The Story of a Lonely Wolf Chapter 18: A Believable Answer

"Ok let's get started," Sara said as she kneeled next to Toboe and began getting the tools ready.

"Yeah," Drake replied as he washed his hands and put on some gloves.

"What do you want us to do?" Hige asked.

"Let us work in peace," Sara answered as she too put on some gloves.

"Alright then, come on everyone in the kitchen," Cassi said.

"Awwww Mom, do we have to?" Josh wined. He had never seen anything like this before.

"Yes, Josh. You really don't need to see Toboe's insides and they need lots of space to work," Cassi replied. She knew Josh had never seen anything like this and really didn't want him to.

"Ok," Josh said with a disappointed sigh and followed Tsume and Kiba into the kitchen.

"So how long do you think this will take?" Hige asked as he, Cassi, and Josh sat at the table.

"I don't know," Kiba replied.

"Do you guys want some chairs?" Cassi asked looking up at Tsume and Kiba who where leaning against the counter.

"No, we're fine thanks," Kiba replied.

"Alright then," Cassi said.

"So what do we do now?" Josh asked.

"Just wait I guess," Hige replied.

"Oh I almost forgot…" Cassi said as she looked up at Tsume, "I wanted to talk to you."

"What for?" Tsume asked annoyed.

"Just come with me," Cassi said and stood up from her chair, "You guys wait in here," she said to Hige, Josh, and Kiba.

"Uhhh… ok," Hige replied.

"Come on, Tsume," Cassi said and went out the back door so she could talk to him in private.

"Mmmmm…" Tsume said with an annoyed growl and a disgusted look on his face.

"Just go…" Hige replied with a sigh.

"Yeah," Josh said as he looked at Tsume who was not very happy about the idea of talking to Cassi.

"Come on now, it won't be that bad," Hige said as Tsume angrily walked to the backdoor.

"Right," Tsume replied with a low growl and went outside.

"Well I'm glad that's over," Hige said with another sigh.

"What's over?" Kiba asked.

"Cassi being mad at us."

"She was never mad at us," Kiba replied, "She just wanted to talk to Tsume, that's all."

"Uh huh… well Kiba, you weren't the ones who were in here while she was waiting for him," Hige said as Josh got them all some water.

"Yeah, it wasn't as easy as you think… she got really out of control. She was about to go out there and get Tsume herself," Josh added.

"I see," Kiba replied.

"All right, Tsume. I want an answer," Cassi said as she started at Tsume dead in the eyes.

"Answer for what?" Tsume asked.

"Why didn't you help Josh when that dog was attacking him?" she asked.

"Why do you care?" Tsume asked as he tried to think of something to say.

"Because that dog could have killed him and you didn't help him!" Cassi yelled she was getting angrier and angrier at Tsume's behavior.

"Mmmmm…" Tsume gave her another one of his annoyed growls.

"Would you stop doing that?" Cassi asked getting annoyed.

"Fine," Tsume replied in his usual tone as he watched Cassi shiver in the cold winds.

"Well…" Cassi began her arms crossed over her chest. She didn't want Tsume to think she was cold because she didn't want him to think she was weak, but she knew he could see she was cold and wanted to go back inside.

"If you must know," Tsume replied with a sigh. He was going to make this up as he went and hoped he could make it sound believable. "I didn't think he was in trouble…"

"What?" Cassi asked in disbelief, "How could you not think he was in trouble? He was screaming bloody murder back here!"

"Who cares if he was screaming? He's a kid. Kids scream... hard to tell when they are playing around and when something serious is happening," Tsume said hoping this was a good enough answer for her. There was no way he was going to tell her the real truth.

"You have got to be kidding me…" Cassi said still in disbelief.

"Well I'm not."

"How can you not know when a child is in danger?"

"Hey, I don't have kids. The only time I see them is on the streets playing games. They yell and scream all the time. I thought he was just playing in the yard, ok?" Tsume snapped.

"But he was yelling for help," Cassi pointed out.

"So what, little brats play fight all the time don't they? They get pinned down on the ground and they cry for help."

"But Josh wasn't playing with anyone," Cassi replied.

"Well I didn't even know it was Josh at the time. I thought it was just some damn brat playing near by. I've known your kid for a whole few hours and most of that time I was on your porch. I don't know what his voice sounds like," Tsume snapped. He was getting very annoyed that Cassi kept going on with more and more questions that where getting harder and harder to answer.

"Are you serious?" Cassi asked she thought about what Tsume just said and it did make a lot of sense.

"Yeah, why else would I say it?" Tsume replied now very annoyed, but happy that he was getting somewhere.

"Alright then, I believe you," Cassi said as she shivered in the cold.

"You do?" Tsume asked in surprise, but held back most of his amazement so she wouldn't catch on to his lie. Man, these humans are even more foolish then I thought. Tsume thought with a smirk.

"Yes," Cassi replied with a smile.

"Well…" Tsume began. He really couldn't think of anything to say. "Let's go in then, it's freezing out here," he wasn't really cold but he wanted to go back inside. He didn't feel very comfortable being around a human and alone with one for that matter.

"Sounds good," Cassi replied and they went back into the kitchen where Kiba, Hige, and Josh where waiting.

"Hey they're back," Josh said happily.

"Did you work things out?" Kiba asked Tsume.

"Yes, we did," Cassi replied with a smile as she sat back down in her chair.

"Ha, see they did make up and they both came back alive," Hige said to Josh. "I won now give me the pie."

"What?" Cassi asked as Josh got a piece of cheesecake out of the fridge.

"Well, Hige and I made a bet and whoever won got a piece of pie," Josh replied.

"Oh I see," Cassi said, "And what was it that you bet on?"

"Uhhh…. Well…" Hige and Josh replied a little afraid to tell her.

"What? What was it?" Cassi asked Kiba wanting to know why they wouldn't tell her.

"Josh and Hige had a bet that you two would start fighting and one of you would come back dead," Kiba answered. He hadn't been around humans much so he didn't know that sometimes they got mad at bets made about things like that.

"Really…" Cassi said and gave Josh somewhat of an angry look.

"Yes," Kiba replied. He had no idea that what he had just told Cassi could get Josh in trouble.

"Umm… yeah," Hige said he really didn't know what to do now.

"Heh…" Tsume replied, "Look at that he's only ten years old and he's already making bets. He's not as innocent as a lot of people thought."

"Hey, I'm just fine thank you," Josh whined.

"Yeah, he's a good kid," Hige said as he shoved a piece of the pie in his mouth.

"Thank you," Josh turned to Hige with a smile, "At least someone knows I am."

"Anyway…." Cassi said, "Have they said anything about Toboe?"

"No, they haven't come in here at all," Kiba replied.

"It sounded like they were working hard though. There was a lot of noise a little while ago," Hige added.

"Was it bad?" Cassi asked.

"Don't know for sure, but they did yell something about he's was bleeding really bad… I guess when something major happens they start yelling at each other," Hige said as he finished off the pie.

"Oh my, I hope he didn't die," Cassi said with a worried look on her face.

"No, he didn't," Kiba replied.

"How do you know?" Cassi asked.

"It was when you first went outside. I'm sure if he died then they would have come in here and told us by now."

"You know what…" Josh said.

"What?" Tsume asked.

"We were having so much fun betting I forgot Toboe was even here," Josh said with a little laugh and rubbed the back of his head.

That's sad… Hige thought to himself, I can kind of understand a person forgetting something once... but twice… and when it's happening in your own home…. That's really pathetic.