Written by: Mandy Bevers on: August 25, 2004
Wolf's Rain Chapter 2: Return of the Wolf which continues the story of Toboe and
Marina. Will Toboe and the gang find paradise or will the memory of Marina tear them apart?
Kiba and Cheza were walking hand in hand in an airy forest. The sun crept through the trees, shining light on the wilted path they walked on. Behind them, Hige and Tsume were bickering about some little indifference they have yet again. Bringing up the rear of the group was young Toboe, his head ducked, a solemn look on his face.
Hige looked back at Toboe then turned back to Tsume. With his hands behind his head he nodded back asking, "What's wrong with him?"
"How should I know, I'm not his babysitter," Tsume scowled.
"Ooh, touchy, touchy. Someone must have woke up on the wrong side of the moon this morning."
Tsume turned on Hige, pushing him to the ground. Kiba, Cheza and Toboe stopped. Tsume continued snapping at Hige who was struggling to break free. Kiba finally pulled Tsume off of him.
"Stay out of this," yelled Tsume.
"Guys stop it." Toboe said in a soft and gentle voice. "Why are you always fighting?"
"Why are you always hanging around those stupid humans?"
The face-off had begun.
"What does he mean?" Hige asked in an uncomprehending tone.
"Ask him. Ask him what he was doing with that girl. Go ahead!"
"Toboe..." Kiba's words trailed off as he looked at the young wolf. "What does he mean by that?"
"It was nothing. I didn't do anything wrong." Toboe began crying. He had never felt so weak and defenseless before, but something inside of him said 'it is all right, you have done nothing wrong'.
"Oh great, now he's going to stand here and waste our time crying." Tsume's face was distressed.
Hige just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Well, if you hadn't been so mean to him, none of this would have ever happened."
"And what do you know. I saw what happened. He kissed that girl back there in the village. He's probably been with her since we split up. His whole week was probably wasted following her around like some lovesick puppy."
Kiba began to worry about the group and questioned Toboe's judgment. "What are you talking about? You're not making any sense. Who did he kiss?"
"No one. It's none of your business. Tsume, how could you say that about humans, about me? They're nice...it's just that some of them that are bad people."
"Huh, filthy humans don't know what's good for them. They deserve to perish. I can't wait until we find this paradise place, then I won't have to look at another human ever again."
"Tsume..." Toboe couldn't speak anymore. The look on Tsume's face told him that he couldn't win the battle.
Kiba looked at Toboe and said, "Tell me what happened. Did you kiss some girl?"
With a rosy pink blush now covering his cheeks, Toboe could no longer deny what had transpired between he and Marina. "So, what if I did, it's not like any of you haven't kissed a girl before."
"But with us it's different," Hige butted in. "See we kiss other wolves, not humans."
"What difference does it make? Besides, it wasn't me who made the first move. She wanted to kiss me. I don't see the big deal about letting her have one small kiss."
"It doesn't." The group turned to look at Cheza who had remained quiet during the entire fight. "This one knows what Toboe is feeling."
"You do." Wild elation lit Toboe's eyes.
"Yes. This one knows that you were happy to be with her. This one thinks you should be with her if that is what Toboe desires."
Her wispy voice calmed the pack, but tempers soon flared again.
"What do you know. Humans and wolves don't belong together."
"This one does not care. This one only wants you to be happy. If that means that you are with humans then that is what should be."
"Cheza..." Toboe felt another fit of confusion clustering inside his head. He couldn't shake the feeling he had had since meeting Marina. Something was different. He just didn't know what it was. Could it be that he loved her. No, it couldn't be possible, a wolf in love with a human?
"Let's get going. I don't want to waste anymore time." Kiba's voice called to Toboe. 'You can talk to me about it...'
The group was ready to settle in for the night. Tsume and Hige were fast asleep next to Cheza. Kiba was leaning against a tree watching Toboe. He stood and walked over to him. Squatting down he said, "So, what happened?"
"I was in wolf form right outside of town. She found me eating and invited me back to her house. I followed and when she started talking about how it would be cool to meet a wolf, I sort of...well, I wanted to surprise her. I know it was wrong. I remember what happened the last time I got attached to a human, but she was different. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I can understand if you don't want me to stick around anymore."
"The only thing I want is for you to do what you feel is right."
"Kiba, do you think we'll ever find paradise?"
"I think you already have." He stood up and walked back toward Cheza. He laid down and fell asleep.
Toboe continued thinking about what Kiba and Cheza had said.
When the morning came, the others rose and looked around. Toboe was nowhere in sight.
"Now what?" Tsume asked in a gruff voice.
"There is no need to worry. This one knows where he is. He is in paradise."
"What? But how?"
"Not that paradise, Tsume, his own paradise. He is with her. Now he will be happy."
(Toboe, in wolf form, is running to his new home...)