Thank you to Layla347, TenTenbaby, Zeva Dianne, Crystal-wolf-guardian-9967, Heather Tucker, Captains X Dame, Wolf81 and my unname guest for reviewing that last chapter.
I know it's been quite a while since I last updated-over a year it looks like-and I'm sorry, i've been super busy and only have managed to slowly piece together this chapter by hand but just never had a moment to sit down and type the whole thing out. For those who have been dutifully waiting for an update I thank you so much for your patience and support and know that no matter how long it takes I will complete this story so please sit tight with me. Lot of love.
Chapter XVI: The Garden of Eternity.
"Kiba..." a soft, airy voice echoed around
"Who's there?" Kiba stirred from his sleep at the sound of it.
"Kiba"
"Kiba"
"Kiba"
"..." Slowly, Kiba pushed himself to his feet and glanced about the void he found himself in. three new voices had now joined the calling "Who's there?..." he called back "Where are you? I Can't see..."
"Kiba" a voice spoke from behind the white wolf making him spin around. A girl stood before him that wasn't Myu. Her build was slender and she was about a head shorter than Kiba. She had long, black hair, pale skin and striking red eyes that Kiba found himself immediately staring into. She looked relieved to see him and held out a hand for him to take "...Kiba" It was almost like she was beckoning him but to where? As Kiba took in this female he was almost inclined to follow her wherever it was she would take him.
"..." Kiba stared at her extended hand keeping his own firmly at his sides despite wanting to take her hand. He didn't know her, he didn't know her intentions and he didn't know if he could return if he left with her "...Who are you?" the question came out easily but for one reason or another his instinct told him it was a stupid question. "Do I... Know you?"
"..." The girl looked stunned, her mouth partially opened but whatever it was she'd planned to say she seemed to change her mind instead the female sighed "...I guess not..." she replied finally and with a sad smile that tugged at Kiba.
He was forgetting something, something important, something about her- this anonymous female. The sight of her sadness stirred something inside of him and for a moment Kiba saw the girl like he was watching a film kneeling before him, tears glittering down her cheeks in the glow of the morning sunlight.
"Kiba...I don't want to stay here anymore... Please, Kiba, can we go?"
Why could he not stand the sight of the girl being upset in anyway?
Letting his instinct take control of his body, Kiba reached out to her but she was turning away from him now and she faded into the void that surrounded him.
Kiba was alone again...well...not all alone.
The loud hoot of an owl drew the white wolf's eyes upward. The same owl had been flying about this void for as long as Kiba could remember always hooting, always taunting him.
Who are you? Where are you?...I don't know.
Kiba watched it fly off into the distance lazily. Why did it always ask him those questions?
The void faded and almost as fast as blinking Kiba was back in that place with Myu, That place that felt like Paradise. Sensing him stirring, the feline glanced down at Kiba and giggle playfully like she always did.
"Did you have that dream again?" she asked
"..." Kiba didn't answer, he gazed at Myu and then up at the sky. His mind wandered to the sad looking girl but he suddenly found that he couldn't recall her face. It felt like such a long time ago even though it only just happen.
Time was warped in this place or perhaps time didn't exist.
The thought distracted Kiba from his thoughts on the faceless female until he almost forgot her completely.
And life went on.
It was like a dream- a terrible, horrible dream that struck some deep chord within Mahina. Kiba lay within the brush of green that stood alone in the Deserts bones. His ribs were clearly visible like he'd been here for weeks or perhaps this plant was sucking the life out of him.
"...Kiba..." The female took in a shaky breath. They had to get him out of there!
"Stay back!" The human among them demanded
"Miakoda" Suddenly Mahina felt strong arms around her waist and she was swept up off her feet by Jacy before she could realize she had been moving towards the bush.
"Move away from there" the human commanded "That poisonous plant is paralyzing him!"
Paralyzing? was that why those soldiers suddenly dropped like this? If is was poisonous what would happen to Kiba?! He wasn't moving! It didn't even look like he was breathing! She had to...She had to!
"Miakoda" Jacy easily lifted the slender female off her feet and carried her back and away from the brush that was slowly killing Kiba Jacy's grip tightened when Mahina struggled against him "Miakoda, stop it. It's dangerous"
"What?!" Hige gaped in disbelief
"He can't be!" Toboe remarked miserably
"He's not dead!" Tsume barked out over the two silencing them and their moment of panic
"Not yet" the black wolf commented "But if we don't pull him out soon he..." he trailed off but everyone knew what he meant.
"Miakoda" Jacy gripped Mahina by the wrist of the hand she was now using to pry herself free "Miakoda, stop it"
"Pull him out" Mahina dug her nails into Jacy's arm "Jacy" she glanced back at her brother with a look of pure desperation "Jacy pull him out, pull him out please" She didn't know where these emotions were suddenly coming from, it was like someone was dumping them on her drenching Mahina in feelings of desperation and absolute dread. Cheza was the only one capable of dropping Mahina into such a state.
Was Cheza aware of Kiba's state where ever she was now? Did she want Mahina to act? To save Kiba? was this Cheza's will?
Luckily someone had the sense of mind to finally act, the lone human among wolves pushed past everyone. Covering his mouth and nose, the human hoisted Kiba over his shoulder and raced back to his horse dropping him onto the saddle. Mahina winced at the sight, like he was a carcass hunted for game. The human turned back to them with a look of urgency to his expression.
"Let's have the elder look at him" he said "I'm sure he can call his spirit back"
"Lets hurry!" Toboe didn't hesitate to speak up speeding after the human as he rode off with Kiba leaving the remaining wolves standing about. As the pair grew smaller in the distance Tsume was quick to turn to Mahina.
"You're alive" he stated "How? I saw you die"
"You saw her what?" Hige looked between the two "But you said she ran after Kiba!"
"I don't think now is the time to bicker" Jacy spoke up still holding firmly to Mahina "Your friend is in danger isn't he?"
"He's right" The black wolf beside Hige spoke "We should head back and help any way we can"
"We did our part here" Jacy spoke as the three males prepared to hurry after Toboe "We should continue on our way"
"So soon?" Kisa voiced softly "Shouldn't we at least make sure that wolf is alright?"
"It might be safer to stay put" Kileona put in his opinion "These are Jagura's men and when men don't report in more are sent"
"Which means we should leave the area immediately" Jacy persisted "Our plans do not change, we still make for south"
"That's not your decision to make, Jacy"
"If we want our pack to survive it is"
"Even so" Kileona stood at his full height- which was still much shorter than the towering form of Jacy- and stared at his brother hard "You aren't the Alpha, you can't make that call" a tense silence filled the area as Jacy had to be reminded that his mother controlled this pack not him. Annoyed, Jacy looked away while heads collectively turn in the Alpha's direction.
"Well Ma," Tate sighed shoving his hands into his pockets "You're the boss here...What do you think?" he glanced over his shoulder at his mother and judging by Hige and Tsume's expression they were just now noticing the large female standing among the crowd.
"..." Noele looked around at her present pack in silence before she turned her focus to Mahina still being held in place by Jacy. Mahina stared back at her mother before her focus shifted in the direction Kiba had been taken "..." whatever Noele had been looking for in Mahina she seemed to find for she nodded her head "We go back" she decided to the surprise of most present.
"Go back?" echoed Jacy
"But mother!" Ayita all but screeched
"Kileona is right" Noele didn't appear bothered by the murmurs and protest around her "If Jagura's fleet is running about it will be safer to stay put. we still have the young and the elderly to worry about"
"That's not the reason we're staying and you know it!" Ayita snarled "She'll lead them right to us!"
"Enough" Mahina found her voice in a loud bark, she snatched herself free from Jacy's grip "I dont care what you do, I'm going back" she didn't care about all of their bickering and arguing. Even with Kiba free from that canopy of death, that sense of urgency still weighed at the pit of Mahina's stomach like an uncomfortable brick that only grew heavier now that she couldn't see him. Cheza's fear was potent and Mahina couldn't move fast enough after him "Tsume, Hige- Lets go" she couldn't even wait for the two to respond, she was off immediately.
When Ike, Toboe and Mahina had arrived back to the camp the elder was there waiting as if he'd expected them to come with Kiba. In a silent motion of the hand the old human was able to communicate to Ike to let Kiba down. It was just as the others had arrived that the elder had finished looking Kiba over.
"His soul has been taken" the elder explained with a slight nod "We must begin now. Ike take him inside"
"Yes elder" Ike responded before hoisting the white wolf over his shoulder and carrying him deeper into the camp with ease. Toboe quickly followed after but Mahina stayed behind watching them until they disappeared into one of the tents.
His soul had been taken? What did that even mean? He looked more like he had been starved to death...could...could they really save Kiba? At the thought that the white wolf couldn't be saved Mahina felt like her heart had plummeted into a bottomless abyss. Kibda couldn't die like this... he...he just couldn't!
"You, child" the voice of the elder reached Mahina's ears shaking her from her mind and making her realize that the human was still there.
Though his eyes appeared closed Mahina could feel the old man staring at her-staring past the illusion to her true form- past that even to her very core "You must come as well" he told Mahina calmly "For this to succeed you must be there"
"Me?" The slender female motioned to herself "but...why?"
"I sense that your soul is not bound to your body...it has left once before, has it not?" the elders words sparked bewilderment from the she-wolf. Her soul leaving her body? was he trying to say that Mahina has died and come back before now? Did he mean back at Darcia's keep?
"..." Furrowing her brow at the thought Mahina frowned.
No, The Hanabito-hallucination or not- had made it very clear that Mahina had not died at any point during that fall or after. Then what was it? What did he mean?
'Two years from today, I will return for your soul'
Those haunting words echoed through Mahina's head with a dull throb of a sensation. Was that it? Had that White wolf of her nightmares once claimed her soul? Was that why she could remember nothing of her life as Miakoda?
"Mahi!" Hige called out as he, Tsume, that black wolf and Mahina's family finally arrived at the camp "Where's Kiba? Is he alright?"
"Your friend will make it but we must act not" the elder spoke up, slowly he turned in the direction of the tent Kiba had been taken to but his eyes never left Mahina "Come, this way" though he sounded as though he spoke to them all the she-wolf was almost certain he mostly meant her. After a moments paused she nodded
"Miakoda" Jacy spoke up as Mahina moved to follow the elder "We'll wait out here for you"
"If you need us don't hesitate to yell" Tate piped up
"...Right" Mahina nodded and quickly followed after Tsume and Hige.
There wasn't much space in the tent. For everyone to fit inside Mahina had to sit to the side of the others with a fire in front of her, her pack to the left of her and the elder to her right, With everyone present the old man didn't hesitate to begin his process of bringing back Kiba's soul.
The tent echoed with the humans chanting and the ring of his instrument that he shook every once and again. Mahina's eyes were fixed on Kiba watching him for any kind of sign of life but the harder she stared the stiller Kiba seemed to be. He was lifeless as still as a rigid corpse. 'No' the word pushed its way to the front of the she-wolfs mind 'he isn't dead yet'
Yet.
The word sicken Mahina.
To think that there was even the slightest possibility that Kiba would not return made Mahina's vision blurry. Frowning at the thought that Kiba might actually die Mahina shook it from her mind but the blurriness would not stop in fact it was getting worse. Her vision was failing her. A heaviness suddenly came over Mahina's body as soon as she realized this but by then there was no stopping it.
The elder never stopped his chanting though, not when Mahina's eyes rolled back into her head, not when she tettered sideways as her vision turned white and not when, finally, gravity sent her to the ground and unconscious.
"What the-" Hige jumped
"Mahi!" Toboe yelped out sitting up straighter and ready to help her.
"Your friend is alright" the elder spoke up before the pup could go far "Her spirit has left her body"
"Left her...body?" Toboe echoed
"What does that even mean?" Demanded Tsume his gaze shifting from the half dead Kiba to the now unconscious Mahina. She hadn't lost her human shift so she certainly wasn't dead but still.
"Your friend is very different, her spirit is unbound. It can travel at will leaving the confines of its vessel and returning as it pleases. To have a soul like that will make bringing your other friend back easier" the elder explained calmly and evenly before going back to his chanting.
To the trio still conscious it didn't make a lick of sense. But they had no choice but to trust it. While Hige watched the Elder continue his ritual and Toboe nervously watched Kiba Tsume found his gaze falling upon Mahina.
Short black locks were left thrown about her head where she had fallen. Her features were soft, at ease as if she had only fallen asleep going off to a lovely dream world. Tsume wondered, could she really bring Kiba back from the brink of death?
It was possible, she managed to cheat death herself.
"..." The tent was quiet other than the continued chanting of the elder as his ritual went on. From his place Tsume frowned down at Mahina.
What was she?
Mahina was falling.
Slowly, sluggishly.
No wind blew past her ears but she could feel her body slowly going down. Perhaps a better word for it was sinking. A sensation enveloped the she-wolf, she could feel its shifting and moving under her body as she sank lower and lower until it finally let her go. She stopped sinking, her body righted itself and when she could feel her feet land softly on a sturdy surface Mahina opened her eyes.
It was like her dream all over again, surrounded by darkness by with a very slight but very big distance.
There were pockets, little opening all around her revealing beautiful lands. Vast bodies of water and endless hills, valleys over run with wildlife and fields of countless colorful flowers. Mountains and pastures and wild forests it was all so dazzling to behold and tempting to reach for. The elders chanting echoing about the void as if he too were searching for the window that lead to the white wolf but Mahina did not have to search long.
"Kiba…" his name came to Mahina's lips as the very window before her eyes held the object of her search. There he was sitting before a beautiful little pool of water, beside him there was a young girl and they both stared at the pool looking calm and at peace. "Kiba!" Mahina ran for the window, she had to wake him-he had to return to his body or else he...he would "Kiba wake up!-ah!" she had expected to enter that world, for Kiba to hear her and come to his sense but just as she reached the border of the opening she hit a wall with a light thump like a glass window "What the...what the hell is this" the she-wolf pressed her hands against the barrier before fixing her eyes on Kiba and banging on it "Kiba!...Kiba!" but Kiba didn't look up, he didn't even flinch but the girl definitely did. Mahina paused in her banging and yelling as the girl lifted her head and looked directly at Mahina.
Her hair was a light brown. She wore a yellow top that hugged her flush shoulders and when she looked up at Mahina with those large violet orbs of hers the she-wolf barely suppressed a gasp.
With one look she could see past the girls human shift and see that her true form was that of a mountain lion, but it didn't end there. The longer Mahina stared the more the girl's shift began to change. The once healthy mountain lion's fur because to lose its color and her plump features began to sink into themselves. Slowly, she became thinner and thinner until Mahina could see her ribs tightly hugged by her skin until that too began to shrink away.
Behind the pair, the sky had darkened, the land was blanketed by a shadow of darkness and with everything it touched the land slowly began to turn gray and dye until it looked just as decayed as the world outside this place.
The only thing that still looked alive was Kiba and the half skeletal mountain lion leaned in closer to him still staring at Mahina but now with one sunken in violet eye an open void of nothing where her other was supposed to be. She was keeping him here, Mahina could tell that much by the way she slowly wrapped arms around him and caressed his face with the bone fingers of her human shift all the while Kiba sat looking peaceful and unawares.
"You can't have him…" Mahina snarled her hand tightening to a fist "Do you hear me? You can't have him!" but the girl's expression remained blank as she stared back at Mahina, her grip seem to only tighten on Kiba the bone ripping into his jacket as she held onto him. "Kiba!" behind Mahina the chanting had suddenly become louder as she raised her curled fist high over her hand before pounding it down on the barrier has hard as she could over and over again. A harsh gust of wind and sand followed it. It hit the barrier all at once pressing the slender wolf against the barrier and lifting her off her feet until she lay atop the dome like barrier.
Sand stung her skin with each tiny grain that hit her but Mahina would not be stopped. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees despite how hard the wind tried to push her down. "Kiba! listen! Remember!" the she-wolf yelled over the wind and the chanting punching the barrier with all of her might "Remember the others! Hige and Tsume and Toboe and Blue! you're just going to sit there and leave our pack behind? after all we've been through?! Remember Cheza!" Kiba couldn't hear her, he sat perfectly still lost in the illusion that twist world cast over his eyes. Mahina wasn't going to give up though, Cheza was waiting for them and so was paradise. The pack needed Kiba- Cheza needed Kiba but most importantly Mahina…
"..." the she-wolf paused her fist raised over her head ready to bang on the barrier once more. "Remember… remember me" the words came out softly before she clenched her hand into a tighter fist "Did you forget what you promised me?! What you swore you'd do? I need...I...I need you, Do you hear me Kiba? I need you!" that was the feeling that had washed over her when she saw Kiba so close to death, it wasn't Cheza's fear Mahina felt it was her own "I won't let you die like this- you're not going to leave me like this! I won't let you!" with a feral yell Mahina slammed her hand down as hard as she could and the void echoed with loud unimaginable crack.
The day was just like the one before it and the one before that. Quiet, peaceful, perfect. How many days had Kiba been here?
The male let the question orbit his mind for a moment but the gentle breeze that danced across the land blew it away. He closed his eyes and relished in its soft feel, beside him Myu did the same and they sat in the grass calmly.
But then something happened.
The gentle breeze suddenly became stronger and within seconds a great gust of wind blew in the pairs faces. Kiba grunted, bringing an arm up to shield his face from the sting of the sand against his skin. What the hell? The land echoed with a sudden chanting as both Myu and Kiba were bathed in harsh winds and sand.
"...Stop it…" Myu spoke up earning Kiba's gaze. The female had her face turned against the wind and her expression was suddenly sullen. "...It looks like… someone's found you…"
Found him? Kiba blinked in confusion. What did she mean, someone found him?
The world around Kiba suddenly changed and instead of sitting beside Myu the white wolf found himself standing outside, in a void of black- looking into an open pocket of that peaceful world where Myu stood still looking sullen but smiling all the same.
"...I wanted us to be together forever" Myu confessed as the gap between them slowly began to grown pulling the two apart "But you shouldn't stay" she shook her head at this "You're right-This place isn't paradise. this is a world where time stands still...eventually, you forget why you're here….why i'm here...I can't remember anymore"
"Myu, what's happening?"
"I'm sorry Kiba" Myu spoke over the howling wind "but you have to go…"
"Go? What?" Kiba questioned before reaching a hand out for her "come with me!" and for a minute Myu perked up, her expression became hopeful but there was a voice somewhere in the distance. It raced about the harsh winds and sand dancing with the strange chanting.
"You can't have him!" it cried out
"..." Myu expression fell at the voices declaration, her sullen look returned "Oh Kiba…" she mused "You and I...we're more different than you think…" and then she turned away and the world turned away from Kiba in another gust of sandy wind. The window to that world grew smaller and smaller and farther away "Goodbye Kiba...goodbye" Myu's last words came out barely a whisper compared to the wind and soon a voice- a new voice- echoed in Myu's place.
"Kiba...Kiba" it called
Kiba spun around looking up where the voice came from. A figure hovered just over Kiba as if they lay on glass. The wall around her was cracked broken and sand and wind poured in through the opening. She gripped the edges of the jagged opening and she had an arm reached out for him. there was too much wind and sand to make out her face, her features were dark and blurred to Kiba's eyes. Her voice came out clear though-as if the gale force wind didn't blow about her form- in a soft, airy voice that run familiar with Kiba.
"Do you know who this one is?" her voice was sweet and loving "please Kiba" the female pressed herself harder to reach him "remember"
"Remember…" Kiba muttered and that's when he smelled it, the smallest sliver of a scent so sweet- so familiar- the name came to his lips before he could really think of it "...Cheza"
Cheza… the flower maiden...the beacon to paradise… Cheza!
The world Kiba had suddenly been thrown from was forgotten to him. It faded away into the void and suddenly more voices joined Cheza's echoing around Kiba in familiarity.
"Kiba" Hige
"Kiba" Toboe
"Kiba" Tsume
Kiba could suddenly remember everyone-everything he'd left behind for that place beside Myu and then finally-with a shocking force- Kiba remembered her.
"..." the white wolf stared up at this female- her features became more clear. Her fair skin and black locks, those intense crimson eyes and that always lingering smell of lunar flower.
"Kiba...I don't want to be here anymore"
The image of this She-wolf's teary look on that morning Kiba swore he'd get her to paradise hit the male like a bullet. His eyes grew wider and he reached out both his arms to her.
"Mahina!"
The wind stopped, silence engulfed them and the sand disappeared. Mahina's crimson eyes brightened and the glass wall that she leaned on cracked even more quickly shattering and sending the she-wolf falling towards Kiba's open arms. Mahina fell into Kiba barely pushing him back with her airlike weight. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his arms found her waist and Kiba held her slender frame as they floated together in this dark void of nothing.
"Kiba?...Kiba do you remember?" Mahina's voice circled Kiba like her scent- that sweet floral smell that always subtly clung to her. IT was always overpowered by the smell of blood from the countless enemies she's attacked and killed. Here though that smell was gone, like all those deaths and blood never existed and the scent of lunar flower was stronger. Kiba took in this scent and held her tightly.
"Yea" he answered "Yea, I remember everything"
"It's time to go, Kiba" Mahina mused. As soon as the words left her the wind and sand returned circling around them in a wild whirlwind. Kiba held Mahina tight in fear she'd be blown away as the chanting returned louder than ever before. A strong forced yanked them both from the void.
Mahina's eyes snapped open suddenly.
"Mahi" Toboe perked as the she-wolf gasped for air, her back arching off the ground as she returned to her body "Are you okay?"
Mahina didn't answer, when he back finally settle she stared about the area wildly as she tried to remember where she was. Where had she gone? that black void where she found Kiba…
"Kiba…" the she-wolf found her center, pulling her senses and mind back from the void, forcing herself upright with dizzying speed. She struggled to keep herself up as she gazed down at the white wolf that lay before her. The others looked as well and sounds of relief came as kiba slowly opened his eyes.
"Kiba!" toboe perked
"..." Kiba sluggishly shifted his gaze towards the pack that now loomed around him "...Long time no see, guys…" the male said weakly pulling a snort of a laugh from Mahina.
"Aw, give me a break!" Hige remarked exasperated with Kiba clearly "Where have you been all this time?!"
"Some place nice" answered Kiba calmly "It was almost like paradise…"
"...but it wasn't" Tsume prompted "Was it?"
"No" Kiba replied, his eyes slowly closed "They kicked me out…" and with that Kiba fell silent closing his eyes and falling asleep. Kiba had returned safely-that place did not claim him and take him from her.
"...Thank goodness…" Mahina found herself muttering weakly feeling that heaviness return to her. Her eyes rolled back and the she-wolf once again collapsed. She heard the startled yelps of her pack just before darkness circled her once again.
"Do not worry" The elder spoke at the remaining wolves awake grew tense "Your friends have returned to you safely" It made them relax, the pair were just resting it seemed. The elderly human let out a light sigh before carefully heaving himself to his feet "The journey was long and tiresome" he informed the three as he shuffled past them "let them rest-their souls must settle into their bodies once again" and with that he left the tent, for a brief while Tsume, Hige and toboe remained with their two sleeping packmates before the silence became too much and they too left the tent.
Mahina didn't know how long she'd been swimming in darkness-no dreams plagued her mind when she slept. Instead she drifted, sailed weightlessly for a time she could not measure until slowly things faded into her senses.
The weightlessness left her sinking until her body felt heavy where it touched ground. A hand idly ran over her temple and along the side of her head and face softly petting her fur in a soothing motion that brought the she-wolf comfort. Smells of wild fields and wilderness tickled Mahina's nose coxing it out of its slumber before embracing her in pine and snow-she knew this scent well enough and it made her aware again. Sluggishly, the she-wolf fought to open her eyes shifting where she lay and breathing out a soft mewl of a sound. The petting she received paused with her movements before the hand pressed against her face tempting her more to open her eyes.
"...Hey" Azure eyes soften upon connecting with Mahina's
"...You're awake" she breathed "How do you feel?"
"Better" Kiba answered "Well rested, you?" Mahina sighed as Kiba ran his thumb over her upper cheekbone along the three lines that ran down that side of her face "Your face…" he commented.
"I'm a little banged up" Mahina shrugged lightly "It's nothing too damaging" Kiba seemed to accept this for her said nothing in protest "Cheza?"
"Gone" Kiba shook his head and Mahina expected as much but still, she sighed. Pressing her palm to the ground, Mahina pushed herself up until she was sitting. From where he lay, Kiba watched Mahina. "So" she breathed out shivering slightly as her jacket slid off where it had ended up draping over her body exposing the rest of her scar for Kiba to see as she turned her back to him. "We're back to where we started"
"...Yea" Kiba agreed
"What do we do now?" Mahina questioned, her gaze taking in the content of their current shelter "continue looking?" she didn't know why she was asking, she knew the answer. Behind her, Kiba hummed the answer she expected.
"The last thing i remember, I had been running south" Kiba spoke up and Mahina nodded. She shifted in her spot, hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees.
"That sounds like Jagura" she remarked
"Jagura?"
"The noble who attacked Darcia" Mahina explained recalling the information Noele had relayed to her "from what I hear, she's the ruling noble now. Her keep is south of us" Jagura took Cheza and that meant Kiba would go south.
"What do the others think?"
"I don't know" Mahina shook her head, she hadn't been around them for almost three days. She wasn't sure how they felt anymore "but if I had to guess-judging on how worried they were about you-they're still on board" Kiba hummed in understanding of this and there was a familiar lull of silence between them, a quiet Mahina used to think about everything that was going on.
The question was a simple one: What should she do next?
There was still a large pack of wolves waiting for her to return so they could be on their way. Noele had done what she came out here to do and she only lingered because Mahina did-thinking it was Cheza's will that she make sure Kiba survived. Only it wasn't. In her desperation to free Kiba from his prison, Mahina realized that Cheza did not drive her. Her presence was hardly there-not enough to power each punch Mahina had driven into that barrier. No, Mahina's feeling were her own in that void-sparked by a startling reason: Mahina didn't want to lose Kiba-not because of Cheza but because Mahina couldn't see this world existing completely in all its decaying glory without the white wolf in it.
Mahina couldn't bare it. Even now, the very thought made her feel ill.
Kiba was here now though and ready to continue on but what should Mahina do? thinking back to Noele and her pack Mahina recalled what the alpha had told her-that Mahina was different, that nobles had changed her for reasons unknown. Mahina had yet to tell Kiba this-leaning on never mentioning at all-and she couldn't help but wonder if he'd even want to be around her if he knew that she could very well be a monster. Perhaps it was for the best if they went their separate ways for now, kiba could continue to lead the others in search of Cheza and Mahina would go with her new found family. and if their paths crossed again so be it.
What was that saying humans used? If you care for something set it free and if it doesn't return it wasn't meant to be.
"..." making her decision was the easy part, the hard part would be telling Kiba. Inhaling softly, Mahina fiddled with the strings of her shoes "Kiba I-"
"When I was in that place" Kiba spoke up cutting Mahina off before she could say anymore "It was like a dream, the longer I was there the more I forgot about everyone and paradise but something kept coming through the haze" There was a shifting sound behind Mahina and Kiba grunted as he sat up. Azure met crimson and Mahina couldn't help but stare at the male curiously "It was like a nagging feeling that I was forgetting something and I kept seeing this image of someone crying and begging me to leave somewhere"
"Begging you to…" that's when Mahina remembered, the promise.
"Then I saw your face and it all came flooding back to me-who you were and the promise I made to you" Kiba stared back at Mahina for a moment more before his gaze shifted to look ahead of them "and I realized why"
".." Mahina blinked, her mouth only partly open in a quiet question of why. Was this why that human said she was important in bringing Kiba back from that place.
"I realized" Kiba spoke "That I couldn't leave you behind" That he couldn't… Mahina felt a faint heat come to her face at his words. Kiba didn't say anything after that but he didn't really have to. It was the beauty that came with sitting in silence with Kiba-they didn't need to speak to understand and as the male brushed shoulders with Mahina she understood. "So you're coming right?"
"..." Mahina didn't answer him settling for resting her head on his shoulder. Normally this was enough but in this instance Kiba seem to understand Mahina's weavering thoughts for a moment after her head settled on his shoulder her body was involuntarily pulled closer. She inhaled sharply at how fast Kiba pulled her to him and the pair lost balance because of it, falling sideways and back onto the floor where they had woken up.
Mahina was trapped in her companion's arms before she could really do anything about it. Her face want scarlet as she found herself flush against Kiba and staring into those blue eyes with wide eyes. Kiba simply let his eyes close before resting his head atop Mahina's. She settled, listening to Kiba's breathing quickly even out-not even for a second did his grip on her relax.
Whatever that saying was and however it went-for suddenly drowning in Kiba's scent made Mahina forget what it was-Kiba ha clearly never heard it.
His actions were clear to Mahina: He wasn't going to let her go and-oddly enough-Mahina was okay with that.
"You're awake" Noele spoke up as mahina approached her "How is your friend doing?"
"He's alright" Mahina replied slowing to a stop beside the alpha. A great amount of time had passed since Mahina had entered that tent to save Kiba. When she had entered, it had been midday but now she looked out at a starry night sky and that still blood red moon. "We got him back, he's still resting a little now...before we're on the move again" there was a pause in the conversation after Mahina said this as she expected there to be. Noele stared at Mahina for a few minutes before a sad smile came to her face and she turned her gaze to look at the bloody red moon.
"I see…" she mused "So you'll follow them…"
"Yea" Mahina confirmed shoving her hands into the pockets of her hoodie
"I can't blame you" the alpha replied calmly "He's your mate after all"
This wasn't a question-nothing in her tone suggested that it was-and as they stood there staring up at the moon Mahina didn't argue with Noele on the subject. Noele nodded in silence.
"The only thing I ask of you, Miakoda, is that you take Kileona with you"
"What?" Mahina blinked but Noele had turned away, making her way over to where her pack and Mahina's interacted.
"Hey" Hige's voice caught Mahina's ears as she trailed after Noele "That collar you're wearing-it looks like mine...where did you get it?"
"...This…" Kisa-who Hige was speaking to- spoke up bringing a hand to the leather collar around her neck in a similar manner as Hige's. Mahina caught an odd look of confusion come to Kisa's face "You mean...you don't remember?"
"Remember?" Hige echoed but Noele had approached making the wolves in her pack fall into silence to let her speak.
"We'll be moving out once we've regrouped" the alpha declared "We've spent enough time here, Jay"
"Mother" Jay acknowledged
"Gather everyone. Find your brother-Tate-and send him back to the rest of the pack" Noele began giving off orders as her son fell into step beside her "send Ayita with him and tell them to get everyone ready to move out"
"..."Mahina slowly approached her pack while Kisa and the rest of Noele's pack followed the alpha waiting for instruction.
"Your friends gave us the update" Tsume was the first to speak up fro mthe rock he leaned against that Toboe and Hige sat on "You're not going to follow your pack?"
"..." Mahina remained quiet as she carefully dropped into the space between Hige and Toboe "well?" she mused "When are we leaving?" the two stared each other down for a moment before Tsume let out a light chuckle and shook his head. Some things just never changed.
"As soon as Kiba's back on his feet" Tsume replied to which Mahina noded
"So" Hige spoke up reaching behind Mahina to to lightly slug Toboe in the arm "What do you wanna do, runt?" the three older wolves looked at the pup in curiousity. Mahina arched a brow as the pup slumped where he sat hugging his arms and not looking at any of them, was Toboe beginning to feel some doubt? judging by the look on his face Mahina could tell he had and it seemed to still be weighing down on him.
"It doesn't matter where you go" Tsume spoke up when Toboe said nothing in response to Hige's question "There's not much chance that you'll go through your whole life without fighting… like it or not, that's just the way it is"
"I know" Toboe replied quietly "I know that"
"...It's not an easy road to go down, Toboe" Mahina added "This path we chosen, it's alright to have doubts so long as in the end you commit to something"
"..." Toboe didn't reply to Mahina and the group fell into silence until a familiar approaching scent drew their gaze. Kiba trailed after the elder whom had brought him back. He looked rather thin and weary but he was steady on his feet as he approached them.
"You okay now?" questioned Tsume
"Yea" Kiba replied with a slight shrug "I guess I overslept...I felt like I've been dreaming for a long time... a strange-wonderful-dream"
"What your spirit beheld was the Garden of Eternity" The elder remarked folding his arms behind his back as he did "You experience a joy unlike none you've ever known, yes?" to this Kiba nodded his head stunned that the human was so aware of his experience in that place "That is enough to satisfy most people" the elder explained "They embrace the illusion and never look back. For them, it all ends there."
It was all an illusion, a pocket in existence that painted a false paradise to any who found it. But it, like the elder said, was an illusion. Mahina had seen as much when she glimpsed into the world and saw the truth of it all, the ground within that place was a land of the dead and Kiba could have easily been taken by it.
"But for you" the human went on looking up at Kiba " that bliss wasn't enough, or you wouldn't have returned" Mahina leaned forward to get a look at Kiba and the elder as they spoke and took in the elder's words. Of course, Kiba had a reason to come back. Paradise, Cheza and-as the white wolf nodded his head before turning and locking eyes with Mahina-she realized with a faint blush that she was also a reason why that place-and that girl within it-was not enough for Kiba.
"Yes" Kiba confirmed never taking his eyes off of Mahina "There's somewhere else I need to go"
"...Tell me" the elder watched Kiba, looking from him to Mahina and then back to him before he spoke on "Why are you trying to find Paradise?"
"I have to survive" was Kiba's answer and it earned him a grin from human who hummed in understanding before he turned and walked away. The pack was alone now, no other pack walking about them discussing their next move and no little girl and her wolf guardian-Just Kiba, Hige, Tsume, Toboe and Mahina sitting together once again under the full moon.
"So what happen in that garden place?" Tsume asked breaking the silence around them
"Nothing" Kiba shrugged nonchalantly "Except...I met a nice girl there"
"You?" Hige sat up immediately "Met a girl? no way!"
"No wonder you seem less uptight" Tsume snorted out
"Mahi" Hige nudge Mahina with his elbow, she sighed in response turning to stare at him "You were sent to that garden place, you saw the girl right?"
"I guess" Mahina answered though now-given the current circumstances-she prefered not to recall it but of course Hige persisted giving Mahina another nudge that she rolled her eyes at.
"Well?" he prompted "come on! was she hot?"
"No"Mahina snapped shooting the chubby wolf an annoyed look "She wasn't anything special"
"Whoa there" under such a heated glare Hige held his hand up in surrender chuckling as he did "It was just question! no need to get so snappy...unless-of course-you're Jelou-Ah!" face quickly turning a slight shade of red Mahina reached out and shoved Hige as hard as she could sending him tumbling backwards off the rock and into the dirt with a yelp and a grunt. "H-Hey!" he coughed out a moment later sitting up and glaring at Mahina "What'd you do that for?" but Mahina had already turned away from the male crossing her arms in annoyance as she did. Three days and she'd already forgotten what an idiot Hige was.
"Wait a minute" Toboe spoke after watching the exchange between Mahina and Hige before looking to Tsume "I don't understand"
"And you won't for a few year" Tsume replied
"But why can't I get it now?"
"Toboe…" Mahina sighed, this was going to be like the whole breeding incident all over again she could just feel it.
"Aw man.." Hige groaned pushing himself up from the ground to lean on the rock in a sulking manner "Kiba has all the luck…"
"When I was in there it felt like i was forgetting something" Kiba said bringing focus back to the group and getting their attention again.
"You mean Cheza?" Tsume assumed
"Not just her" Kiba shook his head "I mean you guys...I thought you were dead…"
"..." silence followed this statement for a moment as the three used it to take in what had been said before Hige spoke up first.
"You gotta be kidding!" the ember wolf bellowed pushing off the rock as he did "Do you have any idea how hard we busted our butts trying to find you?!"
"...Oh….you did?...sorry"
"Geez" Hige went on to sigh dramatically "That brain of yours is never gonna change is it?"
Mahina couldn't help herself, Kiba usually nonchalant response prompted a small giggle to come to her and it didn't take long for her giggle to become a chuckle and then a laugh. Hige followed after and then so did Toboe and Tsume and when Kiba joined in on the laughter the air around all of them changed. It was like when they had their run in with Blue just a few days ago, the air was lighter as the pack collectively laughed seemingly shedding themselves of the past three days of grief and suffering in exchange for their reunion.
Mahina could feel it, they were ready to go.
"Let's go" Kiba declared Mahina's thoughts when the laughter settled down but no one moved immediately. There was still, after all, something that needed to be addressed. Like Hige and Tsume, Mahina turned her gaze towards the pup of the pack who hung his head to avoid their stares.
What would Toboe do?
Mahina had been away from him all this time so she had no idea what the pup had been going through but whatever it was-whatever he had seen seemed to be enough to shake his resolve when it came to continuing forward in this journey to paradise. Would he step off the path?
"I…" Toboe spoke up finally lifting his head with a new look of determination "I'm not gonna whine anymore, and I won't run away"
"Wanna bet?" jabbed Hige doubtfully but Toboe silence him with a hard look Mahina had never seen the pup hold before. It surprised both her and Hige.
"No way" Toboe declared seriously but far too seriously for the moment, Tsume flicked the pup in the head to indicate so.
"Well" Tsume remarked ignoring the glare Toboe fixed him with with "You ready? The kid sure is"
"...yea" Kiba answered with a smirk that Mahina mirrored from where she sat.
Yea...they were ready.
'Noele,
First off, I'm sorry I wasn't what you expect me to be and i'm also sorry that I will continue to not be that pup you lost years ago. We were all robbed of the life you knew as Miakoda and no amount of pretending would have ever changed that… even if I hadn't reunited with these guys...even if i had followed you and your pack south this would have never changed.
I realized this and understand it now.
I would always be who I am now and no matter where I went I would always be drawn back to this purpose of mine-to her, to find paradise. I hear it in my dreams when I sleep, feel it in my bones when I'm awake. This is who I am: Mahina...and...I would see it no other way.
This is my pack. They're a band of misfits and a majority of them honestly hate one another but they are mine all the same.
Together, we will reach it. Together, we will find paradise.'
"...So it's true then"
Toboe paused in his steps as a familiar voice spoke up behind him making him turn away from his pack to stare at the own.
"Reina" Toboe hummed the girls name, under the break of dawn the young girl stood without Cole by her side. She must have just woken up for her long hair hung about her frame loosely unlike how it normally would be. Reina smiled carefully approaching Toboe until they stood barely a foot away from each other.
"You're leaving" Reina spoke knowingly, a soft smile coming to her face "You're going to keep looking for paradise" Toboe frowned when she said this.
It wasn't like he regretted his decision to keep going or anything, Toboe was quite resolved now that he would follow the others in search of paradise but this meant that he would be leaving Reina behind. Reina, the little human girl who took searched for paradise but not for herself, the girl Toboe-just yesterday-promised he would stay behind in this rotting earth for.
Now...now Reina would be alone again.
"Reina…" Toboe hung his head a bit "Reina I-"
"Don't" Reina cut him off shaking her head but Toboe couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt as he looked at her. Reina smiled at him, her expression held nothing short of peace like it always did but Toboe could see it in her eyes. The loneliness, the sorrow of knowing they were parting at the end of this conversation. Toboe almost couldn't bare to look at Reina but the girl reaching out taking Toboe's hands in hers and giving them a squeeze "I'm glad" she remarked staring down at their joined hands "Paradise...Paradise is where you belong, Toboe, not here with me"
"...Reina…" Toboe could see the difficulty the girl was having trying to keep herself collect
"And besides" she went on taking in a shaky breath "this isn't Goodbye. Cole and I will make it to paradise too-you know… We'll all make it home and...and we'll see each other again...I promise" Toboe tensed as he felt wet tears drop down on his hands and he stared at Reina's hung head with new found surprise.
Since it was just the two of them Reina was letting her walls down and once again showing Toboe her true self and it was breaking his heart to see her do so.
"But Thank you" Reina's voice pulled Toboe from his thoughts again as she raised her head and the pup saw a long tear run down her face "For letting me be a little selfish...even for a little bit" and with that she smiled that bright, hopeful smile of hers. What happen next Toboe was sure was just his own instant reaction to the teary eyed smiling girl. He yanked at her hands and closed the distance between them circling Reina in a tight hug that surprised the girl and she tensed up and gasped in response "Toboe-"
"We'll see each other again" Toboe decided holding the girl as tightly as he could "Definitely, we meet again. In Paradise"
"..." Reina was stunned into silence upon hearing this but slowly her arms found their way around Toboe and her fingers gripped whatever they could as she returned the tight hug given to her like her life depended on it. "Yes…" she confirmed in her shaky voice "Let's meet again, In paradise"
"So he's leaving?"
"Oh, Cole" Reina paused in her waving a moment later to turn and look over her shoulder at her company "You're awake" Cole only nodded in confirmation before he looked ahead of them at the pack that grew smaller and smaller in the distance, Reina looked as well "Yes, he decided to go with the rest of his pack"
"I see" Cole nodded again before turning away from the sight "We'll see them again then" he declared shoving his hands into his pockets as he began walking away "when we reach paradise"
"..." Reina didn't reply to the black wolf nor did she turn away and follow him. The young girl stood alone staring off into the distance even when she couldn't see the pack of wolves anymore, with no one there to stare at her Reina's hopeful face dropped and she frowned deeply turning her gaze to the ground. She would not cry for the departure of the young wolf but she did feel, as she stood there by herself, regret that he didn't stay.
What would befall Toboe at the end of this journey… Reina's thoughts wandered to the darkest parts of her mind. A place no one but she knew of herself and recalled the vision that almost prompted her to call out and beg Toboe to stay.
The air echoing with a single, loud, gunshot- its powder burning the air with it's smell and the sight of that lively pup falling as blood shot forward from his chest…
Reina clenched her hands into fist as she pushed the image back into its dark corner in her mind. It was the will of the great spirit that Reina could not keep Toboe here. She would except that.
"It was a nice dream…" she commented to no one but herself "It might not have been paradise but...at least… you would have lived just a little longer…"