Lunar Wolf

Disclaimer: This show is my new passion, and I desperatly wish I owned it... but I don\'t. =)
Pairings: Tsume/OC
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It was cold, almost too cold for any living creature to be out wandering around. Yet still the group of five continued on. They had to. Paradise wasn’t far now, and their only hope was fading fast.

The wolves continued through the snow, the youngest, Toboe, carried the young maiden that traveled with them upon his back. She needed warmth and soon, but so far they had had no luck in finding a suitable shelter for the six of them.

It had been almost a week since they had left the warmth of the desert and it had seemed like longer since they had last eaten. At least in the desert Cheza could get moonlight at night, but here… snow was all anyone could see.

Though they didn’t say anything, a few of the companions to the girl had lost some hope, yet Kiba, the one who never faltered, hadn’t. The white was was determined to get his pack to paradise.

The rest of the pack followed behind their leader, none of them really knowing why they followed anymore. They just knew they didn\'t want to stop following him.

Shelter was in sight, and Kiba stood atop the hill waiting for the rest to catch up. Tsume was the first and noticed what it was the white wolf had found. It wasn’t too far, and they made it to the small cave shortly after it had been spotted.

Toboe enteredst, st, gently laying the flower maiden Cheza down in a corner. She was weak, and no longer radiated the heat that normally poured from her. Carefully the young wolf that had carried her huddled close, trying to warm her up as best he could.

Hope never seemed to stay with the group. There was always something that jeopardized their goal. First it had been finding Cheza, then they had to suffer through her loss.

Yet Cheza had returned to them after a difficult battle. At last she was here after what had seemed like an impossible hope of ever getting her back. They were on their way to paradise now. Kiba could feel it in his very soul; they were close, very close.

The white wolf stood at the entrance to the cave, watching the minutes blow away in the storm. His impatience was evident, but he knew the need Cheza had to stay in the warmth and out of the cold. Lost in his thoughts, he never sensed the approach of the grey wolf as he came to stand beside his side.

They merely stood their, watching the passing storm together, both silent with worry though neither showed it.

Tsume could feel the maiden’s health waning, although he’d never say that he did, nor would he admit that he actually cared. Though still, he felt it deep inside himself. Loneliness had set in, and deep down, far away from the eyes of his comrades, he was sad to see her drifting away from them. She had been a silent hope for him, and now… it was fading. Cautiously, gold eyes swept toward the young girl, gazing upon her resting form. Ever fiber in his body longed to go to her, to hold her and try to bring her back to life the way she had once been. Though he knew it would never work, there wasn’t anything that he could do.

She was shivering, huddled against Hige and Toboe. He could feel the heat slipping from her body, slipping away as her life followed it. It wouldn’t be long now, she would be gone from them within the month.

He hadn’t noticed it, but all the sudden it struck him as though he had been shot through the heart. Cheza was staring right at him. It was a sad stare, yet it held warmth and… love. Cheza loved them, even him, Tsume. A salty tear escaped his eye as she gazed upon him, sharing the only warmth she contained within her body.

Slowly her eyes drifted from him to the opening of the cave. He followed her gaze, trying to see what she saw.

She merely peered out, as if searching for something. Curiously Tsume let his gaze drift back to her, silently asking her what it was she was searching for. Then he remembered that she had been doing that quite frequently. Since she had gotten back with them, Cheza’s health had been slipping, and she seemed to search the distance for something. It was almost as if she expected to see something coming to save her, or them.

Once again he turned to stare back out into the night, hoping to catch sight of something.

But all Tsume could see as he gazed out into the blizzardy night was blowing snow. He couldn’t even see the moon.
“Tsume?” a soft voice echoed.
Slowly he turned to regard the gentle voice that had called to him. Her hand was stretched out to him, beckoning him to her side. Kiba had already settled beside her, and there was a spot to her left that was always open for him. Walking away from the entrance, he made his way to her.

The wolves huddled close to the little flower, trying their best to warm her small form. Lovingly she stroked them as they slept against her, continuing to peer out into the cold night, waiting for the only salvation the wolves would have when she was gone.
In the distance, where the only close eyes couldn’t dream of seeing, a wolf the color of the moon traveled to find the maiden whose song she had heard call to her. She was close, by tomorrow the wolf would finish her journey and come upon the dying flower. There she would complete her mission and bring the wolves her master had instructed her to find, back to paradise.
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End for now... there will be more. Please review! Thanks.