; I hadn't planned on killing anyone just so you all know and can keep that in the back of your minds...also....this chapter might prove to be very frustrating. I know when I was thinking it I could have slapped myself....but so my writing goes!!
Here just for you guys, chapter 4....
Chapter 4(didn't I just say that??)
"Emma....it's time for your medicine dear...." An nanny type women stepped into the room with a tray and set it down on the night stand. She frowned down on this and sighed getting up from watching her new pet eat. Toboe assumed that this was a normal accurence, one that was not welcomed.
"You don't want an attack do you?"
"No......" She took the inhaler from the nurse and did as she had always done. When she finished she passed the device back the nurse and sat once more by her friend. Smiling, the nurse left them alone. When she had exited, Emma frowned. Leaning over she whispered in Toboe's ear. "I don't like the people my dad has take care of me.....they are so mean to me sometimes...."
Toboe blink....How so? She seemed nice enough.... he thought. But he sposed time would solve this little question. Yawning he rested his head
back down on the pillow. Moments later, he was joined by the small girl. She smiled warmly at him and clung to his paw, soon falling asleep.
He figured now was his chance to get away. Getting up, he slide his paw away and slowly walked to the door. It was slightly open from when
the nurse had left. Looking back once more, he slide through the gap.
In the hallway, he looked around for a possible escape way. He had to take it easy though; his side was still a bit tender. Holding it he walked along past guards and such. They never asked him why he was there, he didn't talk to them. He may have even made it out of there and off to find Tsume and the others.....had the voices in that room not stopped him.
"......but sir....she is just a proto-type....the chances that she could actually take the place of Cheza...."
"Cheza?" Curious, he poked his head inside, so not to be noticed.
"....she was taken from the flower maidens DNA, before she awoke six years ago....in that time, her health is declining. She may not make it to paradise sir.....perhaps this is a sign that we need the real..."
"THAT'S ENOUGH!......She will make it....those Wolves were close I know it......Your job is to keep her alive til we find it...understand??" He stopped and looked in the doorway, seeing Toboe, ears flattened and scared. He expected the men to draw their weapons and kill him where he stood. But instead, the man only stood and went to him, petting his head.
"Good to see you better boy....." Toboe whimpered and went along. No need to be on alert, not yet anyways. As long as they treated him all right, he could keep his cover.
"I'm taking him back to Emma.....you think about what I said..." Frowning, he left calling Toboe to join him. Sighing,
he followed. He just had to stop and see what was going on....now would probably be killed or his cover
will be blown. He could only imagine what, 'taking him to Emma' really meant.
The two arrived at the doorway to Emma's room. It had meant just what it sounded like. Surprised, he looked up to the gentleman, who smiled back at him. "You still need to rest, pup. And the last thing I want is for my daughter to be sad. Get back in there and ry to stay out of trouble." His tone wasn't angry, no harsh. He patted the wolf's head and opened the doot giving him a small push inside. Once in, he stood up scratching his ear.
"Well that didn't make any sense. I thought for sure I would be...."
"You can talk.....?"
"...poop....."
He was still breathing, which was a good sign. He could feel pain, but not much. His wound seemed to be healing finally.
Taking in a deep breath of air, he opened his eyes and searched his surroundings. It appeared he was in the kitchen
area of the vessel in which he was traveling. He was more surprised to discover that he was not chained or bound. Just
lieing on a cot by a stove, alone. 'I have to get out of here,' he thought. Sitting up, he winced loudly.
"Sorry, but with that leg and your temperature....it is probably better that you don't move for awhile."
Tsume's head snapped around to see an older man, now hovering over him. He was smiling warmly at him, his eyes almost intrancing. Obeying, he layed back down and watched as he took a seat near his coat. "You took quite the beating from those Noble bastards. But your safe now. They figure your to weak to do anything outside, so your stuck in here with me."
"I'm not weak....."
"Trust me.....in this place, people beg to be in your situation. You'll help me in the kitchen....."
"I'm not a weakling!" Tsume rose quickly, wincing at the pain the shot up him.
"....such a strong headed wolf...." The older man sighed and stretched his old bones. The grey wolf blinked at the comment
he had just heard and looked closely at the elder. Shaking his fur, the man had changed into a charcole black wolf, silver
shinning through to show his age. Why hadn't he sensed it before? Perhaps he was to distracted with other things. Standing,
the old man grab a cup and filled it with cold water. "I used to be just like you.....didn't think I needed anyone....need any
help or friends."
Tsume stayed silent, taking the cup when it was offered. He didn't need this speach from anyone. He had heard it to many times before. But he needed answers. "So....how long have you been here?....Hidden from the humans?"
"Must be about twenty years now.....can't say I mind it much. Keep a low profile, they're bound to tell you anything. Humans and
their smaller minds." The old wolf laughed at the joke he had made, at least Tsume thought it might have been a joke. Sighing,
he looked at the cup in his hands. Then, in a moment of hope he asked his next question.
"I was with a younger wolf.....brown-redish fur. His name is Toboe...."
"......silver braclets?"
"YES!.....Is he all right?....have you seen him?"
"He's with the commanders daughter. She always wanted a pet....."
"Damn....." He knew how much Toboe had liked humans, and that he would be more then happy staying with another again. The sky outside was getting darker. The day had ended and he only wondered what happened to Kiba and Hige.
"What's troubling you boy?....I'm sure once your well you can get yourself and your friend out of here...."
"It's nothing...if he's happy where he is then there really is no need to leave."
"So your giving up already? I guess your not like me at all...." Sighing, the older wolf stood and made his way to the door. "You just need a bit more sleep, some time to think about a plan." Nodding, he left Tsume to sleep. But the wolf wouldn't be able to. To many thoughts were plagueing his mind.
Without realizing, he had changed back into his human form. He froze in the doorway, not sure of what to say or do. This was it,
he was sunk. The small girl got up and walked to him, he was pinned to the door. Her hand came up and ran through his brownish hair
and a smile spread across her face.
"Your a boy too.....now I have someone to talk to!" She giggled and spun around towards her bed. Toboe watched in confussion. After all,
he was more then sure she would scream and call for her father. "And you can stay with me forever and be my best friend."
"Um....I would love too....but I can't...."
She stopped and turn to look at him. Her smile had faded and an almost frown had replaced it.
"You will.....or I'll tell my father your one of the wolfs he's looking for...." Where was the innocence? She had turned on him, resorted to black mail.
"I can escape if I want to....you can't keep hold of me all the time....."
".....DADDY!!!!!!!" Scared from the scream she had admitted, he covered his ears, changing back into his wolf form. Moments later,
the General came in.
"What's wrong Emma?"
"You wanted to put on his new collar, remember? So we don't loose him?" She smiled at him, with that smile that had fooled even him before.
"Of course....." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a leather band. Pressing a switch on it, it began to blink. He walked over
to Toboe, who backed as far as he could into the closed door. "Come on boy....won't hurt you..." The leather came up under his chin,
choking him for a moment then slacked. He shook his head, seeing if it would fall, but it didn't budge. "There we go...now we can
keep track of you...." He patted his head roughly. Great.....just....great...
Kiba looked out over the valley watching the sun go down. Hige came up behind him sitting down.
"I can't smell them anymore....."
"Neither can I...." Both stayed silent and watched as the darkness finally came. Kiba stood up and dusted off. "Come on, we're going..."
"Going where.....?"
"Paradise.....I told you one more day and I meant it....we have to keep going...."
"....But....Kiba....maybe....."
Jumping down from his perch, he began to run, Hige sitting back and watching for a minute. Toboe and Tsume couldn't be dead. He didn't want to give up hope....but it seemed that they were lost to them. With his head hung low, he jumped down and tried to keep up with the White Wolf....
TBC