The Ghostly Saga of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Scooby-Doo. Hannah Barbara does. But if did, I'd make Shaggy and Scooby the main MAIN characters.

It was like any other day for young Chloe Smith. Everything seemed to be perfect. Her father had wanted to go out for a drive with his family, having had a good night at his job. Despite working an office job, he loved the work he did. So he had taken her and her mother out for a drive around the town.

It only took four seconds for everything to go wrong. Four terrifying, agonizing seconds for Chloe's world to crumble at only seven years old. The crashing... the explosion... the pouring rain, and the thunder. So many things were happening at once. The sheriff had arrived to survey the scene, only to say something the girl would never forget. "Two deceased; the daughter is the only survivor." She remembered him saying. These were the words that haunted her nightmares night after night. Chloe faintly remembered being taken to the hospital to be treated for a couple of injuries. Nothing too serious, just some burns and a hurt foot. But nothing could take away the pain she felt from losing her parents. Her mother, Valena, was always so tender and loving. Her father, Ambros, was stern, but he loved Chloe to bits, always willing to spend time with her. She wasn't sure if she would ever feel loved again. 

The orphanage she was in certainly made her feel more assertive about this. The people who ran it somehow kept their jobs as Caretakers since they never let anyone know how despicable they were. They beat the children senseless for no particular reason, and Chloe was just about sick. One night, Chloe made a daring escape into the Crystal Cove Forest, heading toward town with no intention of stopping. When she finally reached the city, she staggered to a stop, tired, cold, and heartbroken. Under a bench is where she stayed the night, using some old dirty towels for blankets against the cold. She stayed underneath it, trying to sleep when she heard something light yet heavy approaching. It sounded like footsteps, so she tried to remain as quiet as possible to stay hidden. She was trembling, making it that much harder to keep herself from being caught, and she lightly whimpered out of fear. A figure came into view, and it scared her more when she noticed that she was looking at furry paws on the ground. 

Was it a bear? A  wolf? A mountain lion? No... none of those would come this close to town. What could it be, then? She then witnessed a muzzle lean down to sniff at her before fully coming into view to see a white leopard with icy blue eyes staring at her. "O-Oh..." Chloe whispered in awe. "Wh-Who are you?" She asked the Leopard. The Leopard tilted its head as she spoke, eyes staring into hers as if to say, "I should be asking you that question."

"M-My name is Chloe. I... I don't have a family... Not anymore. The orphanage I lived at was cruel and unkind. So... I live here," Chloe explained to the Leopard. The Leopard's ears flattened behind her head, sensing the girl's pain. She laid down on the ground to crawl over to the girl and lick her face tenderly, nuzzling her to comfort her. To her, no cub should be out on their own with no one to turn to. "... You're lovely for a leopard. I'm going to call you Leotah." Chloe said to the Leopard with a giggle. She then sighed as she began to rub through Leotah's fur with her hand, thinking to herself. Leotah knew she would have to find Chloe somewhere safe, where she could be cared for until she got a permanent home. Suddenly, an idea hit her. Leotah could take the girl to her den, and she could take care of the girl for a while until she found a home for her. She helped the girl out of hiding and invited her onto her back before running back into the forest. Chloe was unsure where the Leopard was taking her until they arrived in a small den outside town. 

The den was small but had plenty of for her and Leotah. It was nice and warm to keep out the rain and wind. Leotah curled around the girl, licking her face with a purr, then laid her head near Chloe's. Chloe wasted no time going to sleep, thankful she had a new friend to look out for her. The following day came by fast as a few rays of sunlight entered the cave, waking the Leopard with a big yawn. While Chloe was still sleeping, Leotah slipped away to survey the town and see who would qualify as Chloe's new temporary caretaker. She then spotted a slim teen and his big dog walking on the sidewalk as they shared a sandwich that was way too large and long to finish. Yet, somehow the duo was able to do it. They both then shared a laugh as they laughed about still being hungry. They seemed kind and loving, and she felt a strong urge to go toward them. But she had to keep her distance, so she didn't scare them. The big dog, however, had other plans. He lifted his nose to sniff the air. "Rat?" He said aloud before following the scent.