|
Untitled Document
"Oh... my... goodness... " 84 muttered. She backed up a
few steps, and tripped over a log.
"What... is it?" Jack asked slowly. The creature
responded with a snarl, and lunged for the nearest Lupe. Cloud sprang backwards,
and the thing missed. As it moved to attack again, the group of Lupes finally
got a good look at it.
It was large, nearly twice as big as the Gelert.
The animal had a very canine-like shape, but was much more slender and lithe
than any of the dogs in Neopia. Its fur was wispy, and was a pure white in color.
Eyes were silver, and the mouth was full of sharp, deadly teeth. It was unfamiliar
to the Neopets, but most humans could identify it. It was a wolf. But unlike
any other wolves, this one wore a crescent moon-shaped porcelain pendant, colored
a light cream and on a thick black string. As the beast missed again, it paused
to look at the three surrounding it.
"What are you and why are you attacking us?!"
Jack demanded. Surprisingly the wolf seemed to calm. Even more surprisingly
it moved with almost human motions, wiping its muzzle clean of saliva with one
paw. It then sat down in the leaf litter, and swiped its tail around its front
paws. Then, of all things, it talked.
"I apologize. I thought you were trying to attack
me."
"What, 3 Lupes completely frozen in fright?"
84 said sarcastically.
"So I wasn't thinking clearly," the wolf shrugged.
And let me tell you, it was interesting to see a wolf shrug.
"Where did you come from? And what's your name?"
Cloud asked.
"I don't know where I came from, and I have
no name," the wolf replied.
"You don't know where you came from?" 84 repeated.
The wolf nodded. Suddenly, it jerked its head off to one side, its eyes peering
through the trees.
"I must leave," it stated. Cloud, 84, and Jack
looked off in the same direction.
"What is it?" Jack asked. They looked to the
wolf---only to find it had vanished. The only trace it had ever been was a single
wisp of mist, curling in the breeze.
"Whoa," Cloud said simply. Silence enveloped
the group, until a bunch of Chia cops burst through the clearing.
"You, Lupes, what are you doing? We heard reports
of a fight," one of the police Chias asked. 84 put on her best 'innocent look'
and smiled at the cops.
"Oh, we were fighting off a Skeith that wanted
to battle outside of the Battledome. We knew it was against regulation, and
said no, but he threatened us. We defended ourselves though, and chased him
off right before you guys came," she said in a sugary sweet voice.
"Oh. I see," a cop said, tapping his night-stick
against his cap. "Well, that's alright then. But you guys get on home. It's
not safe to be in this area, because of whatever has been around attacking pets,"
he announced.
"We'll go home right away," 84 said. She blinked
her eyes many times, then grinned. The cops turned, and walked away.
"Nice lie," Jack said flatly, as the Lupes started
for their home.
"Well, it was either tell them a lie, or tell
a bunch of Chias that a giant Lupe-thing is roaming the woods, and attacks without
warning," 84 replied.
"Good point," Cloud said. As the Lupes headed
off, they were unaware of a pair of silver eyes watching from a nearby group
of bushes.
***
"I wonder what that thing was," 84 said softly. She was on her back on the
couch, tossing a Red Bouncy Ball up and down with her paws.
"I have no idea, but I have the feeling we'll
see it again," Cloud commented, pausing his video game to look to 84.
"You're just on edge. I mean, it was you it
attacked first," 84 reminded, putting down the ball to roll over on her stomach.
Jack looked up from the book he was reading as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," he announced. He walked over
to the door, reached up a paw, and swung it open.
Standing on the front stoop of the NeoHome was
a girl no more than 17 or 18. She had short, blonde hair that ended an inch
above her shoulders. She also had glasses, blue eyes, and scattered freckles
on her cheeks. The girl was wearing a pale blue T-shirt, crescent moon pendant,
black shorts, and deep green shoes. A white jacket was tied around her waist,
and she wore black fingerless gloves. She looked at the Lupe, and smiled.
"Can I help you?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, I was wondering if this was the home
of Nytewolf84, SkeletonJack81, and Omni_Cloud?" the girl asked.
"Yes, those are our names," Jack nodded. Behind
him 84 and Cloud walked up.
"Alright, then I'm in the right place," the
girl said.
"What is it that you want?" Jack inquired. Cloud
looked the girl up and down. When he spied a pendant she had on, his mouth fell
open. 84 looked at the girl and gasped, then clapped her paws around Cloud's
muzzle.
"Well, I wanted to talk," the teen stated. "Mostly
about the sightings around Neopia Central."
"It's you!" Cloud exclaimed after shaking 84
away. He leapt atop Jack, flattening the Lupe to the ground. Cloud pointed at
the crescent moon-shaped pendant the girl had on. "It's you!" he repeated. The
human softly sighed.
"That's what I wanted to talk about. May I come
in?" she asked.
"Yes," Jack answered, voice strained from Cloud's
weight.
***
"Here you go," 84 said, handing the girl a cup of Cocoa Juppie Mocha.
"Thank you," the girl replied, taking the cup.
84 hopped up beside her on the couch. The teen girl took a sip, then put the
cup on the saucer.
"First off, my name is CB. I am human, but as
Cloud guessed, I was the wolf you three saw in the clearing earlier today."
"So, are you a werewolf or something?" Jack
asked. CB shook her head.
"Werewolves are mostly human-like in shape.
That is just another form of mine," she explained.
"Maybe you can tell us where you came from now?"
84 questioned.
"I'm afraid I still can't," CB sighed. "I'd
like to say the human's world, but I'd be lying. Same thing for saying I'm from
Neopia. I have no idea where I'm from or who my parents are."
"How sad," 84 said.
"You know, I've heard of other Neopian people
that can turn into animals. Not many, though," Jack remarked.
"Yes, but how many can fade away into the breeze?"
CB said.
"Even fewer," Jack replied.
"Are you a ghost?" Cloud asked, as CB took another
sip of her drink.
"No, I'm very much alive. I've always just accepted
it as an ability of mine, and possibly normal from wherever I was born," she
said, putting the cup and saucer on the table. She looked at her necklace as
it shimmered softly. "I have to get going," CB said. She stood up from the couch.
"You guys are nice, really. Maybe if I ever get pets, I'll choose you three,"
she said, smiling.
"Wait, don't rush off so soon!" Cloud begged.
CB opened the door, and stepped out, shutting the door behind her. Jack ran
over to the door and opened it, but gasped.
"She's gone," he said softly. Just like before,
a solitary wisp of mist curled up from the front walk.
"This is certainly an interesting case," 84
commented, walking up beside Jack. She looked out into the night.
"We have a problem," Cloud said. He padded to
the other two. "Now that we know who the wolf is...." he started. He glanced
up to the moon above, which was in a crescent stage. "Who do we tell?" Cloud
completed. Jack and 84 were silent.
***
"Yet another pet has vanished, on this street in Neopia Central early this
morning," Bob the Techo reporter announced. 84, Cloud, and Jack collectively
gulped, watching their TV. "Those of you who have followed this strange case
from the beginning may remember that the Flotsam was returned. However, she
was NP-less, and missing some of the berries in her neck wreath. Today however,
a young Kiko has been reported missing. We can only hope that this one will
be returned safely as well," Bob continued. Jack shut off the TV.
"It must've been CB again," Cloud stated. Jack
nodded.
"I wonder why she's been stealing from pets,"
84 said. "She's got a human side, right? Can't she just earn Neopoints?"
"Not without pets of her own," Cloud informed.
"That settles it," Jack said suddenly.
"What does? What's settled?" 84 asked. Jack
looked to the other two.
"This can't continue. Somehow someone's going
to get hurt, and it'll probably be CB," he began. He inhaled a breath, and exhaled
it in a sigh. "So I elect we go find her. Remember what she said? We could be
her pets. Then she wouldn't have to steal anymore."
"Yeah, but we don't even know where to begin,"
Cloud objected.
"I agree with Jack," 84 said. "This can't go
on."
"I guess you're right..." Cloud sighed.
"So that's it?" Jack asked. 84 and Cloud nodded.
"Good," Jack said, smiling. "Let's go."
To be continued...
| 
