Hello! Thx for your patience and now for my latest chapter! Some new ghosts, good and bad, come into the picture and Danny learns what real combat is like.=^-^=

Ch. 12 - In the Storm

A young boy lay strewn along the floor of an ice cave unconscious. The glow of the fire beside him made the shadows of his form dance. Over him watched a large furry creature keeping his glowing green eyes on the boy as if expecting something. He keeps his pointed ears alert with a passing glance to the cavern's entrance. "Have they found me?" He lifts his nose to the air and takes a sniff. "Not them….." He then looks back to the boy who appears to stir.

"Hmmmm….." His fingers twitch under his cloak and he lifts his head.

"Be careful little boy, you hit your head pretty hard."

The boy weaves his fingers through his pure white hair and sits up. "Where…..?" He takes a good look around but struggles to get his vision in focus. When his eyes settle on the shadowy form he narrows them to clear his vision. His eyes widen as he takes in the form of the large wolf like creature looking him over. He was wearing what looked to be worn green sweats and a metal collar. "Whoa!" Danny yelped as he slid away.

"Do not be frightened little boy, I will not hurt you." It seemed his cry fell on deaf ears though, as the boy proceeded to stand and move further away.

"W-who are you….? What do you want w-with me?!" The boy put on a brave face as he tried to stand up to the much larger creature. The furry creature moves toward the boy in an effort to calm him and the boy's fear betrays him when jumps at the touch of the cavern wall behind him. The boy turns to see his dead end and gives a loud swallow before turning back to his supposed attacker. "I'm…. not afraid of you monster!" He shouts as he forms an ice staff in his small hands.

The wolf like creature doesn't seem to be all that intimidated as it reaches out one of its claws. "Please, I am a friend. I do not wish to fight!"

The boy narrows his eyes and points the staff at the wolf's fore head. "Back away!" He threatens as he nudges the staff ever closer to the creature.

He relents with a grunt and backs away. "See? I won't hurt you?" He then sits down but never takes his gaze from the boy who moves as far away as he can before slumping down to the cavern floor. He would have made an attempt for the exit if it weren't for the wind he could easily hear. A soft whistle rang through the cavern which Danny knew was a tell-tale sign of a snow storm. And so now both Boy and wolf shared not only a stare down, but a refuge as well.

"has there been any news yet?" Frostbite demanded in a commanding tone. Tundra placed his fist on his chest and shook his head.

Polar came up from behind him with an apologetic expression. "My apologies Lord Frostbite, it is entirely my fault that this happened." He bowed his head in penance. "I should have been more careful with the storm coming."

Frostbite placed his claw on his shoulder. "It is alright Polar. I trust that you did what you could, but we must now focus on what we can do at this moment." He then turned to another FarFrozen and pointed to a monitor. "Do you have any data on the storm yet? How long before we can go out in it?"

He typed a bit at the controls before answering. "It will be a few hours at least Lord Frostbite. We may be able to get his location with the scanner when the storm dies a bit because of his higher body temperature, but that's at least an hour away."

Frostbite nodded. "Alright, let me know if you see any changes." He received the standard FarFrozen salute in return before turning to Tundra. "What was it you detected before the storm?"

Tundra pulled up a flat square object. "It appeared to be an intruder my Lord. We detected it coming in from the north side, which is why we recalled the sentries. Unfortunately, the storm came far faster than we expected and the added confusion of an intruder caused us to become disorganized. I believe it was Danny's inexperience along with those reasons that he fell away from the group during the confusion." Tundra turned the object so that the screen, which depicted a map with a blinking icon, so that Frostbite could see. "I believe him to be around this area. I will ready a search party and we'll move out as soon as we're able."

"Good, you seem to have the whole situation handled well. Please be sure to keep me informed when you go out."

Tundra gave another salute. "Aye sire."

Danny by this point had lowered his staff and was sitting along the cave wall with his legs tucked in his arms while the Wolf creature was watching from the opposing side. He had yet to make another motion for the boy, knowing full well the boy would most likely retaliate. He instead looked out at the storming winds and the rapidly falling snow. The howl of the wind kept him on his toes as his ears continuously scanned the air for a foreign sound.

The boy had his eyes locked on the furry form, though less out of fear now and more out of curiosity. It was strange that this creature hadn't attacked him yet. Could his initial threat have actually scared it? The boy thought as he leaned his chin down on his knees. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was telling him that this creature wasn't mean.

He lifted his hand to the cut on his head and flinched when he felt the still tender flesh. He let out a grunt and pulled down his hand to see the splotches of green liquid now staining his hand. "What happened?" He muttered to himself under his breath. Not much made sense in his mind at the moment and his memories of the last few hours were a bit jumbled. He remembered Polar bringing him out on patrol with him for practice and then… there was some sort of emergency? He found himself nodding. "Yeah… that has to be it."

His concentration was now lacking as he was torn between the monster sharing his cave and the throbbing pain on his head. He placed his hand back up on it and applied pressure much like Permafrost had instructed him many times when he had gotten any form of cut. It still stung and caused him to flinch at first but the throbbing did ease up a bit.

In his distracted thoughts he hadn't realized that the furry creature had approached him again and he barely had a moment to recoil before he felt a stinky warm sensation on his head. The wolf creature had started to lick him and Danny couldn't figure out for the life of himself why. "Wha! Don't eat me!" He grabbed his staff again but his guest proceeded to lick him again and he fell back from the force. He then backed off much to Danny's surprise and walked back over to where he was sitting before. "What was….?" He started while rubbing at the cut on his head. His next epiphany came when he realized it didn't hurt as much. He pulled his hand back down to see it covered in slobber and he turned to the monster. "What did you do?"

The Wolf turned to him with a sympathetic expression and then turned back to gaze out at the storming winds. Danny now found himself more confused than ever. Had he jumped the gun after all? Was this wolf creature really not after him? As Danny pondered it to himself the other ghost suddenly stood up in alertness. This cause Danny to respond in kind and grab his staff. He glared sternly at the creature who turned to him with an angry glare of his own. "No little boy, we must be quite….. I smell them." Danny raised a brow in obvious confusion causing the wolf to become exasperated. "This is no good…." He then gestured to himself and in a mangled attempt he dished out the word "Friend."

Danny seemed even more confused as he repeated the word. "Friend? You're my friend?"

The wolf nodded excitedly and gestured to himself. "Wulf."

"Is that your name? My name is Danny."

Wulf nodded again. "Yes it is my name! Wulf!" He then pointed back to the boy. "And you are Danny."

Danny nodded while gesturing to himself. "Yeah my name is Danny." The young halfa seemed relieved that the tension was leaving between the two of them and that he didn't have to be scared of his new friend.

Wulf then pricked his ears up. "Oh no!" He grabbed Danny by his arm and pulled him to the side of the cavern. "Shh!" He made an obvious gesture with one finger over his mouth so Danny would understand and the boy nodded.

"What is with this ridiculous storm!?"

"Damn it!"

"What?"

"Can't see my hand in front of my face!"

"Yeah, well tough. Walker ain't about to take any excuses."

"Walker can bite me for all I care! Why do we have to search for the fur ball out in this storm?! If he wants him so bad, he should come get him."

"Ha ha, why don't you tell him that then?"

"Shut up….."

"What is it?"

"Is that a cave?"

Wulf looked down at Danny in obvious distress. "They're coming Danny."

The boy still didn't understand but he realized that he must be worried about the voices that he heard outside. "Don't worry Wulf, I have an idea." Danny squirmed free of the wolfman's grip and pointed his palms to the entrance. They glowed blue and formed a wall of ice between them and the intruders. "Let's go." The boy led his new friend down the cavern's twists and turns. He was more than familiar with the area due to Polar and Taiga exploring with him. He peaked around a corner and saw the opening with the snow still coming down rather heavily. "Look, I found the back entrance."

"This is good. You have my thanks little boy." Wulf said with a happy nod.

Danny took that as thanks and began on his way to the exit. He stopped just short of the entrance and turned to Wulf. "Now we can just wait here a bit. The storm already looks like its letting up."

Wulf seemed confused. "It does not look to be ending so soon."

Danny took in the confused expression and explained a bit more. "The snow always looks like this before it lets up. The wind is also not blowing as hard as it was before."

He lifted one hand to his ear and Wulf listened to the wind. "Oh… you are right. You are quite wise for such a small boy." Though he didn't quite understand him, the boy took it as a compliment and stood rather proudly. His moment didn't last too long as a blast of green energy hit the ground just to his left causing the boy to lose his footing. Wulf caught the boy and began to growl at the transgressor who dared attack the boy.

"Well, well, looks like we got lucky boys." Three sets of red eyes became visible in the near distance. Danny turned to the intruders as he formed his ice staff. Now only a few feet from the entrance, the three trespassers forms became visible. They looked to be wearing riot squad uniforms and had wispy green tails where their legs should have been. The lead spook gave an evil cackle as he looked upon the two. "Hey Wulf, it's time to get back in your cage."

Wulf responded in a growling tone. "I would sooner eat my own paw!" His claws became longer as he poised to pounce. The officers simply raised their weapons.

"What do you want!?"

The lead specter looked down towards the boy with a brow raised. "A kid?" He turned back towards the others. "What do we do with him?"

"He's joined with Wulf right?"

The ghost laughed. "Yeah, that's aiding and abiding a criminal." He turned back to the boy. "We're gonna need to bring you to Walker too kid."

Danny narrowed his eyes at the men. "I'm not going anywhere with you! Frosty told me strangers were dangerous!"

Now the three of them started laughing together. "And just what are you going to do about it?"

The boy raised up his weapon in a threatening pose. "I'm gonna stop you! This is the FarFrozen and you're not allowed here!"

The spooks immediately stopped and traded glances. "You don't think they're going to be interfering? Walker said they probably wouldn't because of the storm."

Another reassured their comrade. "Don't worry about it. The kid's just bluffing."

The three turned back to the boy and aimed their blasters. "Sorry kid, but there are no FarFrozen here." They then began to fire a barrage of shots. Due to Danny's training he was able to dodge most of them while he made a small ice shield to block the rest.

Wulf dove straight into the fight and tore at one of them with his glowing green claws. "You tell Walker to leave me be! I belong to no one!" He clawed the armor off of one and tore the helmet off another while Danny wrestled with the third. The boy used his staff to knock the weapon right out of the ghost's hand much to his own surprise.

The ghost held his sore hand as he called back to one of his comrades. "Get Walker on the line!"

"You rang?" The storm was starting to clear more and so the tall ghost dressed in a white suit was now visible from a greater distance. He had several of the riot gear clad ghosts just behind him.

"Walker!"

The warden glared at his incompetent soldier. "What seems to be the problem here?"

The three ghosts quickly made their way to their boss. "Walker, it's this kid. He joined forces with the fugitive."

Walker crossed his arms and glared even deeper at the men. "You're tellin me this punk kid is what beat you?"

The ghostly underling found himself floating back a bit under the ghost warden's gaze. "Both of them…."

Before he could finish Walker pushed him aside and took a step towards Wulf and Danny. "Alright Wulf. It's time I brought you in. No one leaves my prison without me given the word and I can assure you, that didn't happen."

"I refuse!" He growled as he launched himself at the the ghost, claws raised.

Walker parried with a pink blast of energy. "If that's how you feel." He said with an amused tone. He then pulled back his sleeve to reveal a watch like object and upon pressing the button on its face Wulf fell to the ground.

Danny watched as his new friend howled in agony as the electrical shocks ripped through his body. "Stop! What are you doing to him!?" Danny ran to his side and stood between the warden and the werewolf. "Leave him alone!"

Walker didn't seem to take the child seriously at all as he made a casual approach. "I wouldn't keep goin kid. I've already got enough to put you away in my prison. You best run along before I change my mind about letting you go."

One of his officers seemed confused about the decision. "You're just going to let him go?"

Walker turned his head with a serious expression. "I find that giving out a warning is fair enough, especially to kids. Those foolish enough to cross me after that don't deserve my mercies." He then turned back to the boy. "Now scram kid." Danny didn't waver and stood weapon raised. Walker raised a brow at the boy's determination and a smile tugged at his lips. "I'll take this as your answer then?"

"Be my guest." Quipped Danny as he sharpened his gaze.

"I bet you think you're pretty brave to stand up to me with that twig of yours, but I assure you it is only foolish. You'll regret crossen me boy." He snapped his fingers and the officers behind him started their approach. Danny was quick to make a defensive barrier of ice to cut them off and then made a dash towards the Warden. Though he initially caught off guard by the boy's prowess in combat he caught the boy in his second swing and knocked him to the ground. He placed a boot on the boy's chest and leaned down over his knee with a sneer. "Now kid, I know you don't know what you've gotten yourself in too, but I promise to make it real clear shortly. There is order in my prison and no room for punk kids to be picken fights."

Danny struggled to breath under the weight of the man. "Off!...o…fff!"

Walker gave a chuckle. "The weight of the law isn't something a punk like you can take." The boy grabbed at the boot, struggling to pull it off as hard as he could and the warden just watched with a grin on his face. It didn't take long for Danny's head to start feeling a bit fuzzy from his loss of air and he struggled less and less. Just as he was beginning to feel like he was losing it he aim his hand up to fire some ice in a last ditch effort to free himself. It was to his own surprise that the energy was green instead of his usual blue. He didn't think too much of it though, considering how spotty his vision was getting and fired at the man.

"Arrgg!" He heard the man yell and the pressure on his chest lifted. He took in as much of the wonderful air as he could as he pulled himself up. His vision was still a bit spotty and thus he was unable to really see the angry warden as he barreled at the boy with a glowing fist. The fist planted itself in the boy's gut and all the wonderful air he had breathed in was forced out. In a desperate effort he latched onto the man's arm much to the warden's own dismay. "Damn punk. Get off!" After a few wild shakes the boy finally flew to the ground but not before pulling a fast one on the warden. He held out the device in his hand and destroyed it with a green blast of energy before letting his hand fall lifelessly to the snow. Wulf, now free of the pain, struggled to pull himself up from the ground. He looked to the boy as the angry ghost marched over to him ready kick him for his antics. "Let's make things clear punk. You'll rue the day you crossed me. I'll make you beg for oblivion before I even think of letting you have it."

"No! He is my friend! I will not let you harm him!" He moved as fast as he could and stood over the boy on all fours. He gave the best menacing growl he could but Walker wasn't fooled. He knew the ghost was too weak from his earlier shock to fight back.

He gave Wulf a smirk before holding out a glow pink hand. "I'll remember this at the next solitary review next century." Before he could have the satisfaction of blasting his captive he heard another growl from his right. A large green dog barreled through his men, the storm no longer impeding the view. "What the…?"

"Take them!" Frostbite came leading a charge of ten FarFrozen. Tundra was just beside him as the barreled over the ridge and towards the intruders.

They were taken by storm as they clashed weapons with the furry yeti and the already weakened Walker knew they wouldn't be able to hold themselves. "Damn!" He cursed as he held his hat. "Fall back!" The FarFrozen were quick to move against them but were stopped by and explosion at their feet.

"Walker!" The warden turned to see his right hand man, bullet, hold a bazooka like weapon.

He glared one more time at the downed boy and Wulf. "I won't forget this punk!" He then ran off along with his men to escape the wrath of the FarFrozen.

After seeing their intruders flee Frostbite sent a smaller platoon after them. "I want their leaving confirmed!" Four of the yeti slammed their fists to their chests and hurried off. It was then that Frostbite looked down to see Polar looking over Danny. He was unconscious but still breathing much to his own relief. He walked over and kneeled down, grabbing the boy's hand in his own large claw. "Little One…."

"You… smell like the boy… His parent?" Wulf gave a weak chuckle from his collapsed state. "The boy is lucky to have one such as you to watch over him." He then closed his eyes and joined Danny in the release of unconsciousness.

A soft humming could be heard as the boy lay down in a warm embrace. He rubbed his head against the arms he slept in and felt safer than he ever had. Who? He thought to himself. He should've been more worried but… he just had this feeling that it didn't matter. He peaked his eyes open a bit and notice an unfamiliar room covered in glowing stars and rocket pictures. "Hey there kidd-o, Iknow you don't want to but its bedtime time now so back to sleeping." The boy obeyed and cozied up a bit more while gripping the hand of his protector.

Back in the boy's room, Frostbite now watched over a patched up Danny in his bed. He had hold of one of the boy's hands who gripped his tight in return. "Oh Little One….. I am so very glad you are safe." Those intruders certainly did a number on the boy. He had a concussion, probably due to the fall, and some bruised ribs. Then there were the multitude of lighter cuts and bruises he had gotten. He was now feeling so fortunate that he had arrived in time. Much later and it may have cost the boy far too much.

The wolf creature on the other hand, was different. His injuries were not as severe probably due to his experience. The most severe ones seemed to be centered around his neck where the collar, which they removed, had sat for what could have been decades. He was also very conscious but still unable to move for the time being. Whatever that creatures past, Frostbite welcomed him for defend the little halfa's life.

The Lord of the FarFrozen felt a particularly tight squeeze around his claw before the boy muttered a bit in his sleep. "Daddy…." The boy instantly drew his gaze. He could never know to whom he was really speaking, him or what he may remember of his father, but that didn't matter to him. Danny was his Little One now and intended to protect him like his own. He lifted the little hand to his other claw and clasped it tightly.

Alright and cut. Hopefully you liked this one, I liked doing Wulf especially. He's bound to turn up in the next chapter or so, so if you like em, there you go. Also, you may have noticed I changed the rating. That's due to the mild cursing introduced in this chapter. Their will be more adult themes introduced as Danny gets older but nothing M rated, I assure you. As always your responses make me want to write! Please REVIEW!=^-^=