Paradise ✾ A Wolf's Rain Story ✾

Chapter Five

Nira and Kairi stood off to the side as they watched Toboe treating Kiba's wounds with some type of ointment given to them by Zali. The older wolf had returned a few moments ago, bringing the ointment and bandages with him, saying that the ointment should heal Kiba's wounds in a short amount of time. Nira, though, was honestly just glad that Hige wasn't still around; no doubt he would be complaining about the smell, but Tsume had sent him off to find food for the others, since he had apparently gotten to eat last night.

Sighing, Nira laid backed on the ground and rest her head on her arms, shutting her eyes to block out the light of the sun. She could sense Kairi still sitting next to her and she doubted that her sister was going to take her eyes off of Kiba until Toboe got finished treating Kiba's wounds. Stretching her legs out, she just stayed quiet and listened to the other talk amongst themselves.

“I still don't get why you won't say what happened to you, how you got those wounds,” Tsume muttered as he too watched Toboe's actions.

Zali was still there as well, along with the female wolf Cole from his pack, most likely to keep an eye on them until they decided to leave. Zali had spoken to them about he had once tried to reach Paradise, once tried leading a group of wolves through the tunnel in the hopes that they would end up finding Paradise and escaping the cruel world they were living in. There were few survivors of that venture, and Zali had forever since refused to ever try and venture back into that tunnel once more.

Kiba, who finally acknowledged Tsume's question, glanced over at the older male. “I saw Lunar Flowers once. I was a young cub, but I can still remember just the way that they looked. It wasn't long though before someone found them, set a fire to the field,” he stated, a nostalgic look coming across his features as he continued speaking.

“The fire raged on and killed every member of my pack. I sometimes wonder if, the reason that I lived, is because I was meant to find Paradise,” Kiba said softly, looking down at his legs once Toboe finished up the treatment.

Zali took that as his cue to leave, pushing off of the wall he had been leaning against. “It's nice to have dreams, kid. Just don't let them get you in over your head. You've got others to think about now,” Zali stated, before he and Cole wandered back into the city. Nira finally opened her eyes, turning her head to watch as Kairi went over to Kiba, looking over the males body.

“Are you still in pain?” she asked softly, her gaze finally finding his own. Kiba's gaze was soft as he looked at the female before him.

“I'm feeling much better now. There's really no need to worry,” he said, smiling slightly at her before glancing past her at Toboe. The young wolf seemed restless and Kiba could understand his need for movement. But they couldn't leave without Hige.

“Toboe, why don't you go and find Hige? We'll be leaving soon,” he said softly.

Toboe glanced over at Kiba before smiling widely. “Alright! Maybe I'll find more food with him too!” he said enthusiastically, yipping softly as he ran off towards the town.

“We're going to be stuck here even longer,” Nira mumbled, gaining Tsume's attention as she sat up and looked at Kiba. “You know he's going to end up getting distracted by something.”

Kiba just shrugged, looking over at her as well. “He'll come back with Hige eventually. There's really nothing to worry about. Give him a chance,” Kiba said softly; he could understand her annoyance with the young wolf to a point, but he had noticed quite a lot of improvement in Toboe since their journey had first began in Freeze City.

Tsume walked over to Nira and fell down on the ground next to her, bending his long legs and draping his arms over his knees. “You're worse than I am when it comes to the kid,” he stated, in an almost joking like tone.