Wolf's Rain Fanfic ~ The New Girl

Chapter 10 - Toboe

Another shot rang out as Alanna reached the other side of the plaza. This one hit home. It dug itself into her torso and the momentum of the bullet knocked her into the ground. Blood was everywhere. Then came her one shrill scream, one i dont think she's even aware of. Her desguise fell and she lay on her belly, scream faded. She didnt move and for a moment neither did I. The shooter was no longer hiding. I stood on the edge of the plaza one moment longer before running at him. I got to him just as he pulled the trigger again but i knocked the barrel upwards, the shot flying towards the clouds. I punched him in the gut with all my might before slamming my own forehead against his. He fell to the ground and didnt get up.
Hige, Blue, and Kiba came rushing out. They were farther than i thought. Hige tied up the guy and he and Kiba picked him up as i turned away. I practically ran to Alanna. I droppedvto my knees and picked her up. I cradled her against my chest and started the walk home. Not her home but my own. I have suplies to help her there.

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When we got there, after many stares and many mutters of 'my dog got hurt' to people closest to hear, i set her down on my couch and surveyed the room. The couch was on the wall closest the door, facing the back of the apartment. Across from it was the kitchen where nothing matched. The microwave above the stove was white where as the stove itself was black, and the fridge in the corner was silver and wide. There wasnt alot of counter space but thats what the island was for. There were two wooden stools on this side of it. My bedroom was past the door on the left of the stove, the oposite direction from the fridge. I dont own a television and never saw the need for one. So two of the four walls were blank, except for the door on the left wall. That led to the bathroom and thats the door i took. Under the sink i found the gauze, bandages, and every thing else i'd need to fix her up. Every thing except for whatever the stuff you would use to numbthe pain. Sure i had advil in the kitchen but that wasnt going to numb the additional pain i was going to have to cause.
I stepped back out to see the little wolf laying on her belly now instead of her side. She was still unconscious and i hoped it would stay that way. I approached her, first aid kit in hand. I reached her side an knelt down to her side.
The bullet had missed anything important and had imbeded itself in her side. Gently, i pushed her over onto her other side to make things easier on the both of us. First i had to shave around the wound. Wasnt easy with all the matted fur but my razor just managed it. Then i pulled tweezers from the box and proceeded to dig the bullet out.
This woke her up. All she could do was wimper as she held still. She could kind of see me with one eye and i gave her what i hoped to be a reassuring smile. Once the bullet was out, i clotted the vein and stitched up the hole. Then i wrapped it up and gave her the advil. Not an easy task with the maw of a wolf. I sat back and waited. I watched as she shuddered and relaxed. Then slowly her desguise came back and instead of a wolf laying on her side on my couch, a girl sat with her legs crossed and hanging of the edge of the couch. Though both were Alanna, i think i preferred her human self. I could see when she blushed with those pale cheeks.
She smiled at me but didnt speak for a moment. Then;
"Is eveyone else okay?" She asked while touching a hand to her bandaged side.
"I havent checked.." i trailed, scratching my neck.
She gave me a confused look. "Havent checked? You mean they're not here too?" She paused and looked around, "Where is here exactly?"
"My apartment. " Then as i realized how that sounded i stammered out, "I-I had suplies here to help you. I know my apartment is further than yours but you needed medical attention. . Its not like i was gunna do anything. .I-I mean not that i dont want to, its just t-that you probably didnt want me to.. oh geeze now i've put words in your mouth.. I-im just gunna stop talking now before i make an even bigger fool of myself.."
She smiled down at me. Not a sheepish 'holy cow' smile, a real smile. Growing into a grin. My cheeks burned as she slid off the couch and leaned over to me. I backed up as she continued to lean. Soon i was parallel with the floor, legs sprawled in front of me. She was hovering above me, one hand on the floor beside me. The other was on my chest. Her knee was right between my legs as she stared into my eyes.
"Not that you dont want to?" She quoted me.
I couldnt even form a sentence as she looked at me. She smirked before closing the distance between us. Our lips met and i was surprised for a moment before i kissed her back. All too soon it was over.
"We should go find them." She whispered. "Let them know we're okay."
"Are you sure? You were really badly hurt, and your still healing.." I said, unconvinced.
"And ill still be healing while i walk. Im fine. Im not a baby. I can handle this. Its not like i can make it worse now."
I just made a noise and we stood up to leave.

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When we finally reached the others, the day was almost over. The sun was just beginning to set as we sat in Tsume's apartment. Cheza was sitting in the arm chair. Tsume's favorite. Kiba was on the couch across from her, just looking at her. Hige and Blue sat beside him. Tsume was leaning against the back of the other arm chair while Alanna sat in it. I stood behind the couch, i dared not to lean on it. Cheza had said nothing at all and the prisoner was no help either. He was tied up in the bathroom, bound and gagged.

I remember she can talk, she just hasn't. Which is odd. After a while she finally looks at Kiba, her eyes distant.

"This one overheard a plan while this one was with him." She says in a voice so soft it soothes my very soul, even though the news she's saying doesnt sound good. She takes a deep breath before continuing. "He said, wolves will die. But i do not understand why wolves would die. Wolves are smart and beautiful. How could they die?" With each sentence she pauses.

Kiba keeps his look kind for her though i can tell he's not happy to hear of such plans.

"Well if the humans want to kill us, they'll have to find us first." He says it like its so simple but we all feel the pull again. I know it's not just me.. It can't be just me..

"Maybe instead of hiding, we should fight them." Tsume says.

"No!" Cheza says, urgent but still soft. "No, these ones must not get hurt." There is concern in her face yet not in her voice this time.

"Then what do we do?" Blue asks.

"We reopen Paradise. Thats how we escaped them last time." Hige says, shrugging.

"Is that even possible?" Alanna asks looking over at the couch, her eyes daring not meet the alpha's.

Kiba looked to Cheza though, seeming to bounce the question from himself to her because she answered.

"Yes. This one believes it is possible for that one to open it again."

"Well then looks like we have a mission!" Alanna stands up and stretches. "Shall we start tonight or go in the morning?" She asks, trying to suppress a yawn.

"We'll go tonight. It isn't that late yet, and we should get out of the city. We've been caught in the open once, who says it won't happen again. We'll wait for the cover of night. We will all stay right here but if you need a nap-" He looks directly at Alanna now, "-then i suggest you have one now." He looks towards the bathroom door, where we left the shooter. "I want to say we should end him, but that seems like stooping to their level, what i will say is that we will leave him here when we go. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll just starve to death or maybe he'll.... On second thought; he's probably heard everything and cannot be aloud to live. If the other hunters find him, he'll tell them everything." He looked almost sad that he had to resort to this. Cheza looked sad too but did not say anything.

After a moment of silence, i spoke up. "I'll do it." I said it almost as a confession. "I want to be more help this time. I'll pull my own weight and in this way I can help." I finished lamely. I expected Kiba to say no, that he'd do it but he just looked at me with something a kin to pity.

Tsume did speak though, "No. No way, Runt. You will not take a life. I don't care whose it is, you are not losing your innocence now."

I huffed, i knew someone would say that. "I have to do this." I said and walked into the bathroom. No one stopped me now. Not a word was said, but when i looked back into the living room there were no people; just wolves, and Cheza. Alanna lay on the floor, head on her paws, eyes sad. Kiba sat on the couch still, eyes pitying. Hige and Blue beside him, eyes sad as they watched me. Tsume stood by Alanna, tail down and his head facing away. Cheza stared after me, empty-eyed.

I turned back to look at the man of the floor, dropping my disguise as i did so. He tried to shuffle away from me. He could hear us and he knew what was coming. The house pet was going to rip out his throat and change forever.