– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The musty scent of old books permeated the library, a familiar and comforting smell to Willow. Hanging out in the library has had at least one positive effect on Buffy, she thought, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the gravity of the situation. It had taught her how to do research, when it needed to be done. Like now.

Willow loved research, the thrill of diving into musty old tomes and unearthing ancient knowledge. But getting Buffy together with a book was sometimes a challenge, and other times was not even in the realm of possibility, the Slayer preferring action to academia.

Buffy sat on the steps leading up to the stacks, a huge folio across her lap, her brow furrowed in concentration as she scanned the pages. Her blonde hair fell in a curtain around her face, obscuring her expression. Willow sat at a table, reading one of her own, the heavy leather-bound volume open before her. The dim light from the lamps cast an eerie glow over the pages, the words seeming to dance before her eyes.

At any other time, she would have been enjoying this a great deal more, relishing the opportunity to lose herself in the world of words. But not right now...

She raised her head as the dark-haired boy in front of her let out a slight groan, his face contorting in discomfort. Willow's expression fell as she caught sight of Xander's body laid out on the table directly across from her, a cold towel on his forehead, his skin pale and clammy. He looked so vulnerable, so unlike the lively, goofy Xander she knew and loved.

His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, his eyes darting beneath closed lids. Willow's heart clenched at the sight, worry gnawing at her insides. Come on, Xander, she thought, her fingers tightening around the edge of the book. You've got to pull through this.

The door had been locked as school had been let out a long time ago, the three of them hoping Xander would awaken, that whatever strange sickness had taken hold of him would release its grip. Unfortunately, no such luck. He remained unconscious, trapped in whatever fever dream had claimed him.

"Wow," Buffy said, her voice cutting through the silence and catching Willow's attention for a moment. "Apparently Noah rejected hyenas from the Ark because he thought they were an evil, impure mixture of dogs and cats."

"Hyenas aren't well-liked," Willow agreed, nodding sagely. "They've got a pretty bad rap, historically speaking."

"They do seem to be the shmoes of the animal kingdom," Buffy said, bringing the book down to show Willow a picture, a detailed etching of a snarling hyena, its teeth bared in a ferocious grin.

Willow shuddered, the image a little too close to home given Xander's current state. "Why couldn't Xander be possessed by a puppy?" she asked, her voice wistful. "Or some ducks? Ducks are nice. They don't hurt anyone."

"That's assuming 'possession' is the right word," Buffy said, her tone skeptical as she closed the book with a thump.

"Oh, I'd say it is," Giles offered, emerging from another part of the library, yet another book in his hands, his finger marking his place. His tweed jacket was slightly rumpled, his glasses askew on his nose. "The Masai of the Serengeti have spoken of animal possession for generations. I should have remembered that." He added, looking chagrined, as if he had failed some personal test of knowledge as a Watcher.

"So how does it work?" Buffy asked, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees as she looked up at Giles expectantly.

"Well," he explained, his voice taking on that familiar lecturing tone, "apparently there's a sect of animal worshippers, known as Primals. They believe that humanity — consciousness, the soul — is a perversion, a dilution of spirit. To them, the animal state is holy. They're able, through transpossession, to draw the spirit of certain animals into themselves."

"And then they start acting like hyenas," Buffy said, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

"Only the most predatory animals were of interest to Primals," Giles said, nodding. "So yes, that would fit."

"How do you explain Xander then?" Willow asked, her voice tight with worry as she glanced back at her friend's prone form. "He's still unconscious, Giles, and he's sweating so much. It's like he's burning up from the inside." She wrung her hands, the action a physical manifestation of her anxiety.

As if on cue, Willow was interrupted by another groan from Xander, his body twitching on the table. The redhead was at his side in an instant, her hand hovering over his forehead,almost afraid to touch him. "Giles, there's got to be something we can do," she said, her voice tight with worry. "We can't just let him suffer like this."

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The Watcher sighed, closing his book with a snap. "I'm afraid there's not much we can do until we know more about the possession. These Primals, they're a secretive bunch. Not much is known about their rituals or how to reverse them."

"So we hit the books again," Buffy said, standing up and stretching, her joints popping. "There's got to be something in one of these musty old things that can help Xander."

The older Brit nodded his head almost absentmindedly. "Well… we do know this is a case of transposition as Xander was with the other students who are displaying classic and expected traits," Giles began, flipping through the book in his hands as he paced back and forth, his footsteps echoing in the quiet library. "I just don't know why Xander is reacting this way. It's almost as if... as if something in him is fighting the possession… which is a small mercy but also... confusing for many more reasons."

"Why is it confusing?" Willow asked, face twisted up a little.

The Watcher looked over at her, expression hard to read for a moment. Then he spoke, "Simply put, the essence of a beast is essentially impossible to resist by humans in a transpossession. An earthly one, at least. After all, humans are earthly beasts, as well. If a transpossesion goes badly, it's generally rather... immediate," Giles finished, a slightly more sickly look on his face.

"Giles, there's gotta be something you know," Buffy asked, her voice urgent, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You've been Watching for how long now? You're telling me you guys have never had to exorcize someone?" Buffy, as usual, was looking for solutions while everyone else was still focused on the problem.

Giles removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he sighed. "I'm afraid I still don't have all the pieces," he replied, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Accounts of the Primals and their methods are a bit thin on the ground. There is some talk of a predatory act, but the exact ritual is …" He shook his head, and picked up one of his massive books, the leather cover worn and cracked with age. He flipped to a certain page, his finger skimming down the text as he continued. "The 'Malleus Maleficarum' deals with the particulars of demonic possession, which may apply."

He put the book down on the table, flipping a few more pages, the sound of rustling paper filling the quiet library. "Yes, one should be able to transfer the spirits to another human —"

"Oh, thanks, great," Buffy interrupted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Any volunteers? 'Cause I've already got my hands full with one possessed friend, don't really need another."

"Oh," Giles said, his voice small as he realized the implication of his words. "Good point."

Buffy went on, her mind racing. "What we need to do is put the hyena back in the hyena. Reverse the whole transpossession thing, right?"

"But, until we know more —" Giles began, his tone cautious.

Buffy was onto something, an idea, and Willow got a little thrill from watching her chase it down, like a dog on a scent trail. "Betcha that zookeeper can help us," the Slayer said, her eyes lighting up with realization. "Maybe he didn't quarantine those hyenas 'cause they were sick."

Giles seemed to catch on, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding. "We should talk to him," he agreed, already moving towards the door.

Propelled by her own enthusiasm, Buffy started for the door as well, then stopped again, her hand on the handle. "Oh, wait," she said, turning back to look at Willow. "Somebody's gotta watch Xander. We can't just leave him here all alone, not in his condition."

Willow stood, her jaw set with determination. "I will," she said, her voice firm despite the worry in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked, concern etched on her features. "If he wakes up —"

"I'll be alright. Go." Willow's voice was steady.

"Come on," Buffy said to Giles, jerking her head towards the door. They left, the sound of their footsteps fading as they hurried down the hall, leaving Willow alone again in the dark library.

Except for Xander, of course, still out cold on the table, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Willow sighed, settling herself into a chair beside him. "I know you're gonna be alright, Xander."