Woohoo 6th chapter!! I told myself that once I got to this point no matter how many reviews I had, I would take time to thank everyone. So here I go---

Sakaki's Little Sis: (locks cliffhangers in a closet) all better!!! : ) O and you get a jug of pocky for being the first to review this fic!! Also, you get the rare, coveted--FIRST REVIEW DANCE!!! (dances around like an idiot while German sounding music plays in the background)

PockyMuncher: yummy! Pocky!! Thanks for reviewing and I'll try to update as fast as I can---well as fast as I can with few as possible mistakes that is!

Female Heero Yuy: sounds familiar---Gundam Wing?? Please don't hurt me if I'm wrong lol. Thank you for your support, it is greatly appreciated. (joins konga line) she did another chapter, she did another---wait (looks around) are you talking about me!?

Twisted illusions: : ) glad you like the story! Thank you for your review!

Whiskers: Whiskers, eh? That reminds me of Hige : ) Anyway, thank you for your support!! Yes, Darcia is definitely in the lunatic category!! As far as when they are going to find Kiba---I'm not even sure at this point! Chances are it won't be for a while, but the chapters will continue to switch from the pack to Kiba and Cheza throughout the story.

Scyogerl64: I think I basically said everything in a previous chapter, not sure which one. But thanks for reviewing : )

Redward652: (looks around and points to self) are--are you talking about me!!? O.o (faints) LOL! I was thinking it was going to be a Tsume chapter initially but the more I though about it the more I was afraid Toboe would be in it too much if I did make it about him---soo long story short I decided to make it a Tsume and Hige chapter. But thank you for your opinion!!

Blade's Daughter: sometimes one word means more than a million!! Thank you for your review! : )

Kaida-kun: What are you doing!!? Don't review this story!! You can tell me your opinion via e-mail, in person, phone, you doofus--o c'mon don't cry. JK I would say thanks but you basically just lied to my readers, telling them I'm abusive--HA!! IF they only knew, if anyone deserve ramen around this joint it's me!! : ) But I love ya like a sista anyway---ya you're lucky

So I think I've taken up enough valuable space, speaking of which I'm sorry the chapters are so short -.-" Please forgive me! Now onto the chapter!!

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The shadows of night slowly caressed the once stormy desert while the flying winds fell to a soft swirl. Seven wolves stood close together, deeply coveting the welcoming warmth of not being alone. They waited, watching contently as the once prickly sand floated to the ground to form a cushion of silk. Slowly the vision that was once obstructed by a vicious storm of brute lightning and wind became clear to the beholders. Revealing their whereabouts to the haggard wolves.

Upon seeing where they were Hige fell to his knees, stirring the once resting sand. "I can't believe it!" He laughed, a thin note of insanity coating his husky voice, "the runt managed to do something useful!" With those words he slipped a chapped palm behind his drooping head as the other hand pointed to the city sitting peacefully mere yards from there noses.

The dilapidated buildings of the city set an eerie silhouette onto the thick, muggy night befalling them. "I don't know," Tsume growled, abruptly pushing Toboe from his once cordial body. "Something doesn't seem quite right."

Hige turned his vision to face the glowing golden eyes of his white-haired friend, "don't be so negative!" He laughed, closing his eyes from the intense stare of his companion, "Besides where there's a town there's bound to be food, and comfortable beds, and water---uggh I'm making myself tired just thinking about it!!!"

Kuri stepped forward to stand beside his leather-wearing counterpart, "I agree with Tsume, it'd be best for us not to rush into this city, something about it doesn't seem quite right." For a few lingering moments the sound of calm, whistling winds encircled the desert as the wolves stood quietly thinking amongst themselves.

"Do you see what I mean!!?" Tsume growled while trying to hide his growing uneasiness. "What kind of city has no people running around in it!? I mean c'mon there should be some kind of noise!"

Hige lurched from his seat and stamped his foot in the settling sand. 'Well let's find out then, if there are people here." Before the action could be stopped Hige rose an auburn wolf head to the star speckled sky above, releasing from his wolven lips a blood-curling song of the night. His monotonic cry was ceased on a helpless yelp as Tsume's muscular fist grasped it's way around his thick neck.

"Hey what was that for?" Hige yelped, turning to his human form to rub his tender collar.

Tsume just stood, piercing eyes staring intently to the decrepit city ahead of him. Hammering hearts drummed relentlessly against anxious ears as the group stood light-footed to find if the disturbance had been perceived. Moments passed with no tumult, allowing the group to relax tensing muscles.

At this time of transitory repose Yasuo found it necessary to once more take his role of leadership among the weary pack. "If some one was in that city they probably would have come to see what the racket was--" His composed voice was cut short by a furtive shove from his blonde-haired companion.

"I disagree." Kuri declared bearing the same foreboding thoughts as Tsume. "If it were a trap they wouldn't've come out to see what caused the noise, because more than likely the thing that caused the commotion is the very thing they're waiting for." Tsume nodded an understanding head at the rational words of his acquaintance.

"Exactly," the white-haired man agreed. "Of course if chubby could learn to keep his stupid trap shut we could've snuck up on anyone waiting."

At the words of this brute insult Hige's thin eyebrows lowered in annoyance. "Well do whatever you want! I'm going in!!" The brown-haired boy withdrew a fleeting breath before swiftly making his way to the crumbling buildings ahead.

Toboe's once wandering eyes shot to focus by the drifting sand rising at each long step of his livid friend. "Wait Hige, don't go!!" He yelped desperately to the oblivious profile disappearing into dense shadows cloaking the buildings of the tranquil town. Finding his consistent yowling of no use he turned his head to face his helpless companions.

"We have to go after him!!" He whined, "he could get in trouble all by himself!!" The young wolf panted quietly as he waited for the response that had yet to come. "Fine then," he huffed taking a bold step forward. "I'll just go by myself." His disappointed eyes could not be hidden as he slowly turned to run after the slowly vanishing Hige.

"Vait Toboe," Ameya spoke softly, hiding to show signs of weariness on her striking face. "I vill go too." She slowly brushed sand from her glossy champagne robes before placing a silky hand on Toboe's slender shoulder. "Shall vee be goeeng den?" She tittered, taking one more passing glance to her restless companions.

The two friends slowly made their way down the sandy, trodden path before being stopped by a firm grasp upon each shoulder. "I won't let you two go alone; I mean a girl and a runt!? You've gotta be kidding me." Tsume scoffed, loosening his grip upon their shoulders.

Toboe closed his sparkling eyes in happiness, "Awww you know it's just because you love me." He teased, raising a chin to the appalled, blushing face of Tsume.

In response to this comment a heavy hand pushed Toboe's head to the earth below. "Keep dreaming kid, let's just say I'm too chivalrous for my own damn good." Tsume growled lifting his hands to his pockets. "But we better hurry before chubby gets to far ahead," he yelled, not to Ameya or Toboe, but to the 3 others lingering behind.

Yasuo nodded his head in agreement and slowly sauntered forward, followed closely by Goro and Kuri.

"I'm still not sure this is a good idea," Kuri whispered lightly in Yasuo's ear. "If this is a trap---"

"If it is a trap," Yasuo whispered quietly back, "we have to be there to protect the rest of the pack." This statement seemed to resolve the fears he was harboring as well, for his pace was suddenly quickened.

Toboe's fair face rose into a smile as his friends joined him along the gravel path of the forsaken town. "Wait for us Hige, we're coming!!" The auburn-haired boy yelled as a cool wind ruffled its way through his light hair.

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(A/N: at the time when Hige howled)

'What was that?" A beautiful black wolf stopped in her place, glistening blue eyes shooting frantically around her surroundings.

She had been in the desert for days, tracking the scent of a pack she was well acquainted with. Hoping that in doing so she would separate herself from her beloved owner; Quent, her owner, her pops. She loved him with all her heart as a father and as a friend, but a deep rooted hatred of wolves had forced her to believe it was best to distance him from her life. Though this was a thing she had never wished to do.

For days her soft, yet pounding feet had frisked there way across the white, silky sand as the scent of her objective stroked her yearning nose. She had continued her lonely journey without ceasing through the peace of night and blind turmoil of storms. Her voyage had never stopped, that is, till the reverent howl of the wolf she loved pierced the serene dark.

"Hige!?" She yelled, as the whistling wind swiftly carried away her salient cry. "He must be near," she reassured herself with an anxious voice. Her chapped lips slid into a wide smile, being alone could suit for a while, but she yearned to be in the company of voices other than her own.

Soft hands tightened the swirling red scarf around her neck as she turned once more to an ebony wolf, camouflaged in the darkness of the night except for two crystal blue eyes, shining like stars. She kicked up sparkling grains of sand as she ran, guided by Hige's faded howl.

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(A/N: back to the pack)

The reunited pack strode wearily through the deserted town with bated breath. The crumbling resonance of gravel roads against their weary feet was the only aspect to assure them they were still treading upon earth, for the noses in front of their own faces was all that could be seen in the dense shadows surrounding them.

"Is it too late to admit this might've been a mistake?" Hige whispered a light tone of sarcasm weighing down his question.

He was ignored, as the pacing footsteps continued to haunt the air. Toboe rose his chin searching for a sign of the iridescent moon overhead, sensing it was his turn to try a hand at relieving the woes of his pack he rose his whimpering voice. "I'm sure there is some one living here, I mean as far as I can tell it's a pretty big town. It could be that people just don't live on the outskirts."

"That's not what I'm concerned about." Tsume finally spoke, revealing the object of his thoughts to his companions. "If there are people living here you don't honestly think they're going to welcome us in with open arms do you!?" He questioned testingly, causing subtle discomfort to those around him.

"Well I--," Toboe started before being interrupted once more by his golden-eyed role model.

"I have seen a lot of people in this world, and most are not to keen on having wolves around. I can tell you that much! If there are people living here it will do us less good than if there weren't!" Enraged, Tsume sighed releasing the pressures of the thoughts building within him. It was a hard truth, one he had been hesitant to venture, but he knew it was true. People had never done good in his life, they had brought betrayal and they had brought pain, those were the only things at which they truly succeeded.

Hige guiltily disregarded the ranting of his friend as his vigilant eyes shot in all directions. If there laid a sanctuary in this oppression of darkness, he yearned to be the one to find it.

Hours seemed to pass as the pack treaded deeper into the thick of buildings. With each step the world seemed to darken around them till they were left with only the memory of light to comfort their despondent souls.

The air grew thick with the darkness; making it a labor to pull one desperate breath into their thirsty nostrils, till walking was no longer possible. Hige watched helplessly as his friends, one by one, fell to their tired knees. He struggled to help them only to befall the thickest darkness he had yet encountered as his heavy head fell to ground below.

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wow, this chapter did not go in the direction I was expecting. Here I was thinking I'd be able to fit my whole plot idea into one chapter, but my over-descriptive mind ruled my better judgment; making me leave off on a cliffy . Sorry guys that wasn't the way I was expecting it to happen! I know this chapter took me along time to update, but there were certain difficulties keeping me from the computer sooo I did the best I could!!

In case this chapter seems---for lack of a better word, vague--it's ok. You'll understand everything by the next chapter!

Again, thank you all you kind ppl for your reviews and please continue to send them The next chapter won't be so slow moving but I guess this one is just introductory for the next chappie!