Something flashed by the corner of her eye and hit the wolf with an impact so hard and loud that Tara felt it even though it didn't touch her. Then they were on the ground and Tara saw that it was another animal, tearing at the big beast with it's fangs and claws, scrabbling desperately at it's fur, trying to make up for it's smaller size by being quick and vicious.

No. Not another animal.

Oz.

He was fighting this huge thing with everything he had. Tara lost sight of where he was or what he was doing in the terrible ferocity of the battle in front of her. Fur was flying and blood was flowing freely.

She stumbled away as quickly as she could towards Willow, pulling the gag from her mouth and letting down her arms as she collapsed into her embrace. Willow was unconscious but still breathing—Goddess be praised—and Tara gave her a light peck on the cheek as she held her in her arms. She gently placed her on the forest floor, trying to ignore the snarls and yelps she heard just a few yards away from her. Finally turning back to the sparring werewolves, she saw that it was not going well for Oz.

The thing, the Alpha-Wolf, was swatting and roaring at him with a savagery that would wake Tara up in the middle of the night for years afterwards. Oz was avoiding as many of the blows as he could but each time one connected... She had to help him. Suddenly, her mind saw with clarity the spell she needed to cast this demon out of their lives. Her eyes focused and her brow furrowed as she spoke the word…

"Takoray…"

It echoed on the wind for a moment and Tara felt the power surging through her. The big wolf turned towards her as if he knew what she was doing. She knew the waves of her spell would reach him soon and then everything would be—

A sharp pain drove into her head like the worst migraine she had ever had. She felt warm liquid on her upper lip and raised a finger to see that her nose was bleeding. Worst of all, the monster seemed to have shrugged off the effects of her magic like a soft sea spray.

I do not have the power, she thought. I need Willow.

Turning to her girlfriend's motionless form, she began trying to shake her awake.

"Willow! Willow! Wake up! I need you! We have to help Oz! Wake up!"

Nothing. Hating herself, she began slapping Willow's face, lightly at first, then as hard as she dared.

"Willow! Willow, baby, please! We have to do this! Then you can rest, I promise! We'll all—"

Willow's eyelids were flickering. Then her lovely eyelashes fluttered open and her eyeballs fixed on her.

"Tara? What's—"

"No time! Look!"

She pointed over to the field where the huge shape was battering the smaller one with cruelty and deliberation. He doesn't just want Oz dead, Tara thought. He wants him to pay for choosing humans over wolves.

Willow looked at the scene and looked at Tara. They joined hands, and Tara felt the spark travel between them she she did every time as they spoke together.

"TAKORAY…."

Their voices mingled and became one, growing louder and stronger in magic till it seemed to rise to the moon itself. Even as Willow collapsed against her, Tara saw the horizon fall away behind Oz and the big wolf. The dark creature turned to her, a look of absolute hatred in his eyes. He was getting ready to leap on her when suddenly the wind itself scooped him up and carried him away ass over teakettle like a child in an undertow.

"This isn't over…witch!" he screamed before the wind carried him out of sight. "There is always another Witches M…"

And then he was gone.

Tara exhaled with mighty exertion. They had done it. Willow was safe. She was safe. Oz was…

Oz was standing over them, still in wolf form, and his eyes were blood red.

Tara thought for a moment about the gun, realized she had left it in the field when she ran to help Willow, and anyway, she remembered, she'd used up the whole clip on the beast. Not that it had done any good. She watched Oz, ready to do whatever she had to to stop him. If she had to.

He padded over to the opposite side of Willow's motionless form than the one Tara was leaning against, and began nudging her with his snout. It didn't seem to be hurting her so Tara let him continue, alternately watching him and Willow's face.

Willow's eyes fluttered open again and met Tara's.

"I knew you'd come."

Tara closed her own eyes and thanked the Goddesses one last time for not taking Willow from her. And as Oz lay down next to them, Willow's half-conscious body snuggled up to it for warmth. Tara wrapped her arms around her, kissing her, talking softy, and occasionally,when she was feeling really brave, reaching out to stroke Oz's fur until they all fell asleep. Oz's labored, animal breathing was surprisingly soothing.

Tara awoke in the sunshine to find Willow still asleep but smiling and Oz gone. She looked around for him until she saw a shivering, pale figure a few feet away in the field, trying to use the tall grass to cover the fact that he was quite nude. Oh, of course. He was bruised and bloody but he was alive.

"Oz…?" she called out. "Here, take my coat." She sat up, peeled it off and tossed it to him. He put it on without a word, slipping into it from a crouched position. Then he stood and she could see that although it wasn't exactly the sort of thing you wore to dinner, it would do to cover his boy-parts until he could get a full set of clothes again. He looked over at Willow for a long time, glanced at Tara, and began to walk away.

What Tara did then surprised her.

"Wait," she said, "Don't go."

Oz hesitated but did not turn around.

"She'll want to see you. When she wakes up. And I…I want you to stay, too. Just for a little while. Just so you can see that she's really all right. And I want to tell her how you…y-you s-saved my life."

Oz turned back to her, a little surprise in his eyes. Did he not remember?

"Back at'cha." He murmured.

They smiled at each other.

Willow was waking up. She saw Tara and their mouths met in a deep and passionate kiss. Her arms were starting to encircle her and she was planning to pull her to the ground when Tara said, a little awkwardly, "Um, baby? We're not alone."

Willow's eyes darted around to see if they were under attack again when suddenly they lit on the boy in the blue coat.

"Oz!"

Her face lit up and she pushed herself to her feet, walked over and embraced him. Tara could see his face over Willow's shoulder and the way his eyes closed as he held her made her heart go out to him. Goddess knew she could never be sorry Willow and she had met, but she knew what Oz had lost. She hoped he would find it again.

All of a sudden Willow broke away, surprised.

"Hey—you're naked!"

"It's a wolf thing." Oz said.

"You have to understand." said Tara, as she dusted herself off and gathered up the gun and her bag.

"Understand? I don't understand anything except that—hey! And he's wearing your coat!"

"Would you rather I took it off?"

"Spare us," said Tara, taking Willow's hand.

"Well, I don't want to be accused of being a coat thief."

They began to walk out of the woods. Slowly, in no hurry, enjoying what was looking like a beautiful Sunnydale day.

The End

(Note: Did you recognize the reference to one of the most eminently watchable Sci-Fi sequels?)