The Werelupe Saga, Chapter 1: Part Three

      "Shut up. I'm not going to kill you," I growled angrily. Just then, Maylas came bursting into my room.

      "Colbolt! What's going on? I heard a struggle!" he said. Then he saw the mutant Lupe tied up on the floor.

      "Oh, I see you already took care of it," he sighed in relief.

      "Yeah, but what are we going to do with him?" I asked. Maylas shrugged. Then I had an idea come to me.

      "Oh wait. I have the perfect punish-" I didn't get to finish when an earth shattering explosion came from outside. I fell to the floor as the whole house shook.

      "What was that?" I yelled getting back up and looking out the window. A huge cloud of smoke was coming from the city along with an orange glow.

      "The city is on fire!" Maylas cried out beside me.

      I blinked my eyes in disbelief. How? Why? A pit seemed to form in my stomach. I had to go to the city. Something was there. Something told me I had to go.

      I turned quickly, almost knocking Maylas over, and headed for the door.

      "Where are you going?" Maylas ran after me.

      "I have to go to the city," I looked back briefly ready to run out the door.

      "Hold on. You've been acting strangely for the past few days. It could be dangerous in the city," Maylas explained. I clenched my paw.

      "Maylas, I don't know how to explain what's been going on. But I know this fire is my fault. I don't know how but it is. I have to go there. I want you to stay here where its safe, okay? I'll be right back," I quickly opened the door and ran out, not letting Maylas to react.

      I kept running in the direction of the city. I could smell the fire as it slowly consumed the buildings. Other Neopets were running in the opposite direction of mine carrying little valuables and screaming.

      "Colbolt!"

      I turned to see Maylas running behind me, trying to catch up, with a red wagon trailing behind him. The mutant Lupe laid in the wagon still tied up.

      "Maylas! I told you to stay home!" I yelled at him. He came up to me panting.

      "Yeah right. I'm going to find out why you've been acting strangely Colbolt. You're not telling me the whole truth. And until you do, I'm following you the whole way," he gasped. I looked back at the Lupe Maylas caught my glance and gave a grunt.

      "Like I was going to let him home alone in our house," he spat. The mutant Lupe gave a whine.

      "Fine. Lets go," I almost took off again when another voice called my name.

      "Colbolt! Hold on!"

      I saw Moon running towards us at full speed.

      "What's wrong Moon?" I asked.

      "It's Khell. He was left at the hospital over night to get rid of the Mootix. And now the city's on fire! We have to save him!" She begged.

      "Then lets stop talking and go!" I told all of them. We ran towards the city.

      Flames licked at every building, setting it ablaze. I quickly thought of the quickest route to the hospital and headed in that direction. In a few moments, the white building loomed before us, already half burned away.

      "Khell!" Moon cried running towards the building ahead of us. We finally caught up to her trying to enter the building, but burning timber blocked the only entrance.

      "Khell!" Moon cried inside, hoping her brother would hear her.

      "Uh, Moon?" Maylas nudge her in the side and pointed towards a part of the building. There, sitting on rubble, with a marshmallow on the end of a stick over the fire, sat the faerie Gelert with his tongue poking out of the side of his muzzle.

      "Khell! Thank the Faeries you're okay!" Moon ran towards him. "What are you doing anyway?"

      "Roasting marshmallows," Khell answered, a drop of drool fell from his tongue.

      "Did the Mootix tell you to do this?" Moon sighed in disbelief.

      "No. They ran when they heard the howling," Khell pulled the marshmallow from the fire. The marshmallow was still on aflame.

      "Mmm. Nice and hot," he was about to put it in his mouth when I slapped it away.

      "What howling Khell?" I asked quickly.

      "My marshmallow..." Khell said sadly. I gripped him by the shoulders.

      "Khell! What howling?" I asked again more forcefully. As if on cue, a blood curling howl rose about us. A terrible and familiar howl.

      "That one," Khell finally answered. I paid him no attention. In our distraction of looking for Khell, the mutant Lupe had escaped.

      "Where'd he go?" I growled picking up my weapon. A shrill yelp came from the street ahead of us. I didn't hesitate a second more. I sprinted straight for the street and turned the corner to see the mutant Lupe being held by a Werelupe.

      I couldn't believe my eyes. Another Werelupe? Here? I shook my head bringing me back to reality to see the Werelupe about to crush his victim in his massive arms.

      "Let him go!" I whipped my battle claw at the beast, striking him across the muzzle. The Werelupe howled in pain and dropped the mutant Lupe He stumbled to his feet, trying to get his bearings.

      "Get out of there!" I yelled at him. The Lupe looked at me and ran behind us. I turned to make sure he was okay, my fatal mistake.

      The Werelupe had recovered from my blow and charged. I had turned my head back too late to see his fist collide with the side of my muzzle. I skidded across the pavement from the power of the blow, losing my weapon. Any blow like that done to a regular Lupe would've killed them, but I wasn't a regular Lupe

      The Werelupe didn't relent. He grabbed be by the scruff on the back of my neck and threw me across the road.

      "Leave him alone!" Maylas came charging at the Werelupe and blew a breath of fire at it. The Werelupe easily dodged to the side and shoulder slammed him down. Maylas fell hard and smacked against the ground, barely moving. The Werelupe bared his claws and fangs, ready to make the kill. My body felt trashed, I could barely move.

      "That's enough Kazzer," a deep and powerful voice boomed. The Werelupe slowly backed away from Maylas. I looked up to see an old and grey Werelupe surrounded by more than a dozen other Werelupes. He held a staff in his paws and looked over my friends and then me. A wicked and cold smile formed on his maw.

      "So Colbolt. We finally meet face to face." He gave a deep and shuddering chuckle. Then it struck me. His voice was the same one that had been in my mind before!

      "You-you were the one that kept talking to me in my head!" I accused. The Werelupe's smile didn't fade.

      "Yes. I was hoping we didn't have to do this the hard way. But when you ignored my callings, more...drastic measures were needed," he showed a slight glimmer of his teeth as he looked around at the city. I was in disbelief.

      "You did this? You destroyed half the city just to draw out me? Why?" I staggered to my feet.

      "Why? Because Colbolt, you are one of us! Yet, you never acted like us. You refused your Werelupe instincts and never joined our pack. We became impatient on waiting and decided to come for you," the old Werelupe explained.

      "I never said I was one of you. And I plan not to be!" I charged at the Werelupe only to be stopped by Kazzer. He rammed his fist into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. I doubled over, gasping for breath.

      "Why do you torment yourself Colbolt? Transform and show your true self," the old Werelupe said. I could sense the prying eyes of some Neopets who hadn't left the city and hid in the rubble. They were watching every bit of the fight.

      "Never," I spat at him. The old Werelupe raised an eyebrow.

      "Perhaps some more persuasion is in order," the old Werelupe gave an invisible signal. Half a dozen of Werelupes charged at my friends, pinning them against walls with their claws and teeth bared at their exposed necks.

      "You jerk!" I yelled trying to get up. I was met by a sift kick to the gut from Kazzer causing me to spit up blood.

      "You will show more respect to the Sage!" He growled angrily.

      "Its your choice now Colbolt. Either transform, or your friend's lives are forfeited," the Sage growled. I looked at my friends to see them struggling against the Werelupes grasps to no avail.

      "Will you let them go if I do?" I questioned, struggling again to my feet.

      "We shall see," the Sage growled, not allowing me to make a bargain. I clenched my paws at my side and looked towards my friends again. I closed my eyes and remembered I was doing it for them.

      I willed myself to transform. My muscles began to bulge, my fur growing darker and thicker. My fangs extended as my ears lengthened. I heard a faint gasps from somewhere under the rubble. I felt a twang of pain from the gasps from how deceitful I had been to them and what trouble I had caused.

      I opened my eyes and stared directly at the Sage.

      "Are you satisfied?" I growled angrily.

      "Very. Don't you feel better this way Colbolt?" the Sage answered, his voice softer. I felt a sudden calmness come over me. I did feel better. The transformation had healed most of my wounds and I felt more at peace than ever.

      "You could feel like this as long as you want Colbolt. Never have to worry about anything else," the Werelupe Sage continued.

      "No worries," I answered. Everything was drifting away. It was only me and the Werelupe Sage alone in darkness. I heard someone or something calling my name. But I couldn't remember who it was.

      "We can take care of you Colbolt. You can join our pack and we can become family. We can take care of you," the Sage's words echoed around me.

      "Take care of me," I echoed. But why did it feel as though I should be doing something else now? I couldn't remember!

      Suddenly, there was another presence with us. I couldn't see him, but I could feel him there. The Werelupe Sage made no notation of a third party.

      "He lies! He has nothing to do with us!"

      The voice sounded strong and powerful as it echoed in my head. But where was it coming from?

      "Do not listen to him. Remember your friends. Your brother Maylas! They need you! Resist him!"

      And suddenly we were back at the city. The fires roared around us and my friends were still hostages. The voice, however, was gone.

      "What do you say Colbolt? Will you join our family?" The Werelupe Sage sneered.

      "A family," I played along with his game as I came back to my senses. I started a slow walk towards the Werelupe Sage.

      "A family takes care of each other," I said in a mono tone and slowly veering towards the captives.

      "What are you doing?" the Sage growled angrily.

      "Taking care of my family!" I went straight into a run at the Werelupe holding Maylas. It was too late for any of them to react to my attack. One punch sent the Werelupe off of Maylas and into the one holding Moon. Both of them were set free.

      "Kill them all!" the Sage roared. The other Werelupes didn't get the chance as Moon headed butted the Werelupe holding Khell in the gut, causing it to double over in pain. Maylas let out a burst of flame from his mouth at the Werelupe holding the mutant Lupe The Werelupe's back caught on fired and it howled in pain, dropping the mutant.

      Then I felt extreme pain in my right shoulder. I cried out and turned to see Kazzer with his teeth buried in my shoulder. I clenched my fist and punched him straight between the eyes . Kazzer released immediately and ran back to the sage's side with a yelp. The other Werelupes followed. I awaited for an all out attack, but instead, the Sage turned his back from us!

      "We will deal with you another time Colbolt. But for now, we will let the town decide your fate," he ended his words with a sickening laugh. I growled in rage and charged at them. A huge wall of flame appeared in front of me as I got close. I quickly put my hands in front of my face and backed away. I watched as the Werelupes disappeared into the darkness.

      "Are you all okay?" I asked shifting back to my normal form. I gripped my shoulder from Kazzer's bite marks. The wound was deep and still bleeding.

      "We're fine. But what about you? That wound looks bad," Maylas answered.

      "Its nothing really. I'll be fine," I lied. There was a sudden clatter of rocks and we turned to see a beaten and bruised red Kougra come out from under the rubble. Hatred and vengeance burned in his eyes.

      "You! Its all your fault that those Werelupes came! They were after you!" He pointed accusingly at me.

      "I never want-"

      "Its your fault they destroyed our town thinking one of their kind was living around here. But you never went to them or left. Instead you hid like a coward here!" a yellow Lenny spat angrily. More and more town pets came out, all angry at me and making accusations.

      I didn't know what to do. I stared at all of them, my mouth hanging opening. Then, I ran. I ran out of the city and back to my house. I slammed and locked the door, leaning against it, waiting for the whole town to come crashing in. But it never happened. I stayed in that position for a few more minutes and finally relaxed. There was a sudden knock on the door. I tensed up, ready to take off into a run if the house was broken into. Another knock came.

      "Leave me alone!" I yelled out to them.

      "Its us Colbolt. Let us in," Maylas' voice came through the door. I unlocked it slowly and opened it only a crack to see through. It was Maylas, Moon, Khell, and even the mutant Lupe I opened it the whole way and let them in. They were covered in ashes and scrapes.

      "The town is in an uproar. Any neopet who saw you transform are ready to tear you limb from limb," Moon explained. It didn't make me feel any better.

      "Don't they understand I fought off the Werelupes? I wasn't one of them?" I said angrily. No one spoke. We all knew the answer. I turned my head towards the mutant Lupe

      "Why did you come?" I asked. The Lupe looked down at his paws.

      "Well, you saved my life back there from Kazzer. He would've squished me easily if you hadn't come and saved me. No one has ever done anything like that for me before," he said honestly. He pulled my Lupe battle claw from behind his back and held it out for me.

      "What's your name, Lupe?" I asked him with a smile, taking my weapon. The Lupe's ears perked up.

      "My name is Lunar," he said.

      "Well, Lunar, you may want to get going. Those Neopets are going to be here soon. Its not safe here," I told him. Lunar shook his head.

      "No way am I leaving. You saved my life Colbolt. And I'm in debt until I find someway to pay you back. Even if it means staying by your side against all odds," he stated firmly, I put one of my arms around the Lupe's shoulders.

      "You know, I'm going to hold you to those words Lunar. But don't think of being in debt to me the whole time. Think of me as your friend," I held out my paw to him.

      "Friends," he shook it with his own paw. I looked out the window and saw flames coming towards my house.

      "Well guys, it was nice knowing you," I said sadly. Everyone stood beside me.

      "We'll be with you the whole way Colbolt," Maylas reassured me.

      "To the Beginning of the End!" Cried out Khell who was hit in the back of the head by Moon.

      "We'll show that mob that they'll have to go through us before they put a paw on you," she growled. It felt good to have friends.

The End