Chapter Seven

Lost and Found

With little left to do, the trio consisting of wolves and a small wildcat set out in which ever direction sounded right. That is, where they had left them months ago. Admittedly, their time apart was nearing to over half a year and Hige and Blue highly doubted they would be in the same spot. Or if Cheza could have survived that long.

But the journey wasn't easy. For one thing, Felidae had much shorter legs and less stamina. Then there was the deal with the Book. After a few steps were taken, it immediately presented a problem. Blue was all for just leaving the thing behind, but Felidae flat out refused. A day passed. Hige, growing tired of the bickering, opted to take the Book of the Sun, and did. In order to travel farther, Blue was grudgingly forced to carry Felidae. But with her teeth.

All in all, it was very unusual, and a rather hard scene to describe if someone saw it.

Nonetheless, a month passed in this manner. They went on instinct and Hige's nose. One night, they were trekking through a pine forest when Hige stopped. Snow fell between the perfectly laid out trees, and the moon, already waning from its fullest, was the only source of light.

Blue dropped Felidae to the ground, and the cat landed heavily with a protest. Blue shifted, but didn't say anything. She could be rough, but not to friends. She turned her muzzle to Hige instead. "Why have you stopped?"

Hige had also dropped his own possession, but couldn't stand still. He was pacing in between two trees, sniffing the air as his feet crunched in the unbroken crust of snow. "Not sure, but damn, this place seems familiar."

Blue tilted her head to the side, sniffing lightly at the air as well, detecting nothing except the usual fresh scents of nature. She looked back at the other wolf, her blue eyes puzzled. Hige could only shake his head, sighing loudly.

"We might as well rest here tonight. Felidae looks like she's about to collapse." He nodded to the cat, who had her eyes closed and kept stumbling and catching herself when she was nearly asleep.

Blue nodded reluctantly, not really wanting to give up. Wolves were very nearly made for long distance travels, but it took a toll on them when they had… extra cargo. Plus, sand cats and books weren't made for traveling. With a low woof, Blue lifted her head to the sky, staring intently at the fading moon as if it held the world's answers. She coughed out a breath and, lowering her head, and settling herself on the ground. Her bright eyes closed just as she flicked her tail over her nose.

"Come on, Blue. We have to find those wolves."

The wolf-dog lifted her head, swinging it around and facing an old human male. Excitement ran through her as she remembered who this was, and she jumped up eagerly, her tail wagging fiercely. Quent gave a small smirk, gently clapping his gloved hand on Blue's head and rubbing her a moment. Blue thought she was very nearly in heaven.

But wait…

She took a step back, pulling her head out from under his hand. A whimper rose to her lips. This couldn't be true. The last time she had spoken to Pops was when he had rejected his former dog, refusing to see her true self.

Quent dropped his hand, looking confused. "What's wrong, girl? Did you see something?"

Blue took another hesitant step back. Still wolf, she managed to say, "You're not real. None of this is. Y-you hate me now. I'm one of them- the ones we have spent years hunting down." Her voice was uncertain, for Blue very much wanted Quent to be real.

Now Quent was the one who stepped back, hurriedly so, his hand tightening around his gun. "I always knew you had wolf in you, but I had hoped it wouldn't manifest. Now I have to-" He propped the gun up, pointing it straight at Blue. "-kill you. Stay right there, Blue, I won't make you suffer."

The wolf stepped back, wistfulness in her eyes, but only slight longing. This was her past life, and she had started a new one with Hige…. Blue wheeled around, running away as fast as she could. Her large paws collided with the ground as her nails dug deeper into it.

Behind her, Quent held the gun to his shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he aimed. Closing his eyes, he pulled the trigger, hearing the high pitched squeal of pain that tore into him. He fell to his knees, staring out to where Blue had fallen.

"Blue! Blue!" Hige grabbed the dark wolf and shook her roughly until her eyes opened, startled, until she relaxed into his grip. "What was happening to you? You kept twitching, then you sounded like you were in pain."

Blue looked down at the ground, unable to meet his amber eyes. "I-I was having a bad dream. But it doesn't matter, it wasn't real."

Hige continued watching her, unsure if could believe her. Sighing, he released her. "Alright, I can't force you to tell me or-"

"It was about Quent," Blue stood up, facing away from Hige. "I thought he would be happy to see me, but instead he shot me. That's what you heard."

"Oh, Blue… I'm sorry." He rose to his feet as well, but stood back. "He still means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"Always. He was the only one I had left after our village was burned. For a long time, I thought Quent was the only person I could ever trust." She turned her head, able to meet Hige's eyes. "But that was before I met you guys."

She was about to say more when Hige held his hand up for her to stop. "Wait." He rubbed his temples with both hands. "This place is so familiar, but I just-can't-remember."

Blue turned, fully facing him now. "Your headaches are coming back. I thought with the collar gone they would stop. Jagara is dead."

"I guess…. someone had…other ideas," He replied tightly, then shook his head. "No, it's not the same as the headaches the collar gave me. It's like, my brain is… pulsing. Like something's trying to get through."

Blue glanced around them, wanting to find whatever was causing his pain and stop it. "This place is kind of nice. I can't understand why it would cause you pain."

Hige slowly removed his hands from his head and let out a breath. When he was sure he could handle it, he was able to meet Blue's concerned gaze. "It's no problem. We can keep going. The sooner we get out of here, the better." He glanced around. "Seen Felidae anywhere?"

"Oh, for the love of!" Blue growled, kicking at a random stone and sending it flying. "Do we always have to find that damn cat? Why can't we just wake and she still be here!"

"I don't know, but right now, Felidae can be the one catching up to us." He stooped down, grasping the Book of the Sun and straightening up. "Look, she left the book here, so she'll be sure to find us wherever we go."

Blue turned on her heel and began walking, "Then lets go."

Walking is overrated. It's way too repetitive to be fun. Hige thought as he and Blue shuffled through the forest. It was still early morning and already he was tired from the dull voyage. Couldn't Kiba and the others just appear and make it easier? To top it off, they were walking slower than normally for the sake of a missing cat.

Blue stopped farther ahead, lifting her long nose to the sky, sniffing. "Storm is coming. We should stay in the cover of trees." Hige nodded wordlessly, shifting his path so they strayed away from the clearing that was up ahead.

Blue fell in behind him, but before long, the two were racing through the forest, forgetting their worries and remembering who they were. With a bark, Blue leaped forward, smacking Hige in his flank with her muzzle and sending him tumbling. He growled, jumping back up from his fall and dancing over to her, feigning which way he was going and dropping his forepaws on her. He barked in victory as held Blue down.

Blue halted her struggles, merely gazing sadly up at the brown wolf. Hige noticed the change immediately and released her.

"What is it, Blue?"

She rested her muzzle on the fine snow, her eyes staring off in the distant. "I was remembering months ago… when all we had to worry about was hunting and staying alive. I want to go back to that. Not be part of some prophecy!" Her voice grew dangerous and she stood up, her eyes glaring at the only thing she could- Hige.

"Blue, I'm sorry. I know you didn't ask for this and don't want it. We have no idea what is to come out of it, and trust me, I'm not pleased with the idea that this could kill you." The gray wolf flinched but held her ground. "Right now, the only thing that I can think of to prevent this is by finding Kiba and Tsume and Toboe and Cheza." Hige was about to say more when a horrible pain exploded in his head and he fell to the forest floor with a shout of agony.

"Hige!" Blue dropped any possible anger she had felt, crouching beside him.

Beads of sweat fell from his face, as she shoved snow onto his forward, hoping to dull the pain. "Why is this happening? Why won't this stupid pain just-" He broke off with a gasp. Blue watched anxiously as his eyes darkened, like he couldn't see anymore.

"Blue… I see them. It's my family. I have a mom and a dad. Siblings even! We're all so young, still cubs." Hige mumbled, seeing inside his head the memories he had longed for for so long. "It's the forest, right where we are. That's where my family is. Dad has a black pelt, but the rest of us are brown. My mother…"

"What does your mother look like?" Blue spoke softly, not fully understanding what was happening.

"She's beautiful, Blue. She has the exact same fur as me, but the kindest eyes. Oh! One of us fell and she's making sure we're all right. Now my dad is showing me how to hunt but I keep getting distracted and start playing with his tail. He's given up now and lets me, and-oh."

Blue pressed closer to him, grabbing his arm to steady him as he started to shake. "It's Jagara. Her troops have just come. Their shooting at us, but not to kill. Run, damn it!" His shout echoed through the forest and birds took flight in surprise. "It's too late. The shots have brought them down and they're all sleeping. Except for me… My dad hid me in a bush and now I'm coming out. One of the soldiers tries to pick me up but I growl at him. He's raising his gun to put me out when Jagara arrives. She stops him, and then calls to me." His voice turned to anguish as he watched his younger self fall for the trap. "I've gone over to her, and she's picked me up. She laughs and tells the commander to kill the other wolves as she fastens a collar on me."

Hige blinked quickly, trying to hold back a flood of tears. Instead, he threw back his muzzle, a mournful howl ringing throughout the trees. Blue could only watch him in silence. Finally, she couldn't take it.

"Hige, stop! Stop crying like that, I can't stand it."

Hige lowered his head. "Why, Blue? Why was I shown these memories now?"

"It must be the forest. The spirits of the wolves are strong here and it was enough to break through the block that stopped you from remembering. Did you-did you see anything else?"

"No."

Blue was at a lose for what to do. How could you comfort someone who just learned their pack had been killed? "Remember, I know that kind of suffering as well. Except with more than my family."

Hige pushed himself up from the ground, brushing off the snow that was stuck to his pants. "I'll be fine. It's just a lot to take in."

"What's with all the noise? I thought one you was dying." Blue whipped around, snarling, but stepped back when she realized it was Felidae. The wolf glanced at Hige and he gave a tiny shake of his head.

"It was the only way we could ever hope to find you," Blue growled, turning her head.

Felidae shrugged, still slightly bewildered. "Oh, you could have just called my name."

"We shouldn't have to! You should no better than to run off without telling us where you're going."

The cat tipped her head to the side. "I was looking for tracks. Hige was acting weird last night and I thought it meant another wolf might be nearby."

Blue barely dared to breathe. "And?"

"And," Felidae smirked, "I found someone." She stepped aside, and rustlings sounded. The wolves turned their heads toward the noise in unison and watched in amazement as a black wolf stepped out. Her yellow eyes were sharp, calculating, but they lost any hope of control at the sight of other wolves.

"The cat said there were other wolves… but I couldn't believe it." Her voice was unusual, a trace of an accent in it and a harsh edge that seemed permanent.

Hige moved forward, his tan ears twitching as he took in the she-wolf. "My name is Hige. And this is Blue."

The black wolf sniffed disdainfully as she realized what Blue was with her jaded blue eyes that set her apart from the yellow-eyed wolves. "I am Klesa."

Hige studied the new wolf, wondering how this could happen so soon after his new found memories. As he thought this, he reviewed his memories, seeing past the basics.

"How long have you lived in these forests, Klesa?" Blue's voice was distant, as Hige saw flashes of a young black wolf in the background, away from his family. She was older than he, but still very young. Briefly, she came forward to tell Hige's father something. With a blink, the memories died away.

"My whole life, or so I believe. It's difficult for me to recall my first year of birth," Klesa was saying, though still uneasy around a half-breed.

"You're my sister," Hige said suddenly as he found his voice. "When our pack was killed, you got away, but returned and watched as I went straight into Jagara's arms."

Klesa smiled coldly, though she did stiffen. "So, great brother returns. It was after you were taken that they gave me the name Klesa. It means pain. They almost decided on Kaluwa, or the forgotten one, but decided pain was better. They thought I had killed our family."

Hige became very still, before he said, "Do you blame me for their deaths?"

Klesa snorted. "Of course not. You were a stupid little puppy, how would it be your fault? But as I watched them all, I yearned for you to run away. You did, but turned around and went back before I could catch you. You ran straight into the arms of man." Her lips drew back into a snarl and Blue tensed. Felidae simply looked lost.

"Don't think my life has been pleasant. I was tagged with a collar and all possible memories were erased. Jagara used me to lure wolves to her city so she could terminate them. I helped stop her before my newest pack could be killed."

"Oh, really?" Klesa replied, her voice cruel. "Then where is this pack? Surely you aren't traveling with this-half-breed."

Blue snarled, snapping her teeth together, but Klesa didn't flinch. "I am curious to know why you returned all of a sudden, dear brother."

"I didn't. We're just passing through. Do not insult Blue." Hige flashed back.

Klesa narrowed her eyes, "Please tell me you have not chosen this pathetic wolf for your mate. You embarrass your family."

"Don't insult her."

"Why? You won't attack a family member. You were weak, and I saw you for what you were the moment you were born. I tried to tell father but he refused to listen. After all, you were his only son."

Hige kept up a steady growl, not noticing anything except his sister. "You don't know anything about me. Though it's easy to see why you were cast aside."

Surprisingly, Klesa was the first to snap, throwing herself at Hige. He met her willingly with his own teeth. The battle didn't last long, and soon both wolves broke apart, panting and sporting light scratches.

"Get out of here! You are not wanted!" Klesa lunged, but Hige dodged to the side. With a final glare, he turned to leave but saw that Blue was gone. He ignored Felidae as he limped slightly in the direction of his mate.

He found her not far away. "Blue?"

"Are you hurt?" Her voice shook as she took in his wounds, though none were serious. Hige shook his head to indicate so. Taking a deep breath, Blue went on. "She was right. I'm not a true wolf. I should be classified as a dog."

"Don't say that, Blue. And don't listen to Klesa. She's a bitter old wolf who has done nothing but wither away."

"But she's right! Don't you see? She's only one wolf, but the rest of them-all of them-will look at me with the same scorn."

Hige reached a hand towards her, murmuring her name. Blue shook off any attempts to comfort her. "No. It's true and no one will be able to say differently. We have to find Felidae now and leave, get all of this over with." She turned to leave and Hige had no choice but to follow.

"You're a fool for letting them go, Klesa. You have wanted to escape for a long time now, and here is the chance."

Klesa shook her head angrily. "Silence. I know what I am doing."

"Do you? You deny that you blame him, but your bitterness is so clear. You have wanted to blame someone else for so long, but now is not the time to release that." The golden eagle fluttered down from its high branch and settled on a lower one that was eye to eye with Klesa.

"Yes, but I never actually thought he would return. He was only family left and it just made sense to dismiss him as dead. No human can be trusted with the life of a wolf."

The eagle conceded to this. "Perhaps not, but you have your own life and are destroying it with such anger and bitterness. You must leave, Klesa. Leave the forest that holds your hateful memories."

The wolf felt as though she were in a rut- fine with staying there but then also feeling the need to get out. "Very well. But what of you?"

"I must remain here. My friendship with you has served me well, but I must make a new life for myself as well."