Luz groggily opened her eyes as the morning sunlight seeped in through her bedroom window, letting out a groan of annoyance as she did. Normally she considered herself an early riser, but that was when the sun didn't rise at five in the morning. Even she considered that too early, and a second groan from her sister, Vee, on the top bunk proved she wasn't alone in her feelings.

She couldn't complain too much though, because her life was going really well at the moment. It had been six years since she defeated Belos and saved the Boiling Isles, and she was currently visiting her mother in the human realm while getting ready to start her third year at college. She remembered the day she found out she was accepted into the University of Wild Magic. Despite no longer being able to use her glyphs, she was determined to not let that stop her and decided to forge her own path. That optimism and hard work had paid off in the end, and she was finally going to pursue her dreams, and she was beyond excited.

That excitement was amplified even more however at her eighteenth birthday party. There she learned that King, her adoptive brother, had developed glyph powers of his own. It may not have been the same patterns as those of his father, but Luz didn't care. She was just happy to be able to use magic again. To her, it felt like regaining a lost part of herself.

A scream from outside however startled her out of her thoughts and the half asleep state she was in, and she and Vee both scrambled out of their beds before heading towards the window. They were always ones to worry about others and rush to their aid if there was even a hint of trouble. That was just the kind of people they were, and the trouble was obvious the moment they looked outside. They saw one of their neighbors in their front lawn, sobbing uncontrollably as they held their dog, or at least what was left of it. The sight broke the two sisters' hearts and made them sick to their stomachs.

This unfortunately wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Over the last month, some kind of animal had been killing and eating pets all around town. Nobody really knew what it was, and all attempts to track and capture it so far had failed. Wildlife officials were baffled. This animal was displaying a level of stealth and intelligence they had never seen before, and they were worried that it may take that next step and start targeting people. So they started encouraging everyone to stay indoors at night and keep their pets close.

Of course that couldn't always be the case. Pets would eventually need to use the bathroom, and being outside would make them vulnerable, whether they were with their owner or not. That was something this family had found out the hard way.

Luz felt something nudge her cheek and she turned to see Stringbean, her palisman and companion, looking at her with worried eyes. The little snakeshifter had also been awoken by the screams and was clearly distressed.

The human witch gave a reassuring smile and scratched her under her chin. "Don't worry, girl. I won't let that happen to you. I promise." Stringbean tried to smile back, but was only able to form half of one. This made Luz frown.

"Hey, come on. We were able to beat Belos, remember? You really think I'm gonna let some wild animal waste us?"

"Yeah, Stringbean." Vee added. "Have you forgotten what happened at the beach last month?"

Now the little serpent smiled fully as she tried to hold back laughter. She remembered all too well the time a seagull tried to snatch her. Long story short, the bird learned the hard way that while Luz had a heart of gold, she was a ball of fury when someone threatened those she loved.

The human witch couldn't help but snicker with her palisman. "See? You got nothing to worry about. Come on. Let's go downstairs and eat some breakfast. It's Saturday so that means Mom is making pancakes, and I ain't one to pass up on that."

The three turned away from the window and headed downstairs for breakfast. Despite the lightened mood, they still felt sadness for the family outside. But there was nothing they could do for them or their dog, and it was something they'd rather not think about.

When they entered the kitchen, Camila was already up and was indeed making pancakes. She turned to them with a worried look on her face.

"I heard Jennifer screaming. Does that mean…?"

Luz sadly nodded. "Yeah. The Beast of Gravesfield got another one."

Her mother sighed. "I figured, but prayed that wasn't the case. What number does that make?"

"Twelve." Vee said as she sat down.

"That many?! Oh dios mío, when is this going to end?"

Luz sighed. "Either when this thing decides to move on, which I doubt will happen anytime soon, or when it is captured, and the guys with Fish and Wildlife have had no luck with that so far."

Camila shook her head and turned back to the pancakes. "I still don't understand why that is. They have searched every last inch of the surrounding woods and used every last trick in the book, yet all they have found is a few scattered tracks. No trail, no scent, nothing. It's almost like they're hunting a ghost."

"Yeah." Vee said. "Whatever this thing is, it's really good at hiding. That's got me thinking, what if this is an animal that isn't from around here? Something like…what did you call those cats with the spots again?"

"Leopards." Camila replied. "That could be the case. It's sadly common for people to keep illegal pets like that and then release them into the woods."

Luz growled. "I can't believe there are some people that actually do that! Don't they realize how much danger they're putting people in?!"

"They don't care, Mija. As long as they don't get caught and get what they want, that's all that matters."

Luz growled louder. "I'm so sick of innocent people being hurt because of how selfish and greedy others are!"

She then sat up more straight. "You know what? This has gone on long enough. When we're done with breakfast, I'm gonna call Amity and see if she and the others can help us find and catch this animal. Maybe a little witch magic will give us the edge we need."

Her mother and sister both turned to her with worried eyes.

"Luz, are you sure about that?" Vee asked. "You don't even know what kind of animal you're dealing with. You could get really hurt."

The human witch shook her head. "I've dealt with far worse in the Demon Realm. Besides, I won't be alone. Amity will be with me, and I'm pretty confident Willow and Gus will be too."

"Even so, I don't think that's a good idea." Camila said. "How are you supposed to capture this animal when you don't even know what you're up against?"

"What else am I supposed to do? You said it yourself. The Fish and Wildlife guys have been trying to catch it for weeks and they've gotten absolutely nowhere. We can't wait any longer, Mom. Every second we waste means more dogs and cats are gonna die, and it may be only a matter of time before this thing starts attacking people. I'd never forgive myself if that happened and I knew I could have stopped it."

As much as Camila hated to admit it, her daughter had a point. Dogs and cats were more than just pets, they were family, and only people who had one would understand that. Too many of these loved ones have been lost already. And if she did nothing and this animal hurt a human, or worse? She didn't even want to think about it. Besides, Luz had that look in her eyes that told her she had made up her mind and nothing was going to stop her.

"You sound just like your father," She said with a sigh. "And you're just as stubborn too. Listen, I know I can't stop you from doing this, but I have two conditions that you must follow. No ifs ands or buts."

"What's that?" Luz asked.

"One, I have to be with you. And two, there will be absolutely no heroics whatsoever. I…I don't want a repeat of what happened with Belos."

Luz flinched. She remembered all too well when she was nearly killed during the final battle with the emperor. She had jumped in to save The Collector from a deadly blast, only to be struck by it herself and consumed by dark mold. She will always remember the heartbroken faces on Eda and King as they watched her disintegrate.

Fortunately, Papa Titan was prepared for such an event. He saved the human witch from death by pulling her to the In Between Realm. And after giving some reassuring words, he used the last of his magic to not only transport her back to the land of the living, but give her the strength to defeat Belos. She was eternally grateful to Papa Titan for this selfless act, but she knew how painful the memory of the event was to her family, and she never wanted them to experience anything like that again, especially her mother.

She looked back at her. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to bring that all back. I won't go after this thing if that's what you want."

To her surprise, Camila shook her head. "No, you're right. Stepping up is the right thing to do. You just tend to charge into things without thinking, and that always worries me."

"Yeah…"

Vee smiled and put her hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sis. That's what we're here for, to keep you in line."

Now Luz snickered. "Nah, that's Amity's job, and she's very good at it too I might add."

Camila chuckled. "I believe it. Anyway, the pancakes are done, so you two can help yourselves. How about some chocolate chips too, just for today?"

Both her daughter's faces lit up and they nodded eagerly. She chuckled again.

"Twenty years old and still acting like a couple children."

"You're the same, Mom." Vee said with a sly smile. "Your Cosmic Frontier fan comics are proof of that."

Camila sighed "All too true, but please don't tell Eda or the others. I'm still not ready to handle the embarrassment just yet."

"Come on, Mamá." Luz asked. "Everyone in our family is a nerd in some way. You really think it will be embarrassing?"

Her mother nodded. "Oh, I think it will be, especially if Eda is involved. Remember what she did at the Christmas party last year?"

The two sisters shuddered.

"Yeah, good point." Vee said.

...

The second Luz was finished with her breakfast, she pulled out her phone and dialed Amity's house number. When she regained the ability to travel between the human and demon realms, she made a deal with Camila and Eda that she would dedicate certain days to being in one realm, and certain days in the other. Even though it meant spending days away from Amity, it was a deal she was more than happy to make, and she made up for it by calling her girlfriend at least once a day. The couple would sometimes spend hours talking to each other about personal issues, what's going on with school, or just random stuff they would think of. Today wasn't any of those things however. Today had more serious issues to address.

Amity picked up after only a couple rings. "Good morning, Luz! How's my Battata doing?"

The human witch smiled like a dork. She loved it when her girlfriend called her that, but now wasn't the time to get mushy. "Good morning to you too, Mi Amor! I'm okay, but things are starting to get bleak here."

"Oh no. Does someone need a hug?"

"You know I'll always say yes to that. But really though, something serious is happening here, and I need your help."

Amity was quiet for a moment before responding. "Is it that animal you've been telling me about?"

Luz sighed before continuing. "Unfortunately. It got another dog last night."

"Again?!"

"Yeah, and the authorities are worried it might start going after people next, but they've gotten nowhere with their search. They've only found a few scattered tracks that they think are canine, but me and my family disagree. We think it's some kind of exotic animal, but it doesn't matter in the end. I can't stand here and do nothing anymore. I'm going after it, and I'm gonna need your help."

Amity chuckled. "I figured. Honestly, I'm surprised it took you this long to take matters into your own hands. I also assume you haven't thought of a plan?"

Luz blushed. Her girlfriend knew her too well. "Not yet, but I don't think it would have to be complicated. I mean, it's just an animal, right? All animals need are the right bait and the right trap."

"You would be correct, and I think Willow and Gus would be able to help with that. I'll call them and see if they're willing to help."

"You really think they would say no?"

"With Gus, definitely not. I don't know about Willow though. She's been pretty busy with Hunter lately if you catch my drift."

The human witch snorted. "Oh, I know exactly what you mean. I wish you the best of luck with that."

Amity burst out laughing. "Thanks. I'll definitely need it. Regardless, I should be there in about an hour if that's okay."

"It's totally okay! See you soon! Love you!"

"Love you too!"

….

Amity was true to her word as she stepped through the portal door exactly one hour later on the dot accompanied by Gus and Willow. The joke made about the latter was really just teasing as everyone knew she would agree to help them without hesitation. She was Luz and Amity's best friend after all. Hunter couldn't make it though as he had promised Dell Clawrhorne he'd help him with a project they'd been working on, but they both wished everyone luck in capturing the animal.

Amity formed a huge smile when she saw her girlfriend waiting for her on the other side of the portal. The human witch greeted her with a short but passionate kiss.

"Mmmm. You always know how to give a good welcome." Amity said as she blushed.

"I would have nothing less for you, Mi Amor." Luz replied.

"What are we? Chopped liver?" Gus asked.

"Of course not! Bring it in guys!"

The human witch hugged her friends tight, and they were more than happy to return. She was just as happy and upbeat as ever, but the sadness from the current events was clear in her eyes. So the group wasted no time entering the Noceda household.

"Amity!" Camila said as she gave her a hug. "It's so good to see you again! You too Willow and Gus!"

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Noceda!" The purple haired witch said. "I just wish we could be here under better circumstances."

"Same here, but at the same time you're here to help us, and I thank you for that."

"No problem, Mrs. Noceda!" Gus said. "How bout we sit down so we can discuss this further?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Camila then led everyone to the living room where they all sat down on either the couch or one of the chairs.

"Amity brought us up to speed on everything on the way here." Willow said. "I feel so bad for all the families who lost their pets. I can't imagine something like that happening to my palisman."

"It's been just horrible." Camila said. "There have been so many losses and broken hearts. Everyone is terrified to even step outside, and this latest attack is only going to make that worse."

"Why is that?" Amity asked.

"Before you came, I walked over to the neighbor's house to try and comfort them, and I saw everything. The dog they had was a breed called a Tibeten Mastiff. You probably don't know this, but they are big dogs, about two hundred pounds. That's why the owners thought he would be safe to be let out last night. Yet he was overpowered so easily and so quickly, and they were too afraid to go outside and help, fearing they might have been killed themselves."

"They very well could have." Willow said. "Predators in both the Human and Demon Realms don't like it when someone tries to take their kill. As much as I hate to admit it, there was probably nothing they could have done."

"Titan, that must be killing them." Vee said. "Knowing that they couldn't do anything about it."

Luz winced and shook her head. "People shouldn't have to experience something like that, and that's why we need to step up. We need to find this animal and stop it before it strikes again, and I think our magic might be just what we need to do it."

Amity smiled and took her girlfriend's hand. "I agree, but we need to be careful on how we do this. If this animal is capable of taking out a Tibeten Mastiff with ease like your mom is saying, not only is it big, but it's really good at what it does. So we need to make sure we leave no stone unturned with this."

"Exactly." Gus said. "We're supposed to be the hunters here, and we gotta make sure it stays that way."

Luz nodded and sat up more straight. "Right. We can't do anything stupid here, otherwise one of us could get hurt. So let's figure out a game plan. How exactly are we gonna trap this thing?"

Camila then spoke up. "Well, based on what we've seen, I agree with Vee's theory that it's an exotic animal like a leopard or even a tiger. It's too big to be a coyote or wolf, and it clearly knows how to avoid people. So rather than finding it, we have to let it find us."

"Preferably with bait." Willow said. "And I think I know just how we can do it. Gus can create an illusion of a dog or cat to trick this thing into coming towards us. Once it gets close, we can grab it and hold it down with vines and abomination goo."

"And then we can inject it with a sedative." Camila added. "We have plenty of that at the clinic, so getting some will be easy."

Vee shook her head however. "I don't think just projecting an image will be enough. Animals don't just rely on their eyesight. Smell is really important too. If this thing sees potential prey but doesn't smell it, it might get suspicious. Trust me…I know from experience."

Luz's face saddened. Her sister was undoubtedly talking about her time as a fugitive running from Belos. She quickly broke the silence

"You have a good point." She said before turning to her mother. "Mom, in addition to sedatives, do you think you can get some towels or blankets the dogs use? Those probably reek of their scent."

"That is a good idea, Mija." Camila said with a smile. "That animal would probably be able to smell it from miles away. There's no way it could miss or resist it."

Amity then spoke again. "Okay, so just to refresh. We lure it in with Gus' illusion coupled with the smell of the blankets, we use our magic to restrain it when it gets close, and then inject it with sedative to knock it out. Are we all good with that plan?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Camila then stood up. "Alright then. I'll head over to the clinic and get what we need. You're more than welcome to help yourself to any leftover pancakes if you want."

"Thank you, Mrs. Noceda." The three witches all said.

Gus stood up as Camila left. "Well, we have to wait until nightfall to put our plan into motion, so I'm having some pancakes!"

"Eh, what the heck." Willow said with a shrug. "It'll just go to waste otherwise. Don't tell my dads though."

Luz and Amity chuckled.

"Don't worry. Our lips are sealed." The purple haired witch said.

As Willow went to join Gus, Luz sighed and gave her girlfriend a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you so much for helping me. This is definitely going to make things a lot easier."

Amity smiled and leaned into her. "No need to thank any of us, Batata. We'd come to help even if you didn't want us too. Not to mention, I have a lot of empathy for these poor people. I know how strong the bond between someone and their dog or cat is. I'd protect Ghost with my life."

"Same with me and Stringbean." Luz replied. "To be honest though, even if Titan forbid an animal did hurt her, I wouldn't blame it too much."

"Why not?" Amity asked, confused.

"Because animals don't kill for the same reason that people do. People kill for things like money, power, and control. It's just selfish. Animals don't do that however. They kill for food, to protect their young, or to protect themselves. They're just trying to survive like any living creature would. You can't hate them for that."

As always, the human witch's words were kind and wise. It made Amity smile and kiss her on the lips.

"That's just like you, Luz. You always manage to see the good in people and animals, and not only do you try and help them, but you also help people see them in a different way. That's how you saved me, and it's also why I fell in love with you."

Luz's face turned tomato red. Vee then cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, I'm still here."

Amity just chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You're like that with Masha all the time."

The basilisk was about to protest, but then realized she had no argument. So she just sighed. "Touche."

The couple laughed, and Vee couldn't help but join them. Moments like these made Luz feel so warm and happy inside as they reminded her of how lucky she was to have a loving and supportive family.

She would need every last bit of that love too. Because little didn't human witch know, the creature she was going to try and catch wasn't just an animal. It was something far more powerful and dangerous than anything she could anticipate, and it was going to change her life in ways she could never imagine.