The scythe was tucked under arm - fine for now, but she'd have to shift it or more likely drop it in order to aim with both hands, using her cross bow. Same for if she wanted to use the scythe - she lacked the physical strength, here, to handle the heavy weapons with one hand.

If it had just been Red in that head, his manhood's affect might have been blunted. She'd grown up among dominant women, after all, with no men in sight. But there was Ruby in there, too - dulling her fighting instincts, chipping away at her self-confidence... and far more familiar with masculine capabilities than Red had been. Still, at this physical distance, she had her nerves under control. She just needed to keep it that way.

Beyond that, though, she's a wolf. His masculinity didn't come in, there - her granny had been an alpha-type, and so had her mother had ruled an entire pack; not exactly patriarchal. But the tendency to respond to commanding tones is still, there, and she wasn't contrary enough to fight back on something they both wanted.

"I'm just after the mountains," she promised him.