First fic, so don't take it seriously, and normal disclaimer follows:
I do NOT claim ownership or influence of any kind of Wolf's Rain or their characters, Bones and Bandai does.
Chapter 2
We run through the night until Freeze City is out of view. Kiba does not relent his pace, leading us over the barren snows, the chilling breeze blasts my face, the wet snow clings to my frayed jeans. I wrap my jacket tighter around me as I rush behind them trying to keep up with them. Hige and Tsume glance back toward me disapprovingly. Toboe wags his tail, encouraging me along.
I nod in thanks to him, but hold my head up in challenge and pride to the others. The sunrise melts the snow revealing the gilded sands beneath, which are worse than the snow from the night. The sand is blinding as the wolves kick it up as they run. Kiba keeps me within sight, though just barely. By the time night falls, all of us have reduced the pace to a steady walk as the winds pick up shifting the sand and the clouds. The third day we are all dragging. No food, no water, no rest, I feel ready to collapse. Fourth day, the snow starts again. Kiba finally calls a halt when we reach a small cave.
"I'm hungry." Toboe whines weakly.
"I'm starved" Hige comments.
"I wonder how long we've gone without food?" Toboe complains.
"I'd say about four days." Hige contemplates.
"We haven't eaten for that long?"
"Yeah we haven't,"
"I wonder how much longer we have to go without food again?" Toboe asks, making my stomach growl.
"I'd say, about four days.
"Quit whining you two," Tsume cuts in, ending the conversation. "it's only been four days."
"But if we'd stay in the town, we would've been able to eat something," Toboe challenges.
I just laugh, "I guess that's one advantage to being human," glancing to Hige. "No matter where you go, there's always something edible."
"If you hold the moonlight in your mouth you should be able to last a while," Kiba remarks from the cave's mouth. "I've traveled on it for a month."
"A whole month?" Hige exclaims.
"Lucky you," I mutter looking back
"This snow will soon fade away." Kiba continues. "And when it does, the moon will come out tonight."
"Or we can just eat ourselves in this order," Tsume puts in jokingly. "first to go is the weakest kid, then the girl, followed by the fat one."
"Why'd you leave Kiba out?" Toboe demanded.
"That guy's plain inedible." Tsume looks up sternly.
"True," I comment blandly. "but your jacket's starting to look like a good appetizer right now."
Tsume glares at me, Hige is just looking at me like I'm nuts.
"You're kidding right?" Toboe asks.
"It's leather, it's edible," I shrug off.
"When was the last time you ate, human?" Tsume asks, leaning against the cave walls.
"If you don't start using my name, Tsume, I might stop answering you" I growl to him
"Kali, when did you last eat?" he snarls back impatiently.
"About four days, I had a rat with Hige and Kiba." I answer.
"Actually, you didn't have the rat, you just got a mouthful of the blood." Hige corrects.
"Whatever," I argue, "It got into my stomach, it counts."
"What was the last time you had solid food?" Kiba asks.
"What day of the week is it?" I ask, trying to figure out when I last ate.
"Friday," Hige answers easily.
I do the math in my head, Wednesday was the last time I remember stealing a loaf of day old bread. "Wednesday, I had an old loaf of bread," I tell them, looking away.
"Wednesday?" Tsume asks, "That was nearly ten days ago!" he exclaims looking me over.
Give the guy a prize, I roll my eyes. "I don't need you doing me any favors," I snap at them.
"Just drop it," Toboe interrupts. "You're both being cynical because you're hungry."
Hige just sits up looking excited, heading outside, the rest of us stare blankly at him.
"Huh?" Toboe asks, looking to Kiba, as do I.
"He's found food," Kiba replied, stepping out into the snow. We continue through the barren flakes of ice, until we find Hige crouched beside an old doe lying dead.
"I wonder where it came from, dying alone in a place like this," Toboe inquires solemnly.
Hige just sniffs the meat, grinning hungrily.
"You're going to eat it?" Tsume remarks disgusted.
"And you're not?" Hige challenges, then bites into the meat
Is this thing fresh or is it rotting? I ask silently, looking the deer untrustingly.
"This is pretty good," Toboe answers my question. "it's harder than a hamburger though,"
"Move over, Hige," I order stepping over towards the deer's head, reaching for Tsume's knife.
"Kali," Tsume remarks coldly. "I want my knife."
How the hell did he know? I slump, "fine," I draw the knife, slitting the creature's veins deep, draining the blood out of it. "here," I toss the glinting blade back to its owner. Tsume catches it deftly, giving me a level glare as he sheathes it. I roll my eyes back at him before turning back to dinner.
"Why don't you get some meat?" Toboe asks.
"Can't," I shake my head after gulping down another mouthful of settled lifeblood. "my stomach can't handle raw meat, and we can't risk building a fire."
"Come on, Tsume, have some too," the pup calls over to the scarred gray wolf. "we still have a long way to go you know."
"A long way. And exactly where would that be?" Tsume returns spitefully. "Would it be that 'Paradise' or would it be a place where the Flower's scent blooms?"
"Tsume?" Toboe asks worriedly glancing at Kiba nervously. "I wonder what Paradise is like."
I shake my head, these guys never quit.
"It's a great place," Hige answers. "There's flowers everywhere, and it's filled with food, it's even teeming with beautiful ladies." the last part seems like a wishful thought.
"Really?" Toboe asks eagerly, leaning forward.
"Yeah, it'd be nice if it was that is." Hige leans back, finished with his joke.
"Huh?" the pup cocks his head disappointedly.
"Paradise is nothing more than a rumor," Tsume retorts bitingly. "there's no evidence of its existence, it was probably just somebody's dream."
"Then why did you come?" Kiba asks
"We won't know until we find it," Toboe puts in suddenly, that kid has a lot of faith.
"How far are you three willing to trust this guy?" Tsume remarks acidly, glaring at Kiba. "how far are you willing to go, following this guy to a place that doesn't exist?" he shakes his head. "I can't take this anymore." without warning he turns, walking away.
"Tsume!" Toboe calls after him.
"Where do you think you're going?" Hige asking, trying to talk sensibly.
"I'll go look for a hell or something." Tsume replies.
"Do as you wish," Kiba replies coldly.
"Kiba," Toboe exclaims.
Our alpha ignores Toboe, staring at Tsume. "But your 'rules' won't work here." gold and silver eyes glint and burn in challenge.
"People like you who think they've seen everything, piss me off." Tsume bristles, walking away. Kiba remains unfazed at the remark.
"Tsume," Toboe calls after him, "but we've finally been able to become friends."
"Go play house on your own," Tsume shout back.
"Geez, he's the most immature of all of us." Hige mutters.
"But I like Tsume." Toboe says quietly. I nearly choke on my meal. "I have to go talk to him." he concludes urgently, rushing after the loner.
The rest of us finish the meal in silence. But I can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen. I keep looking towards the direction Tsume left.
"What's got you all nervous?" Hige asks, sucking on one of the bones.
"I don't know," I admit, "I just feel like I should know this place."
"Well you can't know everything." Hige replies, lying down.
"I know, but I just can't help feeling that something's not right." I mutter, my stomach churning, not from hunger, but from apprehension. I glance at Kiba, our eyes meet and I know he feels it too.
The moon is huge when it rises for the night, its light bathing us with its silver sheen. My thoughts fly back to the city, I should have tried to pack up something. These wolves needed nothing but food in their bellies. I resented being human right then just for having to rely on tools besides my own two hands and feet.
"Why do you want to come with us?" Hige asks suddenly after staring at the moon for a few minutes.
"Huh?" I start, somewhat agitated from being pulled back to reality. "I don't know really, but you guys seem to be the only link I have in this. I just feel like I'm walking with legends."
"Stories?" Hige asks, lying down. "Why do you say that?"
"My grandfather used to tell legends about wolves," I put simply. "do Wolves have their legends?" I ramble without thinking.
"We do," Kiba replies calmly, stretching out.
"My favorite was how the Wolves taught us to sing," I murmur, recalling how Grandfather always looked out to the mountains before starting his stories. "he always said that only the mountains keep the wolf's song alive, but is only heard on stormy nights when the winds are strongest."
Kiba gives me a stern eye, not interested in the subject. Hige just rolls over.
"Your grandfather, did he die?" he asks sympathetically.
I shake my head, "I don't know, he just disappeared one day and never came home." I clamp my mouth shut after answering.
"Just left?" Hige glances over to me curiously.
"That's what everyone said, but I have my doubts." I answer stonily.
"Like what?" the brown wolf asks blinking earnestly
"Like none of your business," I retort, turning away.
Hige sighs, then turns to Kiba. "Just forget about the guy," he suggests lightly as the white wolf is entranced by the moon. "it's not like we have to go with them anyway. We accidentally found them on our way after all."
"Same goes for you." Kiba replies easily.
"That Tsume guy, I'm getting dangerous vibes from him." Hige remarks stubbornly.
I know, ain't it great? I think to myself, smirking at the thought.
"That guy is the most fortunate among us." Kiba says calmly, his gaze not leaving the moon, before explaining his comment. "Even when he tries to blame someone else, it's different when no one's around. Fortunate indeed."
"What in the world did you go through?" Hige demands sitting up. "you always seem to talk as if you know everything. What really happened up until now?"
"Nothing," Kiba states quietly. "nothing at all."
Liar, I snort in distaste.
Several hours pass, and the feeling has not lessened, it's grown. A small tremor flows through the earth, I look around and see nothing on the horizon. Kiba and Hige begin walking and I follow slowly, constantly looking back. Several minutes later Kiba stops walking suddenly unsure of something.
"Hey don't you smell something?" Hige calls out smelling the air again. The wind blows towards us, and I catch the fragrance of the desert night air. Crisp, dry, unforgiving, but capable of supporting life, then I catch it, this lingering smell like frost on a lotus or lily blossom it's faint, but intoxicating nonetheless.
"Is that?" I ask looking to Kiba who's suddenly turned towards the scent, his eyes flashing as if he's recalling a memory, then stops, looking down at his feet. I approach him silently and see a red warning sign.
Hige also crouches looking at the sign as well. "There must have been a military facility here," he estimates. Kiba stands up walking back towards where the tremor came.
"Hey Kiba, wait up!" Hige calls after him, somewhat confused, turning back to the scent then raking his fingers through his hair, runs after him. I stare at the sign a while longer, then rush to catch up to them. I still don't know what's going on, I just know that I'm needed.
The two wolves' pace quickens incredibly. I'm sprinting just trying to keep them within sight. Hige finds Tsume's and Toboe's scent and soon I can feel the panic radiating off Kiba, almost as if he's worried.
We reach an iced ledge and looking down I see it. A large machine of some sort, it's taller than the average human with retracting treads, scaling down the slick slope, but the odd thing is, it's built lightly armed, combat seems a bit useless for something of this size, hunting, I realize, this thing was built to hunt.
What could this thing possibly be hunting? I ask skeptically, Kiba's growl answers my question. The machine hunts wolves. Kiba gets ready to spring down the cliff, I grab the scruff of his neck. "Wait," I yell. Hige looks at me wondering what's happening.
"Let me go down first," I offer quickly. "It won't harm me."
The white wolf turns to me unsure of my words.
"Look how do you know that?" Hige asks snidely. "Have you even looked at the thing?"
"Don't ask me how I know, but that thing is designed to hunt wolves," I rattle off quickly. "if you go down there, you become the target. I go down first, I can act as a shield, by keeping myself between the machine and the others." I look to Kiba for his approval. He nods, to me understanding the logic.
"Quickly," I nod, and jump down the rugged cliffs.
The first thing I notice is that my feet's grip on the ice is awkward, I'm used to running on asphalt, brick, and concrete in the city, the slick ice and crusted snow is quite a different feel. I kick the edge on the way down, just as I see Toboe rushing out of a small cave, the machine firing bullets into his footprints.
I take a chance and howl the sound attracts the machine's attention.
"Toboe!" I yell tumbling to the ground. "Get up." I howl again, followed by a short bark. The thing whirls its head towards me, the robot searches for a target aimlessly, finding none it just comes closer to the sound, trying to find this 'unseen' wolf. Tsume rushes out of the cave, the machine then finds a logical prey, and takes aim. Bullets whiz by the limping wolf, as it dodges around a corner nearby. The robot takes aim again causing a small explosion. The blow misses Tsume, but the shock wave knocks him down, while it just sends me back a step. The hunter robot steps forward aims again at the injured Tsume, this time its aim won't miss. Tsume leg bleeds onto the old snow. I race forward, jumping into the gunpoint. I hear Kiba's howl from the edge, again the robot turns towards the angry howl. The sickening crunch of metal is heard and I see the white wolf biting into the metal skeleton of the machine. The machine twists and flings Kiba off.
Kiba lands on his feet, snarling at the robot then races up a worn, twisted path of snow. The robot's right arm hisses, releasing the apparatus and replacing it with a larger barrel. My eyes widen for a moment, instinctively knowing what was within the barrel. I shake my head, turning my focus back to Tsume. The machine races after Kiba, leaving both Tsume and me in its wake of dusty snow. Both of us sigh in relief.
"Tsume get up, keep beside me." I order reaching down for his hand. He slaps it away, but the fear is still in his eyes. "This isn't the time to be tough, hot shot," I snap "get up and keep beside me, or we're both dead."
"Tsume, up here!" Hige yells from a higher ledge.
"Let's go Tsume," I shout, pulling him up by his shirt. He starts running keeping beside me while he does, before leaping up to the ledge.
The gunshots chase after Kiba as he continues up the path, before the robot releases a small missile towards him. I look up then howl again, before rushing at the machine, trying to make it impossible for the thing to get another shot at any of them, possible or not.
The robot turns into my direction, then I hear its 'eye' whirr into focus then take aim at me.
I feel my feet stop in mid-stride and I tumble into the snow.
How can, Why is it targeting me? I ask positively bewildered and I rush towards it again, while trying to keep out its immediate arsenal. Kiba leaps out from the explosion with a spear of ice grasped within his mouth. I keep the machine distracted with series of short barks and howls, while dancing out of its way. The white wolf, lands on top of the machine, stuffing the icicle down the barrel. I back away, half wondering why it had targeted me. I hear a dull rumble and I see a river of snow coming down the ravine's walls.
Avalanche I whisper in horror then race up the ledges, clinging to the glass sharp edges, hoisting myself to find footholds, desperately trying to get above the snow's current. I'm climbing quick with my hands bleeding, and my shoes barely holding their place, but the avalanche is along the canyon walls, and climbing faster than me.
"Kiba!" I yell out frantically as I see him near the edge.
I shut my eyes, ready for the overwhelming blast of snow, ice and stone, but instead I feel strong jaws bite into my shoulder, hoisting me up and dragging me up the steep wall until we reach a safe ledge. I scramble up the remainder of the cliff, feeling my warm blood slowly trickle down my back as I do. Once on top I see the rest of the wolves, safe, Tsume is the most injured with a deep cut on his left leg. I stand up panting, ignoring the pain in my sore shoulder and turning to the lean man who was sulking.
"Tsume, did you have to bring your thrill seeking reputation with you?" I ask somewhat annoyed. "cause you are never doing that again," I pause seeing his remorseful face. this guy's chewing himself out bad enough I estimate then as an afterthought make a joke out of my statement. "unless, of course you notify me several years in advance." Hige smirks approvingly then sees Kiba come back.
"Are you alright?" he asks, turning eagerly to the rugged human.
"It's nothing to worry about." Kiba shrugs.
"Don't fool around, geez," Hige remarks irritably.
Toboe looks down sheepishly. "Though it was only a moment, I thought you guys would come."
"Don't expect it next time" Hige scolds him.
"Don't chew him out," I speak up defensively, "no one's responsible for this happening."
"I didn't ask for this," Tsume replies coolly not moving from his spot. "for what reason… did you have to go that far? Not because we're 'friends' I hope."
"It was simply instinct," Kiba answers levelly.
Tsume stood up, and beginning to walk away.
Geez, does this guy ever learn? I shake my head as he limps away, Toboe rushes to him to hold him up, supporting him. Tsume turns back looking at us, Kiba especially, then continues on.
Apparently he does. I realize and start after him, Kiba follows next, and Hige trails behind us.