The sound of his fist colliding with the wall startled me. His head hanging low, he trembled slightly.

Retaining that position he hissed. "Go away."

I didn't need to be told twice, and I ran. Before I made it to the edge of the room, Chris came crashing through the doorway after multiple attempts to push it open civilly. As soon as his eyes detected me fleeing from Nate, he began his transformation.

Chris released a yell that soon became an animalistic howl. He lunched toward Nate as his body changed. His eyes yellow once more, claws grew from his shrinking fingertips.

He lashed at Nate, putting all his weight into the strike. Barely dodging in time, Nate rolled to the side. Chris was thrown off balance and tumbled into the wall, landing in the pile of weaponry with a clang.

Supporting himself on his hands and knees, Chris' feet grew much longer between his toes and his heel. His thighs retreated towards his body and two loud pops sounded out as his hips rearranged into haunches. He kicked off the shoes and jeans that were fitting less and less as his body become more misshapen. This revealed the emergence of rear claws on what was now essentially a paw. Ripping off his t-shirt in one easy swipe, his shoulder blades too cracked into place as his vertebrae realigned and lengthened for a tail to materialize. The bone structure of his face made the most drastic alteration. A thin muzzle extended out of his nose and chin, his menacing teeth now bared in an animalistic display. His ears stretched long and wide above his angular head. As these changes occurred, so did the appearance of fur. It came quickly, beginning at his torso and growing in a wave down his limbs. Thickest around his neck and down the front and back of his chest, his form was no longer identifiable as human. In a matter of seconds, Chris the mostly-human became a full-fledged animal.

Chris prowled towards Nate, too large and stocky to be a normal wolf, yet unlike any man or creature I've ever seen. Nate, although breathing heavily, had determination in his eyes to put up a good fight.

"Wait!" I said stepping towards Chris, arm outreached, "He didn't attack me!"

But it was too late. Chris pounced, and the fight began. Nate took advantage of Chris' airborne state and slid forward. Leaving a nasty knife wound on the underbelly of the wolf as he slipped underneath, Chris howled but retaliated quickly. He landed on his front paws, swinging the rest of his body around so that he was facing Nate, and attacked. Having his back to Chris and rising from his slide, Nate did not anticipate the swipe of claws deep across his shoulder blades. He stumbled forward into the wall, but used his arms to spring himself around.

It was like watching a fight scene in a movie theater. I was a helpless spectator, but cheering for neither to be named victor. I had to break this up, but how?

Chris advanced forward, hoping to take advantage of Nate's back to the wall. Surprising both Chris and me, Nate laughed, triumphantly, eyes glowing red. Chris growled, baring his teeth again. That's when I saw it; Nate's small weapon pile was laying on the floor just a few feet away. Nate sprung left, rolling on his side and grabbing the handle of an axe as he rose to his feet. Chris swooped low, aiming for Nate's legs. Expecting a higher attack, Nate jumped backward in surprise, swinging his weapon at Chris' head. The blade nicked Chris' ear but Nate did not escape without harm. Chris simply got lower and managed to dig into Nate's ankle with his claws. Wrapping his modified paw around Nate's ankle, he yanked the vampire towards him. Nate fell on his back and his abdomen was bit into by Chris' blade-like teeth. Nate snarled in furious pain, bringing the axe up into Chris' shoulder. It dug in deep, and a howl escaped Chris' jaws. He reeled off of Nate and swiped at Nate's arm holding the weapon's handle. Nate pushed himself backwards across the floor to escape as Chris dislodged the axe. Pulling himself to his feet, Nate panted.

I knew he couldn't fight much longer. From the beginning of the battle he was not nearly as agile as I'd previously seen him. Now especially, his weakness showed through his stance. He was almost limp, barely standing. His right arm was now clawed down to his bone and his abdomen wound would have been fatal for any human, not to mention the shoulder and ankle injury slowing him down.

Chris shook his fur, growling in annoyance. He leaped towards Nate, claws ready to take him down. Nate dodged to the side, narrowly missing the attack without retaliating. Chris sprung again, and in the same manner, Nate dodged once more.

Nate doubled over; although Chris' strike missed, his claws had made some contact with the already torn stomach. He was gasping desperately through his fangs now, descending to his knees. Chris circled the struggling vampire as if he were playing with a crippled deer. In one more pounce, Chris will have Nate pinned to the floor, and he'll be gone.

He'll be gone.

'Nate will be dead because I don't have the courage to stand up for him,' I realized. 'I have to do something. Something besides standing uselessly against this wall. Anything.'

I saw Chris' powerful hind muscles tense up.

"Stop!" I screamed, sprinting to Nate, to save him, to do something.

I fell on top of him. Pushing Nate flat against the ground in an attempt to shield him from the impending death by werewolf.