Peiter's screams gave everyone pause to look back. For most, being torn between helping Peiter and defending Meesei was evidently one that gave them visible anguish, but the threat of the enemy soldiers was too immediate. They formed up as Lorag commanded, except for Gallus, Uthri, and -- of course -- Sabine.

[i]"No!"[/i] The most immediate reaction, as with seeing Meesei, was Sabine's terrified scream. She sprinted back for Peiter, throwing her hands against the massive block of stone and scraping her feet through the dirt while trying to push in vain. "No, no, no, no!" She was gritting her teeth and scrunching her tear-streaming eyes shut while she continued to push. She shouted in an increasing intensity until emptying her lungs in one more scream, [i]"NOOOO!"[/i]

This marked Sabine finally reaching the threshold of her emotional control. She transformed into the smaller-than-average werewolf form that she had, towering over everyone still. She pushed against the block and growled, occasionally letting out yelping barks of fear and futile defiance.

Meanwhile, Uthri was paralysed with the sight of it, simply staring with a terrified look at Peiter. Perhaps most fortunately, Gallus was still in the mindset of command, too focussed to fall to grief in that moment. He widely stepped to Uthri and swiped the hatchet from her belt before striding sternly over to Peiter.

Uthri seemed to snap out of her frozen state at that moment. She looked with startled glances at Gallus and began to reach out for him. "Wait. Gallus, don't!"

"Go defend the champion!" Gallus whirled around and pointed the hatchet towards the small formation. He then gave no hesitation to resuming his advance towards Peiter.

Uthri turned to face the enemy, knowing immediately that it would not be as bad as what was going to transpire behind her.

When Gallus reached Peiter, he neither said a word nor made eye contact with his stony face. He merely pinned Peiter's upper body against the ground with one foot, raised Uthri's still very sharp hatchet, and brought it down on Peiter's arm with all his strength. This freed Peiter, for an obvious price. To make sure that he didn't bleed to death, Gallus pulled out the strongest healing potion he had on his belt and was about to open it, were it not that he was interrupted.

A flash of a large furred arm ran into Gallus' leaned-over chest. He then felt the impact, sending him flying backwards several feet. He landed with a slide on the dirt, coughing and winded. He lifted his head to see Sabine baring her teeth. She snarled and snorted at the creature that had just attacked her mate, holding her claws threateningly either side of her. It looked like the punch had caused Gallus to drop the healing potion within Peiter's reach, if he had the sense left through his pain to use it.