Timberwolf

On a distant planet from earth the forests were filled with darkness as an older man wandered through them with a tracking device in his hand, in search of something, to his left and right were robots to keep him safe. The Robots advanced on the bushes as they heard something, but he put his hand up to stop them.

"Show yourself!" he ordered and a rustle was heard then a growl, a wolf like creature sped out of bushes and towards the man. Not knowing where the beast was, the creature took the robots down with just tearing through them with sharp claws.

The man ran off into the forest to escape the beast, as he ran past a cliff the wolf creature was on top it, it howled at the three moons then jumped down after him.

In the middle of space, a large glorphax was floating near a asteroid.

"Those are ships inside that thing!" Superman stated as he and Lightning lad flew over to the beast.

"Yeah... a glorphax will eat anything." Lightning lad replied "Anything I need to…"

"Watch and learn Superman, watch and learn." Lightning lad smirked as he interrupted and flew off towards the monster. He charged up an attack then fired it at the monster, only to have it bounce back and miss them both by just an inch.

"That... worked well." Superman commented on his pitiful attempt.

"Haven't you two gotten rid of that thing yet?" Saturn girl asked from the ship "We've got it right where we want it Saturn girl." Lightning lad replied as a tentacle wrapped around him and pulled him out of sight on the screen from the ship, she put her head in her hand, suddenly the alarm went off in the ship.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!!" Crystal shouted afraid she might get the blame. "What's going on?" Bouncing Boy asked

"We're receiving a transmission on the Emergency channel. Look" Brainy explained as he pushed a button on the control panel. On the screen the elderly man appeared.

"Legion of Superheroes, this is Mar Lando of Rhall; your immediate assistance is needed." He explained as a crash was heard "please." He pleaded then the screen fuzzed out.

Outside Lightning lad was being pulled around by the tentacle

"Forget globby and get back inside, we have a mission." Saturn girl informed them from the ship as Lightning lad fired an electrical beam at the tentacle and Superman pulled it off him.

"What about this Mission? We can't just leave this thing out here." Superman replied. As Lightning lad flew off back to the ship he turned and watched Superman tie the tentacles together and spin the creature round before he launched it further into space. He then flew to the ship

"You could have just done that in the first place you know." Lightning lad said as he flew by.

"I was watching and learning." Superman joked earning a glare from Lightning lad.

Inside the ship, Crystal was walking while looking at her hands as she kept mutating them. She giggled at this, and had to stop when Brainy's long neck was stretched from one side of the room to the other blocking her path. "Coooool" she laughed.

She noticed that Brainy stretched his neck to go behind Bouncing boy. "Can I help you?" Bouncing Boy asked annoyed by his presence. "You're flying without the auto compensators. I specifically designed that sub-system to assist you." he explained and stretched his arm over.

"No offence Brainiac 5, but when I fly a ship I actually want to fly it, not baby-sit a console." He snapped while Brainy tried to push a button "hey what are you doing?" Bouncing boy asked and tried to push his arm away, causing Brainy to hit the wrong button. "Uh oh"

The ship then started to shake causing everyone to fall over, Lightning lad caught Saturn Girl, while Brainy, Bouncing boy, and Crystal all tumbled into the wall. "Ow…" Crystal cried rubbing her head. The ship then moved again, causing them all except for Lightning lad to tumble over on one another.

Crystal giggled as she landed on her back which was on top of brainy. "That was fun, lets do it again"

"Lets not" Brainy replied stretching his head to look at her. She blushed and smiled at him. Then got up quickly. "Bet that was the most highlighted moment of your crushing life" Lightning lad teased which earned a punch in the stomach by Crystal.

She then ran over to the controls, "I wanna do that again!" she cheered again and was about you press a button before Lightning lad picked her up and carried her away from the controls. "kill joy…"

"That felt like we hit something" Saturn girl said getting up. "Technically we did, the Planet Rhall. We've just entered the atmosphere" Brainy replied as the ship started beeping, Bouncing Boy rushed over to the control panel.

"Stabilizers offline, atmospheric thrusters at 20, this is gonna be a rough one." He said urgently as the ship crashed into a rock then made a crash landing into the ground.

Once they crashed everyone stood outside of the ship. "It could be worse." Superman said looking at the ship which was half way in the ground. "How? We're grounded." Bouncing Boy asked "Well, we could've disintegrated upon re-entry." Brainy answered. "Hate to spoil your feel good moment, we this is a rescue mission remember?" Lightning lad reminded them. Crystal walked over limping. "Are you alright?" Superman asked her.

"Took a bad landing on my leg hehe, it hurts to walk on" she smiled in reply, trying to show that it doesn't bother her when in reality it does. Brainy walked up to her and had a look at it. After many looks he rubbed it. "Your gonna be fine, its nothing serious. Just a mild sprain I would say" he explained.

Lightning lad took off as the others followed. Saturn girl then sensed voices. she stopped and looked toward the forest then turned around looking a bit nervous and flew off.

"My ex-ray vision is picking up lots of stuff moving around down there but nothing remotely human." Superman alerted as he scanned the area below. "Rhall is known for it's abundance of wildlife, most you would classify as, unfriendly. Aside from Dr Lando's research station little else is here." Brainy explained.

"What about you Saturn girl, sensing anything?" Superman asked her. "Everything... and nothing, there's just too much noise, but back at the ship I'm pretty sure something was watching us." She answered looking back "Ok now you're creeping me out." Bouncing Boy commented.

Crystal brought out her cat ears and tail, after a few moments of sensing. She started to growl slightly. "You okay back there Crystal?" Lightning lad asked her. "There is something about this place…it makes anger grow inside of you" she replied still growling. "Maybe you should put away your ears and tail for now" Brainy suggested. "We don't want you feeling any discomfort"

Crystal just stared at him for a bit, then did what he said. "My antennas still pick it up slightly, but not as bad as the animal ears" she commented.

"Bingo." Superman shouted while everyone gave him a strange look "that means I found it." he informed them and pointed down. So they all followed him and ended up at a large building type thing.

"It seems pretty quiet." Lightning lad stated, as they looked around bright light shone. "Bright! Very Bright!" Crystal cried covering her eyes.

"Don't be deceived, these woods are more dangerous than you can possibly imagine." the elderly man explained walking towards them.

"Dr Lando I presume?" Brainiac 5 asked as he shook his hand. "Yes, yes. Come inside quickly. It may be safe for the legion, but an old man like me doesn't stand a chance out here." He stated and walked back inside while they followed.

"My repair facilities are at your disposal, I only ask one thing in return." He stated

"Of course, we can take you anywhere you need to go." Superman smiled at him.

"Oh I can't leave Rhall, my work is here, that's why I called for help, what I need is for you to make it safe." He explained to them. "Safe... From what?" Saturn girl asked

"A creature... out there, this creature it's destroyed everything dear to me; my research, my team... my son." He said forlornly and shown them a picture of him "that's Brin, remarkable young man. Takes after his father, don't you think? He had so much potential, but now I want it caught, and I want it brought back to Me." he explained.

"Don't worry, we'll find your creature." Superman assured him.

"And I'll make sure it will never harm anyone again." Lightning lad smiled but Saturn girl looked uncertainly at the man.

In the hanger Bouncing Boy and Brainy worked on the ship, Crystal had to stay because of her leg. "Not fair…I wanted to look around" Crystal whined.

"Crystal, if you go out and fight that thing you might end up losing your leg" Bouncing boy told her, which made her frown and pout.

"You can't substitute a plasma conduit for an injector port Bouncing Boy; it's not in the schematics." Brainy stated as he unscrewed one of the screws in a panel on the ship.

"Brainy, it's called improvising, you should try it sometime." He replied smirking up at him. Brainy just looked at him blankly. "A twelfth level intellect has no need for improvisation." He responded

"Fine, if you're so smart... fix it yourself." Bouncing Boy snapped and walked off as Brainy unscrewed another screw. "Where are you going?" he asked looking at him.

"Anywhere you're not." He replied heading out the door.

"Dr Lando asked us to confine ourselves to the hanger, he insisted!" brainy exclaimed

"So I'm improvising!" he yelled back and walked off as the doors closed

"Was it something I said?" he asked looking at Crystal who only shrugged.

In the deep forest Saturn girl Lightning lad and Superman were looking for the creature

"You're awfully quiet Saturn girl, not scared are ya?" Lightning lad asked smirking back at her while she quickly snapped back "I'm fine!"

They both look back at her while she sighed, "Sorry, its just this place. You remember when I said I couldn't sense anything? well, that's not exactly true... I keep getting an impression, sounds really, It's as if hundreds of life forms are calling out for help." she explained 'something's going on here, something bad"

They both took a moment to think. They then heard a sound like electricity,

"Hey check it out." Lightning lad said and picked up a robot part "robot parts... wonder if our creature did this." He wondered while Superman heard something.

"I have a feeling we're about to find out." Superman replied as tons of robots surrounded them

"Not scared are you?" Saturn girl asked as Lightning lad shot one. Superman punched a few as Lightning lad fired at more but it bounced off and they swung for him but missed and cut through a tree, only to have it fall down on top of them.

Saturn girl was surrounded completely, they jumped at her but stopped in mid air as her eyes shone they were blasted away. She fell to the floor unconscious. As more advanced on her, a howl was heard and the creature jumped from an unknown place and destroyed two of the robots then roared at the others making them back off. As the other two flew towards her Lightning lad arrived first to find her gone.

"Saturn girl!" Superman called out as he caught up to Lightning Lad "She's gone." He replied to him.

Back in the building Bouncing Boy was walking through the lots of halls when he was suddenly stopped by a load of machines, "Restricted area." One of them spoke

"No problem I was just leaving." He replied then tried walking past them but was stopped again. "Restricted area, restricted area, restricted area, restricted area." They spoke and raised their weapons, his eyes widened and he bounced away as they all followed him.

Saturn girl awoke in a cave somewhere to find herself in front of a fire "No more thought blasts." She mumbled to herself. She looked around, then the wolf creature walked up to her growling.

"Get away." She panicked and kicked it across the face and it growled even more and advanced on her

"Stay back! I have powers, and I will use them." she threatened and made a dash for the exit of the cave but it blocked her off knocking her to the floor "ok, I'm not leaving." She said holding up her hands in a defensive position

"Just don't eat me." She cried fearfully, as he picked her up in his mouth by her collar and dropped her by the fire.

"Nice place you have here" she complimented as it sat down on the other side of the fire.

"Who, built this fire?" she asked "was it you?" she asked again and it walked over to her and tried to draw something in the soil

"Are you trying to tell me something?" she asked while it growled as if it was saying yes then carried on drawing.

He messed up and wiped it off then held its head in annoyance "if you'll let me read your mind I can... wait, why do I need permission, it's a monster." She wondered and put her hand to its head and read its mind,

flashes of Dr Lando and an experimenting table came into view and him being transformed into that monster. It jumped back roaring in what seemed to be pain but more anger "what have they done to you?" she asked as it howled.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!" Lightning lad yelled and fired at it as he and superman entered the cave.

"No! It's not what you thin…!" but she was cut off as he fired at the beast when it had moved in front of her to protect her and was knocked into her and against the wall knocking her out cold.

The creature moved over her checking if she was ok but was then pulled away by Superman and launched into the roof as Lightning lad checked Saturn girl

"She's just knocked out, you on the other hand WON'T BE SO LUCKY!" he yelled and charged up his attack then fired at it as it shielded it's face Superman went to hit it with a spiked rock but it grabbed the end and smashed it to the floor then launched the other end at Lightning lad pinning him to the floor.

Then it picked the rock up and went to punch him twice but missed and Superman picked it up and it grabbed Lightning lads chest scratching him, as it landed on top of Superman it jumped back as Lightning lad shot at it and got Superman instead "ooh, sorry about that." He apologised as Superman gave him a frowned annoyed look.

Then the wolf jumped at him from behind but he ducked and it jumped for Superman then was punched back to Lightning Lad who grabbed it and shocked it as it howled in pain. I

t fell to the floor and tried to stand up but fell as Lightning lad was about to finish it off Superman stopped him "I think you got him." He said holding Lightning lads arm back who pulled out of his grasp and looked over the unconscious beast.

Back in the hanger Brainy was still working on the ship, Crystal was supposed to be helping, but she didn't know what in the galaxy she was doing. So she borrowed one of Bouncing boy's tools and was fascinated by it. "I'm not worried." He randomly came out with. Crystal looked at him. "There's no reason to worry"

"You know if your 'not worried' why do you keep going on about it? Just go look for him" Crystal said watching him fly to the door. "And even if there were, Bouncing Boy can take care of himself." He said to himself then saw Bouncing Boy at the door tied up in blue ropes and held down by robots.

"Little help here?" he asked "Hold still!" He instructed then extended all his fingers to each of the robots and shocked them all blowing them up and releasing Bouncing Boy.

He ran over to him and held out his hand to help him up "Nice save there." Bouncing boy smiled taking it. "Thank you, I improvised." Brainy replied smiling, as he pulled him up.

Crystal came out, "What happened what's going on? What?"

"Got myself in a little jam, but its fine now" Bouncing boy replied. "Aw man, I missed some action" she pouted folding her arms. While Brainy put a hand on her head.

Then growling and screeching was heard. The three looked at each other and flew to where the noises were heard. They stopped at a room, with a bunch of cages with paws and claws coming out of them.

"Don't leave the hanger huh? I can see why?" Bouncing Boy said looking at Brainy. "I assume we'll be snooping" Brainy asked smiling which put a smirk on Bouncing boy's face. "Oh yeah" He replied which Crystal giggled at as they headed inside.

Superman and Lightning lad were flying over the forest, Saturn girl in Lightning lad's arms and Superman carrying the wolf in a blue net. Who was struggling to get out.

"Easy fella, I don't wanna drop you" Superman said down to the beast. "Go ahead, save us the hassle" Lightning lad shouted back to them.

"Is she going to be ok?" Superman asked. "Yeah, it's a healing trance, careful what you say though, sometimes she can hear you... found that out the hard way." he mumbled the last bit as they continued flying.

Bouncing boy, Brainy and Crystal were outside the building hiding behind a wall type thing. Bouncing boy then tried to communicate with the others, but is stopped by Brainy.

"Stop! Lando will no doubt be monitoring communicator traffic. Perhaps if I think hard enough Saturn Girl might just notice my brain waves." Brainy stated with both hands to his head. Crystal just stared at him.

"...or we could just do this. HEY GUYS DOWN HERE!" Bouncing boy yelled out to them as they flew just overhead. They landed next to them. "Looks like they got it" Bouncing boy joked to Brainy which made Crystal laugh.

"Uh oh, healing trance…is she ok?" Bouncing boy asked. "She better be" Lightning lad snapped. "Whoa, nice scratch, I hope you don't turn into one of those things." Bouncing boy smirked noticing the big scratch mark on Lightning lad's chest.

Crystal looked at the wolf, "This overgrown pooch is what the whole fuss is about"

"Dr Lando has been conducting outlawed experiments on the indigenous life forms here, this creature is undoubtedly connected." Brainy explained.

"What do you think it is?" Superman asked and a small groan was heard from Saturn girl "...Not what, who." , she gave Lightning lad an annoyed look "and you can put me down now." She snapped.

"How about a little gratitude, we just saved you from this thing." He replied putting her down. "It wasn't going to hurt me, if you hadn't of come in fzzts a zapping I would have told you that." She explained sounding stressed.

"I don't think Dr Lando has been completely honest with us." she explained as she went to let it free from the net. "Y,You're not going to let it loose are ya?" Bouncing boy asked sounding scared.

"We have nothing to worry about... I hope." She said and let it free. It stood up and roared then sat back down again.

"I'd feel more comfortable if we did this on the ship." Brainy suggested, "I doubt he would feel the same way." Saturn Girl replied "and for what I'm about to do we need him as calm as possible."

"In case things get a little, hairy." Lightning lad smirked as his hands charged up. Saturn girl gave him a glare, while he put his hands down. "Fine…"

"haha you got so owned" Crystal giggled. Saturn girl then used her power on the wolf, showing everyone its past. Until it howled out and growled in pain.

"You aren't a monster, you have control." She said to it. Until suddenly it changed into a human form of a male with grey fur and long black hair and long wolf like ears. And buried his face on the ground.

"Interesting." Brainy said "he must have been in some kind of super agitated state." he said again poking the wolf male. "Do you mind?" the wolf asked looking up at him. Brainy was shocked and took a couple of steps back.

"Do you, have a name?" Superman asked as the male looked at the others. Before he could reply a voice was heard. "His name is Brin, Brin Lando." Dr Lando answered from above them, he was surrounded by monsters and robots all growling at them "Welcome home son." He said smirking at him,

"Son? But I thought you said your son got? And that he? And you? And?" Crystal stopped when she finally figured it out…"It was you! You did this to him!"

"Well done Legion, I could've never brought him back on my own." He replied. "You used us to do your dirty work, that distress call was a fake." Superman accused him.

"There is nothing more distressing than to lose a child." He replied and Brin growled in anger at him. "Brin, don't let him get to you, you're in control remember?" she asked and he smiled. "You gotta give him credit though, he has gone this long without cutting this jerk to shreds" Crystal giggled, which got a smile from Brin.

"You better think of your next move, Dr." Superman said to him "How about, back off." Lightning lad suggested for him. "No more experiments, I'm through, you'll never lay another finger on me again." Brin announced.

"Then you leave me no choice. Take them all." He commanded as his robots and monsters charged at them. "Hey Brainy? Can I use the move? Huh can I?" Crystal begged as Brainy looked at them then smiled back at Crystal. "Be my guest"

"WHOO HOO!" She cheered for joy. As she sprung into action. "Move?" Superman asked unaware of what she meant. "You'll see" Lightning lad smirked. Crystal flew to all the robots and made them chase her around a bit, until they all crashed together. She them flipped back a bit higher in the sky. And formed a bunch of crystals in the air, and shot them straight at the robots destroying most of them.

"Wow" Superman said in shock, then went and destroyed three other robots. Saturn girl made an image of Lando to scare the monsters away, she then was attacked by robots. But Brin saved her. Lightning lad shot at some robots destroying them. While Brainy stood on Bouncing boy's back while he span his razor like hands around destroying quite a few robots.

"Suggestion, you should deflate" Brainy suggested. "Thanks, but I think I know when to use my powers." Bouncing boy snapped back up at him, but was then smacked into a tree as Brainy landed on his feet on the floor.

He then stretched out his arms and grabbed on to the robots head, shocking him, but only to get one back himself. He then was forced to let go. "Your pretty good" he said to him. He then jumped over the robot slicing off its arms, and then ran around him slicing him up til he was destroyed.

"But I'm the one with the twelth level intelligence" he smiled at the robot, rubbing his shoulder. "You tell em Brainy" Crystal giggled appearing in front of him.

Superman shot two robots with his laser vision then flew through the smoke and was suddenly jumped on by a load of monsters. "Dog pile?" he asked picking them up "that is so junior varsity." He smirked and threw them away.

Brin and Lightning lad were back to back Brin had robots in front of him, Lightning lad had monsters. "Switch?" Brin asked, as Lightning lad shot the robots. Brin looked at lightning lad. "This doesn't make us buddies or anything" He said to him. While Brin jumped over his head and attacked the monsters. He then saw Lando flying away on his little hovercraft thing, and pursuited him.

Lando ran into his lab and released his monsters who were walking towards him. "Go attack!" he ordered. The monsters looked at each other confused and growled while heading for Lando. "No stop! I'm your master!" he cried.

Brin enetered the room, and roared at the monsters which made them back off, and walk away quietly. "I'd of let him get eaten" Lightning lad said which earned a pat on the arm from Crystal.

Lando began to walk, until Superman grabbed his coat. "Alright Doc, start talking." He ordered

"Very well, what would you like to talk about first, my creations I suppose, perfect specimens, marvels of nature, but not nearly... human enough. No I needed a better subject for my crowning achievement." He explained looking at Brin

"So you used your own son?" Saturn girl asked sounding disgusted.

"That's just wrong! Haha and they say I'm the crazy one" Crystal laughed, which got a hand over the mouth by Bouncing boy.

"It was to see him transform into the most formidable creature ever created for battle." He said as Brin growled at him "he should be thanking me, but no he ran away before the process was complete." He explained.

"Change him back!" Superman commanded pinning Lando up against the wall

"He can't Superman, my DNA has already been altered too much, this is as close to human as I'll ever get." Brin explained.

"But for how long... a day, a week? You'll never be able to control yourself Brin." He smirked at his son.

"Yes he will, and the legion will be there to help." Saturn girl defended which got a smile from Brin. "What about him?" Bouncing boy asked pointing to Lando

"This sector is outside any jurisdiction, even intergalactic law can't touch me, and why would they, my work is a gift... I create life." He announced.

"What you create is suffering, and the forest out there is filled with it, Children look to their parents to protect them, the only thing I've ever been to you is a science experiment... your own son." he shouted and destroyed every bit of technology in that room then stopped "never again." He growled and left with the rest of the legion while Lando dropped to the ground.

The ship began to take off, "I still don't see how we're leaving the planet without functioning atmospheric thrusters." Brainy smiled confused. "Improvised" Bouncing boy smiled back, as outside Superman and Crystal were lifting the ship.

Later in the ship, "Well what do you think?" Bouncing boy asked, as they'd found Brin a black, brown and Orange outfit to wear. He looked at it. "Um, a little tight." He replied. "You'll get used to it...eventually." Superman smirked at him.

"We can find you something else to wear." Saturn girl offered to him. "Aww but that looks cool what he is wearing" Crystal defended.

"It's not the uniform, what if he's right? What if I can't control this monster inside of me?" Brin asked. "No worries dude" Crystal smiled at him. "Yeah, don't worry. We got your back" Lightning lad said putting a hand on his shoulder. "Just watch the claws" he added.

"hmm, it's a deal" Brin smiled, "Are you ready?" Superman asked him holding up a suitcase with the ring and belt in. he put them on and raised his left hand.

"To the Legion of superheroes, I make this solemn pledge, to use my powers for good, to fight for justice and protect the innocent to aid my fellow legionnaires in times of peril and to keep their secrets safe. I choose a new name to honour the heroes of the past, I am... Timberwolf." he announced.

End of chapter 2