A/N- Three weeks ago, I traveled from Oklahoma to the state of Colorado…. The moist plains vs. the dry mountains. It was a big change, but I think I've finally gotten a handle of it. I still have three very important things I miss back in the plains though… my father, and my two quarter horses (my babies!) lol- no my parents aren't divorced, dad's just a handyman that had to stay behind to fix up the old house to sell and the horses don't have a trailer yet to get up here. It shouldn't be too much longer (hopes and prays)
So yeah, I'm sorry it took so long, but that kind of change after staying in the same place for eighteen years gets to ya, and I even lost my ability to write for a while since I was so stressed, but I'm back! And I've even got the last chapters of this baby going good! (still have to work out the major kinks in it though…. As far as plot-wise. You guys know I suck at grammatical errors (whimper))
Special thanks to- ZannydeLeopardDemonNovelist, Shadow, Little Shadow, and My good friend Kateline (I hope I spelled ur name right…)
Acknowledgements- coldfire, Anon, rayne156, FangsofFury, Sabertooth, Siren, alvinfreak676, QueenofSpades, blackpanther, Quickstrike, wolfsbane, Shurtugal, emilyruby, SilenceofDoom, Furyguy, stargirl, Vixie, lucky, Hybrid, tigerjaw, WildKat, Aquamarine, gossipgirl, freakingod, AngleOfVengence, HottyKat, Hellhound, sweetooth, bloodymary, freddbing323, Prettykitty67, Dhole, TheLeopardDemenNovelist, White Fang, howling1, TwiLightzone, Venom, Emeraldragon, Amber, merlyn1382, Carnage, Blackwidow, Wildcreature, Dawn, Dusk, Savagecreature, fannyone325, RedFang, Shadow & Little Shadow, Snowstar, EternalOctoberNight…………… Please say that I got all of you? If not, my bad!
Disclaimer- (have I done this for the other chapters??? Eek!) I don't own Wolfs Rain characters or basic plot line, but I do own my personal twists and characters *grins)
Read and review plz! I love to read reviews! They are truly fuel to the story!
Chapter 36 Cursed Moon, Salvation Sun
"Ah-Akira…." Kiba struggled to stay conscious. His whole body ached and strained with pain from his injuries with the much larger wolf- his downy white fur was smeared in the red blood of his enemy and his very own. But he couldn't give up yet….
His waning eyesight was able to see blurry versions of Cheza, Akira and Darcia- Akira was in human form, standing tall before Cheza protectively her hand still outstretched from when she'd rushed at Darcia and made to punch him, yet the black wolf had darted back and out of the line of her blow just in time to avoid her. The young females' body glowed a bright red light. Her wild red hair was dancing softly in an unreal wind from an unknown force, her eyes illuminated hauntingly- this wasn't the Akira he knew.
Cheza also seemed to notice the change in Akira, the flower maiden obediently stayed where she was behind Akira, yet she didn't seem afraid of the change. Even when uncertain if the girl was possessed, Cheza had faith in Akira to never harm her. Kiba could tell the flower maiden was in some sort of pain though, she was hunched over and her pale skin was translucent- the veins underneath were dark and his ears could hear a subtle shift in her bones.
The only one who didn't seem to notice or probably even care for the change was Darcia- he still looked upon Akira's vision with a hungry lust that boiled Kiba's possessive blood instinct. Injuries be damned- he felt his second wind calling him so long as the bastard was ogling her like that.
Darcia looked up to the red moon above, not at all put off that she'd just rushed at him brazenly to attack, and then followed the beams languidly down to where the ethereal Akira stood bracingly. She hadn't moved since she'd grabbed at his throat and tossed him away from her. He sensed that though she had proclaimed to kill him, she'd bid her time till he made the first move- she was getting better at combat…
"Little one, do you really want to take this the hard way?" Darcia cooed as he paced predatorily in front of her, his eyes never straying from her own as she stared defiantly straight ahead.
"I. Will. Kill. You" she stated deathly calm.
"And how do you presume to do that?" Darcia stood for a moment and cocked his head antagonistically, "To kill you must attack and all you seem to be doing is glare at me unmoving- I'm sorry but looks cant kill" he snickered.
Akira didn't seem affected. She just stared coldly straight ahead. In fact, no emotion other than anger and defiance seemed to show on her face. He was sure he'd seen sympathy in those orange eyes of hers before. Who was he fighting now?
"Fool" she whispered as her body changed into her wolf form. The small red wolf was faster and lower to the ground then Darcia recalled. Her lithe body more in-tune to that of a huntress than the sniveling emotional pup she'd been before. She knew exactly what she was capable of now and she used her size to her advantage over his much larger stature.
Suddenly, she was upon him, baring fangs and claws on him with rapid succession. Her small needle claws dug into his sensitive under belly and sides while she twisted her neck upward to sink her fangs into his spine unforgiving.
Darcia cried out in surprise, he arched back and away from the pain, shoving his whole body at her to try and shake her, but she wouldn't be trifled with. The small she-wolf released him for half a second before she assaulted again at a different angle, retreating yet again before he could swipe at her only to attack yet again from another angle.
Where did she learn to fight like this?
Darcia, by a stroke of luck it seemed, caught her off guard, shoving her to her side when she dodged from his side to avoid his counter attacking claws. She had moved to the front of him, intent on going for his sensitive chest cavity when he seized her- he plowed his body right over her, not give her a chance. Her much smaller size didn't allow her to counter with such a heavy weight shoved upon her. She rolled at the last second to save her self from having him pin her on her back, instead, he got her side but that was all he needed as he let his fangs rest near her throat right under her pointed ear- she instinctively didn't move.
"That was a big surprise you were holding back little one" Darcia panted, "I was hoping you'd put up a fight, but this is more I like it"
He had expected her to reply with some witty comeback, but all he got was silence. She didn't even look at him or raise her head to him. She just lay under him unmoving with her eyes focused straight ahead in a zombie-like state.
Was this the power of the red moon at work? Was she possessed?
"You're not even in control of yourself, are you" he said. When he got no answer he chuckled darkly, "So this is the true meaning of the red moon's curse- you become its mindless median- a slave to the greater powers. Want me to undo this curse? Do you want your body back Akira?" he let his muzzle drag up her neck to her ear and whispered, "I can release you if you'll pledge yourself to me and open my paradise."
"DON'T!" Kiba snapped, "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER, DARCIA!" the white wolf shook as he stood on four legs, staggering towards them with determination in his golden eyes.
"And what are you going to do about it?" Darcia barked back at him mockingly, "You're barely conscious yourself and can't hardly walk!"
"Akira!" Kiba called out, "Don't listen to him!"
'Akira……'
Akira's glowing eyes started to darken in the middle where her pupils should be, 'That's my name…. He's calling my name…'
Kiba stumbled forward as his front leg gave out underneath him, Darcia howled in laughter as the white wolf struggled and failed to stand again, Akira's eyes darkened slightly more. Her eyes were able to focus as she looked up at Darcia from the corner of her eye and back to Kiba who struggled to stand again to get to her.
'He's hurt?' her heart skipped a beat and her pulse started to race, 'Why? What's going on? Why can't I move?'
'Trust me'
'Trust? Who?'
'Kill him. Kill Darcia!'
Her eyes snapped open wide once again as she shot into action, twisting upward and hooking her fangs into Darcia's throat, choking off his barking laughter at Kiba. She shoved upward to knock him backwards but was unable to knock him completely off his paws. The black wolf swiped at her with his large heavy paws to knock her off of his throat, gasping for air when he dislodged her.
"Bitch…" he coughed. The deep wound to his throat was just shy of fatal depth.
Akira growled back, standing between him and Kiba, "I'll take back paradise from you."
"You'll have to kill me and yourself first" he surged forward to charge her.
Akira wasn't able to think fast enough to dodge him from such close range. She took his barreling charge full force as he slammed into her and wrestled the smaller wolf to the ground. She fought back in earnest, kicking and biting at him as he held her down and dove for her neck again and again.
Darcia suddenly reared back and yowled in surprised pain, scurrying off Akira in haste. Akira rolled to her feet and looked surprised when she saw a wound bleeding from his privates. She didn't remember putting that there…
"That'll teach you" Kiba growled at her side as he wobbled to stand protectively over her facing Darcia with a snarl as the dark wolf whirled murderously on them, biting back a whimper of pain as he was nearly neutered.
Akira's eyes darkened again as she felt the haze of red in her vision start to clear again, "You bit him?"
Kiba grinned down at her wolfishly in answer, but winced when his wounds smarted at him again, "Damn it" he cursed under his breath.
"Ch-Cheza??" Akira noticed Cheza convulsing on the ground behind Kiba's back.
Kiba looked over his shoulder and stared in horror as the flower suddenly went still, she was whimpering quietly in pain as her tears streaked down each cheek.
"CHEZA!" he started to go to her unstably when Darcia cut him off, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and tossing him back. Akira's vision started to redden again.
"This is the moment I've been waiting for, you'll not destroy it by touching her" Darcia darkly hissed.
"Stop hurting her!" Kiba demanded.
"I'm doing nothing- she's just starting to bloom. Soon as she does, she'll wither and die soon as her duty to open up paradise is over."
"No!" Kiba defiantly stood, growling. Darcia could tell that the white wolf couldn't so much as walk and therefore saw no real threat coming from him, but the way Akira was so devotedly watching him burned at him.
"You tire me with your impertinence." He casually walked up to the white wolf just as Kiba stumbled once more and held down male with his paw to the white throat, baring it unwillingly, "Die!"
"NOOOOOO!" Akira screamed.
"It's here" Cheza's soft voice so full of pain shocked them all to a standstill just before Darcia's white and bloodstained fangs ripped into Kiba's throat. The dark wolf pulled away and looked over at Cheza coolly while holding down the panting Kiba.
Cheza was sitting on her knees now. Her dark blood veins under her insipid transparent skin seemed to grow out of her like the roots of a plant and took root deep with in the snow under her. She cried out in short yelps of pain as her bones snapped into shape and her body grew out of proportion. Her ruby eyes glowed brighter and brighter.
"She's blooming" Darcia grinned wolfishly, "Paradise is receiving her bloods' call. It's happening! With in her is the very seed of paradise!" he took a step toward her, but Kiba locked his sharp fangs weakly around Darcia's ankle in an attempt to stop him.
"Don't….. Don't you dare…… t-touch her…." he growled through the weakness and pain.
"Enough!" Darcia shook Kiba off and kicked him away.
Kiba's limp body rolled in the snow, dragging a trail of his own blood across the white ground until he slid to a stop at Akira's front paws a few feet away from Darcia. The black wolf completely ignored her as he set his insane sights on the flower taking root.
Akira was too afraid to move. Whatever had taken over to fight Darcia off was coming and going from her in waves. When under its influence, she couldn't control her body and she heard cruel, gruesome thoughts of revenge when it over took her mind- that is what she feared. Whatever it was, she feared its violent thoughts and how it used her body to act on them. She could barely hold it back from killing Darcia, she just couldn't do that to Homena. She had to somehow save Darcia! For Homena's love, she had to bring him out of the darkness.
But as she looked down at Kiba's struggling form as the white, bloodied and beaten wolf tried to stand again to defend Cheza, she couldn't hold it back. A heat wave of anger and vengeance tidal waved through her blood as her mind was overtaken again and she was shoved in the passenger seat once more while her eyes flashed red. The fur along her back stood on end as she snarled and bolted forward, dashing after Darcia.
Darcia stalked up to Cheza's vulnerable body as he started to grow, he knew her roots were deep enough to lay the seed of paradise. He dug his fangs into her side and yanked her unceremoniously away from the ground, snapping her roots away from her as she cried out in pain. Her green blood dripping down his mouth as he tossed her away, panting with excitement.
Cheza didn't even cry out as Akira leapt in the air from behind Darcia and caught her with her own teeth gripping onto what little clothes the flower maiden still had on her person to save her from the brunt of the fall. The red wolf tried to land as gently as possible with the scruff of Cheza's collar between her teeth like a pup being carried by its mother. Akira set her down with care and nuzzled her before turning glowering red eyes upon the dark wolf that stumbled after the trail of green blood Cheza had left. He started digging when he came to where Cheza had taken root in, searching for the seed of paradise.
Darcia could feel the seed in the snow some how and was slap-happy as he dug away, getting closer and closer to his dream. His paw tucked another pile of snow out of his way as his eye caught something dark with in the white- the seed. He grinned greedily and was about to lean down and claim it when a red paw stepped in his line of vision. Instinctively he looked up from his hole to look into glowing red eyes that smirked down at him.
"Remember me?" Akira's husky-possessed voice snarled as she barreled forward to throw him off balance.
She shoved him down and clawed at his chest, as if she could rip him open. He yelped in surprise as she tackled him and screamed in pain as she dug her sharp claws into tender flesh on his underbelly and chest. With an angered snarl he shoved her off, practically foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog as he snarled at her. Akira refused to give much ground as she merely stood a few feet in front of him and well with in his range of attack- she was taunting him.
"Stay the fuck out of my way bitch! This no longer concerns you!" he snarled.
"That's not what you were saying only moments ago" she taunted as she paced back and forth in front of him like a calculating predator behind bars, waiting for her keeper to let her loose so she'd wreck destruction on her sought prey.
"That was before the seed of paradise presented itself. Paradise will heed my command since I have your blood in my veins now!"
"Think again!" she shot forward and he braced for impact, but she faked him out at the last minute, dodging to his back before whirling around to attack from behind. He was familiar with the maneuver, however and twisted around so that her face met with his fangs and claws as they collided. They wrestled around, biting and clawing at one another brutally, ignoring the growing numbers and severity of their own wounds. He rolled on top yet again and shoved his full weight down on her to crush her, slamming her face under him as she was at an awkward angle under him. She flailed and wiggled to get free, but he was too heavy. Growling, Akira opened her mouth wide and waited to feel the fur of his belly fill the space between her fangs as he pressed down before snapping her jaws closed, feeling the snap of one of his ribs and hearing his scream as he twisted away from her howling in his agony when she refused to let up her hold on his abdomen.
With a vicious snarl, he bit into her thigh bone, snapping it in half as well! Akira cried out and let go of him. He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and tossed her away from him, standing there to pant for breath a moment. Akira whimpered and cried out as she slammed back into the ground and slid to a slow, agonizing stop. Her body begged her not to move, but whatever possessed her made her roll over and stand right back up, only able to on three legs now that the fourth was bent awkwardly. Blinded in red light and pain, Akira rammed into Darcia, taking him completely off guard, he thought he'd nearly killed her with that last one! They rolled clumsily and broke apart. Akira had rolled into the pool of Cheza's green blood. The liquid clung to her red fur soon as she touched it, soaking and sticking to her form as he lay in it. She couldn't breathe and couldn't move anymore, regardless of how much the urge to do so screamed at her seemed to force her to do just that.
Kill him! Kill the traitor!!
'I….. Can't….. Breathe….' She thought as tears of strain came to her eyes. the breath that was knocked out of her rushed back in a whoosh that filled her lungs soon as they regained the ability to hold air with in them after having the wind knocked out of them harshly, but it didn't last.
Darcia, staggering to stay standing, stood over her, holding her down with both front paws on her torso and shoulder. Green blood and saliva drooling from his hanging-open mouth as he wheezed for breath. His eyes were pupil-less as he stared down at her.
"You bitch" he wheezed. Akira cried out as he bent his head and tore at her ribs with his fangs, breaking at least two with resounding cracks that had to be bone.
"KYYYAAH!!" she cried out in the blinding pain.
"Heh….heh heh…. Heheheheeeehhhheheh!" he chuckled madly, "HA-HAH! HOW'S IT FEEL, BITCH? DO YOU LIKE THE PAIN!?"
Akira was scared to death! She couldn't move, but she glared up at him, eyes flashing from brilliant orange eyes to glowering red-glow possessed, "Go….To……Hell"
"First class with you at my side, sweet heart" He chuckled, licking her on the muzzle to mock her.
She snared her lips and growled at him, but it came out as a pained whimper. He laughed at her again.
"Heheh, hahah! HAH-HAHAHAAAHAHAHAAAAH- HAHA-GULCK?" he choked suddenly and stuttered in his laughter. Confusion written all over his face as Akira stared up at him, "Whah….what?" he quivered as more green blood started to flow from his mouth before he finally regurgitated it to the side of Akira's head while she flinched away.
"The blood of flowers is the most potent of poisons." Cheza's soft voice whispered where she lay on her side, glaring at Darcia with her sightless red eyes, "It devours your from the inside out with acid and toxins. Toxins that have no cure or other than the favor of the moon. You do not have such faith for your life" the flower said coldly.
Darcia staggered off Akira as he grew weaker and started throwing up his own blood that was mixed with the green of Cheza's poisonous blood, "It…. It burns!" he hissed.
Akira dragged herself away from him. Her eyes going completely back to normal as his impending death grew closer. She watched as he slouched down in the snow, hardly able to breathe right! The snow around the hole where he dug up the seed started to melt and a small puddle of black water with formed. A gentle aura surrounded it. One that called out to all of them as a mother would to her son that had returned from a great war.
"P-Paradise…." Darcia breathed as he started to drag himself after it.
Akira saw a sudden vision as he eyes flashed red for a moment and the voice called to her- A sacrifice must be made. He who steps first in greed will sell his soul and be devoured.
"NO!" she called out with out thinking as she struggled after the dark wolf. Her pain slowed her down to small jerks that barely got her anywhere, "DON'T DO IT DARCIA!" she called to him, but he couldn't hear her!
"It's finally here…. paradise" he giddily stepped forward till he was nearly upon the dark pool.
"DARCIA!" Akira screamed.
Soon as his black paw touched the puddle, an array of lights flew up and engulfed him. From his screaming body burst an aurora across the sky. Luminescent lights flared across the sky in streams as Darcia's body was dissolved into them, they just grew brighter and brighter!
"Paradise has heard our plea. All is well now…" Cheza sighed tiredly.
"Che-Cheza!" Akira turned and dove in time to catch the flower before Cheza fell limp in the snow, wincing at the pain in her broken leg, but her body was starting to go numb as it was.
With in the now human-wolf's arms, Cheza slowly shook her head 'no', "Go to him…. he needs you more than this one."
"Akira! Cheza!" Kiba called. Akira looked back to see the white wolf desperately dragging himself with a limp toward them.
"Just hang in there, Cheza, Kiba's here, he's coming. Don't worry, you're safe now!" Akira hugged the flower to her chest, "You're safe now…." She started to cry, but held back the sobs.
Cheza pulled away and raised a weak hand to rest her palm against Akira's cheek, capturing the tears that fell there. The flower smiled up and the red-headed young woman, "This one is….. So happy…." She whispered.
"Cheza!" Kiba fell down soon as he reached them, fighting his exhaustion as he shoved his muzzle in Cheza's lap while Akira held her, "Cheza, I'm here now, you'll be fine, we won't let anything happen to you, paradise is coming"
Cheza started to go limp in Akira's arms, yet he flower still smiled at them, "This one is glad you two have met. Don't forget one another. This one promises you will meet after paradise heals this land. Your souls will never go with out one another, this one promises, so don't…… give….. up ………… hope…" Cheza's voice faded until she finally went limp in Akira's arms.
"Cheza?" Akira tightened her grip.
"Cheza…." Kiba shifted to human form, kneeling in front of Akira, "Cheza…. CHEZA!" he took her from Akira's arms and hugged the flower maiden to him, her body started to dissolve into seeds until he held nothing but her tattered cloak while the seeds drifted across the ground around them, "no…. no….. CHE-ZAAAAH!"
A rumble in the sky answered him, causing Akira and Kiba to look up confused. Low, dark clouds hovered over them, heavy with the scent of a rain storm…. Rain….
Akira started to realize what paradise really meant. Through her tears, she looked back down at Kiba, only to see him staring at the cloak Cheza once wore.
"Kiba…" she whispered.
"She's gone…. Cheza's gone…." Kiba looked up at Akira, denial in his eyes, "Is what paradise is? HELL?" his shoulders shook.
"Oh, Kiba…." Akira scooted towards him and wrapped her arms around him to pull him in a tight hug. His strong arms automatically dragged her to him as he held her to his person as if she were his last life line, "Paradise is coming, Kiba" she reassured, "Cheza said it herself. Paradise is coming."
"We were all supposed to go together….. Paradise is…. It was…." He hissed as if in pain and held her tighter- if she could feel, she was sure her wounds wouldn't be just tingling, but shooting with pain, "DAMN IT!"
"Shhh….shhh" she tried to comfort him, kissing the top of his head and petting his hair slowly to calm him as he panted in distress into her chest, "I'm here Kiba…" she whispered.
Something wet hit her nose and she looked up. Her eyes widening as she shook Kiba to get his attention, "Ki-Kiba! Look!"
Kiba drew slightly away from her, only enough required to look up into the sky, not wanting to let go of the precious physical connection they shared since he found peace with in her embrace. He looked up just in time to see the rain coming down at a downpour as it instantly soaked them and washed away the blood on them.
"Rain?" he whispered.
"YES! RAIN!" the sky had stopped raining long ago and had started the decay of the land. Only snow had fallen from the sky since- the sign of rain meant a new beginning, "PARADISE HAS FINALLY COME!"
Soon as she said that, a lunar flower bloomed near them. Soon as its beautiful white petals opened, others followed where Cheza's seeds had scattered, filling the bottom of the crater they were in until they sat with in a field of flowers. Only a large white patch of snow was left where they sat.
"Cheza's seeds…." Kiba whispered in disbelief.
The ice started to melt beneath them and soon it cracked. They were plunged into a clear lake in the middle of the flowers! They didn't feel the need to struggle to get free of the water's hold on them as they sunk down on their backs under water, looking up at the red moon as it slowly brightened back to its original silver.
A flash of light caught Kiba's eye just as his vision started to black out. He looked over to his side where he was holding Akira's hand as they sunk to their graves, too exhausted to fight for their lives and swim for the air at the surface. Akira was glowing red in a surreal way.
'Akira?' he said underwater as air bubbles escaped from his mouth.
But Akira seemed unconscious. She was glowing and unconscious! AND his vision was fading.
'AKIRAAAAAH!' he called out as his world went black. The last thing he saw was Akira fading in the watery depths……
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He gasped for breath, sitting upright in a bolt and panting for air as he gasped to get his lungs filled with precious oxygen. All he could see was white…. White everywhere! His vision slowly started to clear away from the blur and he realized he was in a pastel room, sitting on a hospital bed. Looking down at himself, he realized he was dressed in a hospital gown as well…
And…. His entire body hurt. His head was killing him and the light didn't help. What the hell happened to him? All he remembered was ….. Wait….. He didn't remember anything.
WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON HERE?
WHY was he in a hospital?
WHAT happened?
WHY THE HELL couldn't he remember a damned thing other than his name was KIBA?
"WHAT IN ALL THE FUCK'N HELLS IS GOING ON HERE?!" he roared, but immediately regretted it as his ears rang and his head spun, he suddenly felt faint, "Okay, bad idea…." He swooned and fell back on the fluffy white pillow behind him on the bed.
The door opened to reveal a confused looking brown haired young man with honey colored eyes. He wore a yellow hoody with black pinstripes on the sides and blue jeans. A leather choker with dog tag on it was about the kids' neck as he stood with a food tray in his hands, staring in shock at Kiba.
"You…. you're….." the young man gapped.
"What? And who the hell are you?" Kiba demanded, just as confused as the guy staring at him.
That seemed to hurt the boy, "You mean you don't remember me? Man, I know you had a pretty rough accident and probably lost some of your memory, but I'm like your brother from another mother, man!" the boy declared.
"Bro…ther?" Kiba slowly repeated. Something told him he knew this man, but no name was coming to him.
"For the love of god…." The boy set down the tray, "You're just as cluelessly intimidating as you always are." He stood straighter and pointed a thumb to his chest proudly, "Don't you remember? I'm Hige Hirotah- we practically grew up together!"
"Hirotah….." suddenly it clicked. He remembered this boy he called a 'brother from another mother', "Hige!"
"That'd be me, Kiba, my main man!" Hige pulled up a chair and held out a hand for Kiba to take, gripping tightly as they greeted one another more personally, "Good to see you finally awake! Doc said you've recovered an all, but you never woke up. Man it's nearly been two months!"
"Two months?"
"Yeah, you were a veggie for two months man and I had to look after ya!" Hige pulled back a moment, "well, that's not true. The rest of the pack helped as well…"
"Pack?"
"Man, have you forgot who you are while you were probably off fuck'n your dream chick in comatose land? Yes pack as in our wolf pack? What you are? A shifter?"
"I…. I'm a wolf?" Kiba could suddenly feel the truth to the words. He knew he was a wolf…. It was starting to come back to him now, but why was he here again?
Hige mistook the confused look in Kiba's eyes, "Where're the others?" he leaned back and folded his arms behind his head as he tilted back the chair to balance it on its back legs so he could rock a bit, "Toboe and Laura couldn't make it today- they had school, ya know? Tsume's busy keeping up the pack while you're away and Heart's following him around to make sure he don't screw it up. Blue just went to the ladies room a while ago, so she should be back…."
Kiba felt there should have been someone else Hige was supposed to mention, "Is that all in the pack?"
"Hmm?" Hige regarded Kiba mildly as he seemed to have spaced off at the mention of Blue, "Yeah, that's' all that I know of. I dunno anymore though. You left us for a while. You only came to the pack when it was necessary for nearly two years, otherwise you left Tsume in charge- thanks a lot by the way…." Hige mock-glared at him, "Heart and the girls think it's because you finally found a female to take as your mate, I don't know the details. I just know you were gone for most of the time when you should have been around with the pack so Tsume doesn't go all dominant on us. Then one day…. Bam! We found you near-dead with more bullets in you than a shooting-target out on the street no less. You took a hit to the head among five broken bones in your arm, leg and ribs. We all thought you were gonna die on us man!" he pointed at Kiba accusingly; "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!"
"Do you know why you found me like that?" Kiba asked.
"No…. no, man, I don't." Hige seemed guilty for not knowing. If what Kiba could understand was true, he was the alpha here, so it made sense that Hige would feel guilty for not being able to give the information that was so vital to his leader he seemed to like.
"Is he awake ye….t" Blue Kuraoi's question died from her lips as she opened the door and found Hige talking to Kiba…. An AWAKE Kiba, "KIBA! YOU'RE FINALLY JOINING THE LIVING!"
"Thanks…" Kiba sighed exasperated.
"Well after two months of nothing…. For a shifter that's not normal!" Blue suddenly glared at him, "What were you thinking getting yourself so beat up like that? You should have taken back-up! We would have killed them for you!"
"Relax, Blue, he doesn't even remember what happened to him" Hige placated her, "He barely remembers who and what he is. A case of amnesia"
"Oh god….." Blue sighed, "Tsume'll love to hear that…."
"Tsume….?? You both say that name, but who are these people?" Kiba asked confused.
Blue and Hige shared a look.
"Whooh boy…" Hige sighed.