Hi everyone. Here I am again with another chapter for you lovely people out there that read my story and enjoy doing this as much as I enjoy writing it. So, I wanted to say a couple of things about this story…one of the things that inspired me was the game To The Moon which belongs to their respective owner whose name I can't remember at the moment. Also, some of you might think that the reason I am writing and asking for opinions at the end of each chapter is because I like to get many views and reviews so that I can become a known author of the site. I want to assure those of you that think this, that, although this is the ultimate goal of each of the writers on this site, I am not about the destination. I merely enjoy the ride. Which means that I write because I like to and I share because I want others to be happy, cry or have feelings along with the characters of the stories. There are some awesome writers on this site and I congratulate them for their talent, but I have a lot to improve to get to that level. And, for those of you who are merely watchers, or for those of you who are authors but don't know yet, writing a story is like reading it for the first time. Each emotion you try to express through words, you explore along with the characters. If the moment you are writing about is sad, you will feel it, if it is happy, you will feel it…

Anyway, just wanted to shine light on some, maybe, obvious things of the process of writing a story :D Maybe you will find them useful some time in your lives…

But, let's leave that aside for now and focus on the story, shall we? Enjoy :D

Chapter 6 – Origins

A strong wind blew through the trees in the forest. A quick rain with small drops that were colder than ice started out of nowhere, and lighting was there to light the sky in the absence of the moon. Humphrey was running through the forest. His fur was wet, his legs hurt. But his face…his face had the signs of horror. He was running from something terrible. Yet he couldn't remember what. But he kept running. The longer he ran, the safer he felt. That is, until a silver wolf with black stripes and stripes of blood over her fur stopped him in his tracks. She looked him dead in the eyes and spoke in a voice more powerful than the storm:

"Wake up. NOW! DANGER!" Then her image faded.

-back to reality-

Humphrey opened his eyes with a start. His fur was drenched in sweat. He quickly noticed Kate was still in his paws. Then the voice in his dream hit him again. His face turned into one of horror as he quickly picked Kate up on his back and began running. He ran from the clearing as fast as he could, not looking back. He had that feeling that he was being watched again. He didn't want to risk it. Because he was running, he didn't notice Kate woke up.

"Humphrey? What is going on?" she asked from his back in a whisper, her ears suddenly perked up and her fur on end. Without stopping from his marathon, Humphrey responded:

"That feeling again. A bad nightmare that seemed real. The wolf we are searching gave me a warning. She said to wake up and run. Danger is coming." Tears were falling from his eyes, and he was sweating profoundly. Kate noticed this and said:

"Let me down. Then we will continue to run." Humphrey stopped for a second while Kate got off of his back and then they started running together. After another couple of minutes, they reached a river and quickly crossed it so that their smell was lost. Then they ran some more, until they reached the forest again. Than Humphrey stopped and began breathing heavily. Kate stopped too and sat by him, putting a paw on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. After she waited for a couple of minutes, Humphrey said:

"I had a nightmare. I was alone, running terrified through a cold rain. Then the silver wolf with black stripes and stripes of blood stopped me and said to wake up in that instant. She only said one word after: danger. I woke up with a start. I quickly looked around and saw you were still sleeping. Then that feeling of being watched hit me again. And this time it was more intense than that morning. I quickly put you on my back and started running to where my instinct told me to…" he finished with a couple of big breaths, tears again in his eyes. Kate came closer to him and used the tip of her tail to dry his tears and tried to calm him:

"Humphrey, we are at least twenty miles away from the clearing by now. I don't think we have been followed by anyone…not even Marcel and Paddy. Don't worry about them. They will find us. They always do. I think we are safe for now."

Humphrey slowly nodded and he said, trying to hold his calm, but failing:

"Kate, I was afraid I would lose you. What would have happened if I didn't wake up? What would have happened if I was too late? What then?!" Kate sighed and gave him a big hug. She put her head on his left shoulder and whispered in his ear:

"But you weren't. And even though we are a little tired now, we are alive…and no one seems to have followed us. I believe you that we were in danger. And I love you even more because the first thing you did was to take me and run as fast as you could to try and save us both. We don't have to worry with what might have been. We are here now, alive and together." She then slowly raised her head and eyes from his shoulder to look him in the eyes. She locked eyes with him and saw worry and fear, but most of all, she saw selflessness and love for her. She smiled and hugged him again, this time not looking back up. A couple of seconds later, a pair of shaking legs embraced her too. And they stood like that for some time, Humphrey still crying on her back, but beginning to calm down. Soon, his shakiness stopped and the tears dried. Kate broke the embrace and looked at him again. She asked with a calming smile:

"Better now?" Humphrey nodded and smiled a little too.

"Okay…now we need to find out where we are…and where will we go from here to reach that strange wolf" Kate said as she began looking around.

"Kate…I think I know where to find her" Humphrey said calmly.

"You do? How?" Kate asked surprised.

"I just think I know where she might be. It's a feeling" he answered looking at her, not knowing how to explain. Kate nodded and said:

"Let's go then." She pressed her side against his and they both started walking, Kate letting herself be guided by Humphrey. They walked for the best part of the morning, until they reached a small clearing, even smaller than the one before. The clearing had a small hill in the center. A hill big enough to hide a den. Humphrey and Kate walked around until they reached the other part of the hill and saw the entrance to a den which had a small fire burning inside.

"Who are you two and what are you doing here?" a voice spoke behind them. Both Kate and Humphrey turned in a hurry and saw a silver wolf with black stripes and with some herbs in its mouth coming towards them.

"The cycle continues" Humphrey said looking at her with suspicion in his eyes. Her reaction was instant. She dropped her herbs and looked around carefully, before turning to them and asking:

"You haven't been followed, have you?"

"We don't know. We think we weren't" Humphrey said as she nodded, picked up her herbs and pushed the two of them inside the den. After they were all settled down, Kate and Humphrey as far away from the fire as they could, the silver wolf spoke:

"It is good to see you again Humphrey. Come closer to the fire, it won't hurt either of you. It is a special kind of fire." Both he and Kate came a little closer to the fire, while the wolf was mixing some things in two bowls.

"You two might be wondering who I am. I have many names, but I am sure you have heard of this one. My name is Sally" the strange wolf said with a grin, looking at them both.

"No way. That Sally?" Humphrey asked with horror on his face. Kate looked at his with confusion and Sally spoke again:

"I see that your mate is a little confused. Kate…yes, I do know your name. I will explain everything while you two eat." She pushed the two bowls towards them and they smelled them.

"What is this?" Humphrey asked.

"It is food. Plants to be exact. They will cure your tiredness. Plus they are very nutritious, even though they don't taste too good" Sally said. Humphrey nodded and took a mouthful of herbs, while Kate eyes him for a second, before doing the same.

"So, Kate and Humphrey, let me present myself. As I said, my name is Sally. Bloody Sally. Why I have this nickname, you ask? Because I am a wolf-witch. I was and am the ally of the Sentinels. I have joined their pack about one hundred years ago, when your grandfather ruled it" Sally said with a smile as Humphrey finished his bowl of herbs and asked:

"So…it was you that sent me that dream last night?"

"The part where I told you to wake up? Yes. I sensed danger following you last night. I had to warn you. Although, that took almost all of my power. You have a strong mind, Humphrey. Even stronger than your father" Sally answered with a smile. Just then, Kate finished eating and said:

"What kind of danger?"

"That, I could not see…anyway, I think we have more pressing matters at the moment. You were going to go to the old territory of the Sentinels, weren't you? Well, before that, I think it is time Humphrey found out the entire legend of the Sentinels. And it looks like we have just enough time until darkness falls" Sally said, looking outside at the sky. She remained like that for a couple of moments, before she said:

"Everything started with the war between two brothers whose names have been forgotten by time. They were the original Sentinel and Wretch. That was a few thousand years ago. The Sentinels were the good part in this war, the older brother wishing that his younger brother would forgive him for making a stupid mistake, and wishing for peace. The younger brother wanted revenge on his older brother for some small mistake he made. So they separated, each of them starting his own pack. These two brothers were the two sons of the greatest wolf of all time. The Great Fehernrir, the first wolf. They were born with powers beyond normal wolves. As generations passed, the war has been passed from father to son. And so have been the abilities. The Sentinels were able to save another wolf from death, by offering themselves instead…the ultimate sacrifice. The power of the Wretches remains unknown to this day, for the younger brother never used it. And no wolf who has seen it, remained alive to tell the tale. Also, the Sentinels were both better than a normal Alpha or Omega. They had mental strength and the strategies of Omegas, but combined with a superior physical power. More power than a normal Alpha had. The Wretches, on the other hand, gave all they had to become more powerful, ignoring their mind and focusing on raw physical power, a decision that lead to their defeat in every battle…except the one that happened when the Sentinels were almost killed for good, three years ago."

Sally took a break, taking in some air and looked at Humphrey and Kate, observing their faces and reading their emotions to the best of her abilities.

"Tomorrow, Humphrey, your training as a Sentinel will begin. We will go to the old training grounds, which pass through the original grounds of the pack. Your mate can come too and she can train if she wishes… Now, rest. Both of you. You will need it for tomorrow. "Then Sally was silent. She got up and left the den. Humphrey got up, walked a little further away from the fire and laid back down. Kate looked at him all this time and saw that his smile was gone, being replaced by a frown. She got up and walked to him, laying down beside him, her face to his face. He didn't even seem to see her. She put her paw on his cheek and he raised his eyes. He flashed her a small smile, before Kate spoke:

"Humphrey, are you alright? You don't look too well…"

"I am fine, physically speaking. But…this is too much. Too much to take in at the time. Me, descendant of the first Wolf? Capable to sacrifice myself to save another from death? Stronger than an Alpha?" he said looking worried and searching Kate's face for an answer. Kate looked at his worried face, not knowing what to say. He was right, it was a lot to take in all of a sudden. But, regardless, she spoke:

"Humphrey, it is your legacy. And, I have to admit, it is a lot to take in on the spot, but you know what?" This caught Humphrey's attention, his eyes, unmoving from his target. Kate's eyes were emanating love and affection and he could see it.

"What?" he asked in a whisper.

"I think you will be the best Sentinel there ever was. And remember what I told you? I will be there, right beside you. I will train with you, I will help you become one. And you know why?" Kate asked, a warming smile on her face:

"Why?" Humphrey asked, his eyes still fixed in her eyes.

"Because I believe in you, Humphrey. I believe that you will be who you are born to be and I will love you regardless of what lies ahead" Kate answered, seeing a small smile form on Humphrey's face again. He nodded slowly and said:

"I love you too, Kate. And I will do my best to become the best Sentinel and make my parents, my former pack, Winston, Eve, my current pack and you, the best friend I ever had and the wolf I have the pleasure to call mate and who I love with all my hearth, proud." Kate's smile grew even bigger and said:

"This is the Humphrey I know and love so much" before she hugged him and buried her face in his chest. Humphrey closed his eyes and embraced her too, borrowing his head in the fur on her back. A couple of minutes later, Humphrey broke the hug and said:

"What did I do to get such a supportive mate, I will never know. Should we get some sleep, considering that we both have training tomorrow?" Kate nodded and turned around, pushing her back in his chest and placing her head in such a way that she could hear his heart. It was a calming music to her ears and she soon fell asleep. Humphrey brought her closer and intertwined their tails, placing them around her protectively. However, he didn't fall asleep. He looked at the sky, where the moon was shining. He whispered:

"A beacon of hope…" and smiled, nuzzling Kate's neck and falling asleep, thinking about the training tomorrow and the decision he made tonight to become the greatest Sentinel that ever existed in order to protect Kate.

Aaaaaaand…scene. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what your thoughts are, as I enjoy reading them :D

Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.