Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain!

Author's Note:

Hey everyone! I'm back from school for the summer! And of course this is the best time for updates, especially from me! (stupid busy school year...) Before I start with chapter 10 of Red Snow, I just wanted to say how utterly surprised I was to find that the number of hits on this story just SKYROCKETED since I started it. Thank you for all your continuous love of Akiko!

Just so you all know, the rest of this story may not follow the plot line of the end of Wolf's Rain exactly because I might leave out some of the scenes with some of the characters. This is because of where Akiko is at the time and all the other characters get separated.

NOTE: The following chapters contain:

1) MAJOR SPOILERS!

2) Violence

3) And "Less is More" by Relient K

ENJOY!

PART TEN

A loud slashing sound and a yelp broke me free of my ecstasy, I snapped back to attention in time to see the woman in the mask hurl a sword into Hige's back.

"Hige!" I shouted along with the voices that sounded similar to that of Tsume and Toboe.

I heard Cheza gasp in pain when this happened. I glanced in fear down at Cheza. I glimpsed a tear run down her face. At this, I growled, turned and ran at the woman with long hair. I lunged for her throat. She dodged and managed to slice my side. Although this wound hurt like hell, I skidded to a halt a few feet from the woman.

"You show bravery, okami." She said to me. "But you are becoming annoying."

"How dare you harm my friend!" I growled.

I was just about to prepare a second attack on her, when she turned to face the doorway. "What are you doing here?" she demanded of the silohette of Kiba. Kiba approached the woman and she raised her hand and a pattern of light appeared on the floor around him. Kiba's forward motion stopped. "I will take all your power." The woman said. But Kiba suddenly began to break free of the hold on his body and slowly continued his approach.

Then, suddenly, Hige leapt from his position on the floor (Tsume had pulled the sword loose) and again attacked the woman. This small distraction was all Kiba needed apparently because he then leapt for the woman's throat. A few seconds after his attack, blood spouted from the woman's neck. She staggered backwards in shock, bumping into Darcia.

She turned to face him, and he, in turn, stabbed her with his sword. The woman collapsed. She was most likely dead because Darcia's huge sword protruded oddly from her midsection.

While Kiba tensely conversed with Darcia, I ran over toward Hige's limp form on the floor, followed closely by Toboe and Tsume. By the time we reached him, Hige was struggling very hard to stand up.

Toboe was at his side first, "Hige! You shouldn't try to stand up!"

"I'm fine." Hige replied shakily.

"I'd hardly call being impaled with a flying sword 'fine.' " Tsume said as he and Toboe helped Hige to stand, using their shoulders as crutches. Both Toboe and Tsume were so concerned for Hige neither noticed me very much.

"By the way, you didn't need to help me." Hige said to me, "It was something I needed to do on my own."

When Hige said this, Toboe and Tsume seemed to notice me for the first time.

"You're welcome." I said in reply, "I guess it was wrong of me to defend a friend." I then turned away.

"Where will you go now?" I heard Toboe ask. I walked away without an answer. I did not know what kind of answer to give.

Before I left the room through the huge door I had entered through earlier, a soft voice called my name, "Akiko…" I stopped in surprise at the sound of Cheza's voice, "We must all go to Paradise together."

"I can't go with you… I'm sorry…" Then, I ran out of the castle, leaving them behind me.