Hey guys, so it's been a long time since I posted, and I am sorry for that. I've been out of school for a year now (yes, yes, I know, a HSC graduate should write better than this, but cut me some slack) , and am trying to decide what I want to do with my life, while dealing with everyone yelling at me about doing nothing at all. Blah, blah, not very interesting. But I was in a writing mood, and really wanted to keep working on this story. However, I've lost all my random notes for this story, so if there's anything you want to see, any drama that could be added, or any ideas you can hurl my way, it would be greatly appreciated. So, hope you enjoy this chapter, despite it being too short, and a tad uneventful.
Tsume
Not Kiba. Not Kiba. Kiba. Kiba. Kiba. No. Why, God damn it! I snarl angrily to myself. Kiba doesn't know what he's sacrificing for us. Never experienced contact on that level, never even liked someone that way, to my knowledge, and now, this? I should have gone; I should have pushed him out of the way and taken his place. Or, or, convinced him that it was better that we all die? I don't know. I don't want any of us to die, we've been through so much together, and yet, not enough at all, I'm not ready to say goodbye to any of them yet. Maybe not ever. This is my pack, my family, my life now. I know why Kiba did this; it's his pack too. But, it should have been me. I would know what to expect of low life humans such as these. I would know how to handle it; I'd always been involved in the bad business and areas in the human cities, been involved with some despicable men, and at times even women. I would know what to expect. Kiba won't. Whatever is happening to him right now, he won't, wouldn't, can't know –
"You're still bleeding" I snap out of my thoughts at the deadpan voice. It's the remaining gunslinger. When he was left behind he had stood stoic and unmoving, back to the bars, not seeing us as any threat or with any interest. He doesn't appear to have moved at all. I look down at the wound in my leg. The small bullet hole is around mid thigh, and is still oozing with blood, dribbling between my fingers where I've grasped the bloody tear firmly. We tend to heal fast, but not this time it seems.
"Yeah, what's it to ya?" I snark, a scowl etched into my face. Hige, Blue and Toboe have squeezed together on the one bunk. Hige was keeping a tight hold on Toboe, who looked distressed at not being by me in a time of need, stupid pup. Thankfully Hige was smart enough to know that I was a step away from losing all control. Just the thought of what was being done to Kiba at this moment was making me dig my fingers deeper into the fresh injury causing myself more harm and pain, I don't want to take out the same frustration on the whelp.
The familiar whine of Higes' stomach breaks the tense silence. I realise my leg and let the blood flow freely. I can't bring myself to care about it. The others all just look anxious, and it's not helping me stay calm or collected; it means none of them are thinking of an escape plan, or a rescue for our missing alpha.
"You're hungry." The gunslinger states; still not turning, he does however tilt his head upwards, off to the side, where I'm presuming a clock is located. "We don't usually feed anyone till around six, if they're not...occupied, but as you haven't eaten since we caught sight of you, and then physically caught you, we may be able to fit in an extra meal" he seems to be talking more to himself then to us, so none of us respond. With only a moment's pause, he whirls on his heel and marches off down the dimly lit walkway.
"Tsume? Are you alright?" Toboe queries earnestly. I've always secretly hated that question as from experience, if it needs to be asked, the answer is usually no.
"Yeah kid, I'm fine" I lie, and for once I think even he realised it. Toboe wriggles from Higes' hold and approaches me with apprehension.
"Do, do you want me to... lick it better?" the awkward question made me snort, at least he asked this time.
"No, just pass me one of those blankets, I'll wrap it up"
"Are you sure; they're really dirty, it might just make it worse" but he grabs one of the moth eaten, was once white blankets and hands it to me anyway. Just as I go to tear a strip off, I hear the sound of returning footsteps. I put the blanket on the floor and rise completely to my feet. He had returned holding two tuber ware containers. Both two large to go through the bars. I shift slightly, ready to spring, yet trying to keep all weight off my leg. He doesn't even glance at me. Hige knows what's going through my head and rises as well. This could be our chance. A guard over estimating his skills, or underestimating our speed and strength, or mind set, and believing we've resigned ourselves to this state of living after only an hour. He makes a small hand signal and the bars start to slide open, just like when Kiba approached them it only gives enough room for one person to squeeze through, but it would be enough. The moment he steps one foot inside our cell I leap forward, dropping my human illusion, ready to sink my fangs and claws into his flesh. And just as I try to connect with his chest, he launches and arm out, hitting my torso with a solid crunch that sends me reeling backward into Hige who bounded forward only a second after me. We topple to the ground in a heap, ad by the time we even think to right ourselves; the bars are already closed again. I wheeze quietly, ribs aching and lungs feeling constricted.
How the hell? He was my size, and shared the same lithe, tight build, how did he wallop a punch like that? And do it before I got to him? The only human I's seen do that was Darcia. I look him up and down again. The angular features on a face that seemed incapable of movement, dark, rich coloured brown hair pulled into a low ponytail that hung straight and neat down the nape of his neck. Hazel eyes watched me intently, not seeming frightened or smug, not showing any emotion in them at all, and also not showing any signs of being a warped hybrid like the noble we all know and hate. What was he?
Hige stepped forward and picked up the two containers he left behind. One he handed to me; it contained tweezers, antiseptic and bandagers. The other container, that Hige had already dived into held cold sausages. Toboe shoved one into his own mouth, seeming to swallow it without chewing, and came over to me with another, setting it in my hand before grabbing the tweezers to help remove the lodged bullet. I grit my teeth and allow him to do his nurse act. All the while I watch the brunette standing outside our cell.
Hours pass. The intriguing gunslinger had been replaced by one of the more grotty ones, with oily hair and a grimace permanently painted on his face. He had called our previous watcher Kai, who in turn had referred to this horrid human as Tay. But it didn't matter. Kiba still hadn't returned and it was making my stomach twist and knot and boil with worry, frustration and borderline panic at times. I hid it well from the others, who also seemed to be trying to cover their feelings, but Hige kept glancing at the hallway, hoping for Kiba to appear, in between telling silly jokes to the others. Toboe was laughing too loudly due to his nerves and couldn't keep it natural. While Blue eyed her nails, desperate to bite at something seeing as how she couldn't get our captures. I sprawled on the lower bunk across from the others, unable to pull myself to the top one, and unwilling to lose sight of them. A loud banging sounded and all the hall lights flared on as well as those in the other cells. I winced and blinked rapidly. The cell opposite ours was roughly the same size but held the furnishings of a basic room, complete with desk, cot, a shelf and a toilet and mirror.
Rising from the narrow cot was a young girl. She had short dark curls, large blue eyes, and that simple innocence that any twelve year old held. It was so amazing that she kept that aura of purity in a place like this. She wore a white shirt with frills around the edges and bows on the short sleeves and matching shorts. Her bare arms and legs were thin and pale, yet not in a sickly manner. As she walked to the bars of her own cell, she noticed my gaze and her large blue eyes locked on my own gold ones. She smiled sweetly and waved. The guard by our cell was called over by someone at the far end of the corridor and disappeared from view.
I rise to my feet and shuffle closer.
"Hi" she grins "You must be what caused such a commotion this morning, or was it last night? It gets kind of hard to tell without windows, and the odd times they turn the lights on" she babbled almost happily. Toboe appears by my side in the blink of an eye.
"Hi! I don't know what time it was but yeah I suppose it was us, sorry if we woke you. I'm Toboe! And this Tsume, and that's Hige and Blue. Tsume got shot and –"
"I'm pretty sure she can see that genius." I snap, I had stopped bleeding, but the pristine white bandage was stained with a reddish brown now.
"Oh, right, yeah" He giggled awkwardly.
"Good thing Kai managed to get you some bandages. He's so nice!" she chirped. I raise an eyebrow, is she delusional? That statue? Nice? I turn and limp back to my mattress, sitting down, but still focusing on the girl. "Oh look, here comes the food trolley! How exciting!"
"How long have you been here?" To get so excited over the arrival of food would either mean she was starved or doesn't get out of her cell enough. "And what's your name?"
"My name is Kimi, and I don't really, don't know, I've been here awhile I think" she stumbles. A trolley is pushed into view, Kimi's cell is pulled open and she's handed a plate. She doesn't struggle or try o get away, doesn't glare or show any distress at being at such a proximity to her captures. She grabs her food and sits down on her bed and starts to eat, unhurried, almost content. It was worrying. Would we get that comfortable here? Would we learn to be happy here?
Then they turn to us, yet again, with a large container instead of a plate like Kimi's meal. I was just random pieces of meat, it various degrees of cooked; ranging from raw bloody pieces, to bits that were burnt to a crisp. It almost seemed like most of it was just he bits they couldn't give to anyone else, or that they couldn't bother cooking because they were rejected cut-offs. This time they had their guns aimed at us while they opened the bars and tossed the food in. Half the contents fall on the floor as they slam the bars shut. I growl at them, while Hige scowls, Toboe pouting while he picks it all up. Toboe brings it over to me, and Hige and Blue raise and shuffle over to huddle onto the one bunk.
"What are we going to do?" Hige asks before stuffing his face again.
"I don't know. Kiba's bought us some time, so we need to think of a way out."
"Yeah well you guys tried the straightforward approach and got knocked on your asses like you were poodles" Blue throws in.
"You would know house pet!" Hige waves his arms between us, cutting off Blue's response.
"Guys! Come on. Kiba's up there...and we need to be planning something so he doesn't need to go through that again." I notice that he avoids mentioning what could be happening to our alpha. I see it's not just weighing down on me. "There's that total freak that was on earlier, and the others keep guns on us, and we've had too many close calls with bullets and lasers for me to want to attempt escape while that's going on. We could try a diversion?" Idea throwing, good times. We all sit in silence, eating slowly.
We need to find a way out of this. I can't wait around not knowing what's going on. And then, suddenly I didn't have to. Looking up, I see Kiba standing there quietly. He was still wearing the leather pants, something I had always wanted to see him in; but not like this. Not in this situation; with the disgusting overtly large blonde man leaning over him and muttering in his ear with a sickening smile. The others see where my attention is focused and turn as well, leaping to their feet. Guns are raised almost immediately and then Kiba is pushed through the gap in the bars and there's an awkward silence. I sit there, glancing around the others backs, to see Kiba's blank stare focused on the floor. Not moving a muscle.
Oh, Kiba.