o.O Koichi, you're a dude? LoL, I assumed from your name that you were a girl! Oops, hahaha, ok, sorry, lol, I'll get back to answering your review now, lol. Yep, Raika made a big mistake in calling werewolves monsters, and Bass is going to have his hide! Ok, Recap: Last time, we met Hokori, the most popular guy and most powerful wolf in Chaula's school. Raika grew angry when Hokori started being friendly to Chaula and when Chaula took Raika inside to talk to him about it, he made the mistake of calling werewolves monsters, deeply hurting Chala to the point where she ran out of the Underground. What does Hokori want? What is Raika going to do to fix his relationship with Chaula? Will they ever be friends again? Only one way to find out.

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Chaula was trying hard not to cry as she walked through the town.

"Chaula, what happened? Are you alright?" Her netnavi Protias asked her. No, she wasn't alright. Her best friend in the whole world just called her a monster, when all she was trying to do was get the most popular guy in her school to like her. Why would he do that? Why would Raika betray her like that? It hurt her so deeply, he knew that. She wanted to go home and cry, she would never cry in public, but she wanted to let out her feelings. While she was walking, she didn't notice someone sneak up behind her. He grabbed her waist in a playful manner, making her scream and turn around, teeth bared, until she saw who it was.

"Hokori!" She said, surprised. He grinned at her and let her go.

"Hi there. Is everything ok? You ran out of the Underground pretty quickly." He told her. She looked down and sighed. She couldn't tell him what happened, he wouldn't understand, and even if he did, if she told him what Raika said, he would hurt him. When you make a wolf mad, they strike at you with a vengeance, and as much as Raika hurt her, he didn't deserve to be mauled by a wolf he stood no chance against. She took a deep breath and smiled at Kokori.

"Everything is fine. I am just tired and I want to go home and sleep." She said with fake cheerfulness.

"Would you like me to come with you?" He asked sweetly, his concern warmed her heart and made her feel a little bit better, which helped her maintain her composure.

"No thank you, I am sure my pet is home, and he always makes it easy for me to sleep." She said to him. She had hoped Bass would be home, but she highly doubted it since he has only been out for a few hours, but she really needed him, he always made her feel better when Raika couldn't, he always knew just what to say.

"Alright then, I'll see you around maybe." Hokori said and she nodded and walked away. He smiled wickedly as he watched her walk. 'Sooner than you may think, my soon-to-be mate, sooner than you may think.' He though to himself and he went back into the Underground to gather his pack.

Chaula walked on, her emotional wounds starting to reopen and she struggled even harder to keep control of herself. She had to get home first, she could not allow herself to show her distress in front of all these strangers. Luckily for her, Bass happened to be flying by when he looked down and saw her walking by herself. He gracefully landed in front of her and noticed her eyes were starting to water and Protias looked at him with confusion, not knowing what to do. He raised himself up on his back legs and he leaned down into her face and looked at her.

"Are you alright?" He asked her. She was unable to speak as her throat had tightened and she was afraid that if she opened her mouth she would start sobbing. He tilted her head at her and his brow furrowed. "Do you want me to take you home?" He offered. Chaula sniffled and nodded. He went back down on all fours and turned his back to her, allowing her to climb on him. He took off into the sky and when they were far enough up, she let go. She started crying and she buried herself in Bass's feathers and he frowned. 'What is wrong with my wolf?' He asked himself.

Neither of them spoke until they got to the front door of their home. With Chaula still on his back, he opened the door and took them upstairs to her room, where he set her on her bed and closed the door. He then walked back to her bed and climbed on it with her, bringing her into his chest. She hugged him tightly and cried uncontrollably, and he let her. He said nothing as Chaula unleashed her anguish on him and Protias materialized and got on the bed with them, nuzzling Chaula's back. After about five minutes, Chaula hiccupped once and stopped crying, but she didn't move.

"Well? Want to tell me what happened now? Or do you still need time to let it out?" Bass asked her in a quiet voice. She shook her head and looked at him, her eyes puffy and red from the crying.

"Raika called me a monster." She said, and in that one sentence, Bass thought he understood.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could say to her.

"I thought he liked me Bass, I thought we were friends. I thought my being a werewolf and him being a weredeer didn't mean anything to him. What a fool I was, I should have listened to my teachers." She said, whimpering when she was done. Bass shook his head and lifted her chin up with a talon till she was looking into his eyes.

"No Chaula, you are not a fool. You are a good wolf with a kind heart. You don't need to be the monster expected by everyone to be a werewolf. Your kindness and good heart are who you are. Don't let anyone take that away from you." He said to her.

"But what about Raika?"

"Don't worry about him, I'll talk to him about it." He told her, his blood boiling at the pain inflicted on her by her own best friend.

"Thank you Bass. I love you." She said, giving him one last hug. He hgged her tightly and rubbed his beak against her.

"I love you too. I'll see you later, ok? You need time to clear your head." 'So I can make that buck into jerky.' He only said the last part to himself. Chaula nodded and gave a shuddering breath and Bass got off the bed and left the room, leaving Protias to talk it over with Chaula.

Meanwhile, on the way home, Raika explained what had happened to Searchman, who sat on his shoulder in falcon form. Searchman's eyes were closed tightly in concentration.

"You should have thought that over more carefully Raika. You know how much she hates the "M" word." He said after awhile.

"I know, it just, slipped out." Raika said, still feeling awful about it. Raika didn't mean to say Chaula was a monster, he just wanted to tell her not to be too trusting of other werewolves. He hadn't intended nor thought that she would take it as calling her a monster. 'But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Chaula hasn't really spent time with werewolves other than her mother and siblings, she wouldn't know how dangerous they could really be.' He thought.

"So do you feel that way?" Searchman said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Do you feel that way? Do you think werewolves are monsters?" Raika shook his head.

"No. I don't. At least, not about Zelda or Chaula, or the triplets. They would never hurt me, I know that, but I have never met a friendly wolf who wasn't a Blaze. I don't trust Hokori, he has something on his mind that isn't friendly." He explained.

"So you're jealous?" Raika blushed at this question.

"Of course not!" He shouted, everyone looking at them as they passed. 'She would never want me, especially not now, besides, we are too different.' He mulled. Searchman smirked as they approached the gate to the Reserve.

"Then why are you so defensive about this?"

"Just leave it alone Searchman." He asked as he walked up to his house.

"Alright sir." Searchman submitted. Raika had told him all he wanted to, he was never very open with anyone except Chaula, not even him. If Raika wanted to stop talking about it, then Searchman wouldn't press it. Raika opened the door and Searchman perched on the back of the couch.

"Chaula? Chaula, come talk to me!" He called out. All of a sudden, he was tackled into the wall and a screechy growl was heard. He immediately recognized it even before Bass raised his head and glared at him. "So, you know what happened?" Raika asked. Bass clicked his beak as he held Raika in place on the wall.

"You know better, Raika! What were you thinking?" Bass asked.

"I didn't think she would take it that way, Bass, honest."

"Well next time you better, or I'll make sure you'll never think again!" He growled. Raika nodded and grabbed Bass's talon.

"May I go talk to her? I want to apologize to her." He said. Bass looked at him sternly and nodded, letting him go. Raika landed and walked to the stairs before Bass chirped at him. He turned to the angry griffin who looked as if he wanted to kill him.

"I hear even one sob, and I will make sure she enjoys a deer roast tonight got it?" He growled. Raika nodded and went up the stairs. Searchman fluttered to Bass, wanting to have a conversation with him. When Raika made it to the top of the stairs, he stood outside Chaula's door, nervous about what to do. He gently knocked on the door and cleared his throat.

"Um, Mary, may I come in?" He asked, hoping his pet-name for her would make her feel even a little bit better. Nothing was heard and Raika put his ear to the door, opening it when he couldn't hear anything. He saw her on the bed, curled up and clutching Protias close, who glared at him. "I want to speak to her alone, if that is alright." Chaula lifted her arms from Protias, signaling he had permission to do so, and Protias jumped down and walked out, nipping Raika's heels before closing the door. He walked up to the bed and noticed her eyes were closed. He sat down next to her and sighed, gently petting her shoulder. They stayed like that for a few minutes, not saying anything, when Chaula broke the silence.

"Why?" Was all she asked as she opened her eyes and looked at him, her eyes still a little puffy.

"I'm sorry."

"You were my best friend Raika."

"I thought we were still friends." He said, getting worried.

"Friends don't call friends monsters." She said, starting to tear up again.

"I wasn't calling you a monster, I was calling them monsters, the werewolves we don't know. I don't trust Hokori Chaula." He tried to explain.

"Why?"

"Remember that wolf that attacked us when we first met?" He asked her.

"Yes."

"Remember how nice he was to you when he saw you with me?"

"I do."

"Remember what he did afterwards."

"Yes." She said, understanding where he was coming from.

"I just don't want that to happen again. I care about you Chaula, and I don't want you to get hurt, I'm just trying to protect you, like you protected me. I didn't mean to hurt you and I feel very bad that I did." He told her, his voice cracking just a little bit. Chaula sat up and hugged Raika tightly, rubbing her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in between his legs, resting his chin on her head and rocking them back and forth slowly.

"I appreciate it Raika, I really do. Werewolves are dangerous, and I am no exception."

"I know, I wasn't kidding when I told Hokori you could kick his ass if you really wanted to." He said, making her giggle. She nuzzled him closer and he held her tighter.

"Just don't be overprotective Raika. I think Hokori likes me, and I want to like him too." She said, breaking his heart a little. He nodded and gently kissed the top of her head.

"Just don't let him do what that other wolf did, don't let him too close until you know it's safe. I would never forgive him for hurting you or myself for letting him do it." Raika told her, letting her go.

"I won't, I promise." Chaula looked at his face and smiled at him, warming his heart.

"Ok." He said as they got up. 'She doesn't love me, of course. Well, as long as she is happy, I'm happy. I won't let her get hurt.' He thought as they went downstairs, where all the navis finished their own conversation.

"Are we all friends again?" Protias asked. Chaula nodded and yawned, something she always does after crying (1).

"Yep. We are friends again. It was just a misunderstanding." She said, beaming.

"Good, you saved Raika's life." Searchman chuckled. Chaula stopped smiling and tilted her head.

"Why?"

"Because Bass threatened to make me your dinner if I hurt you again." Raika explained. Chaula laughed and walked over to Bass.

"What am I going to do with you? You know I would never eat him." She mused.

"You would if I didn't tell you it was Raika, and if I cooked him right." He retorted. They all laughed and Chaula hugged her griffin. He was a good friend and the perfect pet. She would make it up to him one of these days.

While everyone was laughing and joking around inside, out in the forest next to the Resxerve, a weredeer was being chased. It ran hard as it was pursued by many wolves. Finally, it was cornered. It turned around and looked at the wolf in front, a snowy white wolf.

"Please, please don't hurt me!" It begged. The wolf grinned and his packmates laughed mockingly.

"We won't hurt you, we are just going to kill you and eat you, now!" He said, leaping on the deer with two other wolves. The poor thing couldn't even scream as the white wolf went for the throat. The light faded from its eyes when he ripped it open and all the wolves turned their snouts to the air and howled their victory while their leader licked the blood from his lips. He walked away from the kill while the wolves looked at him.

"Uh, aren't you going to eat Hokori?" One salt-and-pepper wolf asked.

"No, at least, not this kill. I have something else in mind for dinner tonight, I have a date. Go ahead and enjoy this kill, I merely pursued it in boredom and frustration, since that other one got away from me." He said and the wolves all clambered onto the kill, the white wolf came out of the trees and looked toward the Reserve, watching Chaula and Raika come out of the house with another wolf and a falcon, and a griffin flew out and over the forest. "Yes, he got away from me, but he and the she-wolf will soon be mine." He said as he watched them walk out the gate and toward town.

TBC

(1) I do the exact same thing. Whenever I cry, I cry for like, 10 minutes or something and then when I am done, I yawn. I don't know why, but I am always so tired after I cry, and I get a big headache.

Aww, how fluffy! I actually cried while I was writing some of this, I really did. Bass is so loyal. I want to make something clear here, so no one will ask. Bass and Chaula do NOT have a romantic relationship. Bass is her pet and nothing more. I know, the sounds of that and knowing Bass, it's kind of OOC for him, but whatever, my project my rules, lol. So what do you think? Read and review