[i][b](A most excellent collaboration featuring the vocals of Dervish, lead guitar Hank, and percussion of Mortarion.)[/b][/i]


It was strange how quiet things became in the lull after battle. Where chaos and bloodshed had filled the air with the screams of men and the clash of steel only minutes before, an eerie lull took the day and the docks could have been indistinguishable from a crypt, save for the gentle lapping of waves against the foundations. The mercenaries had worked dilligently, not finding time for rest as the city's defenders had their own problems to deal with. While exhaustion, both mentally and physically, were a concern, there were still all too many bodies, and fewer still wounded. The company had seemed so formidable at first, but now it seemed like a broken shell, held only together by the threads of the very few who remained.

This was not how Do'Karth expected his first day to go, that much was certain. The khajiit had noticed things moving far too quickly after mounting the giant and trying to force it into submission. The next thing he knew, reinforcements arrived, drove the beasts back, and the docks were awash in friendly activity that drove the hideous hulls back into the waves, hopefully long enough for Windhelm as a whole to gather reinforcement and come up with a plan of dealing with the next landing. But for now, he helped drag and carry any who could be saved back to the warehouse that had acted as their impromptu headquarters and set immediately to tending to wounds amongst the raw coppery smell of blood. He decided rather quickly this would not be where he sets his bedroll tonight.

One of the few good things to come out of the giants smashing wood planks on the dock were that there wasn't a shortage of things to fashion braces with, and the lucky ones who only suffered from shattered or broken limbs could at least have some sort of mending before the mages could get around to them. And so he worked, setting limbs and bandaging gruesome wounds and lacerations while applying salves of more traditional medicine. For a change, people were far too gone for the most part to complain about him potentially leaving fur in their wounds. Had he been more rude, he would have certainly tried to cough up a hairball at their expense.

The next on the list of casualties, and possibly the first that resembled more of a person than red paste, was an argonian who had meandered into the warehouse under his own strength. Do'Karth wandered over to him, setting his supplies next to him. "Considering the day we're having, this one suspects you're simply thankful for the break... excuse the bad joke. It has been a coping mechanism, yes?"


Tsleeixth entered the warehouse with some difficulty, having some difficulty opening the door with only one good arm. He let out a sigh when he looked at all the wounded in the warehouse, the scene reminding him far too much of the aftermath  of the assault to the Forsworn redoubt, but even worse.  He was surprised when one khajit approached him, laughing slightly at the joke "Yes, I understand, don't worry" He said as he  moved a bit further into the warehouse before sitting not he floor with his back against the wall, exhaustion finally catching up to him in the aftermath of the battle.

He looked to the khajiit that had greeted him when he had first entered "Hmm, do you know where a healer is? One of those giants hit me pretty hard, think that my arm is broke and perhaps a couple of ribs" He said as he tried to move into a more comfortable position for his broken arm, pain flaring form the limb as it moved and causing the Argonian no small amount of discomfort as well as pain.

"Someone asked for a healer?" Niernen said, appearing behind Do'Karth's shoulder. She blanched a little at the sight of Tsleeixth, her eyes narrowing. She had practically never spoken to an Argonian before and had barely laid eyes on any of them after the Blackmarsh campaign, other than a few slaves in Blacklight. She supposed now was as good a time as any to start setting aside her prejudice against them and get over herself; that was the real reason she was out here in Windhelm in the first place. Steeling herself, she brushed past Do'Karth with a quiet "Excuse me," and crouched down next to the Argonian. 

Her hands started to glow with Restoration magic as she gently took Tsleeixth's arm, moving her palm up and down the length of it. That was the most obvious injury, but probably not the only one. "There, that should quench the pain at least. I can't mend the break completely, so you should probably wear a brace for a while. Truth be told," Niernen said, avoiding Tsleeixth's gaze, glancing up at his jaw every so often, "I'm not an expert on Restoration magic."

She had made her way to the warehouse after the fight, following the train of injured guards and mercenaries. Garm, her pet Nix-hound, had disappeared briefly, but Niernen wasn't too worried about that. She'd followed Do'Karth's path along the injured, applying Restoration magic wherever necessary. She'd already tossed back one of her Magicka potions and was starting to feel the toll on her magicka reserves again. Tucking a rebellious strand of hair back behind her ear, Niernen continued: "Either way, name's Niernen. I signed up for the company last night. Were your first days as interesting as this?" directing the question at Tsleeixth and Do'Karth simultaneously. 

While the dunmer worked on the argonian's arm with her restoration spells, the khajiit prepared a splint, using a length of canvas he had procured from a shipping crate to give it padding. His glance caught a barely noticable tension coming from the woman, who given her elven physiology could either be in her 20s or 90s and he would be none-the-wiser. It made for a few strange intimate encounters in his travels where he came to the realization that the woman was only a generation or two removed from the Oblivion Crisis. His gaze followed the next obvious course and looked at the argonian, whom he sincerely hoped didn't owe her some kind of debt. Were that the case, this room would likely soon be filled with more screaming than he was particularly enamoured with. 

"Here, allow Do'Karth to assist." he said, setting the splint on either side of the argonian's arm, straightening it out gently and tying it securely. He next set to work to securing the arm across his chest. "Considering how those giants typically leave their victims, this one considers you fortunate. He doesn't think there is much to be done for your ribs, save for spells, but if you do not have a punctured lung, the best thing would be rest." he looked at some of the others in the warehouse. "As you might have guessed, there's quite a line-up for our services."

This done, Do'Karth sat back and produced a wineskin, which he uncorked and handed to the argonian's good hand in offering. He looked back to the dunmer woman who introduced herself as Niernen, which he was certain would have rolled off his Anequinnan accented tongue rather smoothly. "This one has the pleasure of being Do'Karth. And this is more or less this one's first day. He brings a certain luck to the company, no?"

"Yes, I did, thank you." Said the Argonian when Niernen appeared, although the brief look that the dunmer woman gave him told Tsleeixth that his presence made her uncomfortable. He relaxed slightly when he felt restoration magic mending  some  of the damage to his arm "Yes, it does, thank you." He said when the dunmer woman mentioned that it should at least quench the pain "Ah, it's ok, I guessed as much, thanks for easing the pain." Said Tsleeixth when Niernen mentioned that he should probably have to wear a brace for a while.

He was about to answer Niernen's question  when the khajit, who identified himself as Do'Karth, spoke to him "Thank you." Said the Argonian as Do'Karth set about to make a brace with the materials at hand, grimacing slightly as pain flared through his arm when the kahjiit secured it against his chest "Hmm, yes, although it was a pretty close encounter for me." He said  grimly, remembering the Nord warrior who had given his life trying to save him "And thank you for your help, Do'Karth" He said, following the khajit's gaze of the warehouse, grimacing as he saw the amount of wounded.  "Yes, I suppose so" He said when Do'Karth mentioned that there was a line-up for their services.

He gratefully accepted the wine skin that Do'Karth offered to him, drinking some of it's content as he listened Do'Karth saying that this was his first day "Well, I've been with the company since the Reach, although my part in the battle was pretty much helping set up the leaders and then get knocked out" He said in self-deprecating humor, chuckling softly. "But yeah, it was...interesting, as well." He said, letting a sigh as he remembered the incident with the Forsworn kids and, for a second, wondering if they were okay. 

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Do'Karth -- could be my fault as well," Niernen said with a wry smile in reply to his quip about bad luck. She nodded at Tsleeixth, acknowledging his thanks, straightened, groaning slightly. She placed her hand on the wall for support. "I was born under the Serpent, after all." Niernen didn't reply to the Argonian with more than a short mumble. Taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the flashbacks in her mind's eye, she looked around the warehouse, seeing that other healers had arrived by now and took this as her cue to relax. She opened the pouch at her waist and chewed down a few of the juniper berries. Ever since the Argonian poison had almost killed her she needed to eat something frequently, or she'd become light-headed and shaky. 

Garm appeared, trotting into sight with an object between his pincered jaws. Niernen narrowed her eyes, trying to make out what it was in the gloomy twilight of the warehouse, and gasped when she saw it was a severed human arm. "Garm, you s'wit!" she hissed, but the Nix-hound tilted his head back and started swallowing the limb. "Too late to stop him now, I suppose," she said and shook her head. Garm had found the limb out on the docks, no doubt. Nix-hounds were scavengers and omnivores who ate practically everything, so she shouldn't be surprised that this happened. 

"The Reach? Quite the range of travels. From what this one has heard, it was... quite unpleasant that way." he said, regarding his furred with a frown. It would take quite a bit of effort to clear out the blood stains. "And think nothing of this one's services. He does not wish to take life, and whomever he can save eases his conscious." he replied, looking up at Niernen with a slight smile. "Do'Karth would not presume to put pressure on either of us, we are doing something our more battle-axe happy compatriots are clueless about. It makes us rather blameless if we do bungle it up." he said, watching her eat the juniper berries with some envy. Damn mages could keep their hands much cleaner than he could. 

The Nix-hound entered the warehouse, or at least came into view, carrying some poor bastard's arm as a chew toy. The scene would have been comical, had its implications not been immediately dark. "Niernen does not sleep with both eyes closed around that thing, does she? You don't appear to be missing anything important."

Tsleeixth grimaced when Do'Karth mentioned that the Reach had been an unpleasant affair "Yes, that it was." He said with a sigh, but offered a smile to Do'Karth when he said that he should think nothing of his services, that he didnt wish to take life and that whoever he could save eased his consciousness "Still, thank you Do'Karth." He said, looking as Niernen began eating juniper berries, realizing his hungry he was now after the battle but was a little ashamed to admit it.

He would have mentioned something, or would have gone to his rucksack to get some food, had it not been for the appearance of a nix hound. He would have been more surprised, after all he had only read about the creatures never seen them, but the battle against the giants seemed to have left him dull to any other surprises, not even when he noticed that the creature was carrying a human arm. "I'd guess the Nix hound is yours, Niernen?" He asked the dunmer woman when he noticed that she had referred it the nix hound by name, letting out a soft chuckle at Do'Karth's question.

"True, true," Niernen said in response to Do'Karth. "But I think I'll leave the healing to the professionals whenever I can. And yes, he's mine," she replied to Tsleeixth. She absent-mindedly turned to look at the Argonian and met his gaze for the first time. Blanching, Niernen immediately looked away, first at the ground, and then at Do'Karth. It took her a few seconds to recover and process the Khajiit's question, after which she smiled and shook her head. "He's well-trained, really. Doesn't attack unless commanded to. I should have known he would do something like this, though." 

Garm finished swallowing the arm and yawned, stretching his front legs. "What do you think is going to happen next?" Niernen asked, turning serious. "Those... things... haven't left. They're docked on the opposing shore. Do you have any idea what they are?" 

"Let us hope he does not hold the same distain for cats as dogs do, then." Do'Karth said with a weary chuckle, eyeing the hound longer than he had strictly intended to. It was an unfortunate introduction to the dunmer's cherished companion. "Do'Karth is no soldier, not by trade anyways, but he is certain the enemy will be back... likely with more surprises and men, or whatever those things were. They are unlike anything he has seen, and he has seen many wonderous things. This one suspects Daedra, but is that not the response towards anything that seems otherworldy and quite rude?"

Tsleeixth shifted slightly uncomfortably when he noticed the expression on Niernen's face when she looked him in the eyes. "Ah, I see." He said when she mentioned that the nix hounds was indeed hers, relaxing slightly when she mentioned that the Nix Hound, Garm as she had called it, was well trained. He shivered slightly when she said that the creatures hadn't left "Yes, they haven't left and they are most likely to attack again as Do'Karth said." He said "As for what they are...well" Said the Argonian hesitatingly "I head someone in the docks shouting that they were Kamal, the Snow Demons." He said, letting out a soft sigh "No idea if that's true but, well, based on what we've seen I think it's best to keep an open mind." He said shifting slightly as he pondered on whatever to ask something to Niernen.

"Kamal?" Niernen asked, surprised. "From Akavir? That's... extraordinary. If that's true it would be the first invasion from Akavir in centuries. Makes more sense than Daedra, I think, what with the Dragonfires and the fact that I've never heard of Daedra like this. I know a thing or two about Conjuration. Kamal..." Niernen trailed off, her arms crossed and her brows furrowed. 

"From Akavir?" Do'Karth repeated with a long blink. That was unexpected; dealings with that continent had been, as Niernen had pointed out, unheard of for quite some time. It was impossible to think of it as a real place at times, just a land of insane stories of snake men, dragons, and distant beast folks that would be similar, but different, to khajiit. He had never heard of Snow Demons or Kamal before, although he wasn't about to question how valid this was. Idly, Do'Karth grasped his amulet of S'renndar and began to work it over in his fingers absent-mindedly. It brought reassurance where words could not. "So... how does one stop a Snow Demon? Setting them ablaze seems too obvious." he asked. 

Tsleeixth shifted slightly, thinking on for a bit "Yes, I agree, they didn't seem like Daedra to me either." Said the Argonian in response to Niernen's comment, truth be told he wasn't certain if the man shouting in the docks was right but it seemed like a plausible thing. He shifted once more, looking as Do'Karth began toying with a pendant, something that reminded him of his own pendant and gave his chest a light pat for a second, letting out a soft sigh when he noticed that his amulet was still in place.

"Well, their armor seems to have a weak spot in the knees, that's how most of the ones that have fallen had been defeated, make them fall under their own weight and attack their necks." He said as he began toying with his own amulet, mimicking Do'Karth's action. "It would seem that fire salts also work well against them, at least I think so." He said, shrugging as best as he could, remembering the men carrying crates of fire salts. "Hmm, I know it sounds impossible, but...well, I've got no other idea what else they could be." Said Tsleeixth, shifting slightly. And drank from the wine skin that Do'Karth had handed him once more, trying to relax slightly.

"I tried that," Niernen said to Do'Karth. "The fire wouldn't catch, though. Their armor isn't exactly flammable." She listened to Tsleeixth, agreeing with everything he said. Were these really the supposedly inferior creatures the Dunmer freely enslaved? Tsleeixth seemed intelligent and kind. Niernen felt increasingly uneasy, though it was now born from guilt instead of fear. She inhaled deeply, wondering what the hell she'd been doing with her life until now. 

Shaking her head, Niernen said: "Right then, Snow Demons. They'll be back. You need to rest a little, Tsleeixth, but what do you think we should do now, Do'Karth? I'm at a loss, frankly."

"It's like Do'Karth's mother used to tell him when he was young, never think on an empty stomach." The khajiit said, acutely aware the only strong memory of his mother was found in the form of a stinging backhand for not gripping a dagger properly. He chased the thought from his mind, rising to his feet, making a show of brushing his hands clean. "This one understands there's a kitchen within the gates that is for us stalwart defenders, and this one is acutely aware that he has not had more than a few small bites since before sunrise. Do'Karth would rather not face his foes again on an empty belly." he said with a shrug. "Shall we? Nords eat a considerable amount, this one has noticed." he offered a hand to the seated argonian. "This one supposes you do not wish the company of the dead and dying."

Tsleeixth chuckled, taking the kahjit's hand to stand up "You are correct Do'Karth, plus I didn't eat in the morning to I am pretty hungry." He said, feeling his stomach grumbling slightly and then turned to face Niernen. "Will you come with us Niernen?" He asked to the dunmer woman, offering her a smile as he waited for her answer before leaving for the kitchen.

"A hot meal would be nice, yes," Niernen said. She met the Argonian's eyes when he spoke her name and saw that the corners of his mouth were curled up; she assumed this was a smile. Ignoring the clenching in her gut, Niernen smiled a small smile of her own and nodded at him. It wasn't too late -- perhaps she could make up for the things she had done in Blackmarsh after all. She followed the Khajiit and the Argonian outside, narrowing her eyes against the sunlight. Garm followed soundlessly.