A/N: Hey, it's been a while since I posted a story, I've kind of been on hiatus. But I'm back now, trying to see if I'm still any good at this after all this time.

Rated M for language, violence, and sexual content. Very little in this chapter, but it'll get worse (actually I think that makes it better, but what do I know?).

Disclaimer: I don't own any Characters, setting, etc. I only own the story, and it makes me no money.

Summary: Set post game, the day after the party. Squall is still Commander, Quisitis has taken over as headmaster (Cid retired), and everyone else has been made a teacher.

As always, reviews make my day. No joke. Love it or hate it, let me know and I'm happy.

Lone Wolf, Lion Heart

Chapter 1

A New GF

A loud ringing filled the Monday morning air. Squall Leonhart, commander of Balamb Garden and hero of the sorceress wars, stirred from his sleep. He reached out and felt around blindly for the snooze button, careful not to wake the raven haired girl asleep on his shoulder. For Squall, the previous night had been a lot of things. It had been educational to say the least, as he was beginning to figure out this whole 'relationship' thing, and for the first time ever, he allowed himself to take comfort in the fact that he was not alone. It was also the first time he'd kissed someone and meant it. A part of him longed to say this to Rinoa, but the lone wolf inside of him forbid it. What happened, happened, and there was no need to discuss it. Or was there? His mind was still filled with questions, but he had enjoyed being close to her, holding her, and feeling her heart beat along with his.

Fuck, he thought. It's already 6:00. You've gotta be kidding me.

Squall wasn't a morning person, but had been waking up early to go to the training center for a workout before reporting to his office and handling the business of the day. This particular morning, however, was not cooperating with his body's energy level. Regardless, he wrapped his arms around the sleeping sorceress once more, squeezed her gently, and headed for the shower.

As he walked towards the training center, he checked his junction and noticed something unusual. He had his standard, Garden regulated GF's, but was also equipped with a new one. As he junctioned Griever, he felt a surge of power and energy. His body not only felt awake, but in top form. He was able to utilize his extensive magic inventory to junction to every slot. As Squall walked into the training center, he had never felt better in his life.

"I'm not sure where exactly you came from, but you kick ass," he said aloud to the winged lion whose essence resided in the back corner of his mind until called upon. "I guess that's the nature of Guardian Forces, once they're defeated, they become your ally, but I thought when Ultimecia junctioned herself to the GF it died along with her. I guess not… whatever."

Squall had the time of his life training. His attacks were massively powerful and epically fast, slicing and dicing his way through anything that stood before him. Finally, he found what he was looking for, the T-rexaur.

"Shockwave Pulsar!" he called as he emitted energy and summoned his new ally. The great black lion ripped its way out of the ground, roared ferociously, and unleashed beams of fire and lightning, quickly destroying the unsuspecting monster.

As Griever disappeared, however, Squall felt a sharp pain in his chest. His heart sped up. He became lightheaded, and his breathing caught in his chest. As consciousness left him, he saw through blurred vision that his body had begun to change. Blood red claws had erupted from his fingertips, and thick black fur now covered his skin. What happened next, Squall didn't know.

Rinoa woke up at the same time as always, 4 minutes before her alarm. She never needed that thing, but set it anyway out of habbit.

8:26, class at… 9:15… she thought sleepily. Ok, shower, breakfast with Selphie at 8:45, class till… 11:45, lunch with Squall…

Once she had finished reviewing her morning schedule, she set it to action. She was out of the shower in record time, met Selphie (who was running late as usual) in the cafeteria, and made her way to her class.

She walked in and looked around at her students, mostly freshman cadets taking their first magic class ever. She sighed, and began.

"Good morning class, today we will start with the most basic of elemental spells, Fire…"

After an hour or so of lecture and discussion, her class was doing fairly well by her standards. She was just about to line them up in front of a draw point so they could begin their practice when a voice came over the intercom.

"Instructor Heartilly, please call the main office, Instructor Heartilly."

Rinoa picked up the phone and called in, where Quisitis answered.

"Hey Quisty! What's up?"

"Hey Rinny, have you seen Squall at all this morning? He never came in to the office. And I have too much on my plate with grades, exams coming up, and all the disciplinary action I can handle to go over the SeeD dispatch requests too."

"He was gone when I woke up… he gets up early and works out in the training center."

"He probably lost track of time. Zell teaches his combat class there in 15 minutes or so, I'll have him look around. Thanks Rinoa."

"No problem," Rinoa said as she hung up the phone. She wasn't so much worried as she was confused. Squall never lost track of time.

"Yeah sure, I'll find him, some of my advanced students are in there now warming up. They probably are watching him train, and buggin' him to no end to teach them how to use a gunblade. Wouldn't be the first time," Zell said to Quisitis, and with that he hung up the phone and sprinted into the training center.

He hadn't gone too far before he spotted on of his students on the ground screaming in pain. Zell rushed to her side and noticed the large gash in her side. The cuts looked like…

"Teeth marks? What the fuck did this to you?!" he yelled. As if on cue, Zell was hit with a blast of flaming energy and knocked backwards. He scrambled to his feet and turned to face the monster that had attacked him. Before Zell stood a wolf unlike any he had ever seen before. Its face and fur were black, with a thicker white fur surrounding its neck and paws. Its tail was black, but ended in a sharp red spike, which matched the beasts red eyes and claws. The beast was a head taller than Zell, even on all fours, and was crouched over, ready to strike. Black flames licked the wolf's face and body and he burned with power and energy.

"Hey puppy, how you doin?" Zell asked with a smirk. He took his stance and prepared to engage.

"RINOA!! COME QUICK! THERE HAVE BEEN ATTACKS ON STUDENTS!" Selphie screamed, bursting into Rinoa's class. The students immediately began talking amongst themselves in fear and shock of Selphie's news.

"You are dismissed!" Rinoa called as an afterthought as she hurried away with Selphie.

When they reached the training center, they saw the rest of Zell's class milling around in the hallway, with Irvine blocking the entrance. He nodded at them.

"Selphie, stay here, Rinoa, Quisitis is inside with Dr. Kadowaki but they need your help. And Zell…" Irvine trailed off as he said the name.

Rinoa, fearing the worst, rushed by Irvine and Selphie, and, upon arriving next to Quisitis and Dr. Kadowaki, knelt over Zell's motionless form.

"He was attacked by something, but we're still not sure what it was. I've never seen wounds like this. He's been burned inside the puncture wounds. Like something bit him and sent fire into his body from its teeth." Dr Kadowaki said before Rinoa even asked.

"He's in rough shape, but he'll live. So will the others. There were 3 more with similar injuries, but none are fatal. I'm just worried that whatever this thing is-"

"Also got to Squall and that's why he's missing!" Rinoa finished Quisitis' sentence for her. Without another word she ran into the training center, Quisitis at her heels.

They came across Squall's body laying unconscious atop a fallen tree. Rinoa ran to him.

"Squall?! Squall please! Please wake up!" she cried as she shook him gently in her arms. Much to her surprise, he stirred, coughed, and woke up. "Thank goodness you're awake, there have been terrible attacks, Zell and several others are severely injured, you don't seem too bad, but we're not in any state to hunt this thing now. Let's get you out of here."

Rinoa and Quisitis helped Squall to his feet and supported him as they made their way out.

"…attacks? …Zell…others…injured?" Squall mouthed to himself. "What have I done?"

A/N: There we go, chapter 1. This story is gonna be up pretty quickly, and I will explain what the fuck is going on. Review please. The more reviews, the better my story will be and the faster I post. Should be about 10 chapters total. Epic, but not too long. Lemme know what you think. It's good to be back.