Keva ripped Paley's arm up and away from her, popping it out of its socket and threw the useless arm back to the ground. Paley, gripped his dislocated shoulder, but no sound escaped his lips, he only continued to struggle in the snow. Keva stepped away from the downed man, and stalked to the edge of the circle, and shifted back into her human form.

Looking at Yrsa, but talking as much to her pack and Huan Li as she was to the Berserker chief, "This fight is over. I won't kill him, even though he deserves to die for what he did. Killing him would only stain me. I'm better than that, and I'm done. I hope he lives a long life with his cowardice."

Behind her a roar erupted, followed by a sharp thud and sickening crunch. Keva whipped around to see a large man, with furs draped over his shoulders, but was bare chested otherwise, standing over Paley's broken body, his knee driven into Paley's back as he held Paley's body in the air. The large aged man nodded to Yrsa and dropped the lifeless form of Paley in the snow. Turning away from the dead body, he exited the circle and disappeared into the woods.

There were no cheers, there was no outrage, only a quiet acceptance of what had happened as the bear clan people withdrew and went back to their tasks. The crowd emptied quickly as they disappeared from around the judgment circle. Keva was left wondering what the hell had just happened.

She walked up to Yrsa as the Chieftainess was turning back to the main lodge. "Hold on, what just happened? I thought I was the one to meet out justice here? I didn't want him dead. Who was that other guy?" Her frustration was written on her features as she gazed into the cool blue eyes of the larger woman.

"Justice has been served. When you declared that he should live, Paley moved on your turned back. That 'other guy' was his uncle. He saved your life, and took justice for the stain Paley would have put upon his family and our clan, had he succeeded with his attack." With that very matter of fact statement Yrsa turned and walked back to the lodge, leaving the Shape shifters behind.

Keva was left feeling empty. She had wanted him to live, she had spared his life, only to have a family member take it away anyway. Looking to the sky she silently prayed that Erato had found some peace knowing that her murderer was dead, regardless of how it happened.

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"You did very well, Keva"

Keva turned her head towards the voice, "Is that all you have to say, Eler Huan Li? I did well?"

The older man nodded and smiled, "As opposed to what? You fought well, using your gifts about as well as I have ever witnessed from you. You were patient in your fight, waiting for the berserker to make a mistake. You have been patient with these people, waiting for your chance to be heard and seeking justice for Erato. The fact that his own people came to save your life shows me that you and your pack has earned some modicum of respect. Gaining the respect of others is not always an easy task. You have done well, better than I could have done." Huan Li nodded and smiled softly as he turned to follow in the steps of Yrsa.

Keva was stunned at the compliment. The sudden impact of Javier's hand clapping on her shoulder was enough to prevent her from any deep thoughts regarding what the elder just told her.

"I have to admit I was getting a little nervous for you. That fight went on a long time and you were taking a lot of hits. But you gave as good as you got." Javier nodded solemly. The two wolves standing with them were stoic. Keva looked at the two who used to be three, and she had to shake her head to stop from crying. Erato deserved better, but at least Paley wouldn't be able to do what he did to her to anyone else ever again. And every time a murderer died; it made the world just a little bit better.

Keva nodded to all of them, "Come on, we still have a job to do."

"Wait, what? What job?" Michelle asked.

Keva arched her eyebrow at her Sage, "Michelle, we came here to get help against the vampires who destroyed our home, remember?"

The blonde girl blushed and nodded, "Well, yes of course I remember that. I just thought that after what you just went through that you would want to take a little break or something."

Keva shook her head, "No, we've been waiting long enough and it looks like Yrsa is our best bet to help us. Let's go."

Keva led her pack back to the main lodge and opened the heavy doors. Yrsa was sitting on her throne at the head of the lodge and she was surrounded by five or six bear clan members pointing out things on papers and asking things in their native language.

Keva strode up through the lodge building, around the bon fire and stopped at the stairs to the raised dais that the throne was sitting on, "Yrsa, I have a request to make."

The chieftainess glanced up at the red headed woman, then glanced down at some of the paperwork in front of her.

Keva looked over at Javier for help, but the Enforcer shrugged his shoulders, unsure of what was the right thing to do.

Keva looked around the lodge and saw Huan Li sitting at a table with his hands folded in his lap, a cup of steaming liquid was in front of him. She looked back up at the throne and decided that maybe more patience was required. She slowly took a step backwards, then another one, and eventually turned around and took a seat at the table with Huan Li.

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