Sedraa regained consciousness late into the night. Her body was sore and she was exhausted. Looking at the human form of the black wolf sitting at the entrance of the den staring into the night, she wanted to just sleep, pretend that this day had never happened. However the black wolf's voice drifted over at this moment. 

"You must be pretty important to the tribe". 

Sedraa didn't understand why the black wolf said this, but she didn't have time to respond before hearing. 

"Otherwise there wouldn't be so many wolves heading this way right now". 

Now Sedraa understood,but the cunning grin on the black wolf's face made her afraid. She knew that the black wolf may have wanted this from the beginning. Letting those warriors go back was just to spread the word about what she was about to do to the helpless white wolf. 

Sedraa's blood ran cold. She had never met such a cruel person. In the distance Sedraa could hear the howls of wolves. Too many wolves. Sedraa knew that the black wolf's plan had succeeded when she watched the massive beast appear again. 

Sedraa couldn't let the black wolf harm her tribe. She changed back to her wolf form and with the tearing pain and shaky legs, she chased after the behemoth that shook the ground as it ran. 

Arzhen felt invigorated, the sound of the wolves in the distance became more apparent as she sprinted forward. It had been so long since she felt such powerful blood-lust coming from herself. Feeling more and more excited, she galloped towards the trespassers roaring with a brutality that made the group shudder. 

The group watched as in the distance a monstrous wolf charged at them. No fear nor hesitation appeared on its face, only gleaming eyes full of murderous intent. Even facing such a large group she still looked as if she was the hunter and they were her ignorant prey. This would soon become a reality, as the opposing sides greeted each other with all their strength. 

The black wolf ripped through the front line of the wolves with terrifying power. They faced the brunt of her full charge, her teeth tearing through the bodies of those unlucky wolves that couldn't jump out of the way quick enough. 

The wolves were not vegetarians either. They sunk their teeth into the monster, their claws trying to shred the back of its legs. The howls of both sides rang out in the valley causing all the lesser animals to flee for their lives. 

Sedraa caught up and saw the carnage that was unfolding in front of her. Countless corpses of her tribe were scattered along a bloody path that continued towards where the black wolf was continuing her merciless slaughter. She saw her father attacking the black wolf, the rage on his face something Sedraa had never seen before. She knew she had to stop it. She raised her head as high as she could and howled towards the sky. A howl full of helplessness and loss. The wolves heard the white wolf and paused their attacks. Even the black wolf stopped its rampage temporarily. 

Sedraa's pleading voice spread to the wolves. 

"Please stop this. How many more of our tribe will die because of me. Please, just stop this senseless slaughter". 

Her words made the group look around. They saw the corpses of their tribesmen littering the ground behind the black wolf. Seeing that the monster was covered in blood, yet didn't have a single sign of tiring out, they knew they couldn't win. 

Arzhen stared at the white wolf as she walked towards her. The white wolf bowed her head at Arzhen's feet and in a begging tone she could only hope that the black wolf could let them go. 

"Please spare the rest of my tribe. I don't care if you make me your plaything, just please let them go". 

Arzhen thought that this white wolf was hilarious. Wondering why the white wolf thought that she couldn't just take her by force, but seeing the resolute eyes of the white wolf, she guessed if she did that, then the white wolf would just follow the rest of her tribe to death. 

Not understanding the emotions she was feeling, Arzhen decided that it wasn't a bad deal for her. She thought that she'd give the little white wolf the carrot, after all there had to be balance, and she had used the stick from the moment they met. So she spoke condescendingly. 

"Very well. Go ahead and take your dead back, but little wolf, whenever I call for you. I expect you to come running." 

Sedraa shuddered at the blatant cruelty the voice exuded. She nodded her head, looking to her father. 

The chieftain knew that this was a catastrophic loss. He could only hang his head in shame. Ordering the remaining wolves to carry their dead, the previously strong group left bloody, broken and with a shattered morale. 

Sedraa followed the group away from the valley. Turning her head back she saw the black wolf surrounded by blood staring towards their group. The black wolf's eyes met her and instead of the expected malicious grin, she only saw cold indifference, as if this day hadn't affected her in the slightest. The last thing she saw was the black wolf merging into the darkness, only those piercing yellow eyes proving that she was still there watching. 

That day would become a day of mourning for the wolf tribe. That day they lost hundreds of wolves in an attack that only caused them loss. When returning to the caves, there were no words. They dug graves for their fallen, and tears fell for their lost loved ones. 

Sedraa walked to her mother and cried heartbreakingly. Her mother knew from her husband that they had failed. The monster was too strong, and only their daughter's surrender allowed them to leave the valley. 

She only hated that the black wolf didn't die the day of its birth. Holding her trembling daughter, she wished to tear it apart herself, but she knew it was pointless. She could only coax Sedraa with tears flowing down, hoping that her motherly embrace was enough to calm the fragile little girl in her arms.