Wishes

Chapter 2: Dangers in the Dark

I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed this first chapter and also thank them for being so patient. I know it took me a while to get this second chapter up but it wont happen again.
Tsume stared with wide eyes, his hands balled into fists, gritting his teeth. He shook gently with shock and a soft growl escaped his lips. The growl was followed by a loud snarl and the sight of the gray wolf jumping to attack.

"Tsume!" Hige cried and quickly moved in after the angry wolf.

"Cheza, go back and wait for us at the cave" Kiba ordered before leaping into the battle as well.

Blood splattered this way and that and the once quiet forest was now loud and filled with the sounds of barking, hissing, growling and thuds. The odds were Five to Three, but this didn't discourage the wolves.

"Damn cats" Tsume snarled as he bit one of the mountain lions in the neck. The mountain lion let out a pained sound, and spun in a circle, bashing Tsume onto a rock, but he didn't release his grip. Lifting his paws, he pressed them against the side of the feline's neck, and dug his claws into it.

Another painful snarl, then the feline dropped to the ground, lifeless.

He looked up to see that Kiba and Hige had each taken one down, but still two remained. "Atleast now the odds are in our favor" Hige pointed out since only two felines were left and three wolves remained.

"How dare you challenge us….in our forest…" One of the two remaining spoke.

Tsume pressed forward, the fur on the back of his neck standing on edge. "You have two seconds to tell me where our friend is"

"….They have him…"

Tsume glared, "Give me straight answers before I tear you apart! Who are they?"

"We do not fear you, wolves…there is only one to fear here"

Kiba stood now in his human form, hand pressed against the wound on his arm. "Who?"

The sound of gun fire rang out through the air and the two remaining felines scattered.

Hige stood from his crouching position, wincing a bit. He looked down at the gashes in his leg, then looked at Kiba. "Man…this totally sucks….Toboe is…."

Tsume crouched down, ignoring the wounds on his back and face. He picked up the silver bracelets and stared at them for a moment before tilting his nose down to sniff them.

"Tsume" Kiba spoke, walking up behind the leather-clad man.

"That Damn kid…he couldn't have just stay put…" Tsume muttered, glaring at the ground.

"We haven't lost him yet"

"Yeah Tsume, you heard those crazy cats…they didn't eat him. He could still be alive somewhere, just lost" Hige quipped in.

"We'll go back to the cave and get Cheza, then, we'll go after Toboe"

The sun was now beginning to rise.

"There's no scent" Tsume sighed and watched as Kiba and Hige turned and began walking back, ignoring the pain they were feeling. Tsume then turned back around, staring in the opposite direction

"Tsume, you coming?" Hige asked, turning his head slightly, before turning all the way around. "Man! Now Tsume's gone too!"

"And…there's no scent" Kiba observed, picking up the pace. They had been able to smell the felines, they had been able to smell Toboe's blood…but why couldn't they smell each other?

When they reached the cave, Cheza quickly ran out to Kiba and set her hand over his wound. A soft glow came from her hand and his wound was healed. She did the same to Hige's wounds, then looked up towards the top of the cave. "Kiba…this one isn't alone "

"Cheza, we're here with you." Kiba spoke

"This one senses another one like herself….another creation of a flower…"

Tsume ran through the forest with Toboe's bracelets tightly in his hand. He didn't know why he was running this way, he just knew that he had to. Something called to him. Stopping at a large rock next to a fern tree, he called out, "Toboe!".

He leaned against the large rock, closing his eyes and pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose. "Im sorry Kid, Im really sorry" he muttered, recalling how earlier on that night, he had told Toboe that he wanted to be left alone.

Please, follow me. I can help you.

A voice in his head…?

Tsume glanced up, looking at the girl before him. She had bright red hair that flowed down to her ankles and beautiful bright green eyes and pale skin. She wore no clothes, yet stood there without a single shade of embarrassment. Tsume quickly stood. "Who are you?"

Please, follow me. I can take you to your friend.

"Toboe" Tsume said, straightening a bit. Why couldn't he get a scent off of this female.

You must move quickly, the sun is beginning to rise.

She turned and began to run and like a desperate puppy, Tsume followed. She led him through the forest, across a freezing river, through a rocky tunnel and stopped at another mountain wall. She pointed up, motioning towards a large ledge, with a wooden cabin on top. The girl began to climb. Impatiently, Tsume grabbed her by the waist and began to jump, making it to the ledge in three simple leaps.

The sun was now half way up. Her green eyes grew wide as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the cabin. Glancing around, he saw no one there. He turned around angrily, but the girl grabbed his arm.

Please, you mustn't go! It is dangerous in the forest when the sun has risen into the air.

"Why?" he asked angrily. "And why is your voice echoing in my head?"

I know no other forms of speaking…you mustn't go out now, not while the sun is out. I have not deceived you, your friend is here, come.

"Why is it dangerous to be out?" he asked, thinking of Kiba, Hige and Cheza, whom he had left behind.

The forest is alive, with a mind of its own during the day. Anyone caught in it will most definitely die.

A/N: I hope you all have enjoyed the chapter. I've gotten some pretty good reviews, so I plan on continuing. Most of you have told me to make the chapters longer. I hope this was enough for you all. Please keep the reviews coming!