The Story of a Lonely Wolf Chapter 12: Going Back to Cassi's
"Are we there yet?" Tsume asked in a very annoyed voice.
"No…" Hige replied as they ran around some houses.
"Come on, where is it…. We passed these houses an hour ago…" Tsume replied as he carried Toboe who was still hanging over his shoulder.
"No, we didn't these houses all look the same," Hige replied.
"Yeah right…" Tsume said.
"No, I think Hige is right," Kiba replied, "These houses all smell different."
"See I told you," Hige said.
"Even if the houses aren't the same he still got us lost," Tsume said.
"I did not," Hige replied, "It's right up ahead. I can smell the cleaning soap Josh used to clean the toilet…" Hige replied with a sigh.
"Right…." Tsume said.
"No, he's right. I can smell it too," Kiba said as they ran.
"Well can we stop running then?" Hige asked somewhat out of breath.
"No, we can't," Tsume said annoyed.
"Why not? It's right up ahead," Hige whined.
"If it's such a short distance away then you shouldn't mind running the rest of the way there," Tsume replied.
"Come on, Hige. We are almost there," Kiba said as he followed the toilet cleaner smell.
"Alright…" Hige said with a sigh.
"Is this it?" Tsume asked as they approached a house.
"Yeah," Hige replied, "This is it."
"Finally..." Tsume said.
"Hey, I got us here didn't I?" Hige asked annoyed.
"Come on, let's go," Kiba said and walked up to the door.
"This better work," Tsume said in his usual tone and followed Kiba.
"It will don't worry," Hige replied and followed them both.
"You knock," Tsume said to the overweight brown wolf.
"Why me?" Hige replied.
"Because it was your idea to bring him here and you've been here before," Tsume replied.
"Alright, alright…" Hige said and knocked on the door. "Just be nice this time," Hige said and looked back at Tsume who had an annoyed look on his face.
"Yeah, who is it?" a familiar voice was heard as the door opened.
"Hey Josh, is your mom home?" Hige asked.
"Oh Hige, hi welcome back and yeah mom is home," Josh replied with a smile.
"Well can we come in and talk to her?" Hige asked.
"Uh… yeah I guess…" Josh replied not to sure if he should let them all in.
"Thanks," Hige said as they came into the little hallway that led to the rooms.
"I'll go get mom…" Josh said now becoming even more nervous at the site of Tsume and the big bloody dog he had hanging over his shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry he's all bark and no bite," Hige said noticing the nervous look on Josh's face.
"Uh… sure…." Josh replied as he saw Tsume's eyebrow twitch at Hige's remark.
"Can you go get your mother please?" Kiba asked after Josh stared for a second or two.
"Oh... yeah… sorry…" Josh replied, "Uh just wait in the living room, ok?"
"Yeah, sure," Hige said and followed Josh down the hall then went into the living room.
"Just wait here," Josh said again.
"Ok," Kiba replied. He could tell Josh was very nervous and was trying to make him a little more comfortable by being nice.
"I'll go get mom now," Josh said and left to go find Cassi who was in her bedroom watching TV. I wonder why they brought a dog here? Josh asked himself as he thought of the dog Tsume had hanging over his shoulder, And who was that guy? Josh asked himself as he thought about Tsume, He was scary…
"See, I told you they where nice," Hige said as he sat down on the couch.
"They may be nice, but their house still stinks," Tsume replied.
"It only smells because Josh used to much cleaner in the bathroom," Hige said and turned on the TV.
"What in the world is that?" Kiba asked as he stared at the TV.
"Uh…." Hige said in disbelief.
"You're telling me you've never seen a TV before?" Tsume asked.
"No, I haven't," Kiba said as he kneeled down in from of the TV inspecting all its bottoms. "What is it for?"
"Well, it shows you things… that are going on in the world…" Hige replied.
"Can it show us Paradise?" Kiba asked.
"No, not those kinds of things," Hige replied.
"It just shows you a bunch of crap. None of it is real. It's just for lazy humans to watch when they have nothing better to do," Tsume said.
"Hey, I'll have you know some of it is real," Hige replied.
"But what is true they never watch so it must not be very good," Tsume snapped.
"So it's still on there," Hige said. "Kiba, I can't believe you've never seen a TV before."
"Where I came from they never had anything like this. At least not that I knew of," Kiba replied sniffing the TV.
"It was probably there. You where just to busy with your crap to notice," Tsume replied.
"Maybe… but then again maybe not," Kiba said.
"It doesn't matter anyhow. It's just a waste of time anyway," Tsume said as he looked out the window. "Can I put him down yet? He's getting heavy," Tsume said as he looked back toward Hige.
"Umm… I'm not sure. I'd say yes, but he'll bleed all over her floor," Hige replied.
"I'd say hold onto him. She'll be out soon enough," Kiba said.
"Fine," Tsume replied somewhat annoyed.
"Hey, Mom," Josh said as he entered his mother's room.
"Yeah?" Cassi asked she was sitting on her bed watching TV and writing some notes.
"Umm… Hige came back and he brought his friends," Josh told her.
"He did?" Cassi asked in surprise, "Wow, it's been a few days. I didn't think he was going to come back."
"Well, he did… and he brought his hurt friend."
"I best go help him then," Cassi said and began to put her notes away.
"Wait a second…" Josh said just before she left the room.
"What is it?" Cassi asked.
"Well, his friend…. He's not what you thought he was."
"What do you mean… Josh?" Cassi asked a little confused.
"Well he's kind of hairy…. really hairy…. and kind of stinky… and he has big ears…and doesn't walk like we do," Josh began.
"Josh, it's not nice to make fun of people just because they look different or don't smell as nice as you do," Cassi replied with a disappointed look on her face.
"No, Mom you don't get it…" Josh said.
"Don't get what? Just tell me already," Cassi replied.
"Mom, he's a dog… a really big dog…. and he… he looks like those wolves you see on TV sometimes."
"Oh Josh, don't be silly. He's not a wolf," Cassi said.
"Are you sure?" Josh asked, "Those wolves look really mean and scary."
"Yes, I'm sure," Cassi replied with a soft smile, "Now let's go help him, k? Dog or not he still needs help."
"Ok," Josh said still not to sure about what he had seen and heard.
"Did he look bad?" Cassi asked before she left.
"Yeah, he looked really, really bad. He was all bloody and made a weird noise when he breathed," Josh replied.
"I see, it sounds very serious. I wish Hige would have told me he was a dog," Cassi said, "Are you coming out?" Cassi asked Josh who was still standing by her bed.
"No, maybe later…" Josh said in a sad voice.
"Josh…" Cassi said in a low voice and walked back over to her son and kneeled down hugging him tight. "Josh, I know you don't trust big dogs, but you really don't have to be afraid. Not all big dogs are mean and scary."
"I'm sorry, Mom. I just can't trust him, and I don't know how you can…" Josh replied.
"Come on, Josh…. I know your father was attacked and killed by a pack of big wild dogs, but not all of them are like that, and I bet not all the wolves were mean like that either," Cassi said.
"How do you know Hige's friend isn't?" Josh asked.
"Well, for one he's Hige's friend. Do you think someone like Hige would be friends with a mean dog?"
"No…" Josh replied.
"Well, there's your answer," Cassi said, "All dogs aren't mean, Josh. It was just those four who killed your dad that where mean."
"Ok, Mom…" Josh replied.
"Good, now I have to go help Hige, k?" she asked.
"Sure," Josh replied.
"All right, you can come out at anytime," Cassi said and turned to leave.
"Ok."
"Oh and Josh," Cassi said as she stuck her head back in the room.
"Yes Mom?" Josh asked.
"You don't have to be scared," she said then left.
"Ok, Mom…" Josh said in a quiet voice.
