This chapter has been long in coming. I'm sorry for the long a hiatus, but with one thing and another, this story had to take a sideline kinda appearance. Now, I think things have evened out. I'm also having a hard time writing between what I've got, and what I want to happen. So.. it might be a bit rough from here... we'll see.

Also, if you recognize this bad guy, I applaud you. I'm borrowing him from a Jackie Chan movie, called "The Medallion" BUT his origins are changed, sort of. He is descended from the snake in the beginning of the story. More to come if you're all a bit confused. I'll explain as best I can, without ruining the story. I've also taken a bit of Jareth from "Labyrinth"

? POV (third person)

The man stepped out of the taxi, his cold blue eyes chilling the driver. The driver gave him his change, and then sped off. With a cold smile, he walked up to his penthouse. It was furnished well, much like his castle had been. He opened the large book he had been carrying, and began to read. He had little time, which he knew. He had to get to the Chaos mage somehow. The power that freed him from his prison would not last long. Not long by his measure anyway. Immortality was his aim, and it was what he was going to get, one way or another. None knew he was back, and he planned to keep it that way until he was sure he could destroy them for the hell they had put him in. It had only been for a year or more, but that seemed like an eternity. And that was enough to torment them, and all those they cared for.

He began to consider the options in front of him, dealing with the two wolf sisters. The one, the Chaos Mage, was partially demon. Her trust wasn't easily won, and the white wolf was almost as bad. If he won the trust of the white wolf, then he could get to the Chaos mage. If the Chaos mage was still out of his reach, he would kill the white wolf to give him more time to destroy the Chaos mage for a more permanent stay on that plane of existence.

He pulled out the crystal, spinning it back and forth along his hand. He was searching for the magelet, but it was more difficult now. She was learning to control her powers, which meant he had even less time to get to her. If she gained the strength from control, she could destroy him before he had a chance to get to her.

He looked on and smiled, as she began to study one of the deep magicks of the jungle. It was a magick so strange that very few managed to achieve it. But seeing as she was raised among animals, it would no doubt be easy for her. She was being taught not by the human who cared for her, but from the spirit of her mother wolf, who had died a few weeks after they had arrived at the bureau. She wanted her other daughter to live like the magelet, a human. They hadn't understood, but they were doing as they were told.

Shadow's POV(first person)

Crescent had guided me to the ways of ancient magick, as taught to her by the Lord of the Jungle. It was tiring, and very annoying to do such things, but Moon had begun to get excited. She wished to see the world as I did, learn as I did. She also wanted to go through life without having to have papers and shots and everything else a wild animal needed when brought into a populated area. Moon understood that the paperwork meant she actually BELONGED to someone, instead of being of service to them. So, with her wish of freedom, I began this study of transformation in earnest. I too would get the chance to be like my sister, to explore the world she lived in.

: Sister, are you ready: She asked.

: Have patience Moon. I am trying very hard. This is work that I am not used to. I am exhausted most nights. : I growled.

: I am trying. : She whimpered, putting her head on her paws.

I lifted my head, smelling the wind. Our mother seemed to be there, whispering to us. I felt contented, and Moon sighed and woofed softly. I smelled John coming. He didn't know what we did when we weren't in lessons. Or, I wasn't in lessons. Moon trusted him now, so she often stayed out and practiced her own wolf magick, preparing for our combined magick. He approached, and she lifted her head, giving a playful growl. He smiled, and offered her a bit of meat that he had snuck from the kitchens. The cooks liked Moon well enough, but not in their kitchens.

"What are you doing?" He asked, I cocked my head, as I bared my teeth.

"We do what we always do. Deep magick." I said. He bared his teeth, nodding.

"I suppose I should have known this." He said.

"Let's go now." I said. I had to 'use the restroom' as he put it, and he didn't like it when I wanted to use a bush to relieve myself. It was rather annoying.

"Alright. We're going to head to Abe's tank. He wants to teach you to read a little. Says it'll help you speak better." John said.

"Speak fine. Animals understand me." I said.

"Human speak, Shadow. He says that if we wait a week or so, you should be ready to go outside the compound for a little while." John said.

"I don't want to." I said.

"Why?"

"Because. Humans are out there." I said.

"I'm human, Shadow. And you are part human"

"Yes. But you are not like them. And neither am I." I replied.

"I know that Shadow, but we can't keep you in here. You know that, and so did your mother. Just believe me. One of these days your going to want to go out there, and your going to have to act like everyone else." He said.

"Don't you ever want to be yourself?" I asked.

"Yes. I do all the time. That's when I go out and get coffee." He said.

"Then why you want me to act like everyone when you want to be different?" I asked.

"I mean... you need to act more human. Because if you don't, then someone will try to put you in a cage. A permanent cage. And we will have a very hard time freeing you before they do something to you." He said.

I nodded.

"I try." I said.

We were off to Abe's tank, a little pit stop at the 'restroom' and quickly we were there. Moon wanted to join us, because she enjoyed swimming in Abe's tank, if he allowed her. As she was paddling around, Abe brought out an object that seemed to be made of dead trees. I didn't appreciate that, but he explained that it was for a good reason that this object, a 'book' came from a tree, and that they made sure that they only used 'recycled' trees, and planted new ones for the ones cut down. He began to show me slowly, how to read. I learned quickly when it came to it, but learning pictures that make the words humans speak was a little more difficult. Especially since I wasn't really that interested in doing something like that. I got distracted when Hellboy walked in to speak with my sister, since it was something that he was growing better at. His tail was moving, and it kept me occupied when I should have been learning. I didn't care though.

"I think she likes you Red." Abe said.

At that point I pounced on Hellboy's tail, and he jumped in surprise and landed in the tank, splashing a drying Moon, who yipped in annoyance, and shook herself onto Hellboy. He groaned, trying to get more water off himself.

"I'm glad she likes me. I just wish she'd warn me when she was trying to show affection." He said.

"She is right there you know guys." John said walking back in with towels.

"Yes, we are sorry Shadow. Perhaps we will start with something a little easier tomorrow; hopefully you will be less distracted." Abe said.

"In the mean time. Get her out of the pool." Hellboy said as I dove under the water.

Abe's POV

"Sometimes it feels as if we are caring for a child." Abe said.

"Well, she hasn't been raised like a human, so she's got to figure things out on her own. She loves water." John said.

He kneeled at the edge of my pool, and did something, his call to Shadow, and she popped up to the surface, crawling out and shaking. He laughed as he scolded her, wrapping the towel around her. I felt that perhaps, Shadow would be a wonderful addition to our family, and a good way to keep John from feeling too lonely inside the Bureau.