The Eternal Avenger

Chapter Ten: Limits

(Claray's POV)

When I regained control, all I could see was a blanket being held in front of me. I took it gently from Natasha's hand, wrapping it around myself securely.

"Thank you," I murmured to her, gratefully. She smiled at me before glancing around the room. She approached a set of claw marks in the wall, tracing her fingers over the deep scratches in the somewhat metallic surface. Fury walked into the room, immediately noticing the scratches as well.

"You clawed straight through the first layer of Vibranium," he noted.

"She's strong," Natasha stated, catching Fury's eye.

"Sorry about your wall," I offered weakly. Shifting took a lot out of me, and coming back is disorientating enough, let alone in a strange place. Natasha walked over to me, lightly touching my shoulder.

"No apology necessary, Claray," she smiled reassuringly.

"It's rather impressive," Fury admitted. I raised my eyebrows at his next sentence. "Can you do it again?" Natasha's head snapped towards Fury, scowling.

"Director, I don't think..." she began. I sighed, putting up my hand to stop her.

"Yes, I can." I admitted. I had a feeling that I knew what was coming.

"I want a live test of your strength one on one," Fury looked at me. I nodded.

"It's likely that I won't hurt Natasha, but I..." he cut me off.

"Not Natasha. We need to see how strong you really are." I frowned, puzzled.

"Rogers, you're up." Captain America nodded, leaving the room to change into clothes more suitable for skirmishing.

"Director..." Natasha started again, Fury cutting her off this time. The poor woman couldn't seem to complete a sentence.

"Romanoff, she knows you. While I appreciate the offer, even you must admit that if we want to accurately gauge what she's capable of, it has to be against someone she has no familiarity with." Natasha opened and closed her mouth, knowing that he was right.

"Director Fury?" He turned towards me. "If you're going to pit me against an Avenger..." I began, not believing the next words that were about to come out of my mouth, "you may want to muzzle me." Fury and Natasha both frowned, looking at me. I explained further. "A single bite may not be dangerous, but repeated bites could potentially - in theory - turn him." Fury's eyes widened, but I wasn't sure if it was because of my honesty, or because of the possibility that I had presented to him.

"That's not necessary, Claray..." Natasha began, but stopped herself short this time. Fury gestured to Agent Hill, still waiting on the other side of the glass. She nodded and left the room, presumably to retrieve something that would function as a muzzle. I couldn't believe I was doing this. As we waited for both agents to return, Natasha walked over to me. "I wish I could say you didn't have to do this," she murmured to me quietly. I smiled at her.

"I know, it's okay." She returned the smile. Captain America returned a few moments later, holding a shield and wearing a t-shirt and sweats. He started to enter the room, but I put out a hand to stop him. "Captain, you're going to want to wait outside until the shift is complete, and I am...safer." He nodded. I turned to Natasha as Director Fury exited the room, following Rogers. "Could you put the muzzle on after the turn?" Natasha looked up at me surprised but nodded. Agent Hill returned, and Natasha exited the room, taking a device from Hill, shutting and locking the door behind her. I sighed, centering myself and hoping that this was going to work out without anyone getting killed, including myself. I let myself began to shift again.

(Natasha's POV)

I heard the screams that turned into growls that turned into howls again, watching through the glass in the door. I couldn't believe that she was going through this again. It didn't look particularly pleasant, and I didn't like seeing her in pain. Once the transformation was complete, I unlocked the heavy door, swinging it open slightly, motioning to Steve to shut it behind me. "Romanoff, are you sure?" He asked. I nodded. I walked into the room slowly. Once again, the wolf snarled at me before tilting its head to the side, sniffing the air. I took a few steps closer, and the wolf retreated, backing itself into a corner. I stopped in my tracks. Cornering an overly large predator was not the way to handle this. I took a few steps back. The wolf hesitated, making a soft grunting sound. I stood in front of the door, watching. "Romanoff," Steve's voice crackled over the coms. I held up a finger, gesturing for him to wait. I crouched down on my heels, raising my left hand in the air in front of me. The wolf approached, sniffing the air again.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I whispered. The wolf made a chuffing sound before taking a few steps forward. Slowly, I held up the device in my right hand. "Can I put this on you?" The wolf snarled and I froze in my tracks but refused to back down. She shook her head from side to side but came closer before laying down on the ground in front of my feet, resting her massive head on her paws. I smiled. I reached forward, pressing the device towards the tip of her snout. A low growl rang out in warning, but the mechanical clicking of the muzzle around her mouth, holding it securely shut indicated that it had worked. I stood up and backed towards the door. She just sat there, watching me. It was sure a different story once Steve replaced me inside the room. From the moment I left the room and he entered, I heard nothing but muffled snarling, and she began pacing back and forth again, red eyes watching his every move. Steve walked a few feet inside, eyes following her every move. He nodded to Fury that he was ready.

"Begin," the Director ordered. Steve crouched in place, and she lunged at him.

The first lunge was just a test that he blocked easily, pushing the massive head away with his shield. She stalked to the far corner of the room then started back, speeding up into a run. About 10 feet away from Steve, all four paws left the ground as she leaped at him. Her claws caught the edge of his shield, scratching down the side of it, leaving deep imprints. I saw Clint's eyes go wide in the window across from the one I was using. Even Fury seemed impressed. Steve deflected, pushing her away with his shield, using his fully body weight behind it. He jumped into the air throwing his shield at her. What happened next took everybody by surprise. She gracefully spun out of the way, but lifted her front paws in the air, slapping the shield down onto the ground like a frisbee. My breath caught in my throat. Shit. She approached Steve, who was now crouched down in a defensive position, his primary weapon and cover now gone. She sat on her haunches a few feet away, watching him closely. He approached swinging, and her paw slapped his punch away, causing him to slightly lose his balance. He lifted his leg to kick, and with one swift motion she had raised her paw, contacted the center of his chest, and sent him flying across the room, landing with a thud after striking the far wall.

"That's enough!" Fury's voice called out. She had batted Rogers around like a rag doll. Steve stood, walking forwards, attempting to collect his shield. She stood over it like a prize, the muffled growling intensifying. He gave up, walking towards the door, keeping eye contact with the creature the entire time. I unlocked the door and walked past him into the room as he exited.

"Be careful, Natasha," he cautioned. I offered him a small smile and nodded. Entering the room once more, the wolf's demeanor shifted once more. She bounced lightly on her front paws, crouching down, almost like she was being playful. I held my hands up and approached, gesturing towards the muzzle.

"Can I take that off of you?" I softly asked. The wolf approached me once more and I was able to quickly find and press the button that would revert the device back to its original form. It fell easily into my hands, and she panted, sitting beside me quietly. "You know the drill," I murmured. She got to her feet, approaching my raised hand, licking it again before retreating to the far corner. I grabbed the blanket off of the floor, approaching and covering her shift.