key: 'wolf speech' / "human speech"

Sleeping Wolves

She experienced doubt as much as the next girl, sure, but she didn't doubt Cheza. She was the one who was leading them to Paradise, after all.

Why would the boys doubt what was right infront of them?

A gentle tug on her sleeve pulled her from her thoughts, and the she-wolf glanced at her charge. She smiled with some exasperation and rubbed her neck with her free hand, "Sorry about the boys, they're just… well, pig-headed, I guess you could call it." She apologized quietly.

She shook her head, "It is alright. This one is glad to see they at least listen to you, Nikki. This one believes they will come around." She replied with a light smile.

The she-wolf smiled wryly, "Guess that makes sense, doesn't it, considering they need a woman's touch now and then." Granted it was exhausting dealing with two of them plus her brother, but she wasn't the only she-wolf present in their little pack. "Rather two women I suppose, right Eri?"

The younger she-wolf chuckled, "Yeah. I gotta admit that I had brothers, but none of them were like yours…" She mused.

"…Isn't that what makes her a threat to us?" Speak of the devil; both women were drawn into the conversation at overhearing the gray wolf's rebuttal. "If she stinks up the place it'll give away our location." He went on as his gaze was set on their supposed leader.

Nikki shared a look with Eri and briefly wondered why she wasn't an only child, "Human noses aren't as sharp as ours so stop worrying for once." She said patiently.

Tsume shifted slightly to scowl at her, catching the rather guarded way she stood by the other girl. "Dunno, my nose is sharper than yours, given you're high on flower stink."

"You're not the alpha anymore, Tsume, so pull the stick out of your ass and knock it off." Nikki folded her arms at her chest as she shifted her weight from boot to boot.

"Just because you're head bitch here doesn't mean you can start tellin' me what to do, baby sister. That also sure-as-hell doesn't excuse the fact that you took a grenade belt from those humans. Ever since we left the dome I wondered if you even had any sanity in that thick head of yours." Tsume took a step closer to her even as their glares held fast in the tension-electrified air.

Nikki bristled as she also took a step forward, "I am my father's daughter…"

"Guys, come on, cut it out!" Toboe said anxiously as they looked between the siblings.

Kiba extended his arm infront of the she-wolf, "Toboe's right, that's enough from the both of you." He scowled between Tsume and Nikki even as his green stare lingered on the she-wolf's narrowed eyes.

Tsume's lip curled in a grimace, "Keep your nose out of this, Kiba; this never concerned you." He growled.

"Nikki is my mate whether you like it or not, so this is my business." Kiba returned testily as green locked on amber.

The electrified tension fled suddenly when humming sounded from the back, causing the six to look at Cheza who was wordlessly singing, and a blanket of drowsiness overcame the wolves.

Toboe, Eri and Hige were first to fall asleep; Tsume vainly looked to his sister who also fell asleep snuggled against the white wolf's right side, before he was the last to let sleep take him.

::::x x::::

'Nikki…'

A disgruntled whine came from the black wolf as she snuggled deeper into the warm pelt, 'Five more minutes, Tsume…' She grumbled.

Rolling his eyes, the white wolf tugged on her ear. 'Wake up, princess.' He urged a bit louder, slightly shuffling away when her eyes opened and she recognized where she had slept; he smirked wryly, 'Morning.'

Nikki slightly lowered her ears and looked elsewhere, 'Could've warned me it was you.' She muttered.

'It came to mind but I thought your being curled up in a ball was cute.' Kiba mused innocently, wincing a bit when she nipped his ear, making a face, 'Can't take a compliment, can you?' He wondered.

'Not when you wake me like you did,' Nikki puffed as she sat on her haunches, yawning and looking to see her brother was still sawing logs by the tree he'd fallen asleep at the night before. 'I haven't slept so good in… it's been years.' She said pensively.

Kiba regarded the bleak sunlight that touched on her black-as-night pelt and he smiled privately. 'Would you rather I have done something more noticeable to wake you up?' He wondered, seeing her ears perk.

Shivering at the implication as she caught the twinkle in his eyes, Nikki made a face. 'Keep your morning wood to yourself, hotshot.' She advised dryly.

'Sheesh, even at daybreak you two are arguing.' The couple stiffened slightly at the tan wolf's comment, and said pudgy wolf had a deadpan expression on his face whereas the brown wolf at his side looked between the trio with some confusion.

The lighter-gray wolf made a face from having been awoken by the pup, 'And you lot get after Tsume and me for bickering so much…' She yawned.

'How long were you sitting there?' Kiba wondered rather annoyedly as he straightened and scowled at his friend.

Nikki stretched her paws out, 'Never mind that, I'm still surprised you three are awake so early. I thought you'd still be snoring away like Tsume.' She nodded to said gray wolf who was being watched over by Cheza.

'Well Toboe kept kicking in his sleep, he woke me up,' Eri defended with a gentle nudge to the pup in question.

Toboe replied sheepishly, 'You slept pretty soundly too, Eri.'

'I was wondering who was snoring louder, E or Tsume…' Hige lamented before wincing when said she-wolf nipped his cheek in response, 'Anyway, the runt and I were talkin' and figured we should check out the nearby town for food. Can't keep going on an empty stomach, can you?' He proposed.

The chosen pair shared a brief look before nodding at the truth of their friend's idea. 'Good idea, but what about Tsume?' Kiba said before looking over at said sleeping wolf.

Nikki looked at the Flower Maiden who had looked to them and she smiled, 'Cheza will look out for him, right?' She received a nod.

Kiba nodded as well, 'Fair enough, let's go.' He agreed as he stood and let Hige lead the way to the town, following with Toboe and the girls.

::::x x::::

At not finding much, the couple was first to return to their makeshift camp a few hours later.

Tsume was first to greet them, surprisingly in a grumpy mood given the good sleep he'd had, scowling as their leader informed him of the soldiers that had blocked any means of escape from the nearby town. He caught the amused smirk on his sister's face and cocked a brow, "What's so funny?" He demanded.

"Nothin', just glad you got some good sleep for once." Nikki shrugged innocently as Kiba let them have a moment alone.

"Coulda woken me up, y'know, instead of leaving me with her," Tsume huffed indifferently as he pointed over his shoulder.

Nikki rolled her eyes, "I tried but Cheza insisted that you needed your sleep… Seems to have taken a few worry lines off your face too, ironically." She giggled when he shot her a dagger-filled scowl, sobering and asking, "We okay?"

Recalling the exchange of words the night before, Tsume also sobered and looked elsewhere as he rubbed his neck. "Yeah, we're good. Just tell me you lifted something the next time around… You're the only pain-in-the-ass sister I've got." He gave her a look.

"Like you're the only asshat brother I've got." Nikki nodded, gently slugging his arm and walking past him to meet the white wolf.

Tsume rubbed his arm and looked at her to see her significant other take her hand in his and he turned away to huff and resume stretching his legs.

"Not still nursing that refusal from this morning, are you?" Nikki wondered.

Kiba squeezed her hand, "If you're having second thoughts…"

Nikki's cheeks colored and she looked away, "Flattering as it is, no." It wasn't that she didn't want it, she just had never done it before.

"Then I won't unless you ask." Kiba said calmly even as some part of him protested, and at the deepened pink in her cheeks he released her hand to hug her shoulders, adding, "I'm not that kind of guy, Nik… Though I'm aware of your knifework, I also respect you too much to just take it from you."

Some part of her that shivered when he had kissed her on the island shivered once again at hearing his words, and Nikki nuzzled his neck. "Sweet puppy." She teased.

Kiba gave a short and exasperated exhale, quelling the shiver he felt when she breathed on his neck, holding her closer and curled his fingers in her surprisingly soft locks. "Shut up." He grumbled, making her giggle.

Hige, Toboe and Eri returned within an hour, bringing food as well as gifts for Cheza.

Cheza frowned softly when the pup placed a fur-coat on her shoulders.

"You don't like it…" Toboe mumbled, crestfallen.

Kiba commented from his seat on the nearby tree's roots, "Sure seems like it."

Nikki ribbed him before stepping up to remove the coat, "You tried, right?" Granted she couldn't disagree with Kiba; the coat looked like he had taken it right off a sleeping bear.

"Told ya it wasn't gonna work… I think she'll like these better," Hige huffed as he came forward to place a pair of pink boots before the girl.

Tsume folded his arms at his chest, "I wouldn't be so sure about that." He looked at the younger female, "Oi, you're a girl too, shouldn't you have put your two cents in?" He asked.

Eri made a face that he would admit was funny. "I did, how else do you think Hige found those pink boots?" She quieted when Cheza seemed to light up at slipping the boots on, hopping to her feet to test them out; she was soon laughing softly as she twirled around like… well, like a flower. Eri smiled thoughtfully at the sight.

Nikki also found herself smiling before it faltered when the girl immediately stopped and froze in place as her crimson eyes widened and stared ahead. "What's up, Cheza…?" Her ears perked as she followed the girl's stare to see a pale old woman staring back through a pair of black sunglasses.

Hige and Toboe also froze at recognizing the old crow as Kiba and Tsume reflexively bristled; Eri stiffened slightly from her place by Tsume; Nikki wordlessly stepped forward to defend the girl.

"Who are you?" Cheza asked of the old lady who started towards them.

::::x x::::

'Is it all right that this one stays with you?'

Ridiculous as the question sounded, she understood why she asked it… She would've felt just as lonely if she didn't have Tsume.

Nikki regarded the waxing moon that was starting to come out and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Kiba looked at her and noted the thoughtful look on her face. "Don't frown so much, your face will get stuck like that." He mused quietly.

Nikki looked up at him and hesitated to speak when recognizing that he saw the thoughtful look on her face, and her cheeks warmed slightly before she chuckled. "Honestly…" Her ears perked when feeling that tug on her coat sleeve and she looked to see the girl was ready to leave. She quieted when noting the downcast expression on her pale face and let her lead the way out of the forest.

an: not much to put (again) but i made some wolf's rain stuff on my tumblr if anyone is curious. link is in the bio.