Konbanwa. As you know I'm Kantama, here with a very late update. If you're wondering just why it's so late, let me explain.

This Document file is located on two computers. One resides in my own bedroom, and the other on the family computer. This wouldn't be much of a problem except my computer (which is named Valteira) doesn't have a floppy drive. This means that unless I create a data disc (which I won't do unless absolutely necessary since otherwise it's just wasting a perfectly good disc) I have no way of transferring files from computer to computer.

Compounding this problem is the fact that my computer is not hooked up to the Internet, but this one is, and also I spend most of my time on my computer. Therefore I haven't really worked on this fanfiction at all.

Happy early birthday, Noe-chan.

Kantama watched the two go. After a few minutes he uncurled from his perch, leaping down to the floor then vaulting up onto the windowsill. He watched until the pair reached a bend in the path, veiling them from his view.

The cat shook his furred head, ears drooping. Kantama's bronze eyes drifted closed. Tail twitching listlessly he murmured, "Goodbye, Syri. Goodbye forever."

For his part, Kaze was rather happy. The two had made it into the city unscathed, though several people had looked at them sideways. As always this failed to bother him; he was satisfied that Syri was safe and he planned to keep her that way.

The faint click of a gun being cocked was the only thing that alerted Kaze to the danger they were still in. Moving quickly he whirled around, knocking Syri off her feet and onto the ground. A gunshot rang out seconds later, the bullet striking where Syri had been just moments before.

Kaze pivoted, hackles raised and teeth bared as he searched for the shooter. In short order he spotted their assailent; it was one of the teenagers from the night before. This one bore evidence of the gang's failed attack - a long diagonal gash across his face courtesy of Kaze's teeth. The wolf's eyes narrowed a millisecond before he launched himself at the teenager. The boy cursed, dropping the gun and running. Kaze wasn't that easily deflected.

He gave chase. Within seconds he was upon the boy again, ripping and clawing with little regard for whether his target lived or died. By the time he was done the teenager was bleeding profusely from dozens of wounds, his mouth open in a silent scream of agony.

Kaze loped back to Syri, who received him gratefully. She threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his blood-spattered fur and sobbing. Quietly he assured her that he was alright, and that the boy that had shot at them was taken care of. This seemed to satisfy her and she drew back; rubbing at the tear tracks on her face with a grimace.

"Goodness, Mr. Thompson is going to be so mad at me whenever I finally get to work!"

With that the two resumed their trek, eventually reaching Syri's workplace. Needless to say, though it shall be said anyway, she was indeed quite late. However seeing as her track record was perfect thus far Mr. Thompson was willing to let her tardiness slide.

Luckily Carlos didn't show up for work at all. His absence didn't raise any suspicions since he was one of those who worked when he felt like it and the only reason he was still employed was because he was related to one of the bosses. In this case it was the guy who was just a little higher in rank than Mr. Thompson and Carlos just happened to be the unfortunate man's nephew.

Within minutes both human and lupine had settled into the workday routine. For Syri that was actually doing work. For Kaze that was looking ominously at people and growling when looking ominous wasn't sufficient. That wasn't often.

The only variation in the day came later on when Cynthia came by. The screechy-voiced woman condescendingly told Syri that the blind woman was supposed to go out to the loading docks for reasons unknown. When asked to produce proof Cynthia handed over a piece of Braille-covered paper. Syri ran her fingers over it quickly, mouth moving with each word, then handed it back and started walking.

Kaze lurched to his feet, having been comfortably settled on the floor before Cynthia appeared. With an indignant bark he hastened after the woman. Both completely missed the evil grin that crossed Cynthia's face.

Kaze had only been to the loading docks once before, that one time being when Syri had had to deliver something to one of the workers there. He didn't know exactly what was being loaded but he did know that they were being shipped in very large barrels. The end of the loading docks was even sloped so that the barrels could be rolled down it, again for reasons unknown to the wolf. Why it was even referred to as docks was a mystery to him, though truth be told he really didn't care. It was very noisy and therefore wasn't a good place to be in the wolf's book.

Suspicious, the lupine kept his ears perked and his steps light while he led the blind woman toward the manager's office which was set toward the back of the docks. This lead them up the sloping portion of the docks and Syri laughed as she tried to keep her balance on the sloped ground, leaning heavily on her guide wolf to keep from falling over.

After a minute or two of this she gasped out, "Kaze, I can't make it up this hill! Go up there and see if you can get the manager to come out, please? I'll wait here for you."

He hesitated, unable to shake the feeling of ill portent from his mind. Syri sighed, "I've still got my way-cane with me. If anything happens I'll run straight toward you, okay?"

Finally deciding that the blind woman would indeed be able to take care of herself for a few minutes the wolf nodded. Slipping out from beneath her hand he loped quickly up the incline, absently wondering why it was so steep. In no time he was at the door of the manager's office, scratching insistently.

A thick-set man opened the door. He frowned down at the wolf, who was again playing at being a cute, harmless dog.

"What are you doing here?" the man grumbled, scratching his head. "You belong to that Syri girl, don'cha?"

Kaze barked, impatient to get all this over with.

"Why're you here? I didn't send for her."

The sound of a barrel rolling caused horrified terror to rocket through his system. He whirled to see Cynthia, having just kicked over a large barrel, smiling as she watched it roll down the incline toward Syri.

She wouldn't be able to hear the barrel over the already present noise of the docks.

As it rolled the barrel hit a large bump, sending it tumbling end over end. Syri was unaware of it until the very last second, her blind eyes widening just before the metal container slammed into her, bashing her into the ground. Just as quickly it ricocheted off, continuing down the slope until it hit a wall and was thus halted.

By then Kaze had reached Syri's side. He saw that the barrel had smashed directly into her chest, shattering bones and rupturing organs. She was already coughing up blood, the liquid dribbling from the side of her mouth and oozing from the wounds across her chest.

Syri was dying.

With a tortured groan she rolled onto her side, opened her arms and breathed, "Kaze..."

The wolf ducked into her embrace, rubbing his face against her cheek. With a whimper he licked the blood from her face, causing her to smile brokenly. He could hear her heartbeat slowing as her blind eyes stared down at him.

Then, that quickly, she was gone.