As the previous pack had since rotated out, the lycans occupying the Tack and Tap were different. The most obvious concentration were four, one woman and three men, sitting around a table, chatting and laughing. As soon as the one closest to Meesei picked up her scent and turned his head, the rest quickly found her as well.

The one closest, the older looking Imperial with scraggly black hair - likely the one in charge - placed a hand on the table surface and pushed himself up to a standing position. He did not have hostility on his face, but he fully intended to confront Meesei before she fully closed the distance. About a metre of space was between them before the ring caught his eye and he halted in his step. "What is the likes of you...where did..." he became increasingly unsure as the nature of the ring came back to him. After a moment looking under Meesei's hood, he eventually came to a state of recognition and widened his eyes. "I remember you," he pointed to Meesei without lifting his arm very far, "You're the..." he interrupted himself and leaned in to speak more quietly, "you're the champion, aren't you. I remember seeing you back home." He broke into a toothy smile and extended his hand, "Well, welcome to the city, my name's Finley. What's your business here?" He peered over her shoulder, searching, "And where're the rest of you?"

Upon the positive reception, Meesei felt the eyes of the rest of the lycans scattered about wander away from her as they relaxed their guard.

Meesei did not rush her approach to the group so as not to alarm them, but once they recognized her and most of them relaxed, she became decidedly more serious and hurried. She shook Finley's hand, but otherwise went straight to business. "Greetings, I apologize for the lack of formality, but I must be quick. I cannot stay here long." She explained quickly, and quietly.

Without having time to ask, Meesei pulled up a chair and sat down at the table, so as to draw less attention to the group. She still wore her hood and cloak, though for outsiders in Bruma, particularly those not accustomed to the climate, that was not all that uncommon indoors. "There is a warning I must give you. The Argonian, Galsek, I am sure you know of him. Have you seen or spoke to him? He is an agent of the enemy, and is in the city. Do not trust him; do not allow him to guide you into a trap or otherwise harm you, but also do not alert him. Do all you can to treat him as you normally would, as it is vital that he not know that those of you in the city suspect him yet. If he asks for supplies or directions, give what you normally would; it will be more to our advantage than his." Her words were quick and serious. She was possibly coming off as rather forceful, but given how hurried her overall attitude was, they could likely gather that she did not have much time.

Finley sat down opposite Meesei without as much hurry. Everyone leaned in to hear what she had to say. While Meesei spoke, Finley lowered his brow in confusion, eventually putting up his hands and leaning back slightly. "Wait, wait, slow down now," he said, closing his eyes abd shaking his head, "Right...we know that Galsek is in the city, he said he just needed to pick up something from the general store, so we loaned him some gold. He also said that he would find a place to stay for the night and leave in the morning." Finley opened his eyes and looked worried, "With what you are saying, it's as if he's out to get us. We heard some rumours that Galsek may have been involved with what happened up the mountain, but we've not had the full story. Can you tell us what's happening?"

"Good, good." Meesei began, nodding to Finley. "If the gold helps him to move on more quickly, then it was worthwhile. I could not give him too much without seeming suspicious. I would like to explain everything to you, but as I said, I cannot stay long. He cannot know I am in the city, and he may return here for a room." She answered. She was still paying close attention to her ring, and it still did not indicate Galsek was drawing closer, but that could change at any moment.

"I have no reason to believe that he is after any of you. Indeed, he likely just wants to get away from here quickly, but as he is an agent of the enemy, I did not wish to take chances. A summary of what has happened is that Harriet was proven guilty, and has confessed, but Galsek was the one who persuaded her to do it. It will all be explained in detail to you once you return. For now, if Galsek asks you for a place to stay, please give him one. Just make sure it is a place with at least two of you present, for safety. If you know any more about Galsek, please tell me, but if not, I should get back outside." Meesei continued. She would wait for a few moments, but she already looked as if she was about to get up and rush to the door.

"So that's how it went..." Finley looked about thoughtfully, "We'll, er...we'll do as you say. By the way he spoke, it sounded as if he would be staying elsewhere from the Tack and Tap. I didn't think anything of it, but it did seem strange." He cast his eyes to the others at the table, "I'm not sure if anyone from my pack knew Galsek too well. Anyone?"

Everyone at the table either didn't respond at all, shrugged, or hesitantly shook their heads with their lower lip curled forward. "He never seemed to like farming duties, said it wasn't in his blood or something. He always tried to talk his way out of it." The one young Nord lycan at the opposite corner of the table shrunk back a bit, not sure how useful the comment was, "That's all I know about him."

Finley's face turned back to Meesei and opened a palm, half shrugging. "Need anything else?"

Meesei shook her head. "No, but thank you for your assistance. I would avoid him if you can, but most importantly, do what you can to avoid alerting him that anything is wrong. I will be handling him personally, do not worry. I will find you if something happens which you need to know about. As helpful as it will be to track him, I consider your safety to be more important, which is why I approached you to start. Now, I should get back outside. Take care of yourselves." She answered.

Once Meesei took her leave of the pack, she quickly went back outside and returned to shadowing Galsek. She remained far away, preferably with buildings and other visual obstacles between her and Galsek. Still, she always made sure to know approximately which building he was in. If he entered a private residence as opposed to an inn, then she would need to investigate to identify whoever he was staying with. For that, the pack in the Tap and Tack could be of further assistance.

"Good hunting," Finley said as Meesei hurried from the tavern. They didn't even wait until she had left the area before hushed conversation sounded between them. This new development seemed to create more questions for them than answers.

As opposed to what might have been immediately expected, Meesei only sensed Galsek's presence in the general store. By the way the enchantment shifted, it appeared that he wasn't completely still, but he remained inside for longer than it would take to negotiate a purchase. In fact, the more Meesei focussed, the more she realised that Galsek was in a different spot to the main area of the general store, but he was still inside the building. It was late enough in the day that if Galsek was to find accommodation, he would have surely found it by now. That led speculation to natural ends.

Meesei continued to track Galsek patiently, regardless of the amount of time which passed. To avoid suspicion from anyone who happened to be watching her, she had to stay mobile enough to seem like she was going about her business. She could stay in one place for a time, looking through her notes and map, but the cold made it unusual for one to stay outside for too long, especially travelers. There were times where she entered various stores and browsed their inventory, and even purchased a small bag of snowberries from a produce merchant. All the while, she kept focusing on Galsek to finely determine where exactly he was.

Eventually, it became obvious that Galsek was staying in the general store. She could not enter the store herself, so she did not know exactly what was happening, but it was strongly possible that the store owner was a contact of Galsek's. It was not absolutely guaranteed that the store owner was affiliated with Vile, as he or she could simply be a friend of Galsek's who is unaware of his connections, but it was certainly suspicious. Since Galsek did not seem to be moving, Meesei found it safe enough for her to return to the inn to follow up on what she had learned. She made her way back to the Tap and Tack and once again scanned around the room to look for Finley, or one of the other lycans.

The warmth of the tavern blasted onto Meesei upon entering. This time it was louder. Regular patrons joined the others as workmen finished for the day. Meesei's entry into the Tack and Tap gathered a less tense response than the first time, even if the eyes still followed her.

Finley was in a different spot this time, eating a hot dinner with some other members of his pack. He stopped eating and swallowed when he saw Meesei approach, but he didn't stand up like before. He seemed more comfortable, much like the other lycans around him. "Greetings again," said with a bow of his head, "Any luck? He's not been back here since you left."

The last of the natural light that was peeking through the windows finally darkened to black. Though the moonlight still lit up the snow outside, it was contrasted completely by the light of candles and the fireplace while indoors.

Meesei gave a simple nod to Finley as she made room for herself at the table. The tavern was more crowded than before, so she had to be more careful in conversation. Other non-lycans were sitting closer and more likely to overhear their whispers. If necessary, they could move somewhere more private, as Meesei was no longer as bound by time constraints.

"Yes, I have. He went to the general store several hours ago, the one on an upper terrace near the keep. He is still there. You are in the city often, correct? What do you know about the owner of that store?" She asked, directly and quietly. If this owner was an agent of Vile, it was possible that some of the packs in the city might have noticed any of his or her strange behavior. Of course, it was also possible that Galsek was merely manipulating an innocent, or the agent was skilled at hiding their operations.

"Hmm..." Finley put down his knife and fork to cross one arm over to support his other elbow while he cupped his chin. "Well, the shop is called Novaroma. We trade there every now and again. It's run by an Altmer couple, Karinnarre and Suurootan, though I've not seen Suurootan himself for a while now, come to think of it. Apparently they've run the shop for centuries, even through the great war and the oblivion crisis." Finley sniffed and tightened his mouth, trying to think, "They've never seemed anything more than simple, friendly people. If they had any further connection to the clan, we would probably know about it. I can't say about any connections with Galsek, I'm afraid."

Next to them, a young Nord woman in hide armour leaned across to the pair. She clearly had the scent of a lycan. "Sorry to interrupt," she said slowly. Finley faced her and nodded, granting her some confidence. "I spoke to Isran and Alesan before we left. They were in Bruma before us and they mentioned they noticed Suurootan was gone as well. They didn't think anything of it, though. Neither did I."

Finley looked back to Meesei with a concerned expression. "Now, it's never good to jump to conclusions, of course, but by the sounds of it..." his arm lowered from his chin, "...well, it wouldn't be the first time there were hostages involved with our enemy."

Meesei listened to the Nord woman, though she was not sure of what to make of the news of this Suurootan leaving either. It was possible that it was entirely unrelated to Vile or Galsek. After all, it was not uncommon for people, especially business owners, to have reason to travel. But, it was still enough that she could be suspicious.

"You say they have been here a few hundred years? Well, that does not preclude them from being connected to the enemy, but as you say, it is not good to jump to conclusions. They may be entirely unconnected to either party. Galsek may simply have been friendly with them and is asking for a favor. It would not be so far-fetched. Regardless, we will need to have the pair watched to make sure they have no...connections which would interest us. However, that is not as important at the moment. I need to get back to the others and make camp for the night. I will know when and if he leaves the city, but if you see him do anything strange, perhaps if he is carrying something odd or is not alone when he leaves..." She began, leaning in even more closely and speaking more quietly. "...send someone to the outcrop grove to inform us. As quickly as possible. We will not be far behind him. Again, that is only necessary if you notice anything strange about his departure."

Finley leaned in to listen as Meesei did to lower her voice. He gave a solid nod of understanding, "We normally have a few people set up in hiding places to watch over the gates. I'll have them informed about Galsek and report as soon as he leaves." He leaned back suddenly and craned his neck to look across the tavern. "Seamus! Nilly! Wenda!" Finley shouted to different corners of the room, and from amongst the patronage, three fur-clad lycans wandered up to Finley's table.

Finley took in a breath to instruct the three, but stopped short for confirmation from Meesei. "Anything else? Is he likely to be dangerous?" He asked Meesei.

"That would depend on your definition of dangerous." Meesei answered. "Galsek is a snake who was easily captured. Likely, he will just want to get out of the city without confrontation, however; he is an agent of the enemy, and a manipulative individual. He would have no qualms about harming any of you, if he is able. Just be cautious, and avoid confronting him."

Meesei stood up from her chair, giving Finley a polite nod. "Thank you for your assistance. I should return to the others for the night, but your watchful eyes will be appreciated." She added. Meesei remained for a moment, in case Finley or the others had any further questions for her, but afterwards, she would head back up to the camp with the others. She would have liked to keep watch over Galsek for the night, but staying in the city for that long only raised her chance of detection. Besides which, she needed to inform the others at camp of what she had learned, as well as their plans.

Finley returned Meesei's nod before she left. Immediately afterwards, be began to brief the three pack-mates he had summoned, instructing them to inform those watching the gates on Galsek.

The night that Meesei walked into had a worse chill to it than before she stepped into the tavern. A small wind quickly went from cooling her face to stinging it, bringing into question how anyone would be convinced to watch the gates at these hours. Still, there was enough snow on the ground to reflect the strong light of the moons and guide her way without the need for extra light.

The journey back to the outcrop grove was uneventful. There were the scents of some animals in the air, but they all gave Meesei a wide berth. The hidden position that the encampment held meant that Meesei had to follow her nose and her memory right up until she got close. Even the flickering from the various fires was difficult to detect, enclosed as it was between the rocky walls. What gave the position away visually when she was close enough was the smoke, and even that was wispy and difficult to see.

The sentries did not announce Meesei's arrival officially, recognising her scent on the wind before she came into view. She was let into the camp without issue and found her pack sharing a fire with some of the more restless members of the warband. Many were wrapping themselves in fur sleeping bags preparing to turn in for the night, but others were still awake.

Fendros was the first to spot Meesei. He said "She's back" to everyone around the fire, causing them all to turn their heads. Some looked relieved, some simply gave a wave.

"Welcome back! Is he still in the city?" Janius asked.

Meesei was certainly not one for cold weather, and even with her fur cloak and the flame in her hand which she was holding close to herself, she looked like she was freezing. As soon as the camp had noticed her, she practically ran to the fire and sat as close as possible, holding out her hands to warm herself. For those not in her pack, it was likely the most "uncomposed" they had seen her.

After a few moments, Meesei answered Janius' question. "Yes, he is staying in a general store with an Altmer couple. A place called Novaroma. I do not know why they are allowing it. They could be agents of Vile, he could be forcing them, or they could be unconnected and he simply befriended them at some earlier time. In any case, I spoke to the pack currently in the city, to a man named Finley. he will have his pack keep a watch for Galsek and will send someone to warn us if he does anything strange. Otherwise, Galsek is apparently planning on leaving tomorrow morning. I will know when he leaves, and we will be there to follow."

As she finished her explanation, Meesei turned her head away from the fire, towards the darkened, snow-covered landscape. To her, it looked like a place that should be more desolate than the driest of deserts. "And people live in this place. Willingly." She mumbled.

For a moment, those around Meesei became concerned when she rushed to the fire. If she was in a rush, they likely reasoned that her news was urgent, possibly dire. Her explanation served to calm their nerves somewhat. The mention of Finley lit up a few eyes in recognition.

"How decadent," Janius said, "he stops over at a nice, fire-warmed building."

Fendros had sat himself up against Ahnasha to share warmth as they had on the way to Bruma. He responded more directly to Meesei's comment. "Well, it's why there are plenty of Nords here. They don't really feel the cold as much, from what I hear."

"'Tis true," Oswall said. Whether he had Nord blood or not, he didn't seem quite as bothered by the cold. He angled his head at Meesei and then decided to get up and walk to one of the warband's small luggage piles.

"Times like this, I wish I was born a Nord, instead of just looking a bit like one," Janius said slightly bitterly as he looked into the flames.

Oswall returned with a fur blanket and tossed it in Meesei's direction. "Wrap up, champion. You may be Hircine's chosen, but I've seen too many Argonian initiates die of exposure up here where others survive." Oswall walked back to his seat and eased himself down. "Now, what is our strategy moving forward? Will we follow him during the night if he leaves early, or wait for the sun before we break camp?"

Meesei gladly accepted the blanket and quickly wrapped herself up as tightly as possible. She was not so prideful as to deny the limitations of what she was. The cold was not something she would trifle with.

"We will move when he moves. I will feel it if he starts to draw more distant, though I doubt he will leave before having a night's rest. Remember who he is. He is manipulative and cunning, but he is not a...physically impressive individual, for a lycan. After all of the walking, he will likely need his rest. Moreso if he has a long hike ahead of him. We will likely be able to have a night's sleep, though be ready to move quickly, just in case." Meesei answered.

Standing up for a moment, Meesei walked over to her bedroll and moved it closer to the fire. "Speaking of which, we should get some rest. We do not know how much walking there will be tomorrow."

Now that Meesei was back, the pack had little reason to stay awake. They all settled in shortly after. The cold bit through even the layers of fur used in their bedrolls, but thankfully there wasn't any worse weather than mild snowfalls.

The point at which Meesei was awakened by the enchantment was at a point where everyone was coldest and groggiest. It was early morning. One horizon of the night barely diplayed a peeking blue preceding dawn, and Galsek was on the move. Though sleepy, the warband was disciplined enough to break camp in short order.

"If he thinks he can get away by slipping out before dawn, he's got quite another outcome in his future," Oswall commented while buckling on his weapon belt.

By the looks of things he was about to head south-east, off the road and down the mountains. It would be rough terrain, but it would not be unlikely that the lair of Vile's cult was out of the way.

"If he's leaving, that means that the pack in Bruma is going to report to us, yes?" Fendros asked.

Janius shrugged, "If he only just left, I'd say that someone would be heading up right now."

Being that she was the first to awaken, Meesei was the first to be ready. They had been prepared to move on short notice, so most of their supplies had already been packed and ready to go. The only things left of their camp was the fires that were still going, which they would put out as they left. Ahnasha was sticking near the fire closest to Meesei and the others, while Lorag looked too eager to get moving to care about the cold.

"I told them it would only be necessary to report to us if there was anything out of the ordinary about him, such as if he was carrying any strange items, or was not leaving alone." Meesei commented. "We will need to swing wide around the south of Bruma, but we should be able to wait here for more than long enough for a messenger to arrive. I used quite a strong soul gem for the enchantment, so I can track him from quite the distance. If enough time passes without a messenger, we can assume that Galsek is alone, with nothing unusual." She explained. Undoubtedly, there were those in the camp that were eager to get moving, but if there was any quality that hunters such as themselves possessed, it was patience.