Hey all,

I'm finally back.  However, due to a large block in the road to What Price
Love Chap. 5, I've been forced to take a detour that led me to this idea.

I know, I know, It's probably been done before(But hey, this is Ranma, so
just about everything's been done before).  But as I always say, If it's
worth doing, then it's worth doing to death.

Anyway, here's the first little bit of this idea that popped into my head:

    The full moon shone down brightly into the little clearing that Ranma
had made his camp.  He sat meditating on the days training.  Eyes closed. 
Senses fully extended.  The intrusion of a dark aura caused him to leap to
his feet, but he wasn't quick enough as a dark, furry form slammed into
him.  Twin furrows of flame across his chest caused him to grunt in pain as
he fell backwards, rollling with the hit, and kicking his attacker off of
him.
    Instantly he was on his feet again, facing his attacker.  Red eyes
stared at him with malevolence out of a vaguely canine head.  Its body was
covered in black fur and stood on legs bowed like a dogs.  Blood, Ranma's
blood dripped from inch long claws on its hands.
    Ranma had no illusions about this fight and immediately began powering
up a Roaring Lion Bullet.  Before he had a chance to launch it, the
creature leapt back onto Ranma, taking a bite out of Ranma's shoulder. 
With a howl of pain, Ranma released the Roaring Lion Bullet into the
creature's chest, blasting it back into a tree.
    Ranma stood still for a whole minute watching the creature, smoke
rising from its chest, as it lay at the base of the tree.  As Ranma was
getting ready to approach it, it stirred, emitting a slight whimper which
became a growl as it staggered to its feet.  It stood on shaky legs facing
Ranma.  Even as Ranma began to power up another chi ball, it turned and ran
off in a weak lope.  Ranma fired off his attack.  It hit a tree nearby the
fleeing beast spraying it with large chunks of wood, one of which pierced
its arm.
    As soon as the beast was out of sight, Ranma collapsed to the ground,
and passed out; the brief fight and loss of blood completely wearing him
out.

*****

    When Ranma awoke the next morning he felt completely refreshed.  He
shook his head to clear the morning cobwebs as the previous night's
encounter came back to him.
    He brought his hand up to his chest where the creature's claws had
raked him, but the flesh was whole and unbroken.  "Was it all a dream?" he
asked. 
    His tattered shirt seemed to prove otherwise and he went to the edge of
the clearing where the monster had ran off.  Ranma noticed a tree with a
large patch of bark stripped off and the wood inside the hole splintered. 
He went a little further into the woods and found the remain of the tree
his Roaring Lion Bullet had shattered.  Looking around on the ground, he
found a trail of blood and began to follow it, hoping he could find the
creature while it was still hurt and finish it off.  "A dangerous thing
like that shouldn't be allowed to run loose," he told himself.  He followed
the blood trail for about a half a mile, but lost it when it reached the
small stream that ran through the woods.
    Unable to do anything more, Ranma rinsed himself off quickly in the
stream, and headed back to camp.  When he arrived, Ranma changed his shirt,
as much to ward off the chill morning air as to cover his now female chest,
his now tattered shirt being unable to do either.
    Ranma kept alert for the rest of the day, but there were no more signs
of the beast.  With his training trip ending, Ranma gave no more thought to
the creature, instead focusing on getting everything put away so he could
just get up and go in the moring.  As the now waning moon climbed higher
into the sky, Ranma made one last sweep of the area, but finding nothing
returned to his tent, and slumber.




So, whadda y'all think?  Like I said, it's probably been done before but
the idea just popped into my head and I needed to get it it out.  C&C and
encouragements welcome, flames, as always, will be forwarded to Satan(He's
gotta keep the pilot lit somehow) then deleted.


Thank You for your support,
D.r. Jon Osborne GMPL
DragonMane@compuserve.com

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water, unless of course it's
floating face down.
It's OK to love your mother as long as it don't get her pregnant. (Words to
be taken to heart on the Jerry Springer Show)