[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[Muttonhawk]

"Wow! Sounds like an exciting place!" Thyme said at a volume that was overcompensating.

Rikki sneered, "I heard swamps have a bad smell, I wouldn't want to go there."

"Hey Caleb! We were wondering when you were going to turn up!" Angela shouted suddenly towards the edge of the pool.

When Caleb turned his head, Sabine immediately made herself scarce behind Rikki's great mop of curls. She was attempting to not make it look like she was hiding, but Rikki was giving her a hard time of it by purposely moving her head from one side to the other and exposing Sabine's face. Sabine was starting to look distressed at this point, but held herself together.

Caleb gave a weak smile and a wave.

"Get over here, slackwit!" Angela shouted.

"Fine!" Caleb rolled his eyes and ran for the pool. He dove in and closed the distance quickly with his momentum. He broke the surface of the water and grinned at Roland, "Roland, look who's got brave, have you talked to...wait..." Caleb pitched his head to one side, "What's everyone crowding around?" Caleb's initial mirth fell quickly when he saw Meesei, "Oh...it's you," Caleb said with a small measure of resentment.

Sabine looked to Roland and tried to murmur to him without making herself conspicuous. "Who did you to talk to?"

---

Ahnasha and Fendros were in Najirra's company for a full hour and a half. They spoke about anxiety in its many forms, the damage it does over long periods, and, as he promised, how to recognise it. It felt to Fendros like most of this conversation was imparting knowledge to build on, and as such he didn't feel as though there was as much progress as he had expected. He did feel like Najirra's counsel had promise, though.

Najirra himself was hard to read, but he had a supernatural talent for reading Fendros and Ahnasha. Fendros began to suspect that the magic in the room was mostly just to help keep track of their thoughts and feelings, but it was far and beyond anything he could conceive magic doing. Otherwise, Najirra was very patient with them. He spoke openly and encouraged openness from Ahnasha and Fendros. Nothing was left to be avoided, and nothing was met with vicious judgement. Fendros ended up feeling so comfortable talking with Najirra that he felt safe telling him personal secrets that he would never bring up except to those closest to him.

The middle parts of the meeting were where they touched upon the incident that had caused the trauma in more detail. This time, Najirra purposefully insisted that Ahnasha do the recounting. His rationale once they had calmed themselves was to get to know what happened better himself, and also something about recounting the tale making it easier to deal with. Fendros was sceptical, but Najirra claimed that emerging from recounting the tale and assuring oneself that they were alright and safe is a way to train one's instinct to be less fearful of it.

The meeting was only interrupted around an hour in when Rhazii began to cry. It was about time for him to be fed anyway, so he spent the rest of the time with Ahnasha.

The latter parts of the session turned to everyday behaviours that were affected by the trauma. In particular was the fear of losing one another that threatened to drive an ironic wedge between Ahnasha and Fendros if they weren't careful. Fendros' blind charge into the mercenaries a couple of weeks ago was the prime example, but they were taught to recognise it in future.

Unfortunately, Najirra had to call the meeting to a close before the final issue was discussed to satisfaction, but he insisted that he had other clans people to help. He said that he would call upon Ahnasha and Fendros in a week to continue.

After saying farewell and thanks to Najirra and his daughters, Fendros walked out of Najirra's family's chamber with Rhazii asleep in his arms. He didn't feel as if they were cured, or even close to dealing with the problem completely, but he felt...lighter. He felt far less tense and worried. Perhaps having the freedom to just talk and be listened to had done more than he thought. At the same time, he had learned a lot, and he wasn't sure if he had taken it all in properly, but it gave him optimism.

"I'm glad we came here, Ahna," he said as they walked the down the corridor away from Najirra's chambers, "It will not be easy, but this is the best chance we have ever had."

---

Though Janius' smile remained, his brow turned in slight sadness. He sighed heavily through his nose and failed to maintain eye contact with Kaleeth. "I'll be honest, Kaleeth, I'm..." Janius took a moment to give his thoughts in words, "...I have a hard time imagining myself as a father. It's just...I'm scared, Kaleeth." Now Janius' smile faded, "What if I'm not a good father? I've not been the greatest of mentors for you, I can't exactly think of how my own father would do things without hating myself for even considering it, I'm not...I'm not the best of people." Janius looked at Kaleeth again, "Why do you trust me to be a father?"

[EliteCommander]

As interested as Meesei was in how Sabine would handle Caleb, she had to remember that it was no longer her place to interfere. Sabine did appear uncomfortable, but Meesei knew she would not always be there to help her through such things, so she had to learn through experience. What struck Meesei as odd was Caleb's attitude towards Meesei as soon as he saw her. It was possible that he was simply in a sour mood, but she wondered if there was something more to his apparent resentment.

In any event, Meesei remained silent for the moment towards either Sabine or Caleb. She simply focused on keeping Leaps from swimming away or accidentally injuring someone else. At the very least, she could find entertainment in watching the events before her unfold. They were developing similarly to some of the romantic short stories she had read or heard in the past. She just hoped that its ending was a positive one for Sabine. Though, as much as Sabine likely would not want to talk about it, she would need to Sabine regarding Caleb once they left. It would be an uncomfortable, but important conversation to have.

---

Ahnasha experienced a mix of emotions from the remainder of their session with Najirra. Regardless of how much they relaxed beforehand, talking about her perspective of the torture was a difficult task through which to remain composed. It was somewhat cathartic to tell her experiences to someone like Najirra, but that did not stop it from being painful. It was like stitching a wound without a potion or spell to numb the pain. She had a feeling that Najirra did not want it to be a painful experience, but for some trauma, no amount of tea or breathing exercises would be enough to make it easy to discuss.

Regardless, as they left Najirra's chambers, Ahnasha felt that there was at least progress, if only a faint amount. However often he wanted to call them in, she would make time to ensure they could both meet with him. "I hope so. It's just...it's not easy to talk about. I need to get my mind off of it all for a moment. Can you take care of Rhazii? I think I am going to go...train for a while." She asked.

---

Kaleeth reached out and grabbed Janius' hands. "You know you don't have to act like your father. I don't know what he was like, but if you hate him so much, then he couldn't be like you. You've been so caring and loving with me, and you would be the same way with our hatchling. That's just how people are with family. And Meesei said we will be staying here for a long time, where it is safe. We have Ahnasha, Fendros, Meesei, and plenty of other people in the clan who can help us. I think this is the perfect time for us to do this." She answered. Her tone was not quite as pleading as before, but it was certainly obvious how badly she wanted him to say yes. There was no question that she was enthusiastic about the prospect of a child, though one could attempt to blame her naivete. She was, after all, only nineteen years of age; not that much older than Sabine.

[Muttonhawk]

A moment of silence lingered between Meesei and Caleb. The rest of the group, except maybe Sabine, knew of their interactions. This didn't sit well with Angela, who was hoping to exacerbate Sabine's disposition toward's Caleb for fun. She splashed water at Caleb to snap him out of the stare-down.

"Don't be such a sour-puss, Caleb," she teased, "It's the Champion of Hircine. Saved the clan, remember?"

"I know," Caleb said, looking away and turning to the rest of the group, "So, what's the news?"

"Just the usual," Freida replied, "Roland hiding from everyone, Sabine's pet lizard...the little creature gave Roland a good scare!"

The relaxed time continued on with stability. Despite the abundant teasing, who liked whom was not the only topic of conversation. Much of it was complaining about parents, mentors, or work, funny anecdotes, and predominantly gossip. Over time, it became clear that there was the usual hierarchy that formed with girls their age. Angela was the queen bee; she lead most of the opinion. Through stoicism, Freida was a rival, but not in any malicious way. The other girls tended to follow after Angela, with Sabine included, while the boys did their own thing.

Each in the group had their sensitive points that they prodded at each other with, mostly with a good heart, but it had the potential to be bullying if taken too far. Sabine's was evidently Caleb, Rikki and Thyme had their own crushes around the clan, Roland was nervous in general and was easy to make blush with just about anything, Primus and Freida were harder to read in just one conversation. What kept Angela in check was an uncertain affection for Roland. She vehemently denied it at every turn, but her behaviour contradicted it often.

Sabine was clearly still shy. However, she did speak sometimes. It was clear that she enjoyed being in the company of her new friends. After it was time to leave the pool and get to other duties, Sabine was dressing herself alongside Meesei. "Caleb didn't seem to want to talk to you. Did you make him upset before?" Sabine asked.

---

"Wait," Fendros stepped up to Ahnasha and leaned in to kiss her quickly on the lips, "I know it was hard to talk. I love you. I'll see you later."

With that, Fendros and Ahnasha parted ways for a while. Fendros still had the afternoon and evening off, so he found a book and spent his time reading in the quite of the pack's chambers while Rhazii slept. Rhazii awakened eventually, upon which time Fendros hushed him and played for a while. It continued on until dinner.

---

Janius looked about uneasily. He tried to think of something - anything - else to say that would avoid the issue further. He didn't know how to be a father exactly. He didn't know how to hold himself or act. But, neither does Fendros, neither to many people, Janius thought. Would it be a mistake? What would go wrong? Kaleeth was correct that this was the best time if there ever was one. Would they even conceive? Janius had never heard of an Argonian sired by an Imperial.

"Kaleeth, I need..." Janius lowered his shoulders and placed his forehead against Kaleeth's, "...There is a lot going through my mind with this. I don't want to make a decision on a whim. Will you let me think about this tonight? I'll give you a final answer, I promise."

[EliteCommander]

While Sabine socialized with her friends, Meesei mostly just relaxed and kept an eye on Leaps. Occasionally, someone would approach and ask about the young wamasu, to which Meesei was glad to answer. She felt it would best to allow as many people as possible to meet and become accustomed to Leaps, as he was going to be growing rather significantly over the coming years.

Eventually, it came time to leave and Sabine, quite fortunately, brought up Caleb as they were getting dressed. She had intended to speak to her about him anyway, so having Sabine bring him up made it seem less like she was forcing the topic. "Caleb has been through a great deal in the past month; his life has been changed irreversibly, and not for the better. It is difficult for me to say exactly what his opinion of me is, or what has caused it, but I cannot say I blame him for any confusion he might be experiencing. It is good that he has still has mother, and perhaps, at some point in the future, maybe even you?" She answered with a grin. As they started to walk towards the exit, Meesei made sure to pick up Leaps so he would not find any more trouble.

"And, while we are on the topic, I think we should talk about Caleb. You have an interest in him, yes?" Meesei asked. She already knew the answer, but wanted to give Sabine the chance to admit it herself.

---

Ahnasha was quick to get into the pack's chambers, grab her tome, and get out before anyone saw her. Fendros and the rest of the pack of course knew she had it, but at the same time, she did not like to be around others when studying it. Particularly, she did not want Fendros to see the magic she was having to learn. He knew she was studying life extension, but according to what she had learned so far, necromancy was even more directly linked to the process than she had previously assumed. In order to have a chance at succeeding, her knowledge of conjuration would have to expand tremendously, particularly in terms of necromancy. There was no escaping it; she was going to have to become a necromancer.

In the lower parts of the ruins, beyond the door that had been closed off a few weeks prior, Ahnasha had found a new place to conduct her experiments. While escorting the non-combatants, she had spotted an open passageway that had appeared to be an open secret passage. Since then, she had returned and closed it off to keep it hidden. For now, it was mostly empty, save for three human corpses, mercenaries from the attack which she had taken in the aftermath the day afterwards. They were rotting by this point, but she reasoned it was a scent she would have to get used to. Sitting down on the floor in front of one of the bodies, she opened up the tome and got to work.

---

"I'll give you the time if you want it but..." Kaleeth began with her head lowered and eyes closed. There was a brief pause, then she looked up at him once more with the hint of a tear in one of her eyes. "Are you sure you need it? I remember...we talked about this back in Thorn, that day on the coast. You said you needed time, and I understood. It has been months, though. Are you sure you don't know the answer? I know it is a scary choice to make; I'm scared too. There is a lot to worry about having a family; I remember seeing what mothers in my village had to go through with their hatchlings. It was hard on them; it was...stressful. But, no matter how many times I asked them, no one ever said that it wasn't worth it. They all loved their families, and wouldn't give them up for anything. I guess...I guess that's what I want. I want something I love so much that I'll want to hug it even when it causes me pain. It sounds like the best feeling I can think of." She explained.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine's head shot to looking Meesei in the eye when she got to her alleged role in Caleb's future. "What?" She said, startled.

The sudden commitment of it had taken Sabine by surprise. For a fraction of a second she had thought she missed something and she and Caleb were already in a relationship. That soon fizzled as Sabine looked away and pondered her answer to Meesei's question. Through biting her lip, she answered reluctantly. "I like...being around him," Sabine mumbled, "He once put his arm around me and another girl as part of a joke, but...it was nice..." Sabine lowered her head, "I don't think he likes me, though."

---

"I know, I understand," Janius said apologetically. He breathed in slightly to explain, then closed his mouth and exhaled with frustration. "Back then, and for a long time, I've been running away from this. You've probably noticed too. Right now, you're right; this is the best time we'll have for it, but...I just need to assure myself." Janius took a step back and tightened his hold on Kaleeth's hands. "I love you, Kaleeth, but I want to talk to my friends, get advice, and make sure I'm not making a mistake." Now it was Janius who was pleading. He didn't like hurting Kaleeth like this, but he could not justify doing this just to please her. "One night. That's all the time you'll have to wait. Just one night. Can you wait for me? Please?"

[EliteCommander]

"But I can tell you like him. Or at least have an interest." Meesei commented. "Indeed, it may be that nothing ever comes of it. You may simply remain friends, and never pursue the matter. I know I have done that before; I had interests growing up that I never pursued, for various reasons. You may form a relationship, but find after a while that you do not like him as much as you first thought. But, I have a feeling you may try. I have seen how you have opened up since we arrived here, how you have been able to socialize with those you met only recently. I believe you may find the confidence to ask him. I do not know him well enough to know if he shares the same interest, but I would not discount it so quickly."

Pausing for a moment, Meesei put a hand on Sabine's shoulder. "I want you to be happy, of course. Finding someone you care about in that way can be a wonderful thing. Though, as I am sure you know, there is the possibility that those feelings might not be returned. If that happens, it will be painful for a time. It is up to you to decide if it is worth the risk; just be aware that, sometimes, the thoughts of what could have been can be just as painful. Anyway, the reason I am asking about him is because I do not want you to have to figure everything out on your own. If you have any questions or want any advice, I will give what I can."

---

For a brief moment, Kaleeth let out a sigh and lowered her head. However, she quickly looked back up and shrugged her shoulders. "Well...it's not like I can make you. Just go talk to whoever you need to talk to. I'll go...well, I don't know. I think I will go swim or something. I'll be back in our room tonight, though, so you can tell me then. Just..." Kaleeth said, pausing as she took a step forward. She placed a hand on his chest and stared into his eyes. "...try not to only ask people you know are going to say no. Find people who know what they're talking about. And even if you don't give me an egg...I still love you." She said, albeit with something of a disappointed tone, and followed the statement with a kiss.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine was mollified by Meesei's answer, at least mostly. She stayed quiet as they continued walking for a few more moments. Her thoughts eventually brought the result of another possibility to her mind. Sabine asked nervously, "What if he does like me? What do I do?" Sabine rubbed at her neck idly, "Ahnasha and Kaleeth seem to just know what to do. I don't know what I should do."

---

Janius returned the kiss, but it was a guilty kiss. Perhaps he only realised unconsciously then that he might inadvertently look for advice against, but he would keep it in mind now. There were only a few people that he had in mind to talk to anyway.

With the end of their kiss, Janius took another slow step back. He brought his hand up to Kaleeth's cheek. "I will see you tonight," Janius said as he began to turn. The way they had travelled into the storage area meant that they both went the same way until they reached the main chamber again. Janius held onto Kaleeth's hand loosely until then. He gave her a weak smile as their hands slipped apart.

Janius hung his head and frowned as he paced away. For no particular reason, Janius decided to seek out Lorag first. He may not have been a father, but he was at least a friend and a mentor.

[EliteCommander]

"Their secret, I believe, was to do nothing." Meesei began, smiling at Sabine as they continued down the hall. They would occasionally pass by someone, but the hall was not particularly crowded. Nevertheless, Meesei decided to make an effort to avoid the most crowded sections of the ruin for this conversation.

"Nothing different, at least. If he does like you, then it is you he likes, not some other person you might try to act like. Of course, that is not to say that he will like every single action you take, nor will you appreciate everything he does. There is not a couple in Tamriel who agrees with one another completely and wholly. Both Ahnasha and Fendros, and Kaleeth and Janius have had their share of problems. Unfortunately, you would have to ask them if you want to know about them, as it is not my place to share their private issues. Regardless, if he does return your feelings, then you may tailor some of your behaviors to one another, but do not try to change the essence of who you are." Meesei advised.

Meesei paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. For what she intended to say next, even she was a bit nervous. "But, there is also something else related to this to discuss. I am sure you can imagine what it is. I know it is neither a pleasant nor comfortable topic to discuss, especially with me, but you are coming of the age where it is going to matter over the next few years. Perhaps not with anyone you know now, it could involve someone you will meet years down the road, but it is something you will have to face eventually. I know you have had no one with which to discuss this, and it would be dangerous to expect you to figure it all out on your own. You know where the rather...strong emotions of a close romance often lead, yes?" She asked. Inwardly, she was hoping that it was an issue that would not become relevant for at least a few years, but she still could not escape the fact that it was something they had to talk about.

---

Lorag was in the forge, tending to his armor and weapons. As was common among Orc warriors, he maintained his equipment almost religiously, and took great pride in his work. His hammer was of good quality steel, so it was currently shined and in pristine condition, though his armor was but hardened iron and took much more work to maintain. He had already been filling in the role Harriet left behind in training some of the less experienced pack members, so he was commonly having to hammer out dents in the plates. Now that they were in a more stable location, he was now wondering on the possibility of being able to get something better, but that would probably take a while. He did not notice Janius enter the room, but he was not currently working with anything molten, so he could be interrupted.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine nodded. She seemed not to be too bothered by what Meesei was bringing up. "Yes. I was taught about that in the coven. I know what the potions you make for Kaleeth and Ahnasha do." In truth, Sabine was only taught the basics of what making love was in the coven, nothing to do with how her body changes as she grows up and the desires it brought. The witches only made her familiar with the actions. At the time it just seemed strange, but it started to make more sense over the past year or so. "I haven't thought about doing that with Caleb. I don't want a child yet, and...Rikki says that it hurts the first time..." Sabine clutched one arm nervously.

---

"Hoy, Lorag," Janius raised his hand in greeting as he entered the forge. "I thought you might be around here. Do you have a minute? What are you working on?"

Janius listened, but he didn't really intend to have a conversation about armour. He pulled up a seat a few metres away from the anvil Lorag was working on. Janius' words after Lorag's answer were straightforward, "Lorag, what was your father like?"

[EliteCommander]

Inwardly, Meesei wanted to thank Hircine that Sabine was already somewhat familiar with the topic. She was not particularly keen on going into detail. Regardless, Meesei could not see a way that Sabine's views on the subject could not have been warped strangely by her experiences. She did not know what precisely the coven had taught her, but she had certainly not received a normal upbringing. As well, the examples of relationships within the pack were not exactly ideal. Both Ahnasha and Fendros, as well as Kaleeth and Janius seemed to be happy together, but none of them formed their relationships under normal circumstances. Usually, romances formed in such a manner did not last, but Sabine had seen no other examples, except her sister and Rukeewei. However, she had not been witness to how Ariel's relationship had formed.

"She is not incorrect, but that is not the most important part of the issue. It is more complicated than you might know. Not mating itself, but...the meaning behind it, in the context of a relationship. What is it that the coven taught you?" Meesei asked.

---

"My armor, obviously." Lorag said as he was hammering out a dent in the relatively malleable iron. It was obviously just smalltalk before Janius got to his actual point, though his next question did surprise him.

"Um, he was a Legion veteran, worked a forge." Lorag answered questioningly. He hadn't the faintest idea why Janius had suddenly sought him out to ask about his father of all things. He had a feeling that the Imperial was beating around the bush to get to some bigger question or favor or something, which was at least marginally annoying. He much preferred getting straight to the point. "He was retired, so he didn't fight much, but he was a tough old Orc, and tough on me. He helped my mother drill me into shape in time to join the Legion myself. Now, I don't think you came all the way over here for story time, so what do you want, city-boy?"

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine took the approach of directly quoting. She even imitated the tone of voice of her old teacher, to some extent. "'When a man and a woman touch each other too much, they can get the desire to couple. This is how nature drives people to have children. This can happen when both desire each other, but it can also happen against the will of another, so you take care of yourself, Sabine, and don't touch men and boys too much. Don't let them touch you too much either.'" Sabine glanced up at Meesei, she had learned mocking imitation from her friends, but the context must have been lost on anyone not in the coven. "That was all I was taught except for the mating itself. I don't think the witches wanted me to do anything like that."

---

Janius leaned his arms against his knees and sighed. He had almost forgotten how futile it was to be subtle with Lorag. "Kaleeth wants a child. I don't know if I'll be a good father. I was thinking I might learn something from your father, or you."

[EliteCommander]

"I do not think they did either." Meesei commented. "In truth, I can understand why they would teach a child in such a way. One should not mate while still too young to understand its implications, and it is far easier simply to tell them to avoid it than to go through all of the trouble of explaining the complexities of the issue. But, I am sure you already know that most do not view the issue in the same way as that coven. They gave you simple explanations, but reality is more complex. Mating is not something you should think of trivially, and you are right to be hesitant. Honestly, I would say that it is not something you should consider for quite some time, until you are sure you understand what it means for you."

Meesei paused for a moment, glad that the conversation had not been as awkward, nor as difficult as she had feared. Evidently, Sabine was not at a stage where she was actually considering mating, which meant it would likely be easy to convince her to think about it cautiously. But, there was still the issue of her perception of what the average relationship was like. "But, aside from that, there is something else related I would like to point out. Ahnasha and Fendros, Janius and Kaleeth, their relationships are not normal. Or, they did not form normally, rather. I am certainly glad that they have continued to remain together and love one another, but both of them started out mating from the beginning. Generally, such relationships do not last. I know you are aware of Janius' past regarding women. The reason I brought all of this up to you is because I wanted to make sure that your perception of healthy relationships is not...skewed. I wanted to ensure that you did not suffer trying to emulate them." She explained.

---

"Um, why do you think you'll be able to learn from me?" Lorag asked, genuinely surprised. He set down the hammer and turned to face Janius, as there was no way he was going to be able to concentrate on his work while talking about this. "I'm an Orc, and was raised like an Orc. My parents started to teach me about fighting as soon as I was old enough to walk around and hold a stick. When I was disciplined, my father didn't stick me in a room alone somewhere, or even beat me. No, he made me fight him. I don't think you'd want to raise your little lizard the same way I was. Besides, I thought you two already dealt with this back in Black Marsh? Didn't you decide to hold off on the whole 'egg' thing?"

[Muttonhawk]

If Sabine were honest in her thoughts, she would have pointed out the contradiction sooner. There was a part of her that thought she would have to go all the way with Caleb early on, but at the same time she didn't want a child. It was a conflict she had avoided up until this point, simply because her feelings for Caleb tended to cloud things, but now Meesei seemed to clear it up in a few sentences. "So, I don't have to mate with Caleb if we like each other?" Sabine was mostly relieved. The whole game had been getting more complex by the moment.

---

"Well, that was a few months ago." Janius raised his eyebrows and tried to straighten up, "Now..." Janius gestured aimlessly and let his hand land on his knee, "We're here, in this underground fortress. With what Meesei's been doing, we're going to be here a while, so if we're to commit, now would be the time."

Janius licked teeth and thought about Lorag's description of his father. Lorag was right in that Janius wouldn't want to raise a child by fighting with it. "You're father sounded like a hard man. I know that your upbringing was more...traditional, but did you respect your father? And what about him earned that respect?"

[EliteCommander]

Meesei shook her head. "No, that is not what normally happens. In general, a couple will be together for quite some time before taking that step forward. They take the time to get to know one another, and determine if they actually bear love for the other. As for how long that takes, there is no single answer. Some pairs seem to simply be made for one another and progress quickly, in perhaps a few weeks. Others could take years. When they do decide it is time, they may not even desire children. But, the important part is that there is no expectation to mate so early on. If your mate is pressuring you to do so despite you making it clear that you wish to wait, then I would say it would be time to consider ending it entirely." She advised.

---

"Yeah, I respected that he did his job." Lorag answered with a brief huff. "He earned gold and helped to keep us fed, and he helped teach me all I needed to become strong as an adult. He pushed me to my limit, made me train until my hands were too calloused to even feel the sword, and because of it, made sure I was the strongest I could be when it came time to join up with the Legion. So yeah, he's not the kind of father you'd want to be. That mate of yours would probably bite your head off if you tried doing that with her kid, literally. I've seen what those jaws can do to steel." He chuckled.

Returning to a serious tone, Lorag shook his head. "Look, I don't think you should go having kids right now. We're going into a war against a Daedra, and your little lizard isn't going to be defending itself. Though, I guess it might help in keeping that crocodile in line, if you want a way to keep your mate out of the fighting. Mothers are always real protective of their kids, and I'm guessing that crocodile would go right along with that. She'd probably want to stay with the child instead of charging in. Unless something was actually threatening it. Then she'd go crazy." He added. As one might expect, Lorag's assessment of the situation was practical, instead of emotional. The reasons why Kaleeth or Janius might want a child did not seem to factor in to his advice.

[Muttonhawk]

"Okay," Sabine said. It was good to know of all these things that were expected of her in a clearer manner, but regardless, it seemed like all this was getting ahead of herself. She didn't even know if Caleb was interested at all. Even then, she wasn't sure whether the extra information had made her confidence any better or worse. There were just so many things she hadn't thought about.

Sabine walked in ponderous silence alongside Meesei for a while longer. Eventually, she came to the end of her thought process with no immediate further questions. She might have questions later, but for now, she felt comfortable with what she had. She stopped and gave Meesei a tight hug. "Thank you, Meesei," Sabine said. The words didn't quite give the sentiment justice. Sabine didn't know what she would do without her.

---

Both parts of Lorag's answer had Janius looking down in thought, though his practical advice was callous enough that Janius' eye flicked up with an incredulous expression. "Thanks Lorag," Janius said with a little sarcasm. Despite it all, Janius did feel as though Lorag had brought up some good points. However, there wasn't really much else Janius thought he could get from the talk. He stood up. "You've given me some things to think about. I'll let you get back to your armour."

Janius walked out of the forge scratching his head. Lorag's father was certainly different from his own, both with parenting attitudes and the impact he had on his child. He tried to think of how he could earn that kind of respect without being so brutal. Mostly, he didn't want to be hated by his child, like he hated his own father.

To get more advice, Janius decided to seek out Oswall and Fendros. Fendros was more immediately available, but Janius had to wait for a spare moment in Oswall's busy schedule to speak with him. Both conversations together ended up taking up the entire rest of the day, both because it was more a matter of personal experience that drove the conversation and that Janius felt he could explore deeper concepts than he did with Lorag. There were a fortunate amount of differences with Oswall and Fendros' style of fatherhood, but also a few key similarities. All the time, Janius was able to reflect on all he listened to. Slowly, but surely, his perspective changed. Exactly how or to what end was between Janius, Fendros, and Oswall at that point.

The conversation with Oswall in particular went late into the night. This kept Kaleeth waiting for so long that by the time Janius was done, he came back to the pack's chamber when everyone was fast asleep. Janius crept up to where Kaleeth was and lightly placed his hand on her shoulder. "Kaleeth, are you awake? Come with me," Janius whispered as quietly as he dared so that he didn't wake anyone else up.

[EliteCommander]

Meesei was glad to pause and return the hug Sabine gave her. To her, there was no feeling quite like helping Sabine, no matter the severity of the problem, and the fact that she appreciated it so greatly made it all the more rewarding. No matter what happened, Meesei was resolved to always think about Sabine's welfare, and to make sure she could have the very best life Meesei could give her. Although she would not admit it openly, that commitment was greater than any other Meesei held. Even Hircine did not hold the same level of loyalty that Meesei would give to Sabine.

"I will always be here for you, Sabine. I love you, and I will always be ready to answer any questions you have, any time you have them." Meesei promised. Once they finally released the hug, Meesei kept her hands on Sabone's shoulders and looked down at her. "Now...about your magical training..." She began, pausing for a moment before giving a smile. "What about tomorrow morning? After breakfast. You can have as much time as you want right now to think, or simply relax."

---

Kaleeth could not remember at exactly what point she fell asleep. All she remembered was staying up into the night, waiting anxiously for Janius to finally return with his answer. At some point, she must have fallen over asleep on her bedroll, because the next thing she knew, she was being shaken awake by him.

"Huh...oh, yes. Yes, let's go." Kaleeth answered after a brief delay. She was fatigued, mildly incoherent, and generally groggy, but she was nevertheless fully focused on him. This was the time where she would finally receive her answer on whether or not she was going to be able to have a family.

Climbing out of her bedroll, Kaleeth followed Janius with increasing haste. She assumed he was taking them somewhere out of the way and quiet, but she could not bring herself to wait to begin her questions. "Did you find anyone to talk to? Did you decide on an answer?" Kaleeth whispered.

[Muttonhawk]

While still in the hug, Sabine murmured, "I love you, too."

Meesei's little bait and switch made Sabine smile. She nodded at Meesei's offer to train tomorrow. As for the rest of the day, Sabine actually felt like practising her magic. She had done enough alchemy today anyway, and her friends were all busy now.

---

Janius was patient with Kaleeth. He took her by the hand and lead her out of the chamber without a word, even to the questions she insisted. He didn't lead Kaleeth far, only to a spot in the corridor where they wouldn't wake anyone. Janius stopped and put his arms around Kaleeth's torso, drawing her in close. He got straight to the point, smiling brightly, "Kaleeth, it would give me the greatest pleasure to be the father of our child. Will you bear a child with me?"

[EliteCommander]

Even in the darkness of the corridor, Kaleeth's face lit up more brightly than Janius had perhaps ever seen it since she left her village. Without a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him in one of the tightest hugs she could give, which, for a werecrocodile, was actually painful. With that one piece of news, all of her fatigue seemed to suddenly vanish all at once.

"Oh Janius, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She repeated. "You...you have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you, I...I love you so much. I knew you might say yes, but...this is just wonderful!" She exclaimed. Her breathing was frantic, and she had to pause to allow herself to become at least somewhat composed. "I think I'm still fertile at the moment. We can go mate right now! I think I know a room we can use; oh, I just can't wait!" She added, not actually caring if anyone was overhearing them.

[Muttonhawk]

Janius returned the embrace in turn. He didn't care about the pain. Kaleeth's enthusiasm originally brought back Janius' prediction early that day and he couldn't help but chuckle out loud and reach a hand to the side of Kaleeth's head. "Hey, hey, slow down a bit, heh," Janius looked into Kaleeth's eyes and paused a moment, "Let's make tonight special." Janius brought Kaleeth into a deep kiss right there on the hallway and didn't stop until they both had another moment of consciousness. He kept his forehead in contact with hers. "Let's find a place without a cold stone floor," Janius said with a small laugh and a grin.

[EliteCommander]

---

With the decision to stay with the Bruma clan, the pack’s course was set not for months ahead, but years. Over time, the novelty of having the Champion and her pack present wore off, and they slowly became viewed as another part of the clan. They met friends, took on official roles, and generally integrated into the clan as a whole. Although, the clan itself faced many changes over time. Following Meesei’s plan, the clan went through a very gradual form of restructuring, as she knew that its people would likely not tolerate sudden, drastic change. At first, the packs who followed the various lieutenants were simply assigned to work with one another more often, and more closely. Predictably, it created tension, it was not so drastic as to be unbearable. As the months turned to years, the integration became more formal. Lieutenants were allowed, and frequently encouraged, to directly oversee and direct the packs of other lieutenants. As well, packs were no longer required to report to others strictly within the command structure of the lieutenant leading them, and Meesei made sure that it was often more convenient to do so. Again, there was tension, and some fights broke out, but as they had been working more closely together, it was again not unbearable. By the third year, The lieutenants only technically had separate leadership structures. In practice, they and their packs worked together on most tasks. There were some among the clan who still held old prejudices, but many of the newer members had never even seen the clan in its former fractured state.

In addition to restructuring, the clan grew in a multitude of ways. The actual number of members grew far beyond anything they ever could have expected. New lycans were found at a rate far, far beyond where they could even think about finding territory for them. It made the other expansions that Meesei desired to make a necessity, rather than a suggestion. The clan coordinated teams to clear out the lower sections of the ruins for more living space and welkynd stones, but plenty new materials for Darahil’s scholars to study. Beyond the ruin itself, the clan established contact with other large clans of lycanthropes across Tamriel over the better part of a year. They started with Cyrodiil clans, followed shortly by Black Marsh, then spread their envoys across Tamriel. Some clans were difficult to track down, and one, unfortunately, was confirmed to have been destroyed, presumably by Vile. However, the others they contacted in time to help warn them of Vile, if they were unaware, and help prepare their defenses. Strangely, [i]all[/i[ other clans, even beyond Cyrodiil were also experiencing a massive influx of new lycans. For reasons unknown, it seemed as if the overall number of lycanthropes in Tamriel was increasing dramatically.

The clan’s expansion was also economic. True to Meesei’s overall plan, the clan made use of every connection it could. Instead of just warriors and hunters, merchants quickly found themselves raising in rank and importance among the clan. With the significant boost in gold brought on by selling the silver from the mercenaries’ weapons, they were able to purchase cheap tracts of land in the wilderness, far from the city. In turn, they were able to use the skills and connections of the merchants to sell the resources they could claim. In addition, they were able to clear areas of the forest to grow food to help supply the growing clan. This type of expansion did not remain unique to the Bruma clan. Upon the advice of the clan’s merchants, and sometimes with Meesei’s insistence, other clans across Tamriel followed suit. They created small operations at first, but the more gold they were able to earn, the more they could invest. All of which went to the eventual purpose of funding the ever-growing war against Vile. The clans were attacked on all fronts, but as the fighting dragged on, the clans found themselves more well-equipped, with more resources, more numbers, and a stronger network of connections for information. After years of the war, it actually seemed like the clans were going on the offensive. The hunted had become the hunters that their blood called them to be.

For Meesei, all of the changes that the clan underwent required a great deal of work on her part. She was able to find a balance that did not require her to overwork herself day in and day out, but she was undeniably busy. By right as Champion, she was the Alpha to all clan leaders, but it was not a position she carried without resistance. Some clan alphas did not like having a superior to which they had to answer, some coveted her title for themselves, and a few took issue with being forced to report to an Argonian. To all of these, Meesei could settle the issue in the traditional way. All clan alphas were free to travel to Bruma and challenge her in an honor duel for her title. Indeed, several of the alphas made the attempt, but of course, none were able to succeed against her. By right, she commanded them, and none were able to prove her unworthy of that right.

With her new responsibilities came, unfortunately, less time for Meesei to spend with her pack. She would not say they necessarily grew distant, but it was an unavoidable truth that they lived more separately than she would have liked. They all had their own duties and roles within the clan, so their number of friends increased beyond just the few members of their pack. As one might expect, however, the member of the pack that Meesei spent the most time with was Sabine, mostly through their regular training with Sabine’s magic. Although, even beyond that, Meesei made time whenever she could to spend time with Sabine.

Although he had been skeptical about settling down with the clan at first, Lorag soon found himself right at home among them. He had stepped in, initially temporarily, to fill the role that Harriet had left behind in terms of training their new warriors. However, his experience and military approach to training, while harsh, was undeniably effective. As such, it became a more permanent position for him in the clan. They no longer just needed hunters, or even warriors, but soldiers. Lycan hunters generally operated through professional, specialized training to overcome their brutal and powerful prey, but by giving his recruits the same kind of structured organization, he aimed to nullify the traditional tactics of their opposition. He was not as quick as some of the others to make friends, but among the warriors of the clan, he could certainly find people with which he enjoyed to share a drink.

Compared to Lorag, Ahnasha’s experiences with the clan were considerably more chaotic. Like most of the others, she found a role in which she fit quite well. As she was a naturally talented archer, she often worked training recruits in the use of a bow. She was not precisely in charge in the same way as Lorag, but she was a valued instructor nonetheless. As for her own skills, her magical training proceeded as well as she could have hoped. Openly, she practiced summoning techniques to further her skill in conjuration. Over three years, she became an adept conjurer capable of summoning reasonably strong Daedra, such as a frost atronach or clannfear. However, it was in private that she studied the majority of her necromancy. Fendros of course knew that she had to study the topic, but she did not let on to the extent of her experiments. Even after the clan expanded into the formerly unexplored areas of the ruin, she had managed to keep the secret passage she had found hidden. Over time, she had gathered tools, books and tomes, and had even stolen away some furniture to make her hidden chamber more useful. She gathered bodies, whether they be man, mer, or animal, whenever, and from wherever she could for her experiments. She learned not only the reanimation spells which Fendros knew about, but necromantic rituals that allowed her bind more permanent thralls, among other things. She hated the fact that she had to keep her actions a secret, but she could not stand the thought of Fendros witnessing what she was having to do just to give them more time on Nirn together.

For the state of Ahnasha’s mind, she actually experienced considerable improvement. It took considerable time, effort, and mental anguish, but the regular sessions with Najirra thankfully proved effective. It went better than she had expected, though perhaps not as well as she had hoped. The scars were still there, deep in her mind, and occasionally, they did surface. There were nights were she awoke in terror from a sudden nightmare, or events that triggered a sudden, intense memory. However, such events were few and far between, and for the most part, she could sleep as well as any other lycan. Being rid of the pain entirely was a dream that she had essentially abandoned, but in her current state, she could cope. Besides that, she and Fendros certainly had a lot more to handle with Rhazii, as he could now talk, walk around, and generally cause more trouble.

Just as they had intended, a short few weeks after Kaleeth and Janius decided to have a child, Meesei determined that Kaleeth had an egg within her. It was lain after a few months, then taken care of for a few more months afterwards until it finally hatched. He was a male Argonian hatchling. By Argonian traditions, he would not have a name until his naming day, though Janius took to calling him Newt. For Kaleeth, taking care of a child was both everything she had hoped and feared. Her attachment and love for him was beyond anything she could have imagined, but he was a source of frequent stress, especially once he learned to walk. At the very least, between the two of them, they could divide the responsibilities to a manageable level. As for Kaleeth herself, she was finally able to overcome her beast spirit to a reasonable degree. It did take longer than with a werewolf, but after three years of practice, she was in firm control of her beast spirit as long as she remained reasonably well-fed. In addition, she was trained in combat by Lorag alongside the other “recruits,” as he called them. With three years of training, she was no longer so unconfident in combat. Indeed, her physical strength made her a formidable opponent. She still did not consider herself as skilled as the rest of the pack, but there was no mistaking the fact that she was now unquestionably a warrior.

---

Meesei crept through the hall quietly, making sure her steps were light. It was morning, not so early that she was the only one awake, but early enough that she knew Sabine would be asleep. Meesei had been awake for a few hours preparing what she was carrying in her arms. It was a rather large platter filled with various types of meats and vegetables, all of which she knew Sabine favored. Each part of the meal was cooked, or uncooked, as closely to Sabine’s preferences as Meesei could recall. Now, she just had to hope she was hungry.

As she walked up to the door to Sabine’s room, she reached out and ever so carefully nudged the door open. Thankfully, it did not speak on its hinges while she opened it wide enough to fit through. Slowly and deliberately, Meesei walked over, reached down, and nudged Sabine’s shoulder to awaken her. “Sabine, it is time to wake up. You are officially eighteen years of age, and I told you I would not allow you to get by today without some form of celebration.” She said with a smile.