A while later I was passing back by the Pub, I heard a commotion coming from the alley between the pub and the livery stable. It sounded like a struggle; I scented aggression and fear all at once overwhelming me. "Please leave me be." A high voice pleaded, I instantly recognized it as the young girl from the pub, Brenna.

"Aw, come now lass, we all know you like to play coy with the men in the bar." A gruff familiar voice whispered threateningly, "And we all know you do a bit more than that with most of 'em. You and I both know what happened inside was just foreplay."

"No, Darcy," Brenna sobbed, "I'd never. I don't want you." She tried to pull away and nearly escaped when the man came after her.

The sharp sound of flesh meeting flesh popped in the otherwise silent night as Darcy slapped Brenna, causing her to stumble and fall on her face, she turned to view her attacker just as he started to loosen the belt of his trousers. She screamed, and I couldn't take it anymore. I dropped my parcels, and rushed the man, tackling him and throwing him off balance so that he landed on his back. My eyes glowing a bright gold, and my fangs were bared I landed with one knee on each of his arms, pinning him to the ground while I pulled his hair with one hand, baring his thick neck to me as I held the point of my boot dagger to the man's throat. I could see his Adam's apple bobbing, the blood pulsing through his veins as the smell of fear and unwashed man grew more potent. In the rush and tumble the hood of my cloak had come up over my head, casting my face in shadow, I could see myself in the reflection of the man's eyes, all you could see beneath the hood was a ring of gold where my eyes had once been.

"How dare you attack an innocent that way?" I demanded of him, slamming his head, none too gently on the cobbled path, the force drawing my hood up over my face. "Didn't your ma ever teach you manners, or did you simply not care to learn? Men like you make me sick. I ought to rid this world of you right now." I threatened, worrying the tip of the dagger against the thick vein in his throat as he tried to swallow the best he could without cutting himself on my blade. "Lucky for you, that's not why I'm here, but highest heavens know I should."

I heard the sound of feet running into the alley. "Brenna?" I heard the voice of the pub's owner, "I heard you scream." He stated as I heard him help Brenna to her feet as I heard more footsteps approach from behind. "What happened?"

"Darcy tried to attack me," the soft shaky reply came, "I tried to run, but he slapped me down. I was looking right at him and he started to undo his…" she took a deep breath, "I screamed, then out of nowhere, he was knocked backwards." I could feel the eyes of everyone staring at my back. "Thank you."

All I could do was nod my acknowledgement, I didn't want to turn too soon for fear my eyes were still glowing giving away my true nature. Soon two men approached me and the offensive man, one – the young man who had originally intervened in the pub – gently pulled me off of the man, but not before the tip of my dagger drew blood from the odorous man's neck. I allowed Ash to lead me to the side as I wiped the blade on my breeches and tucked it safely back into my boot. The other man, likely the town constable or deputy, had already bound Darcy and was guiding him towards the small jail that stood on the outskirts of town.

"Who are you?" I heard the young man next to me ask. "How were you able to do that?"

I realized then I still had my hood up, lowering it, I looked up and found myself staring into the deepest emerald green eyes I'd ever seen. I could see his whole face now, he had a strong jaw and a nose that looked like it'd been broken and reset a time or two giving him a roguish look. His soft lips just a shade or two darker than his skin tone was set in a bemused smile. I drank all of him in and he just about took my breath away. I hadn't missed the sharp intake of breath from him when he saw me either. "You're… you're a woman?" he asked, "But how? You're so, and he's…" he struggled for the words.

Trying to ignore the stirrings deep in my belly, I decided to play it cool but friendly. "Yes I am, how nice of you to notice," I answered his first question as I smiled up at him, "A mutual friend of my brother and mine is a Sargent in the army where I grew up. He taught me everything I know, even has me demonstrate for the troops he trains. I'm also a pretty decent shot with a bow and arrow."

"But you're so much smaller than he is." It was more of a question than a statement.

"I had leverage and surprise on my side, he wasn't expecting someone to see, much less tackle him while he was attempting to rape poor Brenna." I explained. "I'm also stronger than I look." I added a wink before turning from him and going towards Brenna who was being held up by her parents who were still standing on the side of the alley. I gently reached out and touched her shoulder; she jumped and let out a small squeak before looking towards me.

"Christy," she sighed, moving from her parents' arms and latching onto my neck in a grateful embrace, "Thank you so much for coming when you did, I don't know how you did what you did, but I am so thankful you came." She chattered, releasing the nerves that had been building up as I returned her hug. We stood like that for a few moments before she took a step back and grabbed my hands, "You are a good person, and I know we haven't known each other but a few hours, but I think we are going to be dear friends." She smiled up at me.

"I think so too," I agreed before looking past her towards where I had dropped the parcels I'd been carrying before the incident occurred. Looking up at the moon, knowing the moon was about to reach its apex, I knew I had to return to the forest soon. "I don't mean to be rude, but I must get back to where I'm staying before it gets too late."

"You could stay with us," the inn's patroness suggested, "We have a few rooms open if you'd like. Free of charge, of course."

I thanked her for the offer as I shook my head explaining that I'd set up camp outside of town and needed to return for my things but that I might take up her offer the next day. She nodded her understanding and helped me to collect my parcels before I went on my way. I knew the other spectators had left after the constable had taken Darcy away, and knew that Brenna's parents were guiding her back inside to their private quarters in the inn. The last person remaining was the young man who had pulled me off of Darcy. I could feel his eyes follow me as I made my way out of town.

When I reached camp, my stomach grumbled at me, demanding food to restore the energy that was displaced when I attacked Darcy, but the desire to hunt was not as strong as usual, likely also because the normal aggression that came with the moon was spent on protecting Brenna. All the same I needed to eat, so I made my way deeper into the forest to find dinner. I left my weapons behind feeling it almost sacrilegious to hunt in the full moon with them, choosing instead to hunt the natural way, the wolf way.