"Daniel, would you come back here and stop that ridiculous gallivanting" Wesley Wyndham-Price called to his 6 year old charge who was running ahead pretending to be a wolf.
Oz turned and growled at his guardian. Didn't the guy know that you shouldn't annoy a werewolf?
Wesley stared at the child in astonishment. The boy had growledat him. How dare he. Had he no respect for his elders?
"My name's Oz, not Daniel" Oz stated firmly.
"I told you before Daniel, I will not call you by that infernal nickname you have invented for yourself" Wesley stold him, just as firmly.
Wesley had been assigned to the boy by the Council. The child's parents had helped the watchers in the past, and when they were killed in a plane crash the watchers had felt they had some responsibility for the boy.
What they had not known was that the child was a werewolf. That had been discovered later, and the council had not mentioned the fact to Wesley until after he had agreed to watch over the child.
Then of course he could not go back on his word. To do so would be to destroy his honour among the Watchers. So he had looked after the child as best he could.
A few weeks ago he had received orders from the council. He and his ward were to go and live in Traverston, the small town owned by the council (Quentin Travers had been the one who founded the place, and had chosen to name it after himself).
Apparently the council had decided that the boy should have playmates of his own age, but still be in a place where he could be supervised by the watchers Council at all times.
Wesley was a bit apprehensive about this move. As far as his knowledge went, there were mainly female children in the town, with the few exceptions being children of watchers.
Daniel and Wesley would not be living with the watchers however, they would be among the potentials, for most of the watchers did not wish their children to play with a werewolf, it just wasn't decent. He could bite them.
The Potentials had no parents there to object, so it was among them they were to live.
Wesley was not sure how the boy would react to being among all those girls, and also as far as he knew all but 4 of the children in that part of the town were much older than his charge.
And those four? They were becoming notorious as troublemakers among the watchers council. Tales of them had reached Wesley's ears and he was not impressed.
The watcher in charge of them must be very slack, he thought. He was not sure her wanted Daniel to mix with the four of them either. He was already enough trouble, without being placed in the prescence of children who were likely to have a negative influence on him.
Oz ran ahead again. Wow! This was the place they were going to be living? Cool. He wondered if there were any kids his age here. He'd been stuck with only stuffy Wes for company for about a year. It sure would be cool to be with people the same age as him.
Just then a little redheaded girl ran into him. She looked about his age. He decided to be friendly and introduce himself.
"Hey, I'm Oz, who're you?" He asked, thinking how nice this strange girl looked in her blue overalls with a bunny on.
"I'm Willow" the girl replied softly. "Sorry I knocked you over Oz" Willow looked at the boy she had run into. Oz. What a weird name. She decided she liked it.
"Daniel Osbourne, would you come backe here!" An irate Wesley called. He caught up with his charge and found the boy talking to a little girl who looked around the same age as him.
Oh no. If she was about the same age as him. That meant she was one of the terrible foursome. Strange. He had been imagining wild looking things, with uncontrolled hair and messy clothes. This child looked well kempt. And, well kind of sweet.
Then the figures he had been imagining ran up to the red head. Three of them. Oh god. Damn his imagination, why couldn't they have all looked like the little red head?
A slightly out of breath man, wearing tweed came up, chasing after the little girls. Ah. This must be Rupert Giles. The watcher assigned to the four children.
Giles looked at the younger man standing next to him. Ah. This must be the new watcher. The one in charge of the young werewolf. And that must be the werewolf. Strange. He had been imagining a snarling child, with wild hair, and who looked like he would turn on someone any minute. This boy was smartly dressed, even if his hair was a little messy.
He turned to the new watcher, who was to live with then. "Hello, Wesley isn't it? I'm Rupert Giles. Guardian of those four. Welcome to Traverston."
Giles called his four wards over and introduced them. "Girls, this is Mr Wyndham- Price. He is going to be living with us, along with his charge Daniel Osbourne. Wesley, I would like to introduce Faith, Kendra and Buffy, who are Potentials and Willow, who is a student witch"
Wesley smiled weakly at the four. So the quiet looking one was a witch? Well she looked studious at least. He would try and persuade Daniel to spend more time with her. Maybe she would be a good influence on him.
As Giles' charges ran ahead to show their new friend where he would be staying, Giles himself conversed with Wesley. The man seemed rather stuffy, but most of the council was.
He noticed the younger man was looking disapprovingly at the three young Potentials. Giles knew that the antics of the children had spread throughout the Council. He just hoped that Wesley was not going to be too shocked by the way they acted.
As Giles saw young Oz with his four charges, it was obvious they would get along fine. And as for Wesley? Well only time would tell.