The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 10: Haven

October 31: 8:17 PM: Living Room

"Ow…Nani, get out of the way!" Lilo hissed, running past her sister. Nani grabbed at Lilo's shirt, catching her, and pulled her back.

"Hey! What're you in such a hurry for?"

"I gotta go after Stitch!" Lilo explained. "We're…playing hide and seek." She added, to give an excuse to her haste.

"On Halloween? What, trick-or-treating getting to boring for you now?"

"No…it's…" Lilo trailed, unable to think of an explanation, but she played it to sound like it was too hard to explain.

"Well, whatever you two are up to, you should at least put your costume on first. I didn't buy that thing for nothing, you know." She said, taking Lilo into the kitchen, where her costume was set out on the table.

The whole thing together was much more elaborate than just the headband; there was also a set of paws that rested on the top of the hand, held in place by a band that looped around the wrist. There were also feet that attached in the same manner to the calves, and last a cape which was tied with thick straps to keep it secure. All of these parts, including the headband, were coated in with a black hide for realism.

Along with such an elaborate costume came the agonizing wait to put it on. Though Lilo slapped the paws and headband, Nani spent careful time in tying the cape, constantly asking her sister if it was too tight or too loose.

"C'mon, hurry up!" Lilo moaned.

"Hold still and it'll go faster. Besides, it's not like Stitch isn't going to come back if you don't find him." After another moment, Nani declared, "Ok, go away and don't be gone too long, always stay in lit areas—"

"Ok, thanks, whatever, bye!" Lilo shouted, halfway down the steps already. Nani watched as her costume melded quickly with the dark night.

"I wish that girl came with a manual." She sighed, shutting the door.

Back in Lilo's old room, Bo sat at his desk, trying to write. But he was trying, and unable to, ever since Lilo had rushed out the door. He expelled an anxious breath, and rose with agitation, slamming his pencil to the desk.

"Can't even think straight." He said to himself. "If fate really does exist it's sure having fun playing with that little girl." He thought for a minute, the look on Lilo's face coming back in his mind. "I can't stand it anymore!" He stifled from yelling. "It's bad'nuff other people have to live w'the curse, but a lil' girl?" He went to the window, with its curtains closed.

"An' with all that destruction that's been on the news…" He brushed the curtains to one side, but did not look anywhere in particular. "There's no way jus' one werewolf could'a caused so much in a few nights. Not even two…not even a pack." He grumbled at himself. "An' I just sent a lil' girl out with no clue what's goin' on. I practically told them to pass it on to her…" He pushed the curtains to either side, and opened up the window. The cool night air blew in.

"Chances are there's a few dozen out there, if not more, and if she gets bit it'll be all my fault. That Stitch guarded her against me before, without him I'll bet she's pretty vulnerable…I can't let that happen. If that Stitch really is The True Hearted, then maybe this won't all be in vain…" His eyes finally centered on the full moon above.

The crisp night air started to irritate deep in Lilo's throat as she ran, heaving, and her bare feet thudding loudly and sinking slightly in the mudded road. She felt cold, realizing that in her haste she forgot to change her shorts to pants and put on shoes, but her costume helped to keep her warm.

Her eyes were now adjusted to the light of the full moon blaring in the sky. It caste long shadows across the moistened mud and made the dark corners appear darker, and the bright stretches seem eerie and dangerous to run through. But what was perhaps more eerie than the moonlight, was the silence; houses lit and unlit, decorated and drab, were all deathly quiet.

She glanced at the locater, the blip on the screen nearing, but still rather far away. She turned a corner to another street—which had no car or person on it at all—and headed in that direction for a good long time, until something caught her ear. She halted, the wind blowing the cape away from her, causing her legs to shiver and her breathing to rasp. She waited, and listened, and heard the noise again.

A growl that sounded much louder, and much more threatening than a dog's, came from her left. She turned, and wished she had brought a flashlight with her. She stepped back, her gut's advice, and spoke without fear, though inside she was leaping.

"Who's there?" She questioned. "Come out!" She quickly glanced at the locater; Stitch's blip was still very far away according to it, but it could be slightly off. "I said come out!" The growling intensified for a second or two, and then stopped. Lilo squinted, trying to see what was there, and then was struck with such terror that had her legs not given way the creature wouldn't have been missed.

With a flicker of light and three barks, a large werewolf leapt from the shadows at her. Her body stiffened but her legs caved in, and just as the audible snap of a pair of jaws crushed together, her shoulder had gotten out of the way. She recovered; her heart furious and her breathing staggered.

The outline of the werewolf gleamed in front of her, its face and legs shadowed by the moonlight, but the edges of its ears, back, nose and tail were caught in an aura. Its eyes were pearl-black, its nose slightly red, and its fur a flowing yellow. It looked familiar, but she knew who it wasn't.

"You're not Stitch!" Her voice was distorted with stress. The werewolf backed up, and reared, but she flew before it leapt again. It landed with a crash as her legs pushed her forward. She could feel her arteries pulsing. The werewolf began to chase after her. Her legs began to lose there feeling. The werewolf began to get closer, just barely at the nip of her costume's cape. Without thinking, she ducked into the shadows between two buildings, just before the wolf bit down upon the fabric, and it passed her up.

She waited, her temples throbbing and legs tremblinh. She waited—but she was a sitting duck. If the werewolf returned she wouldn't be able to escape, but fear neglects judgment. Her breathing returned to normal, her heart began to slow, and she forced her legs from quivering.

She stayed in her hiding place for quite some time; fear also neglects time. She set the book beside her, and the locater upon it. The moon began to peek over the houses across the street, and slowly the light crept into her haven. She moved into the darker corner, underneath the steps of one of the houses, and stayed in silence.

"Is this whole town under the curse?" Her mind flared. "How did this happen? And why now?" She shivered from the cold, the heat of her adrenaline subsiding. "…No matter how scared I am…" She thought with determination, "I've gotta get to Stitch before he becomes a werewolf…permanently…" Just as she had gathered her bravery, and her items, and had just poked her head out from the underbelly of the stairs, she heard a noise, and felt a tremor in the earth.

"What in the world—!" Her voice was consumed by an animosity of yelping, barking, growling, trembling and the beating of paws against the ground. The shadows of werewolves passed where the light crept into her haven, and she could see and hear and feel a large number of them—uncountable—running through the streets. She did not feel safe at all, and nearly fell with freight when one werewolf turned and tried to get at her. Possibly the same one from before, but his nose looked both red and dark brown at the same time. However threatening, she was safe under the stairs; it was too big and couldn't fit under the widest space. It gave up, and then joined the others in the stampede.

When it was all over, the deathly silence returned quickly over the street, now riddled with paw prints, but was suddenly interrupted by a steady beeping. Lilo picked up the locater; Stitch's blip was coming her way. She peered out from under the stairs, and saw him pass—the color of his fur, the pearl gloss of his eyes, the power in his pace, his stature. She could tell it was him even without the locater.

"Stitch! Stitch!" She yelled to him, coming out from the stairs, the book in her arm. He turned. "Stitch! I'm so glad I found you!" She said with relief, running up to him. He merely stood, his eyes gazing to her but not at her. When she neared, and gestured for him to come with her, he stepped back. "…What's wrong?" Lilo asked.

"Li…lo…" He spoke slowly, deeply, hoarsely. "Not…safe…leave." He commanded.

"Leave? But Stitch, I can't leave, I have something I need to tell you; you're—"

"Gasatcha!" He roared.

"I'm not gonna leave! Stitch, you're in danger, you could—"

"Stitch…not…normal…" He told her, blinking his eyes. They glowed green. "Li…lo…go!" He ordered again.

"No Stitch!" She yelled. "You don't understand; you're werewolf side is starting to take over, if you don't let me explain—" He blinked his eyes again, they flared red, and he stepped closer to her.

"Stitch…not…want…hurt…" He threatened and growled.

"Stop it Stitch…" Lilo's voice quavered, "You're not listening. You're turning into a werewolf, p-p-permanent—" Lilo's fear quickly came back again. Stitch's eyes pierced her, his growl shook her, and his advance made her retreat. "Stitch…please!" He did not heed; before she could move, his shadow enveloped her; his teeth gleamed inches away from her shoulder.