Well, I guess this would be my new story. I have others up at the moment, but like I've stated in my profile, none that were to my liking. Simply because I only made them to appease people. But this should be interesting, as I've had this idea in my head for a rather long time. I won't type very much more so you can just get on with it, but I hope you enjoy! And hopefully I'll get the next chapter out before long. Depends if this chapter makes it _
Ciao~

Let's start with something simple. Because after today, nothing had ever been simple again…

Going back to the start, we'll begin with the sun.

Yes, the sun.

Earlier.

It was funny how the orb of fire worked, like how she could feel its bright rays warming their way through her flesh. A light touch soon turning into a searing heat.
She grumbled.

Rubbing the warmth of her skin, she leaned up and over to sit on the edge of the rather large bed. Peering with slanted eyes at the offending curtains that adorned the two large windows just feet from where she sat. Which had done little to shield the petulant light from her specifically darkened room.

She stood up only to fumble around for some clothes. Once dressed she headed down at the comforting smell of food. Glad that her current companion liked to cook, and early at that.

She followed the sleek rail and fur covered steps of the shadowed stairs, basking at the softness under her feet, and the cool feel of the wooden frame. They curved down until they met a rug covered smooth flat surface.

Hitting the last step she stopped abruptly, glancing down the hall and into the bright area of metal appliances and porcelain flooring. Smiling brightly she headed the rest of the way.

"Hey Ralph!" She piped upon plopping on one of the many barstools that lined a rather long counter. One that would turn until it met the other side, which was supported against a stove. The same stove that occupied an older man. It was funny how many twists and turns this house had hidden within it's interior.

"UncleRalph." He turned around to give a playful scold. Clad in apron and sporting a spoon, she fought back a giggle at her uncle's sad attempt at a warning.

"Okay, uncleRalph." Rolling her eyes, they soon trained on the one thing she had had on her mind since waking. "So, uh, are those pancakes for me?" She tried innocently. Even giving a signature bat of her eyelashes. But the older man was having none of it.

His back turned as he flipped the next pancake he nonchalantly replied. "Maybe." She groaned at that and propped her head on the counter.

"You're not going to make me make my own are you? I have school!"

"Imagine that."

"Ralph!"

"Uncle."

Her eyes made perfect slits to glare at the back of the apathetic man. "You're cruel, Bruce. Cruel." She slowly jumped off the stool and walked away, all while staring daggers at the distancing man. "You won't even get your poor niece the pup she's always wanted." She added with a pout. Continuing her long journey back upstairs.

"And you're cunning, Clancy." His voice was a vague drift to her ears. Never mind the name. Something her parents up and named her before deciding to disappear. So she was never really sure as to why her uncle never changed it to a more, feminine name. You know, one actually meantfor females. Sure maybe she was three when he took her in, and use to it by then, but still.

Want to know something else interesting?

She was born on April Fools. Go figure.

Gathering everything up, she had to ignore the incessant growl of her stomach. Glowering every time it let out in protest.

Reaching the front door to catch her bus, she was stopped by a heavy albeit gentle hand on her shoulder. She glanced back curiously to see her uncle and a doe eyed expression lit his face.

"Ye-" Not able to finish before a neatly folded bag was thrust in her face.

"For the road." He winked. She had almost let out a sarcastic smile before it softened.

"Thanks." As she headed out, she could hear the distant call of her uncle.

"And if you get home before I do, I have to handle some business on the coast. Might be an hour or two late depending. Crazy day again." He grumbled out. She smiled and nodded then proceeded on.

….

School flew by faster than she expected. Most likely because it had ended earlier than usual, a pleasant surprise for most of the students. Though she had gotten home around one and had to wait several hours before she'd be able to see her uncle. Who quite naturally, made things more fun.

Thus nothing to do. So as to busy oneself, she worked on some chores. Quickly getting things done, by the time she glanced at the clock again it was near three.

Blowing out an irritating strand of hair, her thoughts had quickly reasoned he usually got home around eight and if what he had said earlier held any, he wouldn't be home until at least ten.

She plopped down on their old scruffy looking couch. Flat on her stomach she buried her head in one of the pillows before flipping on the TV.

Like always, nothing good was on. So as a last ditch, she flipped it on the news.
The last headline caught her attention first.

EARLIER NEWS: Sightings of unusual creatures pose as possible threat.

Raising an eyebrow she scoffed indignantly.

"Can they find anything better to report?" She held the remote up; about to change the channel before another headline followed the first. Which once again, held her interest.

CURRENT NEWS: Building in confiscation!

"Confiscation?" She murmured lowly. For what? Deciding enough was enough for this evening she flipped the television off and made for the kitchen.

An hour and a half later, one omelet mostly eaten. She sat on the couch with nothing better to do.

As she fiddled with the couch cushions, her hand had come across a rather comfy pillow, when the thought of a nice nap came to mind she didn't bother to fight it. So giving up she laid her head down and went off into REM heaven.

Not realizing how much would have changed in just a span of five hours. This would probably be the last sleep she'd get, where she'd actually get any at all.

"cy-"

Her nose shriveled up in protest at the sound.

"ancy!" Next her head bopped to the side before she promptly turned and ignored the incessant sound.

"-wear girl." Now it was growling? Jeez.

"Clancy Brenn, I swear you're going to wakeup in a lake." The low threat caught her somewhat attention before she jarred her head up the slightest.

"What?" She mumbled incoherently. No one was around, but when she raised her head a bit higher to glance over the sofa, she saw that her uncle was glaring in triumph at finally waking her. Could someone glare like they'd accomplished something? She had no idea.

"Why do you have to be a fucking rock when asleep?" He groaned and rubbed at his temples.

"Well, excuse me." She sat up and grumbled rubbing at her eyes then leaned up to spare a lengthy stretch. "Where's the fire?"

His head lolled to lay a not so amused expression in her direction before sighing and walking over to sit on the couch.

"Some things are going to have to change for the time being." He started out hesitantly. His hands that laced within each other fiddled with a hidden anxiety.

"Look, if this is about me and sleeping on the couch, I-" She started before he rose a hand and planted a look of complete seriousness on her. One she'd never seen before on her rather laid back uncle. It shut her up.

"Listen," A small inaudible gulp seemed to form in his tone. "Certain things happen, and sometimes said things are placed on," He stopped, searching for the next few words. "Well, special individuals, if you will." Stopping once again, he blinked. She couldn't help but notice he also looked to be explaining the situation to himself. "In this case, I happen to be the one for it. Because, Clancy, I, I don't work in a normal setting. The people I work with, sure they're normal. Like you and I. But unlike most people, they, and myself, we know things. We know things that a simple human could never quite fathom." He looked Clancy dead in the eye and placed a gentle hand on her upper arm.

"And I apologize for having to bring you into it. But right now, there's no choice. I have to protect it for now." Her whole face contorted into confusion. Her uncle caught on quickly and went to gently explain the next parts.

"The tales, the stories, all the folktale, they aren't as silly as they seem, child." His eyes held a deeper meaning to his words than the actual words themselves. "Because a lot of it would have never existed without a final source. Without a foundation." He gripped at her hand tighter.

"I can only go so far into this explanation without dragging you into a pit you can't return from." Breathing deeply he spoke lower. "I've brought something home. Something very much alive, and very dangerous. As my job, I had no choice. To protect it, I had no choice." His words were cold and distant. So unlike him. "Some might call it a wolf, others a dog, most commonly, a werewolf." His eyes hardened into an emotionless mask. "But I call it a beast. One that was supposed to go extinct several hundred years ago. Until a week ago when one was discovered." He looked morbidly irritated. "The fact I come from a group of researchers rather than hunters help in the fact they prefer to study these subjects instead of harm them. But lately we've had thieves in and out of our main studio. So to protect our research, we've had to hide it. Select members are the only sole safe keepers now, and reluctantly, I am one. All for my cursed position." He growled. "I've been too damn loyal, and where has it gotten me?" His head lowered in anger.

When he had brought up werewolves, the first thing she wanted to do was burst out laughing, but as she sat there and stared blankly straight at her exasperated uncle, some part of her was scared to laugh. So instead, she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"Where," She began to rasp. "Where are you keeping it?" Her voice came out in small whispers, but she was determined to find out.

His eyes locked with hers in minute surprise at her curiosity before answering. "I have a special storage that withholds most of the research completed. He's kept there."

"He?" She mumbled.

Her uncles look darkened before conforming. "They do go by sex as do we, and this dreaded one is male." Like he dreaded admitting this thing was alive, he answered reluctantly.

"I don't even want to know how you found that out." She cringed. He started a slow smirk, for the first time tonight displaying a playful nature.

"He's not in form at the moment, stubborn to change actually. Probably better, as he is not as noticeable. And in any case, It'd be off having a dog just a bit smaller than a mini van roaming around, now wouldn't it?" He rubbed her head. His aged bones aching in protest as he stood up from the couch. "That and there is a distinct difference between both sexes when they're in form. But that's another topic for much later. Also, I'd rather you not have much to do with him, though he will need to be trained into society for the time being. And with my schedule, I might need the extra help." He gave her a look of pure guilt at having dragged the young girl into this. "I need him calmed down first. Raging animal." And back to the sour mood we were once it. She rolled her eyes and followed suit by getting up off the couch.

"I'm here to help with anything. I know it took a lot to bring me into this." She patted his shoulder easily. "Don't worry about me, it's about time I prove to be of some use." She reassured before adding hesitantly. "But don't expect me to start treating him like a good friend, or for that matter, human. I'm still a bit put off by this new detail. And I won't lie; I'm scared to death. I have always believed anything was possible, but I wasn't prepared for this. " She couldn't help the slight break in her meek tone. For her uncle, she would be strong. But right now, all she wanted to do was hide in a corner.

Her uncle smiled before touching her cheek in a manner of adoration. "You're a good girl. I don't know how I was so lucky to get a niece like you?"

"Good genes?" She offered pathetically. He laughed, patted her head, and walked off.

"Well, you wanted a dog, now you've got one." He chided, back turned she could see the swivel of his hand.

"Like a pet?" She knew her tone was uncertain.

"I guess. He has to be trained like one." From behind the counter, his graying brows knitted together in contempt.

"Which brings another question up." She started, more confident than before. "I thought for research, typically, one would like to keep the possession in original order. But you want to train him?" He smiled at her gently.

"We've completed the experimenting." The way he said it had chills run up her very spine. She couldn't very well ease the slight Goosebumps that arose with it. "I haven't had very much to do with him exactly, other than documenting of what others have dealt with him on. So I'm not positive on how advanced he is. All I know is that now, it's the challenge of fitting in. Something we've been working on for a while now." A long drawn out sigh and shake of the head was done before the next sentence followed. "Since, he's still very animalistic." The cringe that accompanied those words told Clancy quite clearly how unprepared he was for this.

Now if the storage he had been telling her about was the same one just at the back of his large estate. Then she now knew what was lurking behind its stone eerie walls now. Whether she was really as scared to death as she wanted to be, or just curious about it, she hadn't known. But she had to admit, this, animal, had her intrigued.

Without thinking of her next words, she asked the question that had been bugging her crazy. "What's his name?" She leaned her cheek against her palm. Her uncle gave her a look that said he hadn't understood her question, or just frankly didn't get her interest, but answered nonetheless.

"He doesn't have one from my knowledge. We arrange a setting and tag for certain experiments, but hardly if ever any name." Ideas started swirling in the younger ones eyes.

"Can I name him?"

The look she received from him told her he had had a feeling that was what she was leaning towards. But shocked at her brazenness to actually request. He stood with a face fixed in contemplated thinking for a while before finally answering, albeit hesitantly.

"I, suppose." The words were spoken in a sloth like manner. But that didn't stop the girl from letting loose a prize-winning grin.

"Thank you." The soft-spoken words were left behind as the girl began to move away, heading back up into her sanctuary for the remainder of the night. Walking the stairs, a brand new world of ideas started pouring in from the newly opened part of her mind.

"My pet the werewolf." She tried. "Well, that's new." Some part of her hated the reference when it came to him as such. Like he was above that, and she hadn't even met the beast yet. This was definitely going to be a new experience.

Depending on how well liked this chapter is. Or maybe sheer will on my part, chapter two is in the workings.

As always, thank you for sparing some time in reading this, what-cha-muh-call-it, and reviews, favs, alerts, are always appreciated!