CHAPTER 2

First Encounters

Danny absently kicked an empty soda can across the deserted sidewalk. He walked in a classic boy-like manner, hands in his pockets with a lazy slouch. (It's not like Sam was around or anything)

Mr. Lancer finally did catch him in class later that day, resulting in a detention session for him too. The crabby teacher also took the joy of announcing his punishment in front of all his peers. The rest of Danny's day consisted of dirty looks and hurtful jeers, most were encouraged by Dash.

"Why do I even bother going home?" The teenager asked himself for the third time that afternoon. All he would get is another lecture from his parents about how important it is to get along with others at school. Then they would probably punish their son and take his computer away or something, being it was the fifth time he had gotten in trouble that week. Danny caught up with the can and gave it another frustrated blow, sending it skittering into the street gutters.

Of course, he was coming home for the same reason he risked his life every day protecting his friends and family from ghosts. He cares about them. "Is this how the rest of my life will be?" He asked aloud to the unknown. "Being treated like dirt because others don't know what I'm doing to save their pathetic existence? Everybody cares about Danny Phantom. If Mr. Phantom gets burned by Prince Eragon's flames everybody cares! But if it's Danny Fenton who's getting crushed unarmed under a football player's full-bodied tackle in the middle of the Casper High hallway, does anybody stop to help besides Tucker or Sam? Of course not! " Danny swung around and pounded the brick wall of a nearby building with his fist. He stopped and leaned against it with a sad sigh. "What's wrong with the world?" he thought, silently this time.

His cold breath distracted Danny from his lonely thoughts. The young halfa glanced around, instantly alert. A sickening cracking could be heard in the distance. With a quick glance around, he changed into Danny Phantom and followed the sound.

It led him to the dark alleyway Skulker had once hunted him in. Shadowed behind a rusting dumpster was a gray mass of fur. Danny began to feel uneasy. Despite his discomfort curiosity got the best of him and he took a few cautious steps forward. The creature's ears pricked up and swiveled backwards. Then it turned abruptly to face him. To Danny's surprise a large silvery she-wolf was glaring at him. Two glowing eyes like moons critically scanned his ghostly form as if she were looking for something. Her powerful jaws held the mangled and bleeding body of a rat. Its lifeless corpse was punctured with several gaping holes and tears. Danny's eyes widened at the sight of the wolf's teeth. They were the size and shape of nails, piercing clean through the rodent's carcass.

Lunai looked the ghost boy over and spat out her dinner in disgust. The young halfa glanced warily at the dead rat before switching his gaze back to her. THIS is Danny Phantom? The ghost hunter Vlad had warned her about. In the way the older halfa had described him, she had expected something a bit more frightening, or at least bigger. What did he take her for? Did Vlad actually think that this….. Danny Phantom, could stop Lunai, the werewolf of werewolves? This was outrageous! Insulting! She's nearly as big as the boy, and Vlad thinks he even has a chance against her.

Now the pathetic excuse for a hunter was actually pulling out his 'Fenton Thermos'. He had warned her about this at least. The child's hands were shaking, Lunai could smell the fear emitting from his body. As he fumbled to unscrew the cap she lifted a massive paw and smacked it lazily from his hand, this wasn't worth her time.

The young halfa jumped back a bit. The tip of Lunai's thick tail wagged slightly, what did Skulker call him? Whelp. Yes, the whelp was quite amusing to scare. She felt the hunter could be a good friend if he wasn't holding the rest of her pack hostage for Vlad. The she-wolf casually leaned down to pick up the thermos. With a deadly yet playful look in her eyes Lunai crushed it like tissue between blood-encrusted jaws. It was enough to send little 'Danny Phantom' sprinting down the block.