Votes tallied, you'll find out who wins by the end. Sorry, no responses and no beta editing, I thought you guys waited too long so here's the next chapter.
Last time on Illusions: Lynx tried, she fought…and she was losing. Her heart began to slow…her eyelids weighted a ton. She wanted to live, to see where Kiba and the others were going, to see what path they would take in life, to see where they would meet their ends. She had to live…she had to see for herself…she promised.
Lynx reached a paw out, touching something solid, using the last of her strength to smile, to try and hopefully reinsure the other wolves that it wasn't their fault…she'd see them again…in paradise when they made it there too.
"Lynx" Toboe shouted but Blue stopped the young wolf from going in. Hige watched on as Kiba and Tsume clawed at the ice, trying to break it. How was it that Lynx, much smaller than both wolves, was able to fall into the ice but these two weren't even able to break it together?
Air bubbles went up to the ice before disbursing…Lynx's body stopped it's struggle and was slowly sinking into the darkness. Tsume dropped to the cold ice in desperate. He pressed his face towards the ice, hoping to see the angel again.
The sound of ice cracking from afar was heard but neither wolf paid attention. Hige began to howl, their newest member was gone. She was suppose to be safer with them…maybe it was better if they just left her. Blue and Toboe joined in, singing away their sorrows. Kiba looked down at his feet…this was all his fault and he knew it. There was nothing he could do now though.
Suddenly Lynx came back to the surface of the ice, one eye closed and offered both wolves a sad smile…she reached her paw out, touching the ice before she closed her midnight blue eyes and her expression became peaceful. Tsume heard Kiba sit up, singing the song of the wolf whenever a member of their pack had fallen.
:crack: Tsume looked down at his feet. "Off the ice" He shouted while running, Kiba following close behind. As soon as they got off of the ice, it broke away into smaller pieces…a red head with yellow ears appeared on the surface of the water. He turned to face them, Lynx in his jaws. He began to swim towards them, Tsume and Kiba jumped into the freezing cold water without thinking twice. They helped the other two wolves onto the soft snow.
The red wolf collapsed in pure exhaustion. He chuckled lightly. "She's :pant: much more heavier…than I remember" He closed his sapphire eyes in slumber.
- A while later, new wolf's POV-
The red wolf shot up, quickly recalling saving his charge and running into the mismatched pack of wolves. He turned to see Kiba and Tsume supporting him. He grunted to let them know he was awake now.
Tsume dropped him right away but Kiba let him down a bit more gently. The new wolf muttered a 'thanks' to Kiba. The pure white wolf nodded.
"Where's Lynx" Was the first thing that came out of the new wolf's mouth that was actually clear.
Kiba blinked in surprise, how'd this guy know his mate's name? He decided to ask but not exactly in that way. "How"
"I found her as a cub…Kiba." He said. The leader looked bewildered, now this wolf knew his name too? And what did he mean he found her as a cub"Name's Reido. I have to get back to your flower maid, coming" He asked, his face stoic.
"Cheza" Kiba breathed out her name. The others came back to the two. The wolf called Reido stumped back the other way before falling down. Kiba grabbed the man's arm to steady him. "Where's Cheza"
"Where's Lynx" He countered.
A dark bluish wolf walked up, on her back was the silver cub he was searching for. "Trade, the cub for the flower maiden." He said.
"I'm not a cub! I'm fourteen" Toboe whined. Zero fought the urge to roll his eyes but a sign did escape his lips. "I'm not talking bout you, I'm talking about my little minx." He snapped at the young rust colored wolf.
"She's not a cub, she's her own wolf and is able to become someone's mate." 'Namely mines.' Tsume added mentally.
"She said that it was Kiba who was the leader and I'd like to talk to the leader, not some lowly dog." He said. At least now Tsume knew where Lynx had learned that dog thing from and it pissed him off to no avail. "Let's go and get the other girl for now, those idiot soldiers of Jagara don't know a thing about a flower and were killing her before I found her." He stated as he looked for the chosen wolf's expression.
Nothing…maybe he didn't care about her like he thought he did. Or was it Lynx who changed their fates"We should get back, you can all go to paradise while Lynx and I go home."
"Why not stay with us" Hige suggested.
"Easy, don't trust you." Zero answered smoothly without skipping a beat. Slowly he got up from the soft snow and began to walk away from the group.
"Not very friendly huh" Hige commented.
"Not to traitors nor lowly dogs or even ones who will try to take what's mine away." He said walking away.
Blue turned her gaze onto Kiba and Tsume who were reluctant to follow. She knew that they both wanted Lynx but in some way, she knew that Reido had a history with the little silver wolf.
…awhile later…
Reido sniffed the air…there was something wrong. He turned to look at the leader, it seemed like the pure snow white wolf knew there was something wrong too. Kiba began to growl loudly.
"Is this some kind of trap"
"That's what I'm thinking…it smells…dangerous. Well leader, your call."
"What"
"You are the leader of this pack, I am an outsider who has not been accepted into your pack. So it's your call, what do you want to do"
Kiba looked deep in thought before he finally decided. "Blue, you and Tsume will go see what's wrong. Hige, Toboe and I will stay behind."
"Why me" Tsume questioned. Reido arched a brow. He had never seen a wolf question the pack's leader before. He wondered what the punishment was. In other packs that he traveled with, they would most likely be put to death but the flower maiden had said that this pack had a kind leader.
"You're going because I don't trust him, Blue goes to watch your back, she's strong. Hige stays behind because I know you'll beat him to a bloody pulp and because Reido doesn't trust either of you two."
"What about me" The rust colored wolf asked, he was feeling left out. They were treating him like a pup! Kiba didn't even consider him as a candidate to go along with the multi colored wolf.
"You're too young, I think Tsume and Blue can take Reido on if he betrays us."
"How can I betray you if I don't have your trust to begin with" The coy wolf asked.
He got Kiba there and everyone knew it. Reido looked up towards the cave where he left the pink haired girl at. He sighed, he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible but these idiots were too busy arguing amongst themselves to care about the key to paradise. He growled. He wanted Lynx with him so they could go back home.
"Enough" Surprisingly it was Tsume who shouted. Reido and Kiba were acting like children, he didn't care who was right or wrong, just as long as they got this done and over with! Some leader Kiba was, Tsume took it upon himself to settle things and took charge, surprising practically everyone.
"Come on what's your face, Blue, the sooner we get into this trap, the sooner we can get out and go to paradise." The multi-colored wolf nodded, following the black wolf, the blue half breed not too far behind.
"Kiba" The rust colored wolf asked, unsure of what was next. The leader turned to look at the orange wolf.
"Help the others but make sure they don't know you're tailing them, got that? Toboe and I will take Lynx to some shelter…somewhere. We'll stay put for about five days, enough time for you guys to come back with Cheza." Kiba picked up the smaller she-wolf and began to walk, Toboe ran to his side, looking at the girl. It was only now that he noticed that she smelled good…
"Hey Kiba, why does Lynx smell like Cheza"
"I'm not sure…she and Cheza do smell alike but there are some differences…When we find a lunar flower one day, I'll show you." The younger wolf nodded, seemingly satisfied with the older male's answer for now.
-Later that night-
A small, silver wolf cub flattened her ears as her mistress fell to the ground, taking down whatever was on the table as well. Bottles of perfume and make up fell to the floor, shattering everything. The silver cub whimpered, she could smell the sickness…death would soon follow.
"Lynx." She heard the voice of her caretaker outside the door. Suddenly it flew open, and there stood both the red colored wolf and her master Darcia.
"Hmm…wonder who those people were." Lynx mumbled. She cuddled closer to the fire and snuggled herself between the rust and white wolf. She let out a content sigh. "Much better."
Everything was perfect. She was warm with her wolf pack, had a little adventure that would keep her happy for about…three more minutes. It was too damn peaceful! She got up a bit too quickly and felt her world spinning. "Hoo boy." She almost fell down on the cub but someone steadied her. She looked and saw who it was…but her body had other plans as she blacked out again…
A red wolf with yellow tipped ears and a puff of white on his chest down to his mid stomach, his paws looked like they had boots on them but it was just some black fur, while every other part of his body was red. He smiled. "Hello Lynx, glad to see you're awake."
"W-Who are you" The smaller girl asked.
The male wolf smirked, he looked older than both Kiba and Tsume but not by much. His form suddenly changed into a man's. He was tall with long blonde hair tied, the top part covered in a blue bandana and icy blue eyes. His black shirt was ripped with some blood seeping out slowly. He wore black slacks and a belt…with a jewel encrested sheathe? Sword sheathe? What would a wolf need with a sword where he had his fangs and claws? She wondered to herself…
"Question is, who are you" Both the silver wolf and multi-colored wolves turned around to find the source of the voice, a black wolf came into view…one golden eyes and one blue? Now that was a strange sight…and it unnerved the younger female she-wolf greatly.
"Come with me, lead me to my paradise…" The odd wolf ordered, walking up to them. The red wolf pushed her behind him, mouthing a run as the black wolf charged, tearing the red wolf's neck. Crimson red soaked his fur, more pooling around the black wolf and the silver as he held onto her tightly.
"Lead us to our paradise" He ordered as he began to laugh manically.
"No…" Midnight blue eyes darted around the cave…"No…"
A/N: I Need a new beta reader, email or leave a review with penname and email and have at least two stories up with a minimum of 3 reviews per chapter…or 4 reviews for a one-shot.
