Derangomaji- Yes... I know, I know, I will keep updating....

xkuroxshinobix- Of course I will keep updating! (As long as people keep reading) Even if it takes does take a lifetime....

Flame34- I WILL continue and I'm NOT a chipmunk...

fangimation- You know... I really wasn't planning on romance in this story... but I might be able to work something in. Maybe.

Whiskers- Okay... hopefully I will finish this story before I die. And I see myself as being more of a wolf at heart, rather than dog. ; P

sakura- well, I know I take a long time to review, but what can I do about writer's block? I hate it but it won't go away.

Alueme was racking her brain for any idea on how to get out of the sewers. If she followed the scent of fresh air, it should lead her to an exit. But if it did, then why did she have an uneasy feeling about it?

"In these cities of human stone, it is far better to trust you mind. For your instincts can be tricked." Alueme slightly flinched; it was that voice again. She dropped the lifeless snake to the ground. "Well," she started, "How am I supposed to get out of here if I can't follow fresh air?" "The voice chuckled, "Follow me." "But where are you?" The voice replied, "Can you see me? No. Can you smell me? Not quite. But can you hear me? Of course you can, now stop worrying and follow your ears."

Not presented with any other options, Alueme picked up the reptile and listened for directions. Instead she heard the voice humming a tune. At first she was baffled by this, but once the hum got quieter in the distance, the she-wolf understood. It would be easier to follow a melody rather than a constant voice. Why else would the voice sing instead of speak?

Alueme walked on in the sewer, letting the drifting voice lead her. The tune was a cheerful one, but at the same time somewhat sad. At one point the voice stopped singing for a few seconds, which worried Alueme until she heard it start up again, at the beginning of the song. After walking on for a while and listening to the music, a strange feeling began to fill Alueme. All of her puppy hood memories were coming back, as fresh as day.

She remembered her two siblings. One was her sister, born in the same litter as Alueme. She was a gray pup streaked with black. Cesly, that was her sister's name, was mind you. The pack had a run in with a troop of humans dressed all in black armor, and the results were devastating. They had gotten a hold of over half the pack. Of course the captured wolves tried to get free, but their struggles only got them killed. Among the wolves killed were Alueme's father and sister.

Then there was her older brother, a red furred wolf; surprising only because the rest of the pack members were grays or dull browns. Her brother's name was Trikan. Alueme grew very attached to her brother, seeing as all of the older wolves always had their paws busy with hunting or keeping humans away. Trikan too had died, but not from wolf hunters.

Alueme's pack had come to a river frozen over by recent temperature drops. Being the Alpha, Alueme's mother had crossed first, with the young she-wolf at her paws. Then a couple of the older wolves crossed and nothing about the river changed. Trikan had insisted to be the last one across to make sure that everyone made it over. Seeing that the first few wolves had crossed the ice safely, the rest of the pack grew bold and began to cross the river. Trikan waited until he was sure that the ice could hold up the pack. Then he stepped onto the ice. He had sighed in relief when nothing happened, but then a small crack on the ice had appeared. No one paid it any attention though; what could a small break in the ice cause? Unfortunately, that was their undoing. Within a matter of seconds, the ice had shattered and plunged six wolves into the icy water. The opening in the ice shut as quickly as it had opened, leaving four wolves standing in shock.

Seeing there was no was for the wolves to have survived, Alueme's mother lead the last of the pack into a city nearby. Not a few weeks past, before both of the old wolves had passed away. That left only Alueme and her mother. Alueme was still a pup at this time, and she remembered snuggling beside her mother's soft smoky gray fur. Life when on, and Alueme grew up in the city. She was fairly happy with her living, until the night her mother disappeared. Since then Alueme had been on edge about nearly every thing and everyone. What bothered her most about her mother's sudden vanishing, is that it was just that. Sudden. When Alueme had woken up one morning, her mother was gone. Not a scent or anything left. Now that Alueme had met these new wolves, she wanted to fit in with them. The life of a solitary wolf just didn't suite her.

Alueme snapped suddenly out of her daydream. She looked around her a realized with a start that she was no longer in the sewer, but standing at the end of a large metal tube, no doubt leading from the sewer. As long as she was out in the open, the she-wolf was happy, but something bothered her. The moment she had come out of her dream, the song was gone. Or maybe it was vice versa.

The she-wolf sighed and easily found the scent of the four wolves. The scents lead her right back to where she had parted with them. They were all there, too.

"Wow! You really caught it?" exclaimed Toboe. Alueme spat the reptile onto the ground, "Yup, I sure did!" "Probably just beginner's luck," snorted Tsume. "I'm not a beginner you know," retorted Alueme. The gray wolf slightly glared at Alueme, "You are to us." "In any case, congratulations," said Kiba. Alueme smiled, grateful that at least one of them was thankful.

"Hm... I wonder what snake tastes like..."thought Hige aloud. "All you think of is food," criticized Tsume. Hige sighed, "What can I say? I'm a connoisseur." Kiba smiled and turned to the she-wolf, "Do you feel up to traveling?" "Yeah of course I do," answered Alueme. She hadn't realized how rejuvenated she had felt after hearing the voice's song. Which reminded her, "While I was chasing that snake, a voice came out of nowhere and helped me find my way out of the sewers." "A voice?" said Tsume skeptically. Alueme nodded, "Yes, and it was singing."

That part caught Kiba's attention, "This singing voice, did it sound like a girl and remind you of flowers?" "No, it... was a more male sounding voice, and the tune it sang brought up memories of my past..." Toboe's eyes lit up and he said, "I've heard a voice like that before!" Hige was surprised, "You did? Well then why didn't you say anything runt?" "Well it didn't seem important. It's not like you would have believed me..."mumbled Toboe. Hige was about to respond when Kiba cut in, "You two can finish your conversation later. Right now we should focus on putting ground between us and this city." With out waiting for any reply, Kiba took off running in his wolf form. Tsume followed, as did Hige. Toboe looked at Alueme and smiled, "Come on!" he turned and ran off after the others. The she-wolf sighed and smiled. This almost felt like her old pack, but she knew it wasn't. Alueme shook her head and sprinted after Toboe and the other wolves.

So? How do you like it? Please let me know if any of you have suggestions. Yeah... I'd say that my writer's block has disappeared, but likely to reappear at any time convenient to me. Sorry, but I am busy with my own books a lot of the time.