[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[Muttonhawk]

Meesei's thorough explanation of the situation left the council silent for any further objection. Vera might have contrived a reason to keep Meesei and her pack around, but she had an idea that Meesei was quite set in her new heading.

Vera took a slow, deep breath through her mouth and exhaled through her nose. She was not satisfied, she was but convinced. "...If you insist, then." Vera leaned back on her seat, "I do not think it will be a problem to find you a pack that is willing to join you. If we have anything to spare, it's manpower." Vera gave the others a glance, but brought her eyes back to Oswall, "Are there any packs with rangers that we might spare, Oswall?"

"I can think of a few," Oswall had his arms crossed, mulling over the news while he answered, "Some may even have the sense of adventure to join you without any convincing required. I know my son's looking for an excuse to see the world."

Darahil interjected, "While we're on the subject, while it is true that we are strained for alchemical resources with the population we have been maintaining, we may be able to supply your potion needs. All I ask is that you inform me what you need ahead of time. We will require time to brew."

[EliteCommander]

"Hmm, apart from the average stock of potions, I do suppose it will be helpful to have a surplus of stamina potions, or anything else that might help us cover longer distances. We may find ourselves in a hurry and having to keep moving longer than usual, even into the night. It depends on how drastic the situation in Elsweyr truly is. Otherwise, it is difficult to estimate what our needs may be without knowing more about the situation. Sabine may be able to tell you more about our alchemical needs, and it may also be useful to question someone who has been to the area about the challenges it presents. The representative of the Senchal clan may be helpful in that regard. In fact, I believe I will question him about the Tenmar forest before we leave, and the deserts a well, just to be safe." Meesei answered to Darahil.

Turning to Oswall, Meesei nodded. Gallus' pack was seeming like a good option, though she did not wish to make a final decision before actually asking the pack directly. "Gallus' pack could be a good choice. I spoke to my pack earlier this morning, and they would be most comfortable bringing a pack with at least a few members they know and trust. Just be aware that our mission may be dangerous, though his pack would not likely be facing the heaviest of those dangers. As for other supplies, we have all been maintaining our own equipment. The resource that will be most likely to be helpful to us is simply gold. The fastest route to Senchal would be to take a caravan to the Imperial City, then head by ship south to the Topal Bay, and then to Senchal itself. We will need enough gold to pay for passed on the way there, and preferably for the return trip as well, if we are to get back quickly. For our traveling expenses, we may need somewhat more than usual to convince the captain of the vessel to allow our wamasu on board. Beyond that, we are of course capable of hunting for our food, but we would be able to concentrate on our mission more easily if we can simply purchase our supplies."

Meesei looked around to the others. She knew that some of them, particularly Vera, were not keen on their departure, but she was also sure they understood the need. "Does anyone else have further questions or suggestions? We will likely leave as soon as all necessary preparations have been made, perhaps in two or three days."

[Muttonhawk]

"As you wish. I will follow up with Sabine." Darahil answered before Meesei addressed Oswall, "It would be a good opportunity to wish her a happy birthday, since you had me write off her commitments today."

Vera didn't offer any further reason for Meesei to stay, but she did want to resolve he issue of provisions. "I believe that we have enough supplies to provide for your journey to the Imperial City. Darahil, Pierrette," Vera looked to both of them, "How much gold do you believe will take Meesei and her party to Senchal? Can we spare it?"

Darahil crossed his arms and his chest slowly rose with a silent breath as he performed some mental arithmetic. The top of his breath was the point at which he reached an answer. "On hand, we have enough to spare for the sea voyage and some rudimentary supplies. You may have to provide for yourselves on the road south. Pierrette, you are better versed in planning for travel, and more immersed in our wider enterprises, how much impact would taking roughly one thousand five hundred septims of our profit this month make on us?"

"Hmm..." Pierrette made a single tsk sound, "Well, we would be slowed for next month, some plans will have to be postponed. It won't exactly bankrupt us. Given the severity of the situation, I would say that the expense would be justified. Never mind the money, Meesei, that clan might need help. You should take two thousand, just to make sure you get a ship." Pierrette gave Darahil a sideways look, "We can do without that much for a while."

Clearing his throat, Oswall shifted and spoke. "If you want my suggestion, Meesei, get that extra coin to get you a swifter ship out to the bay. It's easy to purchase space upon a sluggish trade cog, but time is of the essence. Find something smaller, leaner."

[EliteCommander]

"Agreed." Meesei responded. "If for whatever reason it became necessary, we can detour to one of the other clans to receive additional funds for the return trip, but the Senchal clan may need aid quickly. I expect we will leave in a day or two, depending on how long it takes to gather the necessary supplies. Oswall, I will speak to your son tomorrow morning to ask if his pack will join us. I do not wish to bring anyone along who is not doing so voluntarily, so I do not want to order anyone to join. At any rate, unless there is more to discuss about the matter, I suppose we should continue with the rest of the meeting..."

---

As planned, Meesei's pack, and a few of the lieutenants, took the next day to prepare for the pack's departure. Sabine was approached by Darahil about their alchemical needs, Lorag spent most of the day trying to find his replacement for training, and Meesei spoke to several individuals regarding their upcoming plans, including Gallus and both of the representatives from Elsweyr. Ahnasha, in addition to determining who would take over in assisting Caldris for archery training, did what she could to clean out her hidden room in the lower levels. She could not simply take everything out quietly, particularly the larger pieces of furniture, but she could at least hide away some of the more incriminating items, and made sure there was nothing to link it back to her. Hopefully, the secret passage would not be discovered while they were away, as she did hope to be able to use it again once they returned.

After a full day of preparation, Meesei's pack awoke early in the morning, before most of the clan had risen for the day. She had been told that their supplies were ready, so they were about to head to the main chamber to collect those supplies and meet up with Gallus' pack and anyone else who intended to see them off, and to have a quick breakfast before leaving. They were all dressed in their thick furs, and even Leaps had furs tied around his body. For him, Meesei had to enchant a specially made blanket with frost resistance to make it at least somewhat effective at keeping him warm. Even so, Meesei had to use magical means to warm him periodically whenever they left the ruin. Fortunately, the farther south they went, the more comfortable the climate would become for him. Newt also gave Kaleeth and Janius some trouble, as he whined whenever he had to put on his thick furs, which he rather hated wearing. Regardless, the pack readied themselves as quickly as they could, then headed off to the main chamber.

[Muttonhawk]

The time leading up to their departure was a blur of activity. Fendros had a lot of loose ends to tie up, finding his replacement and making sure that nothing would go wrong. He was so busy that he didn't even get time to realise what was behind Ahnasha's absences.

On the other hand, Janius did not have quite as much to do except make sure his equipment was up to scratch.

Sabine was used to Darahil's coldness, so she did what was bid of her and provided a list of supplies to fill her shoulder bag until bloated. What took her aback the most was actually hearing Darahil say 'happy birthday'.

Rhazii didn't have much to worry about, as young as he was. He had been out of the ruins plenty of times before, so he was used to the bulky furs, but he hadn't quite grasped how far they would be travelling. When Fendros had him say goodbye to his friends, it was a casual affair. Fendros would suspect that Rhazii would become upset on the road when the length of the journey dawned on him.

The pack was lined up and almost ready to go in the main chamber. They had their supplies packed on their backs, and their furs were secured snugly about them. Rhazii was walking hand in hand with Ahnasha as they approached the gate.

They had expected their farewell to be a short and informal affair with the lieutenants and Vera, but word had spread quickly as soon as Meesei had spoken of leaving prior. The main chamber was full of standing clanspeople who quietened at the pack's approach. The expressions they held were not threatening at all. Some were neutral, some were smiling, most were just uncertain. Fendros lead the way to the gate and the crowd parted for them. Ahead were Vera and the lieutenants, ready to see them off.

By the time they neared the gate, one thing that dawned on them was that Gallus' pack was nowhere to be seen. Almost on cue, a light padding of leathern footsteps ran up behind them. They turned to see the nervous Khajiit, Tzirret, now taller than he once was, slide to a halt behind the pack and leaned over to catch his breath. "Um, sorry Champion, we had to sort out...affairs before we left." Tzirret stopped to swallow, "The others will be arriving shortly."

At the gate, Oswall snorted. It was unclear whether the noise was out of disgust or amusement. It was followed by some muttering about Gallus and his conquests, or something along those lines. It was nearly inaudible due to the distance.

[EliteCommander]

As the pack was waiting for Gallus and the rest of his pack, a few conversations popped up between members of the pack and a few of those that had come to see them off. Some were related to the task they were be undertaking, while others were simply final goodbyes. Since the attack years ago, Ahnasha and Caldris had become rather close, particularly competitive friends, so Caldris had come to speak to her. They regularly worked closely together, so Ahnasha was finding it difficult to accept that she would not be able to speak to her again for quite some time. Of course, there was no way she would say that aloud. Lorag had a small group of some of the older, more experienced warriors in the clan come to see him off. Evidently, all of them had separately come up with the idea to give him a bottle of mead before he went on his way, so, much to his satisfaction, Lorag had a small pack full of them for the road. With his thick furs and an assortment of bags and packs on top of his freshly-shined steel armor, Lorag appeared rather bulky, but he was used to dealing with the weight. Kaleeth actually had one of the diplomats from another clan come speak to her. He was a light scaled Argonian man from the Black Marsh clan, and a werecrocodile as well. Naturally, as they were the only two of their kind in the clan, Kaleeth had sought him out shortly after she learned he had arrived. On a few occasions, he had helped her learn to deal with the more specific problems of being a werecrocodile. Meanwhile, Meesei did what she could to assure the representative of the Senchal clan that they would do everything in their power to ensure his clan would be safe. He had actually wanted to join them, but as he was more of a diplomat and tradesman than a fighter, Meesei had to convince him that his skills would be of the most benefit to his clan if he remained. From Bruma, he could negotiate with other clans for additional aid, if it became necessary.

Eventually, Gallus and the rest of his pack made it to the main chamber. In addition to himself and Tzirret, there was a Nord woman who, like Gallus, seemed to be generally experienced in survival. She carried a variety of knives, hatchets, and other tools in her pack, and was armed with a crossbow, a one-handed nordic sword, and a light, iron-banded buckler. There was a Dunmer woman with a light build who, while not heavily armed, was skilled in magic, and, interestingly, the last member of the pack was someone Meesei recognized. He was a Breton named Peiter, one of Sabine's friends. He carried a halberd on his back, wish a shortsword as his secondary. Meesei had not known that he was a member of Gallus' pack.

Meesei was the first to approach Gallus. "Greetings, Gallus. Is your pack prepared to depart?"

[Muttonhawk]

Farewells lasted longer than could be reasonably expected, given Gallus' delay. The council and Vera each thanked the pack personally and wished them well, friends came by to bid them a safe and swift journey, and even strangers to the pack came up to see them off with a comment of thanks for helping the clan. Even Sabine's friends came by, but they couldn't wait for Gallus due to their schedules. Fendros partly wished that he could see Najirra once more, just to give proper thanks for all the help he provided, but the he didn't expect that the infirm Khajiit would show.

When Gallus and his pack got past the group of people who had gathered to see off the expedition, he sauntered up with no hint of rush. He was lightly armed and armoured; a small steel shield, a one handed war hammer, and a long mail shirt was all that suggested fighting. The rest was his baggage and his clothing for the cool weather. Gallus gave Meesei a grin and spoke calmly, "Indeed we are. All set to leave." He glanced over to Peiter for a split second. "Apologies for the delay," Gallus pointed a thumb in Peiter's direction, "this one had to say goodbye to his ladyfriend. You know how kids are."

"Wait, This one thought..." Tzirret's face scrunched in confusion and he stepped up to Gallus and Meesei, "You said that you were saying goodbye to Olivia and Prmff-!" Tzirret's voice was cut off by the emplacement of Gallus' palm over his mouth.

"Now, now, Tzirret, don't go telling lies. Meesei? I think it's time we made tracks." Gallus' calm demeanour seemed to flaw at Tzirret's intervention.

Once they had said their goodbyes to those gathered in the clan, Fendros and Janius cast their eyes over the pack that would be joining them. They were only acquainted with those in Gallus' pack, apart from Gallus himself.

Fendros wasn't exactly sure how he would approach the Dunmer woman. Chances are, she was much older than he was, which meant that she was very likely to be more traditionally minded than he was. On the other hand, she was a lycan living amongst more races and cultures than most Dunmer would see in a lifetime. To assume either was risky. The Nord woman, however, was less likely to be a problem. The Nord lycans Fendros had met were not inherently difficult. The Breton boy was one that Fendros had seen in Sabine's group of friends on occasion. He supposed that if the boy could handle himself on the road, he would be welcome.

Meanwhile, Janius but far less concern into how he would interact with Gallus' pack. If Gallus could trust them, and they could handle themselves in a fight, he could trust them as well.

Sabine had known that Peiter was in Gallus' pack for a long while before leaving was even mentioned, so she was the least surprised to see him. She put one hand in the other in front of herself and gave a small smile. "Hello Peiter," she leaned slightly to one side to look at the polearm he carried. She considered asking about it, but instead looked around to the rest of the pack. "What are everyone's names? I have not met your pack before," She asked Peiter.

[EliteCommander]

"Oh, sure." Peiter answered as he picked up a pack of supplies and threw it onto his back. They were already starting to move, so he had to orient the bag along with his halberd as they were walking along towards the exit. "There's Gallus, but you already know him. The Khajiit is Tzirret. He was formerly the young, nervous, and naive apprentice to Gallus, but now after a few years of training, he is a young, nervous, and naive full member of the pack. The Nord is Uthri Wild-Heart. Fitting name. She was raised on a farm way out in the wilds of Falkreath, to the north, but she's more of a woodsman, or...woodswoman? Anyway, she's used to being in the wilds. The Dunmer is Irenya Helvi; she's our healer, and mage in general. Honestly, she doesn't really like answering to someone as young as Gallus, I don't think. She was born a little while before the Red Year in Morrowind, so she's two hundred at least. Thing is, she's, uh, not that good at leading." He explained to Sabine at a whisper.

As everyone had been given ample opportunity to give their goodbyes, the two packs set out quickly. They passed through the gate leading to the cavern exit, then two more before finally making it to the surface. Since the attack a few years prior, the clan's security had become much more robust, with several layers of protection. Meesei had even overseen the scattering of enchantments in an area around the entrance to help detect intruders, although admittedly, they had mostly just caught members of the clan who had forgotten to announce that they were leaving the ruin.

Luckily, once they were out of the ruin, the snow was relatively light, and the temperature, while still cold, was comparatively mild for the region. It was late summer, and while the snow rarely melted this high into the mountains, it would not take too long of traveling to the south to reach warmer weather. Meesei would need to stay close to Leaps to ensure he stayed adequately warm, but first, there was a question she wished to ask of Sabine. They were going to be stopping briefly in Bruma to find a caravan to take them to the Imperial City, and there was something Meesei thought Sabine would want to do while they were there. However, as she did not want to interrupt her conversation, Meesei decided to wait until Sabine and Peiter has finished talking. It was going to take a few hours to reach the city, regardless.

Ahnasha was trying to avoid making too specific of judgments just yet on Gallus' pack, for good or ill. They had not yet had time to learn what they were like, but she still could not help but to wonder. As one might expect, she was walking alongside Fendros while carrying Rhazii. While both Rhazii and Newt would walk by this point, neither were capable of such a long trek. Rhazii in particular was much heavier than he used to be, so Ahnasha and Fendros would have to trade off on carrying him.

"So, what do you think about...everyone?" Ahnasha whispered to Fendroa, leaning in close as she spoke nearly inaudibly.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine walked alongside Peiter as they left. Upon the mention of Irenya's temperament, Sabine failed to resist looking over her shoulder to glance at her for a split second. She was able to look forward again before she showed a tight smile that was suppressing a chuckle. Sabine knew Irenya's type by now. After making sure ha her voice would be level Sabine responded, "I hope I can get to know you all." Rather than talk about the other pack members behind their backs, Sabine decided to change the subject. "Have you been on long journeys before?"

While Fendros might have held judgements in is mind, he was rational enough to be more tactful in his speech. He spoke quietly, but was not quite as muted as Ahnasha. "I can't say for sure. There seems to be no shortage of youth?" Fendros looked at Peiter and Tzirret, "Everyone looks capable enough. As for personality...Peiter is fine. I haven't spoken much with Uthri, the Nord. I've never spoken to the Dunmer. Gallus, well...he's Gallus. I think he's a worse version of Janius from four years ago. Don't know about Tzirret, though."

"So!" Uthri's voice almost made Fendros jolt with the relative volume she spoke to Fendros. It was not a shout, but it was firm and clear, not to mention heavily accented. "We meet again, Fendros," Uthri looked fairly serious, but her face softened at Ahnasha and Rhazii, "And you must be Ahnasha. I am Uthri." Uthri's tone turned to something more encouraging as she addressed Rhazii, "And who is this big healthy boy?"

Rhazii was clinging firmly to his mother while she walked, but as Ahnasha was supporting him, he loosened and leaned so he could look properly at Uthri. He had the side of his fist held up to his mouth, probably chewing idly on his thumb claw.

"Tell Uthri your name, little one," Fendros cued with a smile.

"Rhazii," the response was a little low from behind his hand, but Rhazii wasn't so nervous as to retreat to Ahnasha's shoulder.

"Ah, what a beautiful name! How old is he?" Uthri continued.

Fendros interjected so they could at least complete introductions. He had no idea that such an otherwise serious character could become so bombastic with a child. "It's nice to meet you again too, Uthri," Fendros said, "Yes, this is my family."

[EliteCommander]

Peiter shook his head. "No, not really. The longest trip I've ever been on was moving to Bruma from Chorrol, where I was born. And I didn't even make it the full way on that journey; that's when I was turned. I've never been outside of Cyrodiil before, so this will all pretty much be new to me. It's kind of frightening and exciting, really. You're from...Morrowind, right? And you've traveled all over with your pack, so you definitely know more than me. What do you expect from the trip? Does it get boring along the road, or on a ship?" He asked. Being that he was no longer trying to keep quiet, Irenya heard some of what he said, but was largely uninterested until he mentioned that Sabine was from Morrowind. She did not say anything, or include herself in the conversation in any real way, but she certainly took interest.

Uthri's voice had a certain quality that could certainly capture one's attention immediately. Ahnasha's head turned to her quickly, and her grip almost reflexively tightened on Rhazii. She was not being threatening, however, and mostly just being friendly. They were all going to be spending quite a lot of time together, so that was certainly not a bad plan. "Rhazii is three years old. I know he looks a lot older, but that's just because he's a Cathay. They end up being much larger than your average human or elf." Ahnasha explained, glancing over to Leaps nearby for a moment. "I'm actually pretty glad we have that wamasu. There will be a point where Rhazii is too big to carry around, but still too small to keep up on a long trek. Hopefully, Leaps can be his horse."

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine looked forward and hummed quietly until she had an answer. "On a ship, it is boring. There is not much to see most of the time. Not much to do. The people who work get annoyed if you get in their way. While walking, it is better. There are always interesting things to see. I like to look for plants that I have not seen before. Sometimes I pick them and taste them to see if they have any alchemical effects." Sabine smiled and looked at Peiter again, "You just have to keep looking. There will always be something new."

Uthri looked surprised to hear about Rhazii's age, but gave an unsure nod at the explanation. It was unclear whether she understood what a cathay was, but she understood Leaps' role. She looked over to the creature, who looked back curiously at his name being mentioned. "I must say, I have wandered the wilds for many years, but never have I seen a creature quite like your...wamasu, was it?" Uthri turned back to Ahnasha, "Well, it would be nice not to have to pay for a horse." Uthri's cheerful tone seemed to die down, but her tone was just as clear, "Anyway, from where do you hail, if you do not mind the question? I am from Falkreath hold. Over the mountains."

Through the uncertainty of whether he should be relieved by Uthri's return to her regular demeanour, Fendros gave an answer first. "Cheydinhal. It's where I grew up, but between there and the clan home, there has been much travel."

[EliteCommander]

"You know, that seems...dangerous." Pieter commented with something of a perplexed look on his face. "Tasting random plants, I mean. You might eventually come across a strong poison; I know there are some out there. You ended up in Black Marsh before you came to Bruma, right? I hear that the entire swamp is filled with poisons, heat, humidity, and murderous beasts. I...think I'll be perfectly fine not going there."

"I find it to be a beautiful place, though I may be biased." Meesei chimed in. She only heard the very end of their conversation, but felt it appropriate to speak up for just a moment. Sabine and her friend seemed as if they would talk for a while, and Meesei had one thing to ask before they reached the city. "Sabine, I have a brief question for you. When we reach Bruma, would you like to write and send a letter to Ariel? This will be the last chance before the Imperial City to write to her. For safety, you may wish to avoid writing our exact destination, but she should likely know that her letters may not be able to reach us for a while."

Ahnasha could not say she knew much about Falkreath, expect that it was one of Skyrim's holds. Since Uthri did not mention a specific town or city, though, Ahnasha guessed that she may have been raised outside of them. She was at least aware that Skyrim did have more than just mountains and snow, but did not know where Falkreath fit into the province's climate. Regardless, she certainly seemed to fit the image of a strong Nord, and she was being friendly enough. Currently, it was mostly Irenya with which she was worried about leaving Rhazii.

Ahnasha answered as soon as Fendros finished. "And I'm from Leyawiin, to the south. As Fendros said, though, we've been all over Cyrodiil, Morrowind, and Black Marsh. Rhazii, I suppose he was born in Black Marsh, not that it really matters. He has mostly been raised in the clan so far."

[Muttonhawk]

"Oh, yes," Sabine answered immediately and began rummaging through her shoulder bag, "I had one written, actually..." eventually, Sabine pulled a small, folded piece of paper from her bag and showed it to Meesei, "I was going to run into Bruma and send it quickly." The letter lowered with her hand, almost with disappointment, "But, I didn't think about telling Ariel where we were going. I wrote that we are going to Senchal. I can rewrite it when we reach Bruma."

Uthri gave a firm nod. "Time in the wilds will make him and the other child strong, like it did for me. This journey will do them good. I can also tell that we will have many tales to share on the road. I thought I picked your Imperial accents, I was right." She raised a finger, "If you will excuse me, I will introduce myself to your friends. It was good to meet you all properly." Her needles-in-the-mouth opened into a friendly smile and endearing voice again for Rhazii, "Don't cause too much trouble for your mother and father now, Rhazii!"

"Okay," Rhazii responded, still with his hand at his mouth.

Uthri walked over to Janius and Kaleeth and began a similar introduction. Unlike Fendros, Janius did actually jolt.

"She seems...nice?" Fendros remarked to Ahnasha.

"I like Uthri," Rhazii commented, leaning closely to Ahnasha as he was before.

[EliteCommander]

Meesei gave a nod of agreement. "Yes, I would. Your sister is trustworthy, of course, but we always need to keep in mind that your letters could be intercepted. It is unlikely they would be read by anyone of consequence, but it is a precaution to take nonetheless. I will likely take me some time to find and negotiate a price with a caravan driver, so you should have ample time to rewrite and send your letter."

"Outgoing, certainly. And at least Rhazii likes her." Ahnasha commented, pulling Rhazii closer to herself and looking down to him with a grin. "If she's going to be helping look after him, then that is certainly a good thing."

It took a few hours to reach the gates of Bruma, as they were not moving in any sort of rush. It was not winter, so the cold was not as intense as it could be, but Meesei still had to give attention to Leaps to make sure he was kept sufficiently warm. His body was adapted for the heat of the marsh, and would not warm itself alone, and he could not be wrapped as warmly in furs as Meesei or Kaleeth. Magical fire was enough to make it tolerable, though Meesei doubted he was comfortable.

At the gates, Meesei stopped and addressed the group as a whole. "I will negotiate with one of the caravans to take us to the Imperial City. If there is anything that anyone needs to do in the city, now is the time. Although, I hope to be here for less than an hour or two, so hurry if you can. Janius, be sure to watch after Leaps while I am away and keep him warm. We can all meet back here when you are ready."

With that, Meesei headed into the city, starting with the tavern, where many locals and travelers congregated. There was no one single location where Meesei would be guaranteed to find a caravan driver, so she would have to ask around. Kaleeth remained outside and stood by Leaps. While he was still technically small enough to be brought into a city, they had found in the past that the Bruma guards were uncomfortable around him.

[Muttonhawk]

Meesei left the group looking around somewhat unsure outside the gates. Sabine knew exactly where she was going, so she motioned to move out first. She knew where the post office was by now and she had a few coins on her to buy stationary and write a new message to her sister. She didn't invite anyone to follow her, but she didn't protest to anyone coming along.

"I will pick up my own mead from the tavern," Uthri announced, "If I am not going to be near Bruma for as long as I think we are, I would like to savour its memory." The word 'savour' came with something of a quick, passive-aggressive glare at Lorag. The gesture was probably as a result of Lorag's less taste-oriented approach to the mead he had been given as a goodbye gift. Chugging them down was probably bad form in Uthri's eyes.

Once Uthri was out of hearing distance, Gallus shook his head and tsk-tsked Uthri's distant form. He looked up at Lorag with an acknowledging face. "Apologies about her, she's probably just scared that you might be able to out-drink her."

Janius and Fendros looked around briefly and thought they might stay with Leaps as well, simply for lack of anything in particular they wanted to do. Janius occupied himself by keeping the children from running off. Fendros did have a thought, though. He beckoned Rhazii and Newt to him once they had been set down onto the snow by their mothers. He squat down to get to their eye level and addressed them, "We might be waiting for a while, did you two want to do anything in the city?"

"Um..." Rhazii thought to himself for a while, but didn't come up with anything immediately. In reality, he was trying to remember the name of the sweets he had eaten the last time he was at Bruma.

On the trek down to the city, Tzirret had been fairly quiet. The only noticeable disposition he held was a nervous one stemming from Leaps. He kept his distance as much as he could. Now, though, he was giving the creature glances, as if he were afraid that Leaps might lash out at any moment. It took a few minutes, but he eventually worked up the courage to approach Kaleeth. "Excuse me, you are Kaleeth? The creature, it is...tame, yes?"

[EliteCommander]

Lorag gave no real reaction to Uthri, having obviously not been paying close enough attention to notice her glare. He did not precisely know what Gallus was actually talking about, but he shrugged and nodded to him regardless. He still had plenty of mead for the road, so he was fine just waiting outside, leaned against the fence of the nearby stable. Carriage drivers were generally not too hard to find in a city, and given the number of people they would be transporting, they would probably end up leaving soon since the driver would not need to wait for any more passengers.

"So Gallus, why'd you agree to come along for all this?" Lorag asked simply.

Even with the thick furs he was wearing, Newt was shivering at the cold, moreso than Rhazii. He held his arms tightly across his chest, close to himself in much the same way as he saw his mother doing whenever they went out into the snow. As one might expect, he was no more of a fan of the cold than any other Argonian, even having been raised in County Bruma.

"S-sweetroll?" Newt asked, his expression filled with anticipation. Unknown to him, his mind had immediately gone to much the same place as Rhazii's. They did not go to Bruma often, but most of the times they had, they had received some kind of treat.

Kaleeth was nearby to Leaps, who was laid down on the ground, curled up near a fence. In the cold, he tended to become notably docile and reluctant to move in order to conserve energy. It sometimes made it difficult to convince him to move along, but giving him a flame or other source of warmth to follow would generally work. Tzirret, it seemed, was afraid of him, which she understood perfectly. Wamasu were terrifying and dangerous creatures that hatchlings in Black Marsh were taught to run from. At first, even Kaleeth could not help but to be nervous around him once he started to get somewhat large. Tzirret would not know the stories, but even he could see easily that Leaps was a predator, and large enough to be dangerous. Nevertheless, Leaps had lived all his life with them, and Meesei had neutered him to prevent his natural aggressiveness from becoming a problem.

In response to Tzirret, Kaleeth sat down on the ground beside Leaps and put her arms around him. He started to curl up tighter and closer to Kaleeth, which made it appear as if he was returning her hug. Although, in reality, he simply wanted to be closer to the new source of warmth. "Yes, we've had him since he was an egg. He has gotten pretty big, but he has never hurt any of us on purpose. Just be careful if he starts playing with you; he has caused some scratches with his claws, and he might shock you a bit."

[Muttonhawk]

With a raised eyebrow and a sideways glance at Lorag, Gallus looked for a moment as if he had been asked an obvious question. "Why did I agree? You make it sound like I had to be convinced!" Gallus unfolded one arm and gesticulated with reserve, "This is a good experience for the pack. I have to keep them in shape - well, most of them. I'm going to need to guarantee their capability if their to help the clan survive." Gallus snorted and refolded his arm. His voice lowered slightly, "Though, a more honest answer would be that I'm a bit sick of the snow." He gave another glance to Lorag. "I want to see some more of Tamriel, you know? You all...you travel because it's your duty. Up until now, my duty has kept me in and around home."

Despite Gallus' apparent skill in sounding genuine, a pause crept up afterwards where he avoided Lorag's eye contact directly. Before there could be any follow up, Gallus raised his brow and threw a question to Lorag, "So, I saw you had quite the reputation amongst the militia. You did your work pretty well. D'you push all your companions that hard?" A small grin crept to Gallus' face.

Rhazii's red eyes lit up with recognition. "Yes!"

"You two would like to share a sweetroll?" Fendros confirmed.

Rhazii gave an exaggerated nod and an excited smile.

Fendros angled his head, "Now, what do you say if you want something politely?"

"Dada, can I please have a sweetroll?" Rhazii recited.

"Very good, though not a whole one this time, Rhazii." Fendros smiled and ruffled the top of Rhazii's head. He knew that Rhazii was just recounting what he had been taught to say, but Fendros remembered his father and mother enforcing similar acts. Whether or not it was the right way to teach manners, he figured that it was the right thing to do. For consistency's sake, Fendros turned to Newt. "And you, Newt?"

If Newt would answer similarly, Fendros intended to take both the children to the bakery. If not, it would just be a matter of quickly reinforcing the behaviour before going to get the sweetroll with them. Newt was a little younger, but just saying 'please' would suffice.

If anything, Kaleeth's response just made Tzirret take a half-step back out of fear. "What? What is it that you mean by shock?! I didn't know it could use magic!" Tzirret's tension increased. His previous notion of being at a safe distance was crumbling, that much was clear in his eyes.

[EliteCommander]

Lorag stood leaned up against the fence with his arms crossed, though his expression was not entirely serious. He assumed that Gallus and his pack had been told they would be in more of a supporting role, so most of them would not have to be greatly seasoned warriors. But, that would not stop Lorag from expecting the best they could give. Anything could go wrong, and they would all have to be prepared. "I push as hard as I need to. A proper soldier's training takes a heavy hand to get it to take. I've trained pretty much everyone in the pack at some point, 'cept Alpha. Lover-boy over there didn't know near as much as he thought he did when we found him outside Cheydinhal, but he at least didn't put up too much of a fight when it actually came to learning. Catdog let me train her early on, but I'm not much of an archer, so I couldn't help her there, and she's too stubborn to admit I could help her with her blades at this point. City-boy, he's just as stubborn, but wasn't as young when we found him. I haven't really trained him the old-fashioned way, but he's learned from me. He just might not admit it. His lizard-lover, though, she almost gets excited to train, believe it or not. No matter how rough the training gets, she keeps coming back for more, even now. The perfect student, really."

Pausing a moment, Lorag moved from the fence and approached Gallus. "Now your pack? I recognize some of the faces; I know I've given training to at least a few of them over the past few years. Hope we have time to give you some proper instruction. You might have come here for adventure, but don't think you're going to get out of work. After all, you're serving the bidding of Hircine now. He's not going to let you slack off, and neither will I." For a moment, Lorag's face was firm and serious, but it quickly turned to a grin once he felt he had gotten his point across. "Ah, but don't let me scare you too much. I'm sure you'll get all the 'adventure' you want. Though, you do know that, once we get to Elsweyr, you're going to have a hard time finding' women without fur, right?"

Newt found himself confused for just a moment. Unlike Rhazii's parents, Kaleeth was not raised in an imperial fashion. Her village did not have all of the same strict rules of formality in terms of manners and how to speak to others. They did have rules, but they were different. Janius, of course, knew Imperial manners, but Newt only had one parent attempting to teach them to him, and given his age, they had only begun a short time ago. However, if there was one thing children could do well, it was learn. He knew he wanted a sweetroll, and he knew what Rhazii had said to satisfy Fendros. He had heard the word polite before, and at least partially knew what it meant. After a few seconds of staring, he finally gave an answer. "Ummm...pleass?"

Ahnasha had been watching the exchange between Tzirret and Kaleeth, and could not help but to laugh. Granted, being afraid of Leaps was perfectly understandable. In truth, the pack probably should be a bit more afraid of him than they currently were, but they had all become accustomed to having him around. She walked up alongsize Tzirret and looked down at him with a grin. "Yeah, wamasu can charge lightning through their bodies, and even project it from their mouths. Meesei thinks it is magic, but they don't use it in the same way as a normal mage. It's instinct, something they do automatically. Grown wamasu can even use fire...kind of. They can roar out a sort of gas that is easily flammable, something their lightning can ignite easily. Leaps doesn't know how to do that yet, fortunately."

Ahnasha took a few steps towards Leaps. "But, if you think you're afraid of him, you should imagine what it was like for me when Rhazii was playing with him, especially once he started getting bigger. I had to make sure Leaps understood the boundaries. The first time Leaps shocked Rhazii with anything more than a bit of static, I made sure that Leaps understood clearly who should be afraid of who, didn't I Leaps?" As she spoke, Ahnasha knelt down next to Leaps' head and extended her hand close to his snout. Hearing the tone of her voice, Leaps broke away eye contact, lowered his head, and lightly licked the back of her hand. "I thought so." Ahnasha added.

[Muttonhawk]

Gallus angled his head sharply at Lorag's last comment. He was surprised at the shift in subject. With a bit of realisation, Gallus looked away and let out a good natured laugh. "You give me too much credit, Lorag. I had enough women troubles in the clan, I don't intend to make more for myself on the road." Gallus raised his hands up behind his head and took a breath in, "You're smart to have figured that out, though, so I'll be upfront; I've several misunderstandings with a few ladies in the clan." He bowed his head forward and looked up, to Lorag, "Not my fault at all, I assure you," He straightened and looked ahead again. "Still, it's going to take more than a northern winter to cool things down, if you know what I mean."

With a proud smile, Fendros stood up and extended his hands for Rhazii and Newt to take. "Very good, Newt. Come now, you two, let's get to the bakery." Fendros didn't consider exactly how it would look to have a Dunmer leading a Khajiit and an Argonian child around by the hand, but there was unlikely to be anything more than odd glances. It was nothing he wasn't used to. As Fendros approached the gate, he made sure to call out to Ahnasha, Janius, and Kaleeth. "I'll be back in a moment. I'm getting a treat for the children."

Janius gave a wave and a nod of confirmation. With the children gone, he decided to see what all the commotion was with Tzirret's fearful voice around Leaps.

"Err..." Tzirret found himself in an unsure position. The wamasu seemed docile around Kaleeth and Ahnasha, but the descriptions they gave did not convince him that it was any safer to be near the creature. "This one thinks he will..." Tzirret trailed off and pointed in an indeterminate direction away from Leaps. Without taking his eyes off Leaps, Tzirret began taking steps away.

It was then that Janius spoke, "Ha, don't worry Tzirret. He wouldn't hurt you. Leaps is a big playful softy. He's just a little down because of the cold."

With a final anxious groan, Tzirret walked away to find Peiter.

"They'll be friends," Janius said through a grin to the rest, "I can tell."

[EliteCommander]

Lorag laughed. "Yeah, misunderstandings. You know, Janius used to talk all about his 'misunderstandings' with women. Funny how much they seemed to happen with him. 'Course, that was all before he became the crocodile's mate. He's a 'family man' now, apparently. Also funny how much that seems to happen in this pack. Catdog has the Dunmer, then Janius..." Lorag moved alongside Gallus and gave him a nudge. "Better be careful. With how things go around us, you might end up with a wife and two kids by the time this is all over." He chuckled.

---

As expected, it did not take long before Meesei was able to locate a caravan driver. In fact, she found a few waiting for their next set of passengers in the tavern, and all of them took interest once they overheard how many people she needed them to transport. The more passengers, the more they were paid. As such, Meesei had ample opportunity to negotiate, a process which took roughly an hour between all of the possible caravan drivers. Eventually, she struck a deal with a Nordic woman and her son, who between them had two decent-sized carriages they could use. She was even comfortable with Leaps being present, and even riding in one of the carriages if needed. Although, Meesei had a feeling that the Nord did not have a good idea of what exactly Leaps was.

The Nord told Meesei where to meet her, then went to get her son. Meesei then headed back outside the gates of Bruma to rejoin her pack. By this point, enough time had passed that everyone should have been able to finish whatever business they had in the city, so Meesei expected to be able to leave as soon as the Nord joined them and showed them to her carriages. The eyes of most of the pack turned to her as she approached, and even Leaps raised his head to look at the familiar scent. "I have negotiated a price with a caravan driver. We will have two carriages for the journey, and we intend to leave as soon as she and her son join us. Is everyone ready to go?"