Raven flew quickly, the wind rushing over her, trying to escape what she'd done...what she'd become. She didn't want this...she didn't want any of this! Why did everything have to fall apart, just as things were going right?
She swooped down to the ground, backwinging to land gently. Digging her claws into a tree, she began to climb up it...but then she heard a small voice.
"Raven?"
She turned. "Azar...no..." Of all people to see her like this and know her...not them!
"Raven, are you...okay?" The small blonde ehad approached her.
"Stay away!" Raven cried, leaping into the air...and away from the ones close to her heart.
A couple hours later, Beast Boy glided in and returned to human form. "Melvin? Timmy? Teether? What are you doing so far from the shrine?"
"Beast Boy!" Melvin and the boys clung to him, all crying. "It's Raven. She was scary, but wasn't, and she ran away!"
Beast Boy did his best to process this. "You mean...she looked scary, like I do in my bigger animal forms, but you knew it was her, so you weren't frightened? Just like you know it's me when I'm an animal, cause I'm green?"
Melvin nodded against him. "That's what I said. But she ran. She acted scared of us." Melvin sniffled.
"Don't worry, Melvin. I promise I'll help Raven, whatever it takes. But I need you three to do something for me...for Raven's sake."
Melvin nodded. "What do I do?" Timmy and Teether also listened intently.
"If Robin and the others come by asking...Raven was never here. Understand?"
Timmy and Teether were confused, but Melvin looked shocked. "Robin wants to hurt Raven?"
"Robin is scared of what's happened to Raven, and thinks she's dangerous, but we know better. FOr now, for Raven's sake, we must make sure Robin doesn't find her...you with me? Robin's not a bad guy, but he's making the wrong decision right now, and we must make sure he doesn't find Raven until he learns enough to make the right one. Understand?"
Melvin nodded. "Right." She turned to Timmy and Teether. "If Robin asks after Raven, we haven't seen her. Got it?"
Timmy and Teether nodded. They didn't understand fully what was going on, but Melvin would never steer them wrong. They knew that.
Beast Boy hugged them all. "For Raven...thank you." He felt someone nudge him, and he turned. Smiling, he gave Bobby a hug. "Thanks to you, too, Bobby." He turned back to Melvin. "Which way did Raven go?"
Melvin pointed, and Beast Boy flew off.
Robin and the others investigated the farm. "Mutilated cattle...that's different."
Cyborg examined the remains of the cow. "I'm finding teeth marks on the bone...from something with a lot of very sharp teeth. The bones were snapped in something's jaws, and the marrow sucked out. And...it looks like the cow was still alive at the time. There's a good amount of blood spatter...but not all that much blood."
Robin nodded. "So something - or someone - ate the cow without killing it first, and then drank the larger puddles of blood?"
"That's what it looks like."
Starfire came up. "The farmer says he found a note pinned to the stall, unstained by blood. It said, 'Sorry about your cow, I hope this covers it,' and had $950 attatched to it in fresh bills."
Cyborg nodded. "That's about the cost of the meat, in today's market. YOu got the note?"
Starfire nodded and handed the note to him.
Robin paced. "So..somthing eats the cow, then pays for it? THat doesn't make sense."
"Maybe," Cyborg said. "Maybe not. This is BB's handwriting."
"What?" Robin spun around. "Beast Boy?"
Cyborg nodded. "And after he threw his communicator at you...he cleared out his account. I monitor account activity just in case someone attempts a financial attack on us."
RObin stared at the scene. "So Raven ate the cow, and then Beast Boy paid for it. It's clear she's becoming more and more dangerous...we have to hurry. Cyborg, can you track them?"
Cyborg shook his head. "I can guess which direction they went in...but that's about it."
"Let's go then. We have to stop Raven...before it's too late."