In The Wolf's Rain

3 - Where Wolves and Humans Live – Part 1

"Can I get anything for you sir?" the bartender asks as an old grizzly in a trench coat sits down at the bar.

"Just a beer. You haven't by chance seen this lady?" he asks, showing a picture of Blue as a human to the bartender.

"Can't say I have. She's pretty though. Your daughter?"

"Yeah." The man takes the beer given to him and takes a big gulp down

"Why are you looking for her?"

"Because a pack of wolves kidnapped her."

-

A woman walks up the stairs of her aparmtnet building, two bags in hand. She reaches in her coat pocket to fetch her keys, which she uses to open her door. "I really hate hospitals. I'm just glad to be out of there." She enters her apartment only to see a man sitting in her couch.

"Hello Cher," the man says, standing up and taking off his hat to welcome the lady home.

"Hubb. What are you doing here?" Cher says, as she passes the man without giving him another glance, heading towards the kitchen.

"I was assigned to the break in and then heard that today was your day out. So I decided to surprise you and maybe see if you needed help with anything." Hubb says, following her in and standing by the doorframe.

"No thank you. I am just fine by myself," she says, now taking the groceries out of the bag and onto the counter.

"Do you not want company?" She stops unpacking and finally looks at the man.

"I just got out of the hospital. I just want to relax for a bit. And I can do that better by myself."

"Alright then. There a get well present for you on the coffee table and a package that was outside," Hubb says, putting his hat back on and getting himself ready for the departure.

"Thanks." Cher sighs as she finally hears the door closing and continues unpacking. "When is he going to leave me alone?"

-

"I thought that once we reached a town, things would get a little bit better," Toboe says as he and the rest of the pack make their ways through a small dirt road. On their journey, they had run into a small, rundown town. It didn't seem like many people lived there anymore, if any. They probably would've ignored it to if it wasn't for Hige smelling something very interesting.

"We're getting close to the wolves Kiba," Hige says, from his position in front, sniffing around in the air.

"Can you tell how many?" Tsume asks.

"More than us. I would say about 15 or so," Hige answers, looking back at the rest of the pack.

"Blue, you stay to the rooftops and stay out of sight. We don't know what might happen with those wolves," Kiba instructs.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Blue gives an annoyed look before jumping up onto the nearest building, being careful as she followed the others from above. The four guys finally enter an open lot, only to be greeted by a bunch of older guys around a fire pit. They all look towards the newcomers, until one them makes a move.

"What are you doing here?" the man in jeans and black and red jacket asks, a large scar on his left cheek and his clothes showing wear and tear like everyone else's.

"We just passing by," Tsume says, trying to act tough around the new guys.

"Why are you traveling around? Not many wolves do that now a day," another guy asks.

"We're searching for Paradise," Kiba states. There's a small silence before the large group erupts into laughter, leaving the four younger wolves confused.

"Paradise? You're chasing a fairy tale," the man with the scar says.

"No we're not. In fact, we have …" Toboe starts, but Tsume shuts his hand over his mouth to keep him from talking.

"Shut up runt."

"Oops. Sorry," Toboe mumbles as Tsume releases his mouth and Toboe moves back a little.

"And how would you know?" Kiba asks, curious.

"WE found the gates a long time ago. But as we crossed it, we discovered that it was full of poisonous gas. Many of us died. The few who didn't, stayed here," the man with the scar says.

"It was more of a hell then a Paradise," another says.

"We have been here ever since. And if you know what's good for you, you'll leave us alone," the scarred one says again. Suddenly, a woman appears from behind some of the others and walks up to the man with the scar.

"Zari. They're wolves too. Maybe we should be…"

"Corr," the one known as Zari barks at her, silencing her.

-

"Things don't look good down there. I just hope they're able to keep themselves in check," Blue whispers to herself as she watches everything unfold from above.

"And what's a pretty lady like you doing up here alone?" Blue straightens up and looks behind her to see two burly guys looking straight at her, a smug grin adorning both of their faces.

"Not now," she sighs as now two wolves come straight towards her.

-

"Another female wolf," Hige says, amazed.

"WE don't need anything from you. We'll be on our way," Kiba says. As they start moving, they suddenly see a brown wolf come flying off a rooftop and dropping onto the ground with a loud thump.

"Moss, what were you doing?" Zari asks, going over to the fallen wolf.

"There was an intruder, so we decided to take her down."

"We?" Suddenly, another wolf comes flopping off the rooftop, landing a few feet away from Moss. Soon from the rooftops, comes Blue in her wolf form, landing more gracefully, growling and ready to attack.

"Zal."

"Blue, what's going on?" Kiba asks, as he stands in front of the now human girl.

"These two wolves came up and started attacking me, so I attacked right back," she said, not taking her eyes off the others.

"You were hiding other wolves? Where are they?" one man says as the rest of their group looks around, ready to attack.

"There are no others. We're it," Tsume answers.

"Then why were you hiding a wolf?" Zari asks.

"Because we weren't sure what would happen once we ran into you guys, so we had Blue hide out just in case," Kiba states.

"One wolf and not to mention a female?" Zari asks again, intrigued.

"Hey. This female took down two of your guys. I'm probably a better fighter than most of your guys," Blue replies back.

"We're going. There's no reason for us to hang out here anymore," Kiba orders again and this time all leave the lot.

-

"Hey Hubb. Seems like the present didn't go so well," the man asks from behind the bar as Hubb sits down next to Quent, taking another sip of his whiskey.

"You could say that. Women are just too damn complicated." He puts down his hat and takes the drink given to him.

"They sure are," Quent says, looking straight down at the bar.

"Hey old man. Maybe Hubb here can help you out. This guy's looking for his daughter," the bartender says,

"She was kidnapped by a bunch of wolves," Quent says, sliding the picture of Blue over to Hubb.

"Wolves?" he questions, picking up the picture and studying it.

"Yeah. They tricked her into coming with them. I need to find her before something happens to her," Quent says, taking another drink.

-

"When is Hubb ever going to learn?" Cher says as she sits down on the sofa in her room, two packages in her lap. She opens the first one to reveal ugly, neon, multicolored scarf. "And he still has bad taste in gifts, but I guess it was nice of him to get something." She places the scarf on the side and looks at the package. "Strange. It has no address on it. I wonder what it could be." She opens the package up and sees a strange, brown leather book, closed with a clasp. She opens the clasp. She starts looking through the book, filled with pictures of wolves, castles, demons, humans and finally stops upon a page of a girl trapped within an orb of some kind. "Cheza?"

-

"I don't like this place. We should leave. I mean, there's no reason to be here," Toboe says as they hide in a broken down stone house, each guy on a different side of the wall and Blue looking out through the door way.

"No. There's something here. I can feel it. There's a reason why all those wolves are staying around," Kiba says, looking like he's concentrating.

"I don't trust them, especially that Zari guy," Hige says, lying on his back and starring into the sky.

"There is uneasiness about this place, but it is one of the few times we have met so many wolves," Tsume answers.

"Shadows," Blue murmurs.

"What?" Hige asks for everyone, as they all look at the black wolf.

"The shadows of past wolves are calling out," Blue says, turning towards the guys, her eyes glazed over and unfocused.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Tsume says, trying not to act confused.

"I think she's having a vision," Kiba says as Blue turns back towards the outside, and moving her head as if she's following something.

"Can't you see them? They're all over the place. I don't know what they want, but they're hiding something. They want to tell us something," she says before going off into a run.

"Blue!" Toboe shouts, trying to get her attention, but only leading to the rest of the back to follow her.

"This girl gets us into so much trouble," Tsume mumbles to himself as he follows the rest.

-

"Why are women so damn complicated? You can never please them no matter how hard you try," Quent says as he and Hubb continue on a drinking spree, glasses spread all over the counter.

"They should be more like us. We know what we want," Hubb says, putting down his glass.

"You've been married?" Quent asks.

"Yeah. And divorced. She filed for the damn thing. Says I was holding her back and that she couldn't love me any more."

"I remember when I first found Blue. She was scrappy little girl. Thought she was a boy at first glance. And now, I can't imagine not having her around. She was there for me even after my wife and daughter died. I need to find her."

"What if she really did go on her own and wasn't kidnapped?" Hubb asked.

"I can't believe she would do that."

-

"Hey Blue, where are you leading us to? I don't exactly see anything that would help us," Hige says, pulling up next to the she-wolf who has stopped a pair of metal gates.

"IT looks like a graveyard," Kiba says, looking around at the tombstones and dead land.

"How could you say this is a graveyard? Don't you seem them? The Lunar flowers. It's a whole field of them," she says, before taking a few steps forward.

"Kiba, what is she talking about?" Tsume asks.

"I'm not sure," Kiba answers as he and the rest stay behind, not wanting to get in the way.

"I've never seen so many flowers in one place. They're the color of the moon. The wolves are heading for here. They're looking for the gate to Paradise." She takes another step forward, before the field erupts into flames, burning everything in sight, hearing the cries of wolves from every direction and starting to become panicked, her footsteps seeming scattered.

"What's going on with her?" Toboe asks, concerned.

"She's terrified. Blue, what do you see?" Kiba shouts from behind. Blue pays no attention though as she continues to watch the field burn.

"Ah. I thought I heard voices. Hello," a voice from a figure says as it pops up from below, startling Blue from her trance, making her scream as she falls backwards in a dead faint.

"Blue! Blue!" Hige says as he lifts Blue from off the ground and the others look to see an old grey wolf, looking almost zombie like with hair growing out of both ears.

"I didn't mean to scare your friend like that. Will she be okay?" the old man asks, getting out from the hole he was in.

"This isn't the first time she's done this," Tsume says.

"What are you doing here anyways Gramps?" Hige asks, taking his eyes off of Blue, but not letting her go.

"I'm digging my own hole so the others won't have to worry about it. When you get to my age, you know when you're going to die."

"That's so sad," Toboe says.

"Blue said something about lunar flowers and about a gate to Paradise. DO you know anything about it?" Kiba asks, approaching the old wolf.

"My, my. SO many questions. There were lunar flowers here once, a very long time ago. But they were all picked away. And yes I know something about Paradise. I attempted to go there once. The gate is right over there," he says, pointing towards a small hill with a boarded up hole in the front.

"You have to be kidding me. That place reeks of death," Hige says.

"We came here once looking for the gate, but when the pack entered, most of them died. I wouldn't suggest that you attempt anything. Many go in and never come out."

"Daisho. That's enough. We have work tomorrow." Everyone looks at the direction of the voice and watch as Zari approaches them, hands in his pocket.

"Yes. Of course Zari. Goodbye young ones. Hope your friend is ok," the old man says before slowly making his way off. Zari then puts his attention back onto the 5 wolves.

"I thought you were going to leave?" he asks.

"We were, but then we decided against it," Kiba says, not faltering under the older man's gaze.

"Just stay out of our way then. And if I find out that you have stolen any of our food, I'll kill you," he says, turning around and leaving.

-

"Damn. I have to stop waking up like this. I hate these headaches," Blue says out loud, rubbing her head

"Nice to see you've finally woken up. It was a lot quicker than last time," Tsume says.

"Did I miss anything?" she asks, as she observes everyone's somber moods.

"Nothing much, except for the fact that our journey is may be over," Toboe says, sadden and sulking on the floor.

"That old man did say that was the gate to Paradise," Hige says.

"No. That isn't the gate to Paradise," Kiba states, earning everyone to look at him at the doorframe this time.

"How are you so sure? I mean how are you even sure that we're the so called chosen wolves?" Tsume asks.

"How do you explain all the visions then?" Blue asks him.

"Just an overactive imagination. We should just give up," Tsume states.

"We can't."

"I don't understand you Kiba. What's your big obsession with Paradise when you don't even know it's real?"

"I feel it. I've felt it ever since I was a pup. Before my pack was killed, before a human took me in, the feeling has always been there and because of that feeling, I've always had the need to run. And I know that there's something here that we need to find out.

"What a load of bull," Tsume scoffs.

"For crying out loud Tsume, if you are so damn pessimistic why are you even here?" Blue shouts at her companion.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he says, his stature become more erect.
"It means, if you don't even believe in Paradise then why are you traveling with us? Is it because you're lonely and we're the only ones that have the ability to put up with your attitude? IS there some other reason, like you're too scared to be alone?" she asks, taking another paw forward after every question she asks.

"Don't you dare assume anything like that about me girl, or else…" Tsume says, starting to growls towards her.

"Or else what? You gonna hurt me or something? Well come on then. Bring it. I'm ready," Blue says, getting ready to pounce. Tsume gets ready as well, only to slacken off.

"I'm not wasting my time with you. I'm out of here," he says running off into the night.

"Tsume. Blue, why did you do that?" Toboe asks, not wanting anything more to break up the group.

"Because he's a jerk," Blue states, looking at her nails.

"Man, today is not going well at all," Hige states, sprawling out on the ground.

"I thought I smelled you here. I brought some food if you guys were hungry," Corr says as she appears from the alleyway with a giant bag of food and tossing it into the groups.

"OH man. I'm starving. Thanks, um…" Hige stubbles, as he grabs a loaf of bread and takes a bite.

"Corr," the woman answers.

"I'm Hige. That's Blue, Toboe, and…hey, where's Kiba?"

"I'm not really sure. HE was here a minute ago," Toboe says, confused.

"It's nice to meet all of you. There's plenty of food for you guys," Corr says looking around, her eyes finally settling on Blue.

"No thanks. I'm going to go for a walk," Blue says, getting up and heading out.

"You shouldn't be going out by your self Blue. If something happens..," Hige says.

"Alright. Come on Toboe. Let's go. Maybe we can find Kiba or something," she says, waving for Toboe to follow her.

"Ok. I'm not really hungry anyways," he says getting up and following Blue.

"I guess that means more for us," Hige says, looking at the other female.

-

"Well look who it is. Mr. Paradise," one of the many wolves as humans sneers as the group watches as Kiba passes them by.

"Looks like he thinks he's too good for us. The idiot." Kiba suddenly stops in his place without looking at the group around the trash can.

"What you guys found wasn't Paradise. You weren't good enough to find it."

"Why you egotistical bastard," the now wolf says as the group gets ready for an offense,

"Just try me," Kiba retorts, before taking the first step.

-

"Why do you stay here? I mean, couldn't you have ever just left after not succeeding going through to Paradise?" Hige asks, finishing up a loaf of bread.

"There was no place to go afterwards. Our dreams were shattered. No one had any motivation. So Zari decided that the pack should stay here."

"Did you try to go through the gate?"

"No. I was the only one left behind, for the same reason most likely you wouldn't let Blue go off by herself. But by the way she handled Moss and Zal, it doesn't seem you would have to worry about her getting hurt," Corr says, a small smile appearing on her face as she stares up into sky.

"Blue is a great fighter. As a human, no human could defeat her. But things with her are a lot more complicated than you would think."

"I see. After all, not many wolves have blue eyes." Silence falls between the two.

"So, how do you guys survive in this place? I mean, there aren't exactly a lot of people coming in and out of this place."

"IF you want to know, I suggest that you and your friends go by the docks tomorrow morning." In the distance, a loud howl is heard, causing Corr to get up. "That's Zari. I better get going before he starts to worry."

"I doubt he worries about anyone but himself."

"He's a lot more complicated than he seems Hige," she says as she steps out of the house just as Tsume comes back. They look at each other briefly before continuing their separate paths.

"Hey Tsume. Want some bread?" Hige asks, holding out a loaf of bread for Tsume to get.

"Give it here," Tsume says as he grabs it and walks over to the other side of the house before taking a seat.

"You weren't gone that long. Did you find Kiba?"

"He'll be fine on his own."

"Why do you get angry so easily anyways Tsume?"

"That's none of your business," he says, taking a bite from the loaf.

-

"Shouldn't we be looking for Kiba Blue?" Toboe asks as Blue enters the cemetery and sits down by a nearby tree.

"He'll be fine on his own. HE probably just needs some time alone to cool off."

"Shouldn't we start heading back to the house at least?" Toboe asks, still standing and looking towards the way they came in.

"You can head back if you want Toboe. I'm fine here."

"But we're a pack, we should stay together."

"Things aren't as simple as you think Toboe. We're not just wolves anymore. We're also part human, even if the others don't want to believe so," Blue answers as she transforms into her wolf form and curls up against the tree.

"Blue, do you really think that gate the other wolves went through was the real gate to Paradise?" Toboe asks, lying down next to her.
"To tell the truth, I really don't know. I wish I did though. We should get some sleep though. We don't know what will happen tomorrow," Blue says after she yawns and closes her eyes.