Defence, defeat, detail. From lslaw.

[seph-hazard.livejournal.com]

Katarina fell backwards into Mandrake's arms and he whistled for Carridon, a slight crease of concern in his brow. She muttered something in Russian as he lifted her up and set her slumped across the ghoul horse's broad back, and Thomas motioned for him to remain still for a moment. “What was that?”
“He was behind you”, she murmured weakly. “I thought you could not see him.” She had leapt to his defence, brandishing her sabre and flooded suddenly with the fire of the warrior. It had woken something in her, something she had thought lost.
“We can talk about this later. You need to rest, to feed and heal.” Seeing her struggle Thomas had been forced to dispatch her opponent with a thrown sword, leaving himself unarmed and vulnerable.
“I'm sorry, Thomas. He would have defeated me. I ought not to have abandoned the plan.”
“We can discuss the details when you're well”, he replied, and motioned for Carridon to return Katarina to his estate.
“But the fight,” she said softly as she was carried away back to home and safety. “It felt like dancing.”