ON THE NORTHERN end of the settlement, Bralden’s market resided on the main road that coursed through town like a lazy snake. The dominating, central structure was the only inn, the Wolf’s Den, rising three stories in height and as wide as any three other buildings surrounding it. The divided nature of Bralden’s inhabitants showed itself most acutely in the market. Along the western side were scattered three-sided structures the wolflen maintained for their own kinds’ use, normal shops along the other.

Tiwaz watched those moving through the market, waiting patiently while Kerk chatted congenially with the farrier. “Keep your filthy mutt children away from my son!” The sharp words drew her attention, her posture shifting from relaxed to combat-ready.

The blacksmith looked over at the former gladiator, then at the shouting she reacted to. A large human man stood in front of a worriedly frowning woman holding a crying boy trying to pull away towards the wolflen. The female wolflen’s ears flattened back, her teeth bared as two young wolflen about the same age and size as the human boy hid behind her. “Human insult my cubs?” she growled malevolently, her hand falling to her knife.

Despite being half a foot shorter than her, the human man did not back down from the confrontation with the wolflen mother. “I’m sayin’ if I find ‘em near my boy again, I’ll kill ‘em myself!” All the wolflen in the market reacted to the threat, ruffs raised and weapons reached for as they circled the threat to one of their own. Several men pulled weapons, heading to the human father to stand with him.

“Best to stay out of it,” Kerk said in a low voice, putting his hand on Tiwaz’s arm. “Probably just blustering anyway. If they don’t get it out of their system now—” He jerked his hand back at the dark expression Tiwaz turned on him, seeing the gladiator within the woman for the first time.

Before anyone realized else it, Tiwaz appeared between the pair of adults, a hand on each one’s chest and pushing them apart. “Stop it!” she commanded. The circling wolflen and men stopped in their tracks, staring at the brazen audacity of the newcomer to Bralden. Several traded bewildered looks with their fellows, wondering how they missed her approach. “How dare you endanger children?”

“This ain’t any of your business, girl. Move,” the man demanded darkly. He got no further than grabbing her arm when he was suddenly on his knees, arm painfully twisted behind him as she put her knee between his shoulder blades. His wife and son clung to each other, silent in fright.

“You will apologize to the wolflen mother for your insult to her children,” she stated in his ear. When he said nothing, she jerked harder. “Apologize!”

“What are you? Some kinda wolf lover?” the man accused. He paled, swallowing hard when she put her hand around his throat, nails digging into the skin around his Adam’s apple.

“No race is better than any other,” she snarled. “I will not tolerate children being belittled. I especially will not tolerate any child being threatened. It is our duty as adults to protect the young, not harm them.” She squeezed his throat. “Apologize!”

“Fine!” He turned to glare at the wolflen mother. “Sorry.” Satisfied, she released him with a shove. Unprepared, he went face first in the soft, trampled dirt.

The red-faced man pushed himself up, spitting dirt, then lunged at Tiwaz as he pulled his short sword. Ducking under him, she grabbed his outstretched wrist, stood up, and yanked. The maneuver used his forward momentum as she flipped him over her shoulder and he landed hard on his back. He stared at his sword in her hand, the tip pricking the end of his nose. He cringed instinctively when she raised the weapon, hearing it cut the air. Instead of hitting him, it sank into the ground halfway.

“Do not,” she informed him coldly, “ever pull a weapon on me again. Next time, I will sheathe it in you.” She took a step back, shoving her foot in the middle of his chest. “Go away.” The shaking man mutely obeyed. He tugged several times to free his sword from the frozen ground below the thawed surface, then ran, abandoning his family. Tiwaz regarded the human mother, her expression softening and offering her a respectful nod.

“Thank you,” the mother whispered before hurrying away with her son while those who thought to support the human father put their weapons away and retreated from the scene.

The watching wolflen spoke amongst themselves in their growling language, but their surprise was unmistakable. A large male wearing more ornamentation than the others approached her, looking her over consideringly. “I see you are no human lover,” he stated in nearly flawless common. Despite being as tall as Doom, he took an unconscious step back at the hard glare she turned towards him.

“This was as much your fault as his.”

“My fault?” he demanded, hackles rising. He took another step back when she advanced, poking him in the chest.

“You understand humans as little as they understand your kind. Ignorance breeds hatred and fear and you perpetuate it.” She turned her back on him and stated in clipped tones to the staring Kerk, “I will wait for you at the forge.” The only sounds left in her wake were the wind and rustling branches, everyone staring after her.