Hunters moon

30: Anubis mummification hibernation

Claire and Nina coughed as the sand set them down, they were in a large room made of yellowish grey stone, in it's centre an altar, behind the altar none other than Cleopatra stood with a wooden bowl in her hands, a big black tomb to the far end of the room.

"Ah, you made it" Cleopatra said coming over to them. The woman who brought them there went to stand one side.

"What do you want from us Cleopatra!?" Claire yelled.

"By us, it should actually only have been you, the hyena Queen was just a bonus" She smirked holding the bowl to her "Want some?"

Claire smelled it, the rusty copper scent had a sweetness to it, the pungent sweet smell of cerebro-spinal fluid.

"Who's brain is that?"

"It's Naomi's"

"What!?"

"I'm not going to explain, all you're here for is to answer my questions" Cleopatra said taking a spoon full and eating it.

"You! You're eating the brain of your own kin!? Is this how you punish those who fail you!? How can you be the good queen you say you will be after doing something like that!?" Claire yelled in disgust.

"Where's Luna?" Cleopatra bluntly asked ignoring the snarls.

"Why do you want her?"

"So she can tell me where Alice is"

Claire laughed "Oh, now I see what you're up to, I'd rather die than tell you"

Cleopatra mockingly made a sad face "Oh, you don't want me to be reunited with my dear Alice, she is your wolf mother after all?"

"Alice is the most evil of Del Carchetore's even me as her descendant would rather have her remain lost"

Cleopatra laughed "You have it wrong Claire, she's the only evil Del Carchetore, and the most powerful water elemental, if I can have her by my side again, my task will become a lot easier, especially since my pack is now dwindling"

"Hmf, serves you right"

Cleopatra gave her an eerie smile, then looked at Nina, who responded exposing her fangs "I have nothing to say to you b***h"

"Neither do I" Cleopatra said and lifted her hand "But, I am going to make an example of you, maybe that could get sweet little Claire here to talk" She flicked her fingers, that same black onyx shimmering sand engulfed both Nina and Claire. Claire was drawn to the nearest wall and pinned there, whilst Nina was brought face to face with Cleopatra.

"You b***h! What are you going to do to her!?" Claire screamed tugging hard to free herself.

"I have two methods of mummifying someone, one is the mummifying hibernation, the second is one I recently worked on, and needs testing" Cleopatra said holding an open hand to Nina, she growled softly, still standing her ground "Anubis mummification hibernation" Cleopatra spoke and Nina started closing her eyes, but she shook herself awake.

"I won't succumb to your witchcraft!" She said fighting the tiredness that now gripped her.

"Nina stay awake! Don't go to sleep!" Claire called.

"I, I'm trying"

Cleopatra laughed loudly "It won't be long now, this technique intensifies the more you struggle, your body is trying to go into hibernation after all"

"Fight it Nina!"

"I... I... Can't..."

Nina's head dropped forward, the deep sleep had her, only Cleopatra's sand held her up, but it seemed like she was dreaming, her ears lowered, her teeth exposed, then her lips relaxed, and her ears rose again, it continued like this, slowly, with intervals.

"Nina! Nina! Wake up!"

"She can't hear you, what's happening to her now, is she's dreaming, but it's fluctuating between a dream and a nightmare.

In the nightmare she experiences all things she fears, and a mentally induced pain from some sort of source, it could be anything from a thousand knives cutting her up, to fire burning her flesh.

Then just before it would break her mind, the dream takes over, where I drag her out of the fire, and stop the blades from cutting her, then I'd nurse her wounds, and chase away her fears..." Cleopatra smiled at Claire.

"But just when she's at her happiest, the nightmare takes over again, and another fear and pain grips her, this cycle will continue for as long as I have her under my Anubis hibernation curse, and eventually when I awaken her from it, I will be like a God to her, she will obey my every command"

"You! Evil! b***h! Stop this now! She doesn't deserve this!"

"I know, and I feel for her, really I do"

"Then let her go!"

"Where's Luna then?"

Claire felt the shock of the situation hit her, never has she had the thought of making a decision like this, this poor friend of hers, so brave and innocent, or her mother's location, which could lead to something far worse than whats happening to Nina, if it were Michael, he'd scream 'do your worst' but she wasn't a black werewolf, she's a Del Carchetore, they are renown for their compassion and forgiveness, being kind in any way possible... Claire had no idea how she was possibly going to get out of this situation.

Tears dripped from Claire's face, she had no answer. Cleopatra waved her hand and sand started entering Nina's nose, ears and mouth, her body twitched, and she moaned softly.

"Stop! What are you doing to her now!?" Claire yelled, almost feeling the pain Nina was going through at this point.

"I've frozen her in state"

"What?"

"You'll see"

Claire felt it, the moon was gone, she couldn't see it, but the sun's rays were definitely filtering in from somewhere, her body started shrinking, until she was back in human form, but Nina was still a werehyena.

"Frozen in state, she will be my pawn even in daylight, the Lunar black sand broke down to cellular size, filtering into her bloodstream, packing up around her brain and neurological highway, the sand itself charged with lunar light keeps her body in it's wereform, I hope you took a good look at that cute little human face she had Claire, because you will never see it ever again"

Claire felt her body go numb, but she couldn't fall to the ground, the sand held her up, all that hit the ground was the tears now pouring down her face.

"I'm sorry Nina, I'm so, so sorry" Claire cried "Adiós, Hasta que nos volvamos a encontrar" She greeted in Spanish, her Clan's most honorable farewells were given in their native tongue. She opened her teared up eyes, Cleopatra stood in front of her, holding open a hand.

"Don't say your farewells now, dear sweet white wolf, you are not going anywhere just yet, oh no, you will be joining your little hyena friend"

"Wh, what?"

"Beautiful women like you are rare... So beautiful you can even seduce another woman into bed, and that's what I'll use you for, your beauty will be my weapon, you will go out there and win over the hearts of my enemies with your sweet kindness, your beauty will just add poison to the venom, then you will lure them to their death"

Claire's blurred vision brightened only once as she blinked to stay awake, but the deep sleep took her as well.

Cleopatra turned to the other woman and sighed.

"Stubborn aren't they? These Del Carchetore's" The woman said.

"Just like Alice was, if only these younger wolves knew what was really going on"