3rd Person's POV

"Check this out-- Hyenas."

Buffy says as she holds up a book. On the page is an engraving of Noah casting two angry Hyena off his arm into a driving rain. Willow skims the text.

"Wow. Apparently, Noah rejected Hyenas from the Ark because he thought they were an evil, impure mixture of dogs and cats. Just another reason not to date out of species."

"I don't get it-- He obviously let cockroaches on board." Willow frowns.

They look at another engraving to see the two Hyena's cling to the top of a submerged tree, watching the Ark float away. They look mad as hell.

"So what happened? The Hyena survived anyway."

Buffy shakes her head, "Barely. But afterwards, they definitely had some issues with Noah..."

Giles enters, holding another ancient book.

"Perhaps I've discovered the way in which they intended to get even."

"How?"

Giles places the book on their table. He opens a page to show an engraving of an animal making eye contact with a human. Horrible squiggles connect their eyes.

"The Masai of the Serengeti Plain believe it is
possible for animals to possess the souls of humans in order to accomplish their various desires."

Buffy frowns, "Do you think Xander and Laney could've been possessed by... the Hyenas?"

Willow looks skeptical, "C'mon-- do you really believe this stuff about 'animal possessions'?"

"Perhaps Willow's right-- otherwise, I should think we would recognize our young friend's behavior in these..."

Giles suddenly looks horrified. Buffy and Willow lean in, to see what he sees.

The last engraving is hideous-- a group of possessed humans tear apart a small animal with their bare hands and mouths.

Buffy jumps up, "I gotta find them!"

They watch her as she bolts out the door.

The Pack prowls across the empty Courtyard. Their's are now the hunched, low movements of animals as they slink onward.

The pack turn to their hyena abilities. The only sound heard is the low thumping of a dozen heartbeats from somewhere inside the dark Woods.

Xander moves with them. Then he stops and sniffs their air. The rest of the Pack continues on. Laney stops and turns around to see Xander standing smelling the air.

"You coming?"

"I'll be there in a sec. Gotta deal with the slayer."

Laney pouts, "You like her more than me."

Xander frowns and moves close to her. He pushes a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Never Lane... I just like to mess with her. Go lead the pack, I'll be back before you know it."

Xander nods his head to the waiting pack members. Laney sighs in annoyance then turns around to leave. She's quickly pulled back and brought into a deep kiss.

"See you in a bit."

Laney smiles then leaves with the pack. Xander watches them disappear then cracks his neck heading to the school.

The school buildings are close, but there's no one around.

WHAM!

Someone jumps off the building onto Xander, knocking him to the ground. Xander and the person wrestle, back and forth, around and around, until Xander rolls on top, pinning Buffy with his knees.

Xander smirks, "I've been waiting for you to jump my bones."

Buffy struggles to her surprise, "Get off me!"

"Is that what you really want? We both know what you really want."

Xander shifts off Buffy's arms. Buffy rolls onto her hands and knees. They're now face to face on hands and knees, exhausted from the struggle, panting like animals.

"You want danger, don't you- you like your men dangerous--"

Buffy interrupts, "You're in trouble-- So is Laney and the others. You guys were infected with some Hyena thing, like a demonic possession--"

"--Dangerous and mean, right? Like Mr. Black Leather Motorcycle Guy-- Well, guess who just got mean--"

Xander pushes toward her, menacing, and she backs up.

"I don't want to hurt you, Xander."

He sniffs the air, "I knew you were following me. I'd know your smell a mile a way."

Xander begins sniffing Buffy's shoulder.

"You and the others-- ate Herbert alive--"

"--You now how long I've waited? Until you'd stop
pretending you aren't attracted--"

Buffy rolls away and jumps to her feet. He follows her.

"Until Willow'd stop kidding herself, that I'd settle for her. I mean come on look at her sister." Xander steps closer as he licks his lips.

"No, stop it-- You're scaring me."

Xander suddenly tackles her.

"Being scared make you wanna hurt me? C'mon, Slayer-- I like it when you smell scared."

Xander climbs on top, straddling her, "--The more I scare you, the better you smell."

Xander roughly grabs Buffy's jaw. Begins kissing her, biting her lips-- but Buffy rolls him on his back, pinning his wrists against the ground. Now she's in control.

"What part of 'NO' don't you understand!"

"The 'N.'"

Suddenly, Xander thrusts Buffy's arms away, throwing her backward-- with a power that shocks her. Buffy's head hits the ground, just missing a pile of bricks. He leans into her face-- for the first time, we see his powerful biceps.

"Welcome to the jungle."

Three Cross Country runners sprint up a dirt path, through the Woods. The pack stand with their ears twitching as they hear panting. It's getting louder, and then Bobby struggles into view.

"Hey! Wait up!"

But they're gone. Bobby tries one last desperate sprint through the trees, his weight makes each step difficult.

Bobby's ankle trips on tree root, sending him sprawling across the trail.

"Ow! OW! owwwwWWW!"

Bobby rolls on the ground, clutching his ankle. He gets up, tries to put weight on it. Falls in pain.

"Come back! Somebody help me!"

SLIENCE.

Just Bobby's breathing.

"Bob-by!" Rhonda taunts.

"Who's there?"

Bobby listens for an answer, hears nothing but his isolation.

Kyle teases, "Ohhhh Bob-byyyyy!"

Bobby looks around, spooked. Through the trees and darkness, he hears rustling branches, but sees nothing.

The pack creeps through the trees, stalking Bobby, who's highlighted with intense color in their eyes. They appear through the trees and close in around Bobby. They're smiling. Bobby breathes a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you guys! Man, I'm glad to see you."

Bobby gets up and begins jumping around on one foot.

"Hurt my ankle--"

Bobby laughs a little at himself and his one-legged jumping. The pack starts laughing too. Bobby tries to laugh with them, until their laughter turns into the bone-chilling Hyena-like cackling.

"Uhh... So can you guys help me?"

Laney smirks as she looks into Bobby's eyes, "No..."

Then, the pack begins to circle Bobby.

"What're you doing?"

They only circle faster, cackling and who whooping more wildly as their speed increases.

"Stop it!"

Bobby pleads mournfully, but for the wrong reason, uncomprehending what is about to come.

"But Bobby we want to play..."

Bobby frowns at Laney, "I thought we were going to be friends!"

Her hand swipes at Bobby's arm and spins him around as he jumps.

"Hey!"

Then another hand. Another. Then a wildly flurry of hands.

Laney backs away and watches as the pack suddenly descends on Bobby until he isn't seen anymore. Bobby's screams are drowned out by the chomping and slurping noises of the five hungry mouths.

Laney whistles getting the pack's attention. She looks at the school building through the trees and smirks. She starts to head towards the Principal's office. The pack follows behind quickly cackling loudly.

"Let's go have a little fun shall we?"