key: 'wolf speech' / "human speech"

Dead Trees Talking I

Bristling slightly when recognizing the same black dog from Freeze City, she was taken by surprise when seeing the girl didn't fear that hunter's mutt.

"We have a friend, even here," Cheza said lightly, drawing away from the chosen duo to approach the leashed canine, crouching to look at it even as the two wolves followed per precaution. She looked up when feeling his hand on her shoulder and assured him that she was fine before refocusing on the dog, "You do not know what you are, do you? You never did… There is some wolf inside you, too." She said calmly, surprising the dog as well as the two wolves.

That explains how she could track us in the city, Nikki mused with a nod, watching the half-breed slightly flinch when the girl reached to stroke her muzzle even though her clear blue eyes stayed on her in awe.

Cheza adopted a compassionate look and wondered of the half-wolf, "You were alone your whole life, were you not?"

Kiba looked up when catching the familiar stink of soldiers fast approaching and he looked at both females, "Let's go." He urged, receiving a nod from his other half.

Nikki looked at the wolf-dog for a second longer before she lifted Cheza up by the hand and took off after his lead down the alley.

::::x x::::

Being near humans wasn't foreign to her, given the life she'd had with her father on their island. But being hunted by a nobleman's soldiers didn't sit well with her. And she wasn't alone in that, which was something she was glad for.

Both wolves walked the lonely alley in general silence. They had found shelter in the nearby dump of the latest town –Aerial City, as she had overheard when they had entered the town not two hours ago— they had stumbled upon, and both black and brown wolf were to keep an eye on Cheza while the rest of them went to explore.

She was just glad she hadn't wound up with Tsume.

Eri cleared her throat as the silence was starting to get to her, "So, how'd you guess that Zoli was my father?" She wondered.

"You'd been spying on us since we set foot on the island, and my guess is that he wouldn't have just anyone do that job." Kiba shrugged, catching the measure of guilt that darkened her brown eyes, adding, "Thanks for your help, back there."

"Don't mention it… though I gotta admit that you guys were impressive, standing up to him. Noone has ever done that, not even those jerks who… well, y'know." Eri nodded with a small smile as she looked elsewhere.

Kiba nodded back and paused to sniff the air, glancing at her, "Come on." He received a nod before they ascended the nearby low rooftop at a hop.

Eri shortly followed, catching the whiff of soldier now that they were off the ground, stopping at his left when they at last reached a tall rooftop that looked onto the dry patch of the outskirts. She bristled slightly at seeing the same soldiers from the ruins as they had set up a base in the dry patch. "Why are they after her, just because some noble wants her?" She asked quietly as they watched the soldiers continue moving about the base.

"Supposedly she was created in a lab, at least from what Nikki told me." Kiba nodded again.

"You must love her… Nikki, I mean. You wouldn't have made her stay behind otherwise." Eri guessed as she watched his face soften when mentioning the other she-wolf.

Kiba smiled despite the heat in his ears, "She saved my life the day we met, so yeah." Granted that wasn't the only reason, but it was enough for Eri to hear.

Eri rolled her eyes and lightly nudged him, "Come on, we should return to the others."

::::x x::::

Toboe exhaled in relief when the coast was clear as he poked his head above their seat. "Why're those guys after Cheza, anyway?" He asked.

"Dunno but if I had to guess, it's because the nobles paying them want her back." Nikki answered, propping her feet up on the head-rest infront of her seat, rubbing her nose gingerly. "Not like that's gonna happen with us." She added.

"R-right!" Toboe nodded, briefly admiring her confidence, leaning over the seat, "Onee-chan, have you always disliked humans?" He wondered curiously.

Nikki shrugged, "I can live with them so long as they don't stick a bullet in me…" At seeing the curious expression falter on his young face, she looked at him, "You were raised by a human, weren't you?" She asked.

Toboe nodded again, "Yeah. Granny, she took me in and gave me these," he gestured to the four bracelets on his wrist that softly jingled with his movement, and he smiled rather wistfully at them.

"Sounds like a sweet old lady… I gotta admit that you're lucky to have been raised by a human like that." Nikki smiled at him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Toboe laughed sheepishly, "Though sometimes I wish Tsume was my big brother too, y'know, not like I don't like you because you're his sister, I mean…" He fumbled and looked away with a weak smile.

Blue eyes softened, Nikki reached to tousle his hair. "If ya feel so strongly about it then he can be your big brother too… He's kind of a jerk though." She added with a pout.

Toboe laughed.

::::x x::::

Eri rolled her eyes when the pup jumped slightly as the remaining two regrouped with them. "You two sure took your time." She mused.

"Missed you too…" Tsume huffed when catching his sister's agreeing nod.

Hige smiled cheekily, "At least we got through…"

A bullet suddenly struck the ground near the pup's footing, spooking the pack before six sets of eyes looked to the nearby cliffside to recognize the old hunter glaring down at them from the lens of his rifle.

"Go!" Tsume snapped as they scattered when the hunter fired at them, heading for the trees.

Nikki skidded to a halt when Cheza tripped behind them and she doubled back to help her up. "Geez…" She hoisted her arm over her shoulders before perking up as another shot went off and the bullet streaked for her.

Specks of blood flew when the bullet struck the left shoulder of the white wolf who had dove to protect her, and said male bared his teeth against the pain.

"Kiba!" The girl said in surprise.

"Hige!" Nikki barked as said tan wolf jogged to help Cheza and she in turn fisted a hand in Kiba's jacket, "Come on!" She held fast to his jacket as they sprinted to the safety of the trees.

When the hunter looked up again from reloading, the wolves were gone.

It took at least four rows of trees to put between them and the edges of the forest but the pack finally stopped running to regain their bearings.

"Why the hell is he here?" Tsume wondered at large as he scowled at the way they had come.

"He really hates wolves if he followed us all the way from the city…" Hige agreed.

Kiba looked to everyone present from his seat on a large root and asked, "Is everyone all right?"

"Yeah." Eri nodded as she briefly looked to the boys before their leader.

"But you're not." Nikki said as she gestured to his shoulder, stepping closer, "We need to get the bullet out."

"I can still run, Nik…" Kiba reminded patiently.

Nikki shifted her weight, "I don't care, you've gotten shot before so don't expect me to lighten up, Kiba." She stated firmly, catching the stubborn scowl starting to furrow his brow, exhaling and rolling her sleeves up.

Tsume repressed the memory of the last time he had gotten scuffed in the city and let her tend to his injuries, "Holler if you need a sedative." He nodded to his sister, ushering the trio plus Cheza away to let her work.

Kiba scowled after him and exhaled in defeat as he let her shrug off his jacket so she could look at his shoulder, looking up at her when she drew one of her small blades from her boots. "You're not seriously…"

"It's the only way to get the slug out." Nikki said patiently, adding with an exasperated gaze, "Grin and bear it, hotshot." She rolled his sleeve up and pretended smelling his freshly-spilled blood didn't make her own boil in anger at that human.

Kiba barely swallowed the growl that rose in his throat as the blade dug into his arm and twisted slightly to pop the bullet out. His tensed muscles relaxed as he heard the discarded bullet hit the forest floor, looking to her when hearing cloth tearing to see she was fastening a white bandage around his shoulder. He watched her tie the bandage tight on his arm. "The more I think about it, the more I think getting shot in the same place is painful." He mused.

Nikki paused at hearing him complain, smirking gently. "Then don't get shot." She said, adding as she stowed the remaining bandage roll in her coat's inner pocket, "Your shoulder will be fixed on the next full moon..."

"Kind of have to get shot, especially when the woman I love is threatened." Kiba huffed even as he took his jacket from her hand, pausing when he recognized what he just said and noticing she froze at the same time.

"You… you love me that much?" Nikki wondered softly as their stares met.

Feeling heat that had flooded his neck and ears slowly spill into his cheeks, Kiba cleared his throat and replied in the same tone, "I've never felt anything like how I feel towards you. You're an island, Nik, and I love that most about you." He gained measures of confidence the longer he spoke, and he smiled fondly when seeing her cheeks color.

Nikki smiled humbly and nodded. "I love you too… Even if you are the most fearless idiot jackass I've ever met." She said, stepping closer to stroke his cheek.

"Could've gone without calling me a 'jackass'…" Kiba puffed as he glanced away, making her giggle, and his eyes warmed at seeing her laugh.

"'Sweet puppy' sounds better, you're right." Nikki hummed, smiling serenely when he made a face.

an: so here's a fun factoid, i once wrote that Eri and Kiba were siblings. just thought you guys should know that. anyway, later.