Tzirret stoop up with the sack of seeds to face Ma'tanza with a bit of surprise. "Dangerous? No! No, there is no danger. The apprentices ensured Tzirret. He got to try it a few times to make sure...but anyway..."

With the sack in both hands, Tzirret approached Ma'tanza again. His smile faded into nervousness as he looked away. "This one..." He stumbled over his speech, wringing the opening of the sack between his hands in a tight ball. "Damn it, this one knew the words...he..." Tzirret gathered the courage to look Ma'tanza in the eye and his knees began to quiver beyond his control, ever so slightly. He took a breath to ground himself, nodded his head back and forward, and then began properly.

"Where to start?" Tzirret curled his lips. He had trouble keeping eye contact and his words were not much more steady than his knees. "Well, Tzirret is...not looking forward to leaving. Being with Ma'tanza has been the best thing he has ever done. And, even though he was clumsy, and nervous, and inexperienced, and sad sometimes and...and sometimes simply a fool, Ma'tanza has helped him to realise more about himself. More about what he is good at. She is always so nice, but at the same time she is not afraid to stand up for herself." Tzirret nodded to Ma'tanza. "And, as for herself, Ma'tanza has heard this one's compliments over and again. She is everything that Tzirret wishes he could be. And he means that."

Tzirret's hands parted, opening the sack he held. His candlelight revealed that it was full of glossy black seeds that Ma'tanza could recognise as watermelon seeds. Tzirret was staring into the seeds. He did not sound as nervous, but instead he was mournful. "This one does not know if we will ever see each other again after he leaves. He hopes we do. He will not forget Ma'tanza in any case. Before he goes, though, he wants to say something properly."

With closed eyes, Tzirret slowly brought his chin level again while taking a long in breath through his nose. He then opened his eyes to Ma'tanza's, showing an intense look. He held the sack open and forward. "Please, take a big handful of seeds," he instructed. "This one will dismiss his light. Then, please toss the seeds up into the cups and bowls."

Tzirret gave Ma'tanza a moment to get her bearings and to convey that this was not a joke. The light then went out and plunged them both into darkness. They could still see the outlines of things, thanks to their Khajiit eyes, but the only light coming in was the smallest amount possible slivering in from under the door. It flickered with the torches in the hallway.

---

Meanwhile, the sun had not yet set outside of the clanhome. Fendros lead Ahnasha between the hills, carrying his bow, quiver, and a bag along with him. They didn't travel further than a few hundred metres before Fendros stopped and looked up at the top of the hill on their left. He put his hands on his hips. "Ah, good," he remarked. "The wind didn't pick up too much and blow the targets over."

Evidently, Fendros had been up the hill earlier that day setting up what they could see. A short distance from the top of the hill were two strange-looking miniature horizontal windmills. The thin planks that functioned as sails were picking up the soft wind and turned at variable speeds. At the end of the arms of the windmills were cords of thin rope that held up odd little wooden cylinders.

Fendros raised a hand to shade his eyes from the sun when he turned to explain to Ahnasha. "I, uh, asked the local marksmen how they challenge themselves here in this clan. They said they use these little windmills to practice against unpredictable targets. The aim is to shoot the cord so the little weights come rolling down the hill to use as a score." Fendros looked at the targets again, opening his mouth slightly as he squinted his eyes. "They said that when they're on the top of a taller hill, like this one..." Fendros pointed his bow to the targets. "...that the wind's too strong to hit anything." Fendros grinned. "I thought we might prove them wrong."

Fendros place his bag on the ground and drew an arrow, gesturing sideways to the hill with it. Strangely, there was the sound of rubbing beads in the bag as it rolled flat onto the ground. "I was thinking we'll take turns, and by the time I've run out of arrows or until we shoot all off of the targets from one, we'll count up who shot down the most. You take the left one, I'll go for the right one." Fendros hummed and japed, "It may seem difficult, but I'm sure that you'll get it with a bit of practice, Ahna."

As Ma'tanza learned more about what Tzirret had set up, she tried to make a guess at what he was planning. But, she could already think of a few ideas on what Tzirret could be doing with watermelon seeds depending on what liquid was actually in the cups. There were some that could cause them to grow quickly, some that could make them grow in an unusual way, and others that might do something more spectacular. She still could not say what Tzirret was going to attempt.

Once Tzirret started to explain why he was going through with this surprise, Ma'tanza almost started to tear up. The thought that Tzirret would be leaving had certainly occurred to her before, but she had been trying to avoid thinking about it. Whatever Tzirret had planned, she certainly appreciated the sentiment. Shortly after Tzirret dismissed his candlelight spell, Ma'tanza took a moment to lean in and give him a quick kiss. Afterwards, she did as he said and began to toss the seeds into the vessels.

---

As Ahnasha was following Fendros, she spotted the strange-looking targets that Fendros had set up for them. Though, hearing his explanation, their design certainly made sense. In the hills, they could set up the targets at both short and long ranges, and the hills themselves would help them catch the wind. Coupled with the fact that the actual targets they were aiming for were rather small, and she could see how it could be made into a challenge.

Ahnasha held up her finger to test the wind, then, with a flick of her wrist, conjured up a bound bow in her other hand. She nocked an arrow and aimed for a few seconds, but did not fire before lowering her bow once more. "An interesting idea for training, definitely. Though, you know these shots won't be easy, even for me. So, don't be too disappointed if you can't get a hit." She joked. "Why don't you take the first shot?"

The pause that Ma'tanza took made Tzirret feel as though he had said something wrong. Irrational worry crept over him until he felt Ma'tanza's lips against his for that brief moment. The sound of the seeds either skittering on the ground or ploncking into the liquid in the vessels banished those worries completely. He looked on in anticipation.

There was a light fizzing sound at first. It was hard to tell what was going on. Then, with such subtlety that it was already showing without being realised, a light blue glow began to shine from the seeds in some of the cups. The fizzing turned into a popping that made the liquid bubble and spatter into the other cups, causing the light to spread to them all in turn. Some of it was spilled, but the process was not worryingly violent.

As the light fell into each cup, it became brighter and brighter. It lit up the whole room in its bright blue, forcing the pair to squint as it reached its brightest point. And then, the light began to fade. Tzirret quietly placed the sack of remaining seeds onto the ground and reached to take Ma'tanza's hand while he watched on.

The light continued to fade until it seemed like that was all there was, though something else happened. Not all of the cups were losing their light, but instead were changing hue. Most of the cups faded into a dull, flickering green. The effect was astonishingly close to wind moving through a branch of jungle leaves. The other cups, in contrast, faded into a vibrant, consistent bright orange. They had the definite shape of letters in Cyrodilic, bunched up as they were in the circles that made up the light.


Tzirret's heart was pounding. He thought it was at the possibility that something wouldn't work, though is was extremely similar to the first time he opened his feelings to Ma'tanza. He wasn't entirely sure that it would all work, and indeed, a couple of the cups didn't light up. However, the main effect was conveyed well enough. He hadn't declared his love this literally since Ma'tanza told him not to when they landed the ships in the north.

With a small smile, Tzirret turned his eyes to Ma'tanza. "This one knows for certain this time."

---

Fendros raised an eyebrow and a smirk. "Hm? Afraid of wounding your pride? Alright then."

In reality, these targets were something that Fendros had not practiced against. He wasn't nearly as confident as he sounded. He frowned, took a few moments to slowly pull his arrow back, and lined up a shot. It was hard to lead the targets, not only because they were turning rather than going straight, but the wind picked up and down erratically. It was hard to tell how they would move, even feeling for the wind from where they were.

Fendros loosed his first arrow, taking into account the wind he could feel and the distance required. He stayed still until the arrow landed. A cord was cut and the weight fell. The arrow jutted out from the dirt behind the target in a puff of dust. The cords were apparently weak to be cut so easily.

Fendros grinned and lowered his bow, watching as they weight tumbled down the hill for him to pick up. "Your turn," he said.

Despite the skill needed to line up the shot in the first place, Fendros was lucky in that the wind had slowed for a brief moment, making it easier for him. It was beginner's luck to find out, but these targets were as much about timing as they were about accuracy.

While initially cautious, Ma'tanza was indeed enjoying the show of lights before her. As one familiar with alchemy, it was in her nature to avoid coming into direct contact with any ongoing alchemical process, But, the process was calm enough that she could at least stand safely at the edge of the room alongside Tzirret.

By the end of Tzirret's little show, Ma'tanza was smiling ear-to-ear. Her first reaction had indeed been correct; none of her partners had gone through so much trouble to do something romantic for her before. It was enough to soften the fear she had felt last time Tzirret had expressed similar feelings.

"Aw, that's just...so sweet Tzirret." Ma'tanza finally said after a few moments of speechlessness to take in the moment. She extended her arms out wide and wrapped her arms around him as she planted a kiss on his lips once more.

---

While she would not say it aloud, Ahnasha could honestly admit that she was surprised by Fendros' initial shot. They were aiming for small, moving targets, and even if the range was not extreme, it was no simple test. She knew Fendros had improved, but even she was not expecting all of her shots to be hits. She supposed that he could have simply been lucky on his first shot, but she would do the best she could regardless.

Drawing her bow, Ahnasha was patient with her initial shot. She paid attention to the wind, and tried to see if there were any patterns to how long it would blow at once. If the target was moving at a constant rate, she was confident she could hit it reasonably reliably, but the windmill was not so consistent. She just had to try and time her shot with the bursts of wind. Eventually, after about fifteen seconds straight of aiming, Ahnasha loosed her arrow. It was quite close, but instead of cutting one of the cords, it deflected off of the side of one of the weights themselves. It caused it to spin, but the cord was intact.

Ahnasha did not make a comment on her shot, but instead simply stepped back to allow Fendros to take his next shot. Even with a miss on the first shot, Ahnasha had her range dialed in, and had a better idea of how the wind was behaving. She was confident that her shots would average out to be more accurate than his.

Tzirret returned the embrace, holding onto Ma'tanza tightly. Here, in a private and romantic setting, he was not afraid to be passionate as he continued kissing her. This had been a long time in the making and he was almost swimming in positive feelings as a reward for it all.

The kiss lasted almost until the light from the cups and bowls had faded completely. They were in the dark again, but standing against each other in an embrace was as good as seeing each other. Tzirret ran a hand up the back of Ma'tanza's neck and leaned his forehead against hers. He smiled in a rare moment of being completely free from his own worries. Of course, the inevitable did come back eventually.

"This one does not want to leave," Tzirret whispered. "He feels sick thinking about it."

---

A mix of hubris and lack of attention to the range caused Fendros' next shot to be slightly rushed. It flew within a few centimetres of the cords, but had no chance of hitting them as they spun. The wind began to pick up slightly up the slope and the sails spun faster from then on. The challenge that the marksmen Fendros spoke to beforehand presented itself fully then.

Still, Ahnasha's shots began to land true. She shot down her first weight within a couple of turns. Fendros took his time, but didn't shoot off another until Ahnasha already had three. With only three arrows left, after loosing all others he carried at the time -- approaching twenty at that point -- Fendros finally shot down his third. However, Ahnasha had gotten used to the targets and brought down her last one in short order. This ended the competition after the hour or so that it lasted. Much banter was traded, though that was just part of the game. Fendros smiled at how Ahnasha fought back and they ended up having a good laugh at the challenge.

Of course, the contest was a genuine test of their skills in the end. The way they had to focus for each shot was unique in a training exercise. Fendros spoke with more humility now that it was over. "Huh, good shot. The marksmen weren't completely lying. Though, I suppose they exaggerated by calling it impossible." Fendros noticed a strange sound as the final weight finally rolled to a stop near Ahnasha. It was slightly hollow and rattling. Fendros suddenly took on a more careful tone, though he was making the effort to seem natural. "You know, the marksmen also told me that they sometimes put rewards in the weights, as prizes for harder challenges. I don't think any did what you've done, however."

Trying to act naturally, Fendros carefully placed his bow on the ground and picked up his bag. He rummaged through it, removing a cloth that was covering something. "Why don't you see what's inside that one?" Fendros mentioned casually.

Ma'tanza spoke softly, with something of a solemn tone. She did not like to think of their inevitable separation any more than Tzirret, and was always hesitant to bring it up. "Ma'tanza understands. She doesn't want you to leave either, but...some things we can't change. You have your pack; your family. It wouldn't be right for you to leave them, and Ma'tanza certainly can't leave hers. We...we always knew that we couldn't stay together forever.

Ma'tanza brought her hand up to Tzirret's cheek. "You will have to go home soon, but that doesn't mean we'll never see each other again. At least, we can hear from each other. This one doesn't see why we couldn't send letters, or something like that."

---

Ahnasha's bound arrows had been disappearing not long after they came to rest, so she had considerably less to clean up after her and Fendros' target practice had ended. She dispelled her bow as quickly as she had summoned it, and crossed her arms in pride from her victory. Of course, she was still Fendros' mentor in archery, so her victories rarely came as a surprise, but her accuracy had still been quite good even without the need for comparison.

When Fendros pointed out the hollow weight, Ahnasha eyed it skeptically. "A reward? Well I can see that being easily abused. It probably isn't anything valuable, else someone would just come up here and take it whenever they were alone. Probably just a trinket or something, but still, it might be something I can show off." She reasoned. Picking up the weight off the ground, she shook it lightly before looking it over for some way of getting it open.

Tzirret looked up with some hope, though he didn't sound completely mollified. "We could do that? This one does not think that they deliver to clanhomes." He paused for thought. "Maybe the cities would, if they do not mind delivering between the Empire and the Dominion."

Surprisingly, Tzirret found a thought to smile about. "Ma'tanza would have to get used to this one's writing, though. You saw how his note was. He is not very good at writing and reading, especially Ta'agra."

---

"Oh, I think that it's going to the right person this time," Fendros commented.

The weight felt slightly heavier than expected in Ahnasha's hand. The feeling of whatever was inside suggested a coin or a metal button. The way to open it was simple; the weight was a cylinder in two overlapping halves. Pulling them apart took some effort. With a pop, the larger half came away and the chamber within was revealed. Inside, a glimmer of gold glinted in the lowering orange sunlight.

Inside the chamber was a smooth, polished, gold ring.

The familiar clicking of beads sounded as Fendros pulled something out of his bag and dropped the bag down. In each hand, he held ornate bronze and lapis lazuli amulets of Mara. He had his head angled forward as he looked at Ahnasha with a bit of amusement. "I believe these are customary before I say anything else," Fendros said, holding one of the amulets out.

Ma'tanza grinned. "Well, you will just have to learn, because Ma'tanza expects to be hearing from you once you get back." She responded.

Ma'tanza broke up the conversation with another, longer kiss. Despite the fact that they planned to keep in touch, the thought was still in Ma'tanza's mind that their relationship would likely end once Tzirret left. If she ever actually saw Tzirret again, it would likely be many years into the future. She would not expect that Tzirret would remain alone for so long, nor was she sure that she would want to. But, that did not mean that she regretted having the relationship in the first place.

---

Ahnasha was not focusing on Fendros when she opened the cylinder, so she did not connect it to what he was doing at first. Her initial reaction was for her eyes to widen in shock. "What in Oblivion? Is that an actual, real gold ring? What kind of madman would put that as a reward?" She commented as she discarded the cylinder and took the ring in her hand. "This actually looks like real gold, and they're just giving it away? I guess the Dominion really is as wealthy as their propaganda makes them seem"

It was only after her surprise settled that Ahnasha turned around, after which that surprise resurfaced immediately. Among the pack, they did not have any proper jewelry apart from Meesei's ring, so the fact that Fendros was holding two amulets caught her attention. Though a worshiper of Hircine, Ahnasha had a more traditional religious upbringing, so it did not take long for her to recognize what they were. "What...is going on?" She asked.

Tzirret accepted Ma'tanza's kiss eagerly. For once, he didn't mind the extra expectations that were laid on him. He had proven that he could do many things during this journey. Getting better at spelling would not be too difficult.

For a while, they simply kissed in the dark. Tzirret experimented with how long it would last. He even let his hands wander a little more, though he didn't want to push his luck too much. Still, it was hard to gather the courage to do much more when an even baser instinct called out from his stomach.

When the kiss finally ended, Tzirret spoke with a bit less gravity than before. "Do you feel like getting something to eat with Tzirret before he cleans up here? This one has not eaten since breakfast, and he awoke early to do this."

---

Fendros' amused smile widened at Ahnasha's bewilderment. "This has been a long time coming," Fendros said, finally dropping the veneer. He put one of the amulets around his neck. "Now, I know neither of us are much for ceremony, pomp and circumstance, and all that, but..." Fendros stepped forward and put the other amulet around Ahnasha's neck. "...I felt like, after the battle and how close everything came, that I needed to do this without delaying any further."

Looking Ahnasha straight in the eyes, Fendros took both of Ahnasha's hands. "Ahna, you've been the least expected and most wonderful woman I have ever known. We have been through the best and worst moments of our lives together, and even after all this time, you still have that competitive spirit and determination that I love. I would like to continue sharing my life with you. So, for fear prattling on...would you marry me?"

As the passion started to subside, at least slightly, Ma'tanza pulled back just enough that they could speak more normally. "Sure, Ma'tanza has not yet eaten her dinner. S'nishi and M'ibasa, and the others have probably already finished eating by now, but Ma'tanza certainly wouldn't mind eating just by ourselves. In fact, she wouldn't mind spending the rest of the day together, just the two of us."

---

Ahnasha was, quite understandably, overwhelmed at the sudden development with Fendros. It was just about the last thing she expected that day, or any other day, really. Given that followers of Hircine, such as herself, did not practice marriage, and Fendros had never shown an interest in it, this was an incredibly sudden turn of events.

"This...is more of a surprise than I could have imagined. I mean, Hircine does not require an actual marriage between mates. We are mated, which is just the same as a marriage, so of course I am not going to say no or anything. There is nothing that's going to stop me from spending the rest of my very long life with you. It's just...where did this come from? What has caused you to want a ceremony?" She asked. It was not quite the emotional response that usually went along with marriage proposals, but given that she already considered them to be bonded just as close as a husband and wife, that was perhaps understandable.

Tzirret smiled. "This one would like that."

Tzirret leaned in for another quick kiss, which turned into another long kiss before Tzirret's stomach audibly grumbled again. After a short laugh, the two left the room behind, hand in hand. The rest of their time together would be bittersweet, but Tzirret had nowhere in the world that he would rather be.

---

If he were honest with himself, Fendros didn't know how Ahnasha would receive the proposal. He thought he should have expected the confusion that she displayed.

In response, Fendros itched at the back of his head. "Well, I don't know for sure. Beforehand, I think there were just too many questions." Fendros gestured this way and that. "Under which tradition would there be a ceremony? Would it even be needed? Would it be inappropriate in the middle of a war?" Fendros tightened the corner of his mouth for a moment. "I think...I have been thinking more about my ancestors since spoke with Irenya. I'm not exactly the most devout, but it's still..." Fendros was lost for words before he tapped his chest. "It's still a part of me. I know that my ancestors probably don't approve of me marrying a Khajiit, but they'd be none-too-fond of me being a werewolf, either, so it's not about that. I think I just wanted to use this to be sure of everything, rather than have that unresolved part tug at me so." Fendros managed another smile. "Also, I'd like to have some kind of official day for it. Some kind of celebration. It doesn't have to be a big ceremony, but..."

Fendros trailed off and bowed his head forward in a laugh. "I sound like a superficial s'wit, don't I?"

Ahnasha chuckled, shaking her head lightly. "I don't know in what way that could be considered superficial. It sounds like you've been through a small existential crisis...or a crisis of faith, or something like that. Anyway, with as much thought as you've apparently put into it, it sounds like something that matters to you. If you think a ceremony would be good for us, then I am with you."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Ahnasha curled her lips with uncertainty. "You do have a point, though. What kind of traditions will we even use? Hircine worshipers have none, obviously. Might want to go with something in a temple of the Divines. If we're going to have a wedding, I know my family would want to be there...or, no, they think we're already married. I guess it could be anything, then. I don't really know a lot about Dunmer marriages."

Again, Ahnasha began to laugh softly as she looked down at her amulet. "Though, I some of your research into marriages with the Divines might be a bit...off. I don't think this is how you're supposed to use an amulet of Mara. If memory serves, you're supposed to wear one to show that you're available. But to be fair, if you had done that, it probably would have given me the wrong idea."

"Oh? Was that it?" Fendros held his amulet between his fingers and looked at its shape. "What I read stated that people wearing the amulet would ask one another. Oh well." Fendros pulled off the amulet around his neck and put an arm around Ahnasha, planting a kiss on her lips. "I was actually thinking that there might be a Reclamations priest in Cheydinhal that might marry us, but I do not mind being married in the sight of the Divines." Fendros waved his hand dismissively while it was around Ahnasha's shoulder. "We can work that out later, perhaps if ever we decide to visit my family after all these years."

Fendros' eyes wandered down to Ahnasha's hands and then looked up to her. "Let's see how the ring looks. It's not a magic ring that'll stay on you when you transform, so it's probably not a good idea to get too attached and wear it all the time, but..." Fendros stopped before he explained the process of purchasing it. "Do you like it?"

Despite the difficulty acquiring it, the ring was more of a prop of the ceremony to Fendros. The symbol of affection that meant the most to Fendros was Ahnasha's arrowhead pendant. That wasn't much harder to lose, but thankfully Ahnasha had been careful enough to not wear it if she was expecting to transform.

Ahnasha held up the ring and examined it closely. There were no scratched or other blemishes on the metal, and at least at the moment, it was shiny enough for her to see her own reflection in it if she looked closely enough. She slipped it onto her finger, then held out her hand in front of her. "I've never actually owned anything made of gold." She commented.

Ahnasha did not actually answer Fendros' question aloud. Rather, she stepped up closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself tightly against him. There were a few seconds where she simply held her head a hair's breadth away from his, staring into his eyes lovingly. Eventually, she pulled him into a kiss, one far more passionate than usual. Her hands were all over him, leading to an embrace with far more energy than the norm.

Fendros was nearly going to quip about whether Ahnasha had owned any gold septims, though her actions caused Fendros to hold his tongue. That was, until it was attacked by Ahnasha's.

The way Ahnasha acted caught Fendros in the moment as he reciprocated her advances in kind. He could tell where this was leading. Though a minor struggle for rationality protested against it here, the best Fendros could do -- or rather wanted to do -- was to open his eyes slightly to try and spot a patch of soft sand in the rocky area. He spotted a slope of relatively fine scree that would have to do instead. He stepped himself and Ahnasha over to it, and then he realised how exceptional the situation was for just long enough to pull his head away slightly.

"Do you think we'll be found here?" Fendros asked between breaths.

As soon as they had reached an acceptable spot, Ahnasha practically tackled Fendros to the ground. She had already begun undressing when he gave his concerns, to which she grinned. "I think I'm willing to take that risk." She answered, interrupting any response he might have with another kiss.

---

It took two more days before the memorial was ready, as Ri'vashi had instructed a few of their woodcarvers to make a small statue in memory of those who had been lost. In that time, she also created a stir when she announced her intentions to leave the clan and join the Champion. Some were upset by the news, others relived, but it remained on everyone's minds up to the day of the memorial.

It was not safe to hold the memorial outside, since it would be far too difficult to get everyone inside in the event of danger. Since it was not posisble to fit everyone in the main chamber at once, it was decided that it would be a more personal affair for those who had lost loved ones. Everyone would have an opportunity to approach the memorial and say their final words in remembrance of the lost. Some had brought personal effects of the deceased, such as jewelry and other trinkets, to leave at the memorial, where they would remain for as long as it was standing.

The statue itself was made of wood, and about half as tall as the average Suthay-raht. It depicted three figures: a lion, a wolf, and the classic representation of Hircine behind them. Though, unlike most statues depicting the Huntsman, the lion and wolf were clearly the focus of the piece. Given the time in which it had been created, it was not exceptionally detailed, but the woodcarvers had obviously put in a great deal of effort to the statue.

The main chamber was packed with as large of a crowd as it could hold, with even the scaffolding above them holding some onlookers. Though they had not lost anyone themselves, Meesei and her pack were all present. Indeed, the only people who would not be present were those scouts who had volunteered to keep watch outside the stronghold during the memorial.

Hircine's followers did not have "priests" exactly, but there was an elderly Suthay-raht from the Orcrest clan who was well-versed in Hircine's rituals and traditions, who was presiding over the memorial. "We are all here today to remember those who sacrificed their mortal bodies for our defense. Against the enemies of Hircine, those enemies who label us monsters to be destroyed, they fought with all they had. Whether mage or warrior, archer or healer, they were all hunters for our great Huntsman. For those of us who are still here to honor them, we should remember their sacrifice, but also what they have achieved through it. We are all not just hunters. We are werewolves. We are werelions, werebears, werevultures, and werecrocodiles. We...are lycans. We are his hounds, his chosen hunters on Nirn, and eventually, his chosen for his Hunting Grounds. We should remember that we are all brothers and sisters, bounded in blood; tethered to our lord Hircine. When our mortal bodies wither and die, our eternal souls will find their way to his Hunting Grounds, where we will find again those we have lost today. You may begin approaching the shrine, and please, be patient and courteous to those paying their respects."

The rest and recovery from the next few days was something that just about everybody needed after the shock of the warband's return. Though Meesei and Gallus' packs had grieved for the fallen, Meesei's healing process was much better served by staying put. The news of Fendros and Ahnasha deciding to marry came with a mix of surprise and congratulations, though Fendros was mildly embarrassed to admit that he could only afford to obtain one golden ring. The other would either not be an issue or would be purchased later. Tzirret, again, spent much of his time with Ma'tanza. Over their last days together, they were particularly intimate. Tzirret even got to practice writing the address of the courier's office in Senchal for when he finally got home. Sabine tried her best to keep Peiter afloat, although she eventually came to the conclusion that there was only so much she could do to help with how fractured the pack was. Again, Gallus was quiet and short with his pack, but after another argument, Uthri made him admit that he will try to sort things out after the memorial.

As for the memorial itself, while the shrine was small, it was symbolic enough of the struggles of the clans present. Meesei and Gallus' packs stood together near Ra'kalesh and Ri'vashi's prides. They were on the same level as everyone else in the crowd.

The old man presiding over the memorial spoke from the heart. The message of unity was warm. However, the foremost thing on everyone's minds when shuffling wordlessly into a clumped and twisted queue before the shrine was one thing. Saying goodbye.

There would be long waits to get to the shrine, but people were willing to wait all day. Those that reached it said some words and laid a candle, or a desert flower, or a personal affect. Some broke down into tears completely, others had already done most of their mourning. Thankfully, there was no anger displayed. This was probably because there was nothing around them to blame it on, apart from Ri'vashi, at a stretch. Even then, respect buffered such a response for now.

Before most people, Fendros came to the front of the queue. He perhaps had fewer words to say than the others, but he knelt to the shrine all the same. "Do'ajee, Ra'jorr, good hunting. You were friends." He bowed his head and closed his eyes. "Irenya, you helped me realise what was left of before. For that, I thank you. It turned out you left something at camp that they were going to throw out but..." Fendros pulled out a small necklace of teeth from a belt pouch and laid it amongst the pile of mementos already placed. "I think it should stay with you. Good hunting."

Fendros would have remained for longer, but he didn't want to hold up other people. The rest of Meesei's pack was behind him, ready to pay their respects, depending on who would step forward. Fendros stood up and exhaled, not quite grieving any more than he had done on the road.

As Fendros was leaving the shrine, Ra'kalesh and his pack were stepping forward. They each had their own way to honor Do'ajee, but Ra'kalesh took the time to stop Fendros with a hand on his shoulder and give him a respectful nod. "Thank you." He said, referring to Fendros' words at the shrine.

Given that most of them did not directly know many who had lost their lives, most of Meesei's pack kept their words brief at the shrine. Meesei had nothing belonging to any of the lost to place at the shrine, but she did have a few words to say, meant for no one but herself. "You went beyond what any of us could have asked. Rest well, and may we hunt together soon."

Lorag's approach to the memorial was one of silent introspection. As one might expect of him, he did not weep, but he was among the first to honor fallen soldiers. He placed at the shrine a steel helmet, taken from the effects of one of the soldiers under his command who had died from her wounds in the camp shortly after the attack. She had no family among the clan, so he was placing it for her.

While Kaleeth was nowhere near as awkward in public as she used to be, some of that social awkwardness had begun to surface during the memorial. Even in her own village, she had never experienced a memorial like this, so she was rather strongly afraid of accidentally doing something that would cause offense. So, she had taken to staying close to Janius and almost refusing to let go of his hand. When they reached the shrine, she simply lowered her head and began to tear up.

Ahnasha, like Meesei, did not have anything appropriate to place at the shrine, but she did have something rather personal to say. "I...wish I would have said more to you before the attack, Irenya. I wish I would have forgiven you, clearly and directly. I know our last conversation was positive, that we were moving in the right direction, but...I wish I would have left it all so much clearer. I do forgive you, and I thank you. For not giving up, no matter how stubborn I was. I'm...sorry."

Fendros returned Ra'kalesh's nod with a solemn frown and brought his hand up to his shoulder to hold Ra'kalesh's. His loss was worse than most. With that, Fendros let go and turned around to wait for Ahnasha and the others. Rhazii stood beside him, holding his hand and watching on, silently chewing on the end of his tail.

Janius carried Newt in one arm during the memorial. He was too young to know what was going really going on. Janius and Kaleeth approached the shrine at the same time, and Janius offered Kaleeth a comforting rub on the shoulder. He himself looked down sadly at the shrine all the same. He had nothing profound to say this time. He felt something simple would be just appropriate enough. "Good hunting, friends."

When Ahnasha finished her words, Fendros waited for her with open arms. While he wasn't exactly aware of Ahnasha's reservations with her apology, to see her speak as she did made him thankful as well as sad for her. Out of the way of the shrine, he hugged her tightly and held his own eyes shut against the tears that were forming.

Sabine was alongside Peiter with his pack. She wanted to be beside him when he said goodbye to his packmate. But first, Gallus was ahead of them all.

Uthri had made sure that Gallus would be at the memorial and she had made sure that he was in the queue. She was sick of his avoidance and so he begrudgingly agreed. Gallus had been blank, if stern throughout up until this point. His crossed arms and tense jaw spoke of not wanting to be there. Still, he stepped forward to the shrine, took a breath, and unfolded his arms.

"I...wish I could say more, Irenya," Gallus began, almost bored sounding. A pause showed a sign of change shortly after. He stopped to swallow hard. "Your absence has left our pack much lesser than before. I found you under circumstances that I didn't expect, brought you into our family, and made you a fine lycan as well as close kin. You were...not the warmest of us, but within yourself, you had a deep well of kindness. I brought us all out here to make us better, and you, of all people..." Gallus choked on his last word and brought his thumb and fingers to his eyes. He took a shaky breath in. "Made the most...extraordinary strides." Gallus sniffed, failing to keep tears from falling from his cheeks. His next words shuddered with his weeping and he dropped to one knee. "I never told you how proud I was to be your alpha! With all the mistakes I have made, no less..."

This uncharacteristic behaviour for Gallus left everyone who knew him speechless. There were seldom times that he wept and spoke this passionately and directly about anything. Though, with the way his entire body physically shuddered and the way his tears were pouring forth, it was clear to see where it was coming from. These weeks that he had stayed strong and secluded, the tension he had held, the mourning he had avoided, and -- not least -- the crushing guilt he felt; all of it was being released here and now. Gallus' demeanour was almost alien in its pitiful contrast.

Gallus continued to weep for another half a minute before Uthri stepped up and placed a hand on his back. She had tears going down her face, but she had been grieving for a while now. Without words, Uthri gave a nod to the shrine, took Gallus' arm, and gently led him away. They found a seat each where Uthri embraced Gallus and he wept into her shoulder. Uthri rocked him back and forth and gave him gentle pats, but he had a lot of grieving to catch up on.

Tzirret was behind Peiter and Sabine. He opted to wait his turn, but even he was brought to tears early in empathy with Gallus.

Ri'vashi was muck like Lorag in that she did not express openly her words to the dead, but that did not mean her show of grief was not obvious. When it was her turn to approach the shrine, she placed down an ornate carving knife with a handle shaped to depict the Khajiit deity Baan Dar. It had belonged to her fallen pride member, so she had decided to commit it to the memorial. She knelt down on one knee and closed her eyes. She remained silent, but the fur under her eyes quickly began to darken with tears.

Peiter, through all of Gallus' words at the shrine, appeared incredibly conflicted. He did not respond to anyone around him for a while, even Sabine. He just stood, staring at the ground in front of him. It was difficult to tell exactly what was going through his mind, whether it was grief from thinking about Irenya, or something else entirely. Even after Gallus stepped away and it was his turn at the shrine, he was caught up in his thoughts enough that he almost looked like he was not going to approach at all.

After some delicate prodding from one of the crowd behind him, Peiter did eventually step forward to the shrine. "I...wish I had something of yours, Irenya. Something to leave here for you. It shouldn't have been you. You didn't deserve it; you deserved many more...hundreds of years of life. Nothing about this is right, and I..." He began, his gaze moving in the direction of Gallus and Uthri. "...feel like a fool."

Peiter turned away from the shrine, almost abruptly. He said nothing, but moved through the crowd with purpose until he reached Gallus and Uthri. At first, he opened his mouth as if he was going to speak, but again said nothing. The uncertainty had not left his expression, but his intentions became clear once he placed his hand sympathetically on Gallus' shoulder.