"Run, Otouto! I will hold them off!"... "Don't argue, just run!" The memory of the attack swirled in Ani's aching head. The humans had taken them by surprise. With the cold hindering their sense of smell, the two wolves had no chance of knowing there were intruders in the forest again. Already they were injured and attempting to escape, but the intruders had caught up to them.

Ani crushed one human's arm in his jaws when she attacked Otouto. When the second human turned to attack him, the black wolf grabbed the human by the shoulder and threw him against the trunk of a tree. But he landed feet first against the wood and shot back like a bullet bearing weapons like those Imouto used to hunt. Of course Otouto dodged and retaliated.

Distracted by his littermate's fight, the white wolf didn't notice the female human come at him a second time with a long blade and run it through his shoulder. It only made him angrier as he snarled and flipped around with his jaws spread far apart to show his intention of removing her masked head from her shoulders. With her mangled arm she didn't have time to move before the wolf succeeded, blood spattering across his muzzle and dotting the black band of fur on his forehead. Ani's satisfaction was short lived when he noticed a third human hiding in the shadows, his attention on Otouto who hadn't noticed as he fought with one of the humans. He was forming a strange sign with his hands, which raised a red flag in the white wolf's mind. Just as weapons flew from all directions at his brother, Ani charged and knocked Otouto aside. Time seemed to slow down enough for Ani to snap the intruder's leg in his jaws and hold him in place as hundreds of knives, blades, and needles showered the clearing in a deadly rain of steel.

Incomprehensible pain seared through the wolf's body and he let the now dead human drop to the ground, thankful he was able to make the intruder involuntarily shield his head from instantly fatal wounds. But the damage had been done. Ani's limbs buckled and he sank into the snow. He heard his brother call out to him in terror, but the white wolf didn't dare let Otouto remain frozen with concern."Do not be a fool!"Ani growled through his clenched jaws."Run!"The black wolf hesitated, but turned and ran with the third human tailing him.

That was hours ago, Ani remembered. He was numb with the dulling ache of all the weapons protruding from his body. It no longer hurt to breathe so little, so he knew it was only a matter of time. Death came for him once already, but the wolf denied the comfort of the next world even as blood soaked his white fur red. He couldn't die yet. Not with the thought of Imouto, his sister, being alone if Otouto was killed too. It was a prospect he couldn't bear to imagine.

Despite his brother's accusations of not caring enough, Ani was the most obligated to protect their adopted sister. That's why he allowed her to act independently. If she didn't learn how to fend for herself and make her own decisions, simply treated like a cub her whole life, she never would have survived in the wilderness with them. But that was the problem. They were always there for her. If Ani died now he couldn't protect her anymore…

The sound of snow being crushed beneath another mass caused the wolf to re-focus on the real world, but he didn't have the energy to move to see what had made the noise. However, he didn't have to wonder for long. Imouto had moved into his line of vision as she dropped into the snow next to him. Her eyes were dark gray, the color betraying her sadness. She was crying, and it broke Ani's heart.

Imouto whimpered as she wrapped her arms around his head, burying her face into his blood-speckled fur. Ani was rather surprised she was speaking in broken-sounding wolf tongue. He wondered when she learned how, but quickly dismissed the pointless curiosity. She was saying "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" A tired thought of amusement flickered in the white wolf's mind. What was she apologizing for? This wasn't her fault.

Ani whined his reassurance in a low tone. It is okay…I will stay here with you…

The girl tightened her grip and trembled as snowflakes began to fall again. She shook her head and whimpered louder, as if she were in pain. What she was saying now caused Ani to pause. "No…do not suffer…." Imouto must have sensed his protest because she continued as she hugged him tighter. "…do not worry for me…."

The wolf watched snowflakes floating in the air for a time. How slowly they fell. They were beautiful, but he couldn't feel their touch. His body felt too distant to feel anything but the girl pressing into his fur and not wanting to let go. But how could I leave her alone? Ani listened to Imouto continue to cry. Maybe…if she was willing to let go despite her worries and sadness, he should be too. After all, nothing could last forever could it? Alright…he sighed. At that moment, it was like a weight was lifted and he was released. Closing his eyes as his last breath formed an icy cloud in the cold air, the wolf savored his last moment with his sister.

This time, when death came with its offer of rest, Ani accepted.

There was nothing Kiyoshi ever experienced that was more painful than having her brother die in her arms. She didn't want him to die, but she cared too much to let him suffer for her sake. And her attempt to speak in the wolf language was the best way she could think of to get him to understand that. Thankfully it was easy in a sense, considering it was a dialect that was so quiet a damaged throat like hers wouldn't get in the way.

Gently, she lowered the wolf's head to the ground and rubbed her eyes dry. Already the snow was covering the blood-matted fur and changing it back to white. Kiyoshi stood after allowing herself to recover her bearings and slowly continued along the trail. With every step her sorrow turned into anger. The signs of another Anbu were everywhere, and luckily it was the last. If the black wolf was still alive the human would be after him. Kiyoshi paused briefly to devise a plan then picked up the pace, running as fast as she could and not losing a single breath.

That human will pay with his life!

From the scorch marks and scattered shuriken throughout the pass, it was obvious the fight had been gradually moving for quite some time. Ice formed in rock-hard crystals along the cliff of the mountain. Every possible chasm was sealed over by the snow and one false step could be a death sentence. Kiyoshi didn't care. Her only thought was to find her black furred brother and tear the Anbu apart. And they were close. The rumbling was louder and the spouts of fire were just around the corner.

Before she could round the bend, the girl saw the anbu running back toward the forest using the unsteady stretches of the cliff as an escape route and she immediately thought the worst. You murderous coward! She was about to give chase until she saw the black wolf scrambling to follow the same way. He's alive! Kiyoshi whistled to him, letting the updraft carry it for her. Her brother came to a halt at the edge of a drop-off, causing a series of shards to break loose and fall. He looked around until he spotted her and ran back the way he came.

Kiyoshi saw where he was headed and ran to meet the wolf halfway. When they were face to face, she was disappointed to see a bloody scar stretched from his muzzle to his left ear, where half of it was gone. Another injury cut into his right eye. The girl whimpered her concern, but the wolf only shook his head as if it were nothing.

She sighed in both amusement and relief and threw her arms around his neck. He huffed in irritation when she nearly knocked him over, but Kiyoshi didn't care. Thank you for being alive…

The wolf pulled away and looked around frantically. It was obvious what, rather who, he was looking for. Kiyoshi took a deep breath and sighed. She didn't want to talk in wolf tongue right now, with all the questions it would bring up like how she figured it out in the first place. Of course, the answer to that was simply her hearing. She could hear the smallest sounds her brothers formed into words while the den was quiet at night. However, she had only learned to use the basic speech patterns. Enough, at the moment, to convince the white wolf to let go. If only I learned sooner…Kiyoshi thought with a pang of sadness. We would have been able to talk more. The only way she could think of to have the black wolf get the bigger picture, Kiyoshi continued along the pass. Sure enough, he whined in a sorrowful tone and followed with heavy pawsteps.

They were alone now. No home, no family but each other, and nothing to look forward to. All that's left was to move forward. But where? It's not like they had anywhere to go. Kiyoshi thought of Kisame and growled under her breath. He was lucky. He actually had a home. Geez, he talked about it all the time the past few days. Something about "Akatsuki" and how each member was basically an outcast and a freak in their own right, all living under one roof and carrying out orders from their leader. To Kiyoshi, it sounded like a human version of a pack. A pack was something she hadn't known for a long time since the she-wolf who raised her was killed. Now that she thought about it, she wanted to be in a pack again. She shook her head. What am I thinking? No bunch of humans would want to take us in. She glanced at the black wolf. He had more injuries than just the ones dealt to his face. There was blood coming from his shoulder and back leg, which was causing him to limp. He wouldn't be able to hunt in that condition for a while and neither of them could do it alone. Then again…she thought with a pang of guilt. If we don't think of something we'll never make it. Worse, the anbu that got away could come back with reinforcements and then they would be in even more trouble.

I guess….we'll have to take our chances…She could still feel the skin-crawling sensation of Kisame's aura, but it was far off. If they were to catch up to him, Kiyoshi would have to help her brother pick up the pace despite his leg. It would be hard, but what other chance was there?