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

[Muttonhawk]

Though she smiled and nodded at Meesei's compliment, showing teeth in amusement, Sabine was at first oblivious to her following insinuations.

"Well, Karl is very loving. Again, I have not known much about wereboars before I got to know him. I do not have much to compare-" Sabine stopped and slowly brought her eyes level. She let out her breath in a single, uneasy, amused huff. She did not need to blush to show embarrassment. "Heh, but if you are referring to that one time Pieter and I...no, Karl and I have not...not in those forms..." She closed her eyes and grinned. "I doubt we will do that. I was just young and curious back then. It is not for me."

---

Rhazii offered Fendros a loving hug as well. Similar sentiments were given. Fendros held him as tightly as Rhazii held him.

"So," Fendros said as they pulled away. "I like Ahna's idea. Where to, little one?"

Rhazii's ears rose a little as he almost laughed at the old nickname his father obsoletely used. His face was nicer to behold with that trace of cheer to it. "It's been a while since we shot at targets for fun. We do not have to use heavy bows if you cannot draw them with your wounds, mother."

"Let's do that, then. Lead the way." Fendros gestured out of the square.

With that, Fendros strode alongside Ahnasha, content and relieved. He weaved his fingers in Ahnasha's and gave her a warm smile. The look he gave was one she knew; love and appreciation. He was looking forward to being carefree for at least a day.

[EliteCommander]

"Is that so? I would think I would like to persuade Lunise to mate with me in my lycan form, as impossible of a task as that would be. How do you think one might try to convince a Thalmor Justiciar that it would be worthwhile to try? This form does have some...impressive attributes." Meesei responded, though it was not long until she stopped holding back her laughter. "All this time, and it is still just as easy to fluster you. Ah, but do not worry. I am just teasing you. Even I am not so cruel as to make you put any detailed thought into the intimate details of your mother's life."

Rolling back over onto her stomach, Meesei looked at Sabine somewhat more seriously, but still while in quite good spirits. "Honestly, though, I am glad you have Karl. There was a time in our lives where I was quite worried about how your experiences would affect you. We went through a lot, you in particular. Pieter's injury changed him, made him bitter and caused him to turn to alcohol. I can understand it, certainly, but I was worried you would blame yourself. I was worried it might keep you from getting close to anyone else again. It has been such a relief to see that things have turned out as well as they have. The last I heard about him, Pieter's life has turned around for the better, and of course I know well how your life has developed. Perhaps one day soon, you will be able to retire. There is nothing more that I have wanted in my life than to give you the chance to live yours. You are only...what, by this point? Thirty? You still have plenty of time to settle down, have children, raise a family. After this is over, you will have that freedom."

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine lifted a hand to interrupt. "That is fine, Meesei, I did not...I..." She covered her eyes and laughed as her attempt failed.

"I think I have improved," Sabine responded. "At least I understand much more than when I was just a teenager. Maybe I am easier to fluster now. Innuendo is not as foreign anymore."

The shift in topic allowed a moment for Sabine to finally tear and chew at her meal. Her chewing slowed partway through. Her eyes wandered to the fire thoughtfully. Whatever rumination she caught herself in was cut off by the last two sentences.

Sabine's eyes and ears lit up and she faced Meesei. "Hmm..." She hummed a short laugh. "I have been scared to think too closely about that. I thought it would distract me. This close to the end of the war, though...it is a nice thought. A very nice thought."

After a moment looking as wistfully as a werewolf could at the space in front of her, Sabine breathed in and spoke up. "Meesei?" She hesitated and rubbed her arm. She chose her words carefully. "Did you ever want children of your own? You have always been a mother to me but...just thinking about having children with Karl sounds really nice to me and I just wonder if you were the same at my age."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei slowly stood, then walked on all fours the short distance over to Sabine. She put a large hand on her shoulder, speaking softly. "You are all I have ever wanted, Sabine. When I was your age, all I thought about was giving you my love and support. Now, well, my mate is an Altmer woman, so I do not think I shall be having any eggs. And I do not need them. You are everything I could have wanted in a daughter. You are my legacy in this world."

Following her heartfelt response, Meesei gave another short chuckle. "And I did not wish to mention it before, but now that you have said it aloud...I am also glad to hear that you are open to giving me grandchildren. Perhaps that legacy might live on for quite a while? Both as my daughter, and my former apprentice. I did teach you everything I know about magic as well. All of the styles of learning, the approach to the arcane that was passed down to me by my father. Ancient spells and forms of magic, lost to most of the world, but preserved across hundreds, perhaps thousands of years of my village's Treeminders. Indeed, if I spent a month or two teaching you about the Hist and a few rituals to go along with it, then you could be fully qualified to be a Treeminder for an Argonian village. And that is not even speaking about the magical discoveries you and I have made since then. I have been making quite detailed notes on all that I learned in Apocrypha, as well as my more recent experiments. I keep them in that Dwemer bookshelf over there. Consider them to be yours."

[Muttonhawk]

Although Sabine was not looking specifically for reaffirmation from Meesei, she appreciated her words. She sidled up against Meesei under her shoulder and put an arm around her, smiling contently.

"You would let me have your notes?" She said. "Thank you!" She held Meesei a little tighter, even if her arm couldn't completely span around half her body. "I will have to teach some people what you taught me. Whether it is my children or another apprentice. I know you would never forgive me if I let it be forgotten," she giggled.

Sitting together by the fire grew comfortable enough that Sabine leaned into Meesei and relaxed. Their relative sizes in beast form cast Sabine's mind back to when she was a child.

"Meesei?" Sabine said quietly. She had closed her eyes. "Thank you."

[EliteCommander]

For those who were injured, the following week of recovery went thankfully uninterrupted. Kaleeth stayed in bed, under the watchful eye of the healers for an extra day so they could make sure her recovery proceeded properly. Physically, she was deemed healthy, and she thankfully showed no signs of the mental issues that could follow traumatic head injuries. She tried to remain cheerful around Julan, but in private with Janius, she confided in him the fear that the experience had given her. It had served as a reminder that death was not the only possible outcome if something went wrong. With worse luck, she could have become unrecognizable as a person. Regardless, she did her best to move past it, as she knew she would need to.

Unfortunately for Meesei, her planned dinner with Sabine, Karl, and Lunise had to be delayed, as Lunise did not respond indicating that it was safe to teleport to her. Nor did she give the okay on the next evening. Evidently, Lunise's duties had taken her somewhere unsafe for them to meet, which was not terribly unusual for her. Being a representative of the Thalmor, she spent significant time around people who were important in the Dominion, and who could not know about Meesei's regular meetings with Lunise. Granted, since Lunise was assigned as the Thalmor's representative to the lycan clans, it was highly unlikely that the first assumption upon seeing them together would be a love affair. But, the fact that Lunise had not reported the meetings to her superiors could raise some eyebrows among them.

After a week, however, Meesei finally received a positive response from Lunise. Immediately, she informed Sabine, then returned to her room and made a portal to Lunise's location. As usual, she did not know where she would arrive.

Meanwhile, Fendros was in the courtyard, walking between buildings when he was approached by Saras. The Dunmer's clothes did not make him stand out from anyone else in the clan, but he moved with a distinctive purpose. Usually, he sent messengers, so the fact that he was approaching himself was somewhat odd. "Ah, Fendros, it is good I was able to find you. I have gained some new information on our target and cannot find the Champion. You can speak for your pack, yes?"

[Muttonhawk]

After her night borrowing the Ring of Hircine, Sabine made the most of the pack's short down time. She split it between spending time with Karl, liaising with the scholars to be kept abreast of their work and to contribute where she could, and finally spending some evenings late perusing Meesei's notes. She doubted that Meesei would disallow her access to them even if they had not been offered, but she saw them now as a new opportunity. Doubtless the knowledge within them would assist her in the future when she had the time to implement it.

In turn, Janius went about his duties as needed. He frequently visited Kaleeth until she was recovered enough to emerge from bed, but made sure to seek out Julan as well. He wanted to make up for the time they would spend separated and the stress they had put him under. Along the way, he caught up with Fendros regarding Rhazii. The news earned Rhazii some encouragement from his uncle, and Janius made arrangements for people to be available to keep an eye on Julan if Rhazii should range out while the pack was away.

As for Rhazii himself, he threw all he had into training his magical and martial skills. Though only fifteen years old, he proved himself capable of joining a militia scout party that patrolled Blackreach and, with his parents' blessing, was due to patrol in just over a fortnight. He appeared more energetic and confident after every day of training with his party. Fendros speculated that the new friends and independence were the cause. However, he suspected that Rhazii was in for a less stimulating time than he might be expecting with a simple patrol.

---

Meesei's portal opened up, as it usually did, in a orderly and clean bedroom. This time, the masonry was brighter and more yellow than the room in northern Valenwood that Meesei had seen her prior. The familiar uniformed shape of Lunise was in front of a standing mirror, partway through removing her cowl. She turned around to show her practiced scowl, though her eyes were lit up. A small smile curled on her face.

"Ah, Meesei, I am glad you arrived," Lunise said. She stepped up and embraced Meesei, kissing her eagerly. When she pulled away, she breathed a sigh of satisfaction. "With the amount of time I have spent humouring that air-headed wife of the governor of Arenthia, I thought I would go mad." She laid one more firm and enthusiatic kiss on the end of Meesei's snout. "So, tell me, how goes the search for the axe?"

---

Fendros raised his brow and stopped. "Ah, greetings, Saras," he said. He put a hand on his hip. "If...your information is for the pack, I can receive it. As for speaking for them, that depends what you require me to say." Fendros looked up and down the courtyard. "Would you prefer to speak privately? I can find the others if it would be appropriate. The pack, that is. Meesei may be away on business if you could not find her."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei lingered into the kiss for a short while before finally responding. Since she and Lunise only met when it was safe to do so, Meesei had stopped changing into her proper city clothes for the occasions. Instead, she was simply wearing her usual hide, leather, and bone adornments.

"Hmm, so I am in Arenthia this time. That would explain the pleasantly warm air. Regardless, I think we can take your mind off of all of that for the night." Meesei responded. The remained standing in front of Lunise, holding her hands gently over her partner's hips. "As for my pack, the good news is that we have found the Axe. We know exactly where it is, but...the bad news is that we now have to kill a dragon."

Meesei allowed a moment for the seemingly absurd statement to settle in before continuing. "So, the bounty hunter we are tracking is evidently either the most over powerful, or the most overconfident warrior in Hammerfell. I am leaning towards the latter. He, and a small group of other bounty hunters, have decided to take a bounty that the East Empire Company placed on a Dragon harassing their ships just off of the coast of High Rock. A dragon that fully-armed warships have not been able to deal with. Chances are that he has already left for the island containing the dragon's lair, so he is probably dead. And we will have to go to the island to claim our prize."

Pausing, Meesei let out a sigh. "...After we deal with Do'rhajul. He found us."

---

Saras nodded. "Yes, please collect as much of your pack as you can. We have some new information, and will likely need to act on it within the next day or two. If the clan needs to provide any resources, I would like to have the time to prepare and mobilize them." He responded.

Saras moved to get the meeting started as quickly as they could, so it was just half an hour later that everyone was seated in the meeting chamber. Saras, Ri'vashi, Marcaille, Vera, and the rest of the clan's council were all in attendance, as well as most of the pack, apart from Meesei and Sabine, who had already gone to the spot that Meesei was planning to bring Lunise.

Since he was the one with the relevant information, Saras started off the meeting. "It is good you could all be here on short notice. I received a report from our scouts that they have found Do'rhajul's camp, and from what they could tell, they were not spotted. I have their report here, including a full description of the topography of the area.

[Muttonhawk]

Lunise's initial reaction subdued. She simply tilted her head. "A dragon?" She asked in the pause.

As Meesei continued, Lunise's expression lowered into concerned disbelief. "A real dragon?"

Upon mention of Do'Rhajul, her previous thoughts were visibly put aside. Lunise angled her head forward and gave Meesei a serious look. "How do you mean 'found you?' Did he locate your headquarters? Has he attacked?"

---

No one in the meeting was expecting anything less important than what Saras mentioned. If his report was correct, they could confront Do'rhajul on their own terms. Fendros leaned onto his forearms on the table, weaving his hands together. He nodded to Saras in his pause. "Tell us everything."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei lightly shook her head. "Not my clan, but my pack, specifically. We knew he was tracking us, and through some means, he was able to find us. He found us when we were investigating in Sentinel, but was unable to confront us in the city. Once we moved to High Rock, however, he and his team were able to follow us. Despite our best efforts, they were able to find where we teleported back and attack. Several of us on both sides were badly wounded, but there were no deaths. I do not know if he is aware of our purpose in High Rock, but he does know that we have some goal in being there, and he will not leave. Facing a dragon will be hard enough without him hunting us. We have no choice but to deal with him first."

Meesei made no effort to hide her worry in front of Lunise. "It shall not be easy. Not only does Do'rhajul wield the shield Spellbreaker, but one of Vile's zealots is with him; a woman by the name of Arinette. I am fairly certain she possessed the Staff of Magnus. It seems that Vile's followers have been hunting for artifacts over the years."

---

With a brief nod, Saras pushed a small stack of parchments across the table to Fendros. "Our scouts have drawn some maps of the area, and given some drawings of the areas around the camp they have established. So far, the scouts have been under orders not to approach the camp close enough to risk detection, so unfortunately, we do not have too many details of what has been going on within the camp. We do not know if Do'rhajul's team is alone, or if they have been receiving any supplies or other help from their allies. But, with a definite location, you can plan a definite attack."

"If...attacking is what you are going to do." Ri'vashi added. "Have you made any more decisions on if you are going to try to...reason with them? Just say the word, and Ri'vashi can have a small army surrounding that camp."

[Muttonhawk]

Lunise was incredulous. "The Staff of Mag-? How on Nirn did they get their hands on that? Such a thing could do untold amounts of damage in the wrong hands." She exhaled sharply. "And a zealot has it. Divines above. You were lucky to emerge alive, Meesei."

After a second, Lunise fell into a rare look of sympathy. She asked just as seriously. "How are your pack faring? Are the children safe?"

---

Fendros skimmed through the pages given, judging the maps and descriptions given. To Ri'vashi, he tsked once and breathed in to give himself time to think. "If we do attack, it will have to be fast and shocking. If they can escape together at a moment's notice like they did the last time, it won't matter how many warriors we bring to bear. However..." He pursed his lips at the map. "They're in the open. We have a number of different opportunities here."

After passing the papers on to the next person around the table, Fendros briefly peered at everyone present. "We could launch a sneak attack. We could try to steal one of their artefacts that has presented such a danger to us. We could plant the evidence of Vile's lies. We could attempt to assassinate at least one of them. We could -- and I do not think it is the best option -- attempt to parley. I do not need to say that each option has its risks and trade-offs. Make no mistake that anyone directly involved may be killed, and it is a certainty if we go in force. Do we have any more ideas?"

[EliteCommander]

"We have all recovered by this point." Meesei answered. "Most of our wounds were not caused by silver, thankfully, and lycans regenerate quickly. If something does not kill us, there is a good chance we will recover fully. The children have been staying back in the clan for weeks, though Rhazii did witness his mother being shot with a crossbow bolt. That was not pleasant for him. Or her, but I think the scar it left on him is longer-lasting. He was quite insistent on helping us, and his parents finally agreed to allow him to start joining in scouting parties around the clan. Low-risk tasks to give him experience, and such."

Meesei paused and took in a long breath. "But, I do not think we need to focus on all of that this evening. At least not for now; I am sure we can discuss it later. You can rest assured that I do not intend to be caught off-guard by Do'rhajul again. For now, I had something special in mind for us tonight, if you would like to do it. Sabine has somewhat recently found a mate of her own, a scholar named Karl. I do not know him very well as of yet, so I was wondering if you would like to join myself, Sabine, and Karl for a nice dinner together? We have several destinations in mind, depending on what you would prefer. There is a place near Thorn that is beautiful beyond imagining, a spot near the hot springs in Eastmarch, or perhaps a scenic place right next to my clanhome. I know that you have not seen any other outside my room in my clan, and Saras would be furious if he knew I let a Justicar in the clan, but I trust you, of course. He does not know you like I do." She said, giving her another quick kiss. "That said, I...would not wear your uniform."

---

Ahnasha followed Fendros' response to Ri'vashi. "I agree. As much as I would like to just throw an army at them, that won't work. That zealot was able to put up a barrier with that staff that we couldn't penetrate, then teleport them all away in an instant. Much faster than either Meesei or Sabine can open a portal. If they know they are outmatched, they will just leave."

"That staff is what really gave them the edge last time." Lorag spoke up. Doubt that Breton could beat the Champion without it, and she knew it. Even with the staff, she was able to eviscerate that zealot. Ripped her open. When she started to conjure up those wisps, she was afraid. Saw it in her eyes. But...that probably also means she's paranoid about now. If I was her, I wouldn't let that staff outta' my sight. Doubt we're gonna be able to steal it."

Again, Ahnasha interjected. "I still think the last plan we came up with is a good one. We still have those notes. The original notes we recovered back in Elsweyr. If we can plant them where the General, or maybe Yerig could see them, then that might do something. The Nord is already doubting; that might push him over the edge. We would just need to be able to sneak into their camp."

"Possible." Saras commented. "But, perhaps not simple. Among the reason our scouts are keeping such distance is that they believe there are magical means of detection set up around the camp. The mages believe they have detected such enchantments from a distance, but they cannot get close enough to determine their exact nature, or position."

"It is possible to hide from life detection spells and enchantments, but not for many people at once. One, maybe two of us could probably get in without being detected." Ahnasha reasoned.

[Muttonhawk]

Lunise was at least partially mollified to hear that the pack was recovered. She frowned and nodded at the account of Rhazii's reaction. "Khajiit and Dunmer are both passionate peoples. I would think it less healthy if the child was not driven to fight after seeing such a thing." She softened again. "All the same, it is a relief to learn they are safe."

As for Meesei's proposal, Lunise began intrigued, transitioned to unsure, and then settled for conflicted. She peered down at Meesei's primitive apparel and up at her eyes. "That would go without saying whether my allegiances were secret or public." She blinked down and stroked a thumb down Meesei's neck with her arms still around her. "This Karl, can he be trusted?"

---

"I don't mean to go on a tangent," Janius slowly raised a hand as he spoke. "But if the scouts cannot get close enough determine much, could this not be a trap as well? Back when they ambushed us, they did their best to get us separated. If only one or two people sneak in, they're easy prey."

"It's possible," Fendros said flatly. "Again, every option has serious risks. If someone were to sneak in, they would need support ready to help them and a quick and robust means of escape."

Janius quirked a corner of his mouth and looked aside. "If all we're doing is planting something, we might try a distraction. Lead them on a chase to vacate, or at least reduce the number of people in the camp. We can move faster in our beast forms. If it's a trap, they'll see those coming in force and either magic themselves away or wait for nothing to spring it on us."

"That's assuming they're on alert in the first place," Fendros added. "If we are to catch them off-guard, a distraction would be the surest way to get them all awake and ready in no time."

[EliteCommander]

"I may not know him well, but Sabine certainly trusts him. I have faith in her." Meesei commented. "And it is important to remember that the vast majority of my clan does not know you exist, let alone what you look like. Only the leadership of the clan know who you are, and of them, only Saras has seen you directly. And those few warriors who were with him when you first made contact in that cave, I suppose. Regardless, Karl will have no reason to associate you with the Thalmor, and I will not be taking us to a place where I would expect to run into anyone else from the clan. It is simply in proximity to our city."

Meesei's nostrils flared for a moment. "And I think with a simple illusion, I should be able to give you a convincing lycan scent. To him, you will just be an Altmer woman from another clan."

--

Ri'vashi looked ahead, tapping a claw on the table in front of her as she thought. "That is a fair point. If they are not attempting to spring a trap, then a distraction might end up making it harder than it could be. Ri'vashi has trained her warriors how to be alert and watchful in stressful situations, and there is no reason to believe Do'rhajul's team is any less capable."

"If it is helpful, the enemy did not place their camp in a location which was easy to find. Our scouts did have to scour the area thoroughly, and even then, may have had some luck in finding it." Saras pointed out.

Lorag had a rather severe expression on his face, with conflicted thoughts going through his mind. "Still, havin' someone go in alone seems like it's just asking for trouble. How can we give them a way out if we can't get anyone else close?"

Ahnasha let out a quick, audible breath, but spoke with some determination. "I am willing to do it. I could plant the book. And I would not necessarily need to be alone, as long as my partner is a skilled enough mage to mask their presence from life detection."

[Muttonhawk]

Lunise sighed through her nose and turned her head up. The time she took to look at the ceiling and weigh up the risks could have ended with her being stubborn. She caught Meesei's eyes again. "That will have to suffice," she said with a conceding inflection to her voice.

With that, Lunise slid away from Meesei and turned to her luggage trunk. "Just give me a moment to pick out something..." She looked over her shoulder at Meesei's clothing again. "...Appropriate for a dinner gathering."

---

The meeting looked around. Most had their minds go in the same direction. Fendros was the first to speak it. "If Meesei or Sabine were present, I would ask them." Fendros narrowed one eye. "However," He slid one elbow until he was facing the closest people they had. "Darahil, Marcaille, would it be possible to make a potion or some other item that could get through their spells undetected?"

Darahil blinked his eyes lazily to Marcaille, and then to Fendros. "Not in my alchemical experience. As for enchantment, creating such an item as such would take time we do not have, though I could explore options for another occasion we may have for it." He frowned. "But I am not the only authority."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei chuckled and gave Lunise a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Do not worry, our secret is going to be perfectly safe. If we just avoid talking about professional matters, he will have no reason to be suspicious. And I am sure we will have plenty else to talk about; he is a scholar of the Dwemer. I think you might be interested in some of the findings we have had in our home, and I myself have a few months of catching up to do. I would quite love to show you around our city, but I suppose just the area around it will have to do. That is where we will be teleporting to. After that, though, I was thinking of letting you choose where we shall have our dinner, if any of those places I mentioned earlier sound appealing to you."

Meesei finally released her grip on Lunise to allow her to change, though she still looked on with a growing, amused expression. "Hmm, you know, personally have been wondering how you would go about blending in with lycans, should the need arise. I suppose if you cannot find anything suitable, you can have my clothes. I could make them fit, I think. You are a professional agent and diplomat, though, so I am sure you will do fine."

---

Marcaille answered directly and immediately. "Aye, I can do it, but I don't have a concoction already made. Just like with his enchantment, I would need time to finish it. Though...I would say I could have it by tomorrow. Enough time to still act on this, definitely."

"We should still ask Meesei and Sabine if one of them can assist me when we can speak to them, regardless. I don't imagine us trying anything without them, so we will have a chance. If we decide definitively that this is what we're doing, of course." Ahnasha suggested.

Marcaille did not disagree, but she did have one further suggestion. "I know the Champion is exceptionally capable, of course, but...I think Sabine might be better suited to help you. She can not only mask her life force, but she can hide in plain sight, as it were. Ravens are native to High Rock, you see. But...well there is another reason. A theory I have, based on how this team has been behaving. Now, I can't really be sure without proof, but if that zealot is one of the women of the wilds, then she may be using certain rituals to track you. It's the Psijics that are most famous for their scrying ability, but the followers of the Old Ways are not without similar rituals. Somewhere, sometime over the years, they might have found something of Meesei's, which might be used to hone in on her position in the world. It's not perfect, and it takes time, but it could explain how they found you to begin with. If the Champion gets close enough, though, it might possibly alert her."

[Muttonhawk]

Just like she had done before visiting the pack for the first time in the desert, Lunise rifled through her neatly packed garments until a few candidates were tossed upon the bed. They were mostly modest and understated dresses. Lunise was probably being conservative for two reasons; anonymity and versatility.

"As a professional officer and a diplomat, I have a dress for every occasion," Lunise confirmed.

None of Lunise's dresses would perfectly 'fit in' with lycans that made use of the common thrift of hides and leathers. Meesei was confident of that much.

"As for a venue," Lunise continued. "I admit I have never seen Thorn before. You sound as if the case to go there is a strong one." She held up a long, grim dress made from thick black and brown fabric. The dress would look more appropriate on some dark cultist than Lunise, yet it was clearly tailored for her. "However, if your clanhome is a cold location, I could be persuaded to enjoy a hotspring. Any who cannot appreciate a treat like that does not deserve decision making. Then again, if the spot outside your clanhome is a place to linger, I see no reason dinner there would not suffice either." Lunise held the black dress up to her front and checked the mirror. "I may have to defer my decision until I see more. Or perhaps Sabine would wish somewhere in particular, we shall see."

Lunise slid her other clothes back into her trunk, unceremoniously threw the black dress onto the bed, and then began undoing the fastenings of her uniform. She had made her choice whether the look would 'blend' or not.

---

Marcaille's speculation explained a few things. It remained a sobering prospect.

"If Arinette has been tracking us as you suggest, she may know we're based here in Blackreach," Janius said. He leaned back in his chair and frowned. "If they haven't tried attacking us here, it may be testament to our defences...or their lack of manpower." He sighed through his nose. "But we wouldn't be safe as a secret anymore, that is certain."

A few members of the council fidgeted in their seats.

Fendros looked down and raised a finger. "I have another thought. Could they track anyone like this? If so, anyone in our pack could be followed. Granted, Meesei has had the most direct contact with Do'rhajul up until recently."

"At any rate," Vera interjected. "I think, Marcaille, it is a good idea to begin brewing the potion after this meeting you mentioned. Though Sabine or Meesei may undertake the mission, it can be a contingency if there is a change of plans."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei continued to look on, still smiling. "You know, it does not make the decision easier when you say that all of the options are just as appealing. Although, I certainly agree. Thorn is perhaps the most beautiful place in Tamriel, but it is also hard to deny a relaxing evening in the hot springs. And our clanhome, well...you shall see it momentarily regardless. The air can be cool away from our city, but not too uncomfortably so. It does not experience the biting cold of Skyrim, at least."

Pausing a moment, Meesei lightly chuckled. "I think I should teach you how to be a lycan. You, well, I could see you standing out as much as I do when I visit Alinor. We are a people who come from all places, all walks of life. Nobility and paupers, farmers and warriors, anyone can acquire the condition. Walking among us, you can see influences from everywhere, and yet those influences do not dominate the culture. I think my most helpful advice for blending in among us would be to...erase about how people can or should behave. There are no singular proper manners, or way of approaching one another. Among lycans, it does not matter who you were, or what family you were born into. The only measures of a person in a lycan clan is who they are now, and what they can do. How they help the clan an its members to survive. Lycan clans, we have a sort of loose culture of our own, one built around our shared challenges, and how we overcome them. Essentially, if you think that your clothes and mannerisms are entirely un-presentable in Dominion society, then you will probably blend in just fine."

---

"I'll start on it as soon as I can." Marcaille answered. "But as for knowing where we are, it's hard to say if they do. That kind of scrying isn't always exact, especially from very far away. All the way in High Rock, where they are, I'd say they could know that the Champion is in Skyrim. Probably. I guess she could be anywhere right now, since we don't know where she is, exactly. That would also make it difficult for them, the fact that she frequently moves across Tamriel without a second thought. It would make scrying attempts much more scattered. If they were closer, in Skyrim, and tried it while the Champion was also here, they could probably find us. Hopefully, they haven't already done that."

Lorag huffed. "Whether they know or not, if we can deal with 'em soon, then it won't matter. So let's assume that Sabine or Meesei are going to be helping Ahnasha sneak in with that book. How are we gonna do it? What are the rest of us going to do? Are we going to be waiting at a distance to jump in if something goes wrong, or what? Let's get the details sorted."

[Muttonhawk]

Lunise listened on as she removed and folded away her uniform. She pulled the black dress over her head when Meesei finished.

"Very well," she said while pulling her sleeves up her arms. "I wore this dress last to infiltrate a cult of Vaermina. So I think it shall be just unpresentable enough." She switched to a quieter tone and gestured to the undone cords that sutured the back of her dress. "Would you mind fastening me, Meesei?"

Standing in front of the mirror, she carefully let down her hair and found a brush to even it out. "I wish I could say the rest of your advice is helpful," she continued. "So far you have told me much about what is not present. How should I behave if not as I normally do?"

---

Acknowledging Marcaille with a nod, Fendros spoke to Lorag. "It goes without saying that Sabine and Ahansha will need to be in and out as quickly as they can. Every second is more risk of getting found out. Under cover of night, I would have Sabine survey the area from above, flying over only once to avoid suspicion. She can then meet Ahnasha nearby and plan an approach." Fendros turned his eyes to Ahnasha. "You'll need to know exactly where to plant those documents. Inside luggage, hidden from plain sight but easily noticeable by Yerig. I think he will be our best shot. Only try planting the book in Do'rhajul's belongings if Yerig is not an option. If you can do neither, then get out of there and we will try something else. If there is any indication that they know someone is nearby, back away. Sabine might be able to open a portal out of there but there is no guarantee, we shall have to ask her."

Fendros straightened. "As for the rest of us, we shall have to be in a position to intervene should the alarm be raised. Running in beast form to pick up Ahnasha and Sabine and running away may be the fastest way, though there may be a better way to do it. Forcing Do'rhajul to run away with an overwhelming force is another option, though only if they have not captured either infiltrator. And it may take longer to react. Some means of quietly communicating when Sabine and Ahnasha need help may be needed, but throwing a fire spell into the sky would alert us all the same."

"I'm really very sorry for interrupting," Janius said. "I just have something on my mind. Marcaille?" Janius spoke across the table. "Is there a way for us to track Do'rhajul with that ritual you mentioned?"

[EliteCommander]

Meesei readily complied, walking up behind Lunise to help her with her dress, which in turn allowed her to speak more softly into her ear. "Well, to begin, you need not worry greatly about your appearance. Your hair does not need to be perfectly brushed, nor does your skin need to be blemish free. Our clans, as you might expect, are a fair amount more...rough than a Dominion city. That is not to say our people do not care about their appearance, but we do not expect perfection. In particular, we do not have many of the luxuries that city dwellers enjoy. As for behavior, I do not think you need to worry too much about that for this evening in particular. Local customs do of course still play a role in how a clan tends to behave, so Karl will not be surprised if you are somewhat different if he thinks you are from one of the southern clans. I suppose you need only worry about giving any suspicious reactions if one of us does something you might find unusual."

Once the dress was sufficiently tightened, Meesei was recovered enough to open up a portal once more. She gave Lunise another quick, encouraging kiss, then went through the process of opening up the return portal. This would be the first time that Lunise would be setting foot anywhere in the clan aside from Meesei's closed-off, interior room, and the sight she would see would be nothing short of breathtaking.

Meesei took Lunise's hand before stepping through. The spot she had chosen was outside the Silent City, though the city was still in-view in the distance. They were just off of one of the roads, in between two of the towering glowing mushrooms, with many smaller ones all around them. The cavern was darker over all than the surface, of course, but that only served to enhance the veritable light show of mushrooms and other fungus that permeated the cavern. Even the ceiling of the cavern had many glowing spots, almost like stars above. The sound of rushing water would lead Lunise's eyes to a waterfall that was also within view, which also seemed to glow under the lighting from the mushrooms. While Meesei and her pack had become used to it overtime, Blackreach was still an entirely unique sight in Tamriel.

---

Marcaille gave a hesitant nod. "Well, yes, probably. Haven't needed to do a ritual like that since I was just a fresh-faced young woman, but I think I can remember the details. But like I said, you'd have to have something of his to use as the focus of the spell. Could be something he touched, a patch of fur, a body part. Anything his."

"I've got a shield." Lorag remarked. "Not his shield, but one of his team members dropped a big tower shield when they fled. Would that work?"

"Hmm, well I could track that member of his team, at least. So yes, that ritual could help us, if we needed it." Marcaille answered.

The plan did seem to be developing, but Ri'vashi still seemed concerned. "That could be useful if they escape again, but we already know where they are. Ri'vashi is just worried about these contingencies to keep our infiltrators safe. This one may be no mage, but her forces have utilized these kinds of life detection enchantments before, to great effect. If Do'rhajul has set them up at all properly, which she guarantees he has, then we will not be able to get anyone close enough to help in a true emergency. Against such a dangerous foe, we need to have someone ready to help in seconds, not minutes. Magic might be able to hide one or two people from the enchantments, but if we get too many living things close to those enchantments, then they will be alerted."