Wolf's Rain is copyright to BONES/ Nobumoto Keiko; Nikki belongs to me.

**side note (so as not to have my readers confused on who's speaking, wolf or human):

'talk' - wolf speech

"talk" - human speech

***edit: "onee-san" - older sister, older sister-figure***

Dead Trees Talking - Part One

The dog growled lowly at the chosen pair.
Despite the slight bristle that made her hackles rise, she was surprised as the girl remained serene and calm.

"We have a friend, even here." Cheza hummed lightly, pulling away from their side to go towards the dog.

She followed wordlessly with her mate at her side, keeping near the girl mostly out of instinct, standing behind the girl as she crouched to look at the midnight-colored dog eye-to-eye.

This dog must be special if she gained Cheza's attention like this, she mused as her mate placed a hand on the girl's shoulder before being assured that she was fine, removing his hand to hang back by her side.

"You do not know what you are, do you? You never did." She spoke to the dog this time as surprise registered in her face, in her clear blue eyes; she smiled softly. "There is some wolf inside of you, too." She added, baffling both wolves standing behind her.

So that explains why she was able to sniff us out back in Freeze City, she thought with an understanding nod.

The hybrid drew back a little when she reached to stroke her muzzle, blue eyes staring at crimson eyes.
"You were alone your whole life, were you not?" She wondered.

His head snapped up as they both caught the stink of soldier coming closer. "Let's go," he ordered quietly, reaching to lift her up by the hand and drag her away as they sprinted back to the alleys; both females looked back at the hybrid looking at their fleeing forms in confusion and awe.

::::::::oOo::::::::

She'd pouted when he told her to stay behind.
With a sigh she relaxed on the worn bus seat, propping her feet up. "He's so not fair." She grated.

The pup poked his head up from sitting at the back with the girl. "Aww, cheer up, Nikki, they'll be back soon! Kiba said they would." He tried to cheer her up.

She smiled a little at him and crossed her ankles idly. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She agreed, running a hand through her hair.

Both wolves perked their ears when they heard shouting outside of the old bus they'd taken shelter in.

"Stay close to Cheza," she ordered gently, quietly moving to peek out the broken window of the other side of the bus to see a couple of soldiers chasing down a trio of kids; she bristled and wrinkled her nose at catching whiff of their stink, ducking her head back into the bus when the soldiers went after one of the boys.

Are they that desperate to find her? Just what the hell are they thinking, chasing down a few human pups? She wondered, taking a whiff of the air and sighing when their stink had faded; she nodded to the pup. "Coast clear."

Toboe sighed in relief and slumped his shoulders as he relaxed near the girl. "Those guys never give up, do they, onee-san?" He wondered.

"They're pretty desperate if they're chasing after some street kids. Prolly think they're like us." Nikki mused grimly, retreating to her seat and resting her back against the wall, pulling her hood over her head out of reflex; she glanced at the girl and smiled to herself. "No matter what, they won't catch us; not if we've still got breath in us. Right?" She looked at the pup.

"Right! Um, onee-san, can I ask you something?" He nodded, looking at her innocently.

She looked up at him from polishing the sharp edge of her switchblade with the sleeve of her jacket. "Shoot."

"Did Tsume give you those, your knives?" He wondered.

Her eyes lowered to look at the blade of her favorite switchblade, smiling thoughtfully. "I was your age when he gave me these. Stole them from some stupid gang leader on one of his first gigs. That was when he taught me to fight with the knife." She answered quietly, running the bottom of her index finger's tip along the blunt side of the blade, flicking her wrist and folding the blade back into the handle before putting it in her pocket.

"That's so cool! I bet it was really cool to run with him and hang out with his human friends." Toboe chuckled.

Nikki shrugged and smiled at him. "You were raised by a human, weren't you? That'd explain that girl." She guessed, perking his ears.

Lantern-gold eyes losing their brightness if only slightly, he nodded. "Yeah, I was. Granny was the one who gave me these," he replied, lifting up the wrist that bore the four silver bangles, the bracelets jingling softly with his gesture.

She nodded back. "To be honest, I gotta admit you're lucky to have been raised by a kind human. Y'weren't raised by wolves like me," she scratched her cheek sheepishly.

"I guess you're right!" He laughed in the same manner. "Though sometimes I wish Tsume was my big brother… Not that I hate you or anything for being his sister, because I don't!" He waved his arms frantically and sweatdropped, smiling weakly at the older wolf.

Nikki laughed softly and lifted a hand to tousle his brown hair in a sisterly way. "I know you don't, pup. If ya feel that strongly about it, then we can both be his little brother and sister! I don't mind sharin', really." She waved it off, smiling at him.

"That'd be cool," Toboe laughed with her.

Cheza smiled fondly at the sight of the two wolves bonding.

The pup looked about in concern. "Shouldn't they be here by now?" He asked, looking to the two older wolves.

"They are here." The white wolf answered, briefly baffling the younger wolf, before both gray and tan wolves dropped down before them, regrouping with the chosen pair plus pup and Flower Maiden.

"Sorry for the wait." The gray wolf greeted.

The tan wolf stuck his thumb up in assurance, "Operation successful!"

"Took ya long enough," the she-wolf mused with a smirk, arms folded behind her head leisurely, to which said pudgy wolf smiled cheekily.

A bullet hit the ground near the pup's foot; spooking the pack and making them look up at the cliff face to see the familiar sight of the old hunter glaring down at them from behind the lens of his shotgun. "You damn wolves!" He shouted angrily, reloading and firing at them as the pack scattered and went for the first line of the trees.

The girl tripped over a rock and fell face-first, making the she-wolf skid to a halt in following her mate and double back to help her up.

"Come on, Cheza," she urged as she hoisted her arm over her shoulders, perking her ears as another shot went off, aimed directly at her face.

Blood stained the left shoulder of the white wolf that had dove in to protect the two females that meant something to him, grimacing and baring his teeth against the sharp throb of pain that flowed like the crimson staining his white fur.

"Kiba," the girl exclaimed in surprise.

She gritted her teeth and growled. "Idiot, let's go!" She barked sharply, reaching to hook her fingers in the belt loops of his jeans and drag him after her and the girl's lead into the trees where their pack was waiting.

When the hunter looked up from reloading the clip, the pack had disappeared.

**answer to reviews (i'm gonna make sure i do my best to keep this up for future chapters, just to let you know):

to evewolf123 - lol i know they are xD and thanks, sorry this chap was short. wasn't a lot to cover with the pack. ^^'