Cinti And Scorpio ~ The Tale of The Tribes

Chapter One ~ Cinti

The sun slowly falls and the night began to crawl over the earth. Dominating the trees and the life it holds within and around. Creatures ran from the shadow that casted over, frightened, knowing what follows the darkness of the night. The wind froze, not daring enough to make the grass dance or whisper sweet words to the leaves as it passes by. Deer ran away with their fawns sprinting close behind, rabbits tore across the moorland quickly, even the big bad wolves got together and escaped... all but two little pups. Named Kujo (Coo-joe) and Cinti (Sin-tea), both the alpha's pups, lost when the Pack Hunters thought they had every pup and got left behind. Kujo was black with a splash of white on his chest, smaller than his elder sister Cinti; though he had green eyes, Cinti had one blue and one green eye with a full black body. A trait she got from their deceased mother, Derima (Der-e-ma). Their father was the pack leader, Xion (Ex-e-on). Winter wasn't far away and the coldness surely was not acting shy. Both pups shook and shivered, fighting to stay warm by laying side by side. Cinti managed to find a small shelter left behind by a large creature unknown to her, so they rested there for now.

"Cinti, I'm so cold," Poor little Kujo whimpered and sneezed, he was always so weak to illnesses and such, and he was catching a cold faster then any creature. He was wheezing and eyes watered. Cinti licked his eyes and nuzzled her warm muzzle to Kujo's head and smiled.

"We will find a way home, I promise... I can make you stronger, I give you my word," Cinti whispered, her voice was so calming to Kujo, it always helped him sleep even in the most dark and hopeless times. For a bit, Kujo slept, but not for long. Hidden in the dark shadows was a monster, blood-thirsty and savage. Cinti listened to the world carefully, eyes closed yet ears perched up high. Not even the owls cooed their songs.

It's way to quiet... Cinti thought, I wonder if the legends of the Demon Wolf are real. She sighed and opened her eyes. Some of the tale makes sense, but does it really eat flesh of other wolves? Mother, is it real? Does it truly live in this forest with us? If so... please protect us. Cinti always caught herself praying to Derima, hoping she would show she was beside her and Kujo. Nothing came but her mother's voice from a long time ago... before she died...

"Cinti, protect your brother, us wolves are known as the kings of the forest... but something else roams within our forest, hidden by the shadows. It is a death sentence to say his name, so we just call him the Demon Wolf for those who dare to speak of him. But he is evil Cinti, never enter his cave and never cross his path. Hide from the darkness after the sun sinks into the earth to the west. His howl is like a tune of the birds, sweet and beautiful. Don't be tricked my daughter, he is nothing but death and destruction. He will lure you in with kind words and dashing eyes, but he only kills. Its said he eats flesh of his own kind, the wolves, and he killed his whole family out of rage and hate, despite his love for them. The Demon Wolf is not a mere tale, my child, he is as real as you and me. The night plays tricks. Beware Cinti, beware fore you are-"

And it would stop, giving Cinti a terrible headache. She never understood the last line... 'Beware Cinti, beware fore you are'... I am what? What am I mother? Cinti questioned over and over but no answer showed present. She sighed and heard a twig snap not to far away. Cinti stopped and lifted her head, ears forward. After a few seconds, she stood and trotted out of the small den of branches and bushes. The world was beautiful at night. Fireflies lit up the area bright green, flashing time to time. The mushrooms glow different colors between red, yellow, green, and even white. Why was the forest afraid of such a beautiful place? Cinti was breathless, completely forgetting her headache. Small bugs and spiders shimmered and shined from the brightness of this stunning place.

"Wow, its so... pretty," Cinti whispered and stood aghast, a moth glided down from the trees and landed on Cinti's pink nose. It was a big moth! Its wings were huge, light green with touches of dark gray. Cinti giggled, but huffed and puffed until she sneezed. The moth took suppress and flapped its wings delicately to the trees again. For a moment, Cinti sighed and smiled truthfully. Usually when she smiles, its either a lie or a sad smile. However, it wasn't very cold as it has been and it was a silent night.

"Who are you?" A rough voice came through and Cinti gasped. Her head wiped around, trying to find the owner of the voice. Cinti slowly backed away and dashed to the abandoned den to her brother. Thankfully, he was still sleeping where she left him. She sighed and slowly let her paws give away and lay beside Kujo. It didn't take long before sleep took her over. That night, she had no dream.

*****

The morning brought the creatures back, the wind slowly drifted about, blowing the leaves in a little dance. Sunlight peered inside the den and warmed Cinti's black fur. A faint whisper disturbed her sleep, but it didn't wake her up. It got louder and louder until a paw prodded into her ribs, jolted her awake.

"Wake up! Geez, and I thought Faith was hard to wake up," Kujo complained. Faith was his best friend, they always played together and when the other pups would pick on Kujo, Faith would come to the rescue. Faith was older then Cinti and bigger, too, but she was never intimidated by him at all. And yes, Faith is a male wolf cub. He would never do anything to a she-wolf, he was nice like that. Cinti sighed and stretched, yawning wide and shook her head. Kujo waited until she stood up to start talking again. "What are we going to do?"

Cinti looked into her brother's eyes, he didn't seem afraid, but he was in worse condition than last night.  That was one thing she admired of her brother, he never really showed his fear unless it was necessary. Cinti sighed again and trotted out of the den, "I guess we try to track the pack, at least its calm and warm outside. Breeze is blowing at us from where the pack headed, so we might as well try to find something to eat and get on our way... What?" Cinti growled when she noticed her brother was smiling at her, giggling softly. 

"Nothing, you just act like momma does, always has a plan no matter how hopeless it seems," Kujo said and sneezed, wheezing slightly. Cinti let him lean on her, whenever Kujo got too excited, his heart would jumpstart and he would have an 'attack'. Mother described the attacks as a point of time when Kujo's heart started to fail, but then kick back up, fail, and kick back up. For how long it lasted varied. Cinti stared at her tiny, helpless brother. Why are you always smiling, even when bad things happen one after another, you still smile and laugh. You are weak and can't live on your own, but I'll be there, I will help you stand on your own and prove everyone you are strong! Cinti declared to herself and pulled Kujo on her back.

Kujo winced and heaved a breath. His paws dangled down along Cinti's shoulders, he could feel her muscles ripple under her fur. "Your strong, like dad is," He whispered, he was still smiling. Kujo was fragile and delicate, unlike Cinti. She was headstrong and stubborn, always charging ahead of herself, muscles creased her hind legs and hunches. Whenever she had something to say, she would say it no matter who you were. But when Kujo said that, Cinti felt a stab of pain and envy in her heart. Kujo always looked up to Xion and her, though Xion never gave Kujo one glance. He was all about Cinti and wanting her to take his place one day as alpha. But she didn't want to be alpha, she didn't even want to be in a pack. Just to be a loner, roaming the land, seeing the world with her own eyes instead of listening to the tales of the Elders.

"Please don't smile like that, it makes me feel like your hiding from me," Cinti said instead of answering his comment. Kujo smiled brighter and rested his eyes, his breathing calmed when he fell into a light sleep. Cinti sighed and shook her head, "Might as well go on without eating," she whispered and started a faster trot, careful not to loose Kujo and not to wake him. It wasn't because she was eager to reunite with her father, but she felt something follow behind in her pawsteps, hunting them down. When she heard the steps behind her quicken, she grew frightened and bumped up her pace to a fast trot. 

"Stay away! Get away from us," Cinti shouted, panic gripped her heart, she felt breath at her heels. She screamed and ran, somehow, Kujo was still on her back. "Leave me and my brother alone!" She screamed, though it muffled when she fell face first into the dirt from a tree root. Cinti didn't get up, she felt so weakened, feeling the cold when a shadow casted over her. A groan slipped through her teeth as she lifted her head slightly. The outline of a wolf stood above her, but Cinti's eyes rolled back and she fell unconscious.