The wind howled as Temnen and Archie crossed the street to Granny's Diner, both of them hunched over, trying to bury themselves in their coats for warmth. The diner was full, everyone wanting a nice hot meal to chase the cold away, without having to cook it themselves. They took a seat at the table farthest from the door, the only one open, dodging Ruby as she passed with an armload of plates.

"This winter seems worse the the last ones, maybe because it's the first non-cursed winter we've had." Archie spoke softly as he removed his coat. "It came in early and strong."

Temnen rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them up. "Well, with any luck, it'll end soon and spring will be just as strong. I could really go for some warmer weather right now, even if it means rain." She grumbled quietly under her breath. "I hate winter, I always feel so slow and tired. The urge to hibernate is so strong. I just wanna eat the world and sleep until it's over.."

Reaching over, Archie took her hands in his, warming them between his own. He smiled. "At least you have electricity now, I know you adore modern heaters."

"I really do." She sighed.

Ruby came by and placed their regular drinks down and asked what they wanted to eat. Archie was cut off by the loud opening of the front door. Belle ushered Henry in, both of them out of breath.

"We all need to stay inside, there's a bear, a big one. Emma and David are handling it, but they want everyone to stay put." Belle said, catching her breath.

Temnen stood up before anyone said anything, heading for the door. Archie quick to follow, trying to stop her before she could get too far. He caught her arm just outside door. Henry and Belle had followed, Belle calling to her to let the others handle the animal, Henry talking to himself about how cool it was going to be to see Temnen fight off a bear. Archie frowned, a pleading look in his eyes.

"Sweetheart please, let them handle it. This weather has you in no shape to shift right now, it'll drain you."

"Henry, go back inside with Belle." The shifter looked from the boy to Belle, receiving a quick nod as she tried to steer the boy back into the safety of the diner.

"But T, I wanna watch you get rid of the bear." Henry whined.

"Not this time kid," She looked over to Archie, placing a hand over his, still on her arm. "This bear is awake too soon, it should still be hibernating. Which means it's going to be hungry, tired, and confused. Which all makes for an angry bear." She looked back at the young boy. "I don't know what will happen, I don't know what Emma and David have already done. I can handle this without anyone getting hurt, but only if i don't have to worry about where you are and if you're safely out of the way of not. Angry bears are unpredictable. Please go back inside with Belle and stay there." He sighed and let himself be lead back inside. Temnen looked at Archie again. "I have to do this, you know I'm the best chance to get everyone out of this unharmed, the bear included."

"I know… I know. I just don't want you to get hurt. Who knows what could happen with how tired you've been recently."

"I'll be fine. I've got this Jiminy."

"Be careful please, for me?"

"Always for you." Temnen leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips before heading down the street where she could hear Emma and David yelling at the bear, no doubt trying to lure or scare it out of town.

This was probably a bad idea, Temnen though, winter always took its toll on her. Cutting her endurance in half. But she hadn't shifted in weeks, she had energy stored up.

She could do this.

The large black bear was angry. Pacing the street, huffing and growling at the Sheriff and her father. The added human in its sight seemed to agitate him even more and he stood up, letting out a loud roar, but holding his ground for the moment.

"Emma! Emma, stop. You need to stop, you're just pissing him off."

Emma shot her an exasperated look. "What am i supposed to do then? It's already trashed two dumpsters and a totaled a car. We need to get it out of here before it hurts someone."

"I'll handle this Emma, You and David just stand back and keep people away."

"What are you going to do?" David asked as he joined them from the other side of the road, eyes on the bear as it stood, still trying to intimidate them.

Temnen walked forward, rolling her shoulders. "Tell him to leave."

"..and if he won't listen?" Temnen looked back at them, then noticed Archie standing down the street, having followed her but still keeping a safe distance. She looked back at the pair of blondes, a fierce resolve on her face.

"Then I'll make him leave."

Temnen sprinted forward, shifting mid-stride. The large bear turned his full attention to her as she shifted into an black bear as well. With a fierce roar, she planted her feet angrily, yelling for him to back off and leave her territory. But she knew the area wasn't marked as hers, she never worried about animals coming into town being more than they could handle. Against her hope, the large black bear challenged her claim. He was tired, cold, and very hungry and his nose was telling him that there was food in the area. He wanted it and she would not stop him. He was just a bit larger than her but Temnen knew that he was probably weak from his winter hibernation. If it came to a fight, she had a very good chance. And it did. The large bear charged at her when she didn't back down, but she met his charge with her own.

The loud clash of claws and teeth was startling at first but quickly changed. The wild bear used his larger size to take the lead, pushing Temnen back as he followed through with his weight. The force of the blow stunned her for a moment. Just long enough for him to get his teeth to her shoulder. His huge paws dug their long claws into her side and neck, holding her down. She had enough sense through the pain to roll herself over, dislodging her opponent. As they paced around, mouths open and breathing heavy, sizing each other up for the next attack, Temnen knew she wouldn't win if she kept her own mind. She would need to let her bear take over, bring the instincts to the front and let the bears fight.

The other bear must have sensed the shift, because as soon as she let go, he charged again. He was met with a surprising amount of force. The force of a female bear, protecting her home and her family. This stranger, this MALE, thought he could take what was hers, but she would die before she let him.

A long struggle of teeth and claws meeting fur and meat in their fierce grapple came to an end when the Shifter stood up and let loose a extremely disorienting blow to the side of the bears head with her massive paw. He was quick to retreat after he cleared his head, off to lick his wounds and his pride, and search for food farther away in a less guarded place.

Temnen Followed after his a block of so to cement her claim and dedication, and to give herself a moment to regain her own mind. Slowly pushing the bear into the back of her mind as she limped back to Emma, David and Archie, she assessed her wounds. A slightly mauled shoulder, long claw marks down the side of her face, and enough puncture wounds all over she didn't bother to count them.

With one last step, she shifted back. The shift taking much longer this time. As the air shimmered around her the others could see the long gashes on her face slowly knit themselves back together. Becoming puckered red lines and dark black and blue bruising blossom across her face. The sclera of her eye a bright red from broken capillaries. The rest of her wounds no doubt also scared and bruised after her change, but covered by her wool peacoat. Archie caught her when she stumbled the last few steps, passing out.

"Is she going to be okay" Asked David, him and Emma looking concerned.

"She'll be fine, her body heals itself as much as it can when she changes back, but she was already so tired from this winder hitting so hard and taking its toll on her." The he sighed, shifting until he could lift the unconscious woman in his arms "She's been so tired recently, I knew she would end up like this if she went, but there's no stopping her once she makes up her mind. All i could do was be here to remind her to be careful and not over do it."

"Here, I'll take you guys home, David can clear things up here." Emma gestured to the patrol car on the other side of the street. Getting the door once they reached it, letting Archie slip into the back with Temnen. "The scars, they will heal right? I mean, she would probably be full of scars already if the didn't finish healing at some point."

Archie brushed a finger very lightly down the edge of the smallest scar, it was hot to the touch and already slightly less red than when she passed out. "Yes, the do heal completely, but it's going to take some time. Weeks probably." He looked up and caught Emma's gaze in her rearview mirror. "She must have had some broken bones too, otherwise they would be almost gone after she healed. The bones take more energy than outer wounds i guess. She never really let me see her after a fight, she was always too angry after. I don't know how it all works truthfully."

The Sheriff helped the pair into their home once they arrived, opening doors for them and helping Archie change Temnen out of her winter coat, slacks, shirt, and shoes, into a pair of warm pajamas. Her upper body was peppered with green and yellow bruises that looked days old, already almost healed.

"Is she always so reckless with her powers? Changing even when she knows she won't have the energy after?"

"I don't think it's recklessness Emma, she just- she has always pushed herself. She was young when Rumplestiltskin trained her to be able to shift more, faster and into more powerful creatures. Which means he pushed her to her breaking point, then even farther. That's how it was for her growing up, and she still does it. Pushing herself farther than she should." Archie gave Emma a tired smile, letting out a light chuckle. "We haven't had much time together really, but it's nerve racking knowing she won't think of her own safety before rushing into the thick of things."

"Do you think she'll change?"

"Yes, eventually. But the thing that makes her realize her own morality will be huge. It will shake her to the core. And i'm afraid for her. Afraid of what it will do to her, what she will do to herself to bring it about.."

He let out a deep sigh and with one last look as Temnen, asleep in bed, face bruised and scared, he ushered Emma out of the room and shut the door behind himself to let the healing woman rest in peace.