Two moons rising

Tonight was the night of another full moon.

You knew this because you were sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch while watching Luna scarf down the school meatloaf like nobody's business. You were so engrossed with keeping an eye on your new neighbor and planning your next move that you didn’t notice Nebula sitting down next to you.

"Gross!" Nebula whispered, making you jump briefly. "Nevermind that that's the school meatloaf, too. Still don't believe that you're neighbor is Ginger Fitzgerald?"

"Werewolves aren't real, Nebula." You state firmly, still not quite convinced yourself after seeing Luna streak out of the wolf exhibit the other day.

"Oh come on!" Nebula groaned, shaking her head at you. "Let’s look at the facts here! She only joins the day classes when the wolf beast prowls the nights."

"It's all a coincidence." You reply.

"She only ever eats the meat dishes at lunch."

"Perhaps she just likes meat a lot."

"She's faster than half the track team."

"So are Chris and Denise. Are they werewolves, too?"

"For God's sake! Her name is literally 'Luna Wolfe'!"

"Are you an alien because your name is 'Nebula'?" You challenge as Nebula pouts.

"Okay then, smart guy." Nebula said with a grin, "How do you explain the zoo finally catching that wolf only for it to be missing by the next morning?"

"Nebula..." You begin, not wanting to reveal what you know to your friend just yet. "You believing in aliens, government cover-ups, lizardmen, ghosts, and cryptids is one thing, but even you have to draw the line somewhere."

"I do when I don't have evidence screaming in my face." Nebula said, "And I'll prove it! Tonight, you and I are going on a stake out."

"... I don’t have a choice, do I?"

"Nope."

As the bell rang after school, You were collecting your things from your locker, letting out a sigh as you knew the position you were in. On the one hand, you did want to get to the bottom of this just to disprove this insane werewolf theory. However, you weren't exactly keen on Nebula tagging along and treating this like some kind of monster hunt.

And even if Nebula was right, what the hell were you two going to do against a giant, ravenous wolf?!

You heard the sound of someone coming to a stop next to you and your locker, letting out a sigh as you shook your head. "Yeah, yeah. I know, Nebula!"

"I didn't ask." A voice that was clearly not Nebula's said, causing you to jump back and yelp in surprise upon seeing Luna standing next to you with an annoyed frown. "Whatever you two are planning tonight, don't get involved."

"Uh, we're not planning -"

"Neither you nor your friend are exactly quiet." Luna said as she eyed you. "I heard you two talking about me in the cafeteria earlier."

You refrain from telling Luna that you and Nebula were talking with one another on the other side of the noisy cafeteria, debating whether Luna was wearing a sensitive listening device like you had seen Joyce wear a few times or if Nebula had a point.

"Look, Luna..."

"Sam, was it?" Luna interrupted, raising an eyebrow as you nodded. "Listen Sam, there are things you don't know about me. Things that will get you hurt or worse."

"What like you streaking zoos in your spare time?" You ask sarcastically, covering you mouth half a second later. That was not meant to come out!

"..." Luna merely stared at you with an unreadable expression, you being unaware whether she's embarrassed or surprised about something. A few seconds later, Luna shakes her head and gives you another annoyed look. "Look, I'm sure that you're a nice guy. And I don't want to see anyone get hurt. So I will only say this once," she leaned in and narrowed her eyes, "stay. Away. From. Me. Tonight."

You're stunned as you see Luna walk away, heading out the doors of your school. You shake your head as you exit the front doors of the school just as Luna sped off on her moped. You're just about to head to the bus stop when Nebula approaches you.

"There you are!" She exclaimed as she pulled out what looked like a chart of some kind. "I hope you're ready, because I know exact where our beast is going to strike! Luna has a scheduled routine every time -"

"Let’s assume for a second that you're right and this is a werewolf," You interrupt, "what makes you so sure it's Luna?"

"Fine!" Nebula said with a roll of her eyes. "It has a scheduled routine every time there's a full moon. According to the chart, it targets the school kitchen on Mondays. On Tuesdays, it breaks into the grocery stores. Slaughterhouses on Wednesdays, steakhouses on Thursdays, and any two combinations of the above on the weekends whenever the moon is full. And since today is Friday, it's going to be hitting up the local pet store!"

"And if it is, what are we going to do? Ask it to be a good dog?"

"We get a picture! Duh!" Nebula said. "Give me some credit, Sam. I'm not about to lead us on a suicide mission!"

"A picture?"

"Well, we also tag it with this tracking dart I got from Joyce." Nebula added as she pulled out an object that looked like a silver flute and a small green dart.

"Joyce gave you that?" You asked, knowing that there was no way in hell Joyce would willingly give up one of her gadgets for anything, let alone Nebula's hunches.

Unless, of course, this wolf beast was in anyway related to W.I.T.C.H., which you doubted.

"'Gave', 'Wasn't looking when I pulled it out of her backpack'." Nebula said with a shrug. She looked it over quizzically as she added, "Wonder why she would even have this in the -"

"Uh, your werewolf?" You quickly interrupt, not wanting Nebula to get any ideas into digging up details on one of your other friends. Who knew what E.N.F. would say or do if Joyce's cover was blown?!

"You're right! We're losing daylight!" Nebula exclaimed, "Let’s get going!"

You merely watch Nebula head to her car with a sigh, slowly following after her.

"Well, this is perhaps the most boring night of my life." You muttered in annoyance as you sat in the passengers seat of Nebula's car, having been parked outside the front of the pet store for five hours now. Nebula had gone to the twenty-four hour burger joint a block away to get you two some more energy for your stake out, and that had been ten minutes ago.

You would've turned on the radio, but Nebula had it and the antenna disconnected so the government wouldn't be listening in on you.

And you would've played a game on your phone to kill time, but Nebula had you drop it off at your home so the government wouldn't be able to track you both.

And on top of everything else, Outside looked like the set of a horror movie, complete with a fog that was beginning to roll in.

With nothing else to do, you leaned back and closed your eyes. Maybe you can discuss things with Luna tomorrow mor-

*CRASH!*

You shot up in your seat, eyes opening wide. That got your attention. Looking out the windshield, you could see that the glass window of the pet store had been shattered as if someone had broken in.

Or something...

You reach for your phone to call Nebula, only to silently curse as you remember that your phone was back at home. That was it! You were having a talk with Nebula about this later.

"And of course, Nebula thought this so far ahead that she forgot to pick-up a couple of walkie-talkies." You mutter to yourself as you look at the camera Nebula had bought, thinking about what to do.

You could honk the horn and hope Nebula would hear it, but then you'd basically be ringing the dinner bell for this thing. And while this wolf hadn't killed anyone yet, you didn't want to be the first. Of course, given the cries of the frightened cats, dogs, and exotic birds and animals coming from the store, there might be a good chance that it wouldn't hear the horn.

On the other hand, you did have the camera and dart blower here with you. If you were stealthy and careful enough, you could probably photograph and tag the creature before it even noticed, and hopefully make it out alive to think of an excuse to tell Joyce when she interrogates you about where the tracking dart is.