The Story of a Lonely Wolf Chapter 8: Silver Bracelets
"Too bad… that there isn't any moonlight here, Toboe could really use it," Kiba said as he stood outside the building waiting for Hige to return. "I wonder what's taking Hige so long?" Kiba said as he watched the snow fall. "He sure has been gone along time."
"Gra….nny…" Toboe whispered in his sleep.
"Hmm?" Kiba said as he walked back in the hole. He had heard Toboe talk in his sleep. "He has a very high fever," Kiba said as he put his hand on Toboe's forehead, "His head is so hot, but his body is so cold. He can't stop from shivering," Kiba said and let his barrier down so he appeared as a wolf again. "I guess all I can do until Hige gets back is protect him from whoever might come along and try and keep him warm," Kiba said and lied down next to Toboe.
/Flashback/
"Toboe… Toboe, come here boy!" Granny called into her backyard.
"I'm coming!" Toboe barked and ran out of the nearby bushes and up onto the porch where the old lady was standing.
"That's my good boy. Come inside, I have a surprise for you," she said with a kind smile.
"Yay!" Toboe said and ran inside. "What is it, what is it?" Toboe asked excitedly and jumped up and down at the old woman's feet.
"Whoa settle down now," she said with a laugh and walked into the living room. "Come here boy," she said as she walked into the tan painted room. It wasn't very big, had seating room for about five people, had a little TV set, and old brown carpet, and a fire place made from bricks, not much to look at, but it was nice and warm.
"I'm here, I'm here, can I have it, can I?" Toboe asked and jumped on the black chair sniffing the bag in Granny's old hands.
"Hold on, Toboe," she said with a laugh.
"Awwww… ok," Toboe said with a smile and sat still as Granny opened the bag.
"There now, that's a good boy."
"Open it, open it," Toboe said excitedly and wagged his little brown tail.
"Here now," she said as she opened the bag and pulled out a box.
"Wow…." Toboe said as his excitement faded, "It's a box…."
"Well let me open it first silly," Granny said as she saw Toboe's excitement fade.
"Oh so it's not a box. It's in the box…. Yay!" Toboe said and began wagging his tail again.
"Ok, ok, here we go," she said as she opened the box and began unwrapping the tissue paper.
"What is it?" Toboe asked and sniffed the wrapping.
"Ah here we are," she said and pulled out some silver bracelets.
"What are those?" Toboe asked as he sniffed the strange shiny bands. His curiosity was certainly getting the better of him.
"Here," she said and took Toboe's front right leg. "Well, they're a little big, but you'll grow into them. They look very good on you."
"Cool," Toboe said and ran around the room, "They make a funny noise."
"You like them?" Granny asked.
"Yeah!" Toboe barked happily.
"Good, I was going to get you a collar, but I thought those were a lot prettier."
"I love them," Toboe barked and continued to play with his new bracelets.
"I'm so glad you like them. Would you like to go for a walk now?" Granny asked.
"Yeah, let's go!" Toboe said and ran to the door. His tail was wagging like mad.
"Ok, but you have to stay with me," Granny said and went to get her purse.
"I will," Toboe replied.
"Just let me get my coat," she said as she went to the closet.
"Alright," Toboe replied.
"Ok, are we ready?" Granny asked as she got ready to open the door.
"Yes," Toboe replied.
"Ok then, let's go," she said as she opened the door.
"Yay, this will be fun and now I can show my cool sliver things to everyone," Toboe said and wagged his tail as he followed Granny outside.
/End Flashback/
"Maybe I really should quit this damn search," Tsume said to himself as he walked down an alley. "I keep on smelling him but it doesn't seem like I'm getting any closer. He's probably dead now anyway."
"Hey, Mom look at him," a little boy said as he ran up to Tsume. "Hey you know what? You dress really cool and you look really strong. I think I saw you once you were with a little boy. Ummm… I think you and your friends called him Gel. You know what else? He looks like he's about my age. Can you tell him if he needs a friend to come play with me?" the little boy asked.
"Sorry, but I don't have friends," Tsume said and began to walk away.
"Well if they aren't your friends why are you always with them?" the boy asked as he tailed Tsume, like Toboe used to do.
"I'm not always with them," Tsume said in an annoyed voice.
"Hmmm… I see. Well ok, but can you tell Gel to come play with me?" the boy asked as he followed Tsume down the dark and lonely sidewalk.
"No," Tsume replied.
"Why not?" the boy asked.
"Because you're pissing me off and I only get pissed off when I'm around idiots. Why don't you run on back to your mommy?"
"Hey, you don't have to be mean about it. I only asked you to do me a little favor."
"No, I'm not going to do it."
"Why not?" the boy asked in a disappointed voice.
"Because I can't. Gel is gone, he isn't around anymore," Tsume said still in an annoyed voice.
"Where'd he go? Is he coming back?"
"No, he's not, he's dead."
"He is?" the boy asked in a surprised voice, "What happened to him?"
"That's none of your damn business and if you don't get out of here you'll be dead soon too," Tsume snapped.
"Uhhh…. Ok…" the boy said he was now beginning to get a little scared.
"Damn kids…. Who needs 'em?" Tsume said as he continued walking through the different alleys looking for Toboe.
