to the others.

"Hige, you take Blue and Toboe and raid this shop for some food. Tsume and me will keep guard out here. I already broke the doorknob so you guys can get in."

Hige nodded and he, Blue and Toboe walked in. Tsume and Kiba waited outside. In the shop, the 3 robbers began their raid. Toboe noticed a cake near the back of the store. It said "Happy 7th Birthday, Wolfie!" and had a picture of a wolf-like dog on it. Toboe turned to Hige.

"Is that the pied wolf?"

Hige laughed and rubbed the pup’s face in the cake.

"No, but you are!"

Blue quickly broke up the fun.

"Guys! We’re doing something important, remember?"

----------------------------------------------------------

Tsume and Kiba began to pace uneasily.

"What’s taking them so long?" Kiba asked.

"I dunno, but…" Tsume sniffed the air and scrunched up his face. "Ugh, what’s that smell?"

Suddenly, a brown wolf whipped around the corner and rushed straight at them. It wore a muzzle and dragged a leash behind it. It crashed into Kiba, knocking the wind out of him. It laid on top of him for a moment to catch it’s breath, then got up, snarling menacingly. The muzzle was lose and hanging off of its face. It wanted to rip the blue-eyed man’s throat out, but a sweet smell filled its nostrils. The wolf didn’t know why, but it couldn’t kill Kiba. It leapt off and ran. Tsume had been watching, and for some unknown reason, he felt he should follow the brown colored wolf. Kiba jumped up and ran after Tsume. Hige, Toboe, and Blue exploded out of the butcher shop, mouths full of meat, and followed suit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Tsume was catching up with the half-muzzled animal. A few more long strides and he was upon it. He had to hold it down. But the wolf was stronger then it looked, and whipped him around like a rag doll. Kiba arrived and, too, jumped on the raging beast. Still, it was overpowering and threw both wolves about with ease. Hige, Toboe and Blue dropped the food in a pile and helped. Hige figured his weight would definatly hold the wolf down, but he was wrong. Still, the powerful creature thrashed and fought. Toboe piled on. Blue jumped on the wolf’s head, hoping to control it that way. Big mistake. The muzzle fell off, and the wolf grabbed on to one of Blue’s legs. She yelped, but stayed on the massive animal’s thrashing head. Finally, after almost an hour, the beast passed out.

The tired wolves collapsed in a heap. Kiba grabbed the wolf’s leash in his jaws.

"Unless one of us has an opposable thumb, tying this wolf up is gonna take a little teamwork."

Reluctantly, everyone stood up. With a mixture of jaws and paws, the wolves made the best leash possible and put the muzzle back on the unpredictable animal.

"We need to talk to her." Kiba said. "She may know where we can find the pied wolf."

"What if she doesn’t want to say?" Blue asked. "Then what?"

"Oh, we’ll get it out of her." Kiba assured.

Tsume shook his head.

"I’ll talk to her."

He got up and left before anyone could ask questions.

Tsume looked at the pathetic animal. Her brown fur reeked and was covered in mats.

The wolf opened her eyes to see a man dressed in leather staring at her. She growled.

"Rotten human."

Tsume smiled.

"I think you’re mistaken. I’m a wolf."

The she-wolf took another look. She seen a human before her, then a gray wolf, then a human, then a wolf…she was getting confused and aggravated.

"I don’t know what you are. All I know is, no self-respecting wolf would disguise itself as a disgusting human. You ought to be ashamed."

Tsume laughed and dropped his disguise.

"There, is that better?"

She growled again and turned away.

"Hey, I need to ask you some questions."

"I’m not telling you anything. I don’t trust you."

"Why?"

"Because you’ve helped chain me up."

Tsume walked over to her. She snarled viciously, but he ignored her. He took the leash between his teeth and chewed it off. He did the same with the muzzle. Then he backed up and sat down.

"Trust me now?" He asked, half expecting the wolf to bolt.

To his surprise she sat down, too.

"Thanks. I had it on because I escaped from…"

"The zoo?"

She looked up at the gray wolf suspiciously.

"Yeah. How’d you know?"

Tsume looked away. It was too embarrassing to tell her he had a dream about the wolf in the zoo.

"Instinct." He answered.

After a few moments of an uncomfortable silence, she got up.

"I should bathe. I stink."

She walked over to the creek and jumped in she looked over to see Tsume watching.

"Do you mind?" She asked.

"Oh!" Tsume turned and walked away. He was going to hide behind a rock to watch her bathe, except…

"TOBOE!"

Toboe smiled innocently from behind the rock.

"Hehe…hi Tsume!"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Ummmm…I was just stretching my legs!"

"Hmph. Yeah right. Let’s go."

--------------------------------------------------------------

She splashed around for a bit, rubbing in the water. She rubbed the years of human scent and horrid stains from her fur. She rubbed against rocks to pull out the mats and chunks of feces that collected in her tail. Luckily, the creek washed away all her filth and the scent of captivity. She looked at herself in the water and wagged her tail.

"It’s nice to see me again!"

She jumped out and shook vigorously until she was dry. A chilly breeze blew. She shivered. She wasn’t used to the wilderness weather. She looked around and found an old blanket crumpled up and shoved in the crack of a rock. She snatched it in her jaws and threw it in the air and walked under it. It draped over her. The only visible part of her was her muzzle and legs. She walked over to the other wolves. Hige tossed her a chunk of meat.

"Eat up."

She stared stupidly at the meat. Had it been so long since she had a meal that she forgot how to eat? Not likely! She threw the blanket off and began to ravish her meal. The others stared at her in amazement. Her muzzle and half her face was jet black, the other half of her face was a snow white. Her body had huge black blotches covering the white. Her white chest had mottled black and gray spots. Her tail was white with a black tip.

To Kiba, she was the wolf they’d been looking for. She was the Pied wolf that would get them to Paradise. To Tsume, however, she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on. Out of nowhere, Toboe started laughing. Hige glanced over at the pup.

"What’s so funny, runt?"

"Go to the east…" Toboe laughed out. "There you will find the Pied wolf consuming her stolen feast!"

Toboe was hysterical now.

"That’s funny?" Blue asked.

"YES!" Toboe gasped out.

"Why is that funny?" Hige questioned.

"Cuz she’s not the criminal, Hige! You are!!!!!"

Hige thought for a moment then gasped.

"Oh yeah."

Blue laughed along with Toboe. The Pied wolf looked up and tilted her head.

Weirdos, She thought to herself.

Kiba got up.

"Listen, we need you to come with us. We’ve been searching for you."

The Pie looked at Kiba curiously.

"What do you want with me?"

"You’re the final wolf that’s needed to open Paradise."

The Pie laughed then turned her gaze towards the setting sun.

"Paradise. What a joke."

Kiba stepped back as if someone just struck him in the chest.

"Wha-…a joke??"

"You heard me." The Pie said, narrowing her eyes. "I just got my freedom and I’m not about to waste it chasing some pup’s fantasy."

With that, she turned to walk away. Kiba stomped his paw.

"It’s not a fantasy! We were just at the gates several days ago. They said we can’t enter without you! You’re our only hope."

The Pie ignored him and continued walking away.

"You couldn’t kill him, could you?"

The Pie stopped, and looked at Tsume.

"What did you say?"

"Kiba. You couldn’t kill him, could you?"

She didn’t answer. She looked at the ground. Tsume continued.

"You couldn’t kill him…because you smelled Cheza."

Pie’s eyes widened.

Cheza?

She looked over at Tsume, then Kiba. As much as she hated to admit it, Tsume was right. She wasn’t sure what she smelled on Kiba before, but she knew it was important. She wagged her tail slightly.

"You’re right. I’ll go."

Only because Tsume is going. She thought. I’d follow that tail anywhere!

Kiba jumped up.

"Alright! What’re we waiting for? Let’s go!"

Kiba took off towards the cave. The others, though still tired, followed.

Pie looked at Tsume and wagged her tail. She licked his cheek and ran off. Tsume stood there, dumbfounded, then bounded after her. After a couple days travel, everyone was still in good spirits. Pie glanced over at Toboe. She could tell he was just a pup. She playfully hit him in the side with her paw. He looked at her in surprise. He wasn’t used to being played with.

"What did I do wrong?" He asked.

"Wrong? You’re a pup aren’t you?"

Toboe nodded. Pie got in the ‘play bow’ position.

"So, let’s play!" She begged, wagging her tail.

Toboe smiled happily. He’d been waiting so long for someone to play with! He agreed and the two bounded after each other. She chased him, he chased her, they tackled each other to the ground and were just having a grand old time. Tsume and Kiba watched, both wearing smiles.

"Atali was right." Tsume said with a sigh. "She really is the Joy of Paradise."

Kiba smiled at the gray wolf.

"Tsume, you don’t have feelings for her, do you?"

Tsume averted his eyes.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because every time she walks by, your tail goes a million miles a minute!"

Tsume smiled.

"Not every time!"

Kiba laughed. Suddenly, he stopped. Everyone stopped. The scent of Cheza filled their nostrils.

"We’re here!" Kiba cheered.

They could see the cave in the distance. Once again, Kiba bolted. Tsume followed. Hige and Blue dashed ahead. Toboe, however, was tired and couldn’t keep up. He ran as fast as his tired legs could carry him. The Pie was behind him. She thrust her head under him and lifted him off the ground. Toboe found himself on her back. He quickly grabbed a mouthful of her fur and held on for

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