Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain.

Author's Note: My appologies for taking so long on this chapter. First my computer decided to die, but we fixed it. Then I lost interest because I wasn't depressed (this is a depressing story so I must be depressed to write it or else it will sound too happy o.O), and finally I got a cold and because mother doesn't want me to contaminate things with my contaminated fingers, I was not allowed to touch this computer due to the fact everyone in my family uses it. -sigh- Now, I finally got it out and I hope you all enjoy it. Ideas for a twist in the plot are appreciated 'cause I'm blank...maybe I won't be in a while, but I'm blank right now. By the way, I wouldn't have kept Toboe alive if it weren't for the reviewers, so for those who think your little typed boxes in 'Reviews' don't help, they do. Once again, enjoy!

Chapter Four: Awakening Of The Red Moon

His body was strewn across the desolate earth, which had ceased to accumulate another layer of white powder for the clouds seemed content to not release another onslaught of snow. His chest was still and his eyes closed in a peaceful manner, in truth, it appeared he had achieved what he had desired. Death. Had it been calling to him more than Paradise had? The gray wolf wondered all this as he scanned over the pale figure next to him, his young frame a reminder of his untimely death.

Why had he wanted such a thing? Didn't he realize how precious the thread of life could be? He had died as a child, and maybe that was the reason he chose such madness. His rational had not yet matured. He saw only in the time he was experiencing, he never bothered to muse over his thoughts and how they could affect his future. Why hadn't he said anything? He always remained silent and had he just prevented Hige from pulling the trigger, none of this would have happened.

"Tsume, look what you did!" Cried the female who managed to drag Hige farther from his possible murderer, her eyes filled with emotions normally not prominent, normally hidden. "He's dying!"

Great. Now she was just rubbing his regrets in, causing him to experience more pain than he was willing. He could feel his rage rising, ascending to his boiling point. He wouldn't hold back in that case. He would lunge and kill rather mercilessly in the name of the deceased Toboe.

A minimal movement from beneath her gentle grasp signaled perhaps Blue's accusations could be wrong, for slowly the lids of the chestnut wolf's eyes fluttered open to about half way. Enough to allow him to gaze at the pale and rather heartbroken face of his beloved. "No...I'm not," he whispered, his fingers that Blue had intertwined her own around tightening their grasp to display his long for living. He wasn't dead yet. It would take more than a gaping wound from Tsume to get rid of him.

"Hige? Hige!" She whined, her defined bodice leaning over to cover her lovers like a shield, a sense of protection only she could provide. She rest her head against Hige's, she herself shaking with unpredictable fits those who weep contract from time to time. Though, even at such a time of great relief, she managed to spare a menacing glare, which she presented to Tsume. Her blue eyes daring to bore a hole through his heart, just like he had almost succeeded in doing to her. "You're lucky he's alive Tsume. You would have been next."

"Spare me," he snapped, his true wolf form baring fangs that still held the remains of the blood from Hige's chest. It was as if he were ready to slay every one in the cursed pack. It was as if everyone was turning upon everyone else. It was as if they would be the ones in control of whether the blessed Earth were to be doomed or whether they were to open the gates to Paradise.

As he began to approach the half-breed, the one he felt was worthless and would never be able to keep pace with them, an alabaster form dashed in front of him, eyes of a blue even colder than that of an iceberg holding his gray form in place. Kiba's authority normally meant nothing to him, but at a time like this, when a leader would be the only figure keeping them bound together, Tsume willingly submitted. "What?" He growled, gaze still fastened on Blue who was defiantly looking back at him, but from time to time, a loving look would be presented to Hige. She was either unable to show her dominance to him or she was stronger and felt she could address Hige and have him wait until she deemed it suitable for their silent battle to continue.

Pausing, the white wolf then backed away and swung his head due north, where they had decided Cheza was leading them. "Why don't we go look for a shelter we can stay in for the night?"

"What the hell are you talking about Kiba? There isn't a freakin' rock in this place for miles. Where are we going to find a damn cave?"

"Just come," he replied assertively, plume now raised above his rump in a fashion all who traveled with Kiba knew as a hint to his rising anger. He didn't want to waste his energy in a petty fight with Tsume. They needed to talk and right things before it got too complicated, and the pack that was already teetering on the edge of collapse would disperse for good. He couldn't have that now. Not in this time of desperate need.

Eying the brute apprehensively, Tsume finally gave in, trotting after the alabaster wolf that was now leading the way to a supposed cave. Shooting a final glance back at the death site of Toboe, he couldn't but acknowledge Cheza was trying to work her magic on the dead pup, placing a delicate hand on his heart. Where he had been shot. A snort of disapproval could be faintly heard as he whipped his maw around to face the 'pack leader' once more.

There was no concept of time; in fact, there was no concept of gravity or of solid matter. There were no liquids and no other beings beside himself. There was no light, but there was no darkness. There was everything, yet there was nothing. This destination the Runt had reached...it was nothing, but it wasn't. He hadn't pictured it this way, he hadn't expected it to feel so chilling and so depressing.

"Do you really believe death is as you picture it?"

Eyes were wild with fear as he gazed around the infinite space of nothing; everything was of a black hue, everything except for he himself. Was it too late to turn back? The voice chilled him as it spoke in its mocking tones, as if it pitied him for having thought the afterlife was a wonderful place. Perhaps this wasn't it be that hell the humans always spoke of? Could it be true?

"Who are you?" Toboe cried as canines were bared in defense as he backed away, but in truth, he hadn't moved at all. There was nowhere to move to, nowhere to go. Frightened, he began to shiver and head darted frantically to and fro, as if it were possible to see something other than the surrounding monotony. Why did he ask for Hige to kill him? Why did he do such a thing? He was an idiot!

Gathering himself enough to realize his query hadn't received a response, he pressed the being for an answer once more. "Who are you?"

A chuckle was emitted from the one who wasn't as eyes that were not witnessed the pup's vain movements. "You don't want death."

Deciding they had reached a destination that provided the safety in which they could conduct a conversation, Kiba came to a halt and sat upon his haunches, expecting the same of Tsume. However, in a ruthless mood, the brute chose to stand and pace restlessly from time to time, though he still kept his gaze fastened on white wolf. The chosen wolf.

"So, what's so important, Kiba?" Tsume asked, though rather spat as he had better things to do, like brood over his latest feelings. Should they bury Toboe? No, that was something the humans did. Let the snow fall upon him and let him be imprisoned within the frigid confinements forever more.

Gathering his thoughts, he then spoke, his tone holding a deep note of sorrow. "You lunged at Hige."

"Is this what you brought me here for? Look, I don't need to be preached to, I'll leave if that's what you want."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Then what were you, 'cause you aren't making any sense."

Releasing a sigh, the brute shook his head, icy eyes searching the ground for some unexplainable answer to some unknown question. "I'm just saying, if something like that happens again, I doubt we'll reach Paradise together. We're already on the edge of splitting, Tsume, I know that. But you don't need to add to the tension."

"Then the idiot shouldn't of shot Toboe!"

"What would you have done in Hige's place?"

"That doesn't matter."

"You would have shot him too, I bet."

"You don't know what you're talking about! That bastard did it purposely!"

"You weren't in his place Tsume!"

"Stop throwing comments out like this! You're not proving your point!"

"Then I'll sum it up for you," Kiba growled, thoroughly tired of the attitude he had to endure with the packmate. "Just lay off of everybody for once, Tsume. No one is perfect, and to tell you the truth, you aren't either."

"I never said that."

"Then stop acting like a pompous ass!"

A snort was heard as he turned around, heading the direction they had departed from. "I don't need to listen to this crap. The only reason why I'm staying with the pack is because I don't have anywhere to go back to. If that wasn't the case, I would have killed you all and given up on the idea of Paradise." He finished, built legs then propelling him forward towards Cheza and the others. The ones he no longer trusted but still wished to follow. Were his words true? Not all of them, but which ones were false he wasn't even sure of.

Shaking his head, Kiba followed the fading form of the gray wolf, watching as the fellow brute contemplated Toboe's death. He knew that was the cause of his thoughtless actions, but it appeared he was taking things to far. As if he were on the brink of insanity.

Wincing as his own words were fed back to him in a forceful manner, his fur bristled as he realized he was becoming more and more vulnerable to this world, if this was indeed a world at all. "Tell me! Answer me!"

It was as if the voice knew everything of Toboe for slipping from the shadows was the form of Leara, the girl staring defiantly at the wolf she had lost trust in. Her hand was outstretched, almost as if she were attempting to allow the rust hued figure near her, but it later formed a fist and shook vigorously at the male. "You don't want death."

"B-But, Leara! You're here! I've wanted to-" he stammered, but was interrupted as the form shook her head, brown hair flailing uselessly in the realms that were not. 'It's not her...' he reasoned as lifeless eyes glared back at him. They weren't human; it was just an illusion to force him to listen, to force him to see what he had fallen into. Nothing. Yet, it wasn't what he had longed for, it wasn't how he had envisioned it in his mind as he spoke to Cheza.

"You don't want death." It uttered once more, its arm, Leara's arm forced to rotate in a circle, forming the beginnings of celestial body of luminescence. It resembled the lunar orb in every way possible, every way except for the fact it didn't remain the lustrous sterling hue Toboe had grown accustomed to seeing. No, it had a crimson tint to it, much like as described in the "Book Of The Moon" that only the humans had heard of. "Leave, leave for now."

Halting all his aggressive actions, the male stared in awe at the article that resembled life, health and hope to the wolves. It continued to grow, pulsate even as it began to envelope his line of vision, preventing him from seeing anything other than the blood colored light. Soon after his lids closed over his amber eyes in the voluntary act of blinking, he awoke not in nothingness, but upon the snow he had fallen 'dead' earlier. "Paradise..." he muttered, before he fell into unconsciousness, unable to see the faces around him gawk madly.

Running a hand through his bloodied chestnut hair, the other tenderly caressed the male's forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed. Hige had managed to maintain a fever for his wound that displayed signs of infection couldn't be healed, not until the moon found itself above the lowly wolves. Yet, that same fact was what puzzled Blue. Toboe had been dead. Killed! Why had he awoken as if he had merely fallen unconscious much like the brute beside her had? All his wounds were no more; even his visage regained its normal color instead of the pale hue. Why?

"Cheza?" She asked, turning slightly to her left to better see her vital companion. "Why is Toboe alive? It doesn't seem possible. I saw Hige pull the trigger and Toboe fall...he died!" Blue cried, absentmindedly clenching her hand that had previously been tending to Hige's hair and raised it to just below her clavicle. None of this made sense! It never did. This entire search for Paradise was fruitless, tormenting to the soul, but still they all continued. They all pushed forward for no evident reason. Why? As Toboe had said, why to everything? She could just go on for hours....

From her kneeling position on the powdered ground that was cold to the touch, the Maiden shook her head unknowingly, confirming her own sense of uncertainty and confusion. "This one is not sure." It was almost as if she were lying for her voice was soft, uncertain, and her gaze was adverted. She knew she had aided Toboe when she used the abilities bestowed upon her, but the extent was unknown, until now. "You shouldn't worry yourself. Hige needs you now, there are still many hours before moonrise and you should be thankful that the blizzard has ended."

"I don't know what to be thankful for anymore," she mumbled, once again stroking the wolf's human features as she contemplated the meaning of the roller coaster like journey all had found themselves strapped within. There were no exits and no entrances. They couldn't backtrack, but to go forward...where would it lead them? In circles? To their death?

Tilting her head in a quizzical fashion, Cheza appeared to be astonished by Blue's words. Not thankful? "What do you mean? This one is not quite sure."

"I guess you wouldn't know."

A shrug. "This one does not know many things."