- Chapter 9 -

Uses of another kind.

Part 3.

"Kiba, do you even know where you're leading us?" Hige groaned as he sat down on the cold concrete floor and folded his legs in a childish way. Kiba carried on looking around the corner of the hallway for guards and did not even bother replying to Hige's question. I pursed my lips as I suddenly got an idea, but it would be very risky and humiliating, too. Drake turned his head around to me, like he was trying to read my mind and then I turned away from his gaze.

"It looks like we're going to be here a while, he still isn't budging from his position." Kiba announced silently and then he looked at the now frowning Hige.

"Awe man! I'm hungry! Can't we just knock the guy out and be on our merry way?" Hige groaned which earned a cold glare from Drake and made him stop whining almost immediately. "Blah," Was all Hige could express at Drake's sudden unvoiced order. I smiled at this and began to shake my head which made Hige close his eyes and grin sheepishly up at me. And then like a screaming banshee, the idea rushed back into my mind.

"Hey, I have an idea, but it won't be easy," I explained as I thought for maybe a better idea. Then I felt all the male's eyes on me. "Which one of you wants to play Owner and Puppy Dog?" I grinned as I scratched the back of my head and breathed in heavily as I waited for the answer.

"Well I don't mind playing dog, what about you, Hige?" Drake asked with a determined look. I felt like I could always rely on Drake, he always seemed ready to do anything for his friends- his pack. I smiled at his perfectly sculptured face, his naturally silver hair and his irresistible lips… I didn't even hear Hige's answer, all my train of thought was on Drake and Drake alone. I only realized they were talking to me when all their eyes turned to me. I immediately felt my cheeks turn warm and my stomach clench.

"What? Sorry, my mind was on other things," I said silently and tried to cover up my still red cheeks. Drake laughed which made my whole body shiver.

"What other things?" Drake questioned smugly as he glanced at me. Hige groaned again and then lay down in a sleeping position on the floor; clearly not wanting any part in this flirt conversation.

"On Paradise," I lied and then looked down at my shoes like they were more interesting than the conversation. Drake lifted an eyebrow and then he closed his eyes.

"Well I asked what the plan was."

"You, Hige and I are going to go in our wolf form and Kiba is going to lead us towards the lab. If any guards interrupt us, Kiba can just simply say he is taking us for training duty." I instructed and then turned into my wolf form.

"But what are we going to do about leads?" Hige asked as he opened one of his amber eyes to look at me. I tilted my head slightly. It hadn't crossed my mind what we would do about leads- why would it? I had lived most of my life in the forest and Gramps only put me on a lead when I was a cub. How was I to know that in the city 'dogs' were walked with leads? I frowned and pursed my eyebrows.

"It didn't cross my mind," I simply replied. Hige slouched up and then turned towards Drake with a shocked look.

"Where's Kiba?" He asked worriedly and looked from left to right of the hallway in an odd expression. Then his eyes fixed upon an open closet door on the other side of the hallway. Then Drake and I followed his gaze and met the open door.

"There he is," Hige said, stating the obvious to us as Kiba emerged out of the closet with rope strands in his left hand. My eyes filled up with emotion as I ran to Kiba and hugged him- much to his and my shock.

"You're a genius, Kiba!" I exclaimed as I released him from my hug. His shocked eyes quickly turned to ones of happiness and his body relaxed. Drake, being the jealous type, snorted at this and crossed his arms over his chest. Then he started muttering stuff that, well, Amber couldn't type here. But Kiba ignored the sailor mouth known as Drake and then he fixed all his attention only on me.

"Thanks, Gypsy." He replied silently and then he tied the rope loosely around my neck. Breaking the rope at a certain length with his fangs, he tied one end around Drake's neck, then broke it into half and did the same act with Hige's. And then Hige's new favourite word came out of his mouth as the rope fixed around his neck.

"Blah,"

(Break)

Toboe didn't care about hiding his disguise any more. He was too hurt- not in body but in heart and it felt like the pain would never go away. But his mind was made up. He wouldsee Leara again, he didn't care what Tsume said about her in their last 'chat'. He walked past humans and then walked into the alley he had always called home after Granny's death. He growled to himself- he would always be alone, that's what he felt he would be destined for his whole life in this miserable city. He carried on walking through the narrow alley and then he collapsed onto some newspapers that were spread out next to a wooden crate- his bed. He snapped at the well known alley cat; which came to lounge next to him as a form of comfort. But Toboe wasn't in the mood for pity comfort; he wanted to prove Tsume wrong. And he would. Now he was in the mood for an afternoon nap… He closed his hazel eyes and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

(Break)

We walked down the hallway- Drake, Hige and I in our true form while Kiba remained in his disguise as he held onto our leashes. We approached a man, who stood at the beginning of another hallway on duty. He looked at us for a moment and then walked up to Kiba.

"Good afternoon to ya, sunny boy. Where will you be going with these ugly beasts?" The guard questioned as he lifted an eyebrow at us. I growled silently with clenched fangs at the guard, which caused him to back up a little.

"I'm taking them to the Training Grounds, sir." He answered curtly and I could feel his grasp tighten around the ropes. The guard shifted his gaze from me to Kiba and then he nodded.

"Then I won't keep you waiting."

"Thank you." Kiba replied and then we began walking away. I could still feel the guards gaze when we were a few feet away and I felt very uneasy. I let out a long gush of air as I sign of relief, but then just as I thought everything would work out fine; the guard shouted something and came running after us. I knew he had realized that there was no Training Grounds and that we were intruders. Now the game was on…

Not a bad chapter! I think I should bring Hubb and Cher back, but they're are going to be a little bit different. What do ya think people?

Well if you want to have a vote like I do, I'm giving you the chance to compose a reply on how they should be different when you're done reading this chapter! When you get to this (A.N) you should be done any way.

You know you wanna... ;)

Please review my little story.

*Amber*

P.S, those stars next to my name so make it look like my name is holding pompoms like a cheerleader! :0