Writing Wolf's Rain

[Xia_Kaia]

Tsume, Hige, Kiba, Toboe, Chessa, and Shai hurried through Forest of Death. Kiba and Chessa noted that Shai hardly ever looked up from the ground. And Hige and Toboe saw that she was nearly running to get away from the others. More than once, Tsume saw tears in her eyes.
Shai suddenly dashed ahead, disappearing through the trees. ?Get back here, you worthless piece of vermin!? she shouted, snapping her jaws and jumping through the trees. Soon, her voice faded into the darkness.
?Shai! Shai!? Tsume shouted. Silence. He turned to the others. ?Stay here. I?ve gotta find her.? He ran off into the shadows. Soon, he heard whimpering. It shouted feminine, almost familiar.
?SHAI!!? He ran into a clearing and found her nearly dead on the stone floor of the forest. ?Oh, God. Shai.?
She stirred very little, only enough to assure him she was alive. Tsume lifted her into his arms and simply held her for a moment. He could feel her losing strength against his body and kissed her forehead.
?Hold on, Shai. I?m here. I?m here, and I always will be,? he whispered. He walked back to the others.
Kiba was the first to see them coming back. ?Shai!? He helped Tsume lay her down. ?What happened??
Tsume wiped some sweat off his brow. ?I don?t know. I just found her like this.?
Chessa walked over. ?This one cannot see Shai moving.?
Tsume winced. ?Something got hold of her, that?s for sure.?
Shai?s hands shifted slightly, covering Tsume?s, and the other Kiba?s. Kiba looked down and saw a strip of dark green beneath the lids. She was awake.
?We?d better get going. Tsume, you may need to carry Shai,? Kiba said. Tsume nodded, looking slightly worried. He looked at Shai, who was barely moving at all.
Toboe took the pack that Shai had been carrying and put it on. Hige fished a navy cloak out of it and helped Tsume wrap it around her. All three lifted Shai as gently as they could and put her of Tsume?s back. She was surprisingly light.
Toboe reached up to push back her hood, but instead cried out, ?She?s burning up!?
Tsume looked over his shoulder at her pale face. ?Hang in there, Shai, just a few minutes more.?
?Tsume?? She opened one dark green eye slowly, her silver-blonde hair sweeping over his shoulder.
?I?m here. I?m right here,? he whispered.
?It?s cold, so very cold.?
?You?re sick. But it?s gonna be all right. I promise.?
She kissed him very lightly and lay her head back against his neck. ?I love you, Tsume.?
Chessa walked up next to him. ?She will be all right. This one knows.?
Tsume shook his head and continued on. He didn?t want to think about what might have happened if he hadn?t gone after her. He looked back over his shoulder, and felt his heart twinge. Then he knew; he loved Shai. That?s what made him go back for her. That?s what made him hold her so gently. He looked back at Kiba and Chessa, just as Chessa fainted, and stopped.
?She needs water. Even sunlight would help,? he said.
Kiba looked up at the sky. ?But there is none. The forest is too dense.?
?C-cave,? Shai said weakly. Hige raised an eyebrow.
?What cave??
She pointed vaguely in the direction from which she and Tsume came.
?She?s delirious,? Hige said.
An owl flew passed, causing Shai to suddenly fight to get away from Tsume. ?You bastard!?
?Easy, Shai.? Tsume said. But he too felt there was something strange about that owl. He set her on the ground, propping her against a nearby tree.
Chessa suddenly collapsed again. Shai fished into her pocket and pulled out a bottle, dripping several drops onto Chessa?s forehead. She smiled weakly.
?Thank you, Shai.?
?Hey! Why didn?t you give us any water?? Toboe complained.
?There?s barely enough for all of us. But here.? She handed him the bottle. ?We only get a sip each.?
He took a sip and handed the bottle back. She handed it to Kiba, who took a sip, and put a few more drops on Chessa?s forehead. As he handed the bottle back, he noticed that Shai was going white. Suddenly, her eyes slammed shut, and her head tilted backward. Toboe managed to catch her and set her down gently. Then, he howled, trying to bring Tsume and Hige back.
Tsume came darting back and, upon seeing Shai in a fit, picked her up again. ?Can?t I leave you without this risk?? he hissed in her ear. Her arms slowly wrapped around his waist.
?No. No you can?t.? She used his shoulders to help herself stand.
?Easy. Easy.? Tsume?s arm wrapped around her, his hand cupping near her left breast. ?Let me help you.?
They walked through the forest and into the cave. Shai limped at Tsume?s side until the evil bugs crawled from their holes. Then he left her on top of the outcropping with Chessa.
Shai followed Chessa through the cracks and to the bug eating plants. There they both lay still.
?This one heard them,? Chessa said. ?They were hungry.?
Tsume helped Shai back up. ?Are you okay??
She whispered something in his ear, to which he responded, ?And so do I. I?ll tell you later.?
?Guys! I see light!? Toboe called. The other walked out and saw the lake, and the moon. All gawked at the sight.
?Well,? Shai said, ?I think we found our paradise for now.?
Tsume smiled for once. ?I think you?re right.? He moved closer to her ear. ?I love you too, Shai.?
The younger wolves ran and jumped into the water, promptly trying to kill each other. ?Hige, leave him alone,? Tsume called.
Shai stepped into the water and went under. She surfaced just beyond the boys. She looked happy, almost unlike herself. A faint smile touched her lips, and she splashed the boys, giggling. Tsume chased her out into the deeper water. He caught her near a rock in the middle of the lake. She pressed her hands to his shoulders, and the night was sealed with a passionate kiss.