"Sergeant Finnegan," called one of the ASPCA officers, "I hear that howling coming from down here."

Several uniformed Humane Society officers followed the echoing of dog howls and barks, which became gradually louder as they neared the fighting dogs' kennel. They soon arrived to find a scene they knew all too well, yet it never ceased to appall the Humane officers at what is a great repulsion to the eyes.

Several breeds of dogs considered dangerous to humans, or were even band in some states, became more riled at the sight of the Humane officers as they took in the decrepit conditions the dogs were forced to live in and endure. No source of continuous fresh food or water were ever present in their cages, and they always walked in their own feces and ruin, the smell of which was overwhelming to the Humane officers nostrils that hit them like a tangible tsunami.

Yet one surprising scene never experienced by any animal officer before caught the attention of one female officer as she cried,

"Sergeant Finnegan, look over there."

Not far from the growing squad of human officers was two of the weirdest animals any of them had ever seen, both looking up at them all with strangely dog like smiles with long tongues lopping about.

"Be careful," Finnegan cautioned, "We don't know how aggressive they may be."

Two more Humane officers cautiously approached the gargbeasts, bearing strong catching poles with loops at the ends.

But before they were even five steps from the gargbeasts, Bronx and Nudnik made a dash for the door, startling several officers as they stepped aside while others tried to ensnare them at the necks with catching poles. But Bronx and Nudnik were too quick and too strong, as they bolted between humans or attempted to bowl them over in an almost playful fashion.

Having evaded the Humane officers, Bronx momentarily howled a victory of approval. For the Humane officers, had they not known better, it almost sounded like a 'thank you.'

"Well," breathed Finnegan, "Looks like we have another dog fighting ring ready to be shut down."

"We should have a seizure warrant for the dogs within the hour, Sergeant, but this nightmare will be shut down anyway, probable cause or not," the female officer, Jemez, said and soon set out for the warrant form a local judge while the rest of the squad gathered evidence.

Just outside the kennel out of view of the Humane officers, Bronx gave Nudnik a fatherly lick and grunted for the pup to follow. Now they were not to stop walking until they made it home, despite Bronx's painful limp.

Sometime later, Bronx had sniffed a path to a station and boarded a great metal serpent he smelled to be bound for Manhattan, and home.

Upon a rooftop across from an assortment of condemned buildings surrounded by police cars, ambulances, and animal humane patrol vehicles, all with their roof bubbles flashing colorful lights in a kaleidoscopic dance, a red gargoyle and a blue gargoyle watched cautiously as some humans lead other humans with their arms chained up in their backs to the squad cars, or caged dogs were put in the back of larger vans to be driven away.

"It's abhorrent," Typhon snared, "If humans can't even treat lesser creatures, much less their own kind, with any respect, how can we expect them to treat our kind so?"

Demona looked down at the scene with a mix of contempt, disgust, and something less hostile. She had spent the last several hours recovering from casting the tracking spell for Anaheim, which was greatly draining without a magical conduit and had required a great amount of concentration.

For several short moments she said nothing as many conflicting thoughts passed through her mind; her legitimate hatred towards humans and her insatiable need to destroy them; Angela's coming and her need to reach out to her bitter and resentful mother; and finally her unexpected friendship with Andrea Calhoun, a human who did not fear nor hunted gargoyles, but instead embraced them with openness and curiosity.

"The atrocious ways humans treat animals is some of the very proof of how deplorable and malicious they can be," she said in a low voice, "However, there is a small number, very small, of them trying to help animals."

"Most likely a resentful group that wanted possession of the beasts for themselves," Typhon said bluntly.

"No," Demona said hard, "I've been lead to understand the 'Humane Society' tries to help animals."

Thoughts lead to Andrea having introduced her, or rather 'Heather Westfield,' to friends at P.I.T. meetings that were said to work for something called the Animal Humane Society, which made Demona unsure of what to think.

"Humans are indeed a contradiction in and of themselves," Typhon said in deep thought, Demona nodding in agreement, "I never believed it to be true, even from all of the rumors of that one human arriving mysteriously on the island a few years ago."

Before Demona could ask what he was talking about, she spotted something below.

"There," she cried as she leap from the rooftop and glided down.

Anaheim, having finally found his way out of the 'condemned' building, sniffed at his surroundings trying to figure out which way to go, not paying attention to where he went, as a police officer walked in his path and gave a startled jump.

"What in the. . .!" he cried as he drew out his gun and shot at Anaheim.

Luckily, the bullet just missed Anaheim's face, as it created small sparks as it ricocheted to another direction, making Anaheim growl angrily at the policeman.

He would have attacked the policeman out of spite had he not heard the rustle of wings on air and a voice authortively say, "Anaheim, come here!"

He ran in its direction, leaving a bewildered officer staring at where Anaheim had been a moment ago.

Another officer came to check on his comrade as he said,

"Its okay, whatever it was, I think I scared it away."

In a closed off side alley, Demona landed just as Anaheim came running to her call and now stood in front of her with a spiteful stare.

"Anaheim, sit," she commanded, and surprisingly he obeyed.

"We finally found the beast," Typhon said with relieved contempt as he landed next to Demona, "Hopefully his little adventure has expunged his energy, and now I shall return him to Thailog. If you wish to, Fury, you may spend the day's sleep with me at my sanctuary."

"No," Demona cried, then composed herself as she said, "I can't risk raising Thailog's suspicions. I will come see you tomorrow night. Farewell."

She then quickly scaled a nearby wall, faster than needed, and was soon gone from Typhon's sight.

****Nightstone Unlimited

Stumbling on his landing as he glided through the automatic windows with his bestial burden in hand, Typhon huffed out a heavy breath as he finally dropped Anaheim at Thailog's desk.

"I hope he wasn't too much trouble," Thailog said with a smirk.

Typhon just gave him a stone hard look as he said with an equally hard edged tone, "He got away from me and eluded me for much of the night. You are fortunate to have your beast returned to you alive because he's part of whatever clan you once had and must be treated as such. However, I strongly suggest you have him better trained, he has caused me much grief this night."

Typhon did not wait for a response from Thailog, but simply turned away and was soon gone.

"Well," Thailog said, "Let's have a look at the results, and I'll consider taking your advice, my scarlet friend."

Summoning Anaheim to his side, the olivine gargbeast obeyed and Thailog then removed something from around Anaheim's neck, a collar that matched Anaheim's hide color so perfectly it had been camouflaged without notice.

He removed what looked like a small square computer chip from the collar and inserted it into his computer modem as Shari came up to his side.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Just something I've been curious about what Typhon does on his free time, maybe even something that will be good insurance."

It only took a few moments for the data from the mini-disc to download, and what showed made Thailog smile menacingly.

"Well, well, things just got a lot more interesting," he practically purred, "It'll be interesting to see how she makes things unfold as the game progresses, though it's too bad she's gone soft. Let's see what else we have."

Thailog's smile turned into a frown, or an occasional smirk, as he watched the hours worth of recording from the disc, often skipping over what he deemed irrelevant.

Finally, when the recording completed, Thailog leaned back in his plush custom seat as though deep in thought.

Then he said, "Perhaps Typhon is correct, I need to train Anaheim better to curb some of his aggression, admirable though it is. Though I'm glad to see this is one dog fighting ring shut down, I've never approved of them for their abuse towards such loyal magnificent beasts, when they're useful in other things. Besides, there's not nearly enough profit from them anyway."

Shari only nodded.

****Castle Wyvern, shortly before dawn

Graeme stood at the edge of the parapet staring worriedly out at the twinkling city below against the backdrop of a dark sky beginning to lighten to a deep indigo.

"Where are they?" he groaned with guilt, "It's all my fault they're lost, I should've watched them closer."

"You've been saying that all night," his sister groaned in annoyance, "And while no one's disagreeing with you, will you please just stop saying it all the time."

Graeme gave Ariana a hard glare as the gentle yet steel toned voice of their mother simply replied, "Ari-chan."

Just a look from Sata was all it took to cease anymore of Ariana's picking on her brother.

"I know you feel responsible, son, and that's admirable," Brooklyn said, "but it doesn't help to keep blaming yourself. Bronx's a pretty tough beast and not to be messed with. He'll look after Nudnik and they'll find a way home. Heck, I'll bet they'll make it back by tomorrow night."

"Brooklyn's right," Angela said as she walked up to the family, "The only other time I remember Bronx getting lost was in Ireland, he helped Cu Chullain defeat the Banshee while we were trapped, but I know he can be counted on."

Graeme gave a small smile from his beak as he said, "Thanks, Dad, Aunt Angela, I know Nuddie's safe as long as he's with Bronx, but he's still my responsibility and from now on I'm going to train him better to stay close."

As more of the clan gathered to watch the lighting horizon or attempt to comfort Graeme, a familiar female voice cried out,

"Hey everybody, look who we found at the station."

Goliath and Hudson came in for a landing, Hudson carrying Bronx, whom he released with a heavy huff, and Goliath ever gingerly carrying Elisa, who was carrying Nudnik.

"NUDDIE!" Graeme shouted happily as he ran to the landing gargoyles.

Nudnik squirmed free from Elisa's grasp and ran excitedly to his young master and began slavering him over with doggie kisses as his short tail wagged like a small propeller.

"Bronx," Lex cried happily as he ran to the limping gargbeast as the clan gathered around to welcome back the gargbeasts.

"Where'd you find them?" Graeme asked eagerly.

"It's the weirdest thing, and kind of a long story," Elisa said.

"Please make it quick," Angela said, "Dawn is almost upon us."

"Well, from what I can piece together," Elisa began, "the short version is that they had made it to the station as though to climb up to the old clock tower. Maybe Bronx though they'd be safe there until someone found them. Luckily, Morgan found them first before that twisted Kowalski or someone else did. Anyway, Morgan found me, I called Goliath, and we brought them home."

"Do you have any idea what happened to them, Elisa?" Lex asked as he cradled Bronx's head.

"Not really," Elisa said, "But rumor had gone flying around the station about a huge notorious dog fighting ring being busted wide open in the Bronx and that gargoyles had something to do with it."

All eyes went to the gargbeasts as smiles spread on the faces of the clan.

"I guess we'll never know, will we?" Brooklyn said with a wink.

"Maybe we never will," Elisa smiled with a return wink.

"Good boy, Good Nuddie," Graeme lavished babyishly on his pet as Nudnik began licking his face again, making Graeme giggle loudly at the ticklish kisses.

This loving reunion continued as the golden Sun rose to freeze Graeme and Nudnik together in mid lick, creating a heartwarming scene of a boy and his dog set in stone.

End of episode 12.