Thank you to juliedoo, Crystal-wolf-guardain-967, Shaylakai, Finalfan21, Musical Teardrops, animagirl, and direngreyrules100 for reviewing last chapter
Chapter XI: The moon's call
"Can you feel it?" She asked gazing into deep Azure eyes. Kiba stared at her with wide, awe fully eyes that did nothing but make her chuckle at him. She reach out across the small distance between them and took both his hands in hers feeling a deep smile come to her face. The hairs on the back on her neck were standing on end, her skin was prickling, something was about to happen, something big. Though he didn't speak it was clear by his expression that Kiba indeed felt what she was feeling. "The energy in the air" she turned away from him to look around them. All over the hill top people stood among an endless sea of closed white flowers. They stood patiently around an empty space that she could see, when she looked up, rest directly under the full moon. She looked around the crowd once more and spotted Toboe, Hige and Tsume among them but didn't dwindle on this thought turning back to Kiba.
"The energy?" Kiba repeated her former sentence; she nodded her head before looking out at the opening of flowers again.
"Once a year, on the night of the full moon, the flowers will hear the moon's call and return to paradise" She recited, though she herself had never heard these words prior to this moment when she spoke them it felt so very familiar, as if she had said the same sentence many times before. "It's been an old tradition of our little town to do this every year during the same full moon but I don't know…" she trailed off almost losing her thoughts to the glow of the moon "This time feels different than all the other times, I feel like this time-"
"It will work?" Kiba spoke earning her gaze again. She turned away from the moon and smiled brightly at the boy before her.
"Yes" she nodded her head; Kiba returned her smile with the smallest upward curve of his lips. Finally she released his hands and adjusted the crown of white flowers on her head so they wouldn't fall "It's time" she informed him "Wish me luck"
"You don't need it" Kiba replied coolly earning another warm smile from her.
She stepped back, the grass felt cool under her bare feet as she back into the open space. Onlookers stopped their conversations falling into silence as the soft thumping of drums began. Once in the center she turned her gaze to the sky above, no star in the sky mattered in comparison to the bright moon, full and glorious directly over her head. She reached for it with slender, pale hands and as the drums picked up in pace and beat she found herself spinning and spinning still reaching for the moon, beckoning it to her, tempting it to let her touch it's surface. The moon, however, is the master of push and pull, of giving energy and drawing life to it and as such it drew her to it. She opened her arms wide embracing the draw of the glowing orb and spun on and on the drum beat faster and faster, louder and louder, stirring up the energy around her and everyone else who watched until some simply couldn't contain themselves. Adults closed their eyes and tipped their heads to the sky in silent prayer, teenagers hooted and howled like a large pack of wolves and children, completely taken in an excitement they didn't understand, broken from their parents and guardians and took off in laps just outside the wide ring of space left for her and she spun trying to keep in time with her as they ran round and round.
The excitement of those around her weaved in and out of her ears, spiraling into the air in a collective call out to the moon above. This energy definitely felt different from the years before it even though there wasn't much that had changed from before. The only real change this year was that he was here this time. Though she stayed focused on the moon above her she could feel his deep Azure eyes on her like they were looking into her soul as she spun. Was he supposed to be here? Was that what tonight needed to work? It felt like it judging by the chill that ran up her spin. White pedals spun round with her in a nonexistent wind and one by one the flowers at her feet, which she so carefully danced and spun among, began to open under the glowing moon revealing what they truly were: Lunar flowers. They were opening; she could feel it and she could hear it in the surprised gasps on the town's people watching. Yes, this year was certainly different; the flowers had never opened before. That was when she smelt it for the first time, a scent sweeter than any she had ever smelt before. It was subtler than any perfume known to mankind with a forever lasting impression on her nose. It whirled around her embracing her slender being and filling every pose on her body, was this the scent of Lunar flowers?
The energy they were building up was becoming too great to take, they had to send it away, it was time.
Everyone seemed to know it and sense it because in an instant of remarkable union everyone, every man, woman and child stopped what they were doing and fixed their gaze upward to the sky. The drummers stopped drumming; the children stopped running and the howlers fell silent, their last cries echoing through the air before dying to nothing. Silence, even the nature around them seemed to understand that no sound should be made in this moment of stillness. In the quiet she closed her eyes to the moon and listened for the sign that this time things were done right.
She listened hard for the call.
It felt like ages that everyone stood there still as stone waiting for it but eventually it did come. It started out as one soft, tiny voice but then one voice became two and two became four, then four became eight and the voice just grew from there. She lowered her arms letting them drop limply on either side of her body as she took in the sweet song that seemed to sooth her soul. She opened her eyes back up slowly but when she took in her surroundings this time her eyes shot open wide. She no longer stood among the people of her town or Kiba. The moon had taken her away; she stood among the very stars in the sky just inches from the moon itself. She couldn't help herself; she reached out and touched it. Feeling it's surface against her fingertips sent a chill up her spine and sent her spiraling back to earth. In a great whoosh of wind she dropped back into her body and nearly stumbled back from the energy given to her by the moon. The voices were gone, silence had returned to her as she, finally, let her head drop and her gaze to fall to the blooming lunar flowers around her. She could feel something now. There was a pull coming to her suddenly like someone was beckoning her from far, far away. She turned her head in that direction only to find her gaze on the endless hills that lead away from town to a place unknown to her. It was a hazy image to her eyes but she could have sworn she could see lunar flowers blooming, forming a path across the hills far into the distance and lighting up the sky where they met the horizon as if the sun were peeking over the hilltops.
Could that be it? Could that be the way to paradise?
The vision slowly faded to nothing until all she could see were the silhouettes of the hills and slowly the sounds of everyone around came back to her. It was over it seemed and everyone was slowly descending from whatever trance they had been in during the whole event. They were all so absorbed in their own worlds, too busy relishing in what that moment had caused them to experience that no one took notice to how still she had become. She made no motions to join anyone in their excited chatter, she was lost in her own head. It all felt so different to her now; her hearing was sharper, her nose more receptive to fainter smells. She felt like something had been awoken deep within her. She turned to gaze in Kiba direction, wondering if he felt the same change.
Golden eyes stared back at her and standing in Kiba place was a wolf.
A great, white wolf.
Mahina woke from her dream with a soft inhale and found herself lying on her side barely aware of her surroundings. Her fur was still prickling from her dream, it all felt so real it was strange. Was all of this because of tonight? The very thought of tonight was enough to wake the she-wolf fully from her half-awake daze and she felt a soft smile come to her face. A soft hand ran across her head, running its fingers through her long, ebony locks making her look up. Mahina was greeted by Cheza smiling down at her like any other day since the flower maiden had joined their pack.
"Can you feel it Mahina?" she asked in that soft voice of her before looking up at the sky "This one is excited for tonight…" Mahina couldn't help but agree with the flower maiden. Tonight was an important night for the pack.
"So am I Cheza" Mahina replied softly looking around at her still sleeping pack before turning her gaze to the sky the sky was only beginning to turner pale as signs of morning's inevitable arrival came. She was still a bit weak after all that had happen days ago in the forest of death but after tonight Mahina would regain all of her strength and the pack would be one step closer to paradise. For tonight was when the door might open for them and the path guided them there "Tonight is a full moon" Mahina breathed out with excitement.
To the human eye, a full moon last for days before waning and slowly beginning its decent into a new moon but in truth there is only one, true, full moon. There is only one night that the moon is 100% full and it was these nights that the wolf gains its full strength and the lunar flowers open…that is…if lunar flowers still bloomed across the earth. Under the light of a true, full moon the wounds of a wolf heal faster, almost magically and a pack can be given so much energy they go wild. In the days of old these were nights that packs went on wild hunts under the glow of the moon. Even humans can feel a slight breeze of energy on the night of, and day leading to, a true full moon. They buzz with the feeling just as much as a wolf would; feeling happier and festive. Lunacy is a word created to once explain the phenomenon that overcame people who felt the energy that sent a wolf's fur prickling and a howl itching up their throats.
The next town the pack reach was obviously feeling it as much as the pack was.
People lounging about looked up and turned their attention to the group as they entered the town and walked down the main road. Though personally, Mahina could have done without this attention with today being what it was she could tolerate the men lounging in front of nearby buildings giving her and Cheza and once over with their eyes while a few others whistled. With a slight snort Mahina rolled her eyes and continued staring ahead of her keeping her hand firmly in Cheza and she did.
"Man" Hige commented from far behind the pack "What a seedy looking town"
"It's my kind of place" Tsume hummed in agreement. Mahina had quickly noticed that even Tsume was in a much happier mood today; the power of the full moon was truly a wondrous thing.
"I bet it is" chuckle Kiba
"Do you smell the danger in the air?" Tsume explained further "My bloods on fire" to this Mahina had to let out a slight chuckle as well. She glanced back and the older male who walk a short distance behind Kiba with his hands in his pockets and found it to be very true. Past his illusion his fury was bristling up along his back.
"I bet you would with all these obviously dangerous humans surrounding us" the she-wolf commented with no intent to insult Tsume at all. The two met eyes and large smirks were exchanged before Mahina turned to face forwards once again.
"Me too!" Toboe jumped into the conversation flexing muscle he obviously didn't have "Mines is too!"
"Ha!" Within seconds Hige had the pup in a tight head lock "Big words coming from a runt who's scared all the time!" Toboe didn't respond to the playful jab at him instead settling for trying to break free from the headlock he found himself in but Hige would show him no mercy moving from a headlock to a very uncomfortable looking body bind "But that's not the only reason you're all fired up is it? After all tonight's a…"
"A full moon" Mahina spoke in a low voice meaning the word to only be heard by herself and Cheza. She swung Cheza's hands in hers and closed her eyes tilting her head up towards the sky. Mahina had to admit even she was starting feel the effects of tonight's impending full moon, she could sense the energy all around them just barely bubbling at the surface ready for the exact moment it could burst free. It made the she-wolf's heart race and pound so hard in her chest she could feel it in her ears. She thought back to her dream last night and those haunting words she recalled being said "Once a year, on a full moon, the flowers will hear the moon's call and return to paradise" she recited the words aloud and Cheza in response gripped her hand just a bit tighter. If there was any kind of truth to the statement in her dreams then that could only mean one thing for tonight.
If those words rung with truth then tonight might be the night….
Tonight Cheza just might bloom!
But then again Mahina might be getting ahead of herself and making assumptions that might not actually be true at all. Still she could still hope right? Even if there was a slight chance that nothing happen with night finally came the she-wolf couldn't help but feel a shudder of excitement quiver up and down her spin.
"I have to admit Cheza" Mahina spoke to the maiden beside her with a chuckle in her voice "I've haven't felt this excited since we were reunited" even now Mahina could still vividly remember laying her eyes on Cheza. That shiver that trembled up and down her spine as she watched the maiden floating in that tank in her half-awake state. She had felt in deep in her; a growing excitement that told her the goal was just in reach, that Mahina was just a step away from what she'd longed for for so long: paradise.
One thing did bother her though and it was the thought that she referred to that moment as one in which she was reunited with Cheza instead of stating it as the first time they had met. As far as Mahina's memories were concerned the she-wolf had never laid eyes on the maiden until that moment in the lab and yet her instincts told her it was not the first time. This connection Mahina had with Cheza... No one seemed to really understand it and for the most part neither could Mahina, and what she did understand she could never properly express so others might begin to get it.
Cheza's presence often washed over Mahina like a gentle breeze or a wave that rolled into shore and then back to sea. Then, other times, it was like Mahina was utterly submerged in her emotions and those of Cheza's to the point that the she-wolf didn't know who was originally feeling what. No matter where Mahina went she felt these things and sometimes she wished she could understand why she did. She was about as mysterious to herself as Kiba was to the pack; there were just so many questions left with no answers for Mahina.
Tsume learned that first hand on the day of the true full moon.
When the pack found a place to rest until night everyone went about their own task. Hige- being who he is- followed his ever so sharp nose and ventured back into town for food. Cheza had decided that she wanted find a perfect place for when the moon came out so she wondered off with Kiba close behind her. Mahina would have followed too but her wound still hadn't fully healed and after losing so much blood she had to stop and rest from time to time. Toboe stayed behind as well, the pup had more or less given himself the position of medic for the pack helping with all of the serious wounds everyone got while fighting off humans and other wolves. Surprisingly enough he was quite good at it, his work on Kiba after he had been beaten to the point of unconsciousness had the white male up and on his feet within half the day of receiving treatment. Mahina wasn't sure where the pup had learned these skills of his-perhaps that human that raised him was a medic- but she was grateful for them.
"There isn't any more bleeding coming from it" Toboe observed the bullet hole closely while Mahina lay still on the floor of the abandoned building they had taken up for shelter "but it hasn't started closing up at all...did you scratch at it after you were shot Mahi? It looks like someone was digging in it"
"That" remarked Mahina with a hint of bitterness to her tone "was Kiba"
"Kiba?" echoed a curious Toboe but Mahina shook her head
"I'd rather leave it at that Toboe" she said honestly, in retrospect asking Kiba to get the bullet out of her back might not have been the wisest idea. "Will it heal?"
"Yea but it's gonna leave a scar"
"I can live with a scar" Mahina sighed out slowly closing her eyes and letting the pup start his work, fatigue was coming to her like it usually did when she had to rest but she didn't really mind it. Those nightmares that once plagued Mahina's sleep haunted her no more, not since Cheza had joined them on their journey though now she was subjected to more riddles than before at least now the she-wolf didn't have to dread rest like she had before.
From a windowsill nearby Tsume sat in his usual position: his arms crossed like a grumpy old man while he watched the events before him curiously. Toboe had been right when he said that the wound would leave a scar but at least it would look cool. The hole was about the size of a silver dollar and long, deep, claw marks trailed away from it and down the female's back. Toboe was careful to line the plants he was using exactly where the marks went the pasty substance stuck to Mahina's skin easily and most likely wouldn't budge even if the female moved. After a couple of minutes of this Toboe excused himself to get more herbs for the wound and Tsume found himself left alone with Mahina much like he had with Kiba at the start of their journey.
The grey wolf didn't say anything at first, really he just had to take a moment to think about the irony of this situation. The last time he was left alone with one of the more secretive members of their group Tsume had learned of how Kiba's pack perished when he was young. Perhaps he'd learn some deep secret from Mahina's past this time -mind you this thought came to the grey wolf with utter sarcasm and self-humor- not that he actually cared to know anything about the she-wolf anyway. She was prideful and headstrong proving to Tsume just how young she was, she reminded him of those bratty little pup who go on a hunt for the first time. They were all loud and arrogant, bragging about how they would be the one to bring down the kill only to be left in the dust when push came to shove. Those brats were all bark and the only thing that made Mahina different from them was that she was female and unlike them she had a bit of a bite to back up her bark. By and by Tsume could tell that the silver-almost blue eyed- slender female known as Mahina was young and though she wasn't young like Toboe she was definitely too young to have left her pack to live on her own.
"You're staring" the female broke the silence and drew Tsume's focus back. It was true he was staring but he didn't care too much to argue against Mahina about it, she'd just try to get a rise out of him if he did. His eyes locked onto those crimson eyes of her but the grey wolf said nothing "does something interest you?"
"As if" snorted Tsume before he turned away from Mahina and settled for staring out the window "You really outdid yourself in stupidity scrawny"
"...what makes you say that?" Mahina questioned
"Standing in the way of a bullet like that" Tsume elaborated for the she-wolf "if it had been a few inches in either direction you could have died" he looked back at Mahina once again and observed the bullet wound. If it had gone just a few inches to the left that bullet could have punctured a lung and if it had gone right it could have been a through and through barreling through the females heart before rocketing out of her chest and most likely killing Cheza after. Yup, what Mahina had done was stupid and Tsume could never see himself doing that.
"It isn't just because it was Cheza if that's what you're thinking" Mahina remarked as if she were reading Tsume's mind "I've always been this way...or at least I think I have" she thinks she has? Does she not know how she been all her life?
"You think you have?" Tsume echoed humoring the conversation just out of pure curiosity. Mahina nodded, she shifted a bit until she was more comfortable and began drawing shapes in the ground before her face with her fingers.
"It's so vivid it can't just be a dream" she explained herself though she left more questions than answers "those four cubs...that human and his gun...the wild fire that blazed through the land..." wait fire? Tsume sat up a bit when Mahina said this. Kiba had sputtered nonsense about a fire when he was like this as well, could this be the same fire? Mahina didn't bother to wait for Tsume to reply anything before she went on "There was a way out...I had...WE had an escape route that wasn't cut off from the fire yet, but I couldn't get out...they were so young I couldn't leave them behind. I couldn't carry them on my own either but she..." a far off look came to Mahina's face as she recalled all these events
"She?" Tsume urged her on
"The human...she was keeping him away. I couldn't get them out without her help..." Mahina's brow furrowed and deep frown curved her face, she stopped her mindless drawing and clenched her hand into a tight fist as if she were reliving what she was describing "it was so hot... They were crying and the howling- that blasted howling" a shiver ran up Mahina's spine and she brought her clenched hand to her ear in a panicking motion "I couldn't get it out of my head. So many lives lost in a blaze of fire and ash."
"Where the hell is all of this coming from all of a sudden?" Tsume scowled, he couldn't help but note the similarities between Kiba and Mahina's stories and the obvious question was coming to him: had Kiba and Mahina been a part of the same pack? But if that was the case wouldn't they know each other? So far as Tsume had observed Mahina knew about as much about Kiba as the rest of them did and Kiba couldn't explained the existence that was Mahina so what was going on here?
"When I woke up" Mahina's voice drew Tsume back to her, she slowly sat up holding the fabric of her white blouse against her chest as she did. "There was no fire-no painful howls to hear for miles...I couldn't remember who I was...all I knew was Cheza. All I could feel was this desire to find her...her and paradise..." so in shot she was exactly like Kiba in more ways than one it was close to startling if Tsume was going to be honest and he found himself staring bewildered at the she-wolf though she now had her back facing him completely "I don't really know what it's like to be a part of a pack either to tell you the truth" Mahina chuckled "so I'm not certain that taking a deadly bullet for someone is the normal thing to do in packs...I kind of just followed my gut like I always do..."
"Your gut or Kiba instincts" Tsume scuffed re-crossing his arms and turning to look out the window again "one way or another I have a feeling one of them is going to get us all kill" he meant as a bit of a joke and the chuckle both he and Mahina shared briefly was enough to prove that both understood that but then a silence came to the room. For a second Tsume thought this meant that the conversation was over and Mahina was most likely on her way to falling asleep so he shuffled in his seat in an effort to get comfortable because until the others got back he'd be guarding this resting female and the runt. What a pain.
"Would you leave?" suddenly Mahina was standing behind him making Tsume nearly jump out of his skin. Her approach was soundless and she loomed over the seated male. It was a little unsettling to have to stare directly into those intense eyes of hers it was a wonder how Kiba could do it with ease "even knowing that" she clenched her blouse against herself tightly "Even knowing death awaits us would you stay Tsume?" how was he supposed the answer to that? Mahina was staring at him with eyes wide and innocent almost exactly like Cheza. Tsume could see the flower maiden in Mahina as much as he could see Kiba. It was odd how this female could so easily shift between the two and yet still have a personality all her own.
"I don't have much of a choice at this point" Tsume shrugged trying not to appear as startled as he actually was "I did decide that I was a wolf after all, remember?"
"Mm" hummed the She-wolf in agreement. She took a step back and finally-after staring at Tsume for a minute more- turned around and moved back across the room to where she had been laying before. In her wake Mahina left Tsume sitting in the window with slightly wide and confused eyes until he sighed and turned his gaze back out the window.
He had to remember to ask Toboe what the hell kind of herbs he was giving those two someday...
The pair of wolves said no more to each other after that; they stayed in the respective area until Toboe returned and continued his treatment of Mahina's back to his satisfaction. When he was done Mahina pulled her blouse back up and laid down resting her head on the pups lap and allowing him to run his hand over her head much like Cheza had a habit of doing. Soon Hige returned with Kiba and Cheza right behind him but not with as much success he had hope to have. The town was bare, he had reported, and the only food he was able to scrounge up for the pack was a couple of small loafs of bread and a chain of sausages that an old woman had dropped from her bag when she had gone shopping. It wasn't much when passed on to everyone but it would have to do for the time being. Tsume watched from his perched as Kiba slid down the wall behind him until he sat on the group next to Mahina; the two sat close enough to one another to just barely be brushing shoulders and their eyes were focused on Cheza.
It was like watch one wolf who had been split into two and it was slightly unnerving to see. Tsume zeroed in on them as Kiba muttered something to Mahina and the she-wolf leaned into to him and spoke quietly back, what were they talking about that they had to be so quiet? Would the pair forever be a mystery never to be solved? Tsume took in a deep breath and sighed turning his eyes back out the window and taking a bite out of the bread in his hand; given the information both Mahina and Kiba had told him in their wounded states the grey wolf had to assume that they had some kind of connection so he wondered: did Kiba know of the fire that took Mahina's pack in a cage of death? Was Mahina aware of the flames that cut off the escape routes of Kiba's friend?
Had Mahina and Kiba been in the same pack as pups?
"You should eat"
Mahina opened her eyes if only just a bit when she was spoken to; at first she didn't feel like acknowledging the comment but she did eventually turn her head ever so slightly and glance beside her at the white male who sat beside her. Kiba met her gaze but then quickly looked to the sausage she held in her hands.
"You need to get your strength back" he explained; ever since the pack had escaped the forest of death Kiba's had become just a bit less tense around everyone and that was obviously because Cheza was no longer in danger but now that she wasn't his focused seemed to be on getting Mahina back on her feet. Two nights of basking under the moon and good nights of sweet sleep made it so she didn't have to be carried anymore and the pack didn't have to take breaks so she could catch her breath but the bullet wound that had gone so long untreated had slowed Mahina down, she was quieter than usual and she often spent her time sleeping whenever the pack took rest.
"….I'll be okay" Mahina responded softly shifting in her seat a bit before turning her head to look back at Toboe and Hige who sat and chatted happily with Cheza. Honestly her confessions to Tsume had made her lose her appetite; the memories of wolves howling in pain and the smell of burning flesh, the sense of fear, confusion and hopelessness left a bitter taste in Mahina mouth so much so that she didn't even want to look at the meat she held. "I just want it to be nightfall already" Mahina tried to cover up her reason for not eating by pretending to be excited for the event that would come when the true full moon was high over their heads. Kiba made a slight hum of acknowledgement to this statement. The two quickly fell into that comfortable silence once again and Mahina was left to her thoughts. She thought of her most recent dreams and wondered the reason behind them; why was Kiba so familiar yet so unfamiliar in them? Why was he even in them to begin with?
It was all so strange; how can someone see an event that's never happen before yet feel so familiar with it? Maybe it was just the energy of the full moon tonight that was effecting Mahina, maybe Kiba could feel it too.
"Can you feel it?" Mahina asked softly breaking the silence between them and turning her gaze to Kiba. The white wolf didn't respond at first, when crimson met azure Mahina didn't see that look of awe and wonder in his eyes like she had in her dream. Instead Kiba looked calm, wise almost all knowing and the fact that he did had a profound effect on her for she too felt calmer staring into his eyes. "The energy in the air"
"The energy..." Kiba echoed her words; Mahina nodded her head. Kiba stared down at her a moment more before closing his eye and leaning his head back against the wall behind them "Once a year, on the night of the full moon, the flowers will hear the moon's call and return to paradise" Mahina blinked back her confusion and sat up a bit straighter when the white wolf recited this.
"What?..." she questioned
"It's something I heard a long time ago, when I was still a pup" Kiba explained and Mahina hummed in response. Perhaps it wasn't so strange that she knew those words too; maybe all pups were taught the legend of the lunar flower and paradise when they were young and that was why such unfamiliar words felt somewhat familiar but then again none of the others seemed familiar with the words that Kiba had said. All any of them actually seemed to know was there was a legend of paradise, they didn't know of Cheza or her blooming so then how did Kiba know? How did Mahina know? Feeling nothing short of more confusion Mahina let out a long sigh and let her head rest on Kiba's shoulder "tired?" the male questioned and Mahina nodded "Take it easy" Kiba told her "When Cheza blooms tonight we'll have a journey ahead of us" of course he was right so Mahina didn't bother to argue with him letting out another sigh before closing her eyes.
She rested but she didn't sleep; uncertain as to what riddles sleep may offer her Mahina decided it was best not to bother herself with more questions on such an important day.
When the sun finally set and the moon broke the eastern horizon the earth seemed to almost vibrate in anticipation. The moon shined down on the ruins Cheza had picked out for this event making the crumbling rubble glow. Everyone was beaming with excitement, Mahina could hear the humans all the way in town being loud and festive but they were no real concern of hers. Earlier in the evening Kiba had helped Mahina make her way to the ruins and set her down in a comfortable place where she could rest but now, as the moon kissed her fur she could feel her energy coming back to her like never before. This power, this lunar healing, was only a fraction of the potential the true full moon had. If they did this right it would make Cheza bloom, if they did this right it would forge the path to paradise. Mahina sighed with content closing her eyes and basking in the glorious moonlight as she stood up.
"This feeling..." she hummed lightly opening her eyes and staring up at the moon before joining the others in watching Cheza as she slipped off her boots and stepped into a long since ruined fountain filled slightly with rain water.
"So...this is it" it was Tsume who spoke first, he could feel it just as much as Mahina could for even from this distance the she-wolf could see him trembling.
"Yea" Hige stepped forward with a grin wider than any of them had ever seen in his face before "Right about now I feel like I can do just about anything!"
"We've all seem a full moon before, but this time it seemed different now that we have Cheza with us" Toboe's excitement was the most obvious; it was like watching meeting Cheza for the time again. Toboe was clenched his chest and his hair seemed to bristle; most of all the face of his human illusion was flashing red.
"That the power of the true full moon" Mahina explained taking off her own shoes, moving forward and stepping into the pool along with Cheza. The flower maiden looked Mahina's way and smiled mysteriously. There really was no telling what would happen tonight, for all the pack knew this could be nothing; they could stand here and wait all night and nothing would happen but Mahina felt like this was truly it. Maybe it was because of the dream she had before, maybe it was that smile Cheza had offered her, maybe this confidence she felt was really Cheza's confidence. Either way there was no time to dwell on whether or not something would happen tonight or not because suddenly everything fell into silence; the festive human in town grew quiet, the animals and insects made no noises, even the air around them grew still as if time itself had caused everything to pause for them. Mahina looked to Kiba who stood on the other side of the pool and when Crimson met Azure they both seemed to understand.
"Something's about to happen" Kiba declared softly, quietly as if he didn't want disturb the peace that had fallen around them.
Something did happen. Suddenly Cheza, with her head tipped to the sky and her arms out wide, began to dance. The water at her feet rippled as the flower maiden spun round and round staring at the moon as if she were calling it to herself. Around Cheza, Mahina and the others stood at the edges of the pool watching with wide eyes of wonder and interest. Sometime someone would twitch slightly with excitement, another time someone would tremble until finally it would Kiba who could no longer contain himself. The energy Cheza was building was much too great for any wolf to sit in calmly for long and before any of them knew Kiba had took off in a run circling just outside the pool and keeping pace with Cheza's spinning. Soon Mahina couldn't contain herself and she joined him and then Hige joined and then Toboe and finally Tsume joined so that their whole pack ran in circles around the spinning maiden. That was how it went; around and around, lap after lap as Cheza spun, it was a dance that only they could understand and only they could do. Mahina was spinning with excitement, her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and her legs trembled with each steps she took; her fur stood on end as Kiba skidded to a stop before her threw his head skyward and let loose a howl like she-wolf had never heard before. Mahina and the others stopped too gazing at the white wolf in slight curiosity but Mahina knew. This was the effect of a true full moon; animal go wild under its amazing glow wolves lost themselves to its power long ago when they walked the earth freely.
It was because nature itself was singing from ever rock that made the ground to ever cloud that claimed the sky; this is a world that is dying and it was now, under the all-seeing glow of the moon, that it's beautiful song could be heard twisting into Mahina's senses, tickling her ears, running its ghostly fingers through her fur. The world was calling to the moon and it was doing so in the only way it knew how: the wolf. Mahina could feel in her body this invisible hand that gently urged her nose upward; the energy given to her was so great she had to release it and she did taking in as much breath as she could Mahina turned her head upward and she howled her voice carrying out into the start night sky curling with Kiba's and echoing out. Cheza slowly stopped spinning as Hige, Toboe and Tsume began howling as well but she never once turned her focus to anything but the sky. She closed her eyes and basked in the moonlight as the orb slowly made its way higher and higher into the night. It felt like hours they stayed there like that just staring at the moon, the dancing and running had stopped and the howls were nothing more than memories in the night air. Now there was stillness, now there was silence and now the moment of truth was upon them. Would this be the night that the flower maiden bloomed? Would this be the night Mahina finds paradise? Only the moon knew and Mahina found herself praying to it was she stared at it where it hung just above their heads. Please, she pleaded in her head, please let her bloom...I've been searching for so long. It felt like an eternity before the great moon finally answered her pleas and oh how it did. Suddenly the area became brighter and a smell all too familiar graced Mahina's nose. She flinched when the ground under her bare feet suddenly felt softer and something lightly brushed against her toes. She didn't want to believe it not even when she heard Kiba take in a sharp breath beside her.
"It's..." Hige gaped "it's a path to paradise!"
"Is that really what it is?" Tsume commented in disbelief
"It's amazing...it's truly amazing..." Toboe remarked in awe and finally, slowly as if this were a dream she never wished to wake from Mahina lowered her head and looked at the ground. Her gaze was nearly blinded by the glow of dozens upon dozens of white flowers around her, one after the other opened beautifully around her feet. Their scent, their beauty, the faint song that whispered itself into Mahina ears. These were...
"Lunar flowers" Mahina breathed out in soft awe at what she was seeing, truly seeing; these were lunar flowers! As she gazed at these wondrous flowers Mahina could feel something. There was a pull coming to her suddenly like someone was beckoning her from far, far away. She turned her head in that direction only to find her gaze on what the others had been marveling at for the past few minutes. There were endless hills that lead away from their pack to a place unknown to Mahina. It was a clear path across the hills far into the distance and lighting up the sky where they met the horizon as if the sun were peeking over the hilltops; this was it. This was the road to paradise! Now made elated by this realization Mahina was the first to spring forward lunging across the blooming flowers around her in a hard and fast run across the land in the direction the flowers lead to only a fool would have to question if the others were far behind.
Together they ran through the flowers on the path under the full moon for miles it felt like and though the glowing horizon, their promise land, never grew closer none of them lost moral for the moon was on their side it had shown them the way and no one could stop them.
Until the air was pierced by a deafening sound. A screech that made the pack stop and a sound that they dreaded hearing again.
It was the high-pitched screech of a noble's ship.
Mahina skidded to a halt faster than the others could and as they looked up into the sky and spotted the ominous ship drifting towards them she positioned herself so that she stood beside Cheza. The image given to them by the moon was shattered upon the noble's arrival and now the pack stood in an empty wasteland waiting for the threat. The ship that landed was small and though Mahina knew nothing of humans and their flying machines she'd seen enough of them to know that the noble who stood in their way stood alone. Their ship was too small in comparison to the usual large size of any noble ship she'd ever seen. The hatch opened up unfolding to create a ramp and as the human stepped forward Kiba tended and do did Mahina wrapping a protective arm around Cheza as a growl began to form in her throat. He didn't wear a mask like when they first met but the eye that was covered and that familiar stench was all the she-wolf needed to know who this was.
"You..." Mahina spoke lowly to herself "you're that noble from freeze city...the one who took Cheza" Cheza flinched slightly at the mention of the incident and Mahina pulled her closer all the while glaring hateful dagger at the human. She would rather die than let that noble lay his filthy hands on the flower maiden again.
"...The wolves" he spoke seeming to recognize them; despite his pleasant tone Mahina could barely repress a snarl "It's been a long time" he spoke as if they were all old friends but the air was tense.
"What are you doing here?" Mahina snarled out but the noble didn't answer. Instead he made his slow descent from his ship until his feet touch the earth.
"Was it a nice dream?" his one visible blue eye looked from one wolf to the next sparring no one more time than the other gauging their reactions "the one where you were going to paradise?"
"What?!"
"The time has not yet come for that" the noble went on to say ominously but all Mahina wanted to do was laugh. What did he know about anything? Paradise is a place for the wolf; only the wolf can find it and only the wolf decides when the time has come.
"You know nothing Noble!" Mahina yelled back at him baring her teeth at him "paradise is ours! It's no place you for!"
"But it is" the noble calmly insisted slowing to a stop as his eye found Mahina again "return to me, Cheza"
"No!" Mahina barked defiantly; Cheza took in a sharp breath turning her head to hide her face in the she-wolf's neck. Mahina pulled her closer circling both arms around the flower maiden; he would have to pull Cheza from her arms if she wanted to get her. "She doesn't belong with humans!"
"She belongs to me" remarked the noble with a mysteriously knowing look "and so do-"
"Get out of our way!" Kiba was done with the talking and the pleasantries. He didn't see this as convincing a human to leave Cheza with them where she belonged but instead he saw an obstacle, another test for him on the road to paradise. The others watched withheld breaths as the white wolf charged the noble leaping into the air to exact his fury on the human that dared try and get in their way. For a second it looked like this event would be a little hiccup on the journey, Kiba would kill the noble and the pack would be on its way but as the white wolf soared through the air sailing closer to his unmoving victim he hit something, and invisible wall, that he quickly bounced off of landing a couple of feet away. Behind him every made noises of surprise and confusion.
"It is futile"
The once none threatening human sudden became a threat when the was a flash from his ship and an eerie screech; suddenly a red beam shot out from it aiming for Kiba. The white wolf, teeth baring and feral, easily leaped out of the way just as the beam hit the ground where he once stood. The earth shook and crumbled under the power of the attack letting off a strong blast and a blinding red and white light that was too bright to look at. Mahina release Cheza to shield her eyes from it and just as it started to dim the eerie sound rang out again but the light was too bright for Mahina to see where it aimed. There was a loud, painful yelp quickly after making Mahina force her eye to gaze at the blinding light, what she saw made her blood stop cold.
"Toboe!" Hige yelled out
"Toboe!"Mahina screamed out feeling true terror for the first time since this journey began at the sight of Toboe, the pack's energetic runt of a pup, airborne spinning through the air like a rag doll. Hige took off after the pup that was thrown a good distance away meeting him just as his body met the ground and made a loud thump. The Erie screech shattered the air again and Mahina saw it shoot out touching the small space between Toboe and Hige before everything exploded into that blinding light blasting rocks and sand everywhere. Mahina shielded her eyes turning away from the light but she didn't need her eyes to know how bad this was; her sharp ears could pick it up and her nose could smell it. The air now stank of dense copper and the splat of blood painting the earth rang in the she-wolfs ears. Cheza lost it when the blood was spilt; Mahina watched as her eyes grew wider than she'd ever seen them, she tipped her head back and as big rivers of tears spilled from her eye Cheza opened her mouth and shrieked into the night sky piercing the air with that painful, sorrow filled cry of hers. Mahina not only being so close but even touching Cheza was blind sighted by the maiden's reaction. Her chest tightened gripping her being with such terror the only movement she could manage was to bring her hands to her ears and cover them. Toboe is bleeding!, the thought came to the she-wolf's head as her heart clenched with unbearable pain in her chest, Hige is bleeding! The wolves are hurt! This one's friends are hurting! Cheza horror and fear left Mahina paralyzed.
"Ah, the blood of the wolf" among the chaos the noble seemed to be having a good time causing such destruction, causing Cheza so much pain "how magnificent" Seeing that almost half the pack was down for the count Tsume joined the fray running alongside Kiba and charging for the noble as fast as they could go. Cheza had managed to settle enough for Mahina to release her ears and gaze on with a sense of helplessness.
Why wasn't she helping? She was strong too! But she couldn't move, she couldn't think!
The air rung with the eerie sound again and another beam shot out between the two males. Kiba darted one way to avoid the blast and Tsume ran the other but as if the attack wasn't strong enough as it is it suddenly split into two going in the two directions its target went to. Tsume was struck with little effort and more blood splattered across the earth. Cheza took in a painful gasp and though she did not scream again it felt like she had to Mahina who closed her eyes to the destruction and shook her head in sorrow. Please! Please making it stop! You're hurting them! You're hurting them!
Another eerie screech came and Mahina expected someone to get hurt again but as she opened her to take in the damage of another blow her crimson eyes found this beam of destruction coming straight for her and Cheza. Was the noble crazy?! That kind of blast could destroy Cheza! Suddenly hit with the ability to once again move Mahina reached out and closed a tight fist around the cloak the flower maiden wore.
'Cheza!' she heard Kiba yell out just before she yanked the maiden towards her circling her arms around the lovely creature and preparing to once again standing in the line of fire to protect her.
It all happen so fast; Mahina had braced herself and then it hit her. It was hard to tell where exactly the beam hit Mahina but at that point it didn't matter for the second it did her back was on fire. Her nostrils stung with the stench of burning flesh and fur. Then, if only for a second, her feet left the ground and she and Cheza were spinning rapidly than they were falling and just as fast as she was sent into the air the she-wolf hit the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of her and keep her from breathing for a moment.
"Mahina..." Cheza's soft voice quivered as she, mostly alarm but unharmed, pushed herself up and looked over the she-wolf in horror. Mahina could make no response; the world was spinning and there black spots keeping her from perfect vision. As she lay there left utterly unmovable by the attack the noble chuckled on.
"As I expected" he remarked having observed the female's blatant disregard for herself in exchange for the flower's safety "you will do just about anything to protect her, it's in your DNA isn't it?" her DNA? What... Mahina was too far gone to even think about what the noble meant; she stared up at Cheza who looked so very pained before gazing out at the ruin of their once hopeful pack.
Please. Please don't hurt them anymore. Please make it stop.
Kiba was the last one standing now but as Mahina watched from her barely conscious place she knew it would not last. With each blast Kiba was throw around with little effort spreading that amazing scented blood of his everywhere; his snow white fur was stained red again just like when Mahina first met him and every time he got back up his legs shook worse than the last time. But Kiba, for however long Mahina has known him now, has never known when to quit and the female would go so far as to say he never knew such a word existed in any form of tongue. No matter how many times the beams hit him or how many times he was thrown to the ground Kiba got back up and tried for another attack. Again and again and again and again, over and over at this rate there was only one ending in sight.
He's gonna kill him, the though drifted weakly through Mahina's mind and made her try to will her body to move, if he keeps this up...he going to die!
"..." as if hearing her thoughts like Mahina heard hers Cheza grew quiet slowly pushing herself to her feet "That is enough" her voice carried with enough volume to stop the attack as Kiba was struggling to his feet once again. Mahina whimpered in protest as the flower maiden brazen past her as towards the ever stubborn Kiba.
'No' he struggled to plead with Cheza 'Dont go Cheza...'
"It is alright" the maiden reassured him
'Dont go' Kiba pleaded on 'We're wolves, we're not afraid to die'
"This one knows that" Cheza responded with that same softness "but this one has decided...Kiba...this one will surely protect you" her words were the last thing Kiba heard that night, Mahina watched helplessly as the great white wolf uttered Cheza name one last time before finally collapsing. The noble allowed Cheza to bid her goodbyes to the pack watching silently as she made her way to each unconscious wolf and running her fingers through their fur never once seeming bothered by the blood. Mahina was the last one that Cheza came too sinking to her knees and offering the wounded female a peaceful look but her emotions betrayed her flowing through her arm and cloaking Mahina in the sorrow the flower maiden truly felt. "Mahina..." she spoke as the female finally felt her consciousness slipping "not it is this one's turn to protect you while you sleep" and with that darkness took hold of Mahina.
She knew just like Kiba probably did when he collapsed: when they woke up again Cheza would be gone.