"No way, man! You can not convince me that Munich is going to win this year!"

Dietrich quirked an eyebrow, giving his friend a pointed look. "So maybe they didn't do so great last year–"

"'Didn't do so great'?" Heinrich interjected, scoffing. He gave Dietrich an incredulous look. "They scored less than a goal a game!"

Dietrich shook his head ruefully. "Sure, but this is a new season," he argued. "Half the team is new. Plus, they did sign O'Donnell."

"Please. One really good American player does not a team make." Heinrich grinned. "Besides, I'm not nearly as sold on him as you are."

"I'm not saying he's going to be the absolute difference-maker," Dietrich retorted, rolling his eyes. "There's bound to be a learning curve for him, coming to Europe. And an adjustment to having new teammates. But I've got hope. With all the other new players they're bringing in, this isn't going to be the same team we saw last year."

"Maybe not," Heinrich allowed, "but the coaches and manager are all still the same."

"Like I said. Adjustments will need to be made." Dietrich rolled his eyes as they turned down the next alley toward the apartment building's back door, struggling to carry the heavy load. Before classes that day, Heinrich had asked him to help him pick up an old sofa that he'd found online somewhere – his new roommate was already going to be in class by the time they could get the thing. Though Dietrich had protested at first, he had finally agreed to go with him – the couch was only a block from Heinrich's apartment. And they hadn't had much time to hang out together since classes had started. But now that he was actually here… Looking up and down the alleyway, Dietrich shifted his grip on the sofa, trying to find a more comfortable place to hold it. "Could you have found a larger sofa?" he complained.

"There was a bigger one available," Heinrich replied wryly. "But unfortunately, it was a little too far away. And they actually wanted money for it."

Dietrich gave him a deadpan look. "Thanks." He groaned. "After dragging this thing up three flights of stairs, I'm definitely going to need a shower before class…"

"Good thing your fiancée only lives a couple blocks from here…" Heinrich mused, raising an eyebrow. "Although why you aren't living there, too…"

Dietrich frowned. "I've told you–"

A shaggy-haired man walked down the alleyway toward them, sniffing the air intently. On seeing Dietrich, his eyes instantly narrowed. "I know you," the man growled, his voice taking on a gravely sound.

Dietrich cocked his head to one side. "I'm sorry? I've never seen you before in my life."

The man shook his head, his eyes not leaving Dietrich's face. "Oh, no. I know it's you. I could recognize your scent anywhere. You can't hide from me!"

Heinrich quirked an eyebrow at Dietrich. "I told you, dude. You wear too much deodorant!"

Dietrich furrowed his brows, not taking his eyes off the man, and shifted his grip on the couch. "I'm sorry, but I'm sure you've got to be mistaken, sir."

"No – I didn't make a mistake… But you made a mistake helping the bitch last night!" With a snarl, the man leapt at Dietrich, transforming midair into a massive grey wolf. Teeth bared and eyes narrowed, he snarled, opening his mouth.

Dietrich's eyes widened in shock, and his hand immediately dropped to his pocket, drawing his pocketknife. The couch's weight shifted in his grip, and he automatically braced his legs to catch it. The knife shifted in his grip, and he nearly lost his hold on it.

"No!" Heinrich dropped his end of the sofa, sending it crashing to the ground, and Dietrich stumbled forward under the change of balance. The wolf's front paws landed on the couch, pushing it down and pulling Dietrich over it. Its eyes locked onto Dietrich's, and his grip tightened on the knife. With a shout, Heinrich threw himself at the wolf's flank, knocking it away just before its jaws would have closed around Dietrich's throat. The wolf slashed wildly at Dietrich's face, but he leaned back just enough that the claws only grazed his cheek. Landing on its front paws first, the wolf swung its back around, coiled the back legs as they touched the ground, and lunged with a snarl. Heinrich held his arms up in front of his face, interposing himself between Dietrich and the wolf and wincing away from the monster. The wolf crashed into Heinrich and knocked him backward to land hard on the ground. Hienrich's head cracked on the pavement, and he grunted, blinking several times. The jaws clamped down around Heinrich's forearm, and Heinrich cried out in pain, grabbing feebly at the snout.

"Helfen, Wehren, Heilen!" With a roar, the Knight dropped to one knee and surged forward, his mystical armor forming around him as he slammed into the wolf's flank and hurled it off of Heinrich. Landing on his back paws, the wolf spat out a chunk of flesh, snarled, and lunged at the Knight's gut, eyes alight with rage. Holding his sword up, the Knight shouted, "Wehren!" A shimmering shield appeared along his arm, and the wolf bounced off of it to one side as the Knight threw his arm out on impact. The wolf crouched low and sprang, and again the Knight bashed it aside with his shimmering white shield. Its eyes narrowed in fury, the wolf threw itself back at him a third time. With a growl, the Knight tapped into the fiery energy of his sword, swinging it above his head. The sword erupted with flames that wreathed the blade from hilt to tip, and he drove it down into the back of the wolf's neck. The wolf let out a whimper and collapsed in a growing pool of blood, before reverting back to its human form.

Heinrich remained on the ground where he had fallen, his eyes shut and face twisted up in an expression of pain. Hardly daring to breath, the Knight knelt in front of him and placed one hand over his mangled arm. "Heilen." The bleeding stopped, without replacing the missing piece. The Knight let out a breath in relief. "Let's get you to the hospital."