Harriet was to initially keep the conversation going, if only to satisfy that the clan would be left in good hands with Meesei, but being reminded of Meesei's desire to see her confess made her brightened eyes dim and look to the floor again. "Look, Meesei, things aren't lookin' so bleak for the clan's future any more if you're serious about this plan of yours, so I think you've gotta know this..." Harriet rolled a shoulder uncomfortably, causing her chains to clink softly. "I had some ideas about expanding the clan, to prepare for this war and to secure our future. It was mostly to do with setting up outposts to bring about some trade wealth, but also to procure some choice land to farm. The others, though...they didn't like it. They shut me down each time. It was too big a project. I got real frustrated, and Galsek convinced me that the only way to get the clan to survive was to eliminate the opposition and take power. That was naive, but I was too angry to think it wouldn't work once it was planned out. I'm sayin' this to you so I can explain that all this wasn't just a grab for power for the sake of power, nor was it to try and rip the clan apart, even if that was Galsek's plan in getting me to do somethin' so stupid."

With a pause, Harriet rolled her other shoulder. Clearly the bindings were bothering her now that she was actually moving somewhat. "By the time it got to the trial, I knew I wouldn't get away with it, so I wanted to save face. Challengin' you was my way of at least being remembered as somethin' other than a connivin' little drink spiker. If I have to confess, I'd rather it be just to my alphas, with the chance to explain why I did it. I at least know they'd understand. As much as I love this clan, I can't say the same for everyone else. Will that satisfy you?"

"I am under no obligation to grant you mercy. Do not mistake my attitude, your actions were inexcusable and, to put it bluntly, stupid. Obviously, I agree with your plan, and with the future you wanted for the clan, but your murder did nothing but throw it into chaos. It could have easily torn it apart, and it did destroy a family. You were there when Vera learned of her husband's death, you saw the pain you caused her, the pain which will never go away. If you wanted to challenge Jerrick's leadership, you should have done so in the traditional way. You should have faced him in single combat, just as you did to me. The fate of the clan is more important than your image, and there will be less chance of division among us if everyone knows the truth. But, there is one form of mercy I can offer you." Meesei began. She of course could not force Harriet to deliver a confession to the entire clan, but she might be persuaded to do so if given something even more important to her legacy.

"As I said before, my interrogation of Galsek yielded answers. He certainly did not tell me everything he knows, and I doubt I could get him to do so in any way that would guarantee his honesty. Before I began, I told him I would allow him to leave if he answered my questions, and that is precisely what I intend to do. I told him it was because I refuse to break my word, and he likely thinks me a fool. But, I have plans for him. He is rather loyal to Vile, and I have no doubt he will return to his service. Vile knows our clan is here, so his servants no doubt have their own hideout somewhere in the area. I intend to track him back to those he serves. Doubtless, he will be on alert and watching for anyone to follow him, but I know how to follow him undetected, no matter how well he covers his tracks. My offer to you is an...alternative form of execution. Instead of meeting your end helplessly against a headsman's axe, I will let you meet your end in combat against Vile's servants. We will send you in alone, ahead of our main force, and allow you to fight until you are killed. You will have your death in combat, and we will have an easier time clearing the camp. And of course, the clan will be told of the manner in which you died." Meesei offered. It was a plan that did rely on Galsek leading them to the enemy, but Meesei had a plan for how to take advantage of his overconfidence.

The immediate response that Meesei gave soured Harriet's expression. The way that Meesei presumed Harriet's motives and spoke as if she did not know the consequences to her actions brought her to the brink of exploding in her face. Thankfully, Meesei picked the right time to offer Harriet a far more favourable offer. Her face dropped to one of mixed confusion and surprise at what Meesei asked.

"You would let me fight?" She asked, bewildered. A moment later, her voice hardened in suspicion. "Wait, what's to stop me runnin' off or joinin' with them once you let me go, huh?"

Harriet's question was fair, but it was not as if she had not planned for that possibility. Harriet's actions had made her a traitor, and Meesei could certainly believe the possibility that she was lying about her motives in an attempt to gain sympathy. "I have considered that possibility. I can make an enchantment, something that behaves like a scroll, but etched into something more sturdy than parchment, like a collar. Something you cannot remove without activating it. The enchantment will be designed to use all of the power stored within at once to kill you immediately on your command...or mine. You can use it in the event that the enemy disables you without killing you, and I can use it as insurance. Confess to the crime publicly, and you can have a death by combat against the enemy. I would say that is better for your legacy than your current situation."

Meesei still had questions to ask, mostly about Galsek, but convincing Harriet to confess was the most important goal of this interrogation. By leaving the clan with no question as to what happened to Jerrick, it would be much easier to move on from this tragedy. Not to mention, Harriet could likely kill more than a few of the enemy before succumbing to their numbers.

Harriet turned her head to look at a wall off to the side and huffed in frustration out of her nose. Despite that, she looked thoughtful. "...Save face or have an honourable death," she said gravely after a pause, "you sure know how to pick a creative punishment, champion."

There was no more sound from Harriet until her neck became uncomfortable in its position a half minute later. With that, there was only more tiny clinks of the chains as her head drooped back to the hanging forward position that Meesei first saw her in. There was no expression by Harriet that she expected Meesei to leave. Harriet was silent for so long that it was clear she had no answer for Meesei, though that was because she was pondering.

Meesei crossed her arms as she waited, though it soon became clear that Harriet had no answer, at least not yet. She did not seem to be wanting her to leave, but she did not need Harriet's answer quite yet, so she supposed she could give her time to think regardless. "No response? Very well, I can give you some time to think. I will allow you to confess only to your alphas, but if you choose that option, I cannot allow you a warrior's death. Keep in mind that most of the clan already believes in your guilt. During the trial, I gave considerable evidence to your guilt, but you gave no defense in return. Your only rebuttal was to question my motives and position as Champion. But, after our duel, I doubt there are many who doubt my position. You are arguably the greatest warrior among this clan, and I defeated you. To most of the clan, you will already be remembered as a traitor, a poisoner. In truth, there are few things which could remove that legacy, but I can offer you a chance to at least give them something else to remember as well. They will know that, in your final moments, you dedicated everything you had to fighting our enemy. Think on this, but be ready with your answer by tomorrow. I intend to release Galsek tomorrow afternoon, once my preparations are complete."

With that, Meesei turned to leave. There was much she still needed to do: gather materials, make enchantments, gather forces to attack Vile's followers, and so on. All of those things would take some time, but at that moment, what Meesei needed most was rest. She had been working nonstop for days, and she knew she could not keep pushing herself without consequence.

The rest of the day and the night went by with a complicated atmosphere in the clan. On one hand, they were anxious about Harriet's fate, and her packs were somewhat listless. However, for all, there was a measure of relief. The sordid business with Jerrick's murder had been resolved, he would be cremated under the bright moons the night after they were full. Then, everyone could bid him a true farewell.

There were some minor concerns that had sprouted since the trial, the greatest of which was the matter of succession, but also other complications. Word had spread quickly of Galsek's arrest, as well as the words he had shouted through the halls during his questioning. Surprisingly few people were upset about his true nature, and those that were drew emotions of betrayal for the most part. At least the plan to release him hadn't been eavesdropped upon. At least, from what Meesei's pack could gather.

As far as Meesei's pack fared now, Fendros had recovered from his episode and joined everyone for dinner. Everyone idly rubbed their necks as they felt the stress they had stored through the past few days. Laughter and smiles were traded easily as they shared catharsis in their unity. Fendros especially was relaxed to be with Ahnasha and Rhazii without any great fear hanging over their heads. It had been an eternity since the last time. Janius was glad to be around Kaleeth, not only because they were separated, but because he was eager to swap stories with her about their experiences with their respective lieutenants while they guarded them. Finally, Sabine ate happily, but she couldn't help but feel that she enjoyed the excitement of working with new people and materials. For all her smiles, her eyes drooped with fatigue and she eventually fell asleep on Lorag's side despite the loud murmur of the dining hall.

Morning came by as everyone woke up one by one. Due to the lack of sunlight, stirrings seemed to be more sparse. Fendros awoke first to find an empty space where Kaleeth and Janius' bedroll was. Even while groggy he solved that riddle quickly. Just the movement of Fendros sitting up stirred the others. All except for Sabine, who was still fast asleep and looked like she would be until further notice. It was no wonder with how exhausted she was last night.

After sliding the sheet of leather off the light-stone, an almost silent sound of struggling was heard next to Fendros. He looked over to smile at Rhazii, who's little eyelids were scrunched in protest. "Good morning, little one," Fendros said softly.

Almost as could be expected, while the others were just tarting to get up, Meesei was already wide-awake, dressed, and finishing a quick breakfast from their supply of food. Fortunately, she had gone to sleep earlier than everyone except Sabine, so she was at least not exhausting herself any further. Meesei was finishing off her meal quickly, obviously in a rush. Even with the greatest threat to the clan neutralized, she was not letting up on her responsibilities. The pack had been much more separated from one another than usual since they arrived in the clan, and while the others could be together again, nothing had yet changed for Meesei. For some in the pack, they might start questioning whether her situation would ever return to "normal". She was the Champion, so as long as she was with the clan, she would always have responsibilities. It was possible that, once a successor had been selected for Jerrick, some of the burdens of leadership could be delegated to others, but there was no escaping the fact that she had the task before her of coordinating every lycan she could in Tamriel to the best of her ability.

Ahnasha stirred as soon as she heard Rhazii begin to whine, and of course, went directly to comforting him. Meesei, seeing that Sabine was still fast asleep, spoke quietly, so as not to disturb her. "Good morning. I am afraid I will not be able to join you all for breakfast. The full moons are tonight, so I may have to put off my plans for Galsek until at least tomorrow. Although, it is possible I might be able to go through with those plans today. I also need to meet with the lieutenants as soon as possible. Coordinating a hunt for a clan this size is not easy, I would imagine, so they will likely be busy for most of the day. Anyway, I should get to work; I have quite a few preparations of my own to make as well. I will see you all as soon as I can." Meesei commented, and without so much as allowing for a response, she was already making her way our of the door. First, she intended to gather all of the lieutenants for a meeting to finally address the issue of succession, as well as her plans for Galsek and Harriet.

Fendros gave a firm nod. "I'll tell the others," he responded at a similar volume. As Meesei left, he turned to Ahnasha and gave her a quick kiss. "Hungry?"

The morning that Meesei woke up to was positively bustling. There were people carrying cloaks and coats in piles in their arms, shouldering around in the corridors. The main chamber was changed from a hodgepodge of packs training to a large scale, organised response. Evenly spaced throughout about a third of the dais were neatly piled articles of fur clothing. They varied in number in the piles, but by the length and breadth so far, they would eventually serve to accommodate all the packs for the clan. While most were arraying the clothing, others were herding the children of the clan in one corner. Adults were speaking to the older children, sounding as if they were being briefed to take responsibility for the night. They looked just young enough to not be transforming yet. Behind the children, about three visibly pregnant women were sitting on seats behind them.

Meesei would not see any of the lieutenants here, but her job was made easy as she found them gathered around a table in the dining hall. They all appeared to be standing over a map drawn on a hide. With Oswall was running his finger along certain lines that were hard to see from this distance, but quickly revealed themselves to be depicting the wider wilderness around the town of Bruma. Another two people joined the council; a large Redguard and small but wide wood elf. They seemed familiar.

Looking up from the map, Vera was the first to notice Meesei's approach. She waved and spoke up to welcome her. "Good morning champion. We're sorry we didn't have time to fill you in on what we do for the full moons. We were just diving up the hunting grounds."

Darahil glanced to the two new people at the table and gestured to them. "This is Xander and Tariam. They are Harriet's alphas. They have agreed to help organise Harriet's packs for this hunt."

Xander and Tariam nodded, but didn't say anything. They were visibly uncomfortable around Meesei.

"If you haven't had breakfast yet, you had best find something." Vera suggested in an urging tone without sounding too forceful, "You'll need to know where your pack can hunt tonight and we might need your help keeping order. We haven't done this without a clan head before."

Meesei had awoken early, but it seemed most of the clan had done the same. Sensible, considering for how many people they needed to prepare. With so many lycans all hunting at once, they would need to stay far from the cities and towns to avoid undue attention, which meant they would need the time to cover sufficient distance before nightfall. As Meesei approached, she noticed the discomfort of the two individuals who had joined them, but she did nothing to acknowledge it.

Once Vera explained what they were doing, Meesei nodded in response and started to look over the map. "I will go wherever I would be most helpful. I have never arranged a hunt of this size, but I will do what I can. My ring grants me control such that I do not need to transform with the moons, so I could remain here to oversee the children and...prisoners." Meesei suggested.

Although Meesei was more than willing to help with whatever she could, there were still the other matters which she needed to deal with. "But, speaking of clan leadership, that is something I need to speak with you all about. These preparations are a more immediate concern and do take precedence, of course, but if at all possible, I would like to speak to you all about several...other issues. As soon as possible."

"Our plans for tonight are not too different from the last time," Oswall said to Meesei, leaning his hands against the table either side of the map. "We should be ready in a few minutes."

A few minutes, as Oswall put it, turned out to be about half an hour. The discussion was made up mostly of which packs would hunt where and delegating the tasks of directing them before they left. With the old marks that were already made on the map, Oswall was at least right that most of the planning was already done. The original plan must have taken hours to plot the first time. Meesei was allocated a small hunting ground at the edge of a forested area that wouldn't take long to navigate to. The only concern was a small farmstead that was nearby, but the pack of Hircine's champion was assumed to have enough control to avoid it.

Once the pack distribution was finalised, Xander and Tariam were tasked with briefing Harriet's remaining alphas, as the other lieutenants would for their packs later. For now, they lead Meesei to the meeting room to speak with her. They shut the door on their way in for discretion. Meesei's words hinted at a requirement for such. They seated themselves down with both Harriet and Jerrick's seats unused. Whichever one Meesei decided to take would leave the other one haunting in the space it left.

Vera decided to open up the conversation. "So, champion, what did you want to discuss first? We may need to step out in an hour at the latest to resume organising the hunt, but we can talk now."

Meesei did what she could to help in planning, though the others seemed to have the situation under control. They already had a per-existing plan, which they needed only to modify. Likely, Meesei would end up giving control over the hunt for her pack to Lorag and remain in the ruin for the night working on the enchantments she would need to make if her plan came to fruition.

Once they made it to the meeting room, Meesei took an empty seat, unaware of exactly who it once belonged to. The matters she needed to discuss were important, but she needed to be careful not to take up too much of their time. Ensuring that the hunt went smoothly was a much more pressing matter. Regardless, and hour would likely be sufficient to get through each topic. "There are several matters we need to discuss, succession being the most obvious, both of Jerrick and Harriet. But first, there is the matter of Harriet's execution, and Galsek. I trust that you were able to question the both of them yesterday? It took some convincing, but Galsek confessed to being an agent of Clavicus Vile, just as Harriet confessed to having been influenced by Galsek to murder Jerrick. Currently, Galsek expects me to release him in return for cooperating...and that is what I intend to do. Of course, I also fully expect him to return to the service of Vile, and I fully intend to track him straight to them."

There was an awkward moment in reaction to Meesei's plan. Oswall sighed through his nose and Vera wiped her mouth with the back of her hand idly and looked away. Darahil broke the silence, being the only one who didn't visibly react until now, "We talked to both. Harriet was forthcoming, fortunately, which meant that Galsek's attempts to proclaim his innocence were easy to root out as false." Darahil angled his head forward, "We were not able to gain a direct confession from Galsek, but we know him to be a liar and manipulator all the same. However, are you sure you can guarantee that he will return to Vile's servants?"

Oswall grunted. "They're more likely to have some way of detecting an approaching lycan. When that happens, they'll either kill him and we'll get our fight, or they'll scurry off and we'll be back where we started." Oswall wasn't done there, he unfolded his arms and addressed Meesei with some incredulity. "And what is this nonsense we heard from Harriet that you would allow her to go in first and fight? We would have a traitor in our ranks that could sow discord at the worst moment! I do not like the taste of it."

Meesei understood the lieutenants' reservations, but to each she had a response, as she had taken time to think through her plan. "I have thought of each of these issues, and have adapted my plan accordingly. I cannot say there will not be risks, but I believe the potential gains are worthwhile. For Galsek, I believe I can take advantage of his pride. It is not difficult to gather that he believes himself superior to us. He knows me to be clever, but in my interrogation, I was aggressive, almost brutish. Hopefully, it reinforced his view of our kind. I can craft enchantments which could help to track him. Using a derivation of certain summoning techniques involving telepathy, I can link two enchanted items together. I used such enchantments before to create items that guide the wearer to the matching enchantment, but I can also create one that will only work in one direction. It will allow us to safely track him from much farther away to limit the risk of being detected and allowing Vile's servants to escape. I intend to hide the enchanted item inside the thick, fur coat we will give him, as it is not something he would discard in this area. To make sure he does not notice it when he puts it on, I will need to render him unconscious before bringing him to the exit. That, of course, would make him suspicious. I reason that, once out of our sight, he will search anything we give him for anything out of the ordinary. As I said, he expects me to be clever. I fully anticipate he will find this enchanted item, even if it is well hidden, but what he will not expect is that the item is a decoy. He will believe that he foiled my plan, likely congratulate himself for outsmarting the barbaric lycans and myself, then make his way back to his allies. I admit that it is possible that Vile always intended to take the souls of the agents ordered to become lycans, but they would be expecting at least one of their agents to return after destabilizing the clan. They would at least want to hear his report on the situation before betraying him."

Meesei also acknowledged that her plan for Harriet's execution was not conventional, but for that aspect of her plan, she could offer more guarantees. "As for Harriet, I can be certain that she will be unable to cause more harm. Related to the tracking enchantment is one that I can use to ensure her compliance. I can affix an enchanted collar to her neck that, upon my activation, will kill her immediately. Like the other enchantment, it will not work over an unlimited range, but it has sufficient range for my purposes. I offered her that choice for her execution in exchange for her giving her confession publicly to the clan. She has already agreed to confess to her alphas, which is...acceptable, but a public confession would help to put this tragedy behind us, and ensure it does not surface to harm the clan again. She was reluctant to give a public confession to avoid damaging her legacy any further, but a death in battle is of great importance in Orcish culture. So, she may find it to be a worthwhile trade." Meesei explained.

Vera and Oswall looked to Oswall for confirmation that such enchantments would be possible. "Such a collar is cruel, to be sure, but practical. As long as she does not get the opportunity to cause any damage to us before you can activate it, I could see her contribution to be valuable."

Entertaining the idea, Oswall sat back and stroked his chin in consideration. His initial mood appeared to simmer down.

Darahil continued before any comments could be committed. "Another consideration will be how exactly you plan to hide the genuine enchantment. There is no guarantee that Galsek will only assume one item was planted on him. Where will the second one be, and what do you think he will do if he finds it?"

"Stuff it down his throat, then he couldn't do anything, at least for a day." Oswall predicted, "Or better yet, cut him open and put it under his skin. If he does find it and cut it out, we've got a blood trail to follow."

"...Unless he dresses it. We don't know exactly what he's capable of," Vera added.

All three looked to Meesei to hear what her idea was.

"Actually...Oswall's idea was precisely what I had in mind." Meesei answered. "While he is unconscious, I can do anything I need. I can implant it not just beneath his skin, but deep into his body. I can attach it to an organ with no ability to feel it. With illusion enchantments, I could hide it so that restoration spells would not easily be able to detect it, at least not without a more focused, time-consuming examination. It could certainly cause some long-term health issues for him, but that is not really our concern. If I make the incision on his back, he will have no way of seeing any marks it might leave before reaching his allies. If that fails, I could implant it, well...somewhere he would not consider cutting out."

Meesei leaned forward onto the table, clasping her hands together as she thought for a moment. "I will admit, there is a possibility that he refrains from returning to his allies for quite a while, but even then, we could turn that to our advantage. If he does not find the implanted item, then we could use it to track him later, and if he does, we know what he knows about us. Or at least, we know what he could know. Seeing as he would share that information with his superiors, we could turn that knowledge into traps for the enemy."

"You can really place it on an organ like that?" Oswall unconsciously scratched at his back uncomfortably.

The others had a mixed response. Vera raised an eyebrow at Darahil, then looked to Meesei, "Any opportunity to reduce risk to the clan is something I can support."

"Quite," Darahil gave no direct response to Vera's look. "I must admit, Meesei, my expertise is not within the types of enchantment you describe, but it seems that this plan is a wise opportunity to take if you can exploit it so. Just promise us that you will not take undue risks with the prisoners..."

"...And," Oswall looked at Meesei sternly and jabbed a forefinger in her direction with every word to emphasise them, "Don't. Let. Harriet. Attack our people."

Darahil narrowed his eyes at Oswall when he was interrupted, but finished all the same. "We'll put our trust in you here. Is there anything you will need us to do or provide to prepare? I can spare some of the larger of my soul gems if you require the power."

Meesei responded to Oswall with no hint of uncertainty in her voice. "I assure you, I will not hesitate to kill Harriet if at any point I see her as a threat. She knows me to be well-capable of it. As for soul gems, the strength of the soul will only matter for two of the enchantments: Harriet's collar, and the item implanted in Galsek. Stronger souls will allow those enchantments to work over longer distances. The matching items I will be carrying only need basic enchantments to complete the connections, and the decoy on Galsek will only requires enough of a soul for an illusion enchantment to make it seem like the genuine enchantment. Beyond that, what I will need from you is to gather enough forces for us to eliminate the enemy after they have killed Harriet, preferably without word spreading of our plan. We do not know the strength of the enemy, so I would air on the side of caution."

The next topic Meesei needed to discuss was not quite as time pressing, but would certainly be even more important over the long term. Succession, for both Jerrick and Harriet, were decisions whose effects would carry on for years, if not decades. As such, it was important to make the most optimal one. "Then, there is the matter of succession. I need to decide who will be leading this clan as its alpha, and we need to determine who will fill Harriet's place. I do not expect that we will make all of these decisions right now, but this is a conversation we need to start. "Firstly, are there any among you who do not believe you should be the one to carry the burden of leadership?"

"Myself," Darahil responded without hesitation. "I have already made it clear that I have no desire to lead the entire clan. My research prevents me from committing fully, and I have already put forth my time for such a thing in the past."

Vera and Oswall glanced at each other, then looked to Meesei. "We were actually going to suggest that you take a seat at the table," Oswall said, matter-of-factly, "Whether as a lieutenant or a leader. Though, if you were leader, we would know you to be impartial as well as capable."

Vera nodded and added her own comment. "If not, either myself or Oswall would be willing to take the mantle. If either of us do not, we will not hold ill will."

To complete things, Oswall continued. "As for Harriet's position, there are a number of capable alphas of hers whom we believe would have what it takes. Tariam and Xander are two such alphas, though I believe Xander prefers to work the forge as he always has."

Meesei shook her head. "I am already Hircine's Champion. It is the highest rank our lord can bestow, above the alpha of any pack or clan. I do intend to stay here for quite a while and will aid in leadership decisions for that duration, but my responsibilities may call me away eventually. This clan needs leaders who will remain with it, and who can handle the challenges, both large and small, that it faces. For the new lieutenant, I will trust your judgment on who would be the best replacement. I agree that it should be one of Harriet's alphas who takes her position. It will show that we bear no ill will towards those those in her packs."

Though they did not have time for extended interviews, Meesei did have an idea in mind for who would be the best candidate for filling Jerrick's position. Though, it would likely be after the full moons that she would make that decision. "As for choosing the alpha of the clan, I respect your decision, Darahil, so the choice falls between Vera and Oswall. We do not have much time at the moment, and this is not something which should be rushed, so I will speak to you both privately when we have the time. Likely, it will be after the full moons. I should allow you all to get back to your duties, but there is just one final matter, for Oswall specifically. It is in regards to Caleb's punishment. He was manipulated by an agent of Vile into believing you were the traitor, but that does not mean he can go unpunished. He did not intend to betray the clan, but what he did was reckless. Considering his relation to Jerrick and Vera, I doubt the clan would be accepting of much leniency normally. However, as the victim of his crime, they will accept any punishment you give him."