Author's Notes: Wee! I love writing about Drahkin and the White Wolfs...It's a nice change. I like writing for Renka...she's so fun! She reminds me of Moren.

So anyway...I know I was supposed to make each Arelle saga about 17 chapters, but I guess it's obvious i won't be ending it at 17 this saga. I just have too much to fit in! I guess it doesn't really hurt to make it longer, though, even though it was unplanned. Well, that's life.

So anyway, I do have some news! I will be missing next Thursday's update because I'm going to another anime connvention, but this time it's different--this time i'm selling anime art at a booth in Artist Alley! Woo! Isn't that nifty? So, that's what's been going on in my life. Drawing. Coloring. Formating. Printing. Gah! It's a ton of trouble, but it's incredibly exciting! If anyone is going to Otakon this year, be sure to stop by my booth! It's called Amai's Designs. Yeppers. So, no update next Thursday. But I will be back. Oh yes. And hopefully with more money than when I left, muahaha ^.^

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Renka sighed as she and the two other White Wolfs marched through the forest.

"Are we almost to the camp yet? It seems like we've been going forever, and my stomach's killing me! I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast, and it's almost supper time now—we've been gone all day! We should've eaten at the village!" Renka sighed, dragging her feet. "Are we even going the right direction? Are we lost? When will we get to the camp?" Renka asked.

The other White Wolfs sighed.

"Yes, we're going right way, Renka, and we'll be there shortly," one of them said.

"How shortly?" Renka asked.

The White Wolf rolled his eyes. "Within an hour, no doubt," he said.

"Well, that's pretty good!" she said, a bit more cheerful. "I love shopping for the clan—I can always imagine just how they'll react to each of the new things I bought—especially food. What is it with the clan and food? Not that I could really blame them, as I suppose I eat my share," she said.

"...Or more…" one of the White Wolfs muttered.

Renka narrowed her eyes dangerously. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you…" she said, her voice low and threatening.

The White Wolf looked at her innocently. "Huh? What do you mean? You must be hearing things," the White Wolf said.

"HEARING things, EH? Well, I—" Renka began, but was cut off.

"I wonder how Commander Raaj will like the new dagger you bought him!" the White Wolf exclaimed out of nowhere.

Renka paused, her expression turning into a grin. "I bet he'll like it, don't you? It even has a dragon carved into the hilt! He said he liked dragons. I bet he'll like it. Don't you think so?" Renka went on happily, her attitude changed completely.

Suddenly, Renka stopped in her tracks, sniffing the air. "Heyy…I smell a campfire! It must be the camp!" she exclaimed happily. Renka ran ahead of the White Wolfs and then turned around briefly. "Come on guys, we're almost there!" she said, running up ahead.

Renka tore through the brushes, following the smell of smoke. Before long she reached a clearing and came to a sudden halt. She gasped. White Wolf men lay scattered across the camp, all bearing gashing wounds. Renka screamed, falling to her knees.

What had happened? What was going on?! Why had happened to the White Wolfs?!

Renka ran up to the closest man, looking over his wounds. He had a deep gash in his side.

"What happened here?" Renka asked the man.

The man's eyes fluttered open and when he saw Renka, he leaned his head up. "It was a demon…he sprang out of the bushes and went straight for Commander Raaj…We never saw it coming… The Commander lasted as best he could, but we couldn't get to him in time—he was knocked out by the demon-like man. We attack the demon-man, but he was just so powerful…without Commander Raaj, we couldn't stand up to him…If only he hadn't gotten the upper-hand on Commander Raaj, then he could have beaten him, I think… He defeated us, but by the time he had finished the last of us, he had many gaping wounds…he just kept going, though…he kept going… like a demon…" the man rolled his eyes up as if remembering the battle. By now the other two White Wolfs had reached the camp, and were in time to hear what had happened.

Renka looked down at him, her face tinged with sadness and fear. "He defeated Commander Raaj…?" she whispered in almost disbelief. "And he…he took him? He took Commander Raaj away?" Renka asked.

The man nodded slightly.

"When…when did this happen?" Renka asked.

The man paused. It seemed like it had been forever ago—he had been waiting here, bleeding to death for so long…. "He came at around noon…"

Renka looked up at the sky. A few hours till sunset.

Renka rose to her feet quickly. Without hesitation, she ran to the horses.

"Wait! Renka! Just what are you planning on doing!" the White Wolfs who had been with her asked, running after her.

"I'm going to take revenge for the White Wolfs! I'm going to get Commander Raaj back!" she exclaimed, running to her white horse.

The White Wolfs grabbed her, restraining her. "Do you really think you can defeat him when Commander Raaj himself failed? Think about what you're doing, Renka! Don't be so foolish!"

Renka struggled from their grasps and jumped onto her horse, startling it. Kicking the horse in the sides, it took off like a bolt of lightning, ignoring the yells from the White Wolfs.

The White Wolfs looked at each other in worry and desperation.

"One of us has to stay here and guard the fallen men—the wolves will come out at night, and the fallen will be an easy feast," said one.

The other nodded. "I'll stay here—you go! And hurry—the foolish girl is too hot-headed to realize what she's getting into!"

The other nodded as he jumped onto his horse and headed after Renka.

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Drahkin rode silently down the slightly beaten path. The horse he was on he had taken from the White Wolf's camp, and beside him was another horse he had taken, which had three White Wolfs, tied up well and slung over it. Drahkin held the harness to the other horse in his hand, and the White Wolfs' weapons slung at his side. These three were the only identified White Wolfs, and thus the only ones Drahkin could get a bounty for. The others he had knocked out or wounded and left at their camp. He had no need for them.

Drahkin stared at the path ahead of him, glancing at the White Wolfs every few minutes, just to keep an eye on them. His left hand held his side where one of the White Wolfs had cut him deeply, his other holding onto the other horse's harness. Drahkin felt his side ache with the jolt of the horse's every step. Blood dripped down his side and onto the horse's back. He had cut it close this time. Too close. He strained his eyes looking ahead, hoping to see the town coming up, but it was no use—the forest was too thick to see much ahead. Still, he should be arriving back at the town soon, shouldn't he? He looked up at the sky—a few more hours till sunset. He hoped he would get in before nightfall…

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Renka dug her heels into the horse's sides, but the brush was too thick to go too fast through. As the horse galloped along at a fast pace, Renka pulled out a piece of white clothe with the symbol of the White Wolfs printed on it and tied it above her nose, making a cloth mask from above her nose to her chin, covering half her face. All that remained visible was her eyes. Pulling out another band of white cloth with the White Wolf symbol on it, she tied it across her forehead. She pulled her short blonde hair back into a tight ponytail, and pulled the hood of her cape down low over her face. 'Good,' she thought, 'now I'm ready for battle!'

Riding on through the forest, she quickly began to lose patience. Where were they? Surely the attacker couldn't have made it that far—supposedly he had been badly wounded, not to mention he had had to bring along a few more unconscious men with him. Surely he couldn't have gone too far…surely she could reach him in time!

On she rode, her anger and anxiety burning inside her. At first she could hear the footsteps of horses from the White Wolf behind her, but eventually it faded away as she gained on him. She kept her horse going fast, on and on for hours. Just as the sun was setting behind her, she heard the sound of horses in front of her. Perking up, she hastily drew out her weapons—two of what looked like small scythes, which were called kamas. These were her weapons of battle—she only used them when she was preparing for a real battle—otherwise she used her fists.

She brought her horse to a halt and jumped off it, quietly landing on the forest floor. Now off her horse, she ran after Drahkin on foot, using her stealth to sneak up on him. Before too long she saw Drahkin on his horse, leading another horse that, as she saw, had three of her White Wolf companions draped over it. Everything was dark; the stars and moon beginning to show themselves; the sun already set.

Renka was glad of her Rogue training as she ran in the bushes beside Drahkin, not making a single noise. She scampered up an overhanging tree slightly ahead of him and waited for him to pass below her. She was already panting from trying to pass him on the horse, and she wiped the sweat from her brow. In a few moments, Drahkin passed beneath her, and at that very moment, Renka dropped from the tree onto him, slicing at his stomach.

Drahkin, surprised, dodged her surprise attack as best he could, but his horse, startled, took off, throwing himself and the attacker to the ground. Drahkin struggled to get up, but the attacker was quick on her feet, and jumped up, charging Drahkin with the kamas again.

Drahkin jumped back as her kamas went into the ground, spraying grass into the air.

"Who are you and why are you attacking me?" Drahkin asked.

Renka looked at him, her white robes piercing the dark shadows. "I am Renka of the White Wolfs! I've come to retrieve Commander Raaj and the others, you low-down bounty-hunter!" Renka exclaimed.

Drahkin was shocked! This was a girl! Although she tried to distort her voice to fool him, it was obvious, just by her figure and voice. He couldn't see what she looked like, though, for she was completely covered, except for her eyes, and it was too dark to see them, anyway. "Low-down? Me? Perhaps, perhaps not. What about you, girl? You're the bandit!" Drahkin exclaimed.

"The White Wolfs are not ordinary bandits! Don't classify us with those other bandits! And how did you know I was a girl?!" Renka exclaimed.

"Anyone can tell you're a girl—don't think the pathetic voice distorting will fool anyone! And you think your band is different from the rest? I know your band…I know it from long ago! You're dirty murderers!" Drahkin exclaimed.

"Murderers?! You're lying! The White Wolfs never kill unless it's absolutely necessary!" Renka replied.

"Oh really?" Drahkin's voice was lined with pain and anger, "Well what about innocent, defenseless little girls? What about Linnira?!" Drahkin exclaimed.

"You're wrong! We've never killed a little girl! We've never killed anyone innocent! …Well, there was that time..." Renka mumbled, remembering something, but she was cut off.

"I'm sick of hearing you try to justify yourself! If you want to fight me, fight me!" Drahkin said, charging her. He swung his huge sword at her, but she jumped in time to avoid it.

Seeing an opening, Renka swung her kama at his side, but he was too skilled—he swung to the side, dodging her attack, and as he came back, elbowed her in the stomach. Renka staggered back, the wind knocked out of her, but Drahkin wasn't finished—he swiftly moved in to her again, hitting her on the head with the hilt of his sword with great force.

Renka crumbled to the ground—he was too strong for her. She looked up at him as she lost consciousness and saw the hood of his cloak fly off, revealing his face in the dim light of the moon. Her last thoughts were of surprise—she knew him. He was the one who had fought them before, and taken in nearly all of the White Wolfs, nearly destroying the clan. He was the one who had almost killed Commander Raaj. He was the one she had sworn vengeance on.

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Oh, and I wanted to thank all the support everyone's been giving me recently! With all the reviews and nice compliments--I feel so loved! ^.^ I just want to thank everyone again for supporting me so much! Arelle is what it is because of you guys!

And another thing--the polls are still up! Arelle is 4 aginast Lilliah's 3. It's nice to see even more people voting on this one! ^.^ Remember to feel free to write comments in the polls at the bottoms, if you want. It'd be awesome to hear people's opinions on the characters or anything else in Arelle.

Oh, and one last thing--I updated the Arelle section for my site, and now we have complete bios for all the characters, plus all the chapters in Arelle thus far! As soon as I finish with Otakon, I hope to draw covers for the Arelle sagas--but that's for later. Check out the Arelle page at the bottom of my bio! And also, *gasp* the main page is finally up! If for some reason you get the urge to check out the main page, you can now behold it's spiffiness! And pinkness...hmm...

Blue the Echidna: Hmm... the white wolves gonna go bye bye eh? Wonder what miss Renka will think when she finds the others dead or something hmm. Poor Drahkin! He needs hugs too.
Amai's Reply: haha! When you think about it, I think ALL my characters need a hug...hmm...it almost makes me feel sorry for making them all have such tragic pasts...^.^;;

DEbig3 (debig3@comcast.net): yay, arelle is back! should be interesting to see where the story goes with renka.. i dont imagine raaj will play much of a role ;p
Amai's reply: Well, originally Raaj wasn't gonna do much, but I'm trying to give him a bigger part now... He'll probably mostly be in flashbacks, hehe ^.^

ow my brain: hey can u hook Moren and Arelle up already lol
Amai's reply: lol, not this again! Didn't I tell you I have to drag out their relationship to incredible extremes to keep you interested in reading? ^.^ Actually, it shouldn't be TOO long until they confess their love...just hang in there, it's coming! They get closer and closer with every 'bonding talk' they have!