Peiter shook his head. "They just said to rest until I was feeling better. I don't really feel weak or anything. I can walk around, I just...don't feel like doing anything right now. It's hard to even think about doing anything else right now, and it's not like I can carry anything heavy. I just feel worthless right now."

Turning his head away, Peiter started showing more discomfort. "And I know you must have a hard time looking at me right now. I'm mutilated, disfigured. Everyone has been staring, and I know it can't be easy for you to act like you don't want to as well. I know you don't want to hurt me, so...thank you."

---

Ma'tanza kissed Tzirret's cheek in an attempt to comfort him, and held on to him even more tightly. "We had to leave everyone behind, but Ma'tanza is sure they understand. Irenya and all the others would want us to be safe. With all the people we lost...this one doesn't think it would be safe to go back. If it was, we would be staying to bring them back out of the fortress; Ma'tanza is sure of it. They're all in the Hunting Grounds now, so they don't have to worry about fighting enemy soldiers."

---

Meesei shook her head. "No, but the matter is far from a simple one. As you are both well-aware, this attack did not go to plan, but it could have been [i]much[/i] worse. Our attack went as well as it possibly could have until the point where the enemy revealed their new weapon. Were it not for that, we would have taken the fortress and killed or captured the General without many casualties of our own. We all played our role in that effort, but it was your military prowess that truly stood out to me, Ri'vashi. You have a reputation among your peers in your clan as a military leader, and this attack proved it to me. The way you coordinated our soldiers during the initial attack was near flawless, and you not only held off against a flanking force, but you defeated them despite being outnumbered."

Meesei took in a long breath and lowered her head, though it was more just to get a look at her own body than out of any feeling of shame. "But, more to my point, this ordeal has, as you might expect, caused me to think on my own mortality. I have already sorted the matter of my own succession, but it has caused me to think on who will take over other roles. For the past few years, myself and my council have served to direct all of our expansion and operations throughout Tamriel. Individual clans handle their own missions and other concerns, of course, but we have been directing our overall strategy. We have talented people in Bruma, but it would be foolish of me to think that we have the most qualified people for every aspect of the war. For us to have the best chance of success possible, I need to find our best merchants, bureaucrats, mages, alchemists, spies. And for our best general, I believe that would be you, Ri'vashi. I would like for you to return with us to Bruma and direct the overall military strategy for all of Tamriel's lycan clans. It would, unfortunately, mean stepping down from your position as clan leader, but I believe you could save many lives as our military leader."

To say Ri'vashi was speechless would have been an understatement. The Champion's compliments on her performance were flattering enough, but to be offered such a position was an immense honor. Though, the ramifications of such a choice did not escape her. She did not relish the thought of leaving her clan, and for the moment, she could not think of any intelligible response at all.