Welcome Home

[Rynn]

The black wolf cautiously approached Hitoban, "Hello Lady Hitoban, pardon my rudeness and sudden appearance," he bowed his head in respect to her, though looking slightly afraid. "My names Kaze, and as Rin has told you I'm her younger brother."

[hitobannofokkusu]

*A warm smile crossed Hitoban's face and she nodded her head.*

"Welcome Kaze. We're always glad to have visitors here."

*She noticed his scared body language and chuckled.*

"There's no need to be afraid. I mean you no harm."

[Rynn]

Kaze looked at Hitoban and smiled shyly, though his eyes still held some fear in it. "I know, it's just being around so many wolves kinda gets to me, I'm surprised Rin has warmed up to you all so well....she never really liked big packs, or any kind of pack for that matter, not since the incident anyway" His words held a hidden meaning that he knew Hitoban wouldn't understand for it had happened a long time ago. He shook his head, "Anyway, thanks for welcoming me...." he turned and padded back to where he had been laying earlier, as far from the others as he could get and laid his head on his paws, watching his sister, she seemed so calm around them, in a way he envied her.

[Wahya Ayawisgi]

Wahya looks toward Hina with shaky eyes, "You... trust me, but... you was not here to see it..... if you was here to see Giga you would surely not trust me either and even if you did see him, how could you still trust me?"

[shiningwolf]

Khaza looked to Wahya as he spoke of Giga. She didn't know who or what Giga was but she reconed she would find out sooner or later. Tenshi looked around, it seemed like nothing much went on. She didn't really mind quiet, though she looke to Khaza who was shuffling around a bit. Khaza seemed the type who needed more action in her life.

[hitobannofokkusu]

*Hitoban nodded as Kaze turned and walked away, then she padded back over to Tsuki.*

"Hey Tsuki, do you think you're well enough to make it to the forest at least? I'd rather not be out in the open like this in the nighttime. This is where a lot of...predators come this time of night-because of the lake. Bears and things of that nature. There's also been hunter that have come her at night. Nothing ever comes here during the day-I don't quite know why-but everything comes out at night. I just feel uneasy staying here..."

*Hina smiled and shook her head.*

Wahya, after the things I've seen...the things I've gone through...nothing could make me not trust you. I don't know why...I've never really been able to trust anyone besides my siblings because of what happened, but with you it's just...I just feel...nothing bad can happen...

*Hina blushed and turned her face away. Why had she said that? She probably just made things awkward. After all, she'd barely met him!*

[Wahya Ayawisgi]

Wayha's ears perked a little to what he had just heard, he tilts his head as he raises a eyebrow. Why is she so certain.... and so shy? Wahya shakes his head with a smirk, "Well... thanks for trusting me" Wahya's ear points in the direction of Hitoban, "Sounds like we might be moving soon." Wahya rolls his shoulder again and the pain was still there.

He looks over to where he set the snow gem and sighed, I guess I will put it back on now... Wahya trots over and places the snow gem around his neck.

[hitobannofokkusu]

*Hina gave a half-smile when Wahya rolled his shoulder, shaking her head again. After he slipped the snow gem back on, she trotted over and placed her nose on his shoulder. She felt it to see what exactly was wrong with it. It was a little swollen, but otherwise fine. It would bruise, but that's it. She reached into her bag and extracted a blue herb with a vine strapped around it. She wrapped her leg around Wahya's and lifted it up, slipping the herb on over his leg and up to his shoulder. When it was in place, she held it with her own shoulder as she pulled the loose end of the vine. It tightened considerably and she moved away. The herb stayed in place, cooling his shoulder like ice.*

That's Maname's favorite herb. If you eat it you can blow air onto a wound and cool it instantly. There's another one that's red and if you eat it and blow air onto a cold wolf's body methodically they will warm up faster than if you were to place them in front of a fire. We constantly eat those when we're in cold areas because not only do they heat whatever you blow on, they heat the consumer from the inside out. They're very handy herbs.

[shiningwolf]

khaza rose at the mantion of bears and hunters. She would take them alone. Probably a foolish thought but she had worse before. Tenshi looked to Khaza rise and smiled slightly. Khaza seemed rearing to go. Tenshi rose too and shook off calmly.

[Wahya Ayawisgi]

Wahya's fur stands on end when Hina suddenly touched his shoulder with her nose, he looks over quickly to see what she was doing and notices that she puts some sort of herb on it. As the herb made contact with his shoulder it did start to feel cool, She surely knows how to heal....

Wahya shivers a little from the sudden coolness of the herb, "Thanks, but I should be ok..."

[shiningwolf]

Khaza looked round to see Hina put a herb on wahya, she watched fasinated. She herself didn't know much about herbs and healing. She was mainly a fighter who grins and bears the pin afterwards. Tenshi watched too and remembered that herb in her travels. They were definatly effective and quick to heal. She looked to Khaza who seemed fascinated by it and chuckled.

[Tsukikage]

Tsuki was standing beside Hitoban, crying, "Dante..." He stumbled, putting a great deal of his weight on Hitoban. "Sorry, I..."
Mar stood and walked to the gem, "I used to ask him, 'Why are you helping me? We barely know each other, and I've given you no reason to treat me with such kindness.' He would always smile and say, 'I've lived longer than anyone should, so I've had plenty of time to be selfish. You see, I've realized it's much more rewarding to use my gifts to help others. Besides, I'm a bit bored with helping only myself.' I used to say he was a fool, and that no one would do the same for him, but he still put others first..." he began to tear up, "He put his heart and soul into this, Tsuki, and into me; if we don't take care of these gifts, we'd betray him."
Tsuki smiled and fell to the ground, tears still rolling down his cheeks. He grasped the snowgem with his teeth, and worked his way back to his feet. "Thank you for keeping this safe, Rin."
When he was once more standing, he turned to Hitoban, "Yeah, let's get going; I've had enough of this place for now..." His gaze wandered to a mound with a rock... underneath the tree where Dante had died... Mar must've built it.
"Tsuki, you don't think enough about yourself, either. If we must go, I will carry you, you still have some time before you are well enough. Give it another day or so, you'll be back at full speed in no time... but for now..." He gently scooped Tsuki onto his back, "Hitoban, if you would lead the way?"
Tsuki protested, of course, but he knew that he wasn't strong enough yet. "Um... yeah, ok, this works... man!"

Kage stood stoically, then shrank back beside Dawn. "I can't," he began breaking out in a cold sweat, "I can't do any of this... You, me, Tsuki, this land... I'm not ready, am I? I'm never going to be strong enough... not with Giga around..." a crazed look displaced the fear in his eyes. "That's it... I have to kill Giga... that's the only way we'll all be safe." The fear pushed it's way through again, "But I can't... that damned Giga is inside Wahya... I can't kill Wahya..." Kage's face was suddenly very dead-set, and his body was quivering uncontrolably. He realized he'd been talking aloud, "I... I... Dawn, I..." his quivering moved into his face, and the well of tears he'd been holding back finally erupted, as he melted into tears.

Tsuki felt great sadness from Kage. Fear, anger, confusion, regret. There was no way Kage was in the right mind-set to move on. He needed closure here. "Dad, let's not move just yet, okay?" He jumped down from Mar's back and landed with a thud on his shoulder, "I'm okay, I'm okay." He stood, then fell again, "Okay, so not okay... ow..." At least this'll buy Kage some time to pull himself together. But man, that really screwed me up... ow.

Shimo had since prepared to leave, and so was nearby when the thud had taken place. He saw the subtle difference of sound when his shoulder had dislocated. "Hmm... that jump didn't go as planned, now did it, Lord?" He smiled slightly, then put Tsuki's shoulder back in place and healed the surrounding tissue.
To Tsuki, it felt like being stabbed with a blunt object, then pouring lemon juice all over the wound. He couldn't help but yelp in pain this time.
Shimo smiled confidently, "Sorry about the pain, Sir, but your shoulder will work just fine now." The kid definitely didn't have the gentleness that Dante had when he transmuted your body... but Tsuki was grateful, all the same. Tsuki looked to Mar, "Well, if I can't get out of here, then we'd better send the rest ahead of us. Will you take them, dad?"
Mar nodded and turned to Hitoban, "Just point me in the right direction, Little Miss."

[Rynn]

Rin nodded to Tsuki as he thanked her, "Your welcome, I did what I could to help...." She then turned her attention back to Kaze who had dozed off. She padded over to him and laid next to him, and laid her head down, waiting for the order to move out.

[shiningwolf]

Khaza waited too. Tenshi looked around her. She thought she sensed humans. She shook it off and looked to Tsuki and Hitoban, though she was more alert now.

[hitobannofokkusu]

*Hitoban braced herself as Tsuki leaned on her, then stood nuzzling his as he and Mar went through their exchange. She looked to Dawn, who had tears welling in her eyes. When Mar asked her to point the way, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to stay here with Tsuki, but she couldn't just point in a direction and let them find it themselves. She was Alphess, and she had to accompany them. Someone did anyway...She thought briefly about Dawn leading them, but knew that now was not the time to send her away from Kage. She knew of no one else who could go and was in despiration. She shook her head, trying to clear it. Suddenly Katashi's voice rang through her thoughts.*

Hitoban, you have to stay with Tsuki. Just point the others over toward the woods. They'll be fine. Or maybe they'll die...which would be okay too.

Shut up Katashi! Hitoban, you do have to stay with Tsuki, but you can't let them go alone. You know of the wildlife in there.

"Both of you let me figure this out on my own. Be quiet."

*Hitoban looked at Tsuki, then Mar and the restless wolves around her. Then back to Tsuki, then Dawn and Kage. She sat down and looked at Tsuki. She finally turned to Mar and spoke.*

"It's too dangerous and irresponsible for me to let you all go alone, so I'll accompany you. Dawn will accompany Tsuki in watching the people who stay in my absence. Mar and anyone else wanting to move out, follow me."

*Hitoban turned around and started walking toward the forest on the other side of the meadow. She stopped and looked back at Tsuki with sad eyes. Then she gave a half-smile and wited for the others.*

*Dawn did indeed have tears welling in her eyes. She heard Hitoban's announcement and stored it in her brain. She nuzzled Kage and spoke softly, calming.*

Kage...you can do it. You can be with me, and Tsuki and Hitoban, and you can deal with Giga...we all can. Wahya can too. Don't worry...please...