The fourth time he is alone with Pericles, he's looking for two missing kids and hoping not to find any blood.
The flashlight beam flicks through the dark woods, over trees and brush, and when it reveals a figure perched in a low-hanging branch Scooby nearly has a heart attack.
"Pericles," he acknowledges, after the shock passes. He still can't quite bring himself to be comfortable around the man, but he hasn't found any real reason to distrust him. Quite the opposite, in fact. Lately they've been finding extra little clues like thank-you whispers, and Scooby is the only one who has any idea who left them.
"A fine night for a walk," Pericles replies. "What's the occasion?"
"Brenda and Dylan are missing," he answers flatly. "I mean, they sneak off all the time, but… there've been people hanging around town the last few days. Weird people. Everyone's worried." He glanced from side to side. "Have you seen them?"
"Brenda and Dylan," muses Pericles, and shakes his head. "Can't say I have." He smiles. "Have you checked Lover's Lane, perhaps?"
Scooby glares. "This isn't funny," he says. "And yeah. That was the first place we looked."
Pericles smirks. "I'm of no further use to you, then, I'm afraid." He examines his talons, which glint in the moonlight. "My speciality is not finding children, unfortunately."
He can feel his temper rising. "Don't give me that," he says. "You can fly. Can't you at least help? Maybe give us a bird's-eye view?"
"No can do, I'm afraid," Pericles says breezily. "I have other business to attend." He spreads his wings and stands, balancing on the branch; he is barefoot, and his feet are long talons as well. "Auf wiedersehen, Scooby-doo," he calls, and takes off, a shadow melting into the night sky.
Scooby grinds his teeth and snarls deep in his chest; flames spring up from his hands, and he curses when the flashlight melts.
He stands there a moment, stewing and confused and inexplicably hurt, before tossing it aside and continuing the search, his burning hands lighting the way.