Wolf's Rain Fan Fiction ❯ Another Road to Paradise ❯ Chapters one - six ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

CHAPTER 1: Is This How It's Suppose To Be?
         Kiba walked along the street, "after all of that. We're all alone again. Hige, Tsume, Toboe, they all looked me in the face as I passed them, but not one of them knew me." He fell to his knees in an alley, "Cheza, is this how it was supposed to be?"
         "No," he heard someone say. He looked up to see Hige holding his hand out. "Come on scoop up that pride and put it back where it belongs."
         Kiba stood, "Hige? You remember?"
         He smiled with soft eys, "I got it all back yesterday."
         "Then you know that I failed at getting into Paridise."
         "Actually, you didn't. You and Cheza brought Paridise to me, Toboe, and Tsume. Without you we would be dead."
         Kiba looked at him, "and didn't she die as well?"
         Hige looked up, "she who? Lady Jargara?"
         Kiba was talking about Blue. It was true that he saw Tsume and Toboe, but not her. Did she come back to earth with them. Hige didn't seem to recall Blue at all. If so, he would be with her. Right? Maybe Hige just needed a memory jog. "Not Jagara. I'm talking about Blue."
         Hige gave him a confused look, "Blue?"  
         "Yeah, Blue! Remember, she said she wanted to be with you! You died right beside her! Darcia killed her and attacked you. Then you asked Tsume to put you down. You gotta remember her. She loved you even though you betrayed-"
         Hige put his hands over his ears, "Kiba stop!" He looked at his hand and had the flashback when he rubbed Blue's head as she died. He tried to think if he'd saw her in town. He couldn't find her in his mind at all.
         "Hige," Kiba said watching him.
         Hige turned around and walked out of the alley in his wolf form. Kiba gasped, "Hige, do you want them to catch you?" He didn't listen to him. He walked through the street and out of town. All of the guards saw him but didn't care that he was wolf. Kiba wondered why they didn't react to Hige.
         They got way out of town, and Hige stopped, "Why are you still following me, Kiba? I'm just gonna betray you again. Just like last time."
         "Hige, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said-"
         "No, you're right. I know that now." He turned around and pulled off his jacket. Kiba then saw a new collar. It was black like the old one but had V on it. "Jagara has an apprentice. She caught me yesterday. That's how I got my memory back."
         "Then why another collar?"
         "She wants me to hunt wolves again, but I can't. Not after meeting you and trying to get to Paridise," he said quietly.
         "So, you' ve been living with her?" Kiba asked. Hige nodded. Kiba looked back at the city, "what are you gonna do now?"
         Hige looked to the opposite direction, "Go find Blue. I want to know if she still loves me. I can't believe she slipped my mind, but I wont' let it happen again." Hige turned to the snowy banks, "you coming? Or are you gonna stay in this trashed town?"
         "I'm coming," he said, and they headed north.
CHAPTER 2: Where They Are
         Cher drove up to her home. Toboe ran out, "did you get my cookies?"
         She carried a paper sack into the house, "sure did." She put them on the counter as the young boy tore the box open. She looked around, "Where's Cheza and Blue."
         "Cheza wanted to go for a walk; so Blue went with her."
         "Maybe a walk will cheer Blue up. She's been so sad lately. I just don't know how to help her," Cher said putting the milk away.
         Cheza twirled around in the snow and hummed happily. Blue walked quietly behind her. Cheza stopped and watched her. "Blue, I heard you whimpering last night. What's the matter?"
         "Cheza, do you ever feel like we had another life before this one?"
         "Kinda. Why werer a cat or something?"
         Blue shook her head, "no I mean seriously."
         "Why do you ask that question?"
         "I feel broken. I need someone, but I don't know who. I think I had someone in a past life, and I miss that person. But maybe it's my imagination, and maybe I'm just depressed."
         "Believe in anything, Blue. I'm sure he's looking for you."
         Blue looked at her, "Cheza?"
         She turned around, "Well, it's gotta be a guy. I know you're not lesbian."
         "I know it was a guy. I remember him holding me in his arms. Oh it felt so nice. And his scent captivated me. In that moment I felt secure. I said, I said."
         Cheza had a huge smile on her face, "You said........"
         "All that matters now is you," she paused. "is you............" She kept repeating it over in her mind. She looked at the ground, "I'm so close! One word, all I need is that one word!"
         Cheza put her arms around Blue, "I'm cold. Let's go home now."
         Meanwhile Kiba and Hige were still at a run through the snow. "Hige, do you think that Cheza was brought back, too?" Kiba asked.
         "I don't know. It's a good possibility isn't it?"
         "You just saying that so I'll shut up?"
         "No. Hey you know what we need? A good song. You know one?"
         Kiba sighed as he sped up, "You've got to be kidding."
         "Go Go Shorty It's yo birthday! Hey Kiba, it's your birthday?"
         "You got mental distortion, Hige."
         "Thank you for whatever it meant."
         Kiba laughed a bit, "Sure thing. I can see you haven't changed a bit."
         "Of course not."
         An hour later they stopped to rest. Kiba watched the sun set while Hige laid on the snow. "Kiba, do you think we'll find everyone?"
         "I'm not sure they want to be found."
         "What do you mean?"
         "I saw Tsume two days before I first saw you. He saw me and kept walking. I called his name, but he ignored me. Then I saw him in a cafe' but when I looked again, he was gone."
         Hige laughed, "tipical Tsume! Does he still where that black?"
         "Stop pickin on him."
         "Well he picked on me plenty. I'm not that porky am I?" he asked. Kiba looked at him and began to laugh. "Hey! It ain't funny."
         Kiba couldn't stop laughing, "yeah, it is! You know what else? ha ha ha! Behind your back you were Preppy Porky! ha ha ha ha ha!"
         Hige crossed his arms, "I can't help it if I want to have a good time. At least I'm not two serious sticks."
         Kiba sat up, "What did you call me?"
         "I said you two were serious sticks!" he laughed. "You know it's true!"
         Kiba got up and started running again. Hige got up and followed. Kiba looked behind him, "come on Porky!"
         Hige caught up, "I'm comming, Stick!"
         "Porky."
         "Stick."
         Kiba laughed, "P-Porky!"
         "St-St-St"
         Kiba laughed so hard that he tripped. He laid on the ground laughing and held his side. "I can't take it anymore! Stop stop!"
         Hige sat down, "the poor guy hasn't laughed in so long that he's having a meltdown. I mean the stick hasn't laughed in so long!"
         They both laid on the ground laughing. "Thanks, Hige, I needed that."
         Hige looked at him weird, "Don't thank me you done that yourself."
         Kiba smiled, "I can't think of anyone else to just laugh with."
         "Don't get all mushy on me; it's just having fun."
         "Thanks anyway........Porky."

CHAPTER 3: Reuniting
         The next day Toboe was walking care free. He walked without noticing that he was in the middle of the road. He looked around and quickly changed to his wolf form. "I sure love walking on all four's." he thought.
         He was so intune with his thoughts that he didn't even hear the buzzing of a motorcycle. He smiled and kept his steady pace. But he only turned around when it was too late. The motorcycle skidded and hit him. He was thrown to the side.
         Tsume took off his helmet and ran over to him. Toboe opened his eyes and saw him. He looked at him for a moment then his eyes watered. "Tsume!" he cried while hugging him. "Where have you been?"
         Tsume pet the runt's head and smiled, "sorry."  
         Toboe smiled, "I'm so happy to see you! Did you find a home?"
         Tsume sighed, "What do you think?"
         "I have. You can come stay with me!"
         Tsume held out his hand and helped the boy up. Toboe felt a pain in his wrist and whinced. "You okay?" Tsume asked. "I wasn't aimin for ya. I didn't mean to run over you."
         "It's okay. I think it's only sprained."
         Tsume gave Toboe a helmet. "Hop on I might stay with you for a few days." Toboe smiled and got on.
         Blue was sitting with Cher on the sofa. Cher finally decided to break the silence. "You know you feel like a daughter to me, Blue."
         "Cheza is your daughter not me."
         "Blue, what's wrong? You seem unstable."
         Blue looked at the older woman, "Cher, do you think someone is out there looking for me?"
         "Looking for you? Yeah those wolf hunters are after all-"
         "That's not what I'm talking about! I mean a guy. Do you think someone loves me out there?"
         "I don't know. Well, when I named Cheza. I recall another name. It was Kiba."
         Blue thought a minute, "The only thing that matters now is you, Kiba. No, Kiba isn't it."
         "Did Toboe have any thoughts?"
         "Yeah, Tsume. The only thing that matters now is you Tsume. But that's not it either. It was me, Kiba, Toboe, Tsume, and........and. Ah! Why can't I think of his name?!"
         "Maybe there wasn't a fourth wolf. You're probably imagining things."
         Blue's eyes watered, "Then why am I so blue?" She suddenly heard in her head, "Don't make me blue."
         Just as she was about to get his image, Toboe and Tsume walked in. "Hey, Blue you remember Tsume? You know the one I knew."
         She looked at him and he looked at her. She got up and walked upstairs, "He's not who I'm looking for."

         Kiba and Hige were running when Hige stopped and started walking. "Come on you can't be out of breath yet." Kiba said stopping.
         Hige sneezed, "I don't feel so good."
         Kiba heard trucks and peeked over the ledge. Hundreds of trucks were in a straight line going in the same direction they were going. Hige sat down, "what is it?"
         "Come here," Kiba said.
         Hige crawled over to him and saw the fleet of trucks. "They're all black against the snow. That makes me even sicker."
         "We gotta find a way to get through that next city without being noticed." Kiba whispered as some of the trucks stopped on the side of the road. Two men each stepped out of the vehicles and started talking. "I don't think they saw us let's go." Hige couldn't take it anymore, and he threw up on one of the men. Kiba turned his head, "gross, Hige!"
         The men looked up and started shouting. They grabbed their walkie talkies and yelled somemore. They got in their trucks and called, "wolves!!"
         Kiba got up, "so much for hiding." He was about to run and saw Hige on the snow. "Come on!" he said grabbing his arm.
         "I'm sorry!" Hige said as they ran.
         The trucks caught up with them and raced behind them. Kiba sneezed, "did you have to get me sick too, Hige?"
         Hige kept running, "Didn't mean to stick." He glanced behind them, "These guys are on our tail what do we do? What's your plan?"
         Kiba saw that the path was getting narrow, and the ledge dropped to freezing water. He sneezed again and almost tripped.
         Hige saw the truck getting closer, "okay, I have one!" Just as Kiba was about to ask, Hige rammed into him, and they both fell off of the ledge.


CHAPTER 4: The Sick and the Hopeless
         Kiba coughed up water. He opened his eyes and everything was blurry. "I'm on the snow." he said. He shivered from being wet and wrapped his arms around himself. He sat up and saw Hige lying a few feet away from him. He stood and felt the wind hit his numb body. He finally got to Hige, but he wasn't breathing. Kiba quickly rolled him over and punched him in the stomach.
         Hige coughed up water, and his eyes opened. He looked faintly at Kiba and sat up. "Where are we?"
         "Where do you think? We washed up on the bank. Your brillant plan could've kiled us both."
         Hige smiled, "but we're not dead are we?"
         Kiba sighed, "no. Just promise me you'll think before you act."
         "Yes, Mom."
         Kiba shivered again. Then Hige jumped on him. "What the hell are you doing?!" Kiba said.
         "I'm cold, too. We need to share our body heat!"
         "You're wet! It's not helping!"
         "You're wet, too, but I'm complaining."
         Kiba put his hand to Hige's forehead, "that fever has got to your head."
         Hige put his hand on Kiba's head, "and so has yours!"
        
 &nbs p;       Tsume and Toboe were sitting on the couch when Cher came in. "Get up you two!" They looked at each other and followed her into the kitchen. Cher smiled, "Sorry there's a blizzard and the store is closed, so we're gonna make our own cookies."
         Toboe smiled, "and cocoa!"
         "You want us to bake?" Tsume asked.
         Cher gave him a confused look, "you bake cookies? I thought you always fried them."
         Tsume sighed, "what a blonde."
         "You know how to bake cookies, Tsume?" Toboe asked.
         "Well, I'm not a total ding bat when it comes to the kitchen."
         "Tell me what to do!" Toboe said.
         Cher smiled and walked out the room, "that'll give them something to do."
         Blue walked into the kitchen and saw Toboe and Tsume fighting over the flour. The bag tore, and it covered the kitchen in white. Tsume saw her and smirked, "hey."
         Blue dusted herself off, "hey."
         Tsume added an egg into the bowl, "so did you give up on Porky?"
         Blue sat down, "I don't eat meat."
         "No, not that. I mean uh...........what's his name? Porky........no.............Chunky..........no. You know. What's his face. Brown hair, smiled all the time, loved to eat."
         "You know him? I've been trying to remember for so long. What's his name?"
         Tsume thought for a minute, "I can't remember either. But I know that I used to call him Porky. Actually I can't remember the other one's name."        
  &nbs p;      Blue looked up, "Kiba?"
         Tsume lost his smiled, "yeah, Kiba."
         Hubb and Quent walked through the door. Toboe saw him, "hey, that's-"
         "Pops," Blue finished.
         Quent smiled, "so this is where you've been stayin?" Blue nodded as Quent walked up to her. "Blue, you were always with me. Until you found out that you were a wolf. And you fell in love with the one in yellow."
         Blue's eyes widened, "Pops, what was his name?"
         "You can't recall? Lucky for you I can. It was H-i-g-e. Yeah he was one of Jagara's wolves. That's how I remember."
         Blue put the letters together, "Hige. The only thing that matters now is you, Hige." Blue's eyes watered, and she hugged the old man, "Thank you Pops! Thank you so much!" She let go and walked towards the door. "I can remember him now. All I have to do is find him."
         "I wouldn't risk it in that weather, Blue." Quent said. "My house is completely snowed in that's why I gotta stay here for the night."
         Blue nodded, "I swear I will make it to you, Hige."
        
   ;       Kiba opened his eyes and saw Hige beside him, "Dammit! We're in a hell of a rut." Hige's cheeks were flushed and sweat dripped from his forehead. Kiba felt of his own head. "I think his is worse than mine. We gotta get out of the snow. If his fever goes too high, he may die. .....................I might die, too." Kiba tried to put his hand on the ground to lift himself up, but his body ached. "I'm so numb it hurts to move." He tried again, but he was too weak. He saw Hige's image get fuzzy, "no, don't fall asleep. Stay awake," he told himself before fainting.
         Kiba felt himself going up and down. He opened his eyes to see himself being carried by Hige. They were moving slowly but surely. Kiba felt Hige breathing deeply. He saw it wasn't snowing anymore, but it still hurt to move. "Hige, how are you carrying me? I couldn't even lift my hand."
         "Jagara............trained me to endure..................a lot of pain." he panted, "just...........don't fall asleep."
         Sweat dripped from Hige's head, and every step got a lot slower. He began to feel heavy and started taking smaller and smaller steps. "Hige, let me walk now. I think I can endure the numbness."
         Hige let him down, and it was harder to stand for Kiba than he thought. Hige panted, "I'm..........so hungry!"
         Kiba managed to get himself balanced, "we should be in town by now. Unless you went all the way around it."
         "I went around it," Hige said.
         "Why? They could've been there."
         Hige shook his head, "no, that was Mrin's second town.........................They wouldn't be there. The place was swarming.....................with those black trucks."
         Kiba looked at him, "Mirn? She's the apprentice?"
         "Yeah.................She's a very cruel bitch.........worst than.......Jagara ever was."
         "That's saying a lot," Kiba said. He watched his friend take each breath carefully. "You okay, Hige?"
         "I'll manage............keep walking," he told him taking a few more steps.

         Blue laid in her bed thinking of Hige. She saw Cheza beside her and smiled. "I can't sleep. I want to see him." Just then she heard Hubb talking downstairs.
         Cher ran into the room with Tsume and Toboe. "Blue, get Cheza a jacket and warm clothes."
         Blue did as she was told. Tsume picked up Cheza, and Toboe opened the window. "What's going on? It's four in the morning." Blue asked.
         "Those men are looking for wolves and the reincarnation of Cheza." Toboe explained as Tsume jumped out the window with the young teenage girl.
         "Go!" Cher said. "I will catch up to you later."
         Blue went to the window, "I'll protect Cheza with my life."
         Cher nodded.
         Blue followed the others into the woods behind the house. When they were a good ways from the town, Blue put on Cheza's jacket. "Where do we go now?" Toboe asked.
         Tsume looked at Cheza, "Well the town before must be filled with those troops. So the only direction is through these woods."
         Cheza opened her eyes, "Why aren't we in the house?"
         "We're being chased." Tsume said.
         Cheza snuggled onto Tsume, "Don't let them get me."
         Blue stepped up to her, "they won' t. I won't let them."
         She smiled, "thank you, Blue."
        
   ;       Kiba walked through the snow, and Hige followed. It was so quiet that Kiba heard Hige's footsteps echo his. He saw the town and smiled, "there it is. Time to eat at last, Hige." He kept walking, but didn't hear the echo anymore. He turned around to see Hige lying face down on the snow. He rushed to him and shook him, "wake up, Hige!"
         Hige opened his eyes, "I'm not asleep..............I'm just walking with my........................eyes closed."
         Kiba helped him up, "you're not walking at all. You colappsed."
         Hige stood, "I know.................I was resting my feet, too." he laughed.
         "Come on," he said helping his friend walk. "Keep your modivation on town. The sooner we get there the sooner we can eat."
         Hige smiled, "I'm so hungry, Kiba."
         "I know. I am, too. Maybe Blue is in this town. You can eat and see her."
         "That sounds so nice," he said leaning his head on Kiba's shoulder.
         Just as Kiba got into town, he saw the trucks. He casually turned around and started walking away. "No, don't see us," he thought.
         Hige looked around, "Kiba, we're in the town."
         "Those trucks are here. You can't run at all."
         Hige sniffed the air, "Blue is in this city, Kiba...................I just know she is. I can smell her."
         Kiba saw that none of the men were in their trucks and hadn't noticed them. Hige let go of Kiba and walked the other way. "Hige! Don't!"
         He didn't listen. He walked past the men and down the street while hiding his collar. Kiba bit his lower lip and followed him. They walked through not noticed. Hige stopped at a house. "She's got to be here."
         Kiba smiled as he smelled Tsume and Toboe. Hige opened the door and saw a woman with long brown hair and amber eyes. "You know what, Sweetie? I hate when pets run away," she said.
         Hige's eyes widened, and he quickly turned around to run. The woman grabbed his shirt and knocked him down. "Kiba, go!" he said as she stepped on his back.
         "You brought me another wolf. How thoughtful," she said pushing her foot harder on his back.
         Kiba's eyes narrowed, and he jumped on her with open fangs. She fell backwards, and they made a run for it. The troops chased them. Kiba sneezed again and again. He shut his eyes tight and ran through the city. They came to a four way and saw that they were surrounded.
         The troops threw Kiba in a cage, and the woman hooked a leash on Hige. Kiba grinted his teeth at her. "Are you Mrin?"
         "It's Lady Mrin to you!" she said. Her eyes darted to Hige, "I told you not to run away, and you did anyway." Hige was in his wolf form now. He looked at Kiba and hung his head in shame.
                 
CHAPTER 5: Promises, Blood, and Chores
         Tsume led Blue and Toboe through the forest. "She isn't too much for ya, Tsume?" Toboe asked.
         "What a dumb question," he said.
         Blue looked at the brush above her, "I wish I knew where Hige was."
         Tsume laughed, "probably caught by those hunters. He was so wreckless. Porky the chunky one who gets into trouble."
         Blue smiled, "hopefully he's with Kiba. Kiba's smart and won't let him screw up."
        Toboe saw a hill and ran to the top, "wow! There's a pretty lake down there."
         Cheza hopped down and ran to Toboe. Blue smiled as she watched them. "Hey, Tsume," she said, "when Pops said 'one of Jagara's wolves' what did it mean?"
         "Well, I can't remember exact, but Jagara had wolves to hunt other wolves. They also did her dirty work."
         "And Hige was one of them?"
         "Yeah, I think so. Let's see, he had something that hinted to me and Kiba."
         Blue thought back, "like a collar? A black one."
         Tsume shrugged as they sat down at the bank of the frozen pond. "Can't remember."
        
 & nbsp;       Kiba opened his eyes to see nothing. It was pitch black. He felt something beside him and realized that he was laying in something wet. "Hige, is that you?"
         He coughed, "yeah, it's me."
         "What are we laying in, and where are we?"
         "We're in a cell. The apprentice nearly killed me, and that's what you're lying in."
         Kiba stood and groped his way to the window. He opened the shutters and the moonlight broke through the night's cursive dark. He rushed over to Hige and saw blood running from his mouth. Kiba lifted him up and could only look at him.
         "Kiba," he whispered, "I'm not gonna............make it to Blue.............am I?"
         Kiba's watered, "I'm gonna make sure that you do."
         Hige whinced, "I'm sorry..........that you.........got caught.....too. You do so much for me...........and ...........I have nothing...........to do for you. Kiba,........even if I.....d-don't make......it. Promise that........you'll......."
       &n bsp; "That I will what?"
         "Go..........be with....C-Cheza. promise me."
         "Quit saying stuff like that. We are friends and if one doesn't come out of here then the other doesn't." Kiba said. Hige coughed, and he fell limp in Kiba's arms. Kiba laid him down and went to the bars. He chewed on them furiously. He pounded against the bars and on the lock, but nothing worked. Kiba sneezed again and had a throbbing headahce. He sat down beside his friend. "What do I do? Cheza, I don't know what to do. Hige's took all he can handle, and I'm getting sick." He laid down his hurting head and fell asleep.

         Cher, Hubb, and Quent walked through the house. Everything was broken and mud was tracked everywhere. "Couldn't those idiots be cleaner?" Cher said.
         "I saw him," Quent said, "The wolf Blue was wanting to look for. The noble took him and the other white wolf."
         Hubb lit a cigarette, "What about our daughter, Cher?"
         "Those troops will come back to look for her. Hubb, you stay here, and I'll take Cheza to the next town as soon as I find her." she said.
         Quent smiled, "I'm gonna sneak into the Keep and get those two fellas outta there."
         "You'll be killed," Hubb said.
         "So, if I don't then the one in yellow will be killed. I don't want Blue to go through heartache like that."
         Cher smiled, "That's so beautiful!"
         Hubb rolled his eyes, "see you in the afterlife then. Good luck."
         Quent picked up his gun and jumped in his truck. "See you later."
         Cher kissed her hubbie and got in her car. She waved goodbye and drove away.
        
          Tsume and the others walked into the next city. "This place hasn't seen those trucks yet," Tsume said.
         "Looks like they haven't seen much of anything." Toboe said looking at the city. Hardly anyone was outside, and the ones in cars drove by slowly.
         Blue saw an old woman with a broom trying to reach the top corner of her carport. Blue walked over to her and took the broom, "please let me." She swept down a spider web and gave the broom back to the woman.
         "Thank you, my dear. Help is so hard to find. Won't you come in?"
         "Actually the four of us are looking for a place to stay." Tsume said.
         The lady smiled, "You all seem so nice. If you don't mind helping me wash some dishes and mop, then I wouldn't mind if you stayed for as long as you like."
         Cheza smiled, "thank you Mam'. I love to wash dishes!"
         "I'll dry," Toboe said.
         "Guess that leaves me with mopping," Tsume said.
         "Come in," the old lady said.
        
CHAPTER 6: Rest Is All They Needed
         Hige woke up, "Kiba."
         Kiba looked up at him. "Huh?"
         "I'm up now. Let's go; I'm starving."
         "Those bars are solid steel."
         "If you.........did break through them. Do you think you could just waltz outta here?" he said.
         "Well....you got a better way?"
         Hige coughed blood into his hand, "yeah, I got a better way." He whiped his hand on his shirt and crawled to the wall. He pulled a floor stone up and another one after that.
         Kiba looked at it, "solid dirt."
         Hige coughed again, "ah, solid, soft, moist dirt. We're right above the ground. We can dig out of here easily."
         "Do you know if we do, we could dig under water and drown. Or into the city and get caught again."
         He smiled, "Take a chance Kiba. It's dangerous I know. But, you said if I don't come out of here then you won't either."
         "Hige, you can handle more things than I can."
         Hige coughed again and held his side, "and you can out do me in some stuff.........................Tell me, who's in the worst position? Not you."
         Kiba pulled more stones up, "you're right. If you can do it I can, too. But I'll start the hole and you can trail behind."
         Hige laughed, "yeah I like that plan." Kiba changed to his wolf form and started digging.

         Back at the old lady's house, Tsume mopped smoothly as Toboe and Cheza got finished with the dishes. Blue looked out of the window. The old lady went over to her, "Boyfriend problems?"
         Blue closed her eyes, "something like that, yeah."
         "Is he also a wolf?"
         Blue whiped her head around, "excuse me?"
         "Don't try to hide it. I know you are all wolves."
         "How?"
         "I'm half indian. We can tell. You are looking for someone aren't you?"
         "Yes, his name is Hige. I knew him once before, but I lost him. I hope he's looking for me."
         "I wish you luck and love my dear."
         Cheza laid on the small bed, "I wish those men would leave us the hell alone."
         "Watch your mouth," Blue said.
         "Not like we can take them on," Toboe said.
         "Where is our rescuer?" Cheza asked.
         "That would be Kiba," Toboe said. "Kiba loved you very much and took real good care of you. You two are meant to be."
         Cheza closed her eyes, "Kiba. I don't know him."
         Tsume laughed, "She's got the Blue Syndrome."
         Blue crossed her arms. Cheza looked down, "so, should I be depressed like Blue?"
         "No, Kiba will come for you. Don't be sad." Blue said. "Just....keep telling yourself that he's coming." she said as her voice cracked.
         Toboe looked at her, "Don't be blue, Blue."
         She sat beside Cheza, "That's what he said one time, 'Don't make me Blue'!" She put her hands over her face and cried.
         Tsume rolled his eyes, "Oh My God! Would anyone else like to cry?" He looked around, "Cause after this little spell NO MORE!"
         Toboe looked at the ceiling, "Yeah, I agree. The situation isn't hopeless."
        
 & nbsp;       Kiba finally popped his head out of the snow. He climbed from the hole, Hige followed. "We got out." Hige said.
         Kiba looked around them, "yeah, yeah. laugh it up." He looked at the Keep and behind them. "Bad news. We're about the same place that we started."
         Hige sat down, "Kiba, let's rest for a while....................I have a really bad pain in my chest."
         Kiba nodded, "yeah I think it's a good idea to rest. I am pretty tired from all of that digging." Hige laid down on the ground and closed his eyes. After a minute or two Kiba felt of Hige's head. "no fever," he thought. "He has an internal injury. I could tell when he coughed out blood. Maybe I could go into town and find someone to help." He took off his jacket and laid his hair down. "Those troops are pretty air-headed. If I change just a little, they probably won't notice." He rolled up his pants, "I have never done anything this idiotic. All for you, Hige." Kiba looked at his friend, "If I know you. You'll sleep until I get back. Anyway I'm gonna hurry." He ran to the city.
         Kiba got into town and walked around. He then saw a doctor's office and walked in. He saw a woman in a white dress. She gave a little boy a sucker; the boy's mother thanked her and left with her son.
         The woman looked at Kiba, "can I help you?"
         "Are you a doctor?" he asked.
         "Yes, I am," she said. Kiba grabbed her hand and led her out of the door. "Where are we going?" she asked while running with him.
         "I have a friend. I think he's dying. He has pains in his side and chest. He's also bleeding from the inside and coughs it up."
         "Where is he?"
         Kiba kept running, "I'm taking you to him."
        
          Quent just got out of the town Kiba was in, and he drove to the outskirts of the Keep. Suddenly he saw something in the snow. He Jumped out and saw Hige lying on the chilling ground. Quent walked over to him and cautiously touched his face, "he's ice cold." Hige turned his head and coughed while spattering blood against the white snow. "He's alive?" Quent shook him, "Hey, can you hear me? Can you stand?"
         Hige looked at him faintly, "hey,.......................you're the old man that Blue.....................liked so much." Quent nodded. "I.........sure hope Kiba.........made it out........okay," he whispered before fainting.
         Quent looked around and saw no one. "Are you Hige?"he asked. But he got no response. "Don't worry, wolf. I'll get you some help."

         Kiba rushed back to the same spot with the woman. By the time they'd got there, the snow had covered Quent's truck tracks. Kiba saw Hige's blood on the snow but not him. "He couldn't have thought that I left him!" Kiba looked around and yelled, "Hige!...........Hige, I didn't leave you!" He listened closely, but nothing.
         The doctor spotted something and knelt down. "Look a gap in the snow; it's tire tracks."
         "F-From the black trucks?"
         She shook her head, "no, their tires are bigger than this. That isn't them."
         "So do you think that he's alright where ever he is?"
         She nodded, "uh, it's getting cold, and the storm is supposed to be in soon. You want to stay at my home until mornig?"
         Kiba took her offer and led her back to the town.
        
          Blue sat on the porch and watched the snow fall. Tsume walked over to her and sat down, "hey."
         She turned her head, "I know that I'm a real bother."
         "Listen I'm sorry. I just can't stand for people crying. It doesn't make sense. Crying won't bring someone to you, and it won't get you somewhere faster. And absolutely does not make you feel better."
         Blue shrugged, "I remember Hige and Kiba. It's just, I always thought that we were more like a crush. Like teenagers and that it whould never last. But now that I'm away from him, and I don't know if he's hurt or fine or dead, or.....or kissing someone else."
         "Blue, he loves you to death. I know, I witnessed that death-do-us-part ending. He died right beside you. He said he was in pain, but I knew he could take more miles ahead. Then I saw that his body wasn't hurting as bad as seeing you dead. He saw that you were no longer with him. He knew that he wouldn't be able to find paradise without you. He asked me to put him down because of that." Blue stared at him with teary eyes. Tsume smiled, "beleive me, he's NOT kissing someone else."     Blue hugged Tsume, "thank you for telling me that. You're so sweet sometimes." Tsume groaned in agervation.     
      ;