Author's Note: Update 8/7/2014: This is the same story as before, I just divided it into chapters rather than one huge story :)

After a long, brutal week of final exams, I decided to see Maleficent, and I really enjoyed it! My Little Beastie is a Legion of Superheroes AU fanfiction that blends elements from the canon Legion-verse with the enchanting plot of Disney's Maleficent. This fic contains SPOILERS, including direct lines from the film/trailers. If you have not seen Maleficent, I highly recommend doing so ^_^

I apologize for any sloppiness, this was written rather quickly and more or less on impulse from my pure fascination with the film, Jolie's beauty, and how the plot can work so well with so many of my favorite pairings.

The Legion of Superheroes is owned by DC Comics, Inc. Maleficent is owned by Disney.

...

A little boy ran through the forest, laughing and jumping with the animals around him.

"You can't catch me!" he screamed, and climbed up a tree, a few squirrels scurrying up alongside him in zigzag patterns.

Not all the animals of the woodlands were considered "normal" animals. Some were unusual, mysterious-looking creatures that were feared by the humans. However, the little human child did not fear them at all. In fact, they were the boy's closest friends.

The little boy let go of the branch he was swinging on and was caught in the arms of one of these creatures. They hugged and laughed, but then a device on the boy's wrist started beeping and blinking.

"Uh oh, time fo me go home now," the boy said. The creature set him on the ground and they all waved goodbye as they watched the boy run off.

The boy's mother was not happy when he arrived home. "Brin, were you playing in the Rawlian woods again?"

The little boy put his arms behind his back and shook his head no. The mother clearly saw the leaves and twigs caught in his hair, shirt, and shorts. She grabbed the boy's arm and hit his bottom twice, making the boy wail. "Ooww! Why you do dat!" the little boy asked between cries and hiccups. The mother made her way to the window and looked out, but her gaze was distant, beyond anything any eyes could see.

"Beware the Rawlian beasts, my son," the mother said, eyes welling with angry tears. "They are evil. They are not humans like us… And they steal our loved ones away."

"No!" the boy shouted, and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him.

…..Years later…..

"Hey! Let me go! Let me go!" a young, orange, shape-shifting beast yelled, struggling to escape the cyber-generated net he was trapped in. He had been calmly making his way through a clearing in the forest when a poacher caught him.

"Beast! I'll get millions for your head! Hahaha!" the poacher man yelled back, cackling at his catch. He immediately stopped laughing when he heard a menacing growl behind him. The poacher man turned around and his eyes widened and he began quivering in fear. Standing behind him was a massive grey wolf, bearing his teeth and snarling at him.

"Oh… my…" but before the man could utter another word, the large wolf grabbed his collar with his jaws and threw him hundreds of yards in the distance. The man screamed as he soared through the air and fell into a river.

The young shape-shifter turned back to the wolf and cowered, hoping he wasn't next.

But the wolf did not attack him. Instead, the orange creature watched as the large beast transformed into a man. He was still grey, and he still had ears, but he stood tall on two feet, and wore a long black jacket and black pants with a white belt.

"Woah, you can change forms too!" the orange boy declared, green eyes wide in astonishment.

"Not quite like you," said the beast-turned-man. He regarded the orange youth with his cold, piercing stare, which most humans found hostile and threatening. But the boy was not frightened; instead, he was rather joyful and smiling at him. The wolf-man narrowed his eyes.

"What's your name?"

"I'm known in the forest as Chameleon Boy, but you can just call me Cham, hehe!"

"Chameleon Boy… Yes, I have heard of you," the wolf-man said slowly, in a low tone. He turned and faced the distance, "The beast that can turn into anything. And anyone."

Chameleon Boy regarded the taller man, whose jacket and waist-length hair blew behind him in the wind. "What about you? What's your name?"

"Timber Wolf."

Cham froze for a moment before whispering, "No way… You-You're the ruler of Rawl…" he immediately bowed, multiple times. His parents told him all the stories; all the brave battles Timber Wolf fought, all the times he protected the woodlands from the humans. Never in his life did he think he would actually meet Timber Wolf in person. When Cham looked up again, Timber Wolf was already walking away towards the hills.

"Huh?" Cham said, and quickly rushed up beside Timber Wolf. He didn't want this moment to pass him by. It wasn't like he got to meet a king every day. He wanted to talk to him more, maybe even be his friend. Cham giggled to himself.

"What's so funny?" Timber Wolf asked, slightly irritated that the boy was now following him.

"You could have been a bit nicer you know," Cham said. "The dude probably shat in his pants."

Timber Wolf growled down at him. Cham's antennae pulled down in fear and he looked down. He continued to follow Timber Wolf up the hill until they reached the top, where they viewed the big, high-tech city. Cham knew the city well; its tall, white towers that reached the skies, the cars gliding along the virtual expressways. The young shape-shifter could always find food there to feed his family. He was also well aware of his parents' concerns that the city was growing too large, and could possibly soon destroy their forest home, Rawl, to expand their technological habitat.

He turned back to Timber Wolf, who regarded the city with an expression Cham couldn't read.

"H-How can I repay you… for saving my life?" Cham asked.

Timber Wolf's golden eyes narrowed at the boy again, a bit concerned that the bright and cheerful demeanor of this young creature would clash with his dark and more reserved one. However, he couldn't ignore how useful Cham's abilities were. He looked towards the city again, this time towards the Presidential house, as he thought of a plan.

"I need you to be my spy."