"Kiba, how much longer?" grumbles Toboe, "We've been walking for days now!"

"This one thinks we are close, Kiba"

"Please, can we stop for a minute?" pants Lida as she stumbles along.

Without even glancing at her, Tsume growls, "If you can't keep up, that's not our problem."

"Hey, Tsume! That wasn't nice!" growls Blue in return, as she keeps pace with the newcomer.

"Since when is he ever nice?" laughs Tala as she walks next to Toboe. "Lida, we've been walking instead of running because of you. I doubt we are going to stop."

The pack had been walking for almost a week at a slow pace. In part, it was so Lida could keep up, since despite there words to the contrary, none was willing to leave her behind to die. The white wolf also hampered their pace. He had sustained some foul injuries in the fight that prevented the pack from continuing at their normal pace. Convinced that they were close to paradise and that Ashe was dead, there was really no need to hurry.

Their trip for the most part had been uneventful. There had been some fights between Lida and Tala, which ended in Tala's grudging acceptance of Lida. Being wolves themselves, they could all understand how her love and loyalty to Ashe had driven her. Even so, they would not have acepted her so readily if Kiba hadn't.


Flashback
"How could you kill your own brother?"

"I didn't mean too, but I couldn't let him hurt my pack," sighs Kiba.

After a few moments of silence, Lida sniffs, "Why do you bring me along?"

Exasperated, Kiba calmly explanes for the tenth time, "You said you'd like to come."

"That's not what I mean!" She cries, "Why kind of wolf are you? Why do you ignore me?"

Finnaly the white wolf snapes, "I'm OBVIOUSLY NOT IGNORING YOU! I said you could come so you can! No strings, no lies." He sighs again, "I'm not going to hold you responsible for Ashe."

"Oh……"


"There!" Kiba calls as he comes to a halt. "Paradise."

Laying a hand on his shoulder Cheza smiles at her 'king of wolves', "This one is glad."

"Wow!"

"That's it?"

"Cool!"

"Finnally!"

"Do you think It'll have food?"

"……"

As the wolves broke into excited chatter, no one noticed the incredibly large black wolf approaching them. At least, no one noticed until he slammed into Cheza and started to drag her away.

"KIBA!" cried the flower maiden.

At last! I shall be the one to open paradise, Kiba! Growled the intruder.

Startled, Kiba could do nothing but stare into the missmatched eyes of the other, while the rest of his pack, even Lida, sprung to attack. Tsume and Hige quickly harried the larger wolf's haunches, Snapping and biting at the tender spots where the knee bent. His mouth clamped on Cheza's arm, the intruder was only able to spin in an attempt to avoid the two. Seeing this, Tala and Toboe went for the eyes, ears, and front feet. As the four wolves worked as one, Blue and Lida darted back and forth, trying to free Cheza from the bone-crunching grip of the angry black.

Kiba, still staring at the intruder, could not find anywhere to attack without risking hurting one of his friends. No coward, he waited for the opening, knowing it would come. In under a minute, the snow around the intruder was red, with a small spattering of Cheza's green blood. The air seemed alive with growls, yowls, snarls, and cries.

Seeing that he could not win unless he releases his captive, tossing Cheza to the ground, where Lida and Blue attempt to retrieve her, only to find themselves flying through the air by a toss of the large wolf's head. Before the others can react, the intruder quickly switches his attack to the four smaller wolves harrying him. Without mercy, he rips into them, providing no opportunity for retaliation or retreat.

As the four wolves are scatter, badly injured, the enemy turns his mismatched eyes on Kiba, stopping the white wolf in his tracks

I am the only one worthy enough to open paradise! He snarls, glaring at Kiba. I shall remake the world!

"Darcia," Kiba growls, "Leave now! I don't have time for this!"

oh I'm afraid that you better make time, Kiba, for these will be the last moments of your life. The flower maiden is MINE! He howls, his mismatched eyes glowing as he charges Kiba.


Authors Note:

I know I'm mean. Grins What a cliffie huh? Bet you thought that Darcia was Ashe for a minute. Common, don't deny it. I did that so my fanfic ties into the show more. Now here's a question. Who will win, Kiba or Darcia? Will I kill everyone off? Will Ashe be the only wolf left? Review or I leave it as is. Sorry about the OOCness in the middle…. And I noticed the foxglen link didn't work…..not like you people would go to it right? But here it is again….

/s/1531690/1/

just stick that after the if you want to see the story.