Lina sat up in her bed and sighed, hearing the stiffled moan from the next room. "I guess ... I was right.... " she said softly to herself. the wolf whined a momment, as if in responce to her.

Lina winced and looked at herself "great..... well.... no better time to .... strike out on my own." The wolf came out from under the bed and put his paws on the bed, licking her face.

"You wanna come with me?" The wolf panted happily, wagging his tail.

"Alright.... I need a traveling companion anyway" Lina said as she scratched behind his ears. It whined happily, rubbing its head against her hand.

"No running off with any girly wolves tho... " She warned. It kept rubbing, seeming to enjoy the scratching from her fingers. Lina grimaced and decided to clean herself up before dressing..... noting that she was going to be short of helpless for a few days. The wolf sniffed at the stains, making noises.

"Shh... dont wanna let them know...." Lina told it... taking care of herself then dressing. The wolf watched her, still wagging his tail. he only turned his head when another moan reached them from the next room.

Lina frowned "Can't be in thier way anymore... hopefully Amelia will realize soon as well and let those two be happy..." It grew quiet again. Lina patted her thigh "c'mon.... " she whispered to the wolf as she padded out of the room.

The wolf followed her out, still wagging his tail happily. Lina left a pouch of coins on the inkeeper's desk and exited the building... glad to see there was a bright moon to light her path.

The wolf followed at her feet, darting every once in a while if something caught his interest.

"Dont run off and leave me now.... " Lina called after the wolf. He came at her call, still following her. Lina patted his head.. glad to have him as company. "You're probably smarter than Gourry.... you know" Lina remarked...... then sighed deeply. The wolf rubs his head against her hand, then drew away when a twig snapped.

"It's probably just a night bird." Lina said, chuckling slightlyThe wolf started to growl, looking out into the woods. His ears went flat.

Lina frowned "I wish I had your senses pal...." A glint of metal from the woods... someone was there. "shoot..."

The wolf started to bark as several obvoius bandits exited the woods, grinning and holding their weapons.

~Great... they would pop up when I dont have my magic.... ~ Lina thought to herself as she put her hand to the hilt of her sword. They grinned and laughed... and more started stepping out of the woods.

~great.... a fitting end I suppose... but I'm not gonna go alone.....~

The wolf snarled and attacked the bandits in front of them.

Lina took the cue and slashed at the closest bandits... giving a harsh battlecry.... and hoped it was enough to scare them. Some of them fled, but others not under attack seemed to be wondering why she wasn't using magic on them.

The wolf had one bandit down and was mauling him, another bandit was rasing his sword to strike down the wolf. Lina started a light spell... hoping it was enough to fool them. Once done she tossed it at a group of bandits before going after the guy who was gonna skewer her wolf.

More bandits scattered and the guy spinned as Lina came after him. ~Great... this is hopeless enough for me and now I gotta save poochy~ lina thought to herself as she swung her sword at the Bandit.

The bandit got caught by the blade, and then by the wolf as it sprung on him, mauling him as well.

~oh please let them run.... or I'm going to have to run...~ Lina covered the wolf.... making sure nobody else tried to get at him. The remaining bandits scattered, terrified.

"good job.... " Lina pantted and patted the wolf. He licked his bloody tongue over her hand.

"C'mon..." She told him, "lets get going before they figure it out and regroup.... " the wolf licked the blood off, leaving the two dead bodies behind. Lina set off down the trail at a Jog.... wanting to put as much distance as she could between the inn..... and the bandits.... and herself... as she could.

The wolf easily followed her, being able to run again now that he was healed.

"I need ta give you a name friend...." Lina mused.

Once they got to a safe spot the wolf lay down at her side and licked her face.

Lina scratched the wolf's head and smiled. "you're a good wolf.... just hope you wanna hang out with me."

The wolf whined happily and rested his head on her to be scrached.

"Anyway... it seemed like I was following them.... instead of them following me.... It was time to leave....." She said.

The wolf turned its eyes to her, cocking its head to one side.

"It's depressing.... but I started out my journey alone.... might as well get back to being alone....." Lina said.... confiding in the wolf. For some reason, the nice purple color of the eyes seemed familier. "Maybe I can find someone else.... " Lina murmured to herself.... still petting the wolf.

The wolf closed his eyes and seemd to fall asleep on her.

"We can rest here til the sun comes up..... then we'll head for someplace....."

The sun came up all too soon... and for Gourry and Zelgadis they were awoken by frantic pounding on their door.

"uhnn... " gourry groaned and levered himself up from the ever so comfy position he was in.

"Mr Gourry! Mr Zelgadis! Lina's Gone!" Amelia was yelling through the door.

"Zel.. wake up... Amelia's shouting about something...." Gourry shook him gently.

Zelgadis opened his eyes and groaned softly. "Not enough sleep.. what's going on?"

"Something about Lina...."

Amelia just barged in.... and stopped as she looked at them.

Gourry bit his lip and looked at Zel. Zelgadis grimaced and tossed something to cover the fact that Gourry was naked. Amelia was blushing hard...

"Umm... will you give us a minute amelia?" Gourry asked.

She turned around and walked quickly out, closing the door behind her.

"You think she was upset?" Gourry turned to Zelgadis.

"I... think... she was... embaressed." Zelgadis climbed out of bed and got dressed.

Gourry followed suit and pulled on his clothes. Zelgadis dressed quickly and left to find out what Amelia was yelling about. Gourry followed Zel as usual... seemingly unconcerned that Amelia saw them.

Amelia was sitting at a breakfast table, still blushing. "S-sorry..." She said as they sat down.

"It's okay...." Gourry said with his usual smile "Wheres Lina?"

"I have no idea.. and the wolf is gone too... she didn't leave a note but we didn't hear any screams last night, right?"

"No... didnt hear anything"

"Then... I have no idea what happend!"

"Zel... what you think?"

Zelgadis folded his hands. "Perhaps, she just left..."

"Left?"

Amelia frowned. "But why would miss Lina do that?"

Gourry looked at Zel.... not sure.

Zelgadis sighed. "Maybe she didn't want to hang around any more because... well..." He nudged Gourry.

"Oh..." Gourry mused, "you think she'd leave because of that?"

"Maybe...." Zelgadis looked down.

"Cause of what?" Amelia asked.

"Cuz of Zel an I ... bein together" Gourry said matter of factly.

"Oh..." Amelia frowned. "Why didn't she take me with her??" She started to cry.

Gourry tried to comfort Amelia.... but was as clumsy as usual. Amelia stayed crying till food came.

"you think we should find her?" Gourry asked Zel... stuffing food into his mouth shortly after.

"I don't know.... she might not want to be found." Zel replied, getting his coffee.

"Oh... well I'm gonna miss her...."

"Me too..."

"I'm gonna join her." Amelia told them, getting up from the table.

"Dontcha think she left you here for a reason?"

"yeah, maybe to give you two space.. I should join her!"

"Maybe she want to be alone with the wolf?" Gourry suggested..... finding that hard to picture in the way he's thinking though.

Amelia glared at Gourry and stomped off.

"Why'd she get mad?" Gourry asked.

Zelgadis shrugged. "Woman thing?"

"She Jealous of Lina and the wolf?"

Zelgadis shrugged, attending to his coffee.

Meanwhile, the wolf was licking Lina's face to wake her.

"Mmph... tired..." Lina groaned.

The wolf whined and settled back down at her side.

"I'm gettin up...."

The wolf got back to his feet and barked exitidly.

"whaat?" Lina stands up stiffly...

It pawed a dead rabbit it had appearently caught.

"Oh... you got us breakfast huh?"

It picked the rabbit up and presented it to her.

"Well... we'll split it... unless you already ate."

it just wagged its tail and sat there at her feet. Lina takes out a dagger and starts skinning it... apparently having done this before. The wolf ran off, coming back a minute later with a nice stick in its mouth, good for fire wood.

Lina chuckled "you're trained pretty well"

The wolf dropped the stick at her feet and whined.

"wanna get more while I try to get enough power to make a fire?"

The wolf ran off again, repeating what it had done until there was a small pile of good sticks at Lina's feet. Lina smiled and managed to get a small fire started.... spitting the rabbit on a stick and settling it among the flames. The wolf settled down with a stray stick, gnawing on it.

Still gotta give you a name...." Lina said and poked at the fire boredly. The wagging tail of the wolf kept hitting her side. "I know who you remind me of now....."

Gnawing... more gnawing as the wolf held the stick between two paws.

"I'm gonna call you Xel... how's that sound?"

The wolf dropped his stick and looked at her, whining.

"don't like?"

It came over and started licking her face, settling down next to her again.

"That a yes or no?"

It stayed licking... no way to tell if it understood. Lina scratched behind the wolf's ears... and chuckled. It whined again, wagging its tail faster.

"Well like it or not Im gonna call you that..... you remind me a lot of him.... "

It layed its head on her and closed its eyes.

"Havent seen him in a long time... I wonder what he's up to.... probably tormenting something."

The wolf whined.

"I kinda liked him.... but ... he was a Mazoku and stuff...." Lina said... confiding in the wolf again.

The wolf continued to whine a little, his head still resting on her.

"Breakfast's almost ready....." Lina said... patting the wolf.... beliving his whining to be impatience.

The wolf lifted his head away and panted, seeming to be waiting for the food.

Lina poked the rabbit out of the flames and divided it in half. "Here ya go.... not much but Its food ne?"

The wolf gobbled it up, wagging his tail happily. Lina ate hers a little slower... knowing it may have to last a while. She licked her fingers when she was done. The wolf licked his muzzle and stood up.

"Ready to move along?" Lina asked.... putting out the fire.

The wolf barked as if responding.

"Alright... you wanna pick the way we go?"

The wolf headed down the path, wagging his tail and waiting for Lina. Lina followed the wolf... happy to be on the road again.

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> The continued down the road all day... and were still on it as night started to fall and the wolf just stopped in his tracks, looking up.

<Valgaav> "whats up?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> The moon.. it was so bright as it started to rise... The wolf whined and whimpered and started chasing his tail.

<Valgaav> "Hmm.... time to break for camp?" Lina says... watching the wolf

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> The wolf whimpered and lay on the path, twitching as the rising moonlight hit him.

<Valgaav> Lina frowns "Your wound acting back up?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> The body of the wolf started to twitch as it whimpered, parts of it seeming to buldge and change.

<Valgaav> "Wh... whats happening?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> It whimpered more as the change of the full moon hit it.... this was something from ancient myth, said to have vanished before the war 1000 years ago... a wolf werewolf...

<Valgaav> Lina takes a few steps back "Y... youre an inversed werewolf?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> after the transform was over the wolf-humanion whimpered in pain on the ground.

<Valgaav> Lina swallows and moves back to the now person .... wolf.... "A... are you okay?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> It was whimpering.. as if it wasn't used to this at all.. but, how since it was fully grown?

<Valgaav> Lina pulls off her cloak and spreads it over the person

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> "Sss..o.. l-loo..ng.." she could hear it whisper.

<Valgaav> Lina sighs "Eesh I shoulda guessed you werent a regular wolf...."

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> It whimpered more and curled up under the cloak. "p-pa..in..."

<Valgaav> Lina frowns "anything I can do to help?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> The wolf's ears flattend and it curled the cloak around his shivering body.

<Valgaav> "I cant cast any spells"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> Eventually he sat up, pulling the cloak around his waist.

<Valgaav> "Great.... now you can tell me your name since you didnt seem to like the one I picked

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> His ears flattened again. "N-na..me?"

<Valgaav> "What... you dont have one?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> He looked down and whimpered again.

<Valgaav> "No? Aww.... did you grow up all alone or something?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> "N..no... j-jus..t... b-e..en... s-s..o.. l-l..ong.."

<Valgaav> "Only a mont.... right?"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> He shook his head. "D-d-on't.. k-no..w.. wh-a..t.. to.. s-sa..y"

<Valgaav> "Hmm... "

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> He pawed his head, as if trying to think.

<Valgaav> "Well... my names Lina... in case you didnt already know"

<Xellos AKA Nuriko> "K-now... h-av..e kn-own..."