Chapter XXXVI: Flames Burn Bright: Part Two
He looked at her concernedly, "you still holding up okay?"
She looked at him and huffed, smirking gently, "yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for leaving you paranoid since we left the keep." She apologized.
He shrugged, "it's not the first time you tried to scare the hell out of me." He remarked.
She laughed quietly and smiled at him. "Still sore about that." She muttered.
The earth trembled again, making him grab for her hand reflexively.
An outcry from the human a few ledges below theirs perked her ears, before he let her go to go see if the man was okay.
"Don't let go!" He barked as she went to his side to look for the man.
"So much for the tough-talking human… I guess I won't make it to Paradise, after all. It's too bad; I wanted to see this through with you to the end, but this is as far as I can go… " The man mused.
"No, you've gotta hang on!" He declared as he started to go down to his aid.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Don't go down there; if there's another earthquake, you won't make it back." She warned sharply, earning a look from him.
"She's right, don't come down here…!" The man declared, "It's okay, I'm not afraid of dying. You wolves will open up the next world for us; I believe that now, more than anything. I guess I didn't need that gun after all…"
He released the ledge and fell.
She looked away and closed her eyes as the human fell, releasing a slightly shaky sigh.
"You alright?" She asked him, looking at him concernedly.
He nodded, "Yeah, I'm all right. Thanks." He smiled softly at her.
'Only then will appear the wretched beast.' A low growl boomed in the mountain air, making the wolves look up alertly to the source of the growl.
A pair of mismatched eyes glowed in the distance.
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'The world where you would go hand in hand with the Flower Maiden has neither perfect joy, nor happiness, nor life.'
The girl flinched slightly.
'This is also because it does not contain perfect sadness, nor misery, nor death.'
Her eyes widened slightly.
The large maroon wolf flashed his teeth in a sadistic grin.
"He actually did it… he turned into a wolf…!" Hige said in surprise.
Her fur bristled along her spine as she glowered up at the large wolf, her silver eyes shifting to a brilliant garnet.
'What lies in waiting is a Paradise for wolves alone. The unclean humans are no more…' He growled.
"Bastard…! You killed him; you killed Pops!" Blue growled, gingerly releasing the girl from her grip to straighten to stand next to Hige.
'Come with me, Cheza, it is time. What I have become has a great need of you.' He requested, starting to descend from his ledge towards the five wolves and Flower Maiden.
Eri blocked his path as she stood infront of the girl, her fists shaking at her sides.
"Don't come any closer." Kiba growled lowly, stopping the maroon wolf from moving forward.
He slowly looked over at him, at the bristled black she-wolf at his side that glowered coldly into his mismatched eyes.
"Hige, go on ahead; take Nikki and the girls with you, keep them safe." He ordered quietly, moving forward to meet the maroon wolf.
The hulking beast cackled softly before he lunged at him; he flew at him, both wolves glancing off each other before sprinting up the higher ledges.
"Nikki, wait," the tan wolf called as she grunted and flew after them.
"I'll be fine; just protect Cheza." She declared, looking back at him and smiling assuringly before she hopped onto the next ledge.
His fur flew in the air as the larger wolf knocked him into a boulder.
A loud snarl rang out as she hurtled into the monster, her teeth ripping into his fur as she clawed at his sides.
He caught her hip and yanked her off, hearing her yelp slightly as he tossed her aside before sprinting down towards the girl.
'Cheza!' Nikki barked as she shook her fur and followed quickly, Kiba at her heels.
Hige blocked his leap as Blue flew at him from the side, sinking her teeth into his ribs.
The larger wolf looked at her before he did a body slam and landed hard on the ground with Blue to break his fall; she yelped loudly in pain.
Cheza flinched and covered her head as he punted the tan wolf away from reaching her side.
'No!' Kiba exclaimed.
'Please, don't!' Eri cried.
He slammed a paw onto her windpipe to stop her whining, glaring down at her before he sank his teeth into her neck.
'BLUE!' Hige exclaimed.
Nikki dove in and growled loudly at the maroon wolf as Hige latched his teeth into his back paw from behind as he was forced back.
He slowly looked down at the tan wolf; his amber eyes widened.
Blood flew.
'Hige!' Kiba barked as the tan wolf cried out in pain.
'HIGE!' Nikki shouted.
He grabbed the girl by her waist, staring at the three wolves boldly, challengingly, before he took off up the side of the mountain.
Kiba sprinted for him, skidding to a halt when Nikki rushed to her friend's side, grabbing his shoulders gently.
"Go after him, hurry!" Hige exclaimed, shaking off the black wolf's aid and looking at his friend, "I'll take care of Blue." He added.
"Hige," Eri began worriedly as tears gathered in her eyes.
"Just go, move! Please, go." He added quietly, looking at his old friend's tear-filled blue eyes and the grimace that marred her beautiful face.
Nikki lowered her gaze and nodded, patting his cheek gingerly. "You're still an idiot. But I'll see you again, I promise." She smiled weakly as the tears fell.
"See you, Hige." She reluctantly pulled away from his side to grab the weeping silver wolf by the elbow and lead her away at a sprint.
He looked at him for another moment before following the two females further up the mountain.
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She nodded to her, "see if she's all right; I'll help him."
She nodded back, "try not to get killed first," she smirked slightly.
'I will be the one who opens Paradise,' Darcia growled, her blood on his chops making her stomach knot with anger.
"We're not going to let you do it." Kiba snapped.
'But why: though opposite in nature, are not the three of us wolves? It makes no difference which one of us opens it. Paradise will be the same...'
"That's a lie! The only world you'll open is a world of darkness!" He spat.
He leveled his gaze at him; he glared at him before he lunged.
Both wolves glanced off each other in mid-air before landing on the ground.
"Go, now, Eri," Nikki barked before she sprinted forward and snarled as she head-butted the larger wolf away from her mate, standing in front of him protectively.
'Nikki,' Kiba began as she bared her teeth defensively and snarled again, her silver eyes like sharp knives as she met the noble's mismatched gaze.
'Cheza's all right, Eri's got her.' She assured him, pacing infront of him and watching the larger wolf match her stiff-legged stride, her tail in the air like a flag.
'I had begun to wonder when you would stick your nose in, you brat.' Darcia growled.
She smirked and showed her sharp teeth. 'You screw with my pack, you're as good as dead.' She growled and lunged at him.
He dodged her lunge for his neck, grabbing her shoulder and ripping into it.
She yelped before she aimed a back paw at his chest and kicked him away, blood flying from her torn shoulder as she rolled away before she flew at him and jumped onto his back, clawing into his spine as she rode him.
He thrashed and rolled to get her off, but she didn't let go of the grip her teeth had on his neck.
He snarled and sprinted for a boulder, slamming his back into it and making her cry out as she fell from his back.
'NO!' Kiba shouted as he turned on her and pinned her to the ground, her head spinning as she blearily looked up at the face of the maroon wolf.
'GET AWAY FROM HER!' A loud snarl sounded before a gray wolf hurtled into the maroon wolf, knocking him away from the black wolf.
Nikki scrambled to her paws and coughed, shaking her head.
'Nikki!' Kiba ran to her side, looking at her worriedly.
She smiled slightly at him, 'I'm okay. Thanks.' She said.
Tsume stood against the maroon wolf, knife in hand as he glared at him coldly.
"You okay back there, Nik?" He wondered, never removing his amber gaze from the hulking monster that almost got his sister.
Nikki nodded. "Yeah, I'm OK. Thanks, Tsume." She replied quietly.
"Where's Hige?" Kiba asked then; he seemed to ignore his question.
Eri looked at him worriedly, lowering her ears.
'Why do you continue this pointless struggle? Paradise cannot be opened by the likes of you!' Darcia snarled at the gray wolf, a shallow cut marring the right side of his face.
"Save your breath, pal; I already know." Tsume spat lowly.
"Tsume," Nikki began quietly.
The earth shook again, making her look to see Cheza climbing up the side of the mountain to the top.
"Cheza!" Eri barked as Kiba sprinted for her side, Nikki at his heels as she flew after them to stop the girl.
Darcia flew after them, Tsume sprinting after him until he hurtled into his side and knocked him away.
She paused when at the top, turning to look at them, at the two wolves that had protected her and accepted her.
"CHEZA!" Nikki shouted as Kiba reached to grab her.
She smiled sadly as she fell back into the darkened mouth of the mountain, falling gracefully down.
"Shit," She growled.
"Tsume!" Eri shouted as Darcia threw him away after bashing him into a rock.
She snarled and ripped into his neck, yelping when he grabbed her side in his teeth and ripped into her belly.
"ERI!" Kiba exclaimed, watching the larger wolf leap into the mouth of the mountain after the girl.
Nikki sprinted to her brother's side as he sat against the rock, holding onto his ruined side.
"Tsume!" She began worriedly as she kneeled next to him.
"Are you all right?" He asked as he stopped short of her side.
"I'm a little tired, that's all. Go after him! Both of you." He snapped, glaring from one wolf to the other.
Tears started to well in her eyes as she returned the glare.
"Don't be stupid; I'm not leaving your side!" She snarled, clenching her teeth as she stubbornly willed the tears to not fall.
He met her stubborn blue gaze and glared again.
"Don't start crying, not now…!" He ordered.
"I can't help it! You're my big brother and I can't just leave you to die, d'ya hear me?" She cried, the hot tears falling down her cheeks as she stared into her brother's stubborn amber gaze.
Tsume stared at her for a long moment before he looked away, "If I don't make it to Paradise, then one of us has to. One of us has to live on." He looked up at her with sad eyes.
"That's you. You're the only one between the two of us that's strong enough to keep going." He stated firmly.
She sniffed and closed her eyes tightly as she held onto him, the tears falling down her face as she buried her nose into his cheek.
"I don't want to leave you… You're the only pack I have! Tsume, please," she croaked, feeling him lift a hand to stroke her hair.
He smiled slightly at her pleas, hearing her cry.
"I'll find you, I swear that I'll find you, when we meet in Paradise." He vowed quietly.
Nikki nodded slightly and pulled away some to kiss his cheek, running her fingers through his gray fur.
"I love you, brother. And I swear to the Moon that I'll find you too." She said softly, curling her fingers in his fur as he nosed her neck.
Eri limped towards them, making the white wolf look up from sitting at her side as the gray wolf blearily looked at her coming towards him.
'Tsume,' she whimpered quietly, sinking to lie down at his side.
He looked down at her and his eyes softened slightly.
She gingerly pulled away from him to let them sleep, looking at her mate as he straightened.
He smiled softly at her, nodding.
"Let's go." He said, leading the way to the mouth of the mountain.
She looked over her shoulder at her brother before she smiled and followed him, grabbing his hand as they jumped into the darkness together.
review please. thanks~["When Angels Fly Away" - Cold, A Different Kind of Pain (2005)]