Chapter 2

Kira awoke feeling stiff and sore. He rolled onto his side and stretched out his limbs and let out a wide yawn. He sat up and looked around. It was hard to tell how long he had slept. The surrounding area still looked as gloomy as ever and there was a over cast sky which did little to help. A fog had also settled on the ground. But this was to be expected, it was the forbidden part of the forest after all.

Kira looked down as he heard a growl realizing it had come from his stomach. "I'm so hungry," Kira grumbled, clutching his aching and empty tummy. "I should probably start looking for food if there is any that is," Kira said leaving the cave and stepping out onto the cool, hard ground. It felt soothing under his cut feet and hands.

He pricked his ears up heading out, listening carefully for any sounds of prey and more importantly, predators. In this part of the woods he should probably be more attentive then the other. Firstly because this was a new environment and he still had to adjust to it. The second is that it is much more dangerous and is home to many ferocious beasts and demons. Even worse than demons and beasts, powerful spirits.

Its not like the spirits would directly target you unless you provoked them. But spirits are easy to stir up. This is pretty obvious since those who in past events have got on their bad side didn't come out too well, that is if they came out at all. It was not rare for someone to go missing and never return once they had entered this part of the wood. Spirits were said to often get stirred up at even the smallest of things that would not bother others, such as entering their territory, even if it was an accident and not purposely done to smaller things such as 'being too loud' or 'breathing to hard.'

Kira knowing it was best to get out of this part of the woods and into more familiar grounds, he set off backtracking along the path he had left yesterday. This wasn't that easy because when he had been running yesterday he had been moving fast and the ground was quite firm too so he hadn't left any foot prints. He was just following the trail of broken twigs from the leafless bushes and brambles.

The down side that Kira dreaded the most was that somewhere along this track it would lead to the one who had chased him into this forsaken part of the woods in the first place. He just hoped that it had left and given up on him.

"Geez. What is up with this forest," Dearka whined again when the radio and the transmitter wouldn't pick up any signal. Dearka had been trying to get some reception for about half an hour but it refused to work. "Give it up already. It doesn't work so just quit. Your really pissing me off," Yzak snarled snatching the transmitter off Dearka. "Hey. Give it back," Dearka said indignantly trying to grab it back. Athrun heaved a deep sigh. It was going to be a very long day.

"Come on. We should get going now. We have been sitting around for half an hour trying to fix the transmitter and we aren't getting any further to fixing it so lets go," Athrun said. "What!" Dearka said instantly stopping his pursuit in retrieving the transmitter from a frustrated Yzak.

"Lets go," Nicol said excitedly. He had been up the earliest and the last to sleep. He was acting like an energizer bunny since they had found the werewolf and it was getting on everyone's nerves. "Ok fine. Just let me go pee," Dearka said turning around and walking to the nearest tree his hand moving towards his fly. "Not in front of us!" Athrun cried. "We're all guys so I don't see the problem here," Dearka complained turning his head to look at Athrun. Athrun's firm look silenced him. Giving up he tottered off behind some bushes.

"Come on Yzak," Athrun said getting in the drivers seat, Nicol next to him in the passenger seat. "Don't tell me what to do," Yzak said giving Athrun an icy look. Athrun sighed yet again. "You have got to loosen up Athrun. Really your going to start sprouting white hairs soon. Come on. This is the most exciting moment of our lives. Discovering a new species and all," Nicol smiled. Athrun returned a weary smile and raked a had through his silky hair.

Once all of them had gotten into the car ands Athrun made an effort to check that everyone had been to the toilet , he turned the key and off they were.

The trip through the trees was a very difficult one. Now they were off the road, spindly trees and leafless bushes were everywhere , smashing into the jeeps sides. The jeep was already covered in scratches from yesterdays escapade.

Suddenly the jump bounced as the drove through a ditch. The ground was covered with fog so Athrun was having extreme problems determining where the level ground was and where the ditches were too. They went over another ditch, a loud bang sounded from underneath the jeep. Athrun winced, this jeep was not going to be in good condition when they returned. He dreaded to think what his father would say, but then again, once they had captured the werewolf all that would be forgotten and forgiven.

Nicol had his hands clamped to his mouth, looking quite pale and ill. From the driving seat Athrun shot quick glimpse at him and felt uneasy, since if they didn't stop soon he would most likely throw up and they would have to deal with it's smell until they could get out of the forest and get it cleaned and that could be a while.

The group of rangers had little idea of where to start looking for the werewolf. It could be quite a distance away by now, but then again it would have to rest too. They decided on following where they had went yesterday and having a look around there.

Kira cautiously plodded onwards, ears pricked up listening for any sound of another being other than himself. His feet silently padded along the stony, hard grounds He lowered his nose to the ground again to try and pick up a scent, but nothing.

He looked up at the branches at his level, they all remained unbroken. He had long lost the trail he had used yesterday. Yes he held some of the most strength in the clan but then again he wasn't very good at tracking since his friends all did it for him and he just followed. Now he was really regretting not learning how to track more skillfully.

His stomach let out another deep growl reminding him of his hunger. His body was slowing down and now feeling weak and queasy. He needed to get back to his clan so that his injuries could be treated. That was another thing he had always taken for granted. When he was injured in the past he would always be able to just go to the medical member of the clan, Murrue, a motherly middle aged werewolf who he had always been very fond of, as a parental figure of course. Now he dearly missed her remedies and soothing words that always made him feel better.

In the near by distance he heard a crack of twigs and branches. Kira stopped suddenly, listening hard, and his head looking in every direction for a sign of movement.

The rangers were doing the exact same, well not really. Athrun was clearly struggling with driving and the vehicle and not crashing it amongst the many dead trees. Dearka snored unpleasantly as he slept loudly in the back seat, his head resting on the platinum haired mans shoulder who had a twitch beneath his left eye, obviously angered, yet ignoring the other teen with all the patience he could muster. He had already pushed him off so many times he had lost count. And Nicol, a little pale from motion sickness was still an eager beaver and enthusiastic as ever. A set of binoculars jammed to his eyes staring around in every direction.

"ATHRUN," Nicol shouted, making the poor blue haired boy jump in his seat. "What is it Nicol," Athrun heaved heavily. "I saw it in the distance. I know its him this time!" Athrun rolled his eyes. This must have been the 36th time Nicol had seen the werewolf today. He was so excited his eyes were most likely playing tricks on him. "Are you sure this time," Athrun asked, not wanting to go on yet another wild goose chase ending up more disappointed then before. "Yes I am, now DRIVE!" Nicole yelled, particular emphasis placed on the last word.

"Whaaa," came the incoherent reply from the back seat, as Dearka woke up. "Nicol thinks he's found the werewolf again," drawled Yzak, as he looked down at his shoulder in disgust as a wet patch of drool was visible upon his shirt. "Oh," was all Dearka said as the excitement died in an instant. "I might just go back to sleep then," he said turning to rest his head back on Yzak's surprisingly comfy shoulder. "Don't you even think about it," growled Yzak pushing Dearka away.

"Athrun," whined Nicol, "I'm certain this time please just trust me once more." Athrun slowed the jeep and looked at Nicol. His eyes were widened, his big brown eyes and his lips pushed out in a pout and red circles around each eye from where the binoculars had been, making him look irresistibly cute. There was no way in hell Athrun could say no to a face like that. "Ok, ok. I give in," sighed Athrun, "where do you think it is?"

Nicol pointed in the direction and Athrun followed Nicol's lead, trying is best to make his way through the obstacle course of trees.

Kira quivered with fear. The large crunching noise, that sounded oh so much like the sound that the monster had made yesterday, was approaching at an alarming rate. Judging by the grinding and smashing of the tree's branches and thorny bushes were shown no mercy by the monster, it just plowed onwards smashing into anything and everything in its path.

Kira started to move again to avoid the monster, but his legs and arms now felt like jelly and his back right leg now had a limp. He hobbled along, his hands and feet aching.

"LOOK," Nicol yelled, pointing at something moving very close by. "It can't be," cried Dearka seeing it also. Yzak picked up the tranquilizer gun which had been resting in his lap. He leant through the middle of the two front seats and shone the guns red light upon the figure now meters away.

Now panicking, Kira saw the monster was now in plain sight and so close he could even smell it's scent. It was a fume like nothing he had smelt before and it burned the inside of his sensitive nose. He lifted his hand and flicked it against his nose in an attempt to stop the stinging. It was very distracting.

It was too late before he realized it had been mistake to stop to scratch his nose, he felt a painful piercing in his neck. He lifted his hand to remove it but he had never realized how heavy it was. And then his eyelids felt heavy too. Maybe it was time for a nap. His body gave way and he collapsed on the hard ground, out cold in under a minute since hit with the tranquilizer.

He slipped mercifully into a peaceful sleep.

Hehe, thanks for the read and sorry for the long wait. I hope there aren't too many errors in it, tell me if you hunt any down.

Thanks alot to the following for reviewing, you guys are awesome!

3 Knyghtshade, Infinite sky, Sharingan-Youkai, SerenityKaraTinaWolf, Jinxie-the-Thief and lilplayer. 3

Next chappy we see what happens to poor Kira.

Reviews are much appreciated.