Aurora POV

We were at the Sunnydale Zoo. We were walking along the path.

"Oh, look. It's Buffy and all her friends." Kyle said.

"That's witty," I replied.

"Do you ever wonder why nobody cool wants to hang out with any of you?" Tor questioned.

"Just thankful," Kyra answered.

"Were you this popular at your old schools? Before you got kicked out?" Rhonda questioned as her group laughed and continued on their way and leaving us alone.

"Careful! They might beat you up!" Tor said to us as they left.

We were walking near the elephants. Buffy was reading the plaque. Xander and Willow came running up.

"Hey! Buffy! Aurora! Kate! Kyra!" Xander said.

"You missed it!" Willow replied.

"Missed what?" Buffy and I questioned.

"We just saw the zebra mating," Xander said as he nodded to Willow. "Thank you, very exciting."

"It was like the Heimlich with stripes!" Willow replied.

"And we missed it. Yet somehow we'll find the courage to live on." Kate said as we continued to walk.

"Where were you?" Willow asked as they followed.

"Uh, we were looking at the fishes," Kyra answered.

"Was it cool?" Willow questioned.

"It was fishes," I replied.

"I'm feelin' that you're not in the field trip here," Xander said.

"Well, it would... it's nothing, we... we do the same zoo trips at our old schools every year. Same old, same old." Buffy replied.

"Buffy, girls. This isn't just about looking at a bunch of animals. This is about not being in class!" Xander told us.

"You know, you're right! Suddenly the animals look shiny and new." I said as we brightened up.

"Gotta have perspective," Xander replied.

Third Person

On the other side of the zoo, Lance was sketching monkeys into his notebook. Kyle and his gang approached.

"Lance! How's it goin'?" Kyle asked.

"Hey, Kyle." Lance said as his head was down.

"So, is this like, a, uh, family reunion?" Kyle replied.

"No," Lance told them.
"I think it's a family reunion. It's so... touching. Doesn't anybody have a camera?" Kyle said as made a sudden photo-taking gesture. "Whiplash!"

"Hey, does your mom still pick out your lice, or are you old enough to do that yourself now?" Rhonda said as she came up behind Lance.

"Quit it, huh?" Lance said as Tor took his notebook. "Hey! Guys, C'mon! Its got my notes in there!"

"What's going on here? I've had it up to here with you four! What're you doing?" Mr. Flutie said as he came over.

"Nothing," Kyle replied.

"Did I ask you to speak? Okay, I guess I did, but I want the truth. Lance?" Mr. Flutie said.

"They weren't doing anything. Really!" Lance said with a nervous laugh. "We were just playin' around." Lance added.

"Alright." Mr. Flutie said as he starts to back away, but turned back. "I'll be watching you." He turned to leave.

"You! Came through big time." Kyle said as he pointed at Lance.

"Way to go, Lance!" Rhonda replied as she patted his shoulder.

"Flutie's been looking for a reason to come down on us," Tor said.

"It's okay," Lance replied.

"Come on, we're gonna check out the Hyena House," Kyle said.

"But I think it's off-limits," Lance replied.

"And in there, my friend, lies the fun," Kyle told Lance.

Lance laughed, and they all go off towards the Hyena House.

Aurora POV

We were walking near the Hyena house. When we saw Kyle, his gang and Lance head into the house.

"What are Kyle and his bud doing with Lance?" Willow asked.

"Oh, playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse," Xander replied.

"What is it with those guys?" I asked.

"They're obnoxious. Professionally." Kyra said.

"Well, every school has 'em. So, you start a new school, you get your desks, some blackboards, and some mean kids." Xander replied.

"Yeah, well, I'd better extract Lance before..." Buffy replied.

"I'll handle it. This job doesn't require actual slaying." Xander interrupted and went in.

"You don't think we should follow?" Kate questioned.

"Kyle and those guys are jerks, but they're all talk. Mostly." Willow told.

"Why don't we..." I reconsidered.

"Yeah, why don't we?" Willow said.

We ducked under the tape but were caught by a zookeeper.

"Oh, hold it, hold it, are you blind, or are you just illiterate? Because hyenas are very quick to prey on the weak." The zookeeper said.

"Oh, w-we were just gonna take..." Buffy started to say.

"You're not going in there. Anyone that does is in a world of trouble." The zookeeper interrupted her.

"No, no one's going in there," Kyra said as we walked back out.

"Why is it off-limits?" Kate asked.

"It's a quarantine. These hyenas just came in from Africa, so keep out." The zookeeper said as cocked his eyebrow up. "Even if they call your name."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy questioned.

"The Masai tribesmen told me that hyenas are capable of understanding human speech. They follow humans around by day, learning their names. At night, when the campfire dies, they call out to a person. Once they separate him, the pack devours them." The zookeeper said as he snapped his fingers.

Third Person

Inside the Hyena house, Kyle and the others tear through more tape blocking their way in and looked around.

"Cool!" Kyle said.

He and the girls walked up to the enclosure and looked in. Lance stayed back with Tor behind him.

"I don't see any hyenas," Lance replied.

In split second, one of the hyenas growled and showed itself between some of the rocks.

"Okay! Now we've seen it." Lance added.

Lance tried to leave but was stopped by Tor.

"Looks cute," Rhonda said.

"I think it looks hungry," Kyle said as he moved towards Lance.

He and Tor grabbed Lance.

"No!" Lance yelled.

"C'mon, spot!" Tor said.

"C'mon, spot it!" Lance told them.

"Suppertime!" Tor said.

They dragged him up the stairs and lifted up to the bars.

"Guys! Stop! It's not funny!" Lance told them.

They pressed him into the bars and down on his neck.

"Ow! Stop it! It's not funny!" Lance yelled.

Xander came running in and pulled them off of Lance and helped him away.

"Why don't you pick on somebody of your own species?" Xander told Kyle.

"What, are you gonna get in my face?" Kyle questioned.

The hyenas growled as Xander, Kyle and the others looked at them. The hyena's eyes flashed green as did Xander's, Kyle and his gang eyes. They looked over to Lance and began to chuckle like the hyena.

Aurora POV

We went to the Bronze, that night after the school trip. We were sitting down. I had an iced tea with a muffin, Buffy had a coke with a croissant, Kyra had an iced tea and chocolate lava muffin, Kate had a tea and croissant and Willow had the same.

"I thought Xander would be here by now," Willow said.

"Hmm, that'd make him on time. We couldn't have that!" Buffy said.

"Did he seem upset at all on the bus back from the zoo?" Willow asked.

"About what?" I questioned.

"I dunno. He was quiet." Willow replied.

"We didn't notice anything," Kate said as he sat down at a table. "But then again I'm not as hyperaware of him as, oh, say, for example, you."

"Hyperaware?" Willow said.

"Well, I'm not constantly monitoring his health, his moods, his blood pressure..." Kyra replied.

"130 over 80!" Willow said as she grinned.

"You got it bad, girl!" Buffy said in amusement.

"He makes my head go tingly. You know what I mean?" Willow replied.

"I dimly recall," I said.

"But it hasn't happened to you lately?" Willow asked me.

"Not of late," I replied.

"Not even for a dangerous and mysterious old man whose leather jacket you're wearing right now?" Willow said.

"Goes with the shoes!" I mocked in annoyance.

"Come on, Angel pushes your buttons. You know he does." Kyra replied.

"I suppose some girls might find good looking..." I said as Willow and Kate gave me a look. "...if they have eyes, alright, he's a honey, but... it's just he's never around, and when he is, all he wants to do is talk about vampires, and ... I, I just can't have a relationship..."

"There he is!" Willow replied.

"Angel?" I questioned.

"Xander!" Willow said.

We see him walking into the club and walked up to our table.

"Girls!" Xander said.

"Boy!" Kyra replied.

"Sorry, I'm late, I... just forgot that we were gonna be here," Xander replied as he saw Buffy's croissant. "Hungry!" As he tore off a piece and eats it.

"Xander, you still want to me help you with geometry tomorrow?" Willow asked as Xander took a swig of Buffy's cola. "We can work after class..."

"Yeah," Xander said as gave Willow a thumbs-up. "What is this crap?" He asked Buffy.

"Well, it was my buttery croissant," Buffy answered.

"Man, I need some food! Birds live on this!" Xander replied.

We looked at each other and then at Xander. He looked back and forth at us.

"What?" Xander said.

"What's up with you?" Kate and I asked.

"Is something wrong? Did I do something?" Willow questioned.

"What could you possibly do?" That's crazy talk. I'm just... restless." Xander said to Willow.

"Well, we could go to the ice cream place..." Willow replied.

"I like it here." Xander said as he pointed to the table.

I saw him scan the area a bit, and leaned towards me and sniffed her hair.

"Okay, now what?" I replied.

"You took a bath," Xander told me.

"Yeah, I-I often do, I'm actually known for it," I replied.

"That's okay," Xander said.

We all except for Xander exchanged another look.

"And the weird behaviour award goes to..." Kyra replied

We see Kyle and his gang come in.

"Oh great. It's the winged monkeys." Buffy said.

They came over and Xander just stared at them. They just walked away after a minute.

We look over to the table that Kyle and his gang took over and they were harassing a large kid. They started laughing and then Xander joined in. He turned to me and saw that I was not laughing and he stopped.

"Kids fat," Xander replied.

What just happened? What happened to Xander?

The next morning, we were at school in the library. Giles and Kyra were wearing protective gear while Buffy and I were training on them. We kicked, punched to Giles and Kyra's gloved hands. We continued until they jumped back.

"Right!" Giles said as Buffy stopped short.

"That's enough training for one day," Kyra replied.

"Well, that last roundhouse was kinda sloppy. Are you sure you don't wanna do it again?" Buffy said.

"No! No, no, that's fine. You just... run along to class." Giles said as we went to go. "While I wait for the feeling to return to my arms." I heard Giles say to himself.

We were coming around the corner, when a small pig wearing a costume came running towards us. I picked him up.

"Lordy, Herbert! Gave Mr. Flutie quite a scare, didn't he? Students, I'd like you all to meet Herbert, our new mascot for the Sunnydale High Razorbacks." Mr. Flutie said.

We all clapped.

"He's so cute." Kate and Buffy replied.

"He's not cute. No! He's a fierce Razorback." Mr. Flute replied as there was more clapping.

"He doesn't look mean, Mr. Flutie." I replied.

"He's mean, he's ready for action! See?" Mr. Flutie said as he indicated Herbert's helmet with foam tusks. "Here are the tusks... the scary razorback!"

"You're right. He's a fine mascot and he will engender school spirit." Kyra replied.

"Uh, he better. Costs a fortune to feed him." Mr. Futie told us. "Alright, let's get you back into your cage." To Herbert.

Herbert squealed when I tried to hand him to Mr. Flutie.

"This way." Mr. Flutie replied as he pointed behind him.

Kyra, Kate, Buffy and I followed him

Third Person

Outside in the core, Willow was helping Xander with geometry.

"I'm not getting this," Xander said.

"It's simple, really. See, 'The bisector of a vertex is the line that divides the angle at that vertex into two equal parts.'" Willow told him.

"It's like a big blur, all these numbers, and angles," Xander replied.

"It's the same stuff from last week. You had it down then." Willow said.

"Why do I need to learn this?" Xander questioned.

"'Cause otherwise you'll flunk math?" Willow replied.

"Explain the part where that's bad," Xander said as rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You remember, you fail math, you flunk out of school, you end up being the guy at the pizza place that sweeps the floor and says, 'Hey, kids, where's the cool parties this weekend?' We've been through this." Willow said as Xander rubbed his right temple. "Do you have a headache?" As she reached up to him.

"Yeah, and I think I know what's causing it," Xander replied as he shook her off. "Ah! That's better, it goes right to the source of the pain." As he threw geometry book into the trash.

"Xander..." Willow said.

"Look, forget it, okay? I don't get it. I won't ever. I don't care." Xander said in frustration and got up.

He threw his math notebook into Willow's lap and left in a huff.

"We can finish this another time," Willow said as she watched as Xander left.

Aurora POV

We were still following Mr. Flutie to the faculty room with Herbert in my arms. We stopped outside.

"See, the problem is you kids today have no school spirit. Hold on, let me get his outfit off." Mr. Flutie said as he removed foam razorback. "Today it's all gang and drugs and those movies on Showtime with the nudity." We gave him a look. "I don't have cable, I only heard. When I was your age we cared about the school's reputation and the football team's record, all that stuff! Of course, when I was your age I was surrounded by old guys telling me how much better things were when they were my age." As he went into the faculty room.

"Yeah!" I told Herbert.

We saw Xander come into the hall from outside. Herbert squealed and reacted to his presence as he walked by. We looked confused as Xander passed, as I tried to keep Herbert from jumping out of my arms.

Its now gym time, but we were inside for gym today. We were all dressed in our gym clothes.

"Alright, it's raining, all regular gym classes have been postponed, so you know what that means: dodgeball!" Coach Harrold said as we held up a large rubber ball. "Now, for those of you that may have forgotten, the rules area as follows: you doge."

He threw a ball towards me. Kate, Buffy, Kyra and I were on the same side. He blew his whistle and the game began. We dodge and were the last people in. Xander, Kyle and his gang turned towards Lance and began to pelt him with dodgeballs. We ran over to help him up as Xander and the others left.

"God, this game is brutal. I love it!" Coach Harrold said.

The gym was over and we all changed back into our clothes.

We walked out of the change room to see Xander upsetting Willow.

"You gonna say something to us?" Kyra questioned as we walked over.

Xander just looked at us and began to laugh again more loudly. He went over to Kyle and his gang and he left. We went after Willow.

Third Person

Outside in the second core, the pack were walking along. Xander stopped and sniffed the air.

"Dogs!" Xander replied.

"Where?" Kyle questioned.

Xander lead them over to a group of three boys who were sitting at a table.

"You're out of your mind, that's no way to play guitar." Boy #1 said.

"What are you talking about?" Boy #2 asked.

"I mean, that just hunt and peck!" Boy #1 replied.

"It's not!" Boy #2 said.

"Hey, Xander, you've heard Wretched Refuse play, what do you think of the guy who plays the lead?" Boy #1 asked Xander as the pack arrived.

Tor reached for Boy #1's hot dog. Heidi took Boy#2 hot dog.

"Hey. Hey, what are you guys..." Boy #1 said.

"Shut up." Rhonda interrupted.

"You're sharing," Kyle replied.

"Friends like to share," Xander said. "Good?" As he turned to Tor and Heidi.

"It's too well-done," Tor replied.

He threw the rest of the hot dog back on Boy #1's lunch as Heidi threw back Boy #2.
"Hey! That is not cool." Boy #1 said.

Xander sniffed the air again and looked in the scent's direction. He lead his pack off. Kyle climbed onto the table and stomped the boy's lunches.

"Hey!" Boy #1 replied.

The pack walked into the faculty room. Xander inhaled deeply through his nose. The other two boys went to close the blinds and approached the cage. Xander bent down to look at Herbert.

"Let's do lunch," Xander said.

The pig became nervous and squealed.

Outside the school, after the pack was done eating the pig. The pack was walking in slow motion towards the stairs. Several students stare at them as they walked by. Lance walked by and just stopped in front of them. They all looked at him and Xander sniffed, but they just kept on walking by.
Xander noticed aurora, Kate, Kyra, Buffy and Willow sitting on the balcony above. He used his hearing to hear what he could hear.

"I've known him my whole life," Willow told the girls.

Aurora POV

We were sitting on the balcony.

"Well, we haven't always been close, but he's never..." Willow said with tears in her eyes.

"I think something's wrong with him," Kate replied.

"Or maybe there's something wrong with me." Willow said.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned.

"C'mon. He's not pick on you. He's just sniffing you a lot. I don't, maybe three isn't company anymore." Willow answered.

"You think has something to do with me?" I questioned.

"Of course." Willow said.

"No. That still doesn't explain why he's hanging out with the dode patrol." Buffy said as we hopped off the railing.

"Something's going on. Something werid." Kate replied as we started to go.

"What're you gonna do?" Willow asked us.

"Talk to the experts on werid." I answered.

We headed to the library.

When Buffy, Kate and I got to the Library, Giles and Kyra were going about what work they had to do. We followed them.

"Xander's taken to teasing the less fortunate?" Giles questioned.

"Uh-huh." Buffy replied.

"And there's been a noticeable change in both clothing and demeanor?" Kyra asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"And, well, otherwise all his spare time is spent lounging about with imbeciles." Giles said.

"it's bad, isn't it?" Kate asked.

"It's devastating. He's turned into a sixteen-year-old boy. Course, you'll have to kill him." Giles replied.

"Giles, I'm serious." Buffy said.

"So am I. except for the part about killing him. Testosterone is great equalizer. It turns all men into morons. He will, however, get over it." Giles replied.

"I cannot believe that you, of all people, are trying to Scully us. There is something supernatural at work here." I said as I grabbed some books. "Get your books! Look stuff up!"

"Look under what?" Kyra asked.

"I don't know." I exhaled. "That's your department."

"The evidence that you've presented us with is sketchy at best." Giles replied.

"He scared the pig." Kate said as Giles gave her a look. "Well, he did..."

"Girls, boys can be cruel. They tease, they, they, they prey on the weak. I-i-it's natural teen behavior pattern." Giles told us.

"What did you just say?" Buffy asked.

"Um, they tease." Kyra said.

"They prey on the weak. I've heard somewhere bef..." I replied. "Xander has been acting totally wiggy ever since we went to the zoo. Him and Kyle and all those guys, they went into the hyena cage. Oh, God that laugh..."

"You're saying that, uh, Xander's becoming a hyena." Kyra said.

"I don't know. Or been possessed by one? Not just Xander, all of them." Buffy replied.

"Well, I-I-I've cer-certainly never heard of, uh..." Giles said.

"Herbert! They found him." Willow said as she came into the library.

"The pig?" Kate questioned.

"Dead. And also eaten. Principal Flutie's freaking out." Willow told us.

"Testosterone, huh?" Buffy said to Giles.

Giles and Kyra headed towards his office.

"What're you gonna do?" Willow asked Kyra and Giles.

"Get my books. Look stuff up." Kyra answered.

Third Person

Across the school campus, Mr. Flutie was walking angrily towards Kyle and his gang.

"You four!" Mr. Flutie said in anger.

"What?" Kyle replied.

"Oh, don't think I don't know. Three kids saw you outside Herbert's room. You're busted! Yeah! You're goin' down." Mr. Flutie told the group.

"How is Herbert?" Rhonda asked him.

"Crunchy!" Heidi replied.

They all laughed and Mr. Flutie wasn't happy.

"That's it! My office, right now." Mr. Flutie said as they laughed more. "Now!"

They stopped laughing and got off the table to follow.

"You're gonna have so much detention, your grandchildren'll be staying after school." Mr. Flutie told them as they walked towards the office.

Aurora POV

We were in the library researching. Kyra and Willow were on the computres researching. While Kate, Buffy and I were sitting on the stairs with a book.

"Wow! Apparently Noah reject the hyenas from the ark because he thought they were an evil impure mixture of dogs and cats." I told them.

"Hyenas aren't well liked." Willow replied.

"They do seem to be the schmoes of the animal kingdom." Buffy said as she walked over to Willow.

"Why couldn't Xander be possessed by a puppy or, or, some ducks?" Willow questioned.

"That's assuming 'possession' is the right word." Kate replied.

"Oh, I'll say it is. The Masai of the Serengeti have spoken of animal possession for, for generations, I... I should have remembered that." Giles said as he came over from the cage.

"So how does it work?" I questioned.

"Well, apparently there's a, a sect of animal worshipers known as Primals. They believe that humanity, uh, consciousness, uh, the soul, is a, is a perversion, a dilution of spirit..." Giles replied.

"Uh, to them the animal state is holy. They are able, through trans-possession, to, to, um, draw the spirit of certain animals into themselves." Kyra continued.
"And then they started acting like hyenas." Buffy replied.

"Well, only the most predatory of animals are, are of interest to the Primals, so, uh, yes, yes, that would fit, yes." Giles said.

"So, what happens to the person once the spirit's in them?" Kate asked.

"If it goes unchecked..." Kyra replied.

He handed us a book opened to a certain page. We took one look and slammed the book shut and I quickly got up and headed to go.

"I gotta find Xander." I replied.

I left Kate, Kyra, Willow with Giles in the library to go and find Giles.