Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain. –sings- Oh I wish! xD
Before the Red Moon
Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain. Wish I did, though…-sigh-
Before the Red Moon
Toboe's mind was numb with shock as they ran through the twisting passegways, the red lights only adding to their hopeless confusion and growing frustration—they were completely lost. Even Marel hadn't been able to stay on the right path after a while, and their wounds coupled with the long battle down in the dungeon were taking their toll.
The young wolf was trying to get a grip on himself, trying to force his mind to accept the awful reality that Ren was dead. And the Noble troop who had killed her practically said to her face prior to shooting her that her mother had ordered it…his strides were heavier and slower than that of the others, and the look on his face was transparently sad.
Ren was dead.
His instincts urged him to believe that time to grieve would come later, but he felt as if a huge building had fallen on top of him—the thought was oppressive. As they ran, Toboe didn't notice that Hige was dropping behind the group, leveling with Toboe's shoulder. The hefty brown wolf kept his eyes on the others ahead as he said quietly, "At least she's in a better place now…I mean, she's probably with her dad, right? And it doesn't take a genius to honestly say that Paradise is way better than living in this stupid hole with her bitch mother?"
He had a point there…Toboe forced a smile and said in the same, low voice, "Thanks, Hige." He was glad for his comfort…he needed that. The consideration that Ren was happy now, in stead of stuck in a world of blood, pain and sadness, made him feel better. New strength soared to his tired limbs as he thrust himself forward, his strides loosing their lag. He would miss her, though, whatever the others said…
Hige nodded at him, and then ran on a bit to catch the others, but a sudden bang and a draft surprised the wolves. Kiba halted dead in his tracks, the others skidding to a stop right behind him. Toboe had just gotten into his stride, and tried to stop, but his claws had no purchase on the slippery surface. With a clumsy yell, he slewed forward, loosing control of his long legs and tumbled into Getsuei's rear with a dull thud, shoving the older wolf forward.
Getsuei grunted in annoyance and glared fiercely at Toboe with his bright, moon ringed eye and then turned his attention back to the current situation. "What's going on?" he demanded, sniffing the air.
"Not sure. But I smell nobles," Hige said darkly, his face furrowing into a growl. "This stupid place is crawling with them!"
"Either way, we better be ready for a fight," Tsume growled, narrowing his yellow green eyes and letting his long silver hackles rise on his shoulders.
Toboe thrust his nose into the air, closed his eyes and took a few whiffs. Yeah, it definitely had the acrid tang of a noble, but it was familiar—
His amber eyes snapped open as a figure, bloodied and beaten staggered into view on the opposite side of the hallway. It's heaving gasps were easily audible to the wolves clear across the room. The figure was male. Blood drenched the front of his uniform, mostly around his throat and chest, dribbling onto the stone floor. He stumbled into the center of the hallway, made as if to move towards the stunned pack of wolves, where he sank to his knees with an exhausted grunt.
"Odakota!" the name burst from Toboe's lips as he charged forward, his heart in his throat as a wave of fear washed over him, right past Kiba, Tsume, Hige, Marel and Getsuei.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Demanded Tsume, leaping after him. Kiba followed suit with a snarl.
"Damnit, that's a noble's troop!" Hige and Getsuei said in unison—again. Both jerked their heads in each other's direction, again looking horrified, remembering the last time that they had blurted out something at the same time.
"Argh, will you stop stealing my words?" Hige grouched as they ran towards the others.
"The only thing that scares me is the fact that you and I seemed to see every damn thing the same!" Getsuei groused in reply.
Toboe nudged the wounded noble troop with his nose, his eyes wide with panic and loss. "Odakota, what's going on? What happened to you?" he asked, his voice cracking a little. No! First, Ren, now him…
"Where's Sanyu?"
"You're getting friendly with the nobles," Tsume growled skeptically. Hige nudged him in the ribs with an annoyed look on his face. Getsuei was looking around wildly, muttering, "Oh come on, a half dead noble stumbling in on us means that more are on the way!"
Marel and Kiba looked on in silence, Kiba's face set in its usual inscrutability. Marel was watching the dying troop with narrowed, blind eyes.
Odakota spat out some blood, coughing violently before wheezing, "Sanyu's dead…I…I managed to get away. I needed to warn you wolves that Sheshkemana…knows where…you are, and she's…sending in Noble troops to attack…you from all sides as soon…as you get out of the…Maze of Corridors…" he looked up weakly, and Toboe could see with a jolt of sadness that his eyes were starting to cloud as the pool of blood around his person increased.
Toboe couldn't really bring himself to tell him the truth…but before he could say anything, Kiba put in, "She's dead. But she died the death of a true wolf, and we can't ask more. Tell us…how can we escape the Lady?" He seemed to realize that this man had been close to Ren, judging by the pain in his voice when he asked…but who knows? To Toboe, Kiba seemed to have a sort of sixth sense. But that was just him…he thought.
Kiba's voice was calm and even….maybe it would ease the new wound that he had unintentionally opened in Odakota's heart.
The soldier didn't seem too sad…Toboe guessed he didn't have time to be sad. The dying man nodded slowly. "To escape Sheshkemana…" he heaved a cough and continued, "Take the left fork…you'll come…to a window…a-and then…you need to jump. You'll be okay, t-trust m-me…" Kiba nodded and then turned his head sharply in the direction that he heard a sharp bang.
Toboe nudged Odakota again, knowing it was too late to save him now. It didn't hurt him quite as much as Ren's death, but knowing that this man had raised the half-wolf from puphood…
The misting of Odakota's eyes was almost complete. With a last, trembling effort, he whispered, "At least she's better of…now…" with that, his body slackened as his head thudded to the ground with a sickening little splash in the blood. He was dead. Gone, just like Ren…
"Hurry!" Kiba said, breaking through Toboe's thoughts as he took off down the left fork at the end of the corridor, his strides fast. Toboe's heart jerked in his chest as he followed Kiba, his sandess torn away by the need to save themselves—he could hear Sheshkemana shouting not far behind.
"GET THEM! I want them DEAD! Dead, you hear me, DEAD!" Hige and Getsuei charged after Tsume. Marel was faring fine on her own, she probably sensed a straight path. Or, more likely, she knew what was supposed to happen.
Toboe's heart thudded wildly as the steady, rapid clank, clank, clank of armored feet pounding behind them increased in volume as Sheshkemana's roars echoed loudly in the halls, bouncing off the walls. She seemed completely beyond mere rage now.
"It is because of you damned wolves that I had to kill my own daughter! You corrupted her, you're just like the bastards who killed her father! I'll kill you all! You're DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!"
None of the wolves were listening as gunfire raged past them, missing them narrowly. Getsuei's ear even got clipped, but he didn't even yelp in pain. Finally, the window, the huge, tall window loomed before them. Dawn was breaking, Toboe could see it coming to quench nightmares and relieve the night. If only it would get rid of the nightmare of the Lady. Kiba neared the window, and leaped out in a white flash. After him came Tsume, then Marel, then Getsuei and Hige, all launching out of the window without so much as a thought.
"NOOOO!"
Sheshekemana was barely five feet behind him. He was still several yards away from the window, and with a jolt of panic sensed, rather than felt her grab his scruff. She dragged him back with savage strength; born of fury and shoved her insanely twisted face into his own, brandishing a long, jagged knife.
Terror spasmed through Toboe as he slashed out randomly, first knocking her mask off and with his bracletted paw struck her face, getting a sick feeling as his four claws tore through flesh—straight across her left eye. Blood fountained from the ugly wound as she screamed in pain and let go, holding her eye and howling, "My eye! You've ruined my eye!"
Toboe didn't even think as he scrambled to the window, heaved himself out and leaped, not looking to see what he was headed for until he was falling. He heard Sheshkemana screech insanely from the window, "I WON'T FORGET YOU! I'LL TEAR YOU APART, I'LL FIND YOU! YOU AND ALL YOU PRECIOUS PACK!"
That was the last he heard from her as he plunged from the window, his stomach clenched so hard he thought it would tie into a knot, and when he looked to see where he was falling, the breath stripped from his lungs, he saw that barely a tree's length below, he was falling straight for a river.
A/N: This site is so screwy…ah, it ain't your fault guys. Stupid review thing. J -hugs all- I'm glad to hear the original crowd (Loyal Lonegrey, Steadfast Saberwoulf, Terrific Tweak, and…um…I can't think of a K word…oh well, FABULOUS Kristen, xDD) Eee! And thanks much to Chocolate Chan, Cring White Wolf, Rae and D.C talk! Happy to hear you guys are anticipating the sequel! –grins- School is almost out, so I'll be able to update better. We have finals these LAST TWO DAYS, so I'm uber busy. ; Sorreh!
