Peiter's thinking out loud made Sabine afraid for a short while. She thought that he might be getting thoughts. While he was second-guessing himself, in the end he responded in such a way that Sabine felt a wave of relief and elation. She returned his kiss just as enthusiastically, letting the moment go on into minutes. The only interruption was her moving her hand to his cheek so that there was a short pause. "I love you, Peiter," she said before continuing the kiss anew.

Eventually, after another few minutes longer, Sabine was so caught up in the moment that some anxieties in her mind became less powerful. She felt comfortable with Peiter, in love and impassioned. She pulled away from him in a moment of heavy breathing and led him by the hand into deeper water where they continued kissing. She did not deflect his wandering hands this time.

Tzirret kept running as fast as he dared with La'khay in chase. He just wanted to find a quiet spot to wallow in his sorrow, but there was no escape for him. His vision had blurred up with his tears, causing him to trip over a stone and roll his ankle, but he still kept trying to run on with a limp. Eventually, he gave up and limped up to a tree. He stood leaning against it with his free forearm and sobbed towards the ground. His knees swiftly gave way and he resigned to curling up against the tree in futility. When La'khay caught up with him, he shouted angrily through his sadness, "Go away! Leave this one to rot! He is an idiot for even trying..."

Peiter followed Sabine into the water without hesitation or question. He would have gone anywhere that she felt like taking him. He made no effort to keep track of time, or much of his surroundings. All of his senses, everything he touched, heard, saw, and even smelled, was dominated by Sabine's embrace. In the passion of the moment, his hands wandered to places he had not been comfortable touching before. Now, just as he had mentioned before, he felt like grabbing her and never letting go.

Several minutes passed, not that Peiter had much of a concept of the time. When they finally pulled away from their kiss for a moment, he stared into her eyes, his mouth slightly agape as he took in heavy breaths. Desire and passion filled his entire expression, but there was also a hint of fear. He knew what he wanted to ask, but he did not know if he should. "Sabine..." He began, his voice trailing off as his eyes told of the desires he held.

La'khay was able to keep up with Tzirret long enough to see him fall, then curl up next to a tree after a short limp. She knelt down in front of him, ignoring his demands that she leave. She was resolute that she was going to fix this problem, and if she was lucky, maybe even help him out more. "Tzirret...you're right about some things, but you're wrong about that. It is...true that La'khay does not feel that way about you. But it is not because of you; she has not loved anyone in that way for years, and never will again. That is just not who she is. La'khay knows very well that it is painful not to have your feelings returned, but this one still cares about you, Tzirret. You are still her friend. And your friend still believes that there is a girl out there who is worthy of this pendant." She said, opening her hand to reveal the small, carved trinket.

Sabine looked right back at Peiter with an intent that he had not seen from her before. Even if it didn't work out this time, even if it would not be enjoyable, she wanted to try. She pressed herself close to Peiter while they stood in the water. "Just remember your promise," she breathed into his ear.

A shorter time than expected passed by, but to Sabine, every moment was savoured. Afterward, there was a break where they laid together on the shore. However, Sabine's discipline was enough that she eventually ventured back to her alchemical equipment to finally partake in one of the potions that she had supplied for Kaleeth-rei and Ahnasha for years now.

Tzirret did not even reach out to take the pendant. He kept his eyes closed as he continued to sob. "This one cannot see happiness without you. He loves you..." Tzirret was clearly still hanging onto naive notions, young as he was.

Peiter had a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling in his mind as he laid on the shore with Sabine. He doubted everything was perfect, given their inexperience, but he was not disappointed. He smiled and watched Sabine as she stood and walked over to her belongings, his gaze loving, rather than lustful. After only a few moments, though, he stood up as well and walked up behind her. He started rubbing her shoulders gently, careful not to disturb whatever she was doing with her alchemical supplies.

Peiter whispered in a voice that was as gentle as his touch. "So, how do you feel...dear?" He asked, giving a grin at the last word.

---

"Tzirret..." La'khay began, closing her eyes and letting out another sigh. "Maybe it is true that you feel that way. Maybe you just think you do, and don't know any better. But La'khay is not the right woman for you. She isn't a person who forms bonds like that, she can never have cubs, she does not like the same things as you, and she has never been loyal to a single mate. La'khay is happy with who she is, but she is not the one for you. You like La'khay because she was nice to you, but there are many nice Khajiit. Maybe you were unlucky and couldn't find any in Bruma, but La'khay can think of dozens of girls she has met who you would simply love."

Although she had tried to be gentle at first, La'khay's frustration had been building since she had started chasing him, and right now, she was starting to feel like he needed some sense shouted into him. Suddenly, she grabbed his shoulders surprisingly forcefully and stared straight into his eyes. "Tzirret, you need to listen to La'khay. This one is sick and tired of seeing you beat yourself down at every turn. Every time you fail at something, it seems, it's because you make yourself fail. You said you were acting like a coward the past few days? Well, you were. You were afraid to say anything to La'khay, so nothing happened except you worrying yourself. You did nothing, so you gained nothing. But La'khay knows that is not who you really are. La'khay has seen your confidence; she has felt it intimately. La'khay did not give you a second chance because you were afraid, or because she felt bad for you, she gave you that chance because you had the courage to accept, despite your fear. She has not been mating with you out of charity, she has been doing it because you have given her greater pleasure than Colors has for a while. Because you have the courage to try, and the passion to give it your all. You did not kill the minotaur because you were a coward, you did it because you had the courage to thrust that spear into the beast, despite what it could have done to you. Every single time you have broken out of your fear and shown your courage, you have accomplished something. How much have you done over just the past few weeks that you never would have imagined before you came here? All of that has happened because you broke from your fear and did something. That is what La'khay wants you to do. She wants you to stop imprisoning yourself to this fear, take this pendant, and promise her that you're going to find a girl who deserves to wear it."

Though the decision to bring her shoulder bag with her to the river was absentminded at the time, Sabine was glad that she had it with her. It meant that she didn't have to sprint back to the clan home and separate from Peiter for even a few minutes. From the point at which they began to kiss in the water to the present, she had been in a bliss that she wished would never end.

She smiled and let out a relaxed sigh as Peiter took her shoulders. She paused for a moment from cutting ingredients to turn her head slightly and respond. "'Dear'? That sounds like something and old couple says." She giggled and leaned back into Peiter, "Let's pick something else...'Love'?"

---

While Tzirret listened to the first part of La'khay's efforts to comfort and explain, he did not give any further reaction except to keep his eyes closed and continue crying softly. He had hoped that she would just give up and leave him be. To say the least, it came as a surprise to be taken by the shoulders and forced to face her.

Tzirret sat agape and overwhelmed at La'khay's speech. He had been shocked out of crying, but he didn't immediately know how to respond. She certainly had not left him many excuses.

Tzirret blinked, looked down at the pendant he had carved especially for La'khay, and sniffed. "All of this, it is made to sound easy," Tzirret said sullenly, "This one knows that he cannot be with La'khay, but whenever he tries to think of that fact, he cannot bear it." His eyes went from the pendant, back to La'khay, "What courage does Tzirret have for that? What must he do?"

In spite of Tzirret's tone seemingly holding little hope, the fact that he didn't deny his previous accomplishments was an unsaid sign of agreement, if a belligerent one.

Peiter grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist as he kissed her on the cheek. "Dear, love, beautiful, the light of my life, there is a lot I could call you. I feel...well it's hard to put words to it, exactly. I'm sure I made some mistakes, but I feel good. I feel almost peaceful and, well needless to say, I really enjoyed that. Are you feeling good? Did I do alright?" He asked in a noticeably nervous tone.

---

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy, Tzirret." La'khay said firmly. "La'khay has been nice to you, but she is nothing special. Your friends, your alpha, this one has seen that they are just as nice to you as her. The only difference is that you are not attracted to them. If you were attracted to more than only Khajiit, then this one does not doubt you would already have found a girl for you before we even met. Your problem isn't that no one is willing to be nice to you, it is that you are not willing to talk to them. It is true that most people will not approach someone who does not look like they want to be approached. People like La'khay, or your friends, are unusual like that. La'khay is willing to bet that, since you joined your clan, you have never been the one to approach a stranger, unless it was absolutely necessary. You have always waited for others to come to you. What you must do is to open yourself up to others. What you must do is to be the one to approach them, and most importantly, you must have the courage to be patient. You may not be staying with our clan for too long, so you may not find your mate here. But, you may find friends, or at least a girl willing to mate with you a few times. If you start talking to people at all, it will be a step in the right direction."

Standing up straight, La'khay extended her hand with the pendant down towards Tzirret. "La'khay wants you to agree to something. Later in the day, when others in the clan are swimming in the river, this one wants you to come out to the river again. Alone. This one wants you to approach people you have never met and talk to them. Learn about them, share stories with them. Some will be nice and friendly like La'khay, some will be mean, rude, and maybe even insulting towards you. For that kind of person, you will want to avoid them, but under no circumstance should you give up. Now take this pendant and keep it. Keep it until you find the girl who is willing to be your mate."

Sabine looked forward again in thought. As was usually the case when speaking intimately, she was quiet, "Hmm, there were times where it hurt, mostly at the start. Meesei says that is normal if you are nervous. There were times where it felt good, though. We could try again after I make this potion if you want. In our room, I think." Sabine reached her hand up and behind her to hook around Peiter's head, then brought him into a kiss that was passionate, but cut short by the strain it put on her neck.

Afterwards, Sabine smiled blissfully while staring at Peiter. "Thank you for listening to me. I took a while to...be ready, even here. I love you."

---

There were words in La'khay's response that forced Tzirret into reflection. He did not like what he saw, not one bit, but if La'khay's advice was encouraging him with anything, it was facing down his fears. He breathed through an open mouth and looked into space for a few silent moments, ears still flat. There was nothing else for it.

Tzirret brought his hand up to take the pendant and stood up onto his feet. He ran his thumb over the moon and was glad to find that the blemishes were only soil. He had not damaged it by throwing it to the ground. He closed his hand over the trinket, closed his mouth to swallow, and looked at La'khay with a mix of determination and fear. "If it will help, Tzirret will try," Tzirret said, clearly trying to look stronger than he felt, "He promises to keep the pendant until he finds someone."

"And I love you. If you want to try again so soon, I'm certainly willing. I might, uh, need a few minutes, but it will take a bit to get back there anyway." Peiter answered. After rubbing his hands across her stomach for a few moments, he reluctantly let her go, as he needed to gather his belongings as well.

Once they were both ready, Peiter walked up and took Sabine by the hand. He did not think he had stopped smiling since they climbed out of the river, and looking at her only made it grow wider. He was not sure how long they simply stood looking at one another before Peiter realized he should probably say something. "Well, after you, beautiful."

---

La'khay did not quite smile, but her expression became more satisfied when Tzirret took the pendant. She patted his shoulder and looked at him approvingly. "Good, good. Make sure you do it alone; La'khay will not ask you to prove that you went. This is something you need to do for you, not anyone else. If you refuse to try, you will not be hurting her, it will only hurt you. This one would wish you luck, but she knows you do not need it. She has seen what you can do when you have the confidence to try, so she knows you can succeed. La'khay would still be glad to mate with you if you wish, but she understands if you do not want to do that any longer. Either way, she trusts that you will keep your promise."

---

Up in the outpost, Meesei, Gallus, Do'ajee, and Ra'kalesh entered the meeting hall within a few minutes of one another. At the table at the room's center, near the end, Ri'nakhad and three others, presumably his lieutenants, were waiting. One was a brown, black-striped Dagi-raht male with more covering clothing than the others, like a robe made of leather. Around its edges, one might be able to see the faint tinge of magic. Another was a light-haired Bosmer woman with a scent that was that of neither a werewolf or werelion, and the last was a Pahmar-raht. He had a similar fur pattern as S'ajira, but was much larger, though not to the extent of a Senche. Interestingly, he also had what looked like a steel amulet with a blue gemstone tied around his neck, from which Meesei could also feel the presence of magic.

"Excellent, everyone is here. Please, take a seat." Ri'nakhad said once everyone had arrived. After they all complied, he motioned towards the others with him. These are my lieutenants, Jo'akith, Miranor, and Ra'jorr." He introduced, pointing to the Dagi-raht, Bosmer, and Pahmar-raht respectively.

Tzirret looked down and nodded, letting out the rest of his breath. Without another word or tear, he dressed himself in front of La'khay and put the pendant in his pocket again. There were moments where he looked as if he was going to break down crying again, but he never did. He didn't even say anything else to La'khay as he began walking back towards the clan home with solemn determination. His limp was not quite as apparent, but his ankle was still slightly sore.

It was about halfway towards the clan that the tears flowed again from Tzirret's eyes. He kept his mouth clamped shut and did not sob, despite his uneven breathing. Again, he was trying to keep a brave face in front of La'khay. He didn't want to disappoint her, but it heart still hurt immensely. In an effort to look for a way to reduce the pain, he slowed to a stop and spoke, straining to keep his composure. He did not make eye contact with La'khay. "La'khay. Is it alright if this one could...hold you...just one more time?" Tzirret asked shakily, "He will not be leaving, but...Khajiit needs to say goodbye...and to say thank you."

---

Gallus pulled a smile and gave a nod to the gathered council as Ri'nakhad introduced them. He took the nearest vacant seat to Ri'nakhad, next to the large, tiger-like Pahmar-raht named Ra'jorr and placed his hands on the table. "Right, it is good to be here, and to finally meet you all." Gallus spoke professionally, "Have we all been brought up to date with what we discussed with Ri'nakhad last night?"

La'khay smiled towards Tzirret and began to pat him on the back. "You do not need to say goodbye yet, Tzirret. La'khay is not going anywhere, and there will be plenty of time for goodbyes when your pack leaves. She understands you are hurting right now, but she knows you will feel well once you start opening up to others. You may always think of La'khay as a friend, one who will be very upset if you keep letting fear dominate you." She answered, though her tone was friendly.

"Ah, but to your question, of course. La'khay will be more than happy to mate with you. You are becoming skilled." She said, sitting herself down on the ground in quite the seductive position. Evidently, she had interpreted his words as a euphemism. No matter what happened to her, it seemed as if there were some aspects of La'khay's personality which would never change.

---

Ri'nakhad nodded. "Yes, this one has spoken with his lieutenants. But first, there is another matter he should bring up first. Ra'kalesh, as you have likely noticed, Ishora...did not survive the attack, and we have not filled the position she left behind on this council. You were her second, and her friend. There are few among the clan who have served it as faithfully as you, and it is truly a blessing from Hircine that you have been returned to us. This one has spoken with the other lieutenants, and we believe it would be best for you to fill her position. This one would like to offer you the rank of lieutenant within our clan."

"Thank you, Clan Leader." Ra'kalesh said, breathing in deeply and with a solemn expression. "It is...unfortunate that this has occurred under such circumstances, but Ra'kalesh is honored to be selected for this role. This one swears that he will do all he can to live up to Ishora's example, and to serve the clan to the best of his ability."

"That is all we can ask." Ri'nakhad responded before turning his attention back to the others. "Well, this one supposes we should begin."

At La'khay's interpretation of Tzirret's request, he actually swiftly exhaled, bowed his head forward, and let out a high laugh. His wide smile was exaggerated as he was still trying to hold back his sadness, but he was able to speak with a light heart. It was a change from stumbling over his words; it was certainly not the first time he had seen La'khay in such a position.

"No, no, this one did not mean that," Tzirret corrected with one palm forward and facing the ground. He bent over, took La'khay's hand, and pulled her to her feet, before throwing himself against her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and buried his face into her collar. He also made sure to keep their balance so they didn't fall. It took three gradual seconds for his brief mirth to be replaced by another release of emotion, tears flowed and muffled sadness sounded from Tzirret's hidden face.

It was not hopelessness and despair in Tzirret's sobbing this time, no crying for help or self-deprecation, no cowardice or depression. It was just as he had implied; saying goodbye. Not to La'khay as a friend, specifically, but to the extra feelings he had attached to her, as well as his fear of giving them up. It was a relief in his tears. He was letting go.

---

Though Gallus did not know the clan as intimately as the present lieutenants, he smiled to hear that Ra'kalesh was selected to be a new one. He was a wise alpha and an asset to them all.

When the meeting begun properly, Gallus paused to allow others to speak. When everyone else hesitated, he decided to start things off. "Very well...as we know, now, we have located Vile's stronghold in Pelletine. Likely disguised or otherwise well hidden. A base marked on our map near Corinthe. In order to recover this clan and secure the region, this base must fall. We do not have the numbers here, but joining the military power of Orcrest's clan with Senchal's may prove to be strong enough. This, however, leads us to a dilemma."

Gallus rolled out a map of Elsweyr and weighed the curling corners down with whatever was on hand. He started by gesturing to their current position and Orcrest. "The journey must be done as quickly as possible as the current position is on borrowed time while Vile's scouts continue to search. However, sending messengers to Orcrest for a coordinated attack is not guaranteed due to those who have disappeared. We cannot leave this clan unguarded either, hidden as it is. So, if the fighters of this clan leave, the rest of the clan goes with them." Gallus slid his finger along an undrawn line between the coast and Orcrest, "We would like to discuss the possibility of an overland trek, migrating everyone."

Gallus did not expect the response to the proposal to be favourable, but Meesei had her arguments prepared.

La'khay was confused by Tzirret's reaction, but as soon as he began to hug her, she returned it just as tightly. She was not quite sure why he felt he needed it, but if it was helpful, she would not argue. After a few move moments, she began to chuckle. "You are a strange Khajiit sometimes, Cloudy-Cat, but that, you shouldn't change. Some of these quirks of yours may be cute to some girls."

Once Tzirret eventually ceased his sobbing and pulled away from La'khay, she looked him in the eyes with a grin, and a hand on his shoulders. "La'khay hopes that was what you needed. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to mate, we can head back. You have a clan to explore."

---

As expected, Meesei's was not exactly met with smiles and applause. Instead, they received a mix of grim stares and worried glances. Ri'nakhad leaned over the table with his hands on either side of map, visibly frowning. "That is...a lot to ask. To move the entire clan such a distance...We have made a journey like that before, when we moved from Senchal to here after the attack. But, that was not as far, and we did not have to cross a desert. This one fears the losses we would take."

"I understand, Ri'nakhad, but this time, you would have much more of an opportunity to prepare." Meesei responded with a respectful tone, then motioned to Do'ajee. "That is why I have requested Do'ajee's presence. She was raised in Anequina and has lived a large portion of her life in its deserts. Your tribe was as large as this clan, correct?"

Do'ajee nodded. "Yes, this one's tribe was around the size of the clan...in it's current state. She knows the paths between the desert's oases. It would be possible, but...not easy. If Do'ajee is not mistaken, Ra'jorr is also a native of Anequina, correct?"

The Pahmar-raht gave a nod, but then, the gemstone on his pendant began to glow with a bright blue light. Shortly afterwards, it produced a strange, almost ghostly voice. "Yes, this one knows the desert well. It is possible for large groups to survive it, and he has no doubt that his warriors have the constitution for it, but to ask that everyone else in the clan, all of our young, injured, and elderly, make such a journey is a dangerous suggestion. Ra'jorr will not say it is impossible, but they are not accustomed to what they will need to face. If you wish to do this, you need to be absolutely certain it is necessary."

Now noticeably less tense, Tzirret gave La'khay a small smile. He nodded and responded, "Tzirret does think he needed that embrace, but..." He shifted unsurely about the prospect of mating with La'khay again. Being his age, the physical urge was still there, and it was very powerful. However, he thought it would be odd to try it while also trying to get his extra feelings out of his mind. He stood for a while, thinking, but he found the more he dwelt on it, the more his mind was being clouded just looking at La'khay's body. After another few seconds, he made a compromising excuse to himself and took La'khay gently by the waist. "Maybe just quickly, before heading back." Tzirret said in a rush, "If La'khay does not mind."

---

"As far as our knowledge extended, Meesei and myself discussed the matter last night and came to a few conclusions." Gallus responded, trying not to be phased by the eerie voice of Ra'jorr's amulet, "The options for levelling the base hinge on Orcrest. Either we, being my pack and Meesei's, travel to Orcrest ourselves, or we unite forces with the Senchal clan. We cannot take the base on our own and there is no guarantee that Orcrest has the manpower to take it either, at least not without crippling casualties risked. Contacting other clans would take too long, as would taking Orcrest's warband south to here. Not to mention that would leave Orcrest itself weakened. No, the only guaranteed option for taking the base is to unite. It follows then, to explore how to shift Senchal's warband."

Gallus spread his hands out either side of him and leaned over the table. "Currently, the warband here is guarding those who remain here. It will only be a matter of time before Vile's servants find this place. By then, your only option is a fighting retreat, just as you did to get here in the first place. Vile's forces are too strong and too well equipped to stand against here. I will not mince words; the pursuit will continue until we are all wiped out if nothing is done. Now, shifting the forces here would leave the civilians vulnerable, quickening the hunt if Vile finds them and depriving them of the manpower needed to move quickly. It may be slower to bring the non-combatants with the Senchal warband, but they will be better protected, and striding towards guaranteed safety with Orcrest." Gallus sighed, "As much as I can see, and my opinion is incomplete, those who would perish on the journey have their fates sealed here anyway. This is not perfect, but it is hope."

Then, Gallus gave both Ra'jorr and Do'ajee a glance. "You say it is not impossible, that is a good benchmark..." he paused and bowed his head, trying and failing to find a good way to say his next line, "To speak in such terms is heartless, I know, but if we were to attempt the journey, we need to know whether the number we would lose on the road would be preferable to those lost if Vile's scouts found us here after the days it would have taken to prepare."

"Certainly. It means La'khay won't need to go find Colors." La'khay answered as she wrapped her arms around Tzirret, then quickly untied his loincloth. Releasing her grip on him, she quickly looked around for a comfortable place to lay down, then lowered herself down onto her back again in a similar pose to before. "Take all the time you like."

---

The reactions of the lieutenants to Gallus' explanation was varied, from silent contemplation, to visible distaste. Miranor in particular had a worried expression. "Surely...this cannot be the best choice? We do not know for sure if Vile's forces are even looking for us. They may be dedicating their forces to more valuable targets. There has to be a way for us to just send warriors who can handle this journey?"

Ra'jorr shook his head. "No, in that, Ra'jorr believes they are correct. There is no way we could send a meaningful amount of warriors without weakening our defenses far too much to be safe. But, this one is still not comfortable with the idea. We do not have the food or water stores to make such an excursion safely.

Meesei nodded in understanding. "I...regret that this is the situation we find ourselves in. It is my greatest purpose to protect the lives of my fellow lycans, my brothers and sisters in blood. To take an option that is likely to cause deaths is not something I would ever consider lightly. But, as Gallus said, we are low on options. Vile has the advantage in Elsweyr, and if we do not regain it soon, many more deaths will follow. If you do not have the resources to travel, then perhaps we can find a way to gain them?" She said, looking to Gallus briefly to see if he had any suggestions.

Gallus leaned back in his seat and pinched his lower lip while supporting his elbow. "Additional resources...there might be a way..." Gallus' brow raised, "Two, perhaps. Three? No, we should not alert the local authorities." he lowered his hand and cautiously made suggestions, "One option could be to find other outposts like this one, if they exist. Another...may be risky or ill-advised, but if there are packs that can subsist in the wilds for an extended period, those with the skills, then they might have a better time staying in the Tenmar forest and evading while the rest of the clan goes north. It will be a long time away from everyone, but it would put less pressure on supplies." Gallus exhaled sharply, unsatisfied, "There has to be a better way, though..."

As he ran through the options, a detail kept coming up in Gallus' mind that he felt needed to be addressed. "I understand that we would have the resources to build most things on our own, but what are the financial resources of the clan at this time? We could likely smuggle all manner of things out of Senchal under the guise of a naive Imperial such as myself trying to start a trading company or some-such. Such a ruse, held together, may slip through the nets of Vile's servants if we do it right."

Jo'akith looked at Gallus with an expression that was, unfortunately, not encouraging. "As far as actual gold is concerned, the amount we have available is negligible. We took only what we had in our pockets when we fled after the attack, and we have not had any outside trading since we settled down here. It would be possible to find resources at our other outposts, but...that may not be a good idea. Only this outpost was kept out of our records. Vile's forces certainly know about the others, and may be watching, or even using them."

Ri'nakhad rubbed his mane, staring absently at the map as he contemplated the situation. "Those are fair points, Jo'akith, but it is worth mentioning that, while we do not have gold, we do have other resources that could be traded for it."

"Then that may be the way we could accomplish this successfully." Meesei commented. "If our greatest danger is the desert, then we can prepare against it. Ra'jorr, what would you say about this plan if you had more food and water available to you?"

Although Ra'jorr still seemed skeptical, his tone suggested that they could be on the right path to convincing him. "Well...those two resources would be our greatest concern. Water is the most important resource in the desert, but we can refill it completely at every oasis. We just need to ensure we have enough water storage to make every leg of the journey. Food would actually be harder to replenish. This one knows of a few locations where we could definitely trade for more, but overall, we would have to carry most of what we need for the journey. That too would take a lot of storage space."

Meesei nodded. "So storage space may be an issue. Are there any beasts of burden that can be used in the desert?"

"Yes, there are. It is not traditional for Khajiit, but camels have been used ever since they were brought here from the Alik'r. But purchasing camels would only reduce the amount of food we could buy." Ra'jorr answered.

"My pack still has a fair amount of gold from what we were allotted in Bruma, plus what we scavenged from Vile's outposts. We were going to use it for our journey back home, but we can use it to purchase these camels. Beyond that, Gallus' plan to trade for resources may work, but I do worry about the expense of hiring a ship to transport the cargo. If we could obtain the goods through Torval instead, we could simply move the entire clan closer to the city, so that no long distance transport would be needed. We would not need to divert far out of our path, and it is more than short enough of a journey that the clan should be able to make it without issue. Do you believe you could acquire goods from Torval in the same way, Gallus?" Meesei asked.

---

Peiter was laying in bed with Sabine, immediately following their second attempt. It had lasted longer this time, and he had not been as nervous through it. He laid facing her, staring into her eyes with a blissful smile. Despite the physical exertion, he felt energized. His heart was pounding, and his mind racing with thoughts almost exclusively about her. He simply felt alive.

"I...I wish I could think of more ways to say 'I love you.' How are you feeling this time?" He asked.

Gallus pulled a tense smile and tilted his head to one side while looking at the location of Torval on the map. "I could not say for sure. I know Senchal would work just by looking at the place, but I know nothing of Torval." He looked around to those better travelled at the table, "How large is the city? Is it known for commerce and trade? Corruption?"

---

After taking a moment on her back to catch her breath, Sabine slowing turned and wrapped her arms and legs around Peiter once more, kissing him deeply and running her fingers through his hair. They were both gleaming with sweat and their breath left something to be desired, but they did not care in the slightest. At this point, much of the oil had rubbed out of Sabine's now tangled hair, not to mention the glow had worn off, though there was still the hint of flowery fragrance from her wash. Sabine was not paying attention to her own scent, however. She was too busy wallowing in Peiter's scent. She loved it as she loved him.

After ending the kiss, Sabine placed her forehead against Peiters and opened her bright green eyes to stare back at him. Her breathing was still heavy as she breathed a response. "That was...much better. It did not hurt...as much." Sabine's mouth curled into a grin, "You do not have to say a thing. I love you too." Sabine swallowed and her breathing steadied. She pecked another kiss on Peiter's lips before returning the question, "How are you feeling?"

"Every city has corruption, but it is not like Senchal." Jo'akith answered. "It is our capital, however, and the seat of the Mane. Its port is not as large as Senchal's, but it of course has much trade. Its largest crop by far is moon sugar. There are fields of it farther than the eye can see, even beyond the Mane's private crop at the palace. Most of the naive businessmen in Torval try to purchase and export it, because of its low price in the city. Trying to trade in large amounts of food and other supplies might seem strange...though, this one supposes you might be able to evade suspicion by buying food with moon sugar. Even so, we have to consider the cost of this plan. We do have resources to trade, but they are not endless."

Ra'jorr nodded in agreement. "Yes, to make such a journey, even moving along the fastest route between oases, we will need to purchase a great deal of supplies. Food, water barrels, and not to mention something to keep them preserved. We would need to take stock of what exactly the clan has in its possession, but even if we do have enough, this one thinks that we will have very little left over afterwards. Few weapons, hides, materials for our camps. We will have nothing but scraps of food and empty water barrels when we arrive at the Orcrest clan."

Meese was glad to hear Ri'nakhad and his lieutenants at least entertaining the idea, but the points they brought up were certainly valid. "Based on the last reports, the Orcrest clan is in a strong position. They recently expanded their stronghold, and should be able to supply us once we arrive. I certainly understand the concerns of how it will affect us during the journey. To see where we stand, could you take stock of what you have available for trade?"

Although he was hesitant about the idea over all, Ri'nakhad nodded. "Of course, Champion, though it will take time."

---

Peiter began to laugh as he ran his hands across her form. "I don't know, I have to...think of some words to describe it. Enraptured, ecstasy? Those work pretty well. I feel closer to you than I've ever felt with anyone."

At the moment, it seemed like neither of them could speak for long without interrupting themselves with a kiss. There was still energy and passion between them, so even after he stopped his kiss, he showed no signs of wanting to let her go. They had already undone much of the work they had put into bathing themselves at the river, but that was an inconsequential concern at the moment for Peiter. "I feel energized, excited. I feel like I never want to let you go." He added, giving a brief pause as another thought entered his mind. He gave a grin, and another kiss before continuing. "You know, we could try to make a day of this, if you think you can?" He suggested in much the same playful tone as he would if he were challenging her to something like a race. What they were doing was new, and exciting. Now that he had moved past the fear of trying it for the first time, he found himself approaching it differently. If they continued, it was possible that others might wonder where they had been all day, but that was the furthest thought from his mind, as he was too caught up in the moment.

Remembering another few things, Gallus placed his elbow on the table and pointed up to the ceiling. "You know, I remember rations on the ship we took over here was mostly salted and cured meats. There was always plenty of it, and they never went off. If Torval has a port, I would be willing to bet that they would have such supplied in bulk stock, or at least the capacity for it. We may have to wait a while while it is all prepared, but that should not be an issue given the coin. If there are others who know how to preserve food in salt in the clan, we might make use of them as well."

As Gallus thought of other things to suggest, he idly tapped his finger on the table. The wood of the table made an odd sound that was enough to draw his attention to it and cause some inspiration. "Wait...we have carpenters in this clan, correct? Skilled ones?" Gallus asked the lieutenants curiously, "How lucrative is logging or wooden finished goods in Torval?"

---

Sabine raised her brow in surprise at such a proposal. Earlier that day, Peiter had been about as nervous as she was about even trying to mate, and now he wanted to stay in and do it all day? Sabine looked up in thought for a moment and slowly bit her lower lip. To buy some contemplation time, she rolled away from Peiter momentarily to grab her water skin and drink deeply.

"We could try?" Sabine said on her back while she lazily dropped her water skin over the side of the bed. She was still not entirely sure, "I need a break for a little while first. I am sore."

The whole idea seemed like a great way to exhaust themselves, but it was tempting. It would be a shame to waste the effects of her potion while it lasted, right? It had several hours left at the very least.

Sabine gave up to her rash thoughts and cuddled up to Peiter once again. She returned his competitive tone, "After that, then we do this more. Try to keep up."

Immediately proceeding from her agreement, Sabine ended up spending most of the time in her break simply kissing Peiter passionately.

Since Ra'kalesh was not well-informed on the clan's current state of affairs, he had been rather quiet thusfar, but he could see where Gallus was going with his suggestion. "Actually, it is more profitable than you might think. Jo'rashaad has told this one of what it was like to live there. A popular import was wood, and products made from it. It is usually shipped to Valenwood, as it is not far away and fetches a higher price."

Miranor had been quite skeptical thusfar, and while she was not yet convinced, this idea did cause her to raise her brow. "Yes...in Valenwood, the Green Pact prevents the destruction of any of Valenwood's own trees, but there are no restrictions on imported wood. It is in high demand. You wouldn't be able to get as high of a price in Torval, but it would still be profitable. Some of our carpenters did survive the attack."

"That is encouraging, but there is the concern of time." Meesei commented. "If you are suggesting that the clan's carpenters construct wooden pieces like furniture, that will have to be done near Torval, and will take time. We may be able to spare that time, but I am unsure. What about just the raw materials, the wood itself? What kind of a price would it bring in comparison to finished goods?"

"It would be less, unfortunately." Ra'kalesh responded. "It would still be profitable, but the furniture could be sold at a higher price, if well-made. But of course, it would be much faster."

"I see." Meesei said. She gave a light sigh and looked one more time towards the map. "In that case, if there is nothing else, we should probably make these decisions once we know exactly how much we will need. Ri'nakhad, how quickly do you think you will be able to take stock?"

"We already have lists of most of our usual supplies, we will just need to go over our more...static resources, like furniture and lumber. If we start soon, it should be finished by tomorrow." He explained.

---

"That's fine, I need a few minutes too." Peiter commented once Sabine turned for a drink of water. He sat up in the bed and took a moment to stretch out his muscles while she thought, though he quickly laid back down with her when she turned back to him. And, once she agreed, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his chest tightly against hers. "Hmm, keep up? I think I'll be, uh, outrunning you. With all the...physical conditioning I have." He responded with an ever widening smile.

The pair's words ceased with a long, passionate kiss. They took some time to recover in each others' arms, but once that was done, their embrace quickly turned into something more.