A/N- Yeah, I know it's been a while, but I've been forced to study for the ACT test coming up this Saturday and I've had a few birthdays to go to (HAPPY B-DAY ZANNY-CHAN!) not to mention I am now a camp councilor for a horse-back-riding camp at the stable I ride at and well yeah…. It's been pretty hectic, but since today there was so much rain that it flooded out our dead-end street, I was unable to go to the horrors of summer camp and was able to update! YEAAAAAHHH!!
So yeah that's what happened (ah, excuses, excuses)
Acknowledgments-
TheLeopardDemonNovelist(HAPPY B-DAY!!), Blackwidow, Emeraldragon, Vixie, CrismonTiger, Solarwind, Shurtugal, Hybrid, coldfire, howling1, Dhole, Wildcreature, alvinfreak676, fannyone325, RedFang, Sabertooth, AngelOfVengeance, Siren, Prettykitty67, Carnage, little shadow(and big shadow), Aquamarine, bloodymary, freakingod, TwiLightzone, Venom, FangsofFury, Snowstar, QueenofSpades, tigerjaw, emilyruby, White Fang, froggy4543, lucky, HottyKat, blackpanther, gossipgirl, freddbing323, Amber, Savagecreature, Hellhound, ScarsofRemourse, wolfsbane, SilenceofDoom, sweetooth, Quickstrike, Furyguy, stargirl, WildKat, Dusk, Dawn…..(Is that everone?)
PS NOTE- from here on out, there will be character deaths (I know we all hate it, but it is part of the story line I'm keeping, but don't worry, it all works out in the end ) AND-
In the next chapter the plot goes like WAAAAAAAAAY out from the original and there's a lot of violence, suspence, and action. I'm still trying to keep the romance factor with in it, so it will still have ROMANCE! (has made a commitment to make it work) just a heads up on it for ya
Response to the main review of all-
AKIRA'S PREGNANT??
-Yep she is (if not know how, check the chapters where Kiba and Akira are trapped in the false paradise) and yes, it truly does only take ONCE with all the right timing included (so watch out if your involved with someone. It happens in my family all the time- sigh-)
Does Kiba know?
-Nope
Why?
-Yes he'd be able to smell it IF he were thinking about it, but as we all know, Kiba's preoccupied with getting to paradise, and to say the truth, females don't always show or smell like their pregnant until at least the second month AND they did do it in a FALSE PARADISE where both learned that only their spirits went to and not their bodies so they both don't belive it's possible, but I was evil and had it be written that IT IS! HAHAHAHA!
(okay, I think I over killed it again…. Sad face…)
-When are the pups due?
--that would be not for a while. Since in the story, she only conceived like a month ago. I'm having the pregnancy timing go along with the human way since I'm not well versed in how wolf timing really is (I know it's about the same, but to be on the safe side and not look like an idiot this will have to do )
Disclaimer (hate these things so much, but I was threatened that the story would be deleted if I don't start putting these up- SO-) I don't own WolfRain…. I own the box set though and the only 2 manga it came out in and my original characters though
Read and ENJOY!
Chapter 28 Blinded Sight
"So you did find them, I'm so relieved that you're all alright!" Cher sighed, "When the keep came down, I was afraid some of you had gotten caught up in the cave-in of the hallways. Hub and I narrowly made it out ourselves" she looked to her ex-husband who leaned against the SUV behind her as they both greeted the newly arrived wolves.
Hub nodded, "Yeah, it gave us quite a scare,"
"We made it out in plenty of time." Heart reassured, "Sadly, that's not the first time a building started to cave in while we were inside, right guys?" she turned to the others in the pack.
Hige rolled his eyes and sighed, "Tell me about it. This up-paced life style really has its few perks and many down falls to it."
Akira stepped forward almost shyly. She had convinced Kiba to let her on her own feet but he insisted on shadowing her every step at her side, not taking any chances that she may fall again. She still seemed a little worse for wear even to Cher and Hub.
"Blue said that her human was hurt?" she asked.
Cher and Hub shared a dreading look and Cher sighed then looked back to the red-headed youth, "Yes, Quent is very ill right now. Did she tell you?"
"Something like 'temporary coma'?" Kiba hinted.
Cher nodded, "He also has gasping fits every now and then and I can't find a pattern in them. They seem to pop up at odds and with out any warning sometimes. The good news is that his wounds are healing better since the blood flow is lessened with his unconsciousness and steady heart beat, somewhat at least."
"Then he should count his blessings." Lauralai smiled serenely.
Jasper nodded to the truck bed, "Is there room for more in there?"
"Oh yes, plenty" Cher nodded back. She and Hub opened the back, "I assume you wolves would like Cheza to rest inside while we travel? There's room for more, but with all of you, it could get a little cramped."
"Doesn't the old man need his space though? It might not be good for him if he's cramped up with all of us in there, right?" Toboe cautioned.
"That's fine." Kiba said, "We'll rotate who's allowed inside and who will run."
"Yeah, but where exactly are we headed now?" Hub asked, "Do you guys know the way to paradise?"
"Cheza said that the tree of ages is calling to her. We assume that is where the true paradise resides. At least the gates to it" Akira answered.
"Tree of ages?" Hub echoed curiously as Lauralai led Cheza into the back of the truck with the unconscious hunter.
"We don't know much of it ourselves….." Tsume admitted.
"All we know is that that is our best bet on where to go from here." Kiba added.
"Then to this tree of ages we'll go." Hub nodded, approaching the cab of the SUV.
"You humans really wanna try and go?" Hige couldn't understand why. Paradise was for wolves, right?
"Paradise is our only hope for this life." Hub said sadly as he paused a moment before opening the drivers door to the SUV. He looked up to the sky and sighed, "With this word dieing, there's no real hope for us. It's a pitiful way to live. Maybe if there was another planet out there somewhere, we could modify our airships for space travel and go start life on another planet. Start anew."
"Why?" Kiba tilted his head, "Why do humans always look to the sky for answers? Why do you always want to fly when you've been given no wings. We were given four legs to run, and that's what we'll do. We'll run where ever this path to paradise may take us so that we may find another life, a better future to live in and for"
"I've…. Never thought of it like that…." Hub admitted sheepishly.
Tsume snorted, "Humans always run away to the skies, thinking they can escape the chaos they unleashed on the ground. Darkness and death know no boundaries and will follow you to the ends of the universe should you escape this planet even. Even if you find another world or planet to live on, Human greed will follow and the cycle will just start over."
"Yeah, that's humanity for ya" Hub sighed as he hoisted himself up into the drivers seat, "Alright, let's get this show on the road!"
"Who else will rest in the back?" Toboe asked.
"Hige should. He's still wounded, and Blue too, since she needs to be there for her Pops" Akira said, she looked to her brother, "You should too. You seem a bit tired."
Jasper nodded, "It'll be good to catch some shut eye while I can. I'll be the first to rotate out though." With that said, he climbed into the back of the SUV.
"You should too, Akira" Kiba insisted.
"What? Why me?" Akira said in alarm, "I'm not hurt"
"But you have been looking a bit exhausted." Heart said, "You look like you're about ready to fall over."
"I feel fine" Akira insisted.
"You can't even walk straight and you say you feel fine?" Tsume chuckled.
"Yes!" she stubbornly refused.
"Akira, you know I love you, but you have only two choices in this" Kiba gritted his teeth and held up a finger as he counted off her choices both verbally and visually, "One, you can get in the back and take a nap on your own, or, two- I'll personally throw you back there and tie you down with the extra rope in the back so you can't escape and you struggle till you faint in exhaustion, and THEN rest."
"Those aren't choices" Akira whined, "Those are demands"
"That's a matter of opinion" Kiba grinned.
"Well my opinion says otherwise"
"Too bad" Kiba shrugged, "What'll it be, Akira? Go willing or the hard way?"
"Fine, I'll go take a freak'n nap!" she grumbled, stalking her way to the back of the SUV and climbing in. she turned to glare down at smirking blue eyed man she'd come to love and hate at the same time lately, "Happy now?"
"Just giddy. Now off to bed." He waved her off, "Get some sleep, and don't try and stay awake. Blue will tell me if you do"
"Yes, Dad" Akira rolled her eyes and reverted to her wolf form to curl up with a stubborn moan next to an amused Cher who sat beside Quents head, changing the cool, damp rag for a fresher one.
"We'll watch over her, Kiba" Cher winked.
"Cross our hearts" Jasper chimed.
"You do that" Kiba nodded as he shut the back door.
Akira snorted, "You know, some times he really pisses me off with his dominative attitude"
"Yes, but it's cute to see you guys bicker so much." Cher smiled in return, "It really does show how much each of you care for one another. He even admitted that he loves you subtly."
"Don't go saying that to Kiba. It'll give him unwanted ideas" Jasper snorted.
"Yeah, he does that" Akira huffed, unimpressed at the moment.
"Oh Akira" Blue sighed, "Get some sleep, or I'll have to tell on you." she smirked playfully.
"Tattle tale" Akira grinned back and rested her head on her front paws and then closed her eyes, almost falling asleep instantly as the SUV purred to life and started to rumble its way through the snow with running wolves on all sides.
The last thing she could hear was Cheza's small voice as the flower maiden moved to settle against Akira like a pillow and stroked the red fur as she hummed a soft lullaby. Strangely, this one sounded like the one her mother used to sing, the lullaby for a stormy night….
She was out for the count in less than one murmured verse.
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A vicious snarl startled her. She opened her eyes to and found herself knee deep in snow. The wind and snow flakes that had been swirling around her stopped and it seemed that the snow storm had calmed for a moment. The white blanket of virgin snow around her wasn't marred by any foot prints as it covered the land between her and the black shadow in the shape of a wolf that stood dauntingly a few paces in front of her. It was huge- too large to be any normal wolf and its fur was even blacker than Heart's raven, though it didn't have the she-wolfs glossy silken fur. This being radiated madness and darkness, as if he were Wolfbane himself!
"You have betrayed me!" it snarled at her as it took a stalking step forward, raping the flawless cover of virgin snow between them, "You have given yourself to another! You soul is no longer your own for the taking and you hath betrayed me!"
"Betrayed?" Akira yelped in alarm. The sharpness of the deep, accusing voice made her nerves jump and she couldn't help but feel fear zing through her. Every thing she was told her to run, run as far away as fast as she could, "What have I done to you?" she demanded, trying to force courage insider her heart that was cold with sudden fear she couldn't control.
"The blood red moon has but a choice- to burn for the light of the full moon or submit to the darkness of the new moon. when her blood and soul are claimed and her heart is beating not for her own, when she hath made her choice, only then will the flower bloom and paradise shall rain down on her chosen one" the black wolf rehearsed the exact words of the book of the moon, "Your blood has been claimed and your heart beats not for your own! You will submit to me or I'll tear out his own beating heart so yours cannot beat for it!" he snarled at her.
Akira took a few steps back, frightened, "What are you talking about! Who are you?"
"The new moon" he said cryptically, "I am the darkness of the new moon. And you, the heart of the blood red moon will submit to me and give yourself to me so that I shall be your chosen and the one to forge paradise to rain upon me"
Akira felt immediate rebellion. Her fear was still potent as ever, but her rage at his demanding and dominative demeanor toward her as he bullied her and accused her of dishonoring betrayal burned in her blood. Her very wolf side snarled as she reverted to it and her hackles rose as her fur stood on end. She bent her head low and let her jaw drop to show her fangs as her upper lip curled back in a snarl.
"I submit to none of the likes of you" she protested darkly.
"You will submit, even if I have to force it out of you!" the black shape suddenly pierced her with an angry gaze. Her heart stilled as her orange glare was caught up in the pupil-less leer of a blue and golden lustful stare as the black giant of a wolf nearly 3 times her size barreled after her like a bare charging through the snow.
"Bow down to me!" he roared.
"NEVER!" Akira bit back.
She flinched and closed her eyes as he leaped into the air, paws wide apart to capture her between them and needle- pointed teeth and knife-like fangs bore at her, ready to dig inside her flesh.
The attack never came.
Darkness came over her before he even touched her. She felt her body slam into something very hard and was shocked out of the dream when the earth started to tremble with impact.
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Kiba and the other wolves outside of the SUV looked up to the sky in time to see something that resembled a falling star blaze through the darkened sky above them. It seemed so beautiful in all its blinding light, but it felt too ominous and looked too close to be a falling star. Kiba slid to a sudden stop as his instincts screamed at him in alarm- something bad was happening and it was coming at them fast with that strange light!
"What's that!" Toboe panted as he stopped near where Kiba's feet planted themselves.
The other wolves couldn't really say. They all peered at it, momentarily catching their breath while Hub drove the SUV onward. They could easily catch up to him if need be, but something was strange with the path the SUV was headed and the angle the 'star' was shooting in- it looked like it was about to hit the ground just ahead of the SUV….
"OH MY GOD!" Heart gasped in alarm, "Tsume, that's not a star!"
Suddenly alarmed eyes from the rest of the present pack turned to her wild red eyes, but no questions were voiced when the 'falling-star' suddenly impacted the earth and caused the ice beneath them to tremble and snow blast out in debris. The squeal of the breaks on the SUV screamed as the vehicle spun out of control; trying to avoid the sudden trenching cracks of ice that spider-webbed around it, cutting off the car to a deadly drop should it spin too out of control and over the edge. The quick turn wasn't accustom for the large SUV and it suddenly tipped to the side too much with momentum, slamming to its side and sliding to a stop, just shy of dangling over the edge where the steep drop of cut ice slanted below it.
Kiba's heart stopped beating when he realized what had happened. He was on the move before he even realized he had started running again soon as he saw the SUV tipping. His golden wolf eyes wide in fear and panic- Akira was in there!
"AKIRA!!" He cried out, "CHEZAAAAH!"
"BLUE!" Heart gasped as she dashed after Kiba and the fallen SUV with Tsume tailing her and Toboe with Lauralai at his heels.
Blue had to kick open the back door since it was usually only opened from the outside. She tumbled out with Quent slung over her shoulders, groaned and rolled out of the way in time to miss Hige's body slumping after her weakly. He was still weak from his shoulder wound and the strain he was forced to put on it in traveling.
"Oh shit," Hige hissed as he landed on his wound, "What the hell happened?"
"I don't know..." Blue panted as she struggled with her Pop's weight to start getting away from the hazardous SUV, fearing that oil may have leaked out somewhere and that it was suddenly a potential time-bomb waiting for a spark to light its fuse.
Hub managed to shove the driver door up since the car was lying on its side with the driver's side up. He dragged himself out and vaulted over the side of the SUV to the ground at its belly and looked up to wait for Cher and Cheza- the two of them had moved up front with him a while back after Akira had fallen asleep.
"You alright?" He called to Cher as she peaked over and out the car door he'd shoved open.
"More or less" Cher admitted. Hub sighed in relief, "A little stunned, if anything. Here," Cher started to lift Cheza out for Hub to take, "Help me get her down"
"Sure" Hub reached up to take her.
Kiba raced the back of the SUV, "AKIRA!?" he called, ducking his head to look in the back window.
Akira lay on her side in a tangle of her own body with Jasper's protective one cocooned around her on the new 'floor' of the SUV which was once it's side window. The silver wolf looked up to Kiba with relief, "What the hell happened?" he demanded.
"I don't know," Kiba replied in a rush, more worried about Akira rather than the actual cause of the crash, "Is she alright?"
"I think she's just stunned, I managed to absorb most of the impact," Jazz started to lift her away from him, trying to hand her off to Kiba.
She groaned pitifully as Kiba reached in, gabbed her arm carefully to see if she'd broken it. When he sensed she had no tender injuries caused by the sudden wreck, he pulled her out from Jazz's protective embrace to his own as gently as he could and tucked her in his arms, feeling her panted puffs of breath on his neck where she hid her face. Her scent was laced with anxiety and he worried that she had been traumatized.
"Shhh, shhh," He whispered, walking away from the wreckage to the others, "It's okay, I'm here now, your safe" he reassured her as Jasper clamored his way out of the back of the fallen SUV more clumsy than Kiba thought he would. He seemed almost as shaken as Akira.
"The…. The wolf…" she gulped dryly.
"Wolf?" he stopped walking suddenly. Jasper looked to him in alarm, also hearing clearly what his sister had uttered softly in her shocked voice.
Akira nodded into his neck, unwilling to withdraw from his presence just yet as her heart raced with adrenalin pumping in her veins. The dream had felt so real to her…
They waited for her to say more, but she didn't say any more.
"Akira," Jasper started, but a sudden metallic groan behind him startled them. They turned it time to see Hub with Cheza in his arms walking toward them also turned in shock as ice shattered underneath the SUV, making it fall down the cliff below…. With Cher still inside the front cab.
He had turned in time to catch the beautiful blue eyes of his ex-wife and one true love stare surprised up at him before she plummeted with the iron giant down to her icy grave.
"Cher?" Hub whispered in disbelief, his body was shaking. The resounding smash of the SUV to the ice below confirmed his fear. No explosion came, but the sickening crash of ice did, "CHEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR!"
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Hub cradled the limp form of the blond woman he loved to his chest, crying out in sorrow as he held her cold cheek in the palm of his hand. The truck was turned on its side again, but the tough army build of it ensured that it was other wise unharmed, but Cher didn't have the same fate. She had died instantly on the first impact, but it had been blood-less. She seemed as if she were just asleep in Hub's arms as he cried over her, groaning in his loss while the wolves stood mournfully around him.
Akira had calmed down on the way down the cliff. The wolves had navigated a small path through the cracks to get down there while Hub almost jumped over the edge himself to get to Cher quicker. The red wolf stood at Hub's flank now with her head down cast to him in pain. She had known Cher very well and the woman was a dear friend to her, it hurt to see her die like this, but at least it wasn't painful or gory.
Jasper sat with his back against the cool wall of the ice cliff the SUV had fallen from. His eyes were closed and head bent, he was coughing every now and then, but otherwise didn't move. Lauralai and Toboe were sitting near him with Blue holding her Pops to her and Hige sitting at her back, facing away from the pain-filled seen of Hub holding his loved one to him. Hige felt awkward to be witnessing something so tender and not feeling any ties to the woman. She'd done nothing to him personally, but she hadn't exactly made an impact on his life like she had some of the others either. Heart and Tsume watched on, standing off the side, both with unreadable faces, but Heart's had a familiarity look to her- as if she'd been through this sort of thing before. Finally, Kiba stood at Akira's side, unmoving, with Cheza cradled in his arms. The flower's hazed ruby eyes were narrow with sympathy for the human mortal who wept for his love. She could feel his pain, but it wasn't as strong as it would be if he were wolf.
"Cher…. Please… don't leave me…." Hub begged as he sobbed, "Don't leave me, Cher, you cant die yet" he rest his head to her own, closing his eyes in pain as his heart was torn, "We still have to get that house you wanted- the one in the country. We still have to have a few kids and grow old together watching them grow up. We still have to get a bird and a dog and make bread in the morning and pot-roast at night and….. and….." His voice started to crack up again, "Cher…."
Akira's orange eyes started to tear up as well. She sniffled them back and wiped them away, knowing it was foolish to cry when Hub didn't need to see any more sorrow as he lay his wife to rest in the icy water of the small, yet deep river that cut into the newly formed trench where the SUV had landed just on the bank of.
Just as Hub stood up from letting go of his wife into the deep water, Akira stepped forward, "For what it's worth…. She never stopped loving you when you divorced, Hub" she said softly, "She spoke about you every night when she had night shift back at the lab when I was kept inside with Cheza for observatory reactions"
"I know." Hub replied resignedly.
It made Akira hurt all the more to see the man like this.
"Hub…" she started, but caught Heart's pointed look to be silent. Heart knew what it was like more than anyone about losing ones mate. She lost her own to the soldiers when she was the mate to Tsume's Alpha so long ago. Even though it was strictly political in union, Heart had come to care for her mate during the short time they were together those 2 or 3 years before he died at the end of Jagura's wolf-troopers.
That's when she had fled to Zali's island and met up with Shura and Akira. And even after that, she was reunited with Tsume….
She only hoped Hub would be as lucky as she was and have the chance at healing like she had.
The wolves let the human be in his grief, none of them left or moved to speak to him out of respect. They watched curiously, however, when the blond man squared his shoulders and walked up to the fallen SUV, placed his hands firmly on it's hood that was in front of him and started to push with all his might in hopes of turning it right side up again.
He gritted his teeth and groaned out loud in exertion as he tried to force the vehicle upright again, but it wouldn't budge. It had about 100 tons to his measly l50 lbs or so in the weight department, and Hub's footing slipped against the ice- making him fumble weakly to the ground. That didn't stop the determined human though. He got right back up and started to push with double effort once again while the wolves watched in mild awe at his perseverance- even though his loved one had just died, he got back up and wanted to continue on…. He wanted to go on with them.
Kiba handed Cheza off to Akira silently. Akira looked up at him surprised when he presented her with the flower maiden, but understood soon as their eyes met. She took Cheza and stood back for Kiba to pass as the young man approached Hub's side and started to push with him, startling the human at his sudden help. Hub grinned thankfully and started pushing again, both now groaning in strain.
"This is a sad sight…" Tsume sighed when Hige started to join in and help Kiba and Hub now, "A human, a wounded wolf, and an exhausted idiot trying to over turn an ARMY SUV up right…."
Heart gave him a pointed look and Tsume sighed, "I'll help…" he complied at her smile as she followed him to help as well, nodding to Toboe to come along.
Lauralai looked back to Jasper awkwardly when she noticed he didn't get up to help as well. She saw that his breathing was slightly labored and his eyes were knotted shut tight, beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as his head was tilted back upward and blasted a cough every now and then to the air above him. She approached his side rather than help the others worried of his health and started to check him over- if there was one thing she trusted herself in it was medical diagnostic. Diya had taught her how to look for certain symptoms of different illnesses and her mother before her had actually been the pack doctor when she was but a small pup and before she had run away in a foolish act of adolescent-rebellion.
Akira watched impressed as the men and woman strained as one, slowly tilting the heavy weight of the SUV until it crashed down on all four wheels upright once again, sending swirls of snowflakes all around it. Heart whooted in a job well-done and kissed Tsume to catch him off guard- he truly didn't mind though.
"You did it!" Blue congratulated as Hige hobbled back to her side, "Hige?" she questioned.
"I'm fine, just a bit strained" he groaned.
"Thank you." Hub said to Kiba, "If you don't mind, can I still go on with you?"
"Go on? You mean you still want to go?" Kiba awed.
"It's what Cher would have wanted. She wanted to see you wolves and Cheza make it to paradise. I don't know how far I can go, or if I'll be even able to see paradise myself, but I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you guys get there." Hub nodded.
"Then you're welcome to come along" Kiba replied with a light smile of comradeship, holding out a hand to shake with the human.
Hub took Kiba's offered hand and shook it firmly, "Thank you, you don't know how much this means to me."
"A…Akira…?" Laura gasped.
Cheza's head snapped fearfully over Akira's shoulder as she sensed what was wrong, "Jazz…" she whispered.
Akira turned to face the frightened young she wolf kneeling near Jasper's prone form still leaning against the cliff and panting like he'd just run 20 miles full speed, "What's wrong?" Akira asked in alarm.
"Something's wrong with Jasper…." Lauralai gulped, "He… he's poisoned. I think he's gone blind as well."
