

"She needs water, even sunlight will do." Kiba said frantically.

"But there isn't any, the woods are too thick and the ground is too dry. We'll never find any water here." Tsume said. Kiba placed a heavy hand on Tsume's shoulder and huffed.

"We have to! We still have to try." He said with hopeful eyes. Tsume just stared back with his mouth ajar. Kiba lifted Cheza onto his back and began to walk. We all followed him till we came into a fork in the road. "Which way do you think we should go?" I stuck my nose out and began to sniff around. Hige did the same.

"I think we should go right." Hige said with a snort.

"Hige, do you smell any water down that way?" Kiba asked as Cheza rested her head against his shoulder.

"No not a drop, but standing here isn't going to do anything." Hige said. I went to take a step but then turned around to the sound of the owls' voice.

"Here isn't helping, here isn't helping!" I looked up just as everyone else had and stared at the owl. I growled and curled my lips.

"It's an owl." Kiba said astonished. He looked at the bird wide eyed.

"Darn things back again." Tsume growled.

"It cannot be helped if there is no water, it cannot be helped if there is no water." The owl mocked. "It can't be helped if the flower is withering." The owl continued on. I growled and then turned to Kiba who took a step forward and began to yell at the owl.

"What did you say?" Kiba growled. Toboe stepped up and looked into Kiba's eyes.

"Wait a minute. Don't you think that if the owl lives here that the owl knows where some water is?" Toboe said with a smile and balled fists. The only thing I could say was that it better. Kiba gasped and looked over at the owl.

"Alright tell us! What's the closest place around here that has water?" Kiba asked. The owl cocked its head and looked at us. To each head it stared until Kiba and Hige said something.

"Kiba, Kiba. Who are you talking to?" Cheza asked faintly. He looked back at her and blinked.

"An owl Cheza." He answered her.

"An owl?" She wondered aloud. The owl hooted and cocked its head again. I was getting sick of this crap. I growled and barked at the owl now dropping my silhouette.

"Tell us you stupid piece of crap." I said with a snarl. "We're waiting!" I snarled. The bird found its wings and began to fly off. It began going on again.

"Go astray, go astray my good wolves. Answers always lie in confusion." The bird said as we ran after it.

"We can't loose him! He's the only lead we got!" Kiba growled. Kiba and Toboe took the lead where Tsume was in front of Hige, Rusty and me. We followed him until he became perched on a tree. He had been rambling on about something and I didn't care to listen nor did I take refuge to my human side. We stopped as he landed and looked at an opening of a cave. Hige and I looked at each other then me and Rusty exchanged glances.

"The answer lies from beneath the darkness, the answer lies within confine places. Only those who bravely answer will be rewarded." The owl riddled.

"It that a riddle?" Toboe asked. I nodded and Hige growled.

"Birdbrain wants us to go in." He said in irritation.

"So does that mean there's water in the cave?" Toboe asked looking up at Tsume. He shrugged and huffed lowly.

"How should I know?" Asked Tsume. I turned around to see Kiba already taking the proposal to go in. I yanked on Hige's collar and pointed at Kiba. He ran over to Kiba and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kiba turned and glared at him.

"Hey, don't go in there! Are you going to believe in what some old owl tell you? This whole thing stinks!" Hige barked. Kiba turned to him and growled.

"You tell me where we can find water then! Can you do that Hige?" Kiba growled. Hige jumped back in surprise. I shook my head and walked up to Kiba as he began to walk back in. "At this point we don't have any other choice." He said walking into the cave. I looked over at Hige and sighed, he looked hurt. I swallowed and walked in after Kiba. Rusty walked in behind me and so did Toboe. It took Hige and Tsume a minute to decide whether or not to follow, but I knew that they would end up following.

We walked into the cave and it was dark. It was a dark cave and it reeked of dirt and musk. I snorted and followed Kiba closely. My hair tickled my neck and I scratched at it. This was getting annoying. Rusty came up behind me and cleared my throat making me jump and swing at him in annoyance. He chuckled and gripped my hands. I looked into his eyes and a small connection was met. Hige, I could tell didn't like us being like that.

As we continued walking down the dark tunnels we came to a fork in the road. I let out a small sigh and huffed. I could have sworn we had seen it. Hige let loose a long sigh and let his shoulders drop. Rusty let out a moan as well as Toboe. Tsume just looked at us and rolled his yellow eyes. We had stopped for a second time in this on going tunnel.

"We saw this thing a while ago." Hige complained. I looked at him and grunted.

"You mean we've been going around in circles?" Toboe asked looking back at him. He sounded sad and desperate. Though we all felt that way.

"This cave is like a stupid maze. And to make matters worse it all looks the same." I looked at Tsume and grunted.

"Yeah, thanks for the info." He looked at me and snorted with a roll of the eyes. Kiba began to walk once more.

"We went left last time." Kiba said. Tsume tuned his head to his shoulder and watched. I gritted my teeth as Kiba walked past us. He dragged his feet and tripped over a rock. He almost fell with a gasp but caught himself in the nick of time.

"Darn it all!" He growled staring at the ground. I walked towards him and sighed. Tsume glared at him and snorted.

"Just take it easy will ya?" Tsume barked. Kiba turned to him and growled. Toboe ran in front of him and called his name softly. Kiba continued to glare at Tsume. I kept my eyes open and stared; my blood had begun to rush.

"You're just tired right? Do you want me to carry her?" Toboe asked trying to be helpful. Kiba turned to him and got in his face. I growled lowly and Hige grabbed my arm as I took a step.

"Why? Can you carry her? Do you think you can carry her? Answer me!" Kiba growled. Toboe took a step back with surprise and swallowed.

"Well I.." Toboe went to talk but Kiba cut in. I ripped myself from Hige's grasp and ran in front of Toboe spreading my arms out in front of him. I glared at Kiba with a low snarl.

"Kiba, relax. We're all tired and hungry. Knock this crap off you're not helping with the situation." I tried to stay calm. Kiba only glared at me.

"Get outta my way." Kiba said. I let out a low snarl.

"Excuse me?" I said lowering myself to his eyes level. He wasn't going to get away with this.

"Will you cut the crap Kiba." Tsume glared. "We can't trust your nose anymore. The scent of flowers has screwed it up." Kiba turned to him and growled.

"My nose is fine!" Kiba said glaring up at Tsume. I calmed my self only a little but continued to watch warily.

"Kiba put Cheza down." Tsume said calmly. He rested his hands on his pockets.

"Why Tsume? Do you still not trust her?" Kiba snarled. Tsume looked back with piercing yellow eyes. I swallowed and let my human figure dissipate.

"With the way you're acting it's you we can't trust." Tsume said narrowing his eyes even more. Kiba gasped lightly and Toboe cocked his head. "As leader of a pack you have to stay clam and detached, right now your don't have that. It's impossible for some one to be right all the time you know."

"Stay out of my way." He said. I about walked up to Kiba but Rusty grabbed my hand as I took on my human persona. Rusty knew how I was when it came to fights. One it agitated me, two I would get involved especially if it was my friend or pack mate. It was kind of like that time when I helped Kiba out.

"Is that a threat?" Tsume asked. Now they were baring fangs and my blood was cranked up to an all time high.

"Knock it off you two!" I growled running in front of the two. They stopped and looked at me with anger in their eyes. Toboe when to take a step but something cracked underneath his foot. I looked at Toboe then at his foot as he stepped back.

"Huh, bones?" Toboe pondered aloud.

"Human bones?" Hige said.

"I don't think so." I said walking up to them. I kept my distance and stared at the bones. "A bird. Their bird bones." I said softly.

"Bones of an owl do you think?" Toboe asked. I shrugged my shoulders and felt the warmth of the others coming in around us. I gasped and jumped back as a huge pill bug jumped from the bones. It went for Hige's leg and crawled up it. Hige gasped and kicked it against a rock. It curled up and screeched.

Other squealing came from behind the rocks and more bugs came from over the small hill. I gasped as one leapt for my face. I lashed my arm out at it and it hit the wall with a splat and green stuff oozed out of it. Tsume called Kiba's name and Kiba turned around and tossed Cheza up to Tsume who was on a ledge. I smiled lowly as Tsume caught her and settled her down. I bit my tongue as one bit my leg with its sharp teeth. I growled and threw it off stomping on it.

"Are wolves gonna loose to a bunch of bugs?" Tsume mocked sarcastically.

"Well, we do like to hang around flowers." Toboe interjected. Hige chuckled.

"Nicely said runt." Hige said. Rusty and I kept quiet and waited.

They began to run at us and I growled as one leapt at my face. My human silhouette had dropped and my wolf form showed. I bit a few as they latched onto my back and legs. I bit them off and threw them at the dirt walls. Lots of snarling and growling was heard as they continued to come and attack us. I let out a yelp as one bit onto my chest. I yipped and yanked it off biting onto it. It screeched and I heard Toboe yelp. We all we're all in our own little worlds as we fought the pill bugs.

I stopped for a second to take a few breaths and panted heavily as blood drenched my battered body. I gasped and heard a thud. Swerving my head around I saw Cheza getting to her feet. I gaped again and ran to her as she began to run off. Kiba shouted her name and at an instance I was by his side. The others were behind us and we we're all calling her name telling her to stop. She slipped down this hill and I followed her with out hesitation. Once we got down the hill I saw Cheza lying there with her head against the ground. Kiba went to take a step but Tsume stopped him. I looked at Tsume then ahead of everyone and saw these green things. Venus fly traps.

We began to walk near the flytraps and I stared with surprise. I hadn't seen a real one up close before. Hige and Toboe looked in a daze as they went over each of the traps. The bugs made little noises as they were devoured. I turned to Rusty and smiled at him watching as a drip of blood trickled down his cheek. I felt a drop of blood drip off my chin. It felt like water after I got out of the pond.

"Cheza." Kiba murmured kneeling down beside her. I turned my head to her and smiled as she looked at me.

"Don't worry, this one is fine." Cheza assured Kiba turning back to him. She closed her eyes and smiled. Kiba had blood stretched across his eyebrow to in front of his ear. Kiba smiled and sighed.

"Thank goodness." He said softly. I smiled and took in a deep breath then looked at everyone one else. Tsume looked pretty bad with blood trickling down his hairline and on his nose. Hige walked up to Tsume with his arms above his head. He had blood on his hoodie and his nose and cheeks.

"This one heard them, they said they were hungry." Cheza said. I continued to looked around and smiled lowly.

"They're plants that eat bugs huh?" Tsume said with a smile. I hadn't seen Tsume actually smile since this journey. I hadn't seen him smile at all.

"I guess we were saved by Cheza's friends." Hige said with a smile. Tsume scoffed.

"Hey guys!" I gasped in surprise and turned around to see Toboe pointing. "I see light! It's the way out!" He said with excitement. I laughed with joy and walked near him. He had scratched on his arm and blood on his bracelets. He had some blood on his face but not as much as us. Toboe took off towards the light and I laughed and ran to the entrance as well. I could hear steps behind me and turned to see Tsume, Hige, and Rusty running behind me. I threw my head up and stood at where the cave met the opening. The other had run past me and into the pond. Kiba held Cheza in his arms and stared at the moon. There were a couple trees a big pond, grass to lie on.

"Look Cheza, there's your water." Cheza looked up at him. I looked at Cheza and swallowed.

"This one can eat and drink all it wants." She said with a small smile. Kiba nodded his head and replied with a soft "yeah." I began to walk towards the water and stared at everyone messing around. Rusty had begun talking with Hige as Hige dunked Toboe under the water. I chuckled and sat at the waters edge watching as Cheza took a step in the water. I let out a long soft sigh of relief and smiled. I looked at Cheza and gasped softly as it looked like she was glowing. It was as if a ray from the moon was beating down on her. She looked magnificent

~ * ~