Wolf pack

Cleo Then and Now

The halera pack was buzzing as Anu returned with the couple.
Some cits ran up to him excitedly. He wondered if it was proper to call them cits anymore since the tribe was reformed. Anu figured they were all citizens now.
A group of cits with wounds came up to him quickly but sheepishly. He must have left a good impression.
Sighing slightly, the blood wolf took the time to clean their wounds and set them healing. Thankfully none of the injuries were from fights. It was mildly refreshing being in the tribe without the intent to kill anyone.
Anu raised his head high to see over the building crowd of welcoming haleras.
Like a beautiful picture, Cleo stood tall atop the rock ledge, silhouetted by the warm sky behind her. She spoke with confidence to members of the tribe below.
This was what a real leader should look like.
A healed cit ran from Anu back to announce their presence.
Cleo's gaze immediately shifted upward to see his, he couldn't help but grin.
Ignoring the crowds around her, Cleo jumped expertly off the rock and sprinted towards him.
He held his ground as she ran straight into him, quickly catching her and holding tight. Without saying a word she pulled back and kissed him.
It was nice to be back.
"Smaller than I imagined." Jynx remarked, getting a hit from Anya.
"Mind yourself."
Anu smirked and pulled Cleo closer. "Perfectly sized and wonderfully adorable."
Cleo blushed at the remark then turned to the other werewolves. "You made friends?" She eyed Jynx with nervous suspicion.
The eclipse stepped forwards and bowed himself low. "I am Jynx, magician and fabricator." He turned to the starry wolf at his side. "Here is my lovely mate Anya, synthetic empathizer."
Cleo nodded slowly, confused at the descriptions.
Anu chuckled and waved his paw at them. "He manipulates reality and she controls your emotions. They are like me."
She blinked in slight shock. "Oh."
He turned his head to her, signaling for the other two to give them room. Jynx and Anya nodded and walked about the sides of the canyon.
Anu and Cleo started off towards the stream, got drinks, and walked to their place in the shade. "Cleo, love, there is something I need to ask you."
She crossed her paws and raised her tall ears to listen.
"Before I came to the halera pack the first time, I never imagined I could have any aspects of a normal life. I never considered I could find someone capable of loving me, and I definitely never imagined I could have friends or a pack."
He lay down next to her and sighed lightly. "Then I met you, I got what I never believed I could have. I found love." He stopped to nuzzle her gently. "It made me long for things I never believed possible, I wanted a pack. I thought a pack could never be possible because I am so different, then I met Nate and Jynx."
Cleo's ears flicked back at the mention of Nate. She knew Anu would go after them.
"After talking with Jynx I felt something I never had before; a friendship and commonality. He introduced me to Anya and now we are here."
He turned to look her in the eyes.
"Cleo, I am making a pack, and I want you to join me."
She turned to look down at the sand under her paws.
Anu would wait.
Her eyes shifted from one paw to the other, as if balancing the options on her toes. Finally she turned to look at him.
"I may not always be present at your side, I have a tribe to look out for."
Anu sighed. That was the response he feared for. "I understand that. You have your own responsibilities. Truth is, I'm not sure how to gather the pack without you. Nate may never accept my invitation and neither may the others. I don't have the same touch as you do." He lowered his head. "You are the proof I can be good. You bring out the best in me and help me control myself. I was hoping having you at my side would help the others see that and make them more comfortable joining."
Cleo gently brushed against his side, causing him to lift his head. "Someone needs to look over the tribe. I do want to join you but I am unsure how."
They sat there and stared out at the bustling pack. There had been so much turmoil at the rule of Rhashmas, it was strange to believe it was the same pack. Not all problems were solved, but they no longer drove society. Fear, once the ruler, only flickered in tiny sparks that faded away in the face of new freedom.
Cleo feared what would happen if she left.
A frightening memory returned.

She was just a little wolf, barely older than a pup. Alphas and cits walked around in a massive crowd far larger than her, like a sea of red, white and black stripes. It was an important day, the day she was to be sorted.
She stood, legs shaking as Rhashmas came forward from the crowd. His hazel eyes glared down at her from high above. Black patches of fur circled his eyes, making the shadows even darker. His tall striped ears seemed to disappear into the air as he towered above her.
She was confident she would be an alpha. All the other pups and wolves told her so; she was smart, pretty, athletic and stood out beautifully from the crowd. She reminded herself this as the High Alpha looked down at her.
Yet, something seemed wrong.
Rhashmas's eyes seared through her, pain filled them so deeply though she could never understand why. Those hazel eyes looked her up and down, filled with indecision.
Why indecision? The answer should have been easy! She was an alpha, truly at heart she knew she was. She puffed out her chest slightly, looking as strong as she could. It only made his eyes worst.
Then, closing his eyes bitterly, the High Alpha swallowed and tore his head upwards to the adult wolves that had gathered.
"This is a citizen wolf. An omega. From now on treat it as such."
She remembered the dizzying confusion as the crowds expressed their alarm. Her heart suddenly began racing.
As the crowds grew louder, almost deafening Rhashmas snapped loudly, bringing it all to one horrifying halt.
"The pup was born sick! She is not fit to be an alpha. No more questions!" Rhashmas turned abruptly away, disappearing into the crowds so fast it was almost a sprint.
The vertigo swirled around like dark clouds, her vision growing blurry.
An omega? An "it?" She expected this day to be announced an alpha and receive her name. She had even practiced running so she could hunt soon as possible.
The swirling darkness came in as laughter and taunting. The other pups couldn't believe it, the Alphas couldn't understand it either. Cits only glared at her like some kind of joke.
That same day she broke her first bone. She never expected to be hunted by another wolf. It had barely healed before she discovered her ribs protruding. Trying to stay groomed seemed pointless as she was always caught in the rough.
Within one month she had become an it.

Cleo quickly shook the memory out of her head, focusing on where she was now.
This was a good place, she was safe now. She was protected. She had Anu. She took three long breaths and the memory faded away.
She feared the pack ever becoming like that again, for anyone. A leader would need to know what that felt like so prevent it from ever happening again. They needed to see what she had seen.
Suddenly a thought came to her mind.
The leader just needed to know what that felt like and follow her rule.
A tyrant couldn't take her place if she appointed someone herself.
Her head started buzzing as the thought grew louder.
Cleo stood slowly. "I have an idea, I will be back."
With that Anu watched her walk off, alone in the shade.