Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain. Paahaha. I'd love to, but I don't. –sighs dreamily-

Before the Flower's Call

Toboe was getting into his stride. It no longer hurt so bad to move, after trotting steadily for a few hours in the direction that his instincts were taking him. He was still pretty slow, going up this steep incline, and was still doubtful that his instincts were taking him where he should go, considering the fact that he hadn't used them often before in this manner…

What really bugged him was the fact that none of the birds were singing, but he dismissed as their silence after seeing the predator, the wolf—after Hige had told him numerous times that's that was what it was. No animal was ever fooled by the human illusion that other humans got to see. But it was still unnerving, but he had to continue.

Something made the wolf's pace quicken. For some reason, the hair on the back of his neck was starting to stand up, go stiff, and his heart rate was accelerating subtly as he glanced over his shoulder more often than not. Why the heck did it feel like someone was watching him? Where were the others when he needed them?

He nervously swallowed, hard, and was trying to pull anything—scents, sounds, out of the air that could tell him where his friends were, and to what should have been his relief, he felt cold dread. He heard snarling. Human screaming. And the wild, whistling sounds of Shockers firing. Not guns, Shockers.

The young wolf put two and two together. Lady Sheshkemana had called her cronies out. And his friends were fighting. And he would have to do so shortly. His eyes widened characteristically as he forced himself to push away his fear. He had done this many times before…but why did he get so scared…?

Should he even run to fight? He never did much anyway…the older wolves always handled it, almost without his help.

Almost.

And what might Tsume say? Tsume and the others were in trouble. His friends. What kind of friend was he if he'd not even go to the fight, even when he was nearby? It was the ultimate crime of cowardice.

Suddenly, his heart started to pound. Not only with just fear, but with a rush of urgency. He had to get there.

"I'm coming, guys!" he howled, breaking into a run as the cry pierced the still air. The scenery flashed under the wolf's paws, the chinking of the bracelets on his right forelimb clicking in time with the beat of his heart. "I'm coming!"

The battle lines had been drawn, stepped over and completely lost in the coming fight. Man and beast were engaged in a screaming, howling struggle for either freedom or capture.

Tsume had just finished sinking his teeth into the neck of one of the soldiers; his snarls muffled as the man flailed violently a few times, and then slumped, dead. The battle was hard, Marel had been ushered to safety, and it wasn't just Getsuei who insisted on it—the whole pack was aware that Marel wasn't able to fight, not yet, and her blindness was a great risk, for these stupid flunkies of Sheshkemana obviously wanted them alive. Kiba and the others were right behind the cream and gray lupine in getting her away.

Kiba himself, a white flash among the browns and grays of the other wolves was a war machine effectively getting rid of any human between him and their leader, who had a pulse-laser, just in case one wolf got too dangerous.

Hige and Getsuei were an effective team against several of the other troops. The screams and snarls filled the clearings, the crash of leaves as a man fell, the scrabble of claws on the dirt, the occasional sizzling sound of a Shocker shell whizzing past. Tsume spat out blood and prepared to lunge at another Noble, his lips curled back to reveal his long, bloodstained teeth when the howl interrupted him.

Hige's head snapped in the direction of the noise, his eyes wide, "Is that--?"

"Toboe!" Tsume said shortly, slamming one of his huge paws into the troop's face. That stupid kid! He should have stayed away, and knowing him, he'd be all bashed up from his ride over the waterfall…damn, damn, damn! He might get injured, or even worse, captured…the thought of that made the gray wolf's stomach clench uneasily, and his heartbeat started to race.

Toboe was nearing the battle site. His tongue was lolling out, his eyes starting to narrow, the fighting blood of the wolf rising in him, the spirit of the angry lupine fueling his body just as he crashed in upon the site, leaving the ground with a huge leap and a vicious snarl, crashing muzzlefirst into one of the troops, grabbing onto his throat with an iron grip. All sense of self had been swept away, he was going on instinct. Pure, wild instinct that frightened his subconscious self.

The pup whirled away from the man, who in his dying moment swung the butt of his gun around to slam it into Toboe's forehead, speeding his retreat from the soldier to leap and attack another…

Dorjan was grappling with Kiba, and the strength of the ferocious white wolf and the savagery burning in his golden eyes made him realize his mistake in engaging the wolves. His troopers were done for…but he could at least save his own skin. With a rush of adrenaline, she shoved Kiba away, threw the pulse-laser at him with all his might and seized a small smoke-bomb from his belt. The smell and the smoke would keep the wolves from pursing him. He hurled it into Kiba's face, just as the white wolf was staggering to his feet to charge again, snarling, and then ran as the thing detonated.

Smoke was everywhere. Stinging Toboe's eyes, seeping into his lungs, making him feel sicker than before. He was dazed by the battle, and the coppery taste of his own blood—he had been knocked in the mouth—made him want to throw up, but he held onto himself as the smoke washed over the pelts of he and his friends, clearing away the stench of battle and infiltrating their senses…until a breeze took it all away.

A/N: All of you guys who reviewed brought me to my senses. –grins and hugs- I'll continue, but yes, you'll have to wait awhile in the coming weeks for slow updates…if I'm fast, I just might finish the story by then. 0.0 Here's your chapter guys. –shifty eyes- Sorry for the badness.