Chapter 10
Tears of joy

I stayed up all night looking at over the town, to the horizon. The sky was unbelievably blue, it was going to be a good first day of freedom.

I look over at Max. He was still cuddled up to Toboe, they had been fidgeting in there sleep, Toboe had been running, and max had been talking in his sleep. Something about me stealing his cakes and he was still at it now.
"No my cupcake!..cake...bug off mmmm.."

I look at the blue sky shaking my head and rolling my eyes, why me.

I got up, walked over to him and sat in front of his face, my back to him.

'Eat tail,' I let my tail fall on his face.

"AH what the, AH oh my god get it off!" he sat up panting, rubbing his face franticly.
"AHH what was that?" He looked over at me.
"You cheeky little, I was having a really good dream." he frowned.

His face was priceless. I smiled back mischievously.

We sat there for a while watching the others sleep and looking out over the world.

"I spoke with Toboe for a long time last night." he said smiling as warmly as the sun.

"He talk about how wolves can put on an illusion to fool us humans, and he said you can do it too." he looked down at me his smile widening.

I knew that this collar stopped me from changing form or even talking to humans. It had been torturous knowing that I could have talked to him, and comforted him when he needed it.

"So with that in mind, I think its about time we freed ourselves from theses collars." As he said it he pulled out his butterfly knife and flicked it open.
I got up excitedly, wagging my tail. We had never been able to free ourselves. When we touched each others collars they would activate and put us both on the floor writhing pain, but now that I had destroyed masters controller, maybe we could do it.

I tilted my head slightly. He brought the knife close to my collar. I closed my eyes waiting for the shock. Tap! Tap! Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes smiling widely. Max let out a long sigh of relief.
"Right," he put his blade into the buckle and started twisting his knife or trying to pry the buckle apart.
It hurt, the skin was very raw and tender underneath the collar, but it didn't mater.

Suddenly they was a small pop and a crackling sound. Blue sparks came out were Max had the knife.

We both froze.

Just as we both relaxed our collars awoke, sending electricity through our bodies. I screwed my eyes shut and gritted my teeth, taking the shock.

Max yelled in agony. The other awoke with a start, looking at us in horror.
As suddenly as the shocks had come, they stopped.

We both slumped to the ground panting. Max laid on the ground slowly moving and groaning in pain.
I suppressed my own groan as I shakily got to my paws. A warm trickle of the blood was dripping from my collar.

"Max are you ok?" Toboe ran up to Max, helping him to sit up.
"Yeah I'm fine." he said, looking down at his blade still in his fist.

He prized his fingers off the hilt, groaning as he did. The electricity had locked his hand around the hilt. The burns on his hands looked really painful.

"Max your hand!" Toboe said looking alarmed.
"It's ok really." Max said but Toboe was not listening.
He gently took Max's hand in his own and started licking it carefully.

Max opened his mouth as if to protest but obviously thought it to be a waste of time. He sat there looking a little embarrassed.

"You ok?" Kiba said, face blank as always.
I cracked my neck and shoulders.
"Yeah I'm fine. So much for getting these collars off huh?"

Without warning, Kiba jumped at me. I knew what he was going for. I leaned back and let him grab my collar. He pinned me to the floor growling.

I shut my eyes waiting for the shock.

CHING!

I snapped my eyes open in confused shock. A weight had fallen away, and a cold breeze brushed past my neck.

I took a slow steady breath. For the first time it came easily. I stood up slowly, every thing had gone in slow motion.

The collar lay broken on the floor. On the inside of the collar there was hundreds of little needles and two bigger ones where my spine would have been.

All those years of control and it was this thing.

I lifted my head, letting the breeze blow over the bald ring around my neck. The flesh there looked almost like it had been scarred by boiling water.

I suddenly looked over at Max. He must be free to.

I pounced at him, wrapping my fangs around his throat. He tried to fight at first but he quickly realized what I was doing and stopped.

I bit down harder and felt the collar start to give. The collar suddenly let its bolts rip through our bodies. Ignoring the pain I bit down harder still.

CRACK!

I let go and the collar fell away. He sat up eyes wide, tears falling down his face, he looked down at his old collar then back at me, but when he looked at me he was smiling. Tears of joy.