Pack of Outcasts

Chapter 11- Familiar

Hey y'all I'm back! And have time to write once again! Yippy! So last we left of with kind of an odd ending that left most of you with a WTH just happened? I felt the same way so I thought about rewriting that part then decided against it. instead I just went with it and this is the result ENJOY!

"Tib?" Tobi said, barely above a whisper.

"W... what's he doing?" Ember asked, looking at the other wolves standing next to him.

Tobi turned to look at Flurrie, her eyes were like saucers as her whole body trembled. They had just run into the ghost that she was so afraid of. And he didn't know how to respond, he wanted to protect her but what could he do. The ghost smelled vaguely familiar but he couldn't quite place the scent. And when he spoke… He wanted to believe but he just couldn't. So what if the ghost knew them all by name? Ghosts can do that, can't they? He took another look at Flurrie. She was shaking pretty badly, starting to shift weight from one paw to the next as she rapidly looked around for an escape route. Tobi knew that if they ran it would all be over. They didn't stand a chance on their own, they had to stick together in this. He moved closer to Ember and whispered something in his ear. Eliciting a nod from the nervous wolf. He stepped away, slowly counting under his breath.

"One…."

Ember glanced hesitantly over at him, waiting for the signal.

"…two…"

Sasha took one cautious step forward, not sure of what she should feel. Was this really who she thought it was? He looked so different. The disheveled fur, the scar on his face, his size. He was definitely smaller than she remembered… or was it just because she was smaller then? She wasn't too sure. She let her tail wag slowly from one side to the other.

"THREE!" Tobi barked, charging towards the white wolf.

Ember dashed off with him, bowling into the glacial colored wolf. He was surprised out how light the other wolf felt, the two of them easily knocked him to the ground. Tobi going down with the white wolf, fangs glistening in the moonlight. Ember stood there for a brief moment. He heard a snarl and looked up just in time to see the reddish brown wolf lunge for him. Tackling him to the ground as the two of them nipped at each other.

Shiego looked up shocked, not expecting what had just occurred. He caught the pups jaw in his own and forced the pups head to the side as the midnight wolf tried to strike. He was determined, he'd give him that but…

"TOBOE STOP!" Shiego yelled, kicking the black wolf off himself with his hind legs.

Toboe paused just long enough for Ember to get loose and crouch for another attack. Ember took one step and then got knocked to the ground. He looked up, scared at the wolf pinning him down. Its teeth against his neck as the hot breath coursed through his fur.

Ember let out a shocked gasp, "Tib?"

Tiberius held him there for a good few seconds letting it sink in. "Stop fighting!"

Tobi stopped to look over at Ember, pinned to the ground by Tiberius. He glanced back at the white wolf as it stood up and turned to look directly at him. Tobi barred his teeth, letting out a low growl as a warning. Something was amiss about this whole thing and it was really getting to him. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"Tobi?"

"Back off!" He snarled, taking a step back.

"Tobi, it's me…. Shiego."

"NO! He's gone, dead! You're NOT HIM!" He barked back, still unsure.

"Tobi…" The white wolf turned to the side, looking away. "I'm sorry"

"Sorry?! For WHAT!" He took another step backwards, tripping on a branch and stumbling to the ground. He rapidly sprung to his feet, not taking his eyes off the other wolf.

"Shiego?" It was Sasha's voice. Tobi took a quick glance to his side as his sister walked past him, her head lowered.

"Sasha…" The white wolf let it out like a whisper on the night air.

"Shiego!" The sienna female let out a yip of excitement, dashing for the white wolf, her tail furiously swinging back and forth.

"Sa…" His words were cut off as the pup slammed into him, wriggling with joy.

Tobi stood several paces off, his jaw hanging wide open at the way his sister had responded. No way! It couldn't be… could it? He let the scents slowly sink in, taking one very hesitant step forward.

"Shiego?" Ember coughed the words out as Tiberius got up off him. "He's…?" Turning questionably to Tib.

"Yes, that's our alpha." Tib said matter-of-factly, looking over at Sasha. The once small brown pup has ecstatic. Running in circles, darting around the white wolf, licking him on the cheek sporadically.

"Tobi."

"What?" Tobi turned towards the tan wolf, the scar across his chest shimmering ever so slightly in the moon light.

"It is him."

"But? How? I thought…. Oh man…" Tobi glanced quickly at the white wolf, then quickly looked away. He was so screwed, he felt sick. And what followed was just as sickening.

"EWW! Tobi!" Sasha blurted out disgusted. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned for him as he stood bent over last night's dinner on his lips and on the ground.

"Sorry…" Tobi groaned, "I don't feel so good. I… I'm sorry… I didn't think."

Shiego took a step forward and stopped, seeing the way Tobi glanced up and stepped back. "It's okay, you were unsure. You were just protecting your pack."

"But I should have known..." The black wolf looked away. He had attacked his alpha, straight of the bat. It didn't matter why, he had done it and it didn't sit too well with him, he upchucked the rest of dinner. The other wolf's mostly just stared, mostly.

"Well if he's done sharing can we get on with introductions?" Tsume's gruff voice cut through the air.

"Yes, please?" Ciri stood up and took several steps towards Shiego and Sasha.

"Who are you?" Sasha asked, turning around and sniffing in the other wolfs direction.

"My name is Ciri." She said walking up, letting the pup sniff her and she sniffed her. The scent was vaguely familiar. She tried to place it for a bit and then remembered. It was a scent she had smelled before, on Shiego when she had first found him. That was a long time ago, she shivered at the thought of the white wolf back then. He was barely older than Sasha was now but yet he was older just the same. She had seen it in his eyes, one who had seen the world. That's what she liked about him, nothing much seemed to faze him that much, and he was pretty steady, if he wasn't being a jerk that is.

"Hi, I'm Sasha!" She yipped, unable to hold still.

"I'm Toboe… Sorry about that." The reddish brown wolf said, lowering his head as he walked up to Ember.

"It's okay…" he stood up.

"I'm Tiberius…hmm?" Tib took a whiff of the other wolf's scent. Holy… He took another quick sniff, then looked over at Shiego, receiving a reassuring nod. "You…. You're…. The… the…"

"I'm the what?" Toboe asked, sitting on his haunches and cocking his head to the side.

"The… the…"

"THE PUPPY!" Sasha blurted out, bowling into the three of them. "Hiya! I'm Sasha!"

"I'm not a pup." Toboe tried to get up.

Ciri let out a chuckle as she walked over.

"Can it runt." Tsume loped over to get to know the others. He kept his distance from Tib, the older wolf staring oddly at him, and his chest.

"Who are you?" Sasha bolted up, in front of the silver wolf looking quizzically at his chest.

"I'm Tsume…"

"Hi!" She gave him a quick lick on the cheek and dashed off to meet the rest.

"Are you hot?" Ciri asked Tsume, jokingly.

"No, why?"

"Your face is all red." She teased, thinking how clever that was to herself.

"Just shut up." He turned around and bumped into someone. How many of them are there?! He looked up. The other wolf sniffing the top of his head.

"Do I know you?" Tib asked, stepping to the side as Tsume brushed past him.

"No… no you don't."

"Oh… I just thought." Glancing at his own mark.

"You were just the first of many."

"I was? But…dang."

"They started handing them out like party favors. They're pretty common now." He lied, trying to lead the other wolf off track.

"Hmm… well that sucks, Anyway, Names Tiberius, but most everyone calls me Tib."

"B…Tsume, My names Tsume." He turned away, furious at himself. He was doing so well, and he almost slipped up.

Tiberius lifted a brow for a moment then shrugged, walking over to Shiego. Ciri was sitting next to him, leaning up against his right shoulder. "So you picked up another friend I see."

"Huh?"

Tib nodded towards the female.

"Oh, no… it's not what you think." Remembering the last time they were together, the pack, and Jade.

"OH really?" Tib smirked, causing Ciri to blush, and look away.

"Knock it off Tiberius."

"Oh come on, it's not every day you meet an eligible female, so why her?"

"I promised her dad I'd take her to Paradise, that's all."

"So she fair game?" He teased, noticing the color getting darker in his alphas ears.

"No…. she…. She's not…and no, it's not open for discussion." He cut Tiberius off, anticipating his next question.

"Well, I'll be."

"TIB!" Tobi ran over, very upset about something.

"What?"

"It's… its Flurrie…. She's GONE!"

"GONE!?" Tiberius quickly looked around. The white and tan speckled female was nowhere to be found.

"Oh cats, I'm so dead."

"No you're not, Tobi, now who's Flurrie?" Shiego asked.

"That's Tobi's girlfriend!" Sasha couldn't but help tease him about it.

"Oh be quiet Sasha." Her brother scolded, looking worriedly to the older wolves.

"We have to find her, where did you see her last, how long ago, what was she doing…."

"Whoa, hold on there. Let's think about this a minute Tib." Shiego said, drawing the other wolfs attention.

"But, but… we have to find her, she'll get lost out here!" Tobi whined.

"It'll be hard as it is." Tsume said, looking up in time to see a large cloud pass over the moon, casting the entire landscape into darkness.

"Think Tobi, why do you think she ran?"

"Um, I think she was scared."

"Of what?"

"Of you… she thought you were Demon…." He trailed off. Everyone could feel the tension in the air at the mention of the name. Ciri glanced over at the alpha, she could see the snarl on his face in the low light. The mere mention of the name nearly ended up with her almost getting killed last time.

"Tobi, I don't think…" Ciri began.

"No it's alright Ciri." Shiego cut her off. "He's right."

"Huh?" Tobi asked puzzled.

"You were right about her thinking who I was." Shiego gritted his teeth. "Demon…" The name tasted foul upon his tongue. "He is a part of me, I think it's in everyone's best interest to not mention it."

Toboe gave a very hearty nod in agreement. He didn't want to have to go through that again, ever. He felt a shiver go down his spine at the mere thought. He glanced over at Tsume, he could just make out a slight grimace as the wolf silently flexed his shoulder. Tsume didn't want to remember that night as much as the rest of them, but especially he didn't want to remember the part he had played.

"Okay…" Tobi said, letting the alphas comment sink in a bit.

"But we have to find her?!" Sasha barked, drawing everyone back to the matter at paw.

Shiego glanced around at the pack, all eyes were on him. He was the alpha, it was his call, his right, his duty. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he collected his thoughts. "Where did you see her last then, she couldn't have gone far."

Shiego: Well that took long enough.

Sierra: Well if it isn't Mr. Fluffy Butt.

Shiego: Don't call me that... not in public

Sierra: We're not in public *wink*

Shiego: I still don't trust you.

Sierra: You and most of the pack...

Shiego: Well if you would just stick to the plot line it would all be fine.

Sierra: What plot line *snickers*

Shiego: *facepaw*

What happened to Flurrie? And where the heck is the pack at? Find out in the next chapter!

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