"Master?" Wayzz asked Wang Fu as he hovered closer.

The green Turtle kwami hovered just above the shifting Guardian, concerned about his Master's wellbeing. The Guardian was tossing and turning, rolling around and around, unable to get comfortable. It was dark, but Wayzz had lit a candle, casting a faint orange glow over Master Fu. 

The Guardian sat up, sighing. "I don't know what it is, Wayzz," he admitted to his kwami, "but I think the time has come to release a new Miraculous into the world."

"What makes you say that, master?" Wayzz asked, alarmed and confused. Master Fu had said it himself: he had taken a big risk sending out the Ladybug AND the Cat Miraculous as it was, so why did he feel the need to send out another one?

"I cannot sleep, Wayzz; I know it is the past Guardians telling me something. The akumatized victims have been getting stronger recently, and Ladybug and Cat Noir can only do so much. I have been having the same dream for the past few days."

"Master?" Wayzz blurted out after the last statement, zooming closer.

"I see a white wolf howling at the moon. I see a black crucifix bracelet... I see a black tiger with white stripes roaring ferociously. I see a silver dog tag. I know what they are trying to tell me."

"Master, are you sure about this?"

"I am, Wayzz. I am definite." The Guardian looked out of his window, towards the stars that scattered across the black roan sky. "I know that it is time to send out the Miraculouses White Wolf and Black Tiger."

Wayzz inhaled, nodding. Master Fu stroked his beard. "Ladybug came to see me earlier today; I'll tell her tomorrow."

The Guardian went over to the phonograph...

– ı –

The school bell rang, signalling the end of class.

Everyone raced for the door while Ms. Bustier (whom I favoured much more than Ms. Mendeliev) told everyone which pages to read.

"Aura, Hunter, come on!" Alya called to us as we walked out the door.

"What?" I asked, Hunter and I moving to the side to let students out.

"Well, keep this on the D-L, but..." the brunette shoved us out the door and leaned closer, then resumed what she was going to say. "...Marinette has a gigantic crush on Adrien, aaand she's going to ask him out!"

"WH –" 

Alya clamped her hand over my mouth before I could finish yelling. She slowly removed it and tried to stifle her laughter. "I know, right? Me, Rose, Juleka, and Melyn are going to see how it goes. Wanna join us?"

"Of course! Thank you!" I grinned, glad to have made so many friends on the first day. Alya and Marinette had introduced me to the girls listed between classes, and they welcomed me so warmly. 

I made a mental note to thank mum so much for bringing me here. It had partly been her idea anyways, since her dream had always been to go to Paris. So, win-win.

Alya grabbed my hand and dragged us to where Marinette was getting ready. We hid behind a bush, where everyone else was. I felt Hunter crouch down beside me, his breath warming my ear.

"Hi Aura! Hey, Hunter!" Rose greeted, smiling warmly at us. I smiled back, and Hunter winked at the girl jokingly.

"Hi guys," Juleka mumbled, and I small-waved to her.

"Shh! Look, here he comes!" Alya signalled to all of us to be quiet as we listened in to what Marinette was going to say. We peeked through the leaves, watching the model walked out of the school entrance with his best friend, Nino.

Nino said goodbye and ran off, after fist-bumping Adrien. Now, it was just Adrien and Marinette.

I never knew how awkward Marinette could be, so I was kind of surprised when she completely lost her cool when Adrien said hello.

"Oh, uh, hey Adrien!" Marinette said, running a hand absentmindedly through her hair just to have something to do. You could tell at a glance that that girl was being hit hard by cold feet.

"School was totally crazy, huh?" He asked her.

"Oh, yeah, totally was! I can't believe that Chloé tried to make fun of Aura like that, she is such a salad! I mean, she's a balloon animal, I mean..." Mari sighed, admitting defeat.

"Yeah. I'm sorry she tried to make fun of Aurora, and Hunter. The Chloé I know is way better than that," Adrien said, trying to dissipate the awkwardness. My surprise deepened when he dismissed the weird behaviour.

"I know, I just can't believe that she would salt and pepper someone like that!"

Adrien stared at her with a confused expression on his face. 

I guess I must've been making the same face, because Alya whispered to me, "This happens all the time. I'm actually surprised at how many words she managed to get out before going awkward. She once rejected a ride home with him in a nervous wreck and told him she'd just take the coleslaw home."

I stifled my laughter, shaking my head. "Poor Mari. I think she meant 'insulted'..."

"ADRIKEEENS!" Chloé batted the stuttering Marinette out of the way and hugged Adrien. "My designer dress just came in! Come to my house and see it! After all, I need you to tell me if I model it well enough!"

"We gotta do something," I whispered and shifted in the bush. Alya grabbed me. "No, she told me that she wanted to deal with Chloé alone," she whispered.

I nodded and reluctantly sank back down to my feet. Hunter caught my eye and rolled his own which made me giggle.

"Sorry, Chlo, but you know how my dad is. I have Chinese and Piano lessons today, maybe another time," Adrien pulled her off awkwardly, and I saw Marinette glare down at her arms as if she was cursing herself.

Poor Mari. I wish I could go and help her.

A silver car came up and Adrien got in the back, waving goodbye to both girls. Chloé huffed and walked away, Sabrina holding all her books.

I watched Marinette sadly watching Adrien go.

"Come on, guys," I heard Melyn say as we all walked to the poor girl from behind the bush.

"You handled that really well, mate!" Hunter grinned as he slapped Mari on the back.

"Yeah!" I giggled. "But don't worry, the salad/balloon animal didn't salt and pepper me that bad. I'm fine."

She groaned. "Please tell me I didn't actually say that..."

– ı –

When the final bell rang, everyone stampeded out of the school. I longed to walk home with Hunter, but we went in opposite ways.

We bid bye to each other with our secret handshake (under the leg, elbow bump, such and such), a quick hug and a friendly "adios!".

On my way home from school, I was staring at the ground, as usual. I had my bag and books and was dreading having to do my homework. I heard someone groaning, and I saw an old man who was doubled over on the sidewalk. He clutched his stomach, and I realised he was in pain. He was wearing a red button-up shirt with white flowers, cream shorts and he was leaning heavily on a brown walking stick. His hair was short and grey, as was his moustache and small beard.

After I glanced side to side, I realised there was no one else around. I ran up to him. "Are you alright, sir? Do you need me to walk you home?"

"Thank you, just some stomach trouble," he smiled weakly, so I slung his arm around my neck and helped to walk him to the nearest Taxi stop. I would've gone further, but he insisted I stopped here.

I hailed a Taxi for him, and he thanked me. "What is your name?" He asked me.

"Aurora, sir," I told him. 

"Thank you, Aurora," he smiled at me as he got in the Taxi. I watched it drive away, then I was struck by a thought. 

I fished my phone from my pocket and clicked it on with shaking fingers..

"OH MY GOD IT'S ALREADY 5?! MUM IS GONNA KILL ME!" I yelled to no one as I ran home full-pelt.

|| ♠︎ ||

I said goodbye to Aura and started off down the road, passing people and houses as I did so. 

I figured the walk home would be boring, so after a few minutes I took out my earphones with the intention of listening to music.

As I pulled them out of my bag, something caught my eye. A few yards in front of me, an elderly man was having a hard time. There were feathers raining down around him and through them I could see his red shirt.

I squinted, peering closer through the flurry of feathers.

Some birds were trying to fly off with his walking-stick!

I slung my bag on my shoulder again and pelted down the street, leapt up and caught the straight end of the cane in my hand, then yanked it when gravity took me back down. The pigeons, distressed, flapped away after leaving behind a few more feathers.

"Be careful, sir!" I laughed as I handed the man his cane back.

"Thank you, my boy. What is your name?" The man asked. A sudden thought occurred to me.

"I'm– late!" I yelped as I caught the time on my watch.

"My name's Hunter, sorry!" I ran passed the strange man, feeling his gaze linger after me.