Damian investigates the latest crime scene.

Making his way over the roof tops and through a tall tree to get where he needed to be, Damien grappled down from his location down to the ground 4 stories down, to the last known attack by the mystery killer. This was the most recent, but also the most problematic. Both victims were lycanthropes!

The park was empty at this late at night, save for a few joggers who kept themselves in the streetlamps of the park running paths. On occasion Damien spotted a werewolf or werecat running along the same path, galloping down the cobblestone and dirt paths, their presence so the norm in the city that the human joggers and pedestrians were completely unphased by their presence. Keeping out of sight and looking over the fresh crime scene, Damien frowned at the sight. Untouched humans at the very least left bodies behind when they die, that was not the case with lycanthropes. If a lycanthrope were to ever die due to decapitation or sever silver poisoning, their bodies begin to burn up as if their metabolisms go into overdrive, burning up until all that left are bones so brittle they crumble at the slightest touch like charcoal.

From what little survived after the attack, the police had determined that the two victims were a werecat and werewolf. Their identities were still being processed at the GCPD but what evidence they did find that didn’t instantly degrade, both victims died around the same time and were likely overpowered by a third assailant. And if it could take out both a werewolf and werecat then that meant it was both fast and powerful.

This made the string of murders complicated in the city due to the four lycanthrope tribes that lived in it. They didn’t hate each other, not by any stretch, but there had been territorial disputes and spats from what Damien had read. No two predators will share in the same hunting ground together; seeing each other as a threat to each other’s food supply. It wasn’t true of course, not in THIS city, but instinct is hard to fight when you become a 10-foot-tall super predator. Then again, a better analogy would have been cats and dogs; they just don’t like each other. If there was a lycanthrope killing other lycanthropes, it would make a fragile balance tip out into chaos.

Looking over the scene, Batman found that much of the blood from both victims hadn’t been washed out by the weather but had certainly dried over the past few days, looking more like black stains on the gravel and brick work. He’d have to check the police reports when he could to get more, but for now he inspected what he had now. Once again, he found the same deep claw marks in the pavement, long and three pronged like talon. Taking pictures to study for a later time, Damien thought he found what he could from the three murder scenes when he felt something approaching him from behind. Snapping his attention behind him, Batman narrowed his eyes.

“Hey pal, it’s a little unsightly going around in the Wolf King’s old duds.”

“Yeah, it ain’t no Halloween costume around here, if you get our drift.”

Looming over him were three werewolves, two male and one female. Practically a meter taller than he was and more likely 5 times his mass in muscle, the trio surrounded him, sniffing the air to get a pick at his scent. They didn’t take up an aggressive stance, but this was attention he didn’t need right now.

“I’m Batman… And YOU shouldn’t be out here.”

Chuckling with each other, the three werewolves looked down at the young Dark Knight before the wolfess spoke up. “Right… And I’m Wonder Woman and these are my associates Green Lantern and the Flash, come on kid, take the mask off”

“Yeah.”

Keeping his cloak wrapped around him, Damien eyed the three wolves as they surrounded him. Just as soon as he felt an outstretched claw reach out behind him to grab for his cowl, Damien dropped to the ground and scissor kicked the ankles of the wolf behind him, causing him to tumble forward. With the same fluid motion and with the other two wolves distracted, Damien rolled out of the way and used his grappler to pull the second werewolf down by his neck. Quickly using the steel cord cable as a lasso to bind the wolf by his arms and throat from behind, eliciting a yelp from the massive lycanthrope.

“Why you little…”

Tumbling out of the way before the wolfess tried to catch him in her claws, Batman already had a bola ready and threw it at the female wolf, binding her arms together and causing her to lose her balance. Catching the first wolf he knocked down from earlier, he waited until he rolled onto his back to pin him down with his knee and bring a silver edged batarang to his neck. Causing the werewolf do dart his startled eyes towards the thin bladed object and Damien’s glaring eyes. “Like I said, its not safe out here tonight, go home.”

“Y-yes Wolf King, SORRY Wolf King!” Whimpering as he tried to pull himself away from Batman, the wolf regained his footing and whined as he was let go and tried to get the other two back up to flee.

“We didn’t know you were being Batman again Wolf King! We’re sorry for bothering you!” Cried out the wolfess as the three ran out into the night. Once they were out of sight, Damien breathed sharply and pocketed the baterang back into his belt.

“Well… That complicates thing.”

*

Returning to the penthouse suite of the hotel and sighing as he closed the door behind him, Alfred hobbled over towards the couch in the main living room and sat himself down. Sighing with relief just as he spotted Damien enter through the window. Stepping through the balcony, Damien pried off his cowl and tossed it across the room, storm over to one of the seats and sitting heavily on the chair.

“First night problems Master Damien? At the very least you don’t have the injuries your FATHER had on his first night.”

“My Father…” Damien growled, pulling off his gloves and tossing them towards the cowl laying on the floor by his feet. “They think I’m my FATHER! I’m not going to be able to do my job if they think I’m the Wolf King.”

“You would think that entire town terrified of dealing with an unstoppable wolf would make your job advantageous?”

“I am NOT my father!” Sighing in frustration, Damien crossed his arms and fell deep in thought. “Something has to be done to make the people believe in the legend without assuming the man.”

“Well some things are easier than others…” Replied Alfred as he picked himself up and moved to the kitchen end to start some tea. Bringing a small kettle to boil, Alfred turned to lean back against the counter as he readied a pair of cups. “I have spoken with the four lycanthrope tribes as you asked, they seem to be flourishing quite well together despite some animosity, nothing significant, one would compare them to sibling rivalries.” Answered the elderly butler, catching the whistle of the kettle and setting a tray ready.

“I believe the wolves, spiders and cats are quite trustworthy if you know the ones leading them. I’m not too familiar with the snakes but they too seem to not want to start anything.”

“Bastet was the one who made steps to end the cycle, much of what’s happened with Gotham is by her hands as much as the fight between my Father and Dracula.” Getting up from his chair and gathering his costume up, Damien accepted the tea offered by Alfred as he placed the tray on the coffee table between his chair and the couch where Alfred returned to his seat. “I’ve studied the murder scenes, we’re dealing with something… Unique, the claw marks and footprints don’t match ANY of the four tribes in any way. I think the city has a new player.”

“Really? That will not go over well with the four, well five if you include the Kryptonian wolves living in the canopy of the world tree.”

“Please don’t call it that Alfred…” Taking a sip of his tea, Damien was planning his next move, he had to make it known that he was NOT Bruce Wayne, maintain some semblance of mystery about the Batman to make him something to be afraid of if he were to deal with the new criminal elements of Gotham. But primarily he had to find out who or what this killer was before he struck again. Because the next full moon wasn’t too long from now.