Chapter 3

Growing up

Hello Yay chapter 3! Thank you for reading my story. Well this is somewhat a fail. Sorry I haven't updating in so long I haven't been in the game lately, it took a lot of convincing to try and get myself to keep writing. But thanks for reading I hope you enjoy. Please R&R I do not own wolf's rain.

"If we are going to keep the runt we better pick up food in this town." Tsume said reluctantly. They all nodded and approached the new town. This one was nicely done with stone streets and sturdy buildings. They sky was shying blue and the pack walked the streets trying to avoid being noticed. However many of the townsfolk were rich and the sight of 5 teenagers and a baby seemed to draw their gazes like moths to a flame.

"What do we feed this thing?" Tsume asked as he looked around shifting his weight, it was obvious he didn't want to stay longer then they had to.

"This thing has a name." Blue said snidely. "And I think she is old enough for milk, water, and mashed foods." Toboe stumbled over to a street vender selling various vegetables and fruits.

"I'll take that one, and that one, and one of those." Toboe started but Kiba quickly grabbed him, pulling him away.

"Um, Toboe I don't know if you have noticed this but we are kind of broke. We don't have the money to buy Emiko food.

"But then how will we feed Emi?" Toboe asked a hint of sorrow in his eyes. In his arms Emi shifted in her sleep she rolled over before falling back into a soundless sleep.

"Don't worry Toboe," Blue said. "I have an idea." Kiba gave her a confused look but Blue just smiled and grabbed Tsume by the hand and stormed off down the block. Hige frowned and anxiously ran after them.

"What was that about?" Toboe asked curiously. Suddenly a blood curling scream pierced through the street turning every head towards Blue who was lying on the ground in front of a sideways car.

"My leg!" she screamed clutching her knee. Tsume and Hige knelt besides her telling her it would be alright. Toboe and Kiba stared in shock at the scene while the grocery man ran to help. Blue looked up at the two of them and winked. Recognition flashed in Kiba's eyes and he turned towards Toboe.

"Quick grab the food!" he whispered urgently as he gently pushed Toboe towards the stand. They both grabbed a bag and filled it with various foods, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, oranges, and various types of berries. They took a few steps away from the stand and Kiba nodded at Blue who nodded in return. She hopped to her feet and pretended to test her leg, tapping her foot against the ground a few times.

"Hey, Oh look, I guess it wasn't hurt after all, well I better be going." And the three of them dashed off to catch up with Kiba and Toboe, leaving civilian's behind staring after them as they fled the city. They didn't stop until they were in a cave miles away from the dome city.

"Thanks Blue," Kiba said between pants as he tried to catch his breath. Toboe put the blanket down gently and laid down beside it to rest and catch his breath.

"That was exhausting." Hige gasped as he lay down beside Blue.

"Come on, we should all rest now." Kiba said laying down himself.

"Um, guys." Toboe said drawing their attention. They all stared as Emi rocked, and pushed until she achieved a sitting position. From there she climbed to her feet. She wobbled and stumbled but took one step, then another towards the bag of food before she fell on her butt. She continued crawling towards the food then plopped down beside it and began sucking on an orange and stared at them with curious eyes. Toboe lied down beside her and she snuggled up against him, using him as a pillow as she closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

"The kid's got the right idea," Tsume said. "We should all rest." No one objected just laid down and fell asleep.

The next morning Emi awoke but instead of lying on the soft red fur of Toboe's she found the ragged brown fur of Hige, and she began to cry.

"Hey what's wrong?" he asked, giving Emi a confused look.

"Hige what did you do?" Kiba asked.

"Nothing I swear! I just woke up!" Toboe walked into the cave and nuzzled Emi with his snout.

"What's wrong Emi?" he asked. Slowly she opened her eyes and her sobbing stopped as she gripped a fistful of Toboe's hair and smiled. Toboe smiled back revealing his sharp teeth. Emi just laughed.

Time went by and Emi began to walk, then run and it became hard to get her to let them carry her in the blanket bag anymore. It resulted in a child riding on their backs like a rodeo clown. But it worked until she was old enough to walk with them on her own, of course they had to slow their pace to let her keep up, but not by much, and they never told Emi that. Emi also never realized that she wasn't like the rest of them. That she wasn't a wolf. Being raised to high standards she could run very fast for her age and was close to being able to keep up with them by the time she was twelve. Once she had grown up she barely resembled baby form and Toboe and Blue would often stop in amazement that they had managed to raise a human somehow.

"Stay here pup we are going to find dinner." Hige said as he gave Emi a pat on the head.

"Hige!" Emi called out, "I'm not a pup anymore!" Tsume walked past and ruffled her hair.

"Yea you are kid, now just stay put." Tsume said as he walked out of the cave. Emi gave a little growl and called after him.

"My name is Emi, uncle Tsume!" she blew her bangs out of her eyes with a stubborn blow and sat down on the cave floor. Blue gave a light chuckle as she walked away.

"Just relax Emi," Toboe told her. "Your just the youngest here you'll get used to it. Believe it or not I was the pup in the pack at one point."

"But I don't want to be the youngest." Emi said, stubbornly crossing her arms. Toboe smiled and walked away.

"Just don't burn the place down Emiko," Kiba said jokingly, "We should be back soon, deer are plentiful in this area. And remember if a strange human or animal comes by,"

"Hide or run." Emi finished knowing Kiba's daily speech word for word. He gave it every time they left her alone. Kiba smiled then walked away taking on his wolf form for hunting. Emi sighed, the soft sound echoing through the empty cave. Emi lay down on the stone ground and shivered before getting up. It's so cold. She thought as she looked around, the cave suddenly seeming like a dark, cold and lonely place. Emi sighed and decided she had to do something or she may die of boredom. She climbed to her feet and faced the cave, the tunnel stretching out into unknown darkness. Emi walked into it and once she was encased in darkness she waited for her eyes to adjust to the slim sunlight shining through the cracks in the walls and ceiling.

Emi kicked a rock as she walked the sound deafly loud in the quite tunnel. I don't want to be the youngest. Emi thought as she walked. I am not weak I can take care of myself; they don't need to treat me like a small cub. They probably think I'm useless. Emi frowned and with an angry cry kicked the rock as hard as she could down the corridor and it disappeared into darkness, the sound echoing into its depths.

Clank

It collided with what sounded like a wall and suddenly the entire cave began to shake. And pebbles fell from the ceiling. Emi swallowed Cave in! She thought franticly and turned to run back to the entrance but a boulder crashed down in front of her, and another, and another until the entire path was impassable. Emi collapsed to the ground as the rumbling stopped, she was totally trapped. "Emi let out a frustrated howl as her eyes grew damp. Emi's gaze fell upward and she looked at the damage, and noticed something strange. She could actually see the damage.

She looked at the top and saw that the roof itself had caved in and light was not streaming through a gaping hole in the ceiling above the rocks. Emi's face lit up and she grabbed at the rocks in front of her and pulled herself up. Gravel gave way under her fingers and she slipped and landed on her butt. Emi growled angrily and tried again, this time testing each foot hold before putting her weight on it. She was about ½ ways up when her foothold began to give and she scrambled up as fast as she could and onto the roof of the cave.

Gasping she looked around. She was about one story up and the wind was rushing past her threatening to rip her from the ground the toss her over the side. Emi took one step then another as she slowly approached the side hoping to find somewhere to climb down.

"Emi!" she heard someone shout. She looked down to see the pack staring at her. A bleeding dear hanging limply from Kiba's mouth. Emi quickly found a place and began to climb down. When she was finally beside them she said.

"Wait guys, I can explain. I was walking through the cave and there was a cave in I had to climb up and, and." She panted out of breath, the wind whipping at her torn purple t-shirt.

"Calm down Emi." Blue said. "We understand you're not in trouble…but we did tell you to stay put." Emi's cheeks turned scarlet.

"Well, um, a…" she stuttered. "Hey nice catch Kiba!" Kiba sighed.

"It's alright, what's done is done." Kiba said through gritted teeth.

"Yea, let's just eat." Hige said hungrily eyeing the deer. Kiba put it down and began to eat, the others following shortly afterwards. Emi just sat there waiting patiently for her turn. Finally she got a little piece of meat. Gingerly she wrapped it in a cloth and went back to the cave. The others followed and found her rubbing two sticks together.

"What is she doing?" Hige asked.

"She is trying to start a fire to cook the meat." Tsume said.

"Raw meat makes her sick and upsets her stomach." Blue said glancing at them; they all knew it was because she was human. Emi blushed.

"I am sure I will grow out of it one day, when I am older and my stomach is stronger." She spoke of it as if it were some childish habit or sickness that would vanish over time. The others exchanged worried looks before Tsume stepped forward.

"You can't start a fire with just wood." He said calmly. "You need something that will easily catch fire. He rolled a ball of dry, wispy, leaves towards her. She placed them on the bark and began rubbing the sticks quickly on top of it. "The sticks will work as ignition to gather heat and start the fire." Sure enough a moment later a spark flew landing on the leaves which immediately flared their fire hitting the bark which was also set ablaze.

"Thanks." Emi said sheepishly as she put the deer on the stick and held it above the fire, slowly turning it so it would be even. They all sat there in silence a while and Emi ate her cooked deer. It was bland and bitter but at least it filled her up. And in the small den with a warm fire and their bellies full, the cave had lost all fighting credibility it had when she was alone. Now, with the patch there, it felt like home.

Author's note: Hey well I don't know when I will post again but I should be able to start the actual plot. Stay tuned I hope you enjoy.

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