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

[Muttonhawk]

As much as Sabine may have thought otherwise, she was tired and under-practised with a sword. She tried her best to deflect Peiter's sword, but she didn't react quickly enough. Her sword moved up and to one side, but not before Peiter managed to get her in the shoulder. She took a sharp breath in from the surprise, but it would be unlikely to leave more than a small bruise. "Sorry," she said without good reason, stepping back and looking a little ashamed.

When she stepped back in to try again, she was more alert. She tried attacking by taking a quick step forward and swatting Peiter's wrist. She was quick, but she didn't keep her stance very balanced.

---

Gallus turned to one side and took exactly two slow paces, looking at the ground. "Well, that's a relief that there are no problems between you and Meesei. I would hate to have any attitude compromise our ability to all work together. Our mission will depend on it, after all. Perhaps you should talk to her more," Gallus looked sideways up at Irenya and smiled with mischief, "You might find that you share more interests than you think. There's no reason to be intimidated by her."

By putting words in her mouth, Gallus intended to coax Irenya into correcting him and giving a proper answer. He really preferred honest discourse with his pack mates, but he knew Irenya to be proud, which meant that getting through to her always required a bit of vocal sparring. He intended to get back to Fendros and Ahnasha once he had his answer.

[EliteCommander]

Peiter had not expected to hit with his first strike, though it was not exactly as if he was trying to make it easy to block. Her retaliatory strike was actually not bad in concept. In swordfighting, the hands were a vulnerable and useful target to attempt to hit. However, he was able to twist his blade to block the strike with the crossguard. That did not necessarily put her in a bad position, but because her footing was unstable at best, he was able to push the blade aside at an angle that would be awkward to resist and recover from, then thrust successfully at her stomach.

Peiter did not take up a combat stance again, and instead rubbed his chin as he looked her over. "I see. It seems you do have the theoretical knowledge, but of course you're not in practice enough to execute it properly. That's no trouble, though. It just means you need practice."

Walking over to stand beside Sabine, Peiter assumed a basic combat stance. "You seem to know where to hold the blade, but your footwork needs work. It is the basis of any fighting style, and while it can be boring to practice, it's probably the most important thing to master. Watch my feet when I swing." He said before demonstrating a heavy forward slash. Just as if he was in a duel, he took a step forward so Sabine could see what he was referring to. "Now, why don't you try. See if you can move like I do."

---

Irenya shook her head. "Oh, don't give me that, Gallus. I know what you're trying to say. I am certainly not intimidated by that particular lizard. But, even if I do not agree with lord Hircine's decisions, I will follow them. By rights, this...Argonian is the alpha of every lycan in Tamriel, and I would be a fool to disobey Hircine without issuing the proper challenges."

Although Irenya's answer hinted at her feelings, she was still not directly stating it. The issues she was having were not as simple as complete bigotry, but neither were they far removed from it.

[Muttonhawk]

The swordfighting lesson went on for a good while longer. Unlike the crash course that Lorag gave Sabine for her trial, the time and space that she and Peiter had offered plenty of time for practice. It didn't take Sabine too long to get a hang of the footwork when it was the only thing she had to concentrate on, but she still faltered often when sparring. The practice and teachings helped to solidify Sabine's technique a little in the end, but she was nowhere near a competent fencer.

The lesson went on until the sun was painting the rain forest in orange speckles. It wasn't set, but it was getting dark due to the foliage. They might have put in some more time, but both of their techniques were sloppy at this point; they were exhausted. Sabine's mood was starting to dip into frustration. After another drill at a simple overhead cut, Sabine nodded her head forward and put up her hand.

"I do not think I can get this right, let's stop," Sabine said, before walking over to the fallen log and retrieving her waterskin. Once she put the wooden sword down, she sucked down the last of the water within her skin and half-lowered and half-fell into a seated position with her back to the log. With her droopy-eyed and frowning face, it was hard to tell whether she was feeling any enjoyment through the fatigue.

---

At that, Gallus actually laughed lightly and shook his head. Irenya claimed that she was no bigot, but old habits die hard, especially with the long-lived. "Oh, please do not tell me that it's because she's an Argonian, is it?" Gallus said, "She earned her position like any champion. You're right, though," Gallus gestured to Irenya with one finger, "She's in charge. You don't have to like her to acknowledge that. Now..." Gallus moved on before Irenya could challenge his words. It didn't sound like tensions with Meesei were going to be a liability at this point, so long as Irenya was not lying. "Back to Fendros and Ahnasha..."

Gallus began to pace again, this time he pressed his hands flat together while he pondered. He turned to face Irenya and pointed the fingers of his pressed hands towards her, "It is perfectly fine to keep in touch with one's culture, but whether you think him a boy or not, he is still an adult, and a father to boot. He as an individual can be as traditional as he likes. I know that you are as well, else your beast spirit would be far less acceptable to you, I don't have to be a Dunmer to know that much. There are ways, I think, everyone can approach from level ground...But enough dancing about," Gallus weaved his fingers together and looked at Irenya with his head forward, "You know our mission. Do you know what I need from you to accomplish it?"

[EliteCommander]

Peiter went through the drills, just as he was taught. Or at least, mostly like he was taught. His teachers back in the clan were not nearly as forgiving as himself. This was meant to be a friendly lesson, not anything stressful. Although, failure, no matter the context, had a tendency to be stressful regardless of the intention.

The pair trained for a while, a bit longer than Peiter originally intended. His focus on the task at hand had caused him to lose track of how much time was passing. However, their stamina gave out before the daylight did. It was getting dark, though the sun would be up for a while yet. Peiter dropped his practice blade down next to his bag, then went through it to find his waterskin. Once he pulled it from the bag, he immediately dropped down and sat on the ground beside Sabine. He ran his arm across his face to wipe away the sweat and took a large drink of his water.

"We, uh, might have gone on longer that we should've. I tend to get...focused when training. It's hard to do anything for long in this heat, though." He commented before turning his head and looking at her with a smile. Noticing she was out of water, he reached out and offered his waterskin to her. "But, you did well. I wouldn't worry about not getting that last bit. We're both tired, and besides, you're just starting. The Imperial City wasn't built in a day. It's all about progress." He said encouragingly. Looking up at the ropes leading up to the platform above, he grimaced. He was not looking forward to climbing with his rather sore arms. "Say, do you want to look around and see if there is a water source nearby? Something to cool off with?"

---

Irenya let out a huff. "An adult? Fendros doesn't look like he's even over fifty! You're not a Dunmer, Gallus, you don't understand. He is little more than a boy in our eyes. The child doesn't change that. If anything, it makes it more clear..."

The comment about Irenya's own breaks with her traditions did give her pause, though it was hardly going to cause her to give up her beliefs. "I may not serve the Reclamations, Gallus, but I am still proud to be Dunmer. I am proud of our culture and history. I am proud of our strengths, and acknowledge our flaws. I acknowledge that selecting worthy gods to serve has never been a...strength of our people. Our religion almost seems to change with the seasons. I can serve Hircine and still be a true Dunmer. I will do everything that is necessary to serve Hircine's will on Tamriel. Even if that means playing nice with the one who has forsaken his people, or living in service to the lizard."

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine accepted Peiter's waterskin with a small "Thank you," and took a few more sips, but she didn't drink much more. She already felt like she needed to burp from drinking her own water so fast.

In response to Peiter's encouragement, Sabine let her head loll back against the log and laughed breathlessly with a wide open grin. She had to scrunch her eyes shut to keep the sweat from flowing into them. She breathed in and rolled her head to look at Peiter, "You are much kinder than Lorag. Long lesson or not."

As for the suggestion to find a water body to cool off, Sabine's face went tired again. "I do not think we should wander away. We might ask Ra'maranja or his pack, but first..." Sabine curled up her legs and strained as if stretching, "...I want to sit for a moment," she grumbled, before breathing out and closing her eyes, relaxed.

"Peiter?" Sabine lifted her eyes up again, "Thank you for the lesson."

---

At this point, Gallus became dismissive. He closed his eyes and held one hand forward, allowing Irenya to air her opinions, but once she was done, his hand waved in front of him, palm down. He opened his eyes and responded flatly, "All I am hearing is your frustration. I need you to answer my question, confirm to me that you know. What do you think I need from you on this mission, most of all?"

[EliteCommander]

Peiter nodded. "Alright. I was mostly just thinking of walking around within sight of the ropes, see if we can hear any running water. Mostly though, I just need a moment to rest. I'd probably end up falling flat on my back if I tried climbing up that tree right now." He chuckled.

When Sabine thanked him Peiter returned a smile. "Anytime. Whenever you feel like it, you can have your turn of giving me a lesson in magic. I guess that would require a lot less space than sparring."

There was a brief pause where it seemed like Peiter was going to say something, but he evidently lost the words. Glancing away for a moment, he looked back and gave another smile. "And thank you, too."

---

At this point, Irenya was not entirely certain what Gallus wanted. She appeared annoyed as she thought. Given what they had been speaking about, her train of thought brought her to her actions, and what she needed to do for this mission. Regardless of what Gallus wanted, the answer she arrived at was one that she believed to be true.

"What you need from me? Obedience." She answered.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine's smile grew a little wider out of amusement, but she closed her eyes and stayed silent.

For while longer, Sabine sat by Peiter and rested. It wasn't until she caught herself about to fall asleep that she forced her eyes open and stood up, leaving Peiter's waterskin on the ground behind her. She walked up to the tree with the climbing ropes and bent her head backwards to look up to the top.

Considering for only a moment, Sabine hovered her palms near one another and began to let magical stamina flow through her body in a golden, sunny stream. The spell stopped after a few seconds, leaving her feeling invigorated enough to feel confident climbing the tree. Before she began, she turned back to Peiter, "I am going to ask if there are any places to swim nearby." With that, she grabbed onto a rope with both hands and climbed all the way up to the platform.

Once at the top, she did as she said; finding one of Ra'maranja's pack and asking about places to swim and if they were safe.

---

Gallus angled his head back and to one side, regarding Irenya and her answer. He thrust one finger into the air and motioned his hand forward as if hitting his finger against a door or someone's head, "Close! Very close!" He lowered his arm, "A master requires a servant to be obedient, but you? You are a pack mate. An alpha needs something more. You are not a servant, per se," Gallus placed his hand on his chest, "-and I am not a master in the exact sense. What I need from you, dear Irenya, is to trust your independent decisions."

Gallus' tone shifted to being closer to a superior officer than a negotiator as his posture straightened and lost the previous flippancy again, "I need to trust you to protect the lives of the champion and her pack as if they were your own family. I need to trust you to work alongside them without your personal feelings compromising anyone, including yourself. Most of all, I need to trust you not to make situations where a rift of distrust and isolation pervades between anyone amongst us. Do you understand?"

If Irenya decided to let go of her pride here, Gallus intended to resolve the rest of the situation with her cooperation. If not, he would have to become exceptionally harsh. Irenya might be much older, but she was acting like a child, and Gallus was still in charge.

[EliteCommander]

Peiter was perfectly content waiting down on the forest floor, especially since he would not have been able to climb the ropes anyway. Up in the higher platforms, the first person Sabine saw was Sees-No-Colors, who was standing outside the main structure in the center, evidently getting some fresh air. When asked, he readily informed her that there was a stream nearby, just to the east of the ropes. Peiter had indeed been correct that the supply outpost was built near a water source.

Shortly after Sabine left, Colors headed back inside the main structure with the others. It, like all of the other structures, was built encircling the trunk of one of the large trees. It was anchored to it, and other surrounding trees, by wooden beams and thick ropes. Inside, it had all of the amenities that one would expect from a home. There were candles for lighting, proper chairs and furniture, and even a fireplace for cooking. There was more than enough food in the main structure for their dinner and a breakfast in the morning, and there was more food in the storage building nearby. While there were not enough chairs for three entire packs, there were cushions that anyone else could use if they were sitting on the floor.

Once they had become settled in, Meesei's packs had spent some time speaking with Ra'maranja's group. The topics were serious at first, though they quickly became more casual. Ra'maranja asked about the Bruma clan, and Meesei herself, while Colors described the Senchal clan, and particularly its leader. Now, most everyone had settled into groups either eating their dinner, or just conversing among themselves while they waited to become tired enough to actually fall asleep. As Ra'maranja had suspected, it seemed as if they would be waiting until morning before they went to meet with the Senchal clan leader.

After pacing in front of the fire for a few moments, Colors eventually walked over and sat down on a cushion near Janius, Kaleeth, and a few of the others. Most of Ra'maranja's group appeared relaxed, but Colors looked almost to be nervous. He seemed oddly alert, but had said nothing to indicate that anything was out of the ordinary. He looked at Janius and Kaleeth curiously for an almost awkward amount of time as he seemed to be deliberating on something intensely within his mind. "So you two are bonded, yes? Mates?"

Down on the forest floor, Peiter had taken the time while Sabine was away to pack up the practice swords and other belongings. He was surprised to see that, even with the amount of time they had trained, his shirt had still hardly dried at all. It made him wonder which he hated more: the heat, or the humidity. Nevertheless, he packed it up carefully, away from anything he wanted to keep dry. Once Sabine returned, it was not a far walk to the east before they could hear the flowing water over the rest of the sounds of the forest. Peiter was glad to have hope of relief from the heat, though a river this body of water certainly wasn't. As they walked up to the water, Peiter could see that, while large for a stream, they certainly would not be able to swim in the traditional sense. It was about as wide as Peiter was tall, and at its deepest, only came up about halfway to Peiter's knee. Still, the water was fairly clear, and when he knelt down and ran his hand through the water, he could feel that it was crisp and cool.

"Well, we're not going to be doing any diving, but at least it will be refreshing. I can at least wash these city clothes." Peiter commented.

---

In her response, Irenya was completely firm, and serious. "Gallus, it is my duty to protect them. Lord Hircine has commanded this task, and has seen fit that we be the ones to accompany the Champion. No matter what I think, you know me well enough to know that I will not fail in my duty, no matter what that might be. If Hircine commanded me to protect Vile himself, I would do it. You will not find me starting arguments or fights, but I cannot control the actions of that prideful cat. If I were you, I would be sure to address her as well."

[Muttonhawk]

"It would be remiss of me not to," Gallus responded, "This will likely not be the last we speak of this, Irenya. I just needed to be sure of you." Gallus paused for a second, relaxing a little, "Alright, that'll be enough serious talking for now," Gallus gave Irenya a pat on her upper arm and returned to his former self, "Let's get up to that outpost. We're all tired this afternoon, and I don't like sounding like father all the time."

The pair ended their conversation there, with Gallus turning and heading to the ropes to climb up. He intended to find Meesei to follow up his talk, but not before getting a drink and having a sit to gather himself. Irenya's answer was satisfactory for now. Gallus wished he could open her mind to properly fix the insecurities she had, but for now he just needed to make sure that they wouldn't cause problems where it really mattered.

---

Janius regarded Colours with curiosity and suspicion, given the looks he was showing. They had been chatting on the way here, but he was acting strangely. The question he asked, when he finally got around to it, explained Colours' reservations.

"Yes, we are," Janius answered, giving an amiable smile to Colours. However, he did glance to Kaleeth-Rei for a fraction of a second, betraying some unease.

---

Sabine's lips tightened slightly with disappointment when they reached the stream. She had been hoping for something a little deeper. Still, any flowing water would be better than nothing. Without a word, she peeled off her clothing until nude and stepped into the stream. The best she could do to immerse herself short of laying down was to lower herself to her knees in the water. To help cool off, she took her tunic and soaked it under the water's surface, and then held it above her head and wrung the water so that it fell into her hair. With the refreshing cool, she sighed with relief.

Looking over to Peiter, Sabine gave another smile, but didn't initiate conversation.

[EliteCommander]

Outwardly, Colors nervousness seemed to disappear. He smiled and stopped glancing around nervously, but his scent betrayed the apparently increasing stress he was feeling. His heart was starting to beat rapidly, and his breathing was becoming irregular. "Ah, I thought so. You two have that look about you. I must say, you are quite a lucky man, Janius, to find a woman as beautiful as...Kaleeth, correct? Her tattoos are striking." He commented, thinking back to recall the introductions they had exchanged earlier.

Colors' words and upbeat tone were in opposition to his more subtle body language. "It is refreshing to meet an Imperial who has an interest in my kind. Too many just see us as beasts. So, how did you meet?"

Even Kaleeth could pick up on the strange ways in which Colors was acting, but she had no way of knowing why. "Meesei's pack visited my village in Black Marsh a few years ago. I had never really spoken to an outsider before, so I started talking to him and we...just kept talking. Given how poor my Cyrodilic was...that was definitely saying something."

---

Peiter undressed as well, leaving his clothing just at the edge of the stream in case he did actually decide to wash them. Stepping into the water, he sat down beside Sabine. Even with just his lower body being mostly submerged, he could already feel the relief of the brisk water. He supposed that, in an absolute sense, the water was warm, but in comparison to the hot, humid air, it might as well have been ice. While Sabine decided to use her tunic to drench herself, Peiter decided to go ahead and lay down on his back. As the water was just deep enough that his head would be submerged near completely, he put his hands behind his head to keep it lifted up. The soreness of his muscles seemed to wash away along with the dirt and sweat that had covered him during their trek to this place, and their training once they arrived.

For a few moments, Peiter looked up at Sabine silently and returned her smile. It was to the point that he almost seemed to be staring before he finally spoke up. "This is...I don't think I've ever been so glad to get in the water. It's going to be hard to get me out."

[Muttonhawk]

Janius gave a nod in thanks to Colours, but didn't get the chance to say so.

"Well, there was that, and the dance, and the swimming, and the hunt we went on," Janius said after Kaleeth with a small laugh, "But yes, I think it was curiosity that had us meet." Janius gave a smile to to Kaleeth, but addressed Colours again. "Do you have someone you hold dearly as well?"

It was obvious to Janius that Colours was unlikely to say yes, given his introduction to Meesei, but he wanted to make conversation anyway. It was only after asking that he noticed Colours' odd hidden demeanour. Janius played it off as social anxiety for now.

---

For a few moments longer, Sabine scrubbed at her skin with her waterlogged tunic, getting at all the itches that her sweat had created. She laughed lightly at Peiter's words, even if his comment was just an idle observation. "It is much nicer than the air," Sabine said.

Given how comfortable Peiter looked, Sabine regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, then lowered herself back so that she was laying down in the water as well. If it weren't for the occasional stones on the floor of the stream, the soft silt might have been as comfortable as any bed. Whether it was a conscious decision, or simply the lack of space in the stream itself, Sabine positioned herself such that the side of her arm and leg was up against Peiter's side. She used Peiter's upper arm to prop her head up out of the water, regardless of any cramps that might cause him. She stared up into the canopy, observing the low, orange sunlight making patterns over the thick foliage.

"Peiter," Sabine said just quietly enough to be heard over the babble of the stream, "What are your parents like?"

[EliteCommander]

Colors nodded with a grin. "Oh yes, there are many women in the clan who I consider quite dear. The longer you say here, the more I think you will find that there is a lot of...beauty in the Khajiit people. Of many kinds."

Looking away for a brief moment, Colors' expression quickly returned from lighthearted to serious. He frowned, seemingly at nothing, then looked over to Newt. "Ah, but, not like you. You have a cu-, or, um, hatchling. That's the word. What is his name?"

Kaleeth seemed slightly confused. It was a strange question for an Argonian to ask, as most hatchlings of Newt's age would have no name. It seemed like any Argonian would know that a name was not given until the child's naming day. Although, given that he had almost forgotten the word for an Argonian child, it was possible that Colors was raised far from Argonian culture.

---

Peiter had been looking up at the canopy while Sabine was laying down, so he was somewhat surprised to feel her at his side, and that she was resting her head on his shoulder. Regardless, he did not move from his position. When she asked about his parents, he raised his head up slightly to look down at her curiously. The question seemed rather random, so he had to think for a moment to answer.

"My parents? My...father was a guard in Chorrol, and my mother was a farmer. They didn't own any land, though. My mother worked for a local landowner just outside the walls. Or, well, I shouldn't say 'was.' They're not dead or anything, at least not that I know. It's just that, once I turned, all of that started to seem like a whole different life. They're good people; not perfect, but good people. My father makes more gold than my mother, but...isn't that great at saving it. Even so, they probably could save enough to buy some land of their own, but my mother never wanted to take the risk. They cared about me, and all my other siblings, though. The reason they were sending me and my sister to Bruma was because one of my uncles has a farm near there, and they were hoping that, if we helped to work it long enough, we might inherit it one day, since he didn't have any children of his own." Peiter explained, though the entire time, he did not even notice that he had not stopped looking down at her.

"Why do you ask?" He said with genuine curiosity in his tone.

[Muttonhawk]

Janius stifled a laugh and looked away momentarily with Colours' initial answer. He should have expected something like that.

As for Newt's name, Janius was just as surprised as Kaleeth was. After blinking and exchanging a look with Kaleeth, he angled his head forward to Colours and answered with a higher tone, as if it was something that everyone knew, "He hasn't had his name day yet. He's too young," Janius straightened again and continued regardless, "But, in the meantime, to make things easy, we call him little one, boy, child, son, and - where necessary - Newt. It's more of a nickname, that last one."

The conclusion that Janius came to was that Colours was possibly adopted, or simply grew up with a family very removed from the Marsh. Still, his behaviour was getting stranger. Janius decided to probe it, putting a worry in his brow and tilting his head. "Are you alright, Colours? You seem..." Janius waved a hand below him, trying to find the right word, "...uncomfortable."

---

Sabine shifted her eyes to Peiter with a glance, then swallowed and looked up at the trees again. "I never knew my parents," she said neutrally, "I had my older sister, and then Meesei and the pack, but I wonder what it would have been like to know my mother and father." Sabine lowered her eyes, "It is nothing."

Sabine breathed in and turned her head to Peiter, "What of..." she hesitated upon making eye contact with Peiter, "What of your siblings?"

[EliteCommander]

Colors' eyes widened. "Oh, no, I'm fine. It's just..." He began, pausing for a moment as his eyes twitched almost frantically. "I never thought I would be able to meet the Champion herself, and her pack. It's a bit overwhelming."

Colors was quick to shift his attention back to Newt, who was playing with Rhazii a short distance away. "Have you...thought about what you're going to name him? I think a good one would be 'It's a trap'."

Immediately, Kaleeth's eyes widened at the Jel "name" Colors had suggested. His Jel was strangely accented, but clear nonetheless. Quickly, she looked around the room. Meesei was nearly on the other side of the tree trunk the structure was built around, talking to Ra'maranja, so she had not heard. However, when she looked into Colors' eyes, the pieces started to fit together in her mind. The way he was acting, his stress, and the look in his eyes suddenly became recognizable: desperation.

Evidently, one of the others in Ra'maranja's group, the Khajiit healer, noticed Kaleeth's reaction, because she looked at them with a suspicious, almost angry gaze. "What did he say?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing." Kaleeth answered quickly. She faked a yawn to give her a moment to think of something more to add. "It's just...I don't think my son would want a name like 'Loves-Many-Women'."

The Khajiit shook her head and gave a brief laugh before turning her head away. However, once Kaleeth was sure that no one else in Ra'maranja's pack was watching, she looked to Janius with a frightened expression. She did not want there to be any doubt that something was wrong.

---

Peiter looked away briefly. "My sister was with me on the way to Bruma, when I was turned. She...didn't make it."

Looking back to Sabine, Peiter made eye contact once more. "But, don't worry. I healed from that long ago." He said reassuringly. He wanted to at least try to ensure she did not feel bad for bringing up the topic.

"As for your parents, I can't say I know what things would have been like with them, but I'm sure if they met you now, they would be proud of their daughter. They would still love you. After all, you're a very lovable person...or, um, I mean you're...easy to love..or like...or..." Peiter stammered out almost incoherently. He had to stop himself and take a deep breath before continuing. "They wouldn't be disappointed in who you've become. I'm sure they would be glad to know you have a family now."

[Muttonhawk]

Janius' Jel was not as fluent as Kaleeth's Cyrodilic, but he recognised the word 'trap'. Kaleeth's expression confirmed it. In seconds, Janius' own heart was beginning to beat faster. He looked around the room, trying to hide his nerves. The thought that this might have been a trick was at the back of his mind since he met Ra'maranja, but he had all but removed the thought by now. Meesei would have to be informed, but he would have to get the children out first.

"You just reminded me of something, Colours," Janius said, getting up slowly and gesturing Kaleeth to do the same. He looked over to where Rhazii and Newt were playing with Leaps, "Children. To me. You're getting a bath before it gets dark!" Janius was slightly firm, but wasn't too nervous.

Rhazii and Newt made noises in protest, but they got up and approached Janius anyway. They had been through this routine enough to know that resistance wouldn't help.

Once the children were near, Janius leaned close to Kaleeth, "Go let Meesei know," he whispered, leaving one last word in Jel, "Privately." With that, he squeezed her hand and took the children outside, heading to the platform.

Before they could step out of the door, Fendros got up as well and moved to stop Janius in his tracks, "Oh, it shouldn't be a problem Janius, they-"

"-I insist. They'll be itching all night otherwise." Janius interrupted and motioned for Fendros to sit down a little more forcefully than normal.

Though looking confused, Fendros slowly sat back down, "Very well." Janius' pace towards the door quickened. And Fendros gave Kaleeth a dubious look.

---

"Sorry," Sabine said, averting her eyes with guilt.

When Peiter began tripping over his words, she looked at him directly again. This time, as she smiled at his stammering, she felt her face take on a burning red blush. It passed by the time Peiter recollected himself, but her heart was beating too fast to think of any on-topic response. Her smile faded. She simply laid there, staring for a while at Peiter, her eyes darting to various facial features. Then, all of a sudden, she sat up.

The sound of the water flowing off her was sudden and jarring. "We should head back. It is getting dark," Sabine looked over her shoulder with a playful smile and pat Peiter lightly just above the stomach where he would be slightly winded. Then, looking forward, she stood up and motioned to take her washed and soaked clothes and dress herself.

[EliteCommander]

To say that Peiter was surprised was an understatement. After she tapped his stomach, he rolled over onto his side and looked at her, confused. He was afraid that his nervous stammering had offended her, and he was not quite sure what to do next. "Wait, are you sure? I didn't, I didn't...mean...to..."

Peiter cut himself off when he started to notice something on the wind, something that immediately frightened him. Even more quickly than Sabine, he climbed out of the water, but instead of going for his clothing, he grabbed his halberd. "Shh, get down. Do you smell that? On the wind?" He warned. It was the scent of people, mostly Khajiit, coming from the west, and they were not lycans.

Crouching down, Peiter moved forward towards a small hill which separated the stream from the tree which held the ropes. He laid down, then crawled up the hill just enough so he could peer over. It was difficult to see at first, but to the north and south of the ropes, there were two groups hiding among the bush which would be difficult to see unless one was looking specifically for them. Most were bipedal Khajiit, with a few Bosmer mixed in, and all that he could see were archers. In each group, there were about six of them, so he and Sabine were very outnumbered.

Looking back, he motioned for Sabine to crawl up beside him. "This is...this is not good. They must have tracked us." He whispered. Fortunately, it did not seem like he or Sabine had been noticed yet, as the stream was out of earshot. "There are so many of them, but...we can't just do nothing. Who knows what they have planned?"

Suddenly, several of the mysterious archers shifted in place and nocked their arrows. At first, Peiter thought they had been spotted, but looking closer, he could see that they were not looking east, but up. Peiter looked up as well and focused on some movement he could see past the branches, along one of the walkways. It was too high for Peiter to make out exactly who it was, but he could tell that whoever it might be was holding two children.

Peiter looked back to Sabine, now panicked. "We have to do something, quickly. Maybe...maybe we don't have to kill them all, just keep them from doing whatever they're planning. Distract them. We could circle around to the north, then...attack from behind. I could transform and run in, and you can help with magic. Once they're paying attention to us, we can both turn and run away into the forest. There's no way they could catch us." He suggested. It was a desperate plan, quite reliant on their element of surprise, but there was not exactly a lot of time to think.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine had barely put on her undergarments before Peiter prompted her to the smell of intruders. She crouched down immediately, wide-eyed and serious.

Peiter's plan was slightly rash. Before she let him run off, Sabine took him by the arm. "Wait," she whispered, still looking at them, "Approach from north-east, harass them, run west. They won't all be able to shoot you clearly that way. And it will be quicker. I will help and then circle around the outpost. Just distract them." Sabine pushed him away then, "Be careful."

Sabine didn't like the idea of running away. They could draw some away, but not all, not reliably. They would have to interfere until the alarm could be raised.

Once Peiter was out of sight, Sabine charged an exploding fireball spell in one hand and launched it across the sightlines of the archers. She didn't need to hit anything, she just needed a bright light and a loud noise. Then she began running south.

[EliteCommander]

Peiter wasn't sure about this plan. Granted, his own plan had its problems, but there were just so many of them, at least twelve. He did not see how they could hold their attention for long enough. At least, not without being killed themselves. Regardless, it seemed like Sabine's mind was set as she shoved him away. Reluctantly, he dropped his halberd and started to transform as he ran over to the north-east. He was fully in his beast form by the time Sabine launched her fireball, and at that point, he had no choice but to attack.

Like a bolt of lightning,, Peiter sprinted out from the bushes behind the archers' northern line. They were not grouped closely enough together that he could jump them all at once, but two on the side to his left were close enough. On the first Khajiit, he pounced before she had even had time to turn her head. His claws ripped into her throat without effort, dooming her to bleed to death. The Bosmer beside her raised his bow to Peiter on a reflex, but did not have time to draw before the werewoulf swiped at his weapon and forced it out of his hand. From there, Peiter dug his claws into the Bosmer's collarbone, then smashed his head into a nearby tree hard enough to split his skull.

By this point, the next closest hostile, a Cathay, was in the middle of drawing his bow, so Peiter sprinted towards him. Even a Cathay could not resist the mass of a werewolf barreling over him, so he was knocked to the ground and received a slash across his chest. It was not likely lethal, but Peiter could not stay to finish him off. As quickly as he had arrived, Peiter sprinted away briefly to the north, then to the west. Arrows were loosed in his direction, but just as Sabine had predicted, there were too many trees and bushes in that location for them to get a clear shot. Unfortunately, not everything was going to plan.

On the archers' southern line, one of the archers looked up to a Cathay-raht in chainmail beside him an shouted out. "Ah, it's an ambush, sir! Ra'maranja must've been found out!"

The Cathay-raht growled. "Bah, we can't stay here, but we're not leaving empty handed." The Cathay-raht, who was likely their leader, glared at Peiter to the northwest, but before he could give an order, another of his men shouted to him.

"Sir, I think I saw one to the south!"

Peiter's heart dropped. The archers had been alert when they attacked, and evidently, one had managed to spot Sabine's movement after she moved.

"Get the mage!" The Cathay-raht shouted, preferring the closer, slower target. Immediately, the entire southern line was running in Sabine's direction, and the northern line started to recover and move as well. Peiter was meant to keep harassing them with hit and run attacks, but there was no way he could allow Sabine to be overrun. Despite the plan, he sprinted straight to the south towards Sabine...and across open ground. The remaining four in the northern line, seeing their target once again, drew and fired. Peiter was an incredibly fast-moving target and difficult to hit. He heard an arrow hit the ground to his left, then a tree to his right, but on the third, he felt a sharp pain in his pack, which was quickly drowned out by adrenaline. Even if he could not feel it clearly, though, he knew he had been hit. He stumbled slightly, but did not stop. As a werewolf, he could take a few hits and keep fighting. There were six or seven hostiles between him and Sabine, but again, he did not need to kill them. He just needed to make sure Sabine could get away.

[Muttonhawk]

With a glance over her shoulder, Sabine saw her pursuers. She grit her teeth and lowered her upper body, sprinting as fast as she could. She was terrified, but tried to focus on what to do next. She couldn't outrun them without transforming, but she had to fight them off until the other packs were alerted. She wheeled around a thick tree trunk and flattened her back against it for cover. She could hear two dull thuds against the other side of the tree where arrows made impact.

Breathing fast, she ran through what she needed to do. Protection. She cast a shielding spell over her body to help deflect arrows. Speed? It took an instant to realise that she did not have her shoulder bag on; there were no potions to help her here. Deterrence. She needed time and space to transform. Bringing her hands close together, she brought her magicka swirling into a focal point that steamed with magical cold. It grew in intensity until she was ready to launch it. She peeked around the tree and threw the spell at the first enemy she saw. It expanded into a whirling ball of energy-sapping cold power and lumbered towards the bowman, painting frost on everything between them. She charged and threw the same spell around the other side of the tree, not caring to aim as carefully. Similarly, she used much of the rest of her magicka tossing weaker fireballs in their direction.

Hoping that they would fall into cover, she tried to find her beast spirit. She just needed a few seconds...

[EliteCommander]

The waves of frost were certainly enough to stop many of the archers in their tracks. The spells, while not always lethal, hindered movement intensely. In total, four were caught in the waves of ice at least partially, while the others ducked into cover between the frost and fire spells. For those caught in the ice, they were sapped of their stamina as their bodies tried desperately to fight off the cold, and the ice itself cut them on the outside, and from the inside some water froze within them. One of them, who was caught in the direct middle of the wave, fell to the ground showing no signs of life, while two of the others were able to get back up and move into cover.

The last of the archers who was hit by the ice was none other than the Cathay-raht leader, but he was not so easily deterred. Cathay-raht were the tallest and most massive of the Khajiit, apart from the Senche forms. In height, he was taller than even a werewolf, though did not have as much mass or strength. Even so, he could challenge a lycan in melee combat if he was skillful enough, and that seemed to be what he intended to do. He rushed through the cloud of ice, ignoring the bleeding, and ran straight at the tree Sabine was hiding behind. However, Peiter was not far behind, and was closing fast.

Peiter ignored entirely the line of archers in cover, instead leaping over them and sprinting at the Cathay-raht. The large Khajiit ran around the tree and raised his silver blade to strike at Sabine, but it was at that point that Peiter pounced onto his back. Quite surprisingly, the Cathay-raht was somehow able to avoid being knocked off his feet. Instead, he used Peiter's own momentum to throw the werewolf to the ground in front of him. He had a few gashes from Peiter's claws, but was still more than able to fight. Fortunately, Peiter recovered quickly and was able to retaliate within seconds. Given that the Cathay-raht was wearing chainmail, a slash would not be effective, but piercing still could be. With as much force as he could manage, Peiter thrust his claws forward into the Khajiit's chest. Three of the claws did indeed pierce through, but did not penetrate as deeply as it would have an unarmored target, and it came at the cost of the Khajiit slashing his blade across the inside of Peiter's arm, as well as diagonally across his abdomen and down to his leg.

Peiter jumped back and glanced over to see if Sabine had finished her transformation. Together, they could perhaps fight the Cathay-raht, but his men were already getting out of cover and drawing their bows. They needed to run.