[Cailín]

Aboard the same ship, tranquillity lingered. Kath was still bound to the railing and Firefoot and Durelin were standing before her, unsure how to proceed. Firefoot, especially, was beyond the state of having a sense of foreboding. Guiltily, she avoided the gaze of her fellow passengers: after all, it was she who had decided the fate of the ship would be in the hands of Gurthang, self-proclaimed leader of the werewolf pack. As she eyed the plank operator, who was casually observing the tops of his fingers while furtively glancing at Anguirel every once in a while, she doubted him again.

If there were any chance of surviving, Gurthang would take it.

The burning sun sank beneath the horizon, and a change seemed to grab hold of the villains of the ship. Lalaith sat up a little straighter.

"Kill her, now," said Gurthang to the passengers, gesturing at Kath, who had now bared her teeth and raised her head up to the grey-blue sky.

"You are so harsh," the wolf-girl sulked. "Even more treacherous than that wimp Sir Anguirel."

"You'd better do as he says," said Anguirel, who had become rather philosophical about his chances. "Lest you see love survive after all."

Taliesin stepped forward and Durelin and Firefoot looked at each other. "All right," said the ninja.

She reached for a weapon and in that instant, the almost peaceful picture shattered.

A blue moon swept out from under the waves and the wolf-men and girl turned their heads towards it at the exact same moment, as if they were all part of a perfectly timed dance. Lalaith let out a small shriek of excitement. Before the eyes of the shivering passengers, Anguirel, Gurthang and Kath began to transform. It was unlike they imagined, less painful, more fluid, more graceful even, if that could be said of human wolves. Their coats were sleek, varying from brownish red to a cold, silvery grey and their eyes were red and yellow-rimmed, full of ferocity and yet sparkling with inhuman intelligence.

"Aren't they beautiful?" sighed Lalaith.

"Excuse me if I disagree," said Durelin. "I never found fangs and claws terribly attractive."

Gurthang, ignoring Kath and the edible passengers, approached Sir Anguirel Spens with a wolvish grin. "Are you ready to settle the score, old friend?"

"Ladies first," replied Anguirel in a hollow voice. They turned to Durelin and Firefoot.

"What…?" stammered Firefoot. "You promised!"

"Of course. Hide," snarled Gurthang the wolf to the innocent ladies, who only too gladly obeyed. Lalaith prepared to follow them, but found herself face to face with Gurthang.

"Not so fast, milady," he growled. "You chose a different path…"

"Wait!" said a low voice behind him. Gurthang turned away from his prey momentarily, and saw Taliesin, who had lingered behind as Durelin and Firefoot had crawled into the Captain's cabin. "The wolf-girl first. You made a deal. She goes."

"Brave words for a tiny human," said Gurthang.

"Believe me," grinned Taliesin. "I have done more evil than you will ever do, and I need neither fur nor fangs to do it."

"Why, how unfair," said Gurthang. "You have done more evil… and yet when good prevails, you plan to walk away unscathed?"

"That is life," replied Taliesin. "It never is black and white."

Anguirel, Kath and Gurthang exchanged looks. "Well, a promise is a promise," said Gurthang eventually. "And I chose to help the righteous. Unfortunately for our washed up criminal… that description does not seem to include him."

Taliesin took a quick step backwards.

"Never let it be said that I do not take care of my old comrades…," said Gurthang. He rushed at Kath, who was considerably smaller than the other two, and raised her high above him in the air. With a howl, he threw the wolf-girl overboard. Gurthang now turned to Taliesin, who had quickly scurried away and tried to hide behind the wheel. It was hopeless. An instant later, Taliesin had joined Kath in the moonlit water: for the second time in his life abandoned to the mercy of the waves… and the mercy of a dying werewolf.

"I hope she will enjoy her final meal…," Gurthang said pensively, observing Kath. "Now I shall take mine…"