“Together at Last?”

Disclaimer: NO! Don’t walk into the closet! He’s got a gun.

Shuri: What in the…? What are you doing! Say the disclaimer!

LS: Shut up. This is getting to the good part.

Shuri: (snatches book) How much you wanna bet the guy shoots her? (Begins to read)

LS: I wouldn’t do that is I were…you, nevermind.

Shuri: O.O That’s not a murder mystery at all! You lied!

LS: I never sait it was a murder mystery. ;)

Shuri: (eye twitch) Why you little…I’m running out of ways to torture you.

LS: You’re boring me. Let’s get on with the story!

Shuri: Even though you don’t own Wolf’s Rain and never will.

Author’s Note: This story is being re-posted for the second or third time. The disclaimers are staying the exact same (I’m just too dame lazy to change them) but the review thanks are being cut out. I think it just takes time away from thanking current reviewers and them getting to the story sooner. And just to let you know, chapters 1, 2, and 3 are considerably short. But that’s because I wrote them on paper first and when I typed them they became much, much shorter. Chapter 5 begins the long ones because after half of that was done I had to begin winging it. This was originally posted on ff.net but I'm posting an unedited version here because it's more fun! So, here’s the first chapter!

X1

“Fallen Ill”

Unknown POV

He sighed. They had been searching for paradise for months now with Kiba leading the lot of them. So far they’d reached a record of not eating for nearly two months and he was starving. The land around them was a wasteland. Not a single patch or an inch of green in sight. The barren land stretched on for endless miles. There wasn’t even the slightest scent of water or another edible, dead animal, just dry hot air.

He swallowed and remembered he hadn’t had anything to drink in a long time either. He felt about ready to collapse from hunger, thirst, and exhaustion, but he forced himself to keep moving. He didn’t want to look weak. But his stomach was so empty; the acids were crawling up the back of his throat.

He looked up at the sky. It was amazingly blue, but it was also clear and gave the sun more access to his already exposed body. He shaded his eyes but it did him no good. The acid taste wouldn’t go away and only more came.

His vision blurred. He coughed. This was not good. He couldn’t see straight, he was coughing up stomach acid, his body temperature was high, and it was getting harder and harder for him to breath. He coughed again and fell to his knees.

“Are you okay?” Kiba asked worriedly.

He coughed up more stomach acid and looked upward. Though his vision was blurred he could still make out a familiar figure with white hair, gold eyes, and a X-shaped scar on his chest. “Tsume,” he whispered.

His vision was blanketed in darkness and he collapsed onto his side.

Tsume’s POV

Tsume watched as the kid collapsed after throwing up yellow stomach acid. Kiba rushed for him, but he got there before him and lifted him in his arms. Ignoring the others Tsume began walking away. He had to get the kid out of the sun.

The stupid kid should have said something if he wasn’t feeling well. How could he be so stupid? Looking at the kid’s unconscious face brought up a feeling of sadness. He had to admit the kid looked pathetic. But even that reason didn’t mask the real reason why Tsume felt sad. Over time they had become friends, weather he had wanted to or not. He’d helped him before, and now Tsume was going to help him now. Only he wouldn’t be much help to him if he didn’t find shade and food soon.

Friendship.

The word rand in Tsume’s mind. And as foolhardy as finding Paradise was, he guessed he had three reasons to stay. The two behind him and the one in his arms. He finally had friends. People who trusted him and whom he could trust in return.

Great, Tsume thought. I’ve gained an obligation to stay with these fools. How do I get myself into these situations? He rolled his eyes. He hated being obligated. It didn’t suit his life style. He didn’t give and he didn’t take. That way everything was equal.

He didn’t ask for anything and he didn’t owe anything. He preferred it that way. He was used to being alone. And he was used to being around smart ass wolves that think they knew everything.

He shook his head and only now realized how high the sun was, and how hot the kid was. His way of life or not, he had to find him some shade in a hurry. But there wasn’t the slightest bit of shade for miles.

He won’t last miles, Tsume thought. He looked in all directions. He finally ran off without thinking, ignoring his name being called after him. He held the kid tightly in his arms, listening to the heavy pounding of his feet on the hard earth beneath him.

His lungs burned but he kept going. He wouldn’t stop until he found shade. Any shade. But at the moment…his mission seemed like a very lost cause. There wasn’t any shade in sight.

A/N: Like I said, the first four and a half chapters are short, but chapter 5 starts the long ones. Hope you guys enjoy reading this. If you want the edited version (probably not, I'm just saying if you do) then you can look me up on ff.net as Light Storm. Let me hear from you!