a guest reviewed and informed me that ch 7 was a repeat. Sorry about the confusion. I am an idiot

As Tsume's paws slid off the mountain ledge and into the air, he closed his eyes, thinking that he was going to meet his end. In a split second, his biggest regret was that he hadn't treated the runt better and even felt a slight twinge of guilt about running Blue off. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, he felt the scruff of his neck jerk and his body along with it. After a moment, he opened his eyes to see that he was suspended in the air and no longer falling. He looked up and saw a bit of dark fur. Before he could ponder it, he felt himself slowly going downward and a frightened wimper escape the muzzle of the one who had saved him.

Blue dug her paws into the rocky ledge, her jaws clamped around Tsume's scruff. It was no use. He was just too heavy. She felt herself inching towards the edge. She dug her paws in even more and slowly brought both of them to a stop. She started inching backwards with everything she had, trying to bring Tsume back up to safety, but her strength was about gone. Just as she felt herself start to slide forward again, she felt teeth clamp onto her scruff. She gave a startled grunt but caught herself before her jaws opened.

"Gotcha." Came a voice from behind her. It was Toboe. Suddenly, a light brown muzzle grabbed the scruff on the other side of Tsume's neck, his nose accidently brushing against Blue's. A slight shudder went down her spine at the contact. Soon after, Kiba clamped down on Hige's scruff.

"Okay, everybody start walking backwards," Kiba said around a mouthfull of scruff. Slowly, the wolves started making their way backwards, bringing up Tsume. When they had went a sufficient distance, Blue and Hige gave one last heave, bringing Tsume all the way over. The wolves collapsed, panting, trying to get their breath back. After a moment, they all stood up, all except for Tsume, who was trying to get over the shock of almost falling to his death. Toboe nuzzled him in concern and he finally stood up. When he had regained his breath, he shot a glare over at the black furred, blue eyed she-wolf.

"Are you okay Tsume?" Toboe asked in concern.

"Fine runt." Tsume said. He looked over in Blue's direction. "Why did you do that. Why did you save me. And don't say it was to be allowed into the pack because I stand by my earlier decision."

Blue dropped her eyes. "I just happened to see you go over, that was all. I didn't want to see you die. No matter how much of an ass you are."

Tsume glared at her. "And just why was you following us, huh."

"Tsume, knock it off. She just saved you life in case you haven't noticed." Hige snapped.

"Shut up Porkey. Stay out of this." He turned back to Blue again. "Answer the question, why was you following us?"

"I wasn't. I just happened to be going in the same direction as you, that's all." Blue started to walk away, toward the direction the pack had been heading. "I apologize for being such a bother. I'll be going now."

Tsume stared at the ground as she walked off, contemplating the motivations she had for rescuing him. After a moment, he shook his head and, turing to look at the retreating female's back, said, "Stop right there halfbreed."

Blue came to a stop, but did not look back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsume scoffed.

"To the next town. Maybe make a life for myself. Why?"

"Come here." Blue looked back with a slightly suprised look on her face.

"What?"

"I said, come here. Now."

Blue turned and walked back towards him.

Tsume limped over toward her and met her halfway. They stopped when they were a foot apart from each other. Tsume did not look happy while Blue looked apprehensive. They just stared at each other for a moment, then Tsume dropped his eyes to the ground, then looked back into her blue ones.

"I retract my earlier statement. You can stay with the pack."

"Really?" Blue's tail was waging behind her a mile a minute and she was panting happily. Tsume just rolled his eyes. "Just go over there or something, you're making me sick." Blue nodded her head and began walking towards the others.

"Oh, and Blue?" Blue turned back to Tsume, a questioning look on her face.

"Thanks," he said in a barely audible whisper.

The pack plus their new member traveled for another half a day and finally reached a valley on top of the mountain an hour before sunset. Kiba sent Tsume and Hige to go hunt while Toboe, Blue, Cheza and he looked for a suitable place to spend the night. They soon found a clearing in some trees that was big enough to house the five wolves and flower maiden comfortably, and settled down to wait for the others. About a half an hour later, they heard a howl from Hige announcing their success. Kiba howled back telling them their location. It was over an hour later, when Tsume and Hige drug the bull elk into the clearing. They dropped the carcass and then Tsume stepped back. Hige glanced at him questionly.

"It's your kill Porkey. Pack courtesy dictates you get first bite."

Hige just looked at him in suprise for a minute. 'Since when has Tsume been one for courtesy,' He thought. He shook his head and then walked over to the elk and started eating on a haunch.

"Hey Porkey." Hige looked up as the others made their way to the carcass to begin to eat. "I thought the stomach was your favorite part." Tsume commented.

"It is. But it is also pack courtesy to offer the best part to the alpha. So I'm leaving the stomach for Kiba."

Tsume just gawked at him for a second before beginning to eat his share. Hige didn't seem like the kind of wolf who had spent time in a pack to learn pack customs and ways and everyone knew that he uses his stomach more for a brain than he does with his own mind. He shook his head and continued eating.

Hige looked over and saw Blue hanging back and watching. He tore a huge chunk off of the elk and walked over to her and deposited the meat at her feet. She looked at him in suprise. So did the rest of the pack. Hige never gave food to another. The more he can get, the happier he is.

" You should eat Blue. You'll need your strength what with how hard Kiba pushes us."

"You mean, I can eat with you guys?"

"Why yeah, You're a part of this pack after all."

Blue gave him a smile and nuzzled his muzzle. "Thank you Hige." She then bent down and started eating the meat he offered her. He stood there in shock at the affection she showed for him and remained like that until she was halfway done eating until he snapped out of it. He then went over and continued eating with the others. When everyone had eaten their fill, Hige tore off another chunk of meat and took it over to Blue, considering they had a lot more than she did, and gave it to her as well. He grew nervous and quickly walked away and went to the tree line and layed down by himself, staring into the trees. 'I've never been nervous around a female before. What the hell is wrong with me. She's making me more nervous than a week old pup.' Hige snorted to himself. He tried to relax and go to sleep. He knew he would need it by tomorrow. He felt a presence behind him and the smell of lunar flowers washed over him. He looked over his shoulder and saw Cheza standing there. She smiled and walked up in front of him and knelt down. She slowly started petting his head and neck. Hige's eyes closed in contentment.

"This one sensed your distress and wished to comfort you. Please do not worry Hige. The feeling is mutual."

Hige jerked his head up and stared at Cheza in suprise. "How did you...But I...There's no...Huh?"

Cheza smiled and continued to pet him. "This one can sense the emotions of wolves. She's confused about her feelings too. Don't worry. This one knows things will work out right in the end."

"You really think so?" Hige asked.

"Yes. This one does."

What Hige didn't know is that Cheza would sense Hige having trouble with this. So she also had a talk with Blue before him. "What are you talking about Cheza? There is no way I feel like that. I just met him."

"It is because you knew him from before. This one will not talk about that now. Just know that this one believes it is meant to be. You will just have to make your feelings known whenever you have them."

Now, Blue was looking intently at Hige. She knew the shudder that went down her spine when their muzzles met was from more than the cold. Anytime she thought of Hige, she would get a tingle in her chest and butterflies in her stomach. She knew this feeling was real and wanted to see if he felt the same. 'What's the worst that can happen, Hige says no?' If that happened, it wouldn't be the end of the world. It would hurt, but that would go away in time.

Blue got up and slowly walked up to Hige. His ears wasn't twitching, which meant that he was sound asleep. She laid down beside him and laid her head on his paws. He didn't even stir. She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes, drifting off to a soundless sleep.

Blue woke up and opened her eyes, trying to find the source of what woke her. She heard wimpering beside her and felt twitching paws hit her side every now and then. Blue looked over to find that Hige was having a horrible nightmare. She laid her head across his shoulders, trying to comfort him, but to no availe. She leaned over and started gently licking his ear and then his muzzle. Hige twitched one final time and then sighed in contentment, settling down into a calmer sleep. Blue looked at him as he lay there sleeping. 'How can I have a calming effect on him in his sleep? We don't even know each other. How can he feel that way about me? Maybe Cheza was right. Maybe it is meant to be.' Suddenly, Hige's eyes fluttered open. He looked up at her and his tail wagged some.

"Good morning beautiful." He suddenly gulped. "I mean, please don't be offended. Not that I think you're offended, because you really are beautiful, but I meant that...Blue got him to shut up by gently licking his muzzle and ear. He froze, not sure if he was dreaming or not. She affectionately nuzzled him and then licked his muzzle again. He gave her a tenative nuzzle and then licked her back. she gave a wolfish grin and her tail started wagging.

"You like me?" He asked.

She answered him by giving him another lick.

"What do you think? I guess flattery works after all." She nuzzled him again and then laid down with her head on his paws. He laid his head across her neck and closed his eyes in contentment.

The next morning, all the wolves were awake and sitting in the middle of the clearing. All except Hige who was sprawled out on his side, still sleeping. Tsume looked over to Hige and had an exaperated look on his face.

"Porkey needs to hurry up and get up. We don't have all day."

Toboe went over to Hige and poked his snout into his side. "Hige, wake up." Hige continued laying there. Toboe tried biting his ear, but to no availe. Toboe put a paw on his shoulder and shook him.

"No, five more minutes." Hige mumble. Toboe put his mouth to Hige's ear and gave a loud bark. Hige jumped up with a startled look on his face. "Damn it runt, you're gonna give me a heart attack like that one of these days.

"Sorry. Kiba wants everyone to meet at the center. So, what were you dreaming about?"

"I was dreaming that the most beautiful wolf in the world showed me she loved me."

"Damn it porkey, is food and females all you think about?" Tsume snapped.

Hige Stretched and walked over to the others, muttering under his breath. "Yeah, I could never be that lucky. What was I thinking? Ain't no way that would happen. Still, it was a good dream though."

When everyone was awake and ready, Cheza stood in the middle of them. "What this one has to say is not going to be easy. There is some things you will learn and some things this one will never speak about." She closed her sightless eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, there was a determined, if sad, look in her eyes. "It is no accident that you all were brought together. We all came together once before for the sake of paradise." She then went on to tell them a nutshell version of their last life. "And so, Darcia was not allowed to enter paradise because he had so much darkness in his heart. Now we have been given a second chance and this time, this one is confident we will succeed." They all sat there and thought about all she had told them. A lot of questions had got answered but some still remained. Finally, Kiba looked up at her with a thoughtful expression on his face and said, "Cheza, you avoided talking about our deaths. Why? Shouldn't we know what we did wrong so we don't make the same mistakes this time?"

Cheza's eyes grew sad as she said, "This one will not go into those kinds of details. They will only cause fear and pain. This one will say however that our failure was not in lack of strength and determination, but lack in trust. You all started losing trust in each other and also allowed yourselves to be seperated. The only way we are going to succeed as a pack is to stay together as a pack. We must face all of our challenges together. If we are divided, we will fall."

Everyone was quiet as they pondered Cheza's words. Tsume spoke up and said, "Even the half breed was there huh?" He gave a glare at Blue before turning his attention back to Cheza. "Well like I said, once we reach the next town, I'm outta here. You guys will have to do this without me.

"What the hell is wrong with you Tsume?" Hige exclaimed. Didn't you just hear Cheza? She said it will take all of us. You leave now, you're just signing all of our death warrents."

"Get over it Porkey. I don't want nothing to do with this. Next town, I'm out. Got it?"

Cheza looked at Tsume and said, "This one understands. This one will be sad to see you go. This one cannot make you come with us. We will try to do this without you if that is what you wish."

"Yeah, it is." Tsume said.

Hige glared at Tsume and Toboe just sat there, saddened. Kiba's expression didn't change. He knew he had to reach Paradise and he didn't care if he had to do it alone. He was nothing if not determined.

After Cheza's story, the wolves started off on their journey again. About an hour into it, Blue made her way beside Hige and said," Let's drop back a bit. I need to talk to you."

Hige looked at her, suprised, but nodded his head and they slowed their pace until they were about fifteen meters behind Toboe. They walked in silence for a bit then Blue looked at him and said, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For accepting me. For wanting me to stay. For being you." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she said this. He glanced at her for a moment then looked ahead of him again.

"Well, I'm...ahh...uhh...I enjoy having you with us."

"Why, because I'm a hot babe as you put it."

"One reason, yeah." He looked at her with a grin. "But it's not just that. I mean, yeah. Okay. I've always had a thing for food and girls. And yeah, my tail wags anytime there is a female around. So sue me. That is who I am and I can't change that. But with you, everything is different. I feel like you have to be here. I feel like that we won't be successful without you."

"Is that all. or was there something else."

Hige didn't look at her but stared straight ahead, head and tail drooping slightly. His thoughts going in a thousand different directions. 'Did last night really happen? Was I dreaming? Does she really feel like that about me. Maybe I'm just being stupid.' Unknowingly, he said this last part out loud.

"What do you mean being stupid Hige?"

Hige looked at Blue, startled. "Wha...what?"

"You said you were just being stupid. What did you mean?"

"Uh, well. I had this fantastic dream last night. I was kinda hoping it really happened but I don't think it did."

"Let's see." Blue pretended to think. "You either had a dream about food or a pretty female." I'm gonna guess it was a pretty female or two.

"Just one actually." Realizing what he said, Hige clamped his mouth shut and stared ahead.

"So, who was she?"

"Um, well, uhh, I can't say."

"Why not Hige?"

"Uhh, well I..."

"I see. This is making you uncomfortable. If you don't want to talk about it than I understand. Just so you know, it was a good dream for me too.

"Oh, well that's good. Wait a minute. You mean it was real?"

Blue came closer and gave him a very soft and affectionate lick on his muzzle. "Does that answer your question. Yes, I like you too."

Hige just looked at her stunned. He then grinned and said, "So, where do we go from here?

"I don't know. We'll have to just take it one day at a time. Besides, I overheard you and Toboe talking this morning. Believe me, there is a lot more wolves out there that is way more beautiful than me."

"Even if that were true, none are more beautiful in my eyes."

"How many other females have you used that line on?"

"I've actually used it on only one in my life."

"Oh really, who?"

"A extreamly beautiful wolf. She has fur as dark as midnight under a new moon that has such a deep shade to it you could almost get lost and drown in it. And her eyes are the most unique and beautiful blue I've ever seen before."

"Wha...oh come on, you've got to be kidding."

Hige looks deep into her blue eyes and replies, "No Blue, I'm not. You are the most beautiful wolf I have ever laid eyes on. We haven't known each other all that long but it's almost like I have known you all my life. I'm not just saying this just to say it Blue. But like you said, we have to just take it one day at a time. But I am going to make you a promise right now. I will never leave your side. If we cannot be together, you will be the one making that choice, not me. I will be by your side as long as you will let me."

Blue was so stunned by Hige's words, she didn't know what to say or how to react. 'It's almost like he's telling me he loves me. But you can't fall in love with someone that quick could you?' She had no answer to this and after realizing she had been staring at him, mouth agape since he had spoken, she closed her mouth and stared forward again, trying to come up with a response. Hige gave her a worried glance, afraid he had said too much and scared her. So nervous was he that he started stumbling over his words as he tried to make things right.

"Bl-Blue I'm so s-sorry. I said too much a-and I shouldn't..."

Blue cut him off with a shake of her head and brushed her tail across his shoulder. "It's okay Hige. I just never thought I would be so lucky as to have a guy feel that way about me. It feels good. And I will stay by your side as well, seeing as how that I feel the same way. I have never believed in love at first sight in my life, but, being with you, it feels so right. It feels like I am meant to be by your side. I will always be by your side Hige. I mean that with all my heart. I will never leave you." The two shared a tender muzzle nuzzle and then hurried to catch up with the pack.