Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain

Chapter IX

The journey back from Darcia's castle was a long one. With her shoulder injured slightly, Soui walked as a human, walking on all fours made her leg hurt. Kiba walked along side her, lost with the same mysterious expression he always had. Maybe Kiba was still trying to understand everything, why Soui spared Darcia, and why she kept it hidden.

Soui stared at the sand in front of her feet with her hands in her pockets. Her red shirt was a deep maroon by her shoulder, and she knew Tsume was going to have a fit about it when she got back. Toboe too, even the little guy lectured her about being more careful. Soui looked back to Darcia's castle, and knew she hadn't seen the last of him.

They walked through the desert sand together until they came back to the forest again. It was strange, how easily the scenery changed in this world. Kiba howled to the sky calling out to them and about a mile inward they called back to him.

"I can't believe he planned that all out," Soui started staring at the sky "He knew I would take Cheza's place for her, and he used that to his advantage"

"Well, you are always the most willing to take other's places. He probably thought you'd do it again after you take bullets for everyone," Kiba told her blandly staring up at the sky too

"I guess. Its strange, he said I might have more power than Cheza. It's something I can't comprehend. How can I, the scarred wolf, have more power than the flower maiden? He must be nuts"

"Well, aren't you the only one who didn't get rejected by the scar?"

"So, I was lucky it didn't kill me, so instead I live with the curse, oh yeah that makes me very powerful" She told him sarcastically

"Ya never know, maybe there are properties you aren't aware of yet," Kiba told her as he ducked under a branch.

"Maybe..." Even if that made sense it didn't comfort Soui one bit.

Kiba and Soui found the others in a clearing within a forest. It was most likely an abandoned den another wolf had used last spring to give birth to her cubs. The trees had scuff marks with claws from the pups and Soui smiled. Slowly the others lingered out of the cave, and seeing them smiled walking up to them.

"My partner in crime, I got a little worried after a while," Blue smiled and rested her hand on Soui's good shoulder "Tough girl, just like me," She winked at her and Soui laughed

"Wow, one scratch, pretty good for Darcia, Kiba came back in like a full body cast when he fights with Darcia," Hige smiled and joked

Soui looked to Kiba and he just blushed and shook his head.Soui chuckled and smiled as a small hand tugged on her shirt. So looked to her left and Toboe was staring up at her with tears in his eyes. "I thought...we'd never see you again Soui...don't scare me like that..."

Soui smiled and wrapped her arms around Toboe and he brushed his face up against hers. "I'm not going anywhere akei, not for a long time."

"Promise?" Toboe looked up and smiled.

"Of course akei," She rubbed his head looking down into his soft eyes

Toboe grinned and hugged her sweetly. Soui smiled as she lifted her head back up to see Tsume frowning down at her. He wasn't angry, no that wasn't the expression he wore on his face. There was extreme relief in his eyes, guilt too, none that anyone would understand.

"Soui..." He looked at her with a soft hushed voice. He eyed the wound on her shoulder, but she smiled it was probably the smallest scratch she escaped with. What hurt the most, was that her sense of pride was thrown out of wack, now that Darica had a purpose for her, should she be at ease that she would no longer die, or fear the fact she was still living.

"Hey Tsume," she whispered quietlyHe took a step closer stopping, but then continuing as he quickly brought her into an embrace so tight. It didn't even hurt her, it was overpowered by the feeling of unconditional love

"You stupid wench, you really scared me," He told her swaying with her back and forth.

"Sorry Tsume," She told him softly closing her eyes "There's a lot I got to tell you,"

"Why don't you tell me later, I'm sure you want to rest," He cooed to her softly resisting the urge to kiss her

"Oh yeah, sleep, such a nice thing," She told him gently

"Ahh...Soui..."

Soui lifted her head up and turned to see Cheza looking at her with her ghostly blind purple eyes. She left Tsume and turned taking one of Cheza's hands. "This one is right here"

"Soui..." Cheza smiled "This one is alright?"

"Yes, this one is fine," Soui smiled squeezing Cheza's hand

"This one is afraid?" Cheza asked quietly

"Yes, this one is afraid," Soui told her "But this one knows she's not alone"

"And I think this one should rest" Kiba told her slinging an arm around her shoulder. "Let's go get you settled," Kiba walked with her into the cave. Tsume still stared at her bloody shoulder, and the whole pack lingered outside while they went inside to settle.

"Aren't you going to tell them Kiba?" Soui asked as they sat down on the soft damp earth.

"I don't think have to, don't worry about that right now, you need to sleep" he stroked her cheek and she curled up in a ball, her tail covering up her nose like it usually did. Her eyes were still open and she looked up at him

Does this change anything, Kiba?

It changes certain things, but not the overall outlook and views I had about you. I'm just glad to know, that I have a sister, it's a strange feeling, but I don't feel as alone.

Did you ever feel alone to begin with?

Not really, but now I know for real, that I'm not alone

What are we going to do now? I'm sure that Darcia will be back for Cheza and me

Don't worry about that, right now, worry about getting some sleep okay? Kiba nuzzled the side of her cheek with his muzzle and smiled

Alright...night brother

Goodnight...sister

Kiba trotted out of the cave, and went off with a few of the others in search of food. Cheza and Blue remained outside, feeding the fire with logs and kindling. Tsume managed to sneak back into the cave unnoticed, or perhaps he was noticed by Blue and Cheza, but neither had said nothing.

"Soui?" He whispered into the darkness. His voice echoed off the cave as he took a few steps in

He wandered deeper, the cave having much more depth than Tsume had remembered. He came up to her, and there she was, curled up in a ball and slumbering. He trotted over to her and pushed against her side with his muzzle. She just sighed and tried not to open her eyes but he whimpered and pushed at her again

"Yeah Tsume?" She asked opening her eyes. She stood up and stretched, ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder

"Are you alright?" He asked licking at her muzzle

"Of course I am Tsume," She told him nuzzling him back

"What about your shoulder?"

"It's only a bullet wound, barely got me, I'm okay, really"

"He knows now, doesn't he?" Tsume asked sitting down staring at her

"Yeah...he mostly figured it out on his own, then Darica screamed it, then I told him."

"That's what you wanted wasn't it?"

"It was, but now I'm afraid he'll lose sight of his mission. That mission, is more important then the bond of a brother and sister"

"I would not under estimate that bond, its sure to be an important one."

Soui sat back up and stared at him. Her shoulder and arm fell limp but she didn't say anything. Tsume, sitting on his heels, kneeled over and kissed her quietly. Even when Soui was going to break way for air, Tsume only deepened it moreHe brushed up against her and rested his hand on the side of her face and neck. Soui was pressed up against the back of the cave wall and Tsume kissed her again and again inching her way from her lips down the slope of her neck and back up again.

"Someone's happy to see me," Soui laughed softly as he kissed her neck again. She ran her hand through his white hair and smiled.

"Well, would you believe me when I said the runt got me thinking?" Tsume asked her sitting back on his heels. He thought back to what he had said to him.

"How can you say that Tsume...we are too a pack...look at us...how everyone's worried about them...we've helped each other out so much." Toboe's little fists were shaking "Don't you tell me not to worry about them when I know you are worried too!"

"Look Runt I might be worried, but I'm not going to waste myself away like you are! People, wolves we come and go and eventually we all die! That's a part of life kid, and you better just get used to it!"

Toboe clenched his fists some more and he felt tears in his eyes. Even if he was supposed to act like a man, or grown up whatever, he wasn't going to let the fear of losing Soui escape him. "...I thought you loved her..." He whispered under his breath. Tsume looked up surprised, and Toboe ran off into the woods

"He really did get me thinking that runt, and I decided, that I really do want to be with you. You're always putting your life on the line, fighting Darcia to find out who you are. I figured I sure as hell better spend as much time with you as I can, just in case..." he trailed off cringing at the thoughts he wouldn't say aloud

"In case things go bad." Soui smiled finishing his sentence "I think about it all the time, not being able to see you or the pack again. It worries me so much. But I have to do this"

"Like Kiba and his paradise"

"That's right," Soui nodded

"It seems that stubborn gene runs strong through your family"

Soui laughed and Tsume eventually sat down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Tsume looked at the wound, and he sighed, there again there was another bullet hole in his love. At this rate, he'll be in love with a slice of Swiss cheese.Tsume urged her to go and find Cheza and get it healed up, but Soui told him she'd rather let it heal. It wasn't fair to Cheza, to make her this healing machine when it drained her energy too. Tsume reluctantly gave up. The look in Soui's eyes urged her to sleep and Tsume easily encouraged it. Before the moon had even decided whether to rise or set, she was asleep, Tsume with her all the time.

It seemed as though the encounters within Darcia's castle was a moment of the past. Those mishaps and adventures all seemed to be blocked and framed, left behind for them to look back. Soui's wound slowly healed, she had to wash her shirt in the stream, and Blue had to keep the kinky boys away until she was clean again. Afterwards, no one hesitated to jump into the river and splash around for once. It was nice to see Soui smile again. The others could note, how happy she was, and how she never looked at the glass half full.

Cheza enjoyed the happiness too, and she'd whisper to Kiba that Soui was no longer crying. Kiba would smile too, more often then he used to. It felt like a part of his heart had finally been filled. That feeling of loneliness was filled with a blood relative. Soui didn't tell anyone, but she was starting to change. The other's slowly noticed the changes in her, as she ate normally, it seemed the pounds were pealed off of her like extra skin. Her coat, normally gold like her locks of hair, was slowly turning a deeper color, almost mahogany.

When she dreamed, she saw terrible things. Soui saw so much blood, it seemed like the whole world had been colored over in red. There were wolves fighting, there were people fighting, and great balls of fire fell from the sky. But if you looked at that happy girl who was laughing in the stream, you'd never would've known.

The winter snows finally melted away into the happier spring, and it seemed as though everyone's moods had lifted. Tsume and Soui soon became as inseparable as Hige and Blue. Toboe had somehow shifted roles to a brother yet son position in the eyes of Tsume and Soui. She was constantly playing with him, or giving him baths, and at the same time, Tsume would teach him hunting. Toboe was grateful to have this season with them, it seemed as though Darica had given a break only for them to grow closer.

As the season went on and on, the intimacy and physical aspects of Soui and Tsume's relationship grew and grew. They would go to bed together late in the night, and would reemerge from the cave almost a few hours before noon. Soui especially, was in a state of estrus (in heat) towards the end of spring and she was either pacing or grabbing Tsume and stealing him away into the cave. Chastity was stricken from them, and the greatest of love was made. When they did leave the caves, Tsume would spend hours tugging and chewing on her ears or licking at her muzzle. They were like two love sick puppies.

Somehow, between all the heat, father-son-mother bonding, Kiba managed to grab some time with her. He'd drag her to the river where she'd lie down by the edge and listen to the rushing water, and he would rest his head against her shoulder blades. Sometimes, they'd stare at the clouds together, or stare into nothing just enjoying the other's presence.

"What did you do, all those years you were alone Kiba?" She asked staring up at the clouds

"I was searching, always searching, following what little gut instinct I had in me"

"What were you searching for?" she asked him quietly

"I'm not sure, Paradise, Cheza, my past, purpose. I was just searching, searching for whatever could come my way."

"Did you find it?" Soui asked hopefully

"Yes. No. Both, I've found some of the things I was looking for, at the same time, I'm always searching. I think that's our purpose in life, to search and find, in the end, making memories along the way," He turned over and looked at her "But I found you, and that's the greatest gift of them all"

"What are we going to do when Darcia comes back? You know his minions will be on our trail soon enough, even if we've had these few months like this,"

"You really got to him that night, talking about his lover," Kiba told her

"I...could just see her...and all that pain," Soui pointed to the scar "It isn't as useless as I thought."

"Put your hand on my forehead," He told her quietly

"Whatever for Kiba?"

"I want you to look into my mind like you did Darcia," He told her

"But...why ever for, what good would it do for you?" She asked uneasily

"I want someone to know my fears, I trust you big sister"

Soui bit her lip uneasily, she didn't even like going into Darica's mind. It was just something that had happened to her. She reached out and rested her hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes, and her scar glowed a golden color and she was pulled into Kiba's memories. Some were recent, from a few minutes ago, Darcia's castle, rescuing Cheza, but as she dug through them she found a few that had been locked away for a long time.

Kiba was running, he was running very far and behind him were many flames. She could hear the sound of screaming people and guns, and angry dogs running after him. There was panic running through Kiba, and he was only a few years old as a pup. She could see Lady Jagara and Lord Darcia's men in their tanks behind him. Kiba was running away from them so much, he hadn't seen the ledge, and fell down into a river and was washed away. She'd never heard or seen Kiba this scared, even if it was only a memory

"You were running from them...but what were you looking for...?" Soui asked opening her eyes back up

"I had gotten a lead that they were keeping a wolf captive within Darcia's building, I wanted to see who,"

"Very admirable of you," Soui told him quietly laying back down on the grass after peering into his mind. "Kiba?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't make me look into your mind again"

"Why?"

"It's those memories, and those experiences that helped to make you into the wolf that you are right now before me. I don't want to steal those away from you. I know you want someone to relate, but we aren't supposed to understand each other one hundred percent like that. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do. Will you ever let me look into your mind?"

"Maybe one-day, when I begin to handle all the things I've seen."