Fendros was still unconvinced. He frowned and narrowed his eyes in ambivalence. "Again, I don't know about your family, but I'm not so sure about mine. From what I know of my parent's culture, the shame of having your only birth child run off with a Khajiit could be worse than simply having them die. In fact, they may treat the event as just the same, and their grief would just perpetuate." Fendros closed his eyes and shook his head, looking at Ahnasha again before continuing, "I don't know how much it will accomplish, but I will think about it. For you, I would hate to see you go through the pain, but if you think it's the right thing to do, I will trust and support your decision." "Oh, okay." Sabine's eyes darted as she was taken off guard. She would have to navigate Bruma? She might get lost again. What if the Bruma was even more difficult to navigate than the Imperial City? She tried to calm herself down as they approached the gates. She would have everyone with her this time, at least. The driver spoke over his shoulder in a husky cold-touched voice. "Welcome to Bruma. The city of mead and mountains." The caravan proceeded under the gates of the snow covered stone walls and beyond into the streets. To their left rose a tall temple to the Nine Divines that looked over the tiled roofs of the buildings to their right. The buildings, some houses, some shops, all lined up on a number of terraces that ascended up to the keep at the top of the central thoroughfare with some treacherous looking staircases along the way. The guards here wore yellow emblazoned with a black bird. and the entire ground save for some cleared parts of the streets were blanketed with a layer of mountain snow. The pack had a few moments to take everything in before they would disembark and wait for Meesei's next intended heading.

It was a relief to finally be in the city, though it was just as cold and snowy inside as it was outside. To truly get out of the cold, they would need to get into an inn or another building. Luckily, a quick look around revealed the unmistakable sign of an inn directly next to the front gate. It was quite a convenient location for such a business. Likely, it was the most popular inn in the city, and therefore, more likely to have an agent of the pack they were searching for. Once Meesei thanked the caravan driver and they took their leave of him, the pack gathered closely in front of the inn. Even if the majority of locals were Nords, there were few who willingly stood outside in such a snowstorm for long, so the streets were not terribly crowded. Mostly, it was the unfortunate guards who had a duty to patrol the streets that could be seen outside, all of which had torches in hand for warmth. "I know we have been traveling a while, but we need to keep our business in the city brief." Meesei began, being sure to speak quietly enough that no one around them could hear. "We are out of gold, almost completely. I doubt we could afford a meal for one of us, much less rooms at the inn. I would rather not camp out in the snow, so we need to find an agent of the pack we are searching for. For ones of that size which stay in one location, they usually have someone in the nearest city for various reasons. We just need to catch their scent. I am going to take Sabine to the couriers' office, the rest of you can head into the inn if you wish. If you find an agent, just tell them I will be there shortly." Meesei explained. Turning back to Sabine, she reached down and gently grabbed her her hand, while also conjuring a small flame in her other hand for warmth. "Alright, I'll let you take the lead. Oh, and go ahead and try this as well." She suggested, gesturing the flame toward Sabine.

While the others went into the inn to find a lycan contact, Sabine stayed with Meesei and thought of how to proceed. Thankfully, she had a moment so distract herself in making a small magical flame to keep warm. It was a simple spell, less simple than just making light, but still simple. She stood still for a few moments to make sure that it was at a manageable magnitude, then nodded. For the little warmth it gave, at least it kept her fingers from freezing off. Now, directions. Sabine looked around and spotted a pair of the vibrantly dressed guards patrolling. They were helpful unless they were corrupt. It was a start. Sabine approached the guards, but not so eagerly that she would slip over in the snow. The guards kept an eye on them as they approached. No doubt two hooded strangers with magic fire in their hands was not a sight to ignore. Sabine spoke quietly to get their attention. "E-excuse me." The guards didn't hear her behind his helmet, so she tried again a little louder, "Excuse me." One guard stopped and faced them, prompting the other to stop as well. "Can I help you, citizen?" His tone was slightly grumpy due to the weather. Sabine paused, thinking she had said something wrong. But found words before the guards walked off. "Courier's office. Do you know where the courier's office is?" The guard's demeanour seemed to change to be helpful. Perhaps he was expecting something more stressful. He pointed down the street along the wall, away from the temple. "See that house on the left with the sign with a horse on it?" Sabine had to squint to see what the guard was mentioning, "That's the office right there." Sabine didn't look at the guards before she started walking again, but she stopped a couple of steps later to turn and smile. "Thank you." "Just doing my job. Stay warm, young lady." The guard turned and seemed hunched again as he continued his patrol. As soon as they walked out of earshot from the guards, Sabine smiled triumphantly at Meesei. "Those guards were not corrupt, weren't they?" --- The rest of the pack opened the door to the inn to be blasted by heat, smoke, chatter, and various smells. It was not unexpected, but the contrast with the frigid outdoors made it seem more powerful. Stepping inside, they quickly found that they had to discard their outermost fur cloaks in the warmth. It was warmth that they had never been so grateful for in their lives. The inn itself was not especially large, but had more people than they were expecting. Some people were drinking or eating, some were just standing around to warm up for a moment. Virtually everyone was talking amongst themselves. There were a few patrons that threw glances at the pack, especially when they spotted Leaps' head sticking out from the collar of Janius' makeshift fur greatcoat where he was being kept for warmth. The hatchling's body was already making his front seem strange and contorted without his uniquely shaped head drawing everyone's attention. The inn had its fair share of roughly dressed individuals, so even with the faint trace of an unfamiliar lycan in the air, they could guess that one was their agent. Fendros looked to the others briefly, "Let's wait by the fire for a bit. I have a feeling that an agent will come to us eventually. We'll look more closely if we get nothing by the time Meesei comes back." True enough, while the pack warmed their extremities up, a group of three people around a table in the corner eyed them and discussed quietly amongst themselves. After about a minute, one of them walked out of the inn, picking up his coat in a hurry. The another stayed seated while the third approached the group briskly. He was a Nord who looked about as old as Lorag, probably a local. He wore his shoulder-length jet black hair combed back to reveal a widow's peak and he wore a thick beard that obscured his lips, but was not long enough to grab. His demeanour was authoritative, but not threatening. "You four. I know what you are, you know what I am. You are in Jerrick's territory. I can see that you have a child, so we will not attack unless you force us to. What is your..." A confusion came over the man as he cut himself off, he stared at Kaleeth-Rei for a moment, then continued, "...What is your business here and what is one of your kind doing so far up north?"

Meesei returned Sabine's smile and shook her head. "No, not by my observation. You will find that pretty much every guard, merchant, and worker you come across will be just an honest man or woman trying to make a living. Most people just want to get along, and even those who are rude to you may just be under stress. I mentioned corruption only because it is not an impossibility. Even if it is rare to find the corrupt and criminal, it is something you need to watch for. If you think someone is acting strangely, you should not trust them." Following the directions the guard had given, Meesei and Sabine made their way to the building he had pointed out. Stepping inside the modestly-sized building, they extinguished the flames in their hands, but fortunately, they were met wih a wave of comparatively warm air. Compared to houses in southern parts of Cyrodiil, it was still chilly, but compared to the outside, it was like stepping out into the sun on a warm summer day, thanks to the fireplace on the wall just to their right. Most of the furniture, such as the chairs and tables near the hearth that served as a sort of fireplace, as well as the desk at which the clerk was sitting, looked more Imperial, while other decorations, like the fur rugs and mounted heads of elk and other game, made the office seem distinctly Nordic. The Nord man behind the desk had notice them enter, but he seemed quite busy with the paperwork he was doing, so he waited for Meesei and Sabine to approeach them. Meesei leaned over and whispered to Sabine. "How about you ask for your letter? They are paid for by the sender, so you just need to give your name, your full name, and ask if there is anything for you." --- "Me? Oh, well, I..." Kaleeth began nervously when the bearded Nordic man mentioned her. Fortunately, Lorag interrupted with a response very quickly. After all, he was in charge whenever Meesei was gone. "It's complicated. Her kind are normally loners, but it wasn't so normal how she became like us. For our business here, it's important, I can say that much. Our, uh, leader's dealin' with somethin' else in town. She'll be here soon to give you all the details. I can say that we're on the tail of some people that might be lookin' to strike at Jarrick's...people. More than that, we probably shouldn't talk about out in the open." Lorag explained.

The warmth of the courier's office was such a relief that Sabine let out a breath and felt like just standing in it for another half an hour. However, Meesei urged her on. Given some confidence by the success of getting directions, Sabine walked up to the clerk with a bit less anxiety and placed her palms lightly on the desk. She started out quiet again, but her volume increased once she gained momentum. "I am Sabine...Montgrave. Is there anything for me?" The clerk looked up with a raised brow and stopped writing for a moment. "Let me just take a look, Miss Montgrave." He said as he put his quill away and stood up. With unintelligible mumbles and grumbles, the Imperial fingered through the various items on the shelves around him until he found a slip of folded paper that had been sealed with wax. Some writing had been scratched onto the front that the clerk read and reread before showing it to Sabine. "Is this your name?" The letter was addressed as such: Miss Sabine Montgrave Care of Bruma Courier Service Bruma, Cyrodiil Sabine didn't know what the 'Miss' meant, but it was Ariel's handwriting. That much made her heart skip a beat. She didn't care about anything else on it, her name was Sabine Montgrave. She nodded her head vigorously and smiled. The clerk returned the smile and extended the letter over the desk to her. Sabine took it with both hands and turned it, trying to work out the best way to open it. It was a few seconds before Sabine remembered her manners once again and looked up at the clerk. "Thank you." The clerk didn't respond with anything except a smile and a nod before he sat down and resumed his work. In her rush to read the letter, Sabine didn't even walk away from the desk yet. She didn't quite realise that opening the letter would be as simple as snapping the wax seal, so she ended up tearing the paper slightly, much to her dismay. It was not ruined beyond reading, thankfully. Sabine ran her finger across the line of text as she slowly deciphered the Daedric runes written to form Dunmeris. The words were cramped on the small sheet such that Ariel did not have space to put paragraphs on the sheet of paper, but it wasn't a problem. She skipped over the date, but it was obvious that the letter was written in response to the letter Sabine sent in Leyawiin. My dearest sister, This week has been the most wonderful week in my life. Business was good for a start, I made more returns than I had predicted for this month. I received your last letter, it was a relief to hear that your voyage was going well, despite the difficulties of living on the ship. To top it all off, Rukeewei gave me the biggest fright when he invited me to his inn and presented to me a ring of engagement. A gold band with three of the most beautiful amethysts you have ever seen! He even hired a bard to perform a ballad in my name. I could barely speak, but when I accepted, the cheer from the patrons was deafening. I can barely contain my happiness at this moment, but it is all I can do to keep focussed on work and help to organise the wedding. At first, I didn't know how we would pay for a ceremony, but it turns out that Argonians are community minded enough, even in cities, that we have received help from friends and family of Rukee's. Some friends I've made in the city and even some of my customers have pushed gold into my hands demanding that I contribute it to the wedding. It warmed my heart so much for all the support. We are to be married a month from now, enough time for Rukeewei's relatives to gather. It might be embarrassing to have no family there, but I have made some friends that I intend to invite. I wish you and the pack could be there, Sabine, but I know that the distance between us and the duties you have makes that impossible. Speaking of which, you must tell me of you journey from Leyawiin to Bruma. I want to hear everything, from the people you meet to the sights you see. How is the pack? Have Ahnasha and Fendros found some help yet? How is little Rhazii and Leaps-On-Elves? And most importantly, how are you, sister? Cyrodiil must be different under the light of your new perspective. I want to know how you have developed over this time. My address is the same as always. Please write back as soon as you can. All of my love to everyone. Your sister, - Ariel "Do you need anything else, Miss?" The clerk spoke just as Sabine reached Ariel's signature and she was snapped back to reality. "What? Um...no." Sabine's voice was jumpy, suddenly full of energy. She turned around to Meesei and her face spread into one of the widest grins she had ever pulled. She very nearly sprinted the two metres up to Meesei and held the letter up to her. "Read!" She demanded with excitement, too elated to remember to say please or to provide any more context. --- The bearded Nord crossed his arms and frowned. He was not going to believe Lorag immediately, but he wasn't going to drive them all out of his pack's territory just yet. "Then I will stay to wait for her. Then we can find somewhere more appropriate," he responded, continuing to give suspicious glances to Kaleeth. Janius had honestly hoped for a more warm welcome, but he couldn't blame the stranger for being as cold as the weather. He was dealing with a foreign pack that might present competition for their hunting grounds, or worse, present a threat to his own pack. Janius might have tried to engage him in pleasantries to try and lower the tension, but he figured it was best to follow Lorag's lead here.

To see Sabine's joy at opening the letter from Ariel gave Meesei a warm grin. This was the first time she had actually been able to receive a letter from Ariel, and Sabine was almost as happy as when she saw her in person back in Thorn. From the way her smile grew as she read through the letter, Meesei could only guess that the news it contained was quite good. Overall, Sabine at least seemed confident in speaking with others. She did not have any visible anxiety when speaking with the clerk, though there were a few instances of her doing something that might be considered awkward, such as standing at the desk to read the letter. Meesei could correct her on on such missteps later; for the moment, Sabine was quite anxious for Meesei to read the letter as well. Meesei took the letter once Sabine offered it, being careful not to rip it any further. She had no problem deciphering Daedric runes, however; Dunmeris itself was not a language she knew. After staring at the page a few moments with a slightly confused expression, she looked back at Sabine and offered the parchment back to her. "I...would like to, but I do not actually know Dunmeris. I can read the runes, but I do not know the words they make. It is only the Daedric language itself that I know. You will have to read it to me. Come on, you can tell me about it on the way back to the inn." She suggested, before taking her hand and leading her out of the couriers' office. Meesei created a ball of fire in her other hand once again and held it close to Sabine to share the warmth, being careful to keep it far enough away from the parchment.

Sabine's smile faded a little and she actually became flushed with embarrassment at the realisation that Meesei couldn't read the letter. She fumbled slightly with the letter in one hand as she tried to face it to her again. With the combination of the cold and her flustered state, she stumbled over her words at first. "My...dar...dearest sister..." Sabine translated as best as she could while the two walked to the inn. Reading and translating at the same time was more taxing than Sabine had anticipated. Some words came out slightly differently to the letter, but mostly the same message was communicated. Sabine had to walk slowly through the snow to read and watch her step at the same time. Fortunately, this gave her enough time to get through the entire letter before they neared the inn. When Sabine finished reading out the letter, she looked at Meesei and very nearly jumped up and down in place. She let out an excited laugh the likes of which she had not expressed since before she turned. "Ariel is going to marry Rukeewei!"

Meesei too was greatly excited to hear about Ariel's engagement; perhaps not quite to the extent as Sabine, but it was still good to hear how well her life was going. She waited until after Sabine was finished translating the letter to share in her excitement. "Yes, is it not wonderful? Certainly, she deserves that kind of happiness. I do wonder what the wedding is going to be like? They come from different places with different customs, so I wonder if it is going to be an Argonian wedding, something from Morrowind, or perhaps a bit of both? Argonian weddings have sections that must be spoken in Jel, but she can certainly speak the language by now, so that would not be an issue. Ah, I definitely hope we are able to hear back from her again. Perhaps in your next letter, we can all say something to her? Hopefully we will have the coin to send it by the time it is written." Meesei would have continued the conversation, but as they stepped into the inn, she noticed the rest of the pack at a table with an unidentified man. There was only one reason she could think of for that, which meant the others were successful. 'It looks like we found the person we are looking for." She said quietly to Sabine as she closed the door to the outside behind her. As much as she wanted to continue with the conversation about Ariel, it was time to get to business. The pair approached the table, prompting Lorag to gesture to her and give an introduction. "Ah, there she is. This is Meesei, our 'leader'. And this is a 'friend' of Jerrick. We're in his territory." Lorag explained. Nodding respectfully, Meesei took a seat across from the man. "I see, well it is good to meet you. I do not know what my friend Lorag has already told you, but we have come here to help you with a threat you may or may not be aware of." She began. As she spoke, she brought her elbows up onto the table and clasped her hands together, one over another, in a way that called attention to her ring. In addition to its magical properties, the Ring of Hircine was an undeniable symbol which almost any true follower of Hircine would recognize. It signified her position as Champion to their patron, with all of the respect that brought, all of the authority it demanded. "I would like for you to take us to Jerrick as soon as possible."

The black haired Nord leaned back in the chair he had taken with his arms crossed in front of him. He eyed Sabine and Meesei just as suspiciously as the others. That was, until Meesei brought up her ring emblazoned with the head of a wolf. At the sight of it, his expression fell away to reveal one of shock. He stopped breathing for a moment. He couldn't take his eyes off the ring. Meesei's request didn't even register in his mind for several seconds, but once he confirmed what the ring was, he stood up from his chair. His tone changed from threatening to surprised, "You weren't what I was expecting. You had better come with us, don't forget your coats." The man started towards the front door. "Us? Do you mean just you and your friend?" Janius started to ask. The Nord didn't respond. Instead, he turned around, stuck two fingers in his mouth, whistled loudly, and then pointed four fingers towards the general direction of the tables in the inn. Four more roughly dressed people approached along with the remaining man who had sat by the Nord when the pack arrived. The pack now had an entourage of six unknown Lycans escorting them, each donning their own coats and gloves. There was no telling how many more were in amongst the inn's patronage. At a strong walking pace, the pack and its escorts were led out of the inn my the Nord with the sound of crunching snow under their collective boots. They didn't head to the gate that they entered in, rather they ascended one of the staircases up to the second terrace of the town, then headed North to another gate. The guards seemed curious about the suspiciously quiet group of a dozen or so people walking through the streets, but they didn't stop them. Once they were all out of the gate, one of the entourage, a Bosmer man, cast a spell similar to Meesei and Sabine's, then began to light torches for everyone. "Stay warm," The Nord announced, "if this snow picks up any more, some of you might get frostbitten by the time we get there." "How far away is 'there'?" Fendros asked. "An hour or two on good time." That wasn't so bad, but if what the Nord said was true, then the cold could get worse than they thought. Fendros hoped for Rhazii's sake more than anyone's that it wouldn't come to that. Janius felt uncomfortable enough with the cold, but being guided by an equal numbers of strangers was causing him concern. He didn't know whether they were being lead into a trap, or into hospitality. He though perhaps some introductions would help. "So, what's your name?" He asked the Nord, walking up to him with Kaleeth up against his side for warmth. "Mine's Janius." Much to Janius' relief, the Nord smiled, grateful to let go of the situation's seriousness. He pointed a gloved thumb to his hide-clad chest. "I'm Anders. Nice to meet you." Anders looked at the ground while he walked, but seemed to relax a bit, "We normally look to find new lycans in town to pick up. It's an interesting enough day when we find a strange pack and have to chase them off to keep them off our game. Never expected the champion's pack to show up." He glanced at Kaleeth-Rei, "Much less a werecrocodile. Sorry if it sounded like I had something against Argonians, I've just not met a new werecroc in over fifteen years. What's your name? I take it from the way you cling to your friend that you're not used to the north." Whether Kaleeth-Rei participated in conversation or not, Janius kept chatting with Anders the whole way to their destination. While they climbed uphill, they learned the names of their entourage. Fenian was the Bosmer, a young mage, rather scholarly, infected while on a field expedition; Sara, the Imperial woman, apparently a farmers daughter; Coram, the Orc teenager who kept glancing at Lorag nervously; And finally, there were the Redguard twins, Isran and Alesan, inseparable and fast. All of these lycans seemed amiable enough when spoken to, but didn't want to keep a conversation up like Anders did. They were all clearly uneasy to be in the presence of Meesei's pack. The mountain path seemed to take longer to traverse than what felt like an hour, but they eventually neared the hideout's entrance. Anders cleared his throat and announced as much to everyone. "We're almost there. It's much warmer underground in our home."

Though the torches did provide some heat, the path up the mountain was far more frigid than most of the pack was used to, and the veritable blizzard they were walking through was certainly not helping. They wrapped themselves in as many fur coats and blankets as they had, in particular Kaleeth and Ahnasha. Although Ahnasha had an easier time in the cold than the others, she was also carrying Rhazii and wanted to keep him wrapped up as thickly as possible. Normally, he did not like having his vision of the world around him obscured, but it only took him a few attempts of sticking his head out of the furs to discover that it was unpleasant. Fortunately, the lycans escorting them did not seem to be as hostile as their first impressions would suggest. Janius started off the talk, which quickly shifted to Kaleeth. "Oh...that's okay. My name is Kaleeth-Rei. No, I've never been up here before. I'm from Black Marsh; I've always lived there. I hate it up here; it's so, what is the word? Freezing. Why do people live here willingly?" The conversation continued throughout the climb up the mountain path, with each of them eventually giving their introductions. They did not begin talking about more serious matters, as that conversation was best saved for their Alpha, but talking in general did at least help distract them from the cold. Eventually, they moved off of the road and along a moderately steep part of the mountain. Certainly, wherever their destination was, it was not convenient to get to. For it to be worthwhile to make such a climb every time one wanted to return, it must have been an exceptional hideout. Anders led them into a partially obscured cave entrance in the side of the mountain, which immediately started to slope steeply down once they were inside. Because of the smoke from their torches, they had to extinguish them in the confined space, but just as Anders had said, it grew warmer the further down they went. The path would have been pitch black had several of the group not been capable of magelight. They walked for a few minutes through a passage that seemed to be completely abandoned unti they turned a corner and saw a light in a chamber ahead of them. Anders walked into the small chamber first. Though wider than the passages they had been going through it still felt crowded once everyone was inside. They were met by three people, obviously lycans by their scents, gathered at a simple table. There was only one light source in the room, a bright enchanted lantern with a persistent magelight inside. It allowed for light without the worry of smoke choking up the air. By this point, the air only had a slight chill, so most of the pack had shed all but a single coat each. It was obvious that the three lycans were lookouts, as one of them, an Imperial woman, was quick to question Anders about the unfamiliar individuals he had in tow. He was quick to explain who they were, which Meesei confirmed by extending her hand forward to show the ring. "Is that...oh my!" The woman began, looking up from the Ring at Meesei with obvious surprise. "You're...the Champion? I'm sorry, I didn't expect...what brings you here?" "I wish I could say it was a social visit, but our business is important. We need to speak with your Alpha, Jerrick." Meesei answered. The Imperial seemed nervous, but she quickly nodded as she collected herself. "Right, of course. I, uh, I think I know where he is right now. One of the dining rooms, I believe. Uhh, come on, I'll take you to him." She offered after taking a moment to consider it in her mind. She took the lead, guiding both the pack and Anders' group further into the cave, which was now level, instead of sloping down. The air grew gradually warmer, but there were still came across no other lycans in the cave they were in. Meesei wondered how large this cave system would have to be in order to have such a long entrance and multiple dining rooms. That is, until they came to the entrance of the hideout proper. At the end of the cave was a hole in the cave wall, which met immediately with a hole in the unmistakable stone of an Ayleid ruin. Stepping into the first hall, they were met with air that was actually warm, like the southern parts of Cyrodiil, which prompted them to remove their coats entirely. The ancient Ayleid magic which kept the magical torches that lined the walls lit also kept the air at a comfortable temperature, even with the blizzard above. Even though they were still underground, the tall ceilings made it seem as if the world had opened up before them in comparison to the confined cave that served as the entrance, especially once they reached the first chamber. It had an even taller ceiling than the hallway behind them, and looked to be a sort of armory or storage area. Since it was the closest room to the entrance, it was likely where members of the pack prepared themselves to leave their hideout for whatever business they might have outside. The higher parts of the ceiling showed definite wear, but the walls closer to the floor looked like they had been cleaned up in comparison to most Ayleid ruins. In just this room alone, there were about a dozen people before they stepped inside. They were all outfitting themselves with equipment that made them seem like hunters, though a dozen individuals was quite a large hunting party, and they did not seem nearly as interested in the strangers to their home as Meesei would have expected. "This place...it is impressive. Do you have to deal with many adventurers looking to plunder it, or scholars trying to study it?" Meesei asked curiously. The Imperial woman shook her head. "Oh, no, we're well hidden up here. The actual entrance to this place was covered up no telling how long ago. Probably in a landslide or something. It's not on any maps I've ever seen; we found it by chance. I wasn't actually with the scouting party that found it, but from what I understand, they were looking around caves in the mountain when they found the cave we were just in. It wouldn't have been that great of a hideout, but one of them just happened to notice a small hole in the cave's wall that revealed a small piece of the ruin's wall. Well, we knocked down that wall, send some people in to scout and disarm all the traps, then we moved the whole pack here. Some of the scholars have been studying the place. They figured out what the Ayleids called it, but I, uh, forgot the name. I just know it's made a great home." As they walked out of the armory and into the next hallway, Meesei's eyes wandered around, admiring the relatively well-preserved stonework. "I can imagine. These ruins were cities for the ancient Ayleids. It should easily be able to serve even a large pack's needs. Speaking of that, how many members does your pack have, anyway? Yours is a pack that handles new bloods, correct? I would guess quite a few." The woman gave a slight huff. "Oh, I can't even begin to guess, not anymore. Used to, our pack could reach up to a little over a hundred werewolves, and the occasional other variants of lycans, but now...well, we've blown that record out of the water. I don't know what's causing it, but we've been getting just so many new bloods for the past...year or two, I think. It started out as a slower growth, but now, we're getting new members faster than we can find territory for them. A lot of our members are trained and ready, but we can't send them out fast enough. A lot of people of all ages here. This ruin is massive, so we have room, but it's starting to feel like a city down here. We've had to branch out from more than just hunting to keep everyone fed. Still, we've tackled all those challenges, and so far, it's been working." Meesei nodded in response to show her interest, but she did not actually voice her thoughts. The news of the pack's expansion was certainly curious. She wondered what could cause such a drastic increase in the number of new lycans. It could be that Hircine was spreading his gift farther in order to prepare for war, but at the moment, Meesei had no evidence for that. Perhaps later, she would be able to find someone in the pack who might have more knowledge on the situation, but for now, she was just concerned with talking to Jerrick.

The entourage followed Meesei's pack through the main Ayleid ruins as well, not letting them leave their sight just in case. Despite the measure of security, the pack was awed enough by the interior of the ruin that they were too distracted to notice. The masonry was made from impossibly large blocks of stone so finely done that they could not have been placed and carved by hand. This place radiated magic out of every possible atmosphere. It was an interior, but also like a different world entirely. The space past the armoury was halted by an old metal gate that opened when the faces familiar to the gatekeepers presented themselves and signalled to allow passage. There was some rougher stonework past the gate that indicated some work to make the position more defensible, but Fendros noticed a balcony above the gate that would allow arrows to be fired down, of for a predictably terrifying sally by any defenders. It seemed like overcompensation for such a secluded location, but they had to be careful with the only defence being a secret with such a large community. The gate's narrow artificial passage held a few lookouts that peered down on the new faces curiously, but tried not to draw attention to themselves. The short passage led to another large room. This time, it was even larger. The space easily could have been accommodated in the world's largest royal courtyards. It stretched equal ways wide and long, about two hundred metres in the furthest direction. All space but the centre was covered in a hodgepodge of supplies, bedrolls, and people milling about. In the centre was a cleared and raised platform particularly illuminated by various magical lights. The ancient stone furniture that had been moved off to the sides indicated that perhaps rituals were held here, but the well lit area was instead being used to instruct a group of about twenty lycans in some familiar topic, likely combat techniques. In the darker sides of the room were a number of other lycans standing up against the wall, watching on. No one in the pack had seen so many lycans at once, but if they were impressed, it would be premature. They continued on through one of the many passageways that lead from the instruction chamber. Every alcove out of traffic was occupied by a crate or barrel of supplies, or a bedroll. Some of the bedrolls were occupied by curious eyes or soft snoring. The corridor they were progressing down turned down a set of spiral stairs and went straight on for a while. The wall on their left opened up to another large chamber, this one filled with cooking pits and people using them. Many people were sitting around eating, some on tables, some on mats or on the floor. A keen eye could spot that absolutely no one was alone in this place, in fact, no one was on their own in the entire complex so far. The ceiling of this room was stained black with soot, but this chamber was unique in that a dim ray of daylight could be seen through a hole in the roof. It must be that this was one of the few rooms with a chimney. The next staircase brought them up to a row of large cells closed off with intricate gates. The purpose of this place was not clear, but some private sleeping areas could be seen beyond the cells. the corridor of cells opened up to one last room at its end with a wooden table and a few people sitting around it, eating. One of the light emitting stones appeared to have been moved to be resting on the table while the group discussed something that was hard to make out in the echoing halls. This place in particular seemed less noisy than anywhere else in the ruin. The discussion became more audible as they approached. "...depend on if we could find another place to accommodate another new pack. Keeping mouths fed here is..." The Redguard who was speaking immediately stopped when Meesei's pack came into the light. He turned his head to them along with everyone else at the table, and then smiled. "So this is what I could smell?" He stood up and walked around the table, "Who is this pack, Anders?" "Wait, you're the champion!" A bulky looking elderly Nord who was twisting his body to see them pointed at Meesei's hand, "That ring! You're the champion of Hircine!" "Well, that explains it. I've been told to expect you. I'm Jerrick Salazar, this is my...well I guess you could call it my immediate family more than my pack." He shook Meesei's hand and gestured to the others around the table as if it was very important that Meesei know them before stating anything else, "My lieutenants, Oswall;" The elderly Nord nodded, still bewildered by Meesei's appearance. "It is an honour." "Harriet;" A sly looking, young Orc woman smiled confidently over the top of the blade she was inspecting while leaning back in her chair. "Darahil;" The Altmer next to Harriet seemed to have the opposite demeanour. His arms were crossed and he frowned at each of the pack, sizing them up. "And Vera, my wife;" "Welcome to our halls," Vera said with a small bow from her seat. The Redguard woman seemed to be the most open apart from Oswall. Anders took the moment to properly herald the pack's arrival. "Meesei and her pack here say they needed to speak with you about a possible danger coming our way, sir." Jerrick tightened the corner of his mouth at being interrupted, but clasped his hands behind his back as his only other reaction. His response seemed just as level as everything else he had said. "I see. Before that, though. How about you introduce me to your pack? I see you have quite the..." Jerrick stole a knowing glance at Kaleeth "...variety."

Walking through the halls of the ruin seemed to confirm everything their guide said about the place. It was large, in every sense, with tall ceilings and massive rooms. Other than the Dwemer, it seemed that the Ayleids were one of the most adept civilizations in history at building underground. If the ruin had been undisturbed since it was abandoned, Meesei could only imagine what secrets it might have held. She hoped that the pack, or perhaps more appropriately, clan that currently inhabited it had scholars who cared enough to preserve its relics. Given the sheer number of lycans present, that was more likely than not. Once they were led to the clan's Alpha, one of Jerrick's lieutenants was quick to spot the ring on her finger. Fortunately, the greetings from all of them, an Altmer excepted, were either pleasant or surprised. The Alpha himself mentioned that he had been told to expect her, likely by Hircine himself, by Meesei's guess. Prior to that day, they had not even known their exact destination, and while Meesei had not communed with Hircine about the issue, she doubted that he needed to talk with her to know the movements of his own Champion. "My name is Meesei, the Champion of our our lord Hircine." Meesei said, starting with her introduction before continuing on. "This is Lorag, my second. That is Janius and Kaleeth-Rei. And that is Fendros, Ahnasha, and their son Rhazii." She said, gesturing to each of them as she said their names. "Oh, and the strange lizard in Kaleeth's arms is Leaps-On-Elves, a wamasu hatchling. That one is a bit of a long story." Meesei gave a slight grin, but quickly returned to her more serious demeanor. "There is quite a lot I would like to know about this clan you have built here, but it would likely be best to start with our business here. You said you were told to expect me; our lord Hircine, I take it?" Glancing behind her at the entourage that had escorted them, Meesei adopted a similar stance to Jerrick as she turned back to him. "With the sensitive nature of our business here, I believe we should hold this conversation in private. Your inner circle and my pack may be present, of course."

Jerrick simply smiled at Meesei's suggestion that it was Hircine that had informed him of her arrival. The request for more privacy was acted upon promptly. "Of course. Anders, how's the weather outside?" Jerrick turned to their escort. "A blizzard has picked up, sir." The dark haired Nord responded. "Do you have enough people in Bruma to deal with any more issues?" The Nord nodded, "Yes sir. Barring another escort like this required, of course." "You and your pack had better stay the night then, Anders. You can head back down for the rest of your time in town once the weather improves." Jerrick's tone didn't exactly sound like an order, but Anders' attentiveness appeared to indicate that Jerrick carried an appropriate amount of respect. "You may go," Jerrick said finally. Anders nodded firmly and turned to leave. "Come along everyone, let's get our bones warmed up," he said, gesturing to the rest of his accompanying pack to follow him out. Everyone stood silent until the clearly man-made door closed the chamber at the staircase. The only sound was from Rhazii babbling at nothing in particular. Jerrick began again, holding a serious expression but not having shifted at all. "Right, now we may talk. There are some spare chairs over there," Jerrick gestured to a row of wooden seats that had been put to the side, "There's not much room around the table, but it's best that we talk comfortably, and as equals. Everyone collect one, if you will." He turned to his lieutenants, "Let's make a bit more space." It took half a minute to get everyone roughly ordered around the table. As Ahnasha was carrying Rhazii, Fendros brought up two chairs. Oswall saw fit to talk while he shifted his own seat, "You never spoke to us of any new communion with Hircine. What did he say?" "I was going to bring it up soon, but I wanted to know if the champion would come. I will address it soon." Jerrick replied calmly. They all had to admit that sitting down after such a trek up the mountain was a relief. Now everyone sat a short distance from the central table, but the closeness made the meeting seem more like a friendly communion. Jerrick was clearly trying more to be respectful than dominant. It spoke of experience in dealing with other lycan leaders. Janius wasn't fooled by it, he knew they were outnumbered here and there was little chance of fighting their way out. Jerrick didn't appear to want things to break out into a fight anyway. "Now," Jerrick announced, looking to Meesei with a friendly smile, "What Hircine informed me was not completely clear in the context. You would know as much as I do that he speaks only of what we need to know. Before I say what he said to me, I need you to tell me what he said to bring you and your pack here, Meesei." "You heard Anders. It was a threat! She's here to fight something alongside us!" Oswall blurted out of turn, "Likely some more of Vile's cowards." "We can deal with any more of those runts," Harriet said with less volume, but the same confidence while she put away the sword in her hand, "They hardly put up a fight last time." Jerrick looked at Oswall and Harriet sideways with a frown, but still responded with patience. "Calm yourselves, you two. I would hear it from Meesei's own mouth." Jerrick's words were all that was required to silence them. He looked back to Meesei and leaned forward in his chair expectantly.

Meesei did not exactly distrust Anders and his entourage. At least, they had done nothing to make themselves seem suspicious, but as they were walking into an exceptionally large clan of lycans, she could not be too careful. Clavicus was an underhanded and crafty Daedra, so it would not be impossible for him to plant informants within the clan if he managed to learn of its location. Overall, Meesei was very aware of the actions of those around her. At least with Jerrick's inner circle, she could likely assume that they had been with him for quite a while, though she would need to ask in order to confirm. "It was not Hircine who told us to come here, actually." Meesei began. "We have been working against Vile for some time. Most recently, Hircine directed us to a cult of Molag Bal, a Daedra that is neutral toward both Vile, and our lord. We gained a sort of alliance with the cult, and through them, learned that Vile's followers tried to do the same. Through them, we learned that Vile's followers likely intended to come here, to make your clan a target. Our purpose here is both to warn you, and to aid you against their efforts. Now, what is it that Hircine told you?" Meesei's tone was polite and friendly, and as long as Jerrick was just as civil and cooperative, it would remain that way. Jerrick was the Alpha of his clan, and Meesei had no intention of taking that from him, but if he or anyone else in his clan started to defy her, she would have to show that she had the authority.

Jerrick seemed contemplative and nodded when Meesei described the new relations with Molag Bal. It was as if he was trying to decide whether it was good news or not. He at least seemed satisfied with Meesei's answer enough to answer her question as well. "Well, he told me about a fortnight ago that there was a threat to the pack from outside - though I suppose clan is more appropriate for our size now. He said that our clan had a role to play in the war and it was important enough that he would be sending assistance. I figured it would be the champion as word had reached my ears that the nameless slayer Orc had himself been killed. Well, here you are." Jerrick sat up straight in his chair while he continued. Oswall reached over to grab at a piece of the meal he had been eating and resuming on it, but he was quiet enough that it didn't interrupt. Jerrick seemed more serious now, "Let me tell you of the situation we do know. Most of the contact we have had with Vile has been pre-emptive. They know we are in the mountains, but they do not find us first, and once they are identified it is normally a matter of ambushing them. In the last six months we have killed about five groups of cultists. The last one we killed was a week ago, actually. It might have even been the group you were talking about. These ones were different, however. Harriet here led the attack," Jerrick looked to the Orc woman who had been sitting with one foot over her knee, she placed both feet on the floor when she was addressed, "Tell them what you told us, Harriet." Harriet dipped her head to one side and seemed nonchalant about the matter. "Well first off these ones were on one of the mountain paths and were following tracks from one of our hunting parties. They were making more progress than the others, maybe even would have found our cave if they kept going. These ones went down in an ambush, like the others, but they were more powerful, more sure of themselves. A couple even managed to escape with their lives, though only with some serious magical power helping them to escape. We've had people tracking them, but they're holed up somewhere that we can't find." Jerrick looked to Meesei again. "We've still got people looking for them, but right now we have to keep an eye everywhere. It might be that they got some of our blood and might be infiltrating us with some werewolf initiates." Jerrick sighed and he looked down, seemingly disappointed, "It gets difficult when you can't trust the people that you want to help, these new lycans, especially with so many of them. Really, your presence here will help immensely, because if there is anyone that I need, it's trustworthy folk. You and your pack may stay as long as you like and as long as we can feed you, I'll be able to put you to good use in our investigations. First of all, though, do you have any questions about the pack...or the clan, I'll have to make a habit to start saying that...anything at all? Life here is different than in most packs, as you can probably tell. Someone could give you a tour if you like." Fendros, Janius, and Sabine kept quiet for now. They didn't want to speak over Meesei and they still weren't exactly sure what to make of Jerrick and his hideout full of lycans.

Meesei listened intently to Jerrick and Harriet's explanation of recent events. It was encouraging that the clan was not only aware of the danger, but had been fighting against it. However, despite their apparent successes, the clan was nowhere near out of danger. The size of Clavicus' forces and his overall influence was unknown, so there was no way to know how much power was arrayed against them. The idea that Vile's cult might be inflicting their own with lycanthropy to serve as spies was particularly concerning. Any member of their cult willing to become a lycan would either have to be very ignorant, or very devoted, as a lycan's soul unquestionably belonged to Hircine. No matter how fervently they worshipped Vile, they would be bound to his hunting grounds in death. It could be that Vile promised them a cure, or some other way to steal them from Hircine. Even if it was not possible, Vile was known for tricking his followers. "Hmm, I see. It is good that you have been successful so far, but we still really do not know what we are up against. Vile is a trickster, and direct attacks may not be his only avenue of approach. I trust you are already keeping a close eye on the new bloods, but even so, it may be only a matter of time before this place is discovered. Still, this place is very defensible, and a direct attack would be difficult. I will need to take time to consider the best approach, but my first instinct is to focus on other potential weaknesses, and of course, rooting out any spies. So...yes, I would like to get to know more about this clan, to get familiar with it. I suppose I should start with you. How long have you all had your positions within the clan; how did you earn them, and what are your skills?" Meesei asked.

"Very well," Jerrick nodded understandingly, "I have been alpha of the...clan for eight years now, I have been a pack leader for longer. I took over from the previous Alpha, Darok Gro-Zenken, when he died of old age. Call him a strange Orc for that, but he was wise leader and I learned a lot from him. People management, diplomacy, respect, not to mention swordplay. I have also learned some magic from Darahil, enough to defend myself, but it is not my speciality. Really, with a pack this big, I do a lot more talking than fighting anyway." Oswall was nearest, so he started next after Jerrick looked at him and gave him a nod.

"I am the best fighter and tactician in this entire pack, in wolf form and in Nord form!" Oswall said triumphantly, grinning and holding a fist up, "I have been a lieutenant for twenty five years and have taught young lycans all I know for even longer. Jerrick and Darok were better leaders, however, so I have stayed in my position. But, if we ever lead large attacks or have to defend our home, I'm in charge."

"He says he's the best fighter, but I would prove him wrong." Harriet started with a mischievous grin.

Oswall did not seem to react well. His expression became cross and red. "That was only once..."

"You haven't fought me since. Are you scared, old man?" Harriet's mischief turned to the serious side. Perhaps browbeating was common between them.

"Harriet, enough." Jerrick's voice was firm stopped them before the situation escalated, "Answer Meesei's question."

Harriet sighed through her nose, disappointed at losing the prospect of a fight. "Alright, alright." She looked at Meesei casually, pointing a thumb at her chest, "I've been a lieutenant for eight years now. I teach fighting as well, but also control techniques. They also need a woman on the team to stop these guys making bad decisions all the time. The job became easier since Vera came aboard."

Vera was prompted to speak next. Her tone was softer than the others. "I was made a lieutenant seven years ago to replace Najirra the illusionist when he retired. I manage the groups that look after the younger initiates and help to give them a generalised education. Reading, writing, counting. There are more infected children than natural born lycans these days, but all have a place here." She smiled tightly for a moment, then raised her brow, "And before you think I was brought up because of my relationship with Jerrick-" Jerrick rolled his eyes and huffed while Vera spoke, as if the words were unnecessary, "-I will say that we were only married five years ago. We didn't even get to know each other before I was put in this position."

"Vera dear," Jerrick said with a falsely annoyed tone, "You know people don't think that. You don't have to worry."

"Come now, how wouldn't they know? They have never been here before, have you?" Vera faced Meesei's pack.

Jerrick shook his head and chuckled, "Never mind, let's move on. Darahil?"

The high-elf's expression had barely changed since Meesei's pack arrived. He hadn't said a word, either. When he spoke, it seemed devoid of any humour, but didn't particularly display the usual arrogant inflections of a self centred Altmer. "I have taught magic in this pack since it was founded, two hundred and forty years ago. I have been a lieutenant and advisor for one hundred and thirteen years. I am the foremost mage and lorekeeper in this place. I was leader for thirty three years before I stepped down to be a lieutenant again. I am a better advisor than ultimate decision maker."

Knowing that Darahil generally didn't say much more, Jerrick began again to share some more facts about the inner circle. "Each of the lieutenants, in addition to exercising their skills, lead a number of packs so authority can be divided into more manageable groups. It's sort of like a military, but not everyone is expected to fight. The division of power means that the little things don't all fall to me and we can still stay somewhat organised. It has the added effect of collected groups being more willing to find a new home as an independent pack when they're ready. It's been especially important in the last few months with the increase in initiates."

Jerrick weaved his fingers together and cracked them in front of him while directing a similar request to Meesei. "So, what are the roles in your pack, champion? It would help to make use of your collective skills to the fullest."

As expected, Jerrick and his lieutenants were all diverse in their skill sets, as would be necessary to maintain such a large clan. Provided their self-assessments were all honest, Meesei could certainly make use of their talents. More importantly, they all seemed to have earned their positions years, or centuries, in Darahil's case, before the troubles with Clavicus Vile began. Of course, corruption was still possible after any length of time, but it seemed much less likely. Having an agent of Clavicus Vile in the inner circle could be disastrous, and while Meesei would still remain cautious, she could be more at ease. Meesei was not a person who liked to brag about her own talents, unlike Lorag, Ahnasha, or two of Jerrick's lieutenants, but nevertheless, it would be best for her to present herself as being capable. "Well, being that my pack is much, much smaller, I make all of my pack's important decisions. From the day I was hatched, I have been trained to be a leader. I was to be Treeminder for my village, which also entailed a great deal of magical training. I have been training and using my magic for every day of my conscious life. Some of my village's magical traditions seemed to have been lost by Tamriel as a whole, or were never known to them, but I still retain them. As for my pack, it is fairly young, actually. It was about seven years ago that it was formed, they all very skilled, or have exceptional promise for growth. I shall let them introduce themselves." She said, gesturing first to Lorag. "Ah, well, I'm a warrior, if the hammer and armor didn't give it away. Father was a warrior, mother was a warrior, and I ended up in the Legion as soon as they let me. They sent me to Skyrim to fight in that civil war they had a while back. I got infected up there and after about ten years on my own, Alpha found me. I can fight, and I can do it well. Nothin' more to say than that, really." Lorag explained. Ahnasha started next, once she had enough time to think about how to describe her skills. "I've been a hunter since I could hold a bow. I was young when I first learned about Hircine, and I knew from then what I was meant to do. I'm quick with blades, pinpoint with a bow, and am capable of Illusion and Conjuration as well." Kaleeth was significantly more nervous to speak up than the others. Unlike them, she did not consider herself especially good at anything, and she did not want to disappoint anyone by making herself seem weak. "Oh, well...I don't really know what to say..." Sensing Kaleeth's anxiety, Meesei quickly interrupted to give her own decription. "Kaleeth is the newest member of the pack, apart from Rhazii, of course. She is still very much in training, but as I said, she has great potential. She was trained to be a hunter in her village, so she is not without ability. Being a werecrocodile, she also has a distinct physical advantage. Save for another werecrocodile, I doubt anyone could outmatch her physically."

"She could smash a rat over a mountain with her mace," Janius added, trying to encourage Kaleeth, seeing as he had been the one teaching her most of the time. When attention came to him, he answered honestly as well. "I'm Janius, I was taught by the Fighters Guild before being turned. I can handle myself well enough with an axe and shield, but I know a little magic to use in a fight as well." Fendros raised a hand in greeting and managed a small smile before he spoke. "My name is Fendros. I am similar to Janius, except I use a sword, I am not good with magic, I use light armour, and I'm a much better shot with an arrow than him." He gave Janius a sideways glance, "And I can beat him in a fight." "Hey!" Janius leaned forward and smiled in protest, "I'll prove that otherwise any time you want, Dunmer." Fendros grinned, but didn't chase it any further. There were other matters at hand. There was a silence as everyone turned to Sabine, easily the smallest person present beyond Rhazii. The attention made her a little apprehensive, but after a nudge on the side from Fendros, she did her best. "My name is Sabine. I make potions...and I sling rocks. Meesei is teaching me magic, but I haven't used it in a fight before. I don't think I'm ready to." Sabine looked at her knees awkwardly, not knowing what else to mention. "Sabine is also the most agile of us all in Lycan form. If a rabbit was a predator, she would probably be a wererabbit," Fendros said, not trying to be humorous, but in a comfortable mood. Sabine furrowed her brow and looked at Fendros, confused and slighted. "I'm not a rabbit," She declared. Jerrick chuckled and gestured downwards with his palm. "Alright, good. I think you'll prove very useful, I'm glad to have you all with us." He didn't speak threateningly in his response, but carried authority, "Now, before I let you go amongst everyone else, I want to lay down a few ground rules that we have here at home. Most are common sense, or what you probably already live by, but this is a big pack, so we have to be clear." Jerrick held up one finger, "Rule one, what your higher-ups say, goes. For you, that would just be your alpha, Meesei. Obvious, right? "Rule two, if you have a problem with someone, you take it up with the one up the rank from you, for you people again, it would be your alpha. Meesei, you would need to talk to the one up the rank from a problem person if it comes to that. I think people will respect Hircine's champion. If they don't, take it up with me. "Rule three, if you damage something, you work to replace it however you can. We share things here, everyone takes responsibility. "Rule four, treat your packmates with the utmost respect. This goes for everyone living here. You may not be in our clan, but if you live with us, you'll be family just like everyone else. "Rule five, contribute to the pack. This might be hunting, tending to the livestock we have here, cleaning, crafting, digging, whatever. All of you are guests, so don't feel pressured. You're going to be helping us anyway. "Rule six, always leave enough food for others. Our instincts tell us that the dominant ones get the biggest shares, but we'll have no starving here. Eat your equal share unless you're out hunting in lycan form, and be considerate of those around you. "Finally, rule seven, perhaps the most important rule if you want to live with us. Use the latrine when inside, no exceptions. "If you don't follow these rules, you don't live with us, it's that simple. We also have some unofficial things, like if you've lived with us for a while, you have to buddy up with an initiate every now and again. This ensures that the initiate has a mentor, help if they're having trouble with their condition or integration into the pack, and is also a safety measure if they transform out of turn. Another little rule is that every pack in our clan rotates duties with hunting, watching the town, patrolling, and other jobs. Anders' pack, the one who brought you up here, was having its turn in Bruma. They'll be there until the end of the week. Other things will be covered by the person that shows you around, but if you have more questions," Jerrick held his hands out in front of him, "don't hesitate to ask." Jerrick addressed his wife quickly, "Vera, could you quickly find someone to give Meesei's pack a tour and a place to set up their beds?" Vera smiled and stood up, "Of course." She strode briskly to the door. "Actually, I have a question for the champion." Oswall started, leaning his hands on his knees with his elbows pointed either side of him, "How did you find and kill that slayer Orc? There are plenty of tall tales around, but no one ever says they heard it from you." "Surely there are more important things to be discussing right now, Oswall," Darahil commented, his head bowed forward slightly and looking sideways at the old Nord with his same cold expression. "I'll not hear your protest, Darahil. Epic tales are always worth hearing!" Oswall retorted, holding his white bearded head up high. Jerrick had to speak over them again. "It's alright. You can regale us with tales later if you or your pack would rather have more answers from us, Meesei."

Meesei remained silent through Jerrick's explanation of his rules. Given how different such a large clan would be from a normal pack, it was sensible that it would have a defined list of rules, with some variation from the norm. Each rule was simple, practical, and likely necessary for the continuing function of his clan. However, Meesei was careful in how she worded her response. She agreed with each rule, but she had to avoid seeming submissive. "My pack will remain respectful, I will be sure of it." Meesei began before turning towards her own pack. "I am Hircine's Champion, granted his authority to lead our kind through these troubled times, but this is Jerrick's clan. He and his people are the ones who have built this formidable clan into what it is today. As long as we are his guests, we shall respect his customs and rules." She said, her voice containing the same kind of authority as Jerrick. She had no doubt that her pack could avoid causing trouble, but she needed to reassure Jerrick just as well. Meesei looked back at Jerrick as she continued. "Rest assured, Jerrick, I am not here to supplant you, if that was a fear in your mind. I know the arrival of new alphas can cause...tension, at times. But, no matter my position with our lord, I respect that you are the leader of these people, just as it should remain. Myself and my pack will start by helping to eliminate the presence of Vile's followers in the area, both outside the clan, and within, if his agents have managed to infiltrate. As outsiders, we may be able to gain information and perspectives hidden from your own people. I do also have some ideas on how to track down our enemy's lair." Meesei paused and glanced to Oswall with a slight grin. "And I may have time to share stories. Actually, there may be a good reason to share that particular tale. But first, I would like for us to be able to get settled in."