Day passed quickly for Lina and Gourry as they prepared their plan for the night. Neither of them intended to leave the forest and let the demon wolf win, especially not after seeing the powers he and his pack possessed. Their plan was for Lina to fight the magic susceptible lackeys while Gourry attacked the weakened Maookami. Towards sunset they heard the painfully mournful howl of the white wolf.
Lina glanced towards the direction of the sound and saw several shapes slinking around the campsite. A man clad in rough garb stepped out of the dark, revealing his gray hair and one gold eye. The sorceress warily prepared a fireball as Gourry drew his sword.
"You'll pay for hurting our Alpha." The man growled. "No one hurts our Alpha!" The sun sank and he transformed. Fur covered skin and bones and cartilage twisted and reformed. The one-eyed wolf stood before them, growling menacingly. Six more wolves appeared from the darkness around them. The great white wolf did not appear with them at first; rather, he limped slowly out behind the one eyed beast. His blue eyes focused on the metal blade in Gourry's ready hands, and the wild energy Lina channeled for spells.
"Be careful." He said to One-Eye. "You do not have to do this." One-Eye moved slightly, putting its head under Maookami's chin in a display of loyalty and submission. Lina could see Maookami wince as he slunk further into the clearing. An angry dark red patch on the white fur marked the spot where Lina struck him the night before. The pack gathered around the taller beast whose eyes glittered like facetted sapphires.
"This is for what you have done to the Pack, Outsiders." Maookami growled. The lupine beasts moved into a 'V' formation with the white wolf at point and closest to the humans. He threw back his head and howled, and his ivory horn gleamed in the moonlight.
Gourry attacked first, darting forward and slashing at Maookami. One of the gray wolves flanking to the right of the Alpha threw itself in front of the swordsman, slamming into the blond man's side and sending him reeling off balance. Lina cast a Flare Arrow at the offending lycanthrope, but Maookami stepped forward and neutralized the attack. She quickly changed her target to a ruddy colored wolf on the far left end, but Maookami shifted his stance and absorbed the Fireball she threw. Gourry lunged for the leader while the great beast was distracted by the sorceress' attacks, but two more wolves blocked his attack and nearly made him drop his sword. He hesitated to draw the Sword of Light; if he did, they'd have little protection against Maookami himself. The one-eyed second in command saw the swordsman's pause and it charged him with fervor. Lin shot an Elmekia Lance at the wolf that broke formation, but in an instant the white wolf was in front of her and the holy spell was gone.
"Tris! Do not break formation!" He snarled, transferring his gaze. Tris, the one-eyed wolf, slunk back into its position as the Alpha male stood vigil.
"Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows, buried in the stream of time -- " Lina scowled and began the chant for the Dragon Slave.
"I would not do that if I were you, Lina Inverse..." Maookami's cerulean eyes narrowed.
"You know my name?" She gasped, her concentration broken by the wolf's low, soft voice.
"Of course I know your name, Outsider." The white beast murmured. "Your raw power gives you away. Grace without elegance. Strength without restraint. Beauty without effort. You could still join us, Lina. You do not have to be an Outsider. You could be Pack Mate..."
"Flattery will get you nowhere." The redhead said tightly as the wolf pack moved to cut off Lina and Gourry's escape.
"I thought as much." Maookami sighed. "This Pack will have to kill you, then."
"Many have tried." She sneered.
"I am sorry." Maookami threw back his head and howled mournfully, and his ivory horn illuminated the dark night sky with a flash of light. She charged in that instant, while the rest of the pack rushed Gourry. They all struck at once. Lina dove underneath the tall creature, bringing her blade across his chest in a fierce slash. Blood splashed across the earth from the deep wound that ravaged his torso, and he fell to the ground with a sound not unlike that of a young child's scream. He lashed out as he collapsed, ripping open her shoulder. At the same time Gourry drew the Sword of Light and beheaded two of the wolves. The remaining four leapt on him and started attacking with fangs and claws. Both sides rushed to their fallen comrades after that, trying to get them up and out of danger. Maookami glared at the humans as his pack helped him up.
"Leave." He growled. If we meet again, I will not miss on purpose."
"I'm not going to give up!" Lina yelled back. "If we meet again, I'm going to kill your entire pack!"
"You will regret those words, Lina Inverse." He said solemnly. "I will not let you kill them."
The lycanthropes disappeared into the darkness of the forest while Lina healed Gourry's major wounds. When day came, they attempted to follow the trail of the wolves by Maookami's blood, but they were not able to find the lair of their opponents.