Cybil..Friend or Foe?

              Rea’s stomach growled and her feet were aching, it seemed that the woods would never end. She looked at the sky overhead and there was no change, it was still the same gray as before. All the trees looked alike, everything was the same and she was becoming frustrated with the lack of difference in the landscape. She sat down on an overturned tree and sighed, her stomach growled again and she looked around.

            “I wonder what Gail meant by only eating what the trees offer.” She looked up at the skeletal branches and snorted. “I’m going to starve, plain and simple.” There was the soft rustling sound of feathers and Rea looked up to see a scarlet bird eyeing her. The creature tilted its head and Rea saw that its head and neck were actually coppery scales, the scent of cinnamon drifted on the breeze and Rea felt her mouth water.

            “Did anyone ever tell you it isn’t polite to stare?” Rea looked around and wrinkled her brow. There wasn’t anyone or anything around except her and the bird. She stared harder at the bird and it tilted its head the opposite direction. It flew down and landed on the log next to her, heat came off the bird and Rea flinched back from its presence.

            “How do you feel being gawked at child?” Rea blinked, the bird was talking. This strange animal was actually talking.

            “You can speak?” she cursed herself for being so dense, the bird let out an exasperated noise and rolled its gold eyes.

            “Of course I can talk. Did you happen to get stung by the larbees?” the bird came closer and Rea fell off the log trying to get away from it. The cinnamon smell was also coming from the creature, its legs were covered in the same copper colored scales, the talons were curved and gold colored. The feathers of the bird were various shades of burgundy and scarlet, it was no bigger than a lap dog, but looked like it could rip her to pieces.

            “I’m sorry, just that I never saw a talking bird before, well there are parrots but their vocabulary isn’t as advanced as yours.” The bird hopped closer and the heat caused sweat to roll down Rea’s back.

            “I’ll take that as a compliment I suppose. Are you lost or something?” The heat was unbearable and Rea cried out in pain as blisters formed on her arm. The bird looked down at her arm and then the heat subsided.

            “Sorry about that, my mum was a Phoenix and my dad was a dragon. I’m still trying to figure out this body.” Rea’s brain was reeling, hunger was making her hallucinate, and there was no way that the bird could be talking. She narrowed her eyes and stared at the animal. It tossed its head and the smell of cinnamon grew stronger.

            “Keep staring I may do a trick.” The bird’s words dripped with sarcasm and Rea raised an eyebrow, for an animal, it sure had an attitude problem.

            “Oh for crying out loud, will you please stop gawking at me!” the bird hopped off the log and walked away from Rea. She cursed again; the only thing that actually showed some life around here and didn’t kill her was leaving her, time to do some damage control.

            “I’m sorry, you’re just so interesting.” Rea hurried after the bird and it stopped dead in its tracks. She looked over its head and gasped, leaning against the tree was a scantily clad man wearing leather straps on his arms and a loincloth that didn’t cover much.  The man’s hair hung down his shoulders and spilled over his chest in waves of black. His skin was a light chocolate color; his eyes were as distracting as the loincloth. They were silver pools edged in gold. There was no amusement in those cold, calculating eyes. He crossed his arms over his muscular chest; Rea noticed the muscles bulging on his arms and looked away blushing. She needed to get a handle on her hormones.

            “Cybil, what are you doing in the woods? I thought you were banished?” his voice rumbled like thunder and Rea shivered, she saw the bird transform into smoke. She cried out hoping the animal didn’t spontaneously combust, the smoke lengthened and a young girl stood where the bird was. Her skin was the same copper colored as the scales, her hair a flame red that fell to her shoulders, pointed ears poked out from the mass of hair. The girl giggled and Rea saw the man look away.

            “Why Lepo, are you having an attack of modesty?” her voice was rich, it reminded Rea of liquid gold, it was just that smooth and rich. The man shook his head and made a disgusted noise, he looked directly at Rea and her eyes slid down to the loincloth.

            “It seems that neither you nor your comrade have any sense of decency.” Rea flushed and muttered.

            “Said the man wearing a piece of animal skin that barely covers his junk. What a hypocrite!” Rea heard giggling and looked up to see Cybil staring at her. The girl’s eyes were gold with flecks of copper in them. There was a knowing smile on her lips and she raised her perfect eyebrows.

            “I know right? He is a hypocrite! Do you have something I could put on so he doesn’t start lecturing us?” Rea dug in the bag and handed her the extra sweatshirt. The girl had to be no older than thirteen but her eyes were older. The smell of cinnamon was overpowered by the smell of woods, and the spicy sweet smell of nutmeg. Rea inhaled deeply and sighed, it was a comforting scent and made her think of nights in front of the fire. Her stomach growled again, she looked at Cybil and the man who were staring at her.

            “Well I’m sorry but I didn’t exactly pack a picnic when I decided to go walking in the woods.” Rea stuck out her lip and saw a smirk playing on the man’s lips, she tried not to let her gaze drop south.

            “Come on Lepo, I’m hungry too!” Cybil batted her eyelashes and smiled at Lepo, then the train of reason slid back into the station and Rea slapped her head.

            “Wait a minute is Lepo short for Hothlepoya?” Rea wanted to slap herself, she was certainly coming off like a moron in front of these people, and well Cybil wasn’t even a person. What the hell was Cybil? Cybil started giggling again and Lepo rolled his eyes.

            “Come on you two, the howlings will be around soon.” He started walking along the shimmering path and Rea watched the muscles of his butt flex as he walked. He stopped and pointed a finger at Cybil. “You behave yourself; you also need to tell me what you are doing in the forest.” She gave him her best innocent look and he rolled his eyes again. He turned back to walking and Rea admired the view, he was worried about a naked girl, when his loincloth exposed his a*s? Not that she was complaining but there was something screwy in his thinking. There was a tug on her arm and she looked down at the grinning Cybil. Cybil gestured for her to lean down, Rea didn’t know if she could trust the girl but Gail did say to trust her instincts, and they were on the fence.

            “He does have a nice a*s doesn’t he? Let me tell you, other parts of him are nice too.” Cybil winked and skipped down the path following Hothlepoya. The air grew cold and darkness seemed to be closing in awfully quick. Rea hoisted the bag higher on her shoulder and shook her head. How was she going to find her friends if she couldn’t even keep her wits about her. Loud howls sounded close by and she froze, fear trickling along her spine. Something heavy landed on her shoulder and she jumped, lashing out at whatever was near her. She contacted with something hard and heard a grunt.

            “Damn it! Stop thrashing about like a trapped animal, move it before the howlings close in on us.” Rea smiled sheepishly at Hothlepoya, he rubbed his stomach where she hit him. No wonder it felt like hitting a wall, the man had a beautifully sculpted six-pack that would be the envy of any body builder. His musky, nutmeg scent was drowning her and she stared at him dazed.

            “I hate to break up this little get together, but I suggest we hit the trail running. The trees told me that there is a pack of thirteen howlings out there. And they are looking for her.” Rea shook the fog from her head and stared down at Cybil, when did she come back.

            “Me? Why are they after me?” Cybil gave her a look that suggested Rea obviously said something stupid again. The air stung her bare skin and her breath formed clouds, s**t, when did it get so cold? Rea’s senses were reeling, something was smothering her and she felt her legs buckled under her.

            “Too late Cybil they’re already here.” Who was that? Rea tried to form the question but her body just wouldn’t cooperate. She felt a stinging sensation in her neck and warmth flowed through her body, but she was still paralyzed. Darkness started swallowing her vision, pain stabbed through her head, the stink of decaying bodies clogged her nostrils, and she was choking on the thick smell. She saw eyes glowing in the darkness and then laughter. Oh s**t! The Queen had found her and was now claiming her, Rea screamed and her throat filled with the tar that was seeping over her skin. She stopped struggling and let the darkness swallow her.

Author's Note

I'll come back later and fix any flaws

Reviews

[Marie]

Very nice! Hot Nasty!