"Nijou! Just what do you think you're doing?!?" growled Rarken, leader of the pack of Werelupes that Nijou belonged to.

"Eating," the younger Werelupe replied, innocently.

"Yes, I can see that. You're always eating. In fact, you're eating ALL our dinners' right NOW!" Rarken roared.

Nijou stopped chewing, then looked down at the meager remains of the whole pack's food for the night. "Oops."

"Oops? Oops?!?" the pack leader growled. "'Oops' isn't enough, Nijou. You eat from sunup to sundown, like one giant meal! I mean, you'll try to eat anything that doesn't move for too long, and in some cases, things that actually ARE moving."

Nijou could tell that Rarken was flabbergasted by his behaviour and cringed. "That's not true... I don't any eat anything--"

"What about that purple paint brush you ate last week?" the leader shouted. Nijou could hear several other members of the Werelupe pack chuckle. "Your tongue was purple for a week!"

"It eventually cleared up... except for those orange spot--"

"There just isn't enough food in this forest for you and the rest of us." Rarken said with a sense of finality. "Nijou, I have no choice but to banish you from the pack..."

Nijou gaped, and the slab of pork steak that he'd been holding was forgotten. His fellow pack-members were no longer chuckling; their eyes were dark and unwelcoming.

"Wh-what?" Nijou stammered. "You... you mean I'll have to find my own food?" He gulped. His stomach churned, and the food he'd been eating began to form a hard lump in his stomach.

"That's right," Rarken said, looking away.

Shakily, Nijou got to his feet -- it was a difficult task in and of itself, considering his substantial girth. He walked towards the other Werelupes, his paws held out hopefully.

"You wouldn't really--"

"Goodbye, Nijou," Rarken growled.

Nijou's ears drooped as he took one final look at his fellow Werelupes. Then he turned and lumbered away, at as close to a run as he could manage.

Once he felt that he'd gotten far enough away, Nijou sank down beside a tree trunk and began to cry. This was awful! How could they possibly have banished him like that? They were exaggerating the problem; he wasn't really hungry all the--

Nijou's thoughts were interrupted by the insistent rumblings of his stomach. Absently, he looked around for something to munch on, but there was nothing in sight. Was he in danger of starving?

Just then, something rustled behind a nearby bush...

THWACK!

"OWWW!!!" Nijou howled, placing a paw to his forehead. He could feel a large bump forming where he had been hit with a rock.

"Heh. You couldn't survive a minute out here alone," a voice taunted from the general direction of the bush.

"Show yourself!" Nijou yelled, still wincing from the shot he'd just taken to the head.

"Why should I do that?" the voice taunted further. "You obviously don't know the first thing about hunting. If you had any idea what you were doing, you would have realized that I'm downwind of you. I could smell you coming. Furthermore, you couldn't catch me if you wanted to. Look at that gut on you. Why, I could--"

"I said come out!" Nijou screamed, now very angry with his tormentor.

"Very well," the voice hissed. A dark form parted the leaves of the bush, saying, "I shall reveal myself to you..."

Nijou's eyes widened, and he fell over backwards, where he lay at the mercy of the figure before him. "B-b-b-b-b-b-but you... you were the one who betrayed the pack! Y-you were banished forever..." Nijou stammered, inching backwards.

"Yes, that's quite correct, brother," the dark form hissed. "I am...

The many months that Dymar had spent away from the pack had taken their toll on him. The once-handsome Werelupe was covered with scars, from hunting and fighting other creatures in the woods. Dymar's former light brown fur was now the color of a shady hazel. His once happy, bright eyes were also dark and empty.

Yet, the figure that Nijou was staring at was still his brother.

"It seems the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree," Dymar said, starting to laugh.

Nijou didn't find the situation very funny.

"I'm not like you," Nijou responded. He continued to back up, until he felt himself bump into a tree.

"Oh, but you are, dear brother," Dymar replied, walking towards Nijou as he spoke. "We may have been banished for different reasons, but we're the same, nonetheless."

"That's where you're wrong!" Nijou heard himself shout. He was trying to not let his brother get to him, but Dymar had always known how to push his buttons.

At this statement, Dymar stopped walking. A quizzical look passed over his face, but it quickly disappeared.

"Oh, that's right, isn’t it? The pack always did have that small rule -- if you were ever banished, that is. Too bad for me, isn't it? I just had to test the rules, and here I am now, punished for crossing that line," Dymar said. He stopped walking, held out his hands, then dropped them to his sides with a look of boredom. "You actually think you can save a pack member's life? Why, you can't even fend for yourself to begin with! You didn't even know I was here, until I was practically on top of you!"

Nijou felt as if he would almost cry. It was true. The young Werelupe doubted that he could last even a week on his own. Maybe, though... just maybe, he could change his luck.

"Well, then... what if you helped me? For old times' sake?" Nijou asked quickly.

Dymar looked at his brother, then slowly turned around as he replied...

Nijou looked down at the ground, as the pangs of guilt started to rise. He felt warm, salty tears starting to swell to the surface.

"How could I have helped you, Dymar?" the young Werelupe pleaded. "You know the rules! If I had tried to help you, they would have banished me, too!"

Dymar glared at Nijou. "Well, it looks like that was your fate, no matter what you did," he growled in a condescending tone.

Nijou knew that his brother was right. If they wanted to make it through, however, they would have to work together. "Dymar, you are my brother," he said quietly. "I wish I could've done something, but it's too late for regrets. Since we are both here now, we can help each other. We need to come up with a plan! I know that I cannot do this without you! Please, brother?"

Suddenly, Dymar's glowing eyes began to glint. A look of enlightenment appeared upon his shrouded face.

"What is it, Dymar?" Nijou asked, waiting in anticipation of his brother's thoughts.

Finally, after a few moments of eerie silence, Dymar began to speak ever so quietly. "Nijou, I know how we can win back our honor, and be accepted back into the pack."

Nijou's ears immediately perked up, as he could only imagine what his brother had in mind. Dymar had always been quite cunning and resourceful, but Nijou couldn't fathom how they could possibly get themselves out of this horrible situation.

Dymar continued, "Tonight, when the waning moon is hidden in a dense fog..."

It was marvelous, that plan. The older Werelupe seemed to have spent quite a while perfecting it, and now, apparently, nothing could go wrong. They would prove to the pack that they were worthy of re-entering.

Nijou couldn't stop to think, however, for he had to get ready. He had to prepare for midnight, when they would put that plan into action.

He wandered off to find Dymar, just to be sure of his part. He didn't have much to do, but it was crucial that he did it right. He felt important, like he was finally doing something with his life. The young Werelupe did feel a little stressed by the situation, though. One mistake, and all that preparation would go to waste.

Dymar was stalking about, looking for Nijou. The hardened outcast had to make sure that the new one knew what to do. Nijou wasn't very good at most things, apart from eating, and Dymar could only hope that the young Werelupe would be able to overcome his shortcomings.

A drop of sweat formed atop his shaggy forehead. After all this time and effort, he was finally going to put his plan into action. It all came down to midnight. Glancing up at the moon, he realised it was only a few hours away. Two hours, maybe three.

Where was Nijou? Dymar wondered. Mist was beginning to swirl around, and it was getting harder to see by the second. If he didn't find Nijou soon, they would have to wait until the next waning moon, and that was a long time away. The damp air prevented him from being able to detect the scent of his brother, and he felt a few more droplets form on his head, trickling past his ear.

Back at the Werelupe camp, Rarken was trying to sort all the Werelupes out. They all claimed to have a feeling of unease about them, and the leader had to admit that he did, too. However, he couldn't admit that to his pack. He nudged another Werelupe back into the circle. He needed them all in order, so they would be able to defend themselves more easily if they were attacked.

Suddenly, a shape formed in the mist. The figure grew darker and darker against the gray haze, and it soon formed into the shape of a Werelupe. Suddenly, its features appeared, and Dymar, a Werelupe banished from the pack long ago, stepped forward.

"Hello, Rarken," Dymar said. "It's good to see you again..."

"Is that how you welcome your long lost friend?" Dymar asked. He grinned, but there was no mirth in his eyes. He stepped forward and spread his arms. "No hugs?"

Rarken took a step back protectively. The pack leader could hear the younger ones behind him, shuffling in fright. He looked back at the other Werelupe defiantly. "You're banished from the pack," he said sternly. "You've no right to be here."

Dymar ignored him and started to walk around the pack, his paws behind his back. "Tsk, these young ones don't look very strong, do they?" he said.

"Get away from them!" Rarken snarled sharply.

"Hysler, Misu, Kenta, good to see you," Dymar continued, keeping his pace as if he hadn't heard Rarken. Some of the Werelupes growled under their breaths, but most of them lowered their heads. Finally, Dymar turned to Rarken. "Where is Nijou?" he asked innocently.

"Leave, before I am forced to harm you, Dymar."

"Not banished, too, is he? When are you ever going to break this habit of banishing..."

Before Dymar could finish the sentence, Rarken was on top of him. Pinning the hazel Werelupe to the ground, the leader barked in his face, "He was eating all of the pack's food! I had to banish him! We're just trying to survive!"

Turning so fast that the other Werelupes couldn't see, Dymar spun around and pinned Rarken down in turn. "You haven't changed much, my friend," he sneered, standing up and leaving the stunned Werelupe leader on the ground. "Trying to survive..." Dymar drawled. "What do you think I've been doing?" In the dim moonlight, his scars looked particularly eerie.

"You chose that path," Rarken said, standing up with as much dignity as he could muster. "I had no choice but to banish you from the pack that day." There was almost grief in his voice.

"Survival... I was just trying to survive," Dymar said huskily.

"There's something more important than survival," Rarken said. "There's loyalty. Honor. Pride."

"What did you expect me to do? They had me trapped. They were ready to tear me apart."

"You should have let it happen then, if you were ready to offer the whole pack to them," Rarken answered darkly.

"How many did we lose that day?" Dymar said, closing his eyes painfully.

"I had no choice." Shaking himself from the memories, Rarken took up his fierce voice again. "I had no choice but to banish you from the pack, Dymar, when you brought that other pack into the meadow."

"It was a foggy night like this, too," Dymar said, looking up at the waning moon.

Rarken followed the banished Werelupe’s line of gaze. Something dawned on him. Yes, it had happened a year ago, on the foggiest night of the year -- like this one.

"No. No, no, no," Rarken muttered.

"This time, I am going to fight," Dymar said grimly, looking into his old friend's eyes.

Suddenly, they heard a string of hurried footsteps. The whole pack turned to see Nijou as he fumbled into view.

"They are here," he shouted. "They are here!"…

It had been on a night exactly like this one. Dymar had been missing for hours. When he'd finally returned, he had looked strange, like a frightened pup. Behind him had come this very same pack. They were unstoppable. Only by fleeing had Rarken's pack stayed alive.

Dymar, too, was remembering the past. It had been a night exactly like this, when he had decided to hunt by himself. While hunting, he had come across a strange, glowing amulet. He had held it up to the faint light of the moon, and a single tendril of fog had appeared, gently brushing the charm that he held.

Everything then became chaos and mayhem. A pack of Werelupes had arisen from the ground -- the very same Werelupes that threatened them now. The ghostly creatures had surrounded him, and one of them had boomed, "Who summons us?"

Dymar remembered shrinking back against the ground. He hadn't meant to summon anyone! Their circle closing around him, their leader had cried, "If you have not called us for your own purposes, then we must seek our revenge!" With that, the whole pack had howled eerily into the night. The lead Werelupe had then studied Dymar. "However, I will be fair. You have ten seconds to think of something that would please us more than attacking you."

Dymar had cringed as they moved closer.

"You have eight seconds."

His mind had raced. What could possibly please these strange Werelupes that didn't even seem to be from Neopia?

"Five seconds..."

All he could think of was something else for them to attack, something else to satisfy their thirst for revenge. All he could think of was his pack, though, and he couldn't betray them!

"Your time is up," the leader said. They began closing in on him.

"Wait!" he had cried frantically. "My pack is nearby! I can show you where they are! Just... please don't hurt me!"

The leader of the strange Werelupes had smiled, and his eyes glowed. "Lead us."

So Dymar had led them to his pack.

Now he had called them back, in hopes of valiantly defeating the demonic Werelupes and regaining admission back into the pack for him and his brother.

Nijou nervously moved around as the battle began. He didn't think he would be all that great at fighting, especially against this pack. How stupid could he have been? Dymar's instructions had been very clear. Nijou was to go to the spot where Dymar had left the amulet, and hold it up to the moonlight, which he did. Then he had to tell the emerging Werelupes where to find the pack, which he did. The only part left was to destroy the amulet, which would hopefully destroy the strange pack as well.

There was just one problem. When the enemy Werelupes had come, he had raced off ahead of them, forgetting to keep the amulet with him!

Nijou sighed. It was now his task to go back and find the amulet, before the whole pack suffered like the first time...

Soon, the young Werelupe arrived at the place where he had left the amulet. To his horror, it had disappeared!

Where was Nijou when you needed him? Dymar thought as he tried to hold off the ghostly Werelupes from pursuing the pack. Dymar was a good fighter, but they were being pushed back. All of Rarken’s pack, including Dymar, would perish if Nijou didn't turn up soon.

Suddenly, the retreating Werelupes were stopped in their tracks. They had come to a dead end. There was nothing they could do now, except fight to the very last. Their pursuers came around the bend, advancing slowly...

"Why do you pursue us?" Rarken cried.

The ghostly Werelupes gave a loud roar. "Anyone who wrongly summons us must be vanquished!" they cried.

Nijou frantically looked around for the amulet. He soon spotted something gleaming in the moonlight. The amulet! In the mayhem and chaos of the stampeding, it had been pushed off, next to the side of a cliff.

Nijou lay flat on his belly and crawled over to it. It was just a little further... yes! He had it! The young Werelupe held the amulet in his paw, ready to crush it. Suddenly, a surge of power traveled up his arm. Nijou stopped. The amulet held powers -- powers that had been unknown to the Werelupe. If he could control it, he could have power over many things…

Just then, Nijou heard a loud roar in the distance, followed by many other roars and howls. The pack was in danger! He painfully closed his eyes and...

Rrraaaaannnnrrrrrgggggghh, his stomach growled softly.

Nijou frowned, briefly shifting his attention away from the electrifying power of the amulet. That was right -- he hadn't eaten in quite some time. After all, it was his stomach that had gotten him into this mess! If he hadn't been so greedy in the first place, he would have never been banished, and he wouldn't be facing this problem right now.

Then again, if all this hadn't happened, he would have never met up with his brother. If he could just get his head together and sort everything out, then perhaps they would both be allowed back into the pack. He was so hungry, though!

The snarls and howls of both spectral and mortal Werelupes grew all the louder. Nijou's eyes darted frantically, back towards where he had left his brother and his friends. His pack members were in danger. Futilely, he tried crushing the amulet in his hand, but it produced no effect. What was he to do?!?

The words of his pack leader, Rarken, rang in his ears, bringing on a bitter sense of self-loathing. You eat from sunup to sundown, like one giant meal, Rarken would always say. His brother's voice taunted him, as well. You actually think you can save a pack member's life, Dymar’s voice mocked in his head.

The pack would be vanquished, and Nijou would be responsible. The ghostly Werelupes would come for him, too. A low sob formed in the back of his throat, though the insistent grumbling of his stomach drowned it out.

That's when Nijou had a brilliant idea.

Dymar turned sadly to the huddled Werelupe pack behind him, shaking his head as the vengeful ghosts drew nearer. "I'm sorry," he said. "I’m so sorry. It wasn't meant to end like this."

Rarken shook his head regretfully. "You have been brave and loyal to us today. I just…" The Werelupe leader suddenly broke off. His ears perked up slightly as he stared past Dymar with a look of fascinated shock. The Werelupe pack followed their leader's example, and the horrified looks faded from their furry faces.

Confused, Dymar turned around, expecting to see the glowing jaws of a ghost. Instead, there was nothing. No ghost Werelupes. Just an empty clearing and the fog.

But where was Nijou?

Chewing thoughtfully on the shattered amulet, Nijou sat up from where he had been sprawled. It crunched and scraped unpleasantly against his teeth, but he swallowed, tilting his head thoughtfully to the side. It hadn't been that bad.

Nijou's stomach stopped growling, and he began to head back towards the clearing, where his brother and friends would be waiting.

The End