Ch. 19 Consciously
The three wolves were in disbelief. He'd rather stay with the humans than to be with his own kind. They all knew he had a soft spot for humans, so they couldn't be surprised by his decision.
Toboe kept his eyes focused at his feet, his gaze stoic. "So, this is what you want, huh? You really want to stay here?" Tsume asked, anger clearly in his voice. Toboe stayed silent, meaning he was serious with his decision.
"You don't want to be with us anymore?" Luna asked, a pang of hurt in her voice. Tears formed in her eyes, angry and hurt tears. Now that she was expecting, her emotions were running high. As hurt as she was, she couldn't hate the red wolf for this.
"There's something about this place. About how Ihk and his people live. That's Paradise to me," the red wolf said, still looking at the ground. "Toboe, do you really want to stay here?" Tsume asked firmly.
Toboe didn't answer. His decision was final and none of the wolves weren't gonna change his mind.
Luna turned around and started walking ahead. "Fine. Go. You're meant to be with the humans anyway. Take care of yourself," she bitterly said.
"Hey!" Hige exclaimed. "Look out for yourself," Tsume said, following his mate. Hige looked back at him for a moment, seeing how Toboe didn't move. Toboe and Ihk turned around and head back to the tribe.
The next half hour was silent. Luna and Tsume walked hand in hand while Hige walked behind them. "Ever since we met that kid, he had always wanted to be with the humans," Tsume said.
"Yeah, even when they tried to kill him, he still wants to be with them," Luna said, "I wanted our daughter to meet him. Guess we have to accept it. Are you gonna do the same, Hige? Or did you change your mind?"
Hige looked down in guilt, shoulders slumped forward. "Look, Luna and I will go alone if you want. You don't have to stay for our sake," Tsume frowned.
"You guys would go even if I stay?" Hige sighed. "Honestly, if wolves are meant to face the end of the world, then I want be there when it happens. I want our daughter to see it too," Tsume replies with a smirk.
"I agree with Tsume. We made it this far, so why stop?" Luna said, looking at Hige over her shoulder. They had come so far as a pack. Their relationships had grown better and better since their rocky first introduction; especially Luna and Tsume.
At first, they hated each other. Now they were mates and are becoming parents to a little girl. How time flies. "Kiba's gotta lead us," Luna said. Hige's eyes went big and he smiled. He saw the change in both of wolves.
"When did you guys start to sound like him?" He asked, continuing to walk forward.
(Moung Tribe)
Toboe was perched on the cliffside that looking over the tribe in his wolf form. He laid down like a sphinx, forelegs in front of him, hind legs bent and pressed to his sides. His wolf ears were folded back a little bit, head slouched forward a bit.
He looked down at his bracelets that were on his right foreleg. It made him think of his old owner, who he accidently killed due to him being too playful.
"Are you sure?" A male voice said from behind him. Toboe's ears raised up and he looked up, seeing Ihk's horse standing behind him, it's riding gear still in it.
"Oh, it's you," the red wolf said. "About paradise. Are you sure you're not going?" The horse asked. Toboe's tongue hung out as he gave a smile. "I'm not sure. I don't really have what it takes," Toboe said timidly.
The horse neighed as laughter. "Does anyone really have what it takes?" He asked. Toboe closed his jaws and looked ahead, keeping his ears up. "It's not like I've been before. Not that it matters anyway. Besides, I'm sure Kiba will be alright. And it's not like I have to worry about Tsume, Hige, and Luna. Tsume and Luna are becoming parents now. They need to lead their own lives. If I'm here, I'm not in the way," Toboe said.
Back with Luna and them, they were still walking down the desert. The pack of three walk up a hill, seeing what Ihk was talking about. The only living thing sitting in the barren desert was that plant. "Man, what a wasteland," Hige said in disappointment.
"This can't be it," Luna sighed. They looked at the area in silence for a moment before the sound of distant rumbling caused them to look over at the source of the sound. "Huh? It's those guys!" Hige exclaimed.
It was one of those trucks that had those soldiers in it, the ones that work for the nobles.
—--
Off in the distance, Ihk's dog started barking viciously with his teeth bared towards the mountain where the other three wolves went. Toboe felt dread wash over him and he gasped, looking in the direction the dog was barking at.
Ihk then runs over, seeing Toboe's distress. "Do you sense something?" He asked. Toboe looks behind him to look at him. "It coming from where Tsume, Luna, and Hige went. Something is definitely wrong. I think it might be them," he answered.
"You mean the people that attacked the dogs?" Ihk asked him, eyes widening. "Yeah, they attacked us too!" Toboe replied. Ihk quickly mounted his horse and galloped towards the mountain with the red wolf and dog behind him.
—--
After convincing Tsume she would be fine, the three wolves start sprinting towards the truck. "The way they're moving, it's like they know where we always are by tracking our every move!" Tsume snarled.
"Which means, it's kinda pointless to run and hide!" Hige panted, voice filled with panic. "They're never going to quit!" Luna said, running next to her mate.
She was still able to run at her normal pace but she knew she'd run out of breath soon enough when she got bigger. The soldiers get out if the truck and looked through the grass plant, seeing the white wolf laying inside of it.
The three wolves charged after them in their wolf forms. The soldiers hear the wolves coming and turned to see the trio coming at them, a wolf as tan as the sand, a wolf as black as the dark night, and a wolf as grey as dark storm clouds.
Hige jumped on a soldier and kills him by biting down on his throat. Luna took on out by knocking him on his back, knocking his helmet off.
She held him down by pressing her large wolf paws into his shoulders. She bared her fangs, snarling viciously at the terrified soldier, her gold wolf eyes staring into his eyes.
She showed no mercy and bit down in his throat, blood shot out of the fresh wound, killing him instantly. Another soldier tried shooting the black she-wolf but she was able to avoid it.
Tsume had killed another soldier before doing zigzags to avoid being shot.
Ihk and Toboe soon arrive to the scene. Ihk scooped up a gun with his bow that belonged to one of the fallen soldiers. He began shooting at them from his horse.
The soldiers soon fall one by one from the poisonous plant. The four wolves run to plant, seeing the skinny, frail form of Kiba, who was in his wolf form.
"Kiba!" Toboe started, taking a step forward. "Stay back!" Ihk shouted, hopping off his horse. He covered his nose with his elbow. "Don't get any closer! He's been paralyzed by the poison of the plant," he warned.
Toboe's eyes filled with worry. "He can't be…. He can't!" Toboe cried out in a panic. "He isn't dead!" Tsune growled at him. "Maybe not yet, but he-" Hige said, but was cut off by Ihk walking by them.
He picks Kiba up and ran back to his horse, placing him on its back. "Your friend's spirit has been taken. I'm sure the elder can call it back," Ihk said. That was their only option if they want Kiba back.
"Let's go!" Luna said, running forward. The others follow her back to the village. They instantly brought him to the elder so they could bring him back.
(The Moung Tribe)
Kiba's weakened body laid in the center, completely lifeless. The pack watched the elder chanted something in his native tongue.
In his mind, he had been pulled away from a false paradise, making him forget what's in the real world. Making him forget his friends, the reason for going on the journey to start with.
The false paradise faded around him and he fell down into his own body.
The elder finished his chant and gently blew something our of his withered hands. Kiba weakly opened his gold eye and saw his friends in front of him.
"Kiba? Are you really there?" Luna asked. He didn't respond, but his jaws were open a little bit. He looked so dazed, like he couldn't comprehend where he was.
"Do you remember us?" Hige asked anxiously. Kiba still didn't answer them. "Kiba!" Toboe cried desperately, tears in his eyes.
Kiba looked at the four other wolves. "Hey, you guys. Long time no see…" he wearily said. The pack sighed in relief, but soon became angry.
"You really think this is funny, huh?!"Hige scolded. "You have no idea how much you scared us! Where have you been?!" Toboe shouted, raising his voice at the white wolf.
"Someplace wonderful .. it was just like paradise…" Kiba answered, breathing quietly. They were all taken from that answer. There was no way he was actually there.
"Was it really?" Luna asked. "No… I got kicked out," Kiba said, closing his wolf eye. They all gasp in fear, only to be reassured that Kiba was officially back, but he was resting, much to their relief.
The other four wolves sit outside under the red moon, staring silently at it. They had no choice but to wait for Kiba to come out of the tent. Luna leaned against Tsume, feeling a bit uneasy from just how red the moon was.
"We need to leave once Kiba's back on his feet," Tsume said, breaking the uncomfortable silence, wrapping an arm around his mate. Luna let her head rest against Tsume's shoulder, heaving a sigh.
"What're you gonna do now, runt? You gonna leave again?" Hige asked. Luna looked over at her brother-figure. She saw how sad he had become because of how hectic everything had been in the last few days.
He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay or not. "Toboe, no matter how long you run, there's going to be a time where you have to fight. We'll have to teach our daughter this. Whether you like it or not, that's how a wolf's life is," Luna told him.
"Yeah, I know. I know that," Toboe sighed, his voice quiet. They all know just how smart Toboe really is. He'll get things figured out once he's fully grown. There was no turning back now.
The pack hear the rustling of the elder's tent from their right side. They all looked to the tent and saw Kiba walk our in his human form, his jacket wrapped around his shoulders.
Luna smiled a bit when she saw him again, feeling glad to see him. He raised his head back, barely opening his tired blue eyes and smiled at the sky. He walked over to the group with the elder at his side.
"You okay?" Tsume asked. "Yeah, it was like I was in a strange yet wonderful dream for a long time," Kiba answered. The elder looked up at the white wolf through his weathered eyes.
"Was your spirit beheld by the Garden of Eternity?" He asked. Kiba looked back at him and asked "Garden of Eternity?" He asked.
The elder began to explain further to what the Garden of Eternity had. Which consisted of one experiencing joy and peace, which was enough to satisfy most people. Kiba said he has somewhere he had to be and he had others he needed to protect.
The elder smiled and left the wolves be to talk things over. "So what was that place the elder mentioned?" Luna asked. "Nothing except… I met a girl while I was there," Kiba says, glancing at his feet.
"What?! No way!" Hige exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise. Luna and Tsume grin at this. "Well, you do seem less uptight," Tsume said wityba crooked grin.
Toboe blinked in confusion. "Huh? I don't get it," he said, raising up a bit. "And you won't for a while," Tsume frowned. Toboe cowered down at Tsume's tone.
"This explains why you and Luna are together. And now you're having kids. Man you guys get all the luck…" Hige blurted out. Kiba's eyes widened in surprise. He surely missed a lot since he's been gone.
"When did this happen?" He asked. "Well, we only found out a couple of days ago. We're having a she-pup," Luna said, hand on her belly.
Kiba smiled at them warmly. "I'm glad for you guys," he said, genuinely happy for the wolf mates Kiba glanced down at his feet for a
minute, tightening his grip on his jacket. "Kiba?" Toboe asked worriedly. "While I was there… it felt like something was missing… from me," he said.
The small pack look at him, half expecting it to not be them. "You mean Cheza, right?" Luna asked, smiling with her right hand on her belly, which had grown a bit more.
"No, not just her. You guys too," he said, surprising them. "Why's that?" Tsume asked. Kibas expression turned to melancholy, seeing each of his pack mates as his family now.
"I thought you guys were dead," Kiba replied. Hige clenched his fist and leaned forward a bit. He looked like he was ready to fight the white wolf. "Are you kidding us?! You got any idea how hard we busted our asses trying to find you?!" He shouted.
Kiba blinked in surprise, not expecting them to do that. All this time, he believed that they wanted nothing to do with him. "Oh, you have? Sorry, I didn't know," he said, cracking a smile. He was partly serious and part joking.
Hige sighed in disappointment and closed his eyes, loosening his fist. "That thick head of yours won't ever change, will it?" Hige sighed.
It was quiet for a moment before Luna started to laugh. Toboe started to laugh along with her, then the rest followed.
Their laughter was the type that sounded wholesome. The type friends would share at a joke, party, or at a bar. It died down after a few minutes. But it felt great to get it out in the open.
Luna felt the need to stretch her legs, get some exercise for her pup. "Let's go," Kiba said,ready to move on with his pack.
They looked down at Toboe, seeing if he would go with them this time. "I… I'm not going to whine anymore. And I won't run away either," Toboe said, looking at Kiba.
The way Toboe said that, it was obvious that he was growing up. He wasn't a pup anymore. Hige didn't believe him at first. "Wanna bet?" He asked.
Toboe glanced up at him, narrowing his eyes. "No way," the red wolf said with determination in his voice. Luna ruffled his hair in a playful manner.
"You ready to go? The kid sure is. The little one is too," she said with a grin. "Tsume?" The black she-wolf said, looking up at her mate. He nodded and kissed her hair, ready to get a move on.
(X)
Ihk led the pack outside of the village to say their goodbyes. It was dawn by the time they made it. Kiba took the lead as usual.
"How far is Paradise from here?" Ihk asked, walking alongside his horse. "We don't know. However, there's no doubt in the back of our minds that we'll find it," Kiba said.
Ihk grinned at the white wolf's confidence. "Take comfort by knowing the spirits are with you six," the Indian said, referring the six member as Luna and Tsume's daughter. Luna glanced over her shoulder at Toboe, who stood in front of Ihk's horse.
"See you, shorty," Kiba said, walking forward. "Let's go," Tsume said, following him with an arm around Luna's waist. "See ya, kid," she said. "Later," Hige said, hands in his hoodie pockets, walking forward.
"So I guess this is goodbye?" He said to the horse. "You've got what it takes to paradise, and then some," the horse said. Toboe smiled at this. That alone gave him enough confidence to carry on.
"Thanks a lot," he said, getting the horse to neigh as a laugh. Toboe imitated the horse with a laugh. "Ihk? There's something I need you to do," Toboe says to the Indian before kneeling in front of his dog.
"He's got my scent on him so he shouldn't be hard to find," he whispered, getting the dog to tilt his head.
(X)
When unrise came, Ihk had found Quent, who didn't much appreciated Ihk's help and went to berate wolves again after being told he was saved by one.
The pack ran in their wolf forms through a canyon. Luna ran along side her mate, feeling happy and scared at the same time from her pregnancy, which has increased.
There was howling in the distance from Ihk's dog. It showed he was half wolf too. Toboe stopped for a minute, his ears perked up. He then turned around and went with his pack. He couldn't turn his back on them.
