"On Most Surfaces"
A Wolf's Rain SongFic
Summary: Just a fic about Kiba running through the snow…
Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain or the characters. They belong to BONES. And the lyrics are by "The Gathering." I do not claim ownership for those either.
A/N: I was listening to my Gathering CD and while listening to this song I found myself thinking of Kiba running through the snow. It made for a beautiful image, and I decided to make it into a fic. I think it fits nicely with the haunting beauty of the lyrics and the song. I hope you like it, reviews are always appreciated.
He just kept running. Running tirelessly through the snow, never stopping. He couldn't stop, would never stop, not until he reached his ultimate goal. It was snowing, coming down in huge, soft flakes, however he barely noticed them. He just kept going. The sky was black with winter clouds, all but blocking out the moon and stars. The only light was on a distant horizon. The gates of Paradise lay just beyond there. His destination.
The frost hits me in the eye
and wakes me
these are blurry winters
and I cannot see
The only sound was his soft, rhythmic breathing as it steamed in the frozen air, the crunch of the snow beneath his paws, and the pumping of his heart as the blood rushed through his body, warming him. Flakes silently fell into his coat, melting away almost instantly at the contact of his warm body. It did not faze him. He was built for this kind of weather. Subzero temperatures that would have killed a human in seconds hardly affected him. Wolves were excellent bad weather animals. He lived for this.
I walk into the white light of the snow
when the sun comes out again
I break it with my shadow
which tells me where I go
The sharp scent of the snow and cold was crisp and clean in his nostrils. There were no other scents. Not one of man, of beast, or tree. His thought was that this is the way it should be. The world was unspoiled, untouched and pristine. It was as if man had never been to pollute and defile the world with his greed and corruption.
The frost hits me in the eye
and wakes me
He was getting closer. He could feel it. The gates of Paradise were just beyond the horizon. Just a little further, he thought. Just a little further, and I'll be there. I'll have reached Paradise. At long last, my journey will have been complete. When he got there, he could finally rest. All his friends were there, waiting for him. He could feel it. Tsume, Toboe, Hige, Blue, Cheza waiting with open arms, ready to embrace him…they were all there.
I am the snow falling down on you
I tear up your face with my frost
And make you run to somewhere warm
When I come I see you get away
I burst out about your emptiness
He felt a surge of adrenaline flow through him, elated in the knowledge that his friends, his pack, were all waiting for him, their brave leader. His muscles shook with fatigue, but he ignored it, pushing ever onwards. He was almost there. Just a little further. The wind began to pick up speed, turning the soft flakes into punishing ice crystals.
The frost hits me in the eye
and wakes me
these are blurry winters
and I cannot see
And then on the horizon he saw something…else. He saw a pack of wolves in the distance. He did not know them at first, but as he drew closer, he felt his heart leap, thrilling with recognition. It was his family. His mother, father, brothers and sister they were all there, waiting for him.
The frost hits me in the eye
and wakes me
these are blurry winters
and I cannot see
He ran faster, putting on a burst of speed. He couldn't believe it! He didn't know how he knew it was them, but he just knew, instinctively. Knew it in a way that could not be put into simple human words. As if a voice whispered in his head that said Yes, it is them. It is your family, Kiba. You are home.
I walk into the white light of the snow
when the sun comes
I break it with my shadow
which tells me where I go
He was exhausted. His paws were cracked and bleeding. His lungs were burning with the exertion as he pushed his body to its very limits. He could smell the scent of Lunar Flowers. He could see the wolves…so many of them. His fallen brothers and sisters, all of them. Wolves that had never abandoned the wild, never forgotten who they were. Never abandoned their true forms for the world of man. He saw his parents at the threshold, welcoming him. And his mother's spoke, her voice was as warm and rich as sunlight. "Welcome home Kiba, my son…"
The frost hits me in the eye
and wakes me
"Mother…" whispered Kiba in his sleep as he shuddered fitfully. "Mother!" he said again. His stirring and muttering woke the others, and they eyed him curiously.
"Mother?" piped up Toboe. "What's Kiba dreaming about, Tsume?"
Tsume merely snorted in response. "How the hell should I know? But I'm gonna guess he's dreaming about his mommy. Whatever. I just hope he shuts up soon, 'cause I wanna sleep." In spite of his rough words, there was a touch of sympathy that glimmered in the gray wolf's eyes that showed for just a split second. A snowstorm had started up, making it impossible for them to see, and they'd managed to find a cave to wait out the blizzard. The snow was still falling in large, soft flakes, just like in Kiba's dream. They had sought out shelter for Cheza's sake more than anything else, for being a flower maiden, she was far too fragile to handle the cold, and was not nearly as sturdy as her lupine guardians.
I am the snow falling down on you
I tear up your face with my frost
And make you run to somewhere warm
When I come I see you get away
I burst out about your emptiness
Cheza gently placed her small, delicate hand between Kiba's ears and tenderly woke him. He looked up and saw her serene face, full of a strange mix of sorrow, compassion and the air of innocence that she always carried with her. She spoke to him in her soft, whispery, childlike voice. "This one knows what you dreamt, Kiba. This One heard you talk in your sleep. Do not worry. You will reach Paradise. This One will guide you there. You will once again be reunited with those you love. You will all be together." And with that, she smiled softly at him. Kiba said nothing. He simply let her pull his head into her lap. She began to sing. She ran her delicate fingers through his fur until he fell asleep, comforted by her promise. I'll get there…someday. Was his final thought as Cheza continued to stroke his head, her scent soothing him back to sleep, and back to his dreams of Paradise.
The frost hits me in the eye
and wakes me
these are blurry winters
and I cannot see…
Fin