The more life changed for the pack over the next two years, the more it seemed to stay the same. Wounds left by destroyed clans and Meesei's behaviour were healing, but they left scars. There was less dread about the war, but it was still ongoing. The hope of the pack and the rest of the lycan population was starting to clash with the fatigue that the war brought.

Meesei's pack in particular had spent much of their lives dedicated to the war so far. Many of them were in their late thirties and forties. In particular, Lorag's was greying, Meesei's scales had lost some of their green vibrance, and even Janius had begun to show smile lines and roughness to the point where his previously dashing description was lost. Replaced with a wisdom of the years.

Janius was perhaps the most stressed about it when he first noticed. The revelation would have been much harder to handle, but reflecting back on his prime years had seen him find a beautiful wife and child, many proud accomplishments, and the capability remaining to accomplish more.

A similar stress came over Sabine on her thirtieth birthday. She had sunken so much of her time into her research and the war that the reality of her aging process upset the other, less-pursued desires in her life. She did not allow herself time for long term relationships and she felt as though she was missing her chance. This was an avenue where Meesei had been able help, and began to reforge what they had lost as a mother and daughter. Meesei had no mate; she had not been looking either and she appeared content. The distress still got to Sabine occasionally, however, and she began to try making new friends. Unfortunately, she found it hard both to relate to those in her clan and for others to relate to her. She was part of the champion's pack, with an aura of power around her. Even then, her small successes were stymied by missions that took her away from the clan.

Also unfortunate was that Meesei's efforts to repair her relationship with Sabine did not make things entirely as they once were. They were able to reform the familial bond they had, with trust reestablished. Although, the way Sabine spoke to Meesei was still as a mature adult. Gone was the softness in her voice that was reserved for Meesei, akin to how she was as a teenager. That would never come back.

Exempt from the same passage of time were Ahnasha and Fendros. Naturally, Fendros did not show signs of aging due to his Dunmer longevity. Ahnasha's life-extending rituals kept her ten to fifteen years younger than the rest of them, and counting. There was a small measure of jealousy, but it was not everyone else's aging that made it a quiet topic. It was the wilful ignorance that most of the pack maintained around Ahnasha's necromancy. Still, the pair enjoyed their preserved youth while watching their child grow.

Rhazii's transformation set a timer for Julan's first full moon hunt almost immediately. Rhazii's bitterness regarding his training in his beast spirit was quickly offset by the thrill and strength it gave him. Julan's beast spirit put an end to notions of that invincibility. It was the point at which their roles were completely reversed. The previously much taller and stronger Rhazii was outmatched by Julan's werecrodile form, altering their relationship from a big and little brother dynamic closer to a mutual respect. Still, they were teenage boys now. The frequency of their overconfident behaviour, hooliganism, and wilful arguments increased. They both enjoyed growth spurts that gave them prodigious stomach capacities and hormones that raged with sometimes greater savagery than their beast spirits. Rhazii in particular outgrew Lorag to become the tallest member of the pack. Whatever trouble they got into, however, Rhazii and Kaj-Julan were still brothers. Nothing could separate them.

[hr]
Two years of time to develop the relationship between the Dominion, the Empire, and the lycan clans had made the interception at the river possible. Not only was a member of the Empire involved, but Lunise had been especially conservative about favours the lycans could do for the Dominion. She had kept an air of supremacy about her nation that told Saras and Meesei that she could walk out of agreements at any time without anything they could do about it. This was the first and only exception. The rogue official had eluded Dominion authorities up until the end of their jurisdiction and Lunise revealed all about the situation. Lunise angled it in a way for the lycans to prove their worth, though it was clear from the outside that she needed them. So here they were.

Lunise did not look away from the river. Marod was by her side, as much to ensure that he didn't spirit away anything of the Dominion's as he was in their agreement to keep transparency. "That kind of magic is not common, even amongst Altmer," she said. "That noted, none get far in Dominion politics without a strong magical tradition. I can tell you the most common method, for it is easy to counteract." Lunise turned her frowning face to Meesei. "Search for the dead, not the living."

"You mean to say that he is a vampire?" Marod commented quietly.

Lunise sneered and turned her head around to Marod. "No. Not essentially. Anyone with a cursory understanding of undead can manipulate their life force to [i]appear[/i] undead. On that note..." Lunise's expression turned neutrally towards Meesei again. "He will detect us in a similar manner without further precautions. He is no fool."

Marod continued in spite of the conversation. "Is that how we were not detected on our approach to the first meeting with Saras?"

"Again, no." Lunise sighed. "We were detected by scent at any rate, but there are more ways than than one to obscure one's life force. Especially with Psijic magics."