Wolf\'s Pride

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Chapter One:
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To be a wolf…. To survive in this age…one had to be strong.

The laws of nature were no different than before: Survival of the fittest.

Tsume had always assumed bogging himself down with companions…friends…would just weaken a person. To care…to trust…these things could destroy a person not on their guard. It had been a hard-earned lesson, and he had the scars to prove it.

So why? Why this path? Why had he abandoned a comfortable livinyle yle and headed out into the unknown with a bunch of incompetents? An idealistic idiot, an airbrained glutton, and a clumsy kid. What a crew…

He’d already explained it to himself in his mind, justified it. He was leaving town anyway. Why not with his own kind? It was a sight better than seeking out a new pack of human flunkies. And he could admit to himself a slight curiosity if this Kiba knew what he was doing. So sure of himself and his quest for Paradise, he seemed…for how long?

But his patience, after three days, was wearing woefully thin. The terrain outside the dome was harsh and ragged. It was little wonder the humans did not stray from the city borders, save on trains or other such modes of transport. Walking to the next town would be suicide for them. One minute, the wind was so icy, it felt as if it might sheer the flesh right off of your bones, and the next, the sun was beaming and the ground scorched even his well-weathered paws. The other two seemed to be losing confidence, but the fearless leader of this merry band seemed unperturbed. Well that made sense, didn’t it? He’d surely faced this before, in wandering all the way to the city. He was pressing forward through all of it, that same determined expression on his face. It seemed to be all that was keeping the other two going.

Tsume? He’d never had confidence in this little trip. It was sort of hard to lose something that had never been there. Or what had been lost long ago…certainly, at one point, the call of Paradise had reached him, but…now, he was more than disillusioned on the prospect. He was just growing irritated, was all. He was beginning to wish he’d never gotten involved with that kid…or this stupid journey.

What irritated him more was the fact he knew exactly why he HAD gotten involved…and it was as stupid a reason as any.

He felt guilty.

~Gel is dead because of you…~

He was never his problem. None of them were. It was fend for yourself when thlletllets came flying, and he hadn’t seen any of THEM running back for the kid.

~You left him there to die…~

That pissed him right off, but he had said nothing. They were too busy fleeing to look back, to see that he HAD gone back for him. Forgetting, for a moment, why he kept them all at such a distance.

~It’s just…I’m not like you people.~

Gel had certainly seen that for himself. The last thing he’d seen. He was such an idiot…grabbing for the kid like that. Instinct. He could safely blame it on instinct and nothing more. But instinct didn’t explain the sinking in the pit of his stomach, watching the boy fall, the torn cloth of his wounded shoulder fluttering as he plummeted down…

The kid had seen what he was, and let go…he was afraid of him. As well he should have been. But it had cost him.

It had cost them both.

And then, soon after, Toboe had appeared. The bright-eyed innocent pup who he couldn’t imagine hurting a fly, so tamed by his prolonged contact with humans. Who he –knew- looked up to him and, despite all his tough-talking when brushed off, he –knew- wanted to stay with him. Who had just as much a propensity for trouble as Gel had had.

He knew EXACTLY why he’d saved him. Some buried sense of honor demanded it. If he couldn’t save Gel, he could save this boy…Rationality told him the two were totally separate. Saving Toboe wouldn’t b Gel Gel back and it wouldn’t clear the guilt from his conscience. But still, he had anyway. Repeatedly. What could be said? Trouble seemed to cling to this kid like a persistent flea.

And now, the pup was turning into a bit of a parasite himself, and refused to let him be! Tagging along after him at every given opportunity…it was because of him that he was even out here, he thought grimly to himself as they finally sought shelter from the icy storm inside a small rock cave.

~We’re leaving town and…I really think you should comth uth us!~

He wondered, sometimes, if the kid wasn’t just looking for a substitute owner. He never seemed to be capable of looking out for himself, constantly looking to the three older wolves for everything. A pet. That was all he’d be good for. Even amongst other wolves. Of course, such a thing did happen, now and again, that he had heard of. A lone wolf adopting a smaller, weaker wolf and looking after them. Such bonds were almost common, now, among those that were left.

He still looked down on the practice. He wasn’t looking for companions.

So why had he come?

After much grumbling from the chubby one about the lack of food, most of them had already fallen asleep. Kiba had been sitting on guard near the entrance to the cave, and had settled in to rest his head on his paws, eyes drifting shut. The wind outside was enough to faintly stir the thick white fur now and again, but he showed no sign of feeling the cold. He must be too tired for that. Tsume’s lips quirked upward in amusement. He’s not totally invincible…

Hige was curled in on himself in a corner of the cave, trying to keep warm, and the occasional rumble of his stomach was the only noise he made for a long while. Thank GOD.

And Toboe…was edging his way closer to Tsume with each progressive toss and turn he gave. Of which there were plenty. About every minute and a half or so, by his reckoning. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. What had he DONE to be saddled with this kid?! He turned his head and pretended not to notice.

Course, by the time Toboe had finally scooted over enough to be touching him, it was kind of hard to ignore. Tensing slightly at the contact, he turned to fix a warning stare on the pup. “Cut that out. Go to sleep.”

Amber-brown eyes peered up at him mournfully. “I can’t…. It’s too cold…” he replied softly, giving Tsume a hopeful look indeed. A ‘snuggle with me, please?’ sort of look.

Grumble. Growl. Glare. Fat chance.

“Go curl up next to Porky over there, then. I’m sure he’s got body heat to spare,” he muttered, turning his back on the pup and closing his eyes. Ah. But when had that ever worked before?

Certainly didn’t now. “How come your not ‘sleep?” Toboe pressed, tilting his head slightly.

“Not tired.” A lie. He was as exhausted as the rest of them, but he’d be damned if he showed it.

That was a mistake, though. Toboe’s expression had turned nearly worshipful. Oh yes. Make yourself even more of an idol. Idiot. “You look cold, though…”

He was searching for an invitation to get closer. Like Hell. “I’m fine. Now go to sleep,” he replied curtly. He could hear Toboe shift behind him, the jangle of the silver bands he wore around his forearm against the stone floor. Opening one eye, for a moment, he thought he might actually listen and go over to rest against Hige. Well, the two of them certainly seemed chummy enough, and perhaps Higeld pld prove useful as a distraction…

That was a far and distant hope, though, when he heard the padding of his paws grow nearer, rather than farther, and suddenly Toboe was fachim,him, ears flattened off to the side and watching him with that same wide-eyed pitiful expression.

Damn him. And his cute looks. Stupid pup.

“Please…Tsume…can’t I sleep here by you?” The soft whine was almost enough to cause him to relent. It was the fact he knew good and well what Toboe was up to that kept him from it. Oh, don’t think you’re so slick. You’d be FINE over by Hige. We know what you’re up to.

His response was, again, to turn his back, pretending to ignore him once again. Actually ignoring him would be harder, with little to no distractions in the desolate cave.

Oh, look. That section of rock over there looks like the tree by the old hideout. Hello, wall. Good wall. Nice wall. Walls don’t feel the need to snuggle. Already he was feeling a sort of kinship with the stone.

That was, at least, until he felt a cold nose nudge itself against the back of his neck. Snarrrl…..

He turned and snapped his jaws somewhere to the left of Toboe’s face, and the pup quickly retreated with another soft whine, tail between his legs. He knew the drill. No touching. Especially there. Looking appropriately abashe bae backed away…and finally turned and settled himself near the entrance, curling up on the stone floor with a shiver. Near Kiba.

Feh. Well fine. Let Fearless Leader deal with him. Let them both freeze. He didn’t care.

Teeth still clenched, with a final warning growl he turned and allowed his eyes to close.

~I’m sick of friends…who needs them?~

If he kept telling himself that…if he kept from actually trusting in these morons, caring about them…he might still have a chance.

For survival’s sake, he’d make sure the minimal distance was kept between them. Instinct could be overriden. At the vleasleast, he’d try.

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End Chapter One
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Hope you liked it so far, do let me know, won\'t you? The more motivation for a chapter two I get, the quicker it\'ll appear. *hint hint*