Disclaimer- I don't own Wolf's Rain. But if the producers would ever be so kind as to sell it to me…. 3
Dedication: This story is hereby dedicated to the wonderful Lonegrey. Here's to you, friend.
Before the Flower's Call
Marel had been running strong along the canvas, and then skillfully leaped from one broken bit of pillar to the next, following the other wolves with incredible skill. She had surprised herself at how well she was doing at the moment, she could feel the wind rushing in her ears, the sense of her cut clenching whenever she neared an edge and the lurch of her heart whenever she lunged from point to point, sensing Getsuei and Tsume's comforting presences, with Hige and Toboe on the other side, Kiba far out in front.
Guttural, angry yells and the repetitive growl of machine guns raged around the fleeing pack, stone dust and the scent of blood and sweat filling the air around them. The scents of fear and desperation permeated oxygen, making it almost sickening to breathe…
Her paws scrabbled on the rough sandstone and then slipped on the suddenly smooth, but cold canvas above the small stands in the city. The sound of falling rocks made her want to wince, reminding her of her old, pounding heart, retelling of her weakness. Her inner eye was swirling fast, making the whole scene all the more terrifying. It was saying, It's almost time, it's almost time! You must hurry! You need to tell them!
The thought chilled her to the bone. She knew down, deep in her soul, but she didn't want to believe it. She wasn't afraid of death. No wolf in the world was. She was afraid what would come with it. And until then, she would do everything she could to preserve her life, and those of the small, battered back she belonged to…
Her concentration wavered, and she stumbled, grunting as she almost lost her footing, and then a sudden gunshot that sounded so close, and then…
Searing pain like fire and ice at the same time screamed through her body as a white-hot bullet tore through her flesh like some kind of rocket, slamming and stopping amid her muscle and bone, radiating agony through her old frame. Blood spread from the wound—where was it? Behind her right front leg…Marel let out a whimper that was more a scream and fell, endlessly from the canvas, unable to think of anything but the terrible pain in her side. She barely felt the impact as her frail body slammed down onto the cobbled ground, distantly hearing something crack. More pain…this time, it was sickening. She retched, just as a shrill and desperate cry, Getsuei's familiar voice screamed, "MAREL!"
She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her. Triumphant yells, and then the cocking of more barrels. Blood welled from the wound, spreading like red ink from the injury, and her inner eye was howling that she had to tell the others…because this was her finale.
She heard sudden snarls, snarls not only belonging to Getsuei, but Kiba, Tsume, Hige and Toboe. The clack of claws came, and then pained screams of dying humans. Some ran…she could hear retreating footsteps…but she was starting to succumb to her eternal darkness, as every beat of her heart she lost more blood, and with ever beat, it slowed.
As the distant battle raged, curses and howls and growls replaced the groan and roar of breaking stone as Marel suddenly remembered her purpose. I'm not so old…that I'll go like this! She thought with a flash of her old fire. She fought the darkness, willing her heart to keep beating…willing her mind to stay clear enough to think about what she was going to say. Regret welled up in the back of her mind. I should have told them sooner...
The noise of battle subsided, and faded away as humans screamed and ran for retreat. The groans of the dying were silenced by…she believed it to be Kiba and Tsume.
"Marel? Marel? Marel!" came Toboe's voice, cracked as the old wolf felt his warm, small and awkward presence at her side. Getsuei rushed over as well. She could tell that his eyes were open with shock and grief. It was in the way he presented himself on her other side. "Marel…don't die. Please don't die…" his voice, like Toboe was a little cracked, but it didn't betray as much emotion as Toboe's did…but somehow, they way he didn't expressed more.
She felt the dignified sadness of Tsume sitting by Toboe, a paw on the runt's shoulder…she could tell by the way Toboe was slumped down a little bit. Kiba was standing, looking down in stately sorrow. Hige looked on, his head bowed. Getsuei was now lapping at Marel's grevious wound trying to mop up the mess of blood as if he could somehow make the injury disappear…
"No, Getsuei," Marel rasped. "That one had my name on it." The slur of her voice slightly started her, and the weakness of her tone…it was strange and alien to the dying wolf.
"But Marel!" Toboe cried. He was going to say more, but Tsume probably silenced him. Marel couldn't sense it very well any more, and her time was running out.
"Listen!" she choked as her inner eye spun, faster and faster. Her grief at leaving them was more painful that the fatal wound in her side, the bullet nestled against her slowing heart. Her guilt rose like water, filling a bucket, and it felt so very good as she began to speak.
"I waited far too long…to tell you…" she croaked, beginning. "Far…too…long…"
To be continued…DUN DUN DUN!
A/N: DARM DARM DARM DARM DARM! Once again, I apologize for my tardiness—and this time, it was NOT my fault. xF My computer privileges got cut for two weeks because of my failing math grade…now that it's back up, I can return to go again! One again, thank you, my wonderful, wonderful reviewers, what would I do without you? I love your reviews, they put me in such a good mood. Thanks guys, I really appreciate the time you take out of your day to comment on my story. –huggles- I swear to god that my next update will be quicker. Haha, I couldn't help but leave this one as a cliffhanger…even though I felt like I was going to barf halfway through, I was so sick with myself for writing this. It was hard! –whimper-