Title: Wolf, Tiger & Panther

Disclaimer: not mine

Timeframe: AU, Wildforce team; Allyssa looses her elephant zord and meets Merrick during that night (no moon); focuses on Merrick/Allyssa POV

Chapter 1

The moon is hidden tonight, Allyssa thought to herself as she walked out of the library. The fight with Zen-Aku that afternoon, as well as the loss of her elephant zord had forced her to work late tonight in order to be ready for her history exam the next day. "I just want to get back to the Animaria so I can get some sleep before I have class in the morning," she muttered to herself as she started to head up the trail.

Flute in distance

"What the..." she exclaimed when she heard it coming from the southern path. Should I? She wondered as she glances to the path to the Animaria. But for some reason the music seemed to be calling to her, without a second thought Allyssa headed into the woods in order to locate the source of the music.

By the lake

Merrick played his flute softly as he watched the wolf pup play at the water's edge.

As Allyssa approached the lake she could make out a figure standing next to the river. She moved silently trying to get a closer look at the stranger.

Somehow the figure sensed her presence, and swiftly moved into attack position. "Show yourself!"

Allyssa came out slowly, with her hands down at her sides. "Hi, I'm Allyssa. I heard you playing..."

"Merrick," he said as though he was unsure if he should reveal his name. "You look familiar..." his voice trailed off as his wolf senses picked up the scent of tiger. "You're the white ranger."

"What?" she stepped back quickly, reaching for her morpher. "How did you know that?"

"My name is Merrick, but you know me as Zen-Aku," he stated simply.

"Zen-Aku!" Alyssa attacked him blindly.

"Relax!" he exclaimed as he easily dogged her blows. "I'm not evil!"

"What?"

"I'm not the evil one, Zen-Aku is," he stated again. "We just share the same body."

An hour later Merrick had told Allyssa about how he had became cursed. "You became Zen-Aku in order to save your friends and your home."

"Yes," he said as he sat next to her on the grass. "It was the only way to stop Master Org and to save the others. They had already been injured in a battle with Master Org themselves."

"Does the princess know that you are Zen-Aku?" she asked suddenly, glancing at him.

"Yes," he replied. "It was her idea to seal me."

"She didn't say anything."

"She might yet," Merrick said. "When I was sealed away three thousand years ago, Shayla...the princess was upset with me."

"Why?"

"She liked me, but I cared for her only as a friend," he admitted unable to admit that she had desired him in her bed.

HOWL

"You have to leave," he stated suddenly after hearing a faint voice calling among the wind, as he stood up and reached down in order to help her stand up.

"Why?" she asked at his sudden behavior change.

"Listen," in the distance she could hear the other rangers calling her name. "Your friends are looking for you, and I highly doubt that they are going to approve of you speaking with someone who just stole your wild zord today and handed it over to Master Org as well."

"That wasn't you," she stated as she grabbed her bag, and then turned back around in order to face him, "It was nice talking to you Merrick."

"You too, tiger," he replied. "And thanks."

"Can I meet you here tomorrow?" she asked uncertainly, unsure if he would want to talk to her again.

After a few moments Merrick nodded his acceptance before he turned around and faded into the nearby forest.

"Allyssa," Cole exclaimed as he entered the clearing with the other wild force rangers trailing closely behind. "What happen? You promised the princess that you wouldn't stay out late until we stopped Zen-Aku."

"Sorry," she said as she tuned to follow him back to the Animaria. "I was talking to a friend and I lost track of the time," she stated as she quicken her pace - she couldn't wait until tomorrow night.

TBC

R/R if you choose