Wolf's Rain Chapter 35 - Explosion -

- Toboe -

Toboe asked himself time and time again what he was the best at doing. Healing was his strong suit but by the same token, so was running away. His pack members had entrusted that task to him. Run away.

" Get Hige the hell out of there," Tsume had said.

Toboe felt terrible leaving his friends to fight on their own. But he knew he'd just be dead weight if he decided to fight with them. And, if it came to it, he could defend himself. He hoped. His fangs throbbed angrily in his mouth. Despite everything, he was a wolf.

Two humans were fighting with swords. The metal clanged and crashed against metal. Strange mechines buzzed and blinked. Toboe was shaking, he was scared iut of his mind. He tried to push the fear down as far as it would go.

Suddenly, an explosion set Toboe's view on fire. He winced, the burning flames singeing his fur. Cheza's screams had set the world on fire. Despite her usual melodious voice, this cry made his ears bleed.

But Toboe ignored that, he had to. Hige was waiting for him.

Toboe found the brown wolf passed out by a wall. Toboe gulped. He didn't have time check and see if Hige was alive. He just had to hope he was alright. He had to be alive, Toboe repeated in his kind, optimistically. Drowned out all the sad and morbid thoughts out with hope.

The second Toboe got out of the building he smiled a nervous smile. If I just keep going, everything will be fine.

The second he stopped, pain beaded through his back. Toboe closed his eyes. He was sure he was going to die. A snarling sound and a thud. Toboe was surprised he could hear anything at this point.

Tsume was standing in front of him, his knives drawn and his teeth bared.

" I swear, kid," Tsume said out of breath. " Sometimes I think you're tying to get killed."

Toboe wobbled upward to his paws. He coughed blood on the ground.

" Thank you, Tsume." And despite the pain in his body and then urge to throw up on the ground. His tail was wagging.

For a second, Toboe thought Tsume was smiling. He smiled back.

Some humans were screaming. One of there buildings had just exploded in the middle of their festival. Of course they were upset.

How many minutes could they linger in the town square before they we're found and murdered.

Blue came running and shortly after then we're Kiba and Cheza

Tsume walked closer to Toboe and grabbed onto Hige.

" We're going, now."

The grey wolf looked like he was about to go on some sort of murder rampage. But, judging by the amount of human corpses left behind, he already had.

" We can't move too fast," Toboe protested. " I don't think he can make it that much farther… without treatment."

They walked quickly away from the bloodied battlefield. Cheza struggled to match their pace. Kiba kept glancing at her to make sure she was alright.

" Should I try and get Cher to help us," Cheza asked quietly.

Kiba shook his head. " I don't think that's a good idea, Cheza."

The Flower Maidens frown grew.

Kiba sighed. He looked a lot less self assured then he did now.

" There's a sewer grate there," he sounded spacy.

" We should hide out here until things calm down."

"Then we should probably stay down here for the rest of our lives," Tsume grumbled.

The grey wolf set Hige down and tried to pry the man hole out of the ground. It gave way easily. He looked down into it and muttered

" I guess it's better then hiding out on the street."

Slowly, reluctantly almost, the group made there descent.

Toboe laughed nervously. " Don't you wish he'd wake up and start complaining about the smell."

" Yes," Blue replied gravely.

It did smell horrible in the sewers, as expected. The smell reminded him of the first time they'd run away from Nobles together.

Toboe walked over and carefully checked Hige's pulse.

" Please be alive," he whispered.

" He's still breathing," Toboe said shakily. He shook his head. " I won't let him die."

" He has to live," Cheza muttered. She walked closer to Kiba, Tsume and Toboe, staring at Hige. She stared at him, desperation showing in her eyes. Like she didn't know if she could will someone to live but she'd try with all her might.

Hige lay on the floor a bloodied mess.

Eventually, Cheza stopped crying and sat down next to Hige. She touched his back and started to sing. The blood seeped onto her hand.

The wolves were soothed by the song. Toboe blinked to snap himself out of the trance. His heart was racing but he had to be somewhat alert to dress Hige's wounds.

_ Blue _

It was almost funny. Not the type of funny that you laugh about but the type that was a constant in Blue's life. Irony. She thought bitterly that God must be somewhere laughing at her.

A year ago, she would have been thrilled. A wolf was almost dead and she hadn't even had to do anything. Yet, when Blue looked at Hige's dying body, when she watched Toboe scrambling around trying to stop the bleeding, watched Cheza's pleading eyes, or Tsume's and Kiba's anger; all she could think was that she hoped Hige would live.

It was strange. Pops would be so disappointed. But to every rule there was an exception and perhaps, Hige was that exception. He'd saved Blues skin far more times then she'd like to remember. Hige, a wolf with hardly any fighting power. A seemingly kind and caring soul.

Blue felt nothing but guilt and sadness. She'd wished his death. She'd wished for all of their deaths, even her own. Now it seemed that her wish would come true sooner or later.

What a terrible time for a wish to come true.

Blue shook her head. She had to focus on something else. Not Cheza's singing with it's hypnotic effect or the sadness of the others that only made her feel worse about herself.

Blue kept away from the others. She felt like an outsider. Which was probably because she was an outsider. Everyone was barely holding it together, trying to cling on to any hope of hope they could. Blue was part of the reason there hopes were so dashed.

She gritted her teeth. Hige had to live. She had to apologize, thank him, say something for all the times he'd helped her. It seemed silly, counterproductive even, for her to wish good health for a wolf but she did anyway.

Cheza face was wet with tears. She clutched onto Hige's fur and sang another one of her songs. Blue knew there was a lot wrong in the world but when she listened to Cheza's song, really listened, she truly felt at ease.

- Tsume -

Tsume stood up suddenly. The sorrow in the air was palpable even with Cheza's soothing song. He didn't have time to be soothed. If Toboe hadn't just been overly optimistic about saving Hige then then they needed to act fast. Even if it was just a hope or a dream Tsume had to try. He pawed the ground anxiously. He couldn't stay here.

" I'm going to get some medical supplies," Tsume said quietly. It wasn't like him to announce where he was going.

" I'll be back soon."

" Wait," Toboe yelled. " I'll come with you."

Tsume sighed. He wanted him to but, after everything that'd happened, was it really right? After all the things that they'd said to each other… And it certainly wasn't safe. Tsume couldn't handle anyone else getting injured right now. Kiba was hiding it but he was hurt too. As much as he still doubted her, Blue must have been hurt as well.

Toboe marched right beside him and stared intensity. " If anything happens I'll run away… but we shouldn't be by ourselves. Who knows what else is out there.

He wanted to apologize, to say thank you, to smile or say anything really. Instead, Tsume sighed and muttered

" Fine."

Thanks for reading my Wolf's Rain Fanfiction! Feedback is always appreciated! (:

There is just so much saddness and angst right now. Like geez, sorry everyone. I guess I feel especially bad because I started this arc and everyone was happy eating donuts and stuff and now they're back in the sewers bleeding again.