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

[EliteCommander]

Lorag gave a shrug. "Alpha and Sabine, from a military view, are force multipliers. Their magic takes anything we do and, uh, multiply it. And we've just gotten plain better. We've got better equipment, and we've been fighting them so long that we know everything they're gonna do before they do it. Just, uh, like our lizard battering ram here, don't get cocky. Never forget what happened in Elsweyr; they've got some competent people on their side too."

Ahnasha chuckled. "Is that caution out of you, Lorag? You really are growing that 'old warrior' wisdom, aren't you?"

Lorag crossed his arms and grunted. "I ain't old."

"Right, well, I think it's just experience." Ahnasha continued. "We've done ambushes like these so many times that we hardly even have to plan them anymore. I know what pretty much all of you are going to do when pretty much anything happens. I suppose that lets us react better."

---

The Breton woman was still quite nervous to talk to the Champion, but Sabine was a bit more relatable to her. "I'm, um, Laurianne." She answered briefly. Regardless of her anxiety, she did show some relief at Sabine's reassurances.

Meesei had applied a spell that would last more than long enough to keep Laurianne's arm from getting any worse on the way back to the outpost, and probably for the rest of the day. With attention from the healer of the outpost, her arm would be able to recover after the stunted regeneration from the silver wore off. So, Meesei placed her finger at the top of the gash and slowly traced it down the arm, closing up the skin just underneath her claw.

---

Saras shook his head. "Unless we make a series of terrible mistakes, the only people who will find this place are those we allow to find this place. My agent believes that the agents are going to be searching the caves and ruins in the area of Raldbthar soon. I recommend having a few of my agents sweep through Raldbthar and remove any and all traces of our presence there, and we can have automatons solely guard the place. These Penitus Oculatus agents number only three, and they are spies, not frontline warriors. Even if they did manage to get all the way to the bottom of Raldbthar, we can use the attunement sphere to seal the path from the city down to Blackreach. Without an attunement sphere of their own, they would not even know the pathway exists. We can manage without that exit from the caverns until this situation is dealt with. But, this is, of course, may not be something that is wise to ignore. If these agents are aware of our capabilities, then Oswall may be correct. Otherwise, they are simply following any lead on lycans they can find and learning as they go."

Saras leaned forward, clasping his hands together in front of him. "In either situation, we have the option to confront them on our terms. They are following rumors of lycans, so we can give them rumors of lycans. I can have agents plant a rumor in villages near to their path of lycan activity at a location of our choosing. We can select a place sufficiently far from any entrance to Blackreach to ensure our headquarters' security. Then, we can capture them and learn more about them."

[Muttonhawk]

"I can see where you're both right," Fendros said, moving onto the next body. "On one hand, I am glad that we're better at this. On the other hand, I just hope that we don't get too used to it."

---

Vera brought her fist to her chin in thought and looked to one side. "I like the plan. It exposes the least amount of risk to the clanhome. I can't help but think, though, that they might predict us doing something like that." Vera lowered her hand to the table and looked up to Saras. "These are the Empire's spies, yes? Their best? I'm not sure that they would willingly follow a rumour into a village where they could be ambushed. Especially if they know how close they are and that they are trying to bait us out."

Oswall waved a hand. "We can play it by ear. They won't be able to bring in any appreciable force without us noticing. If it's too dangerous, we can retreat and try something else, leaving them with what may as well be a red herring to them."

"Very well." Vera nodded. "Saras? You probably know more about the Penitus Oculatus than any of us. What risks are there in this plan of yours, given what they are capable of?"

[EliteCommander]

The curious and perplexing information that the werebear scouts had recovered was more than enough to convince Meesei to divert their focus away from their original task. They would still be delivering the contents of their carriage to the Evermore clan, but Meesei would have to delay her tasks afterwards until after they had properly investigated the recent discoveries. They returned to the outpost with a cart full of supplies and valuables, and a small group of prisoners. However, after handing off their salvage and ensuring the wounded werebear was being tended to, Meesei had her pack depart for Evermore as quickly as possible.

The pack had already moved past the worst of the Wrothgarian mountains, so it did not take too many days to make the trip from the outpost to their destination. The Evermore clan was located in the Bankorai region of High Rock, to the direct north of Evermore. The region was on the border of Hammerfell, and the Alik'r desert, but there was still plenty of greenery around them. Like every clan, in Tamriel, the Evermore Clan relied on secrecy for protection, so they had moved from their previous, above-ground home in the mountains to one in a series of underground caverns. The primary entrance of the only cave system they could find with enough space to accommodate them happened to have its main entrance situated in a cliff face behind a waterfall. It was inconvenient in the sense that anyone entering or leaving the clan would be immediately soaked, but it was far from civilization and reasonably secure. Not to mention, it would give Rhazii and Kaj-Julan something to play in during their stay. There were several waterfalls in Blackreach, but none close to the Silent City. Even Leaps seemed to enjoy laying under the falls.

After their arrival, Meesei had met with the clan's leadership and spent the next day making plans for how they would investigate the recent discoveries. After about a week of sending out scouts to the city and the surrounding areas, they learned enough to develop their plan. They would need to act quickly, and in multiple locations, so Meesei had to divide up her pack based on their skills to handle different tasks. The largest of the groups consisted of Fendros, Sabine, and Kaleeth, all of whom she had called into the small, damp, but well-lit chamber that served as a planning room. Meesei, the Orc that led the clan's warriors, and another Breton were standing around a table with a map of the local area when the last of the three entered the room.

"Excellent, we are all here." Meesei began. "As I mentioned before, we are going to need several teams to investigate several leads at once. Fendros, you will be in charge of your group. You, Sabine, and Kaleeth will lead a group of the clan's soldiers and other agents to locate a group of the enemy's supposed Talos hunters."

Meesei motioned to the Breton beside her. "Malithus says he has someone with contacts in the city who can potentially set you on the trail of some of these hunters. We want to learn their motives through any means necessary. Capture and interrogation would be preferred, but from all our reports, these teams are all zealots. They do not use mercenaries like some of Vile's other forces, so they may fight to the death. In that case, any orders or other documentation you can recover would be appreciated."

---

Saras waved a hand towards Oswall. "I believe he is correct. The Penitus Oculatus are certainly capable, but they can not perform miracles. They have the same limitations as us, so they will not be able to move a large force without our scouts being able to locate them. From what my agent has informed me, there are only three of them. Those three are likely to be very capable, but they are still mere mortals who are vulnerable to overwhelming force. If we do decide to confront them, we can simply send a force large enough that any sane person would surrender. They will be alert and perceptive, but so will my agents, and my agents have the advantage of enhanced lycan senses. As long as we are cautious, the greatest risk that we face is to let them know that we exist at all. At present, we cannot confirm what they do or do not know about us. If these agents have only limited knowledge of us at the moment, then by confronting them in this way, the agents will learn that we possess sophisticated organization and spies of our own. However, we are unlikely to be able to learn much about them if we do not confront them. Unless, of course, the coded letter my agent recovered contains useful information. Although, I cannot give a definite answer as to how long it will take to decode."

[Muttonhawk]

The Evermore clanhome was a pleasant, if humid, location. However, the week they spent working out their next move was not exactly a holiday. They trained and maintained their equipment, received information almost daily from scouts, and tried to assimilate into yet another culture of Tamriel. This time, the clan they had walked into was heavily influenced by Redguard, Breton, and especially Orcish traditions.

Regardless, it was easier than travel. By the time the meeting was called, Fendros was sharp, refreshed, and ready.

Fendros gave a determined nod to Meesei. "Understood. Try to capture and get information." He blinked a glance at Sabine and Kaleeth before bringing his eyes back. "Will there be someone with us suited to interrogation? I am not sure that we have the experience."

Sabine also spoke up. "Will they have gas?"

---

"I just have a few more questions," Vera said. She rubbed the side of her nose tensely. "When and if you capture them, what are you going to ask them? How will we know they are being honest?" She held a hand out to one side. "No clan has interrogated or killed an Oculatus agent before. If they go missing, more will come. If they are released after speaking to them, they will likely redouble their investigation in this region. How is this going to end for them, Saras?"

[EliteCommander]

"It is unlikely." Meesei answered to Sabine. "These teams do not hunt lycans, so I would not expect gas or silver. They will still be dangerous, but not specifically to us. We will send you with some doses of the antidote regardless, but avoid using them unless you know it is necessary."

The Breton, Malithus, gave a nod towards Fendros. "We have a member of my pack who has done interrogations before. But, if we capture them, we can always just bring them back to be interrogated by an expert."

"I wish you luck." Meesei continued. "I do not have a great deal of specific instructions for you, so feel free to work of your own initiative. Ahnasha has a task in Evermore as well, and she may uncover something that could help in an interrogation, so you can meet with her if you want to try to interrogate your prisoners yourselves. You will probably be able to find her around a place call the Bleeding Dragon Inn while she is on her mission. Whatever you decide, I trust fully in your leadership, Fendros. I have my own mission that I should begin, so Malithus, feel free to introduce them to your pack."

"Right away, Champion." Malithus answered. After they were dismissed, the Breton led the trio out of the chamber and through the somewhat confusing caverns towards his pack. This was not the first time Meesei had assigned her pack to different missions, and it was not the first time that Fendros had been in charge. Meesei had made it no secret to Fendros in recent years that she greatly respected his abilities and felt that his natural potential was far greater than most others. She claimed him to be an adept learner and talented leader, in addition to his combat ability. It was high praise from her, which usually came with greater responsibilities.

Malithus was already dressed in what appeared to be blue and green mage robes. It was perhaps a bit thick for the warm, humid underground caverns, but they would be heading to the city soon enough. Perhaps it was because she was a fellow Breton or a fellow mage within the Champion's pack, but he seemed to stay closer to Sabine as they walked along. Eventually, he mustered up the courage to speak. "So you are...the Sabine. It will an absolute pleasure to work with you, ma'am. I guarantee my pack will not let you down. It is just rare to meet a mage of your talent. And I...well I look forward to it."

The anxiety within Malithus started to show through his tone and the pace of his speech. With that anxiety, he continued on speaking without giving much room for a response. "Just, um, there is one person we'll be working with that I would recommend you be cautious with. He is the one who is supposed to have these contacts in the city. Now, I can't deny that he has helped our clan before; he apparently knows what he is doing. But, I haven't liked him since he arrived at our clan. He's a scoundrel, simply put. He's selfish, he's a coward. Don't expect him to help in a fight. Worst of all, he's obviously a habitual liar." Malithus chuckled. "Would you believe that when he showed up here, he went around boasting that he was close, personal friends with the Champion's pack? With your pack. Him? It's ridiculous. He just now got back from doing something in the city, so he doesn't know you're here. I can't wait to see the look on his face when you all set him straight; perhaps it will force him to be more respectful."

The chamber that Malithus soon guided them to was larger than the last, with a long table at its center. His pack had already been preparing themselves to leave, but what would certainly draw their eyes the most was the "scoundrel" that Malithus had described. He was perhaps one of the last people they would have expected to meet all the way in High Rock, but sitting back in a chair with his feet propped up on the table was the Argonian, Sees-No-Colors.

---

Saras let out a long, slow breath as he thought, not so much because he did not know the answer as because he needed to think of how to describe it. "That is a difficult question to answer with our current information. Ultimately, we cannot trust these agents at their word, regardless of what they say. They will likely be adept liars. Their goal will be to further the Empire's interest, and large, organized groups like ours are not within their borders are not within their interest. In times of peace, I would consider the Empire an unquestionable adversary. However, the looming threat to the Empire from the Dominion does complicate matters for them. They simply cannot afford to dedicate too many resources to fighting us. Their armies are magnitudes stronger than anything we could even hope to face, but from my estimations of our strength, we could cause enough damage, and give the Empire enough problems to, in turn, give the Dominion a very real advantage over the Empire. That is what we have to bargain with, if it comes to that. We would need only make ourselves too costly of an enemy to make for them. Although, ideally, we want the Empire to know as little as possible about us. We could make our clans seem small, but evasive. Too slippery to catch, as it were. That would also make us seem costly to hunt. The location we decide to lead them to, I can have agents modify it to seem like a more lived-in home. Ri'vashi can have some of her warriors disguised as non-combatants to make it seem like our true clanhome. When they approach, we can make it seem as if our scouts simply spotted them on approach, rather than it being a trap for them. They may not expect such an elaborate ruse. If they are already aware of our capabilities, then this will not help, but they also will not learn much of value about us."

"And, if the worst comes to pass, we can kill them and make it seem like the natural dangers of travel." Saras added.

[Muttonhawk]

"Thanks, Meesei," Fendros said. He stepped to turn and follow Malithus. "I'll get it done."

Meesei's attention had put pressure on Fendros since he had started been given new responsibilities. It was unfamiliar to him to be in a position of leadership. Thankfully, Meesei's assessment of his learning abilities proved true in this case. There had been no major mistakes up to this point.

Sabine, on the other hand, did not encounter many clan lycans without getting praise similar to Malithus'. It made her feel accomplished, though she couldn't help but become uncomfortable with having mages virtually starstruck at her presence. This was no different.

"Please, just call me Sabine." She cast a nervous glance up at Malithus. Sabine had grown, but she still wasn't particularly tall. "Thank you. I still have not gotten used to people calling me that."

When Malithus described the one who had come back from the city, Fendros let out a low laugh. "Certainly sounds like someone we know, now that you describe that way."

Sabine couldn't quite contain a smile either.

Sure enough, none other than the exact scoundrel Argonians in their minds was there, reclined on the chair and table before them. Fendros crossed his arms and couldn't help but guffaw at the coincidence. "Now, who on Nirn did you anger to run all the way to the other end of Tamriel, Colours?"

---

Vera turned her head left and right in a pause for the other council members. They did not have anything more to say.

When Vera's eyes reached Saras again, she put one hand on the other on the table. She did not blink. "This is a dangerous situation, Saras. If you can help it, keep them alive. I otherwise trust you to do what you see fit." She glanced to the others. "Are we in agreement with this plan?"

There were murmurs of agreement, joined by a silent nod from Darahil. Evidently, no one liked what was happening. However, there was not much else they could think to do at this stage.

[EliteCommander]

Colors had not been paying close attention to the door when they entered, but he certainly sat up when he heard Fendros' voice. "Is that...by the Hist, it is! Fendros? And Sabine and Kaleeth too?" The Argonian nearly knocked over his chair as he stood up to his feet. The clothes he was wearing were a simple pair of breeches and a slightly worn doublet, both in earthen colors of the local Breton styles. Though, it looked like he had sewn on quite a few extra pockets, and he did not look to be armed at all. As he approached the three, arms outstretched, Malithus was simply dumbstruck.

"Wait...the lizard actually know..." Malithus began, but he could not even begin to finish his thoughts before Colors continued with his enthusiastic greetings.

"This is wonderful; simply wonderful. It is great to see you all. I've not angered anyone...this time. Honest. I'm still a part of the, oh what is it now? Torval clan. I mean, I technically am, I guess. Haven't seen them all in an awful long time. But I was sent here; not by Ri'kalesh directly, and not this clan specifically, but I am following orders. Anyways, what are you doing here? You've practically become legends since we parted. Are you the special help Malithus mentioned?" Colors asked.

---

With the approval and support of Ri'vashi, and the clan's council, Saras set to work on his plan immediately. The Penitus Oculatus agents were going to be closing in on the area of Raldbthar, so the first task was to clear it of any trace of their presence. He had his most disciplined, detail-oriented men on the task, as the secrecy of their home was paramount. Using the attunement sphere, they sealed that entryway to Blackreach and left automatons as guards, just like any other Dwemer ruin. They had captured and controlled every known entrance to Blackreach over the years, so they could reroute any patrols or trade caravans through the other exits with minimal disruption to their normal operations.

The next task was to prepare a location to serve as their decoy clanhome. He spent quite a lot of time pouring over past scouting reports maps, and questioning locals in the clan to finally settle on a good location. It was a moderate-sized cave system in the mountains to the north of Raldbthar. Caves were, naturally, common places to hide for any group looking to stay away from the Empire's attention, lycans included, so it was a believable lair. Ri'vashi had previously sent a force to clear the cave to make way for an outpost within, but later settled on a more favorable location elsewhere. So they knew it would be safe, and had multiple exits. It was not too close to any of the clan's holdings to accidentally draw attention to them, and most crucially, it was just close enough to civilization that it would be believable that local Nord hunters might witness lycanthropes in the area. When it was time to spread the rumors, Saras made use of his extensive experience with information, and misinformation, to ensure that they were convincing. The rumors he spread did not even point to the exact cave they were inhabiting, so as not to appear too convenient. The Penitus Oculatus agents would have to search the area to find the correct cave, but Saras knew they were capable enough to complete that task. His best scouts were on constant alert for anyone approaching. If the agents were talented enough, they might avoid the scouts, but they would make sure that no large enemy force would be able to approach without being detected.

The caves themselves had been furnished in a way that was consistent with lycan clans as they had been before they were organized under the current Champion. Everyone within was a trained warrior or mage, but many of them were masquerading as non-combatants to further the illusion that this was their clanhome. When Saras knew that the agents were closing in on the area, he personally made his way to this decoy clanhome. For a situation as important and delicate as this, he trusted only himself to resolve it.

[Muttonhawk]

Fendros laughed at Colours' surprise and drew him into a firm hug. "It's good to see you again, after all this time." Sabine gave Colours a hug, too, grinning. Even with Colours' reputation, they had been through much with him and his pack.

"I suppose we are the special help. We're here to catch Talos hunters," Fendros said after the initial greetings were done. He placed a fist on his hip and looked to Malithus. "This man-" Fendros gestured to Sees-No-Colours with his other hand. "Though his reputation is deserved as a scoundrel -- was instrumental in smuggling the entire Senchal clan survivors -- now the Torval clan -- around the waters to the other end of Elsweyr, to bring them safely to the Orcrest clan. This was well before the Orcrest clan was attacked, of course, but we were there." Fendros looked at Colours and lowered his gesture. "He can have that achievement, but you've probably learnt to not believe half the things coming out of his mouth. Keep being sceptical. He's still a scoundrel, aren't you Colours?"

"We did not know you were here," Sabine said, still smiling. "What orders brought you?"

---

It took roughly a week and a half for Saras' rumours to bring results. It was not the easiest situation to gauge, but scouts began to report occasional sightings of hunting parties. These were not bandits, Imperial foresters, or even silver-wielding monster trackers, but merely small groups of local Nords hunting deer and the like. This would have been innocuous had they been more common in the area around the cave. Additionally, one report came in of them drinking vials of potions and scanning blankly into the trees. Regular hunters were not wealthy enough for potions. A few hunting parties drew especially close to the decoy cave entrance. Although, none of them took any interest in entering it.

When the hunting parties were trailed, they did not seem affiliated with the Penitus Oculatus agents at all.

The point at which Saras was called was not with a sighting of any agents or hunters, but by a scent warning. There was an unfamiliar lycan smell on the wind, accompanied by the smell of humans and elves of some kinds. The trail was located and found to be already extremely close to the cave entrance. They would not have much time before they arrived. The strange part was that none of the scouts could spot the approaching group. Only one of the scouts could locate them exactly as she had learned how to detect life through magic; they were invisible. She stalked them while other scouts went to report back.

[EliteCommander]

Colors grinned, placing a hand on his own chest as he leaned slightly forward. "I am a perfectly upstanding and productive member of my clan. Of everyone's clans, really. It just so happens that being a so-called 'scoundrel' is my job."

Walking back over to the table, Colors pulled out a few chairs, then took a seat himself. He gave his attention to Sabine as he answered her. "Well, my orders first came from Ri'kalesh, after he became clan leader. You know how I used to be a smuggler? Well, I've taken up the trade again, just in service of the clans now. I help move valuable and delicate goods between clans, among other things. A lot of things, actually. I do quite a few jobs. When I'm not moving goods, I use my, uh, intuition to help build out contacts for clans that don't have many of them. I'm pretty good at finding business associates that don't ask a lot of questions. Nowadays, I take orders from all kinds of different people. Mostly clan leaders, and the spymaster. The one I'm guessing is in your clan. He doesn't give his name to lower level agents like me, but he and his people use anyone they can for their plans. We don't usually see the results, but at least I know I'm helping."

Colors started to lean back again in his chair. "I never thought I would see you all again. Though I guess with how much I travel, and the fact that there are only so many clans, I was bound to run into you all eventually."

"What about the rest of your pack...or, um, pride?" Kaleeth asked. "Are they here too?"

Colors shook his head. "Sadly, no. My skills never really fit in too well with theirs. Ri'kalesh became clan leader, so he can't really travel that much, and the others were more at home there. La'khay considered joining me for a while, but the life of a smuggler wasn't really for her either. A pride, or pack, usually doesn't stay together forever, though, so I can move past it, and remember them fondly. I can't complain too much, though. I mean, I have my own ship now! With my own crew. It's not anywhere around here, of course. Most of my crew is protecting it at the coast. Or, at least, it better be well-protected. I'll have my first mate's head otherwise." He chuckled.

Colors motioned his hands towards the trio. "But what about you all? How are the rest of your friends, and your pack? How is Ahnasha? Janius? Peiter?" He asked.

---

Saras, overall, was hardly unprepared for surprises. He had a notion of the ideal way he would like events to play out, and he would try to push them in that direction, but he had been given plenty of time to plan contingencies. Their cave had two exits, and the second was not close to the primary entrance. They had secured their escape route, which he had ensured was well-hidden, and was not since used to avoid drawing attention to it. He had at his disposal numerous, disciplined soldiers that had been drilled on the progression of contingency plans that Saras had established. They had defensive fortifications, ambush points, and if necessary, they had prepared a controlled collapse of the cave to ensure they could have a safe and speedy escape. He had enough warriors armed, armored, and ready to hold against an attack through the narrow caves, and those who were posing as non-combatants could ready themselves quickly to reinforce them. Saras himself had styled himself as the clan leader, though he was dressed in simple furs like most of the others.

Even once what were presumably the agents were detected alarmingly close to the caves, Saras remained calm. They were prepared, and they were on alert. Even skilled mages could not conceal a force large enough to outright overpower the defenses they had established. It was just a matter now of allowing the confrontation to proceed. Saras, if he was to keep up the illusion of a normal clan, could not be waiting at the entryway for them to arrive, but he had his best soldiers on that task. They were permitted to defend themselves if absolutely necessary, but they were not to incite hostilities. Saras wanted to speak to them if possible, and preferably on amicable terms.

[Muttonhawk]

"It sounds as if you're doing well for yourself. That's good to hear," Fendros said. "Ahna is well. She has gotten much better with her magic, despite us both keeping our hands full with Rhazii. You won't believe how fast he and Kaj-Julan have been growing." Fendros turned himself to let Sabine and Kaleeth speak about those they were closer to, but he added one last thing. "The others in the pack are on a different assignment right now. We will probably end up meeting here at the clanhome again, perhaps we could all catch up."

Sabine wore a sad smile. It had been a long time since Elsweyr for her as well, though Peiter's ordeal still held a small sting in her heart. "Peiter was never the same after the battle. Life is much harder for him with only one arm. We...separated a while after we returned home. We could not stay together our pack was travelling." She looked down and up, speaking with a bit more hope. "We are still friends, even if we do not see each other as often anymore. He is still in Gallus' pack. He is finding his way."

---

The bottleneck of the cave entrance, coupled with the advanced warning that they had, meant that the gate guards were prepared for the arrival of the foreign scents in close proximity. They had their spears and shields raised, even if they had nothing to look at.

Crunching snow footsteps eventually came to the cave entrance, prompting the guards to speak out. "Halt! We know you're there!" The footsteps stopped and the guards looked left and right. "Turn and leave or reveal yourselves. You won't come a step further without our permission."

There was a pause taken, as if for consideration. The sound of one of the figures turning on its toes on the dirt scraped to end it. A calm, refined, and unmistakably Cyrodilic voice sounded out from nowhere. "Very well; Justicar Lunise? If you would please reveal us?"

A snap of green magic arced to four places on the ground, making four figures appear out of nowhere. The first was a balding, dark and grey haired Imperial in light legionnaire's armour. The armour itself was coloured dark and had the insignia of an eye on its chest. He stood with military posture, his hands behind his back, and his feet at his shoulder width apart. The second figure was also an Imperial in similar armour, though he seemed narrow-eyed and sprung. It was difficult to see his hair with his leather helmet on, but he wore a scowl and a broad nose. The third figure was none other than a Redguard in a large winter cloak. He seemed neutral, if uneasy, though the guards could specify him as the source of the lycan scent. He was a werebear. The fourth and final figure was the tallest -- a figure in a long, deliberately covering brown cloak. A bronze, pointed, and feminine chin could be seen wearing a frown below her upturned hood. She was an Altmer.

None of the figures were recognisable except for the two Imperials, who resembled the descriptions of two of the three investigators. The apparent leader, the balding Imperial, held up his hands. "We mean you no harm, followers of Hircine. We merely wish to speak with your leader, on behalf of the Emperor."

[EliteCommander]

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear that." Colors responded sympathetically towards Sabine. Being Argonian himself, he was perfectly familiar with Naming Days, so he made no comment on Kaj-Julan. He was able to put together the pieces in his mind out of the context. "Well, and at least Peiter is still safe and sound. And you I know to be a very strong, and might I say, ravishingly beautiful woman. Hopefully we will all have time to meet together and catch up after this very strange mission. Really, Talos worshippers? No one has explained to me yet why that makes any sense."

Kaleeth shrugged. "I think that's the point, right? For us to figure it out. I don't think anyone in the clan has been able to make it make sense. Even Meesei didn't understand when she learned."

Colors nodded. "Maybe they're all just on skooma. Or touched by Sheogorath. Either way, I know of some people in the city we can talk to. That is my job, after all. We might need a bit of coin to pay off a few people, but I already had my good friend Malithus here take care of that. I guess now I know why they approved the expense so quickly. If the Champion wants a mission done, it gets done."

---

Following the initial confrontation with the intruders, the warriors guarding the entrance followed all of the steps of their instructions. They went through the motions of debating with each other on what to do, until the commander agreed to take them, under guard, to a place where they could talk. They sent a runner ahead to collect Saras, as well as more warriors to guard the intruders. They were taken no farther than the first chamber of the caves, which they had styled into a room where hunters would take their kills to be skinned and the meat stored. There was currently a skinned elk hanging from the ceiling on one side of the room, and no proper furniture. They had only animal hides laid out on the ground on which people could sit somewhat more comfortably.

In only minutes after they were brought into the chamber, two more packs worth of warriors and mages filed in as well, meaning that the Imperials and their Justicar were severely outnumbered. Saras entered the room shortly afterwards. He looked no different from many of the others around him, so he felt the need to say something to indicate he was the leader they wanted to speak to.

"So, your descriptions were not...inaccurate. You are Imperial, or at least you bear their armor. Forgive me for being blunt, but I know you can understand why I would want to know, right away, why you have come to our home. What is your purpose here?" Saras asked.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine looked away and pushed an amused breath through her nose. "You have not changed much," she remarked.

As for comments on the mission, Fendros bit his lip and nodded. "Yes, well, everything is only speculation at this stage. It just seems so out of the ordinary that it can't be ignored. Even if it weren't Meesei and us investigating, this warrants attention." Fendros straightened slightly and looked upon the others in the room. "She's put me in charge of this mission until we need to group up again. We were here to get acquainted with the others before we move out." He glanced and Colours and Malithus. "Perhaps you two could introduce us to everyone else?"

---

The agents did not speak as they were escorted. The balding leader seemed to smile amicably in spite of his surroundings, while the others remained on-guard. They eyed the carcass, but did not seem especially perturbed. When the other packs filed out, the leader turned to the Redguard and spoke briefly. "Are these all...?"

The Redguard nodded and took an involuntary half-step back. None of them sat down for now.

The leader smiled on. Especially when Saras emerged. "I am glad you asked," the leader said. "My name is Marod, this is Albus, Orphius, and Justicar Lunise." Marod gestured to himself, the second Imperial, the Redguard werebear, and the High Elf respectively.

The High Elf, Lunise, raised her arms and lowered her hood to reveal blue eyes and straight, blonde hair. She held a stern gaze on Saras.

Marod continued. "We have had an eye on this 'lycan' business for quite some time. Now, we appreciate the reasons for your secrecy, though such a large matter is the concern of the Empire, of which you are all residing in." He clapped his hands and clasped them together. "I promise it isn't about taxes. Unfortunately..." Marod's persistent smile faded as he raised his eyebrows and spied the packs around him. "I was under the impression that we might meet with the Champion herself. She does reside in this Jarldom, correct?"

[EliteCommander]

Colors spoke up to answer Fendros before Malithus could say even a word. The others at the table were a Breton man and woman, an Orc woman, and a Redguard man, which he pointed to in sequence. They were all dressed for the city, though the Redguard man was visibly armed and armored with chainmail. "That's Rolaan, Nelise, Shurgrag, and Arthon, if I remember right. And, well, I suppose you all have picked up on it by now, but these are the legendary Fendros, Sabine, and Kaleeth. With all of us here, I think this mission is pretty much guaranteed to be a success."

Malithus had finally recovered from his initial shock, so he finally brought himself to speak. "We should probably set off for Evermore soon. Would you like for one of us to collect your equipment and supplies?" He asked.

---

Saras maintained his position, his posture just as upright and proper as the Imperial. He waited until they were completely finished speaking before turning his attention to one of the warriors to his left. "If you could, please, fetch us some chairs. And perhaps a table." Saras requested.

While he was waiting on the furniture to be brought to them, Saras did not delay in answering the agents. "The Champion is not here right now. You may find my honesty suspect, but I can assure you that I speak the truth. She would be the first to speak to someone as important, and potentially dangerous to us, as yourself. She tends to take a hands-on approach to many matters, as whatever reputation you have gleaned of her has no doubt told you. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you how long it will be before she returns. Traveling can be as unpredictable as the tasks she undertakes. But, I am someone whose word carries weight among us. My authority is the greatest here, without the presence of the Champion. So, rest assured that I can answer your questions and make binding decisions. We do not want trouble with the Empire, so I would ask, what is your business here?"

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine clasped her hands together and straightened her arms in front of her body. Crowds were even worse for making her modest.

"Greetings to you all," Fendros addressed the pack. "I trust you have all been told of our mission. Now, being that the people we are looking for are not actively hunting lycans, it may be that they do not expect us. However, they are still Vile's servants and may carry soul tearing gas. You will all be issued and antidote, but you are not to take it except when either I order you or when absolutely necessary." Fendros tightened his lips. He was still not quite used to speaking like an officer. "Now, let's go find out what this is all about."

In response to Malithus, Fendros smiled. "Yes, that would be appreciated. We may need to borrow some clean city clothing; I doubt chitin armour is the best way to go inconspicuous in these parts."

---

Marod stuck the tip of his tongue behind his lower lip while he processed Saras' response. He took a moment before responding.

"I have a great many matters of business here." Marod spread his forearms. "Perhaps you could shed some light, first of all, on why there are so many more lycans in Tamriel in this past decade? You've been keeping it quiet. I've been keeping it quiet. I believe we can only do so much, and thus it is within my interests to know if it will continue."

[EliteCommander]

Malithus nodded. "Yes, you are probably right. One can get away with wearing armor in the city; it merely marks you as an adventurer or mercenary. But, chitin would be very exotic, and would surely grab attention. Rolann, Nelise, would you mind gathering what they need?"

The members of Malithus' pack were not hesitant to follow his instructions and gathered all of the needed supplies for the three members of the Champion's pack without argument. It was a kind of treatment they were not unaccustomed to, regardless of where they went. Indeed, they could avoid most kinds of manual labor the majority of the time without even asking, if they chose to do so. They gathered extra food and potions, as well as the requested clothing. It did take some time for them to find and modify a dress to fit Kaleeth, so by the time it was finished, they were ready to leave.

Kaleeth elected not to wear her dress at first and instead dawned her armor, apart from the helmet. One thing which had not changed about her over the years was the fact that she was not fond of dresses, to the point that she would prefer to wear her armor. The clan was far enough from Evermore that it would take over a day to reach the city regardless, so she could just keep her armor on to be ready for any unexpected dangers while traveling, then change before heading into the city.

Malithus led the way out of the caves. As they neared the waterfall, he removed his boots and kept his robe pulled up to avoid soaking it. He stopped before the waterfall and held his hand up in the air towards it. Using telekinesis, he deflected part of the waterfall to the side enough to give them a dry space to walk under to avoid soaking their garments. Only Kaleeth intentionally walked under the waterfall itself.

Since they had a long walk ahead of them, Colors decided to start catching up right away. Just a few minutes after they moved past the waterfall, he strolled up alongside Sabine. He was carrying a pack on his back, though it was lighter than most of the others, which he justified by the fact that he was not physically as strong as his fellow lycans. "I look forward to showing you around Evermore. It's no Senchal, but all the Bretons, Redguards, and Orcs make it an interesting place. Granted, I've only been to it once, but I liked what I saw when I was there. What about you all? I heard the Bruma clan moved a while back, but it's a big secret where you all actually went, specifically. You allowed to tell me anything about it?"

---

Saras, of course, did not give away anything in his expression, but he had a brief moment of internal debate over what to tell the agents. He had no reason to believe that it would be a good idea to share the details of their war with Vile, but at the same time, he had to give a satisfactory enough answer to prevent any tensions from flaring up. It was important that they not have any reason to view the clans as a threat. "The growth of lycan populations was not something we caused, but it is something we have had to adapt to. For our goal of survival, more lycans creates more difficulties for us. We have more people to care for, more people to teach and train. The growth in lycan populations has been exclusively among the feral, unaffiliated population. Our clans have rules against infecting others. The only lycans we create are those born to our members the more...natural way. We take in feral lycans and attempt to teach them how to control themselves, and more importantly, stay out of trouble."

Saras' next words he had to choose carefully. He wanted to give some truth to sate the agent's curiosity, while still keeping the majority of his cards close to his chest. He decided to frame the actual truth in a different light. "As for the why of it, you can just think of it as Daedric bickering. A rival Daedra decided he had a use for lycan souls, so he had his own followers create more lycans. Except, we created a countermeasure to their weapon, so they stopped infecting people in turn. It might be difficult to gain enough information from your perspective, but the growth of feral lycan populations has all but halted in the past year or two. Some ferals are still infecting others on their own, but they are slowly dying or being taken into our fold. Your Empire will not have to worry about the feral problem getting worse, and over time, it will fix itself."

[Muttonhawk]

Fendros emerged from the parted waterfall in a green shirt, a leather jerkin, and plain leggings. He carried his requisite supplies in a backpack and his sword and shield on his person, though he left his armour at home. He could do well enough without it outside of a large skirmish. He gave Malithus a nod in thanks.

Sabine smiled and thanked Malithus as she walked through. Her clothing was as austere as the rest of them, a simple dull blue dress and white clothing. She did not mind wearing a dress as much as they others, though she had the luxury of picking one without a long and heavy skirt. It only reached three quarters down her legs, allowing her to run or climb without as much restriction.

"Not much," Sabine said in response to Colours. She shrugged. "It is interesting. Meesei sent for many talented scholars that live and work there. The things they do are impressive. It is good to have almost everything for alchemy. Including help from people who know more than me." Sabine stopped watching her step for a moment to look at Colours. "What is it like sailing all of the time?"

---

Marod chortled and looked down, shaking his head. "Oh, good, just bickering. And it'll fix itself, that's a relief." His face lifted, turning suddenly blank. "Is your war with Clavicus Vile's cult still in progress?"

[EliteCommander]

Colors acknowledged Sabine with a nod. He had not expected she would be able to share any information, but he saw no harm in asking. "The sea reminds me of my old life, that's for sure. The sea practically was my life back then. Trading in anything we could get our hands on: weapons, moon sugar, skooma. Don't carry a lot of those things anymore, except the weapons. Ports like to put high tariffs on those, so I can get them in at lower cost. Not to mention all the magic items, rare ingredients, and such. Really, I just smuggle whatever the clans happen to need. And I've never had a more loyal crew. I guess this one has a bit more personal of a stake in us other than just wanting coin. Life at sea can be dull, but I find ways to pass the time. Stories, drinking, gambling, more drinking, beautiful women. Or at least bored women."

Colors turned his head away from the path ahead and towards Sabine. "Oh, and speaking of stories, I've heard a lot of them about you and your pack. A lot of them sound like the old sea monster stories that my first mate likes to tell when he's drunk. How much of all that talk about your pack is actually true? They make you sound like mythic heroes."

---

Saras had not been completely sure if he should have expected the Penitus Oculatus to be aware of the threat of Vile, but it was not surprising to him. One who had been investigating lycans would have had a good chance to come across information about them. Nevertheless, Saras did not miss a beat responding with confidence. "Our struggle would hardly be a war by the standards of your Empire. You possess the resources to eliminate either or both sides of our conflict. It is a conflict, but not one that is usually fought on open battlefields. There have been a few battles, but not so much as of late. Skirmishes would be a better description." He was indeed speaking the truth that open battles with Vile's forces were more rare, but he did not share the reason. They could not fight Vile in the open because they could not completely counteract the soul-tearing gas in large numbers, but the agents did not need to know that.

Shortly after his answer, a few of Saras' warriors returned with the furniture he had requested. He directed them to set up the chairs and table at the center of the room, after which Saras took his seat on his side of the table. "But it is true, ferals will soon not trouble you. At least, not any more than they did historically. There will always be the occasional rogue; we can do nothing about that. We can just keep as many of us away from your cities as possible. Now, Vile's followers, I can say nothing about what threat they might pose to you. Where as our goal is simply survival, Vile seeks power. He has tried to attain it through us, and I cannot predict what measures he will take when he fails. He has his agents in your cities. In the Empire and[ the Dominion." He said, giving a glance to the Justicar. "I would be cautious of them."

[Muttonhawk]

"I am glad that it is enjoyable," Sabine said. "I never liked ships much. Too smelly."

Sabine turned her eyes forward again with an abashed grin. "There have been rumours spread," she explained. "I think some things that we have done may not be exactly as they are told. Meesei normally prefers people knowing the truth, but she says that the stories give our people hope. We have needed that since the gas."

Sabine's smile drooped into a curious frown. "I have to admit that I have not heard many of the stories myself. What did you hear?"

---

Marod took a seat at the table with his fingers woven in front of him. He seemed to be the only one of their party comfortable enough to keep his attention solely on Saras.

The previous wide smile appeared again across Marod's face. "If you knew more about the infiltrators than we do, good representative, I would be surprised myself. After all, Lunise has had all of three attempts on her life since she first began digging deeper." Marod placed a hand on his chest. "My involvement has been relatively safe at only one assassination attempt." He nodded with one corner of his head. "Fortunately, thwarting assassins is part and parcel of my profession."

Marod took a deep breath. "Now then, as much as I would prefer to play at intrigue and information games, I feel it is time I reached the crux of this visit. My pinpointing and contacting your sweeping organisation has been the culmination of over a decade of cooperative, under the records, investigation from myself and Lunise here." He snorted, "In fact, what started all this up was when Lunise met the legendary Meesei herself in the deserts of Anequina. The champion was escorting an entire small town's worth of population through under the story of being escaped slaves. And they disappeared them all! Can you even believe it?"

Lunise's scowl deepened. "Get on with it, Marod."

"Very well, very well," the jolly agent said, mollifying Lunise with waves of his hand. He breathed away his amusement to continue. "Anyway, the point is that while we do not know every different hole you are hiding in, we have enough information to declare you all a continent-wide security threat to both our governments, and could send a recommendation to neutralise the...communities in hiding -- I believe you call them clans -- that we are aware of. The thing is, that would require manpower, legionnaires lost to their families, and an overall excess of bother. The Empire and the Dominion would much rather reserve their military for staring each other down than fighting guerrilla wars with physically prime creatures of prey."

Marod rolled one hand open on the table and bowed his head to look at Saras frankly. "Now, I may seem like a dolt, but I'm smarter than your average knee-jerk peasant who sees you as mindless monsters." He half shrugged, "Cultists, you might be. Many of you, that is. But we have enough of them that keep to themselves in the Empire that I have little reason to see you as unworkable." Marod's next breath was quick, weaving his fingers just as quickly again. "So here's the proposal: By means very hush-hush, we start a relationship, you and I. A channel of communication between the lycanthrope population and the Empire. Lunise is willing to be a similar go-between for the Dominion." He leaned back and took on an irritated tone. "All the talk of sovereignty, protection, black market trade on the parts of you and Vile's cult, all that can wait. We, first of all, would like to see a resolution to this war. We provide information on our investigations into Vile's cult. In return, we request only three things for now."

He raised one finger at eye level. "First, you finish this war cleanly. No mass murders, no razed towns, nothing big anymore."

Marod's second finger lifted beside the first. "Secondly, you take in the feral lycans that we capture. We do not have the means to rehabilitate them like you do and silver weapons aren't cheap. Neither are lycan slayers."

A third finger went up. "Thirdly, you will keep a dialogue with us after the war is done. You will no longer be able to hide after what has been happening in Tamriel. It benefits us both that us, calm and rational parties, work to find a peaceful future for lycan communities everywhere. I regret that you may not have quite the independent societies that you have anymore. It will mean governors, law, and potentially taxes, but through us it can keep you all a secret to the world at large. In summary, we want to facilitate a peaceful integration so that the Emperor and the Aldmeri have reasons to keep you around. And, I should not have to say that it is better than the alternative."

[EliteCommander]

Colors laughed. "Oh, all sorts of things. Some of them are at least kind of believable, and others are just outrageous. My favorite one is probably the story of Meesei single-handedly taking out an entire enemy camp, with over a hundred mercenaries, by bringing down half a mountain on top of them. Now, I like that one because you can see how that one could have some truth to it. Maybe you all saw a place where you could cause a rockslide or something, and you set it off on top of them. But, the story paints her as some sort of legendary mage. Oh, and there was another where you all were the ones ambushed, outnumbered at least twenty-to-one, but as soon as they learned who they were facing, the enemy broke ranks and half of 'em fled straight into the swamps outside Morthal and were eaten by crocodiles. I know there are some lies in that one, since there aren't even crocodiles in those swamps. I've been there once. There are those big, strange insect things, though. Best part is, I can't honestly tell how much of it is true. I've seen you all in action in person before, but never really doing anything that can show off what you can do. Most impressive thing I saw with my own eyes was Kaleeth tearing through that wooden shack like it was made of parchment. I've never seen Meesei really letting loose with her magic."

With a grin, Colors pointed his finger towards Sabine. "Nor have I seen your magic. You have your own reputation. It isn't quite as grand as Meesei's, but you've been her apprentice for many years. I've heard people saying you can bend nature to your will, and things like that. I realize you might not want all that attention, especially if it's not all true, but there has to be some good parts to it. Having all these people looking up to you. I'd be willing to bet you have men falling at your feet trying to impress you and earn your attention."

---

Saras leaned back, carefully listening to each of Marod's points as they came. "Yes, I heard the stories of the events in Elsweyr. I believe the idea behind exposing the threat of Vile's agents was in the hope of encouraging the Dominion to search for them. Unfortunately, Vile's cult gained power there regardless. Our clans have been ousted from the area, as near as we can tell, Elsweyr is the current center of their operations in Tamriel. I do have a short list of Vile's infiltrators that we have identified, but cannot act against. I know you would likely need to conduct your own investigations, but that is information I would certainly not mind you reporting back."

Although Saras' expression did not change at all, he was focused intently upon Marod as he laid out his proposition for cooperation with the Empire and Dominion. It would not be the worst outcome that this meeting could bring, certainly, but it was something that Saras was cautious about. Trust was not something he could afford to have for either of their governments, and they in turn were not likely to trust him. Any deal they struck would likely be based upon the mutual fear they had for one another.

"To start, I would like to say that I am perfectly willing to reach an accord for our mutual benefit." Saras began. "To the first point, we certainly want to bring this war to an end. Quickly and efficiently. I would have liked for it to have ended years ago, but of course, Vile's cult does their best to make that difficult on us. We do not, and have never, targeted your villages or cities. No matter what reports you may have heard. Do keep in mind that Vile's followers have more capabilities to hide in plain sight. Some have taken forts under the guise of being legitimate mercenary bands. Some hide as normal citizens. That small mining settlement that was destroyed in the western part of the Reach two months ago? The silver mine? There were no innocents there. As for taking in lycans, we will do so gladly. It has been our primary purpose before the start of this war. As I said before, we keep those who are lost and in danger in safety, and out of trouble."

Saras leaned forward, clasping his hands together on the table. "As for your last condition, I can say that I am willing to establish and retain communication with you. We are willing to follow reasonable rules for interacting with your people. But, there are some measures we cannot take. If our continued communication remains secret, and out of the public eye, I can agree to that. But, our clans cannot exist openly. Believe me, it is the dream of many lycans to be able to exist openly. To be able to enter cities without fear, or even if we had to remain separate, to be able to live in open communities with open trade. To not have to worry about one mistake from one member of the community bringing down the wrath of misguided hunters upon us. That is a dream we would all love to see in reality, but I believe we all know it is just a dream. The average citizen is superstitious and irrational. If they see something or someone as being different, they will latch on to it and blame it for all of their problems. Even if my some miracle the people were convinced to accept separate lycan communities, that would not last forever. I cannot have my people's fate bound to the current political climate. We are willing to cooperate, but not in the public eye."

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine stifled laughs at Colours' telling of the pack's exploits. She spoke to clarify. "It was not a rock slide, it was an avalanche. Snow. Anyone could have done it, but Meesei struck the slopes with a lightning bolt to set it off from a distance. I do not know about the swamp. I think we set a trap rather than getting ambushed. The enemy fled because they were confused. I do not think they knew it was us. I doubt that they were all eaten, either."

As for Colours' next claim, Sabine remarked sarcastically. "A few." She lowered her eyes and her smile. "Most people think I am untouchable, though. Most of the rumours I have heard make me sound scary. I do not mind so much, most of the time I am researching or travelling. Having a mate would be difficult for me and whoever else it is." Sabine lifted a hand and manifested a small spell that made her hand sparkle with frost as misty cold wafted off over her palm. "I do not even 'bend nature,' I do not know what people mean by that. I just use water and cold to fight. Most people do not understand, so they are afraid."

The way Sabine's voice seemed to fade off as she explained hinted that she did in fact mind to some extent.

---

While Maroc listened intently to Saras' response, nodding every now and then, the last words caused Lunise to quietly snap at Saras. "Were you not listening, Dunmer!?" She leaned a hand on the table. "We know that outing your clans would mean being forced to flush you out. That's the point! All of this is without the knowledge of all but the highest levels of secrecy!"

"Lunise!" Maroc boomed at a volume completely contrary to his previous diplomacy. It silenced the entire room. After eyeing the justicar for enough time to make his point, Maroc murmured. "Calm yourself."

Lunise lifted her upper lip and returned Maroc's look. "We were meant to be speaking with the champion. Not this..." She pursed her lips and gestured at Saras. "...this...this pawn! We do not even know his name or his role. Do not step too far."

Maroc blinked. "Indeed, if you would..." He turned his head to Saras. "May you please give us a name to refer to you by? As for your concerns, Lunise is correct. This will not be something that the public is aware of. Neither of us can afford that. I am glad that you are open to cooperation, however. Our requests shall remain as they are, but is there anything that you would request before agreement? Time to confide in your clan more widely, for instance? Or other clans?" Maroc glanced to Lunise again. She was still cross. "We would much prefer to discuss larger parts of this agreement with the champion. I am sure she would like to hear about it before you make...binding decisions."