EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Rukeewei did his best to give Ariel a reassuring expression "No, please, I appreciate the suggestions. Honestly, I probably need all the help I can get." He said with a chuckle. "Wine is a great gift, in my opinion. I wish I could get her wine. Drinks are a specialty of mine; if you give me any bottle of wine, I could probably tell you exactly what is in it and when it was made, just from its scent. Unfortunately, Neer cannot drink. She was born with a bit of an...extreme intolerance to alcohol. As for books though, I really like that idea. I wouldn't really know how to pick out a story based on nostalgia, though. Myself, Neer, my egg-brother, we were all childhood friends, but we didn't really have an exceptional childhood or anything. We liked to swim, fish, chase around small creatures, that sort of thing."

Ahnasha gave Fendros a subtle nod and grin, then walked with the Bosmer over to his range. There were two identical wooden targets, each with painted rings and a bullseye at the center. He approached one of his tables and grabbed his bow and one of the arrows from the quiver next to it. "This game is simple. I will take three shots, then you will take three at the same target. If one of your arrows is closer to the bullseye than my farthest, then you can get a prize from the first table. If two of yours are closer than the two farthest of mine, then you can take one from the second table. Lastly, if you manage to land all of your arrows closer than all of mine, then you will win the necklace. I'll even let you take a practice shot." He said, offering her the bow.

Ahnasha took the simple wooden hunting bow and nocked the iron arrow he gave her. She stood at the closest of the three distance markers to the targets, then slowly drew back the string. The draw strength was much lower than what she was used to on her bound bow, so it was good she was getting this chance to practice. She fired her shot, which landed on the outside edge of the ring closest to the bullseye. A fair shot, but not one that really showcased her skill. The Bosmer wasted no time in coming over to her and collecting the bow.

"A fine shot, a fine shot, I see you will make a worthy foe. now, for this challenge, you will need to shoot from at least the second distance marker, just as I will." The Bosmer explained. Walking back over to his table, he collected his quiver and slung it over his shoulder, then stepped up to the marker on the ground. One after another, he fired each of his three shots, taking his time with each one. Ahnasha watched him carefully the entire time, examining his technique. He actually did have rather good form indicative of someone with archery training. She could tell each of his shots were going at least mostly where he wanted. Two landed in the middle of the ring surrounding the bullseye, while one landed just on the border of the bullseye and the ring next to it. She could see why he could make gold off of this game. He was a good archer, not a great archer, but well above average. He could land his shots in such a way that it would be very possible to get the first or second reward tiers, but the necklace, which was the only prize actually worth more than ten gold, would be out of reach for anyone except an expert archer. Unfortunately for him, Ahnasha was just that.

Ahnasha took the bow and quiver once the Bosmer was done and gave him a confident, almost mischievous smile. Now that she was familiar with the bow's draw strength, she could hit the stationary target with her eyes closed. His skill was something earned through practice at a range; her skill was forged through experience in the hunt, and in combat. They were on different levels. Instead of stepping up to the second distance marker, she stood at the third, farthest marker. Before the Bosmer could say a word, she fired her three arrows in rapid succession. After the first one found its mark in the bullseye, it was easy enough to replicate the shot twice. The last one hit just slightly closer than the Bosmer's closest arrow. Ahnasha gave the Bosmer a smug grin as the crowd around them cheered, and even laughed.

The Bosmer seemed dumfounded at first. Ahnasha walked up to the target alongside him as he checked her arrows, just to make sure he knew she saw as well where exactly they hit. "Oh, well, uh, I guess we, uh..."

"I guess we have a winner." Ahnasha interrupted, still relishing in her victory. The Bosmer seemed to have a mix of confusion and slight anger on his face. Likely, he was upset both at Ahnasha, and himself. It was obvious he didn't hit all of his shots as accurately as he could have. Had he done so, she probably wouldn't have been able to get all of her shots closer to the center than his, but he wanted to make sure that she won something to encourage the crowd. He thought that by pulling a random, pregnant Khajiit woman out of the crowd, he would be able to give a little show with no risk, but that was not the case.

The Bosmer looked around nervously for a few moments before quickly collecting himself. He was still in front of the crowd, and still needed to keep up his act. "Yes, yes of course. We have a winner! Congratulations, my lady, on your new necklace." He said to the crowd before going to the display case and unlocking it. Despite his manufactured enthusiasm, Ahnasha could tell he was not happy to give up the prize. He offered it to her with a smile that couldn't have been any more forced. She accepted it with more genuine smile, but it wasn't the jewelry that was her real prize in all of this.

"Thank you. You were a worthy foe." Ahnasha said with a hint of arrogance in her voice.

"Uh, yes, likewise." The Bosmer responded before turning to the crowd and trying to salvage what was left of the night. "So, uh, as you can see, great richest are right around the corner for those who are willing to try..."

The Bosmer continued on his speech as Ahnasha walked away with Fendros. Her mood was positively jubilant by this point. Despite how much the Bosmer annoyed her, the situation couldn't have ended any better for her. "You have no idea how satisfying that was." She commented as she looked down at the necklace. "It looks real enough. I doubt it is pure gold, but it would probably sell for a fair price." Ahnasha looked over to Fendros and smiled before placing it around his neck. "Although, I have to say, it looks rather dashing on you." She laughed.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Indeed. I technically could reply, but I'd rather let Ryonara reply first.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Rukeewei initially seemed as surprised as Ariel, though it was the pleasant sort of surprise. Once he recognized who she was, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, glancing back to the market stalls. "Oh, yes, good to see you. I was just thinking, trying to figure something out. You see, Neercana-Rei's hatching day is coming up soon enough and I was trying to think of a gift for her. I forgot it last time and...I don't want to do that again. She is not an easy person to find a gift for. She has all the finest clothes, all the best jewelry. She has everything I can think of that she would need for her other hobbies. I cannot seem to think of anything."

Ahnasha put her arm around Fendros as well and smiled. Based on everything he listed, it seemed like they would have plenty to do. Not that she actually knew what she wanted to do first. She walked alongside Fendros, looking around the square as she did. "Alright, we just need to figure out what to do first. I cant really say I know how to dance, but-" Ahnasha began, but she cut herself off when she saw someone pointing at her out of the corner of her eye. When she turned her head to focus on the stranger, she saw that he was a Bosmer male with his own booth in the festival.

"Ah, yes, you there, Khajiit! You will make a fine competitor in this challenge. Perhaps you can alleviate the crowd's fears of challenging me. My challenge is tough, but fair, and oh so very rewarding." The Bosmer said, directing his last statement more towards the crowd than her. Ahnasha looked at Fendros and shrugged, not really sure she wanted to get involved in some game. The Bosmer, however, did not give her time to respond before approaching her, drawing the crowd's attention to both of them. "It is said that the Khajiit are skilled archers. Not as skilled as we Bosmer, of course, but still, a worthy competitor. And do win a prize challenging me, you need not even beat me. Tell me, my lady, have you ever used a bow before?"

Ahnasha crossed her arms. By this point, she was annoyed. She was not particularly fond of this Bosmer, and mostly, she just wanted to be rid of him. "I might have...once or twice." Ahnasha answered. Really, she just wanted to walk away.

"Ah, some experience then. My challenge has something for all skill levels. Depending on how you perform, you could win prizes from one of the two tables behind me. Or, if you manage to beat me, you win the very valuable gold necklace in the locked display case. Normally, the cost is ten gold to compete, but for you, my lady, I will allow you one round to compete completely for free."

Ahnasha looked at the tables, both of which were covered in trinkets. Knowing how these games usually worked, they were probably worthless, though the necklace looked real enough. He had an archery range set up in the corner of the square, with the targets against the wall of one of the buildings and a few distance markers on the ground in front of them. No matter what kind of challenge it was, Ahnasha was confident she could win, but from first impressions, she did not like the Bosmer, and did not want to give him business. The only reason he was letting her try for free was to get some of the crowd to give it a shot as well.

Before Ahnasha could answer, the Bosmer spoke up once more. "From the shape of your stomach, I see you are an expecting mother. You have my congratulations, and of course, give my congratulations to the father as well." He said, not even considering in his mind the possibility that the father was Fendros next to her. "I understand, though, that being with child can weaken a woman's body. If you do not have the strength to compete at the moment, I understand."

Now, Ahnasha was actually angry. She didn't care if it gave him business, she just wanted to embarrass the smug Bosmer. She glanced to Fendros, then back to him. "Oh no, I'll take that challenge." She answered. He really did not know what he was getting into.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha returned her old dress to her room, then rushed to return to the festival as soon as possible. She had only been to any sort of celebration like this once in her life, as a child, so it was something she was curious to see. The crowd was just as thick as she remembered the first time they passed by, and considering that she wasn't the tallest of people, she had a hard time seeing around the square. She could faintly detect the scents of her pack members, but with how crowded the square was and how many other scents filled the air, they were drowned out by them all and nearly impossible to track. As such, she stood near the entrance to the square, trying to look through gaps in the crowd for someone she recognized. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to wander around aimlessly to find the others.

Much like Ariel, Meesei truly did not know what to do. She had been told of celebrations like this, but had not actually seen one herself. Right now, this city seemed more foreign to her than any she had been in outside of Black Marsh. Lorag was following along, but considering that he was having to put forth effort to even remain standing, he didn't want to do anything that required him to actually...do anything. Just looking at the sights would have to be good enough for him. Lorag glanced over to the part of the square where all the merchants were selling things and cocked his head to the side, staring at them for a few awkwardly silent moments. He wondered if they had anything that would help him stand...better.

"I'm not entirely certain. I am not accustomed to public gathering like this. The music does sound familiar to me, but everything else is new. What would you be interested in seeing first?" Meesei asked.

Rukeewei was browsing the merchants' stalls with a look of genuine confusion on his face. He was looking for something, but the problem was that he did not know exactly what it was he was looking for.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Oh yeah, forgot to answer this question. It probably would have came up. I was thinking the point of the festival could be as a celebration of Thorn, officially, but in practice is just a way that they like to bring business and gold into the city. So it wouldn't have any real deep, cultural significance, just an extravagant week for visitors to enjoy. It seems like it fits with the overall aesthetic of the city.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Neercana-Rei shook her head. "No, I have been to the festival many times before, and I need to keep my shop open. I always receive an increase in business when the festival is on. I hope you enjoy yourself, though. I remember I loved it the first time I experienced it as a hatchling."

With Ahnasha finally ready and at least a few of them eager to see the festival, the group bid Neercana-Rei farewell and left in the direction of the district where the festival was primarily being held. Ahnasha broke off from the rest of the group to return her old dress to her room, while the rest continued on. Once again, the streets became more crowded as they neared the festival. The music and pleasurable scents in the air grew stronger, and the decorations lining the street became more elaborate. This time, when they entered the large, open square where the crowd was congregating, they got a much better look at the events that were taking place. In the very center of the square were the musicians playing Argonian styled music, surrounded by finely dressed and beautiful dancers of several races. Similar to an outdoor market, there were stalls in another part of the square selling all sorts of goods, both local and exotic. Other parts of the square held shows, such as the troupe of Khajiit acrobats they saw earlier, and an Altmer demonstrating his magical prowess. Others had set up stalls with various games they had designed in which those attending the festival could actually participate. Overall, there was a lot to do, and they could begin anywhere, if they wanted to remain in a single group at all. After all, what appealed to one of them might not appeal to the rest.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha woke up with a heavy yawn, and only just managed to hear what Fendros said. She was still obviously tired, but hopefully after she woke up a bit more, she would feel better. She slowly sat up on the bed and ran her hands down her face, giving another yawn. "Alright, let me get into that dress." Once she got up, got dressed, and started to move around, she started to feel more alert, so she headed downstairs with Fendros to join the others.

After they all met up in the inn's main room, the group left the inn and returned to the Loom and Lapis. When they entered the store, they saw that Neercana-Rei was currently dealing with an Altmer couple who seemed to be browsing jewelry, so they found an empty spot in the store in which to wait while she saw to the needs of her customers. For a moment, Ahnasha worried that she had been too busy with customers to finish the alterations on her dress, but after the two Altmer made their purchase, she returned behind her counter and motioned for Ahnasha to approach.

Neercana-Rei checked her logbook a moment, then looked back up to Ahnasha. "Welcome back, Ahnasha. I finished the alterations on your dress, and you're all paid up, so let me get it for you, and you'll be good to go." Neer said before walking over to a shelf on her side of the counter and retrieving the dress. "Here you go." Neer said, handing her the neatly folded garment. "Have a pleasant day, and thank you for your business."

Ahnasha thanked Neer, then used the changing room to change out of her old dress and into the new. She emerged with the old dress draped over her arm, wishing she could just be rid of the thing. Unfortunately, with how worn it was, it likely wouldn't even be useful for materials. "I need to drop this old dress off by the inn, but I'll meet you at the festival." She said as she approached the others.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lorag held up his hand and tried to give a reassuring look. "It's just...strong, alright. Don't...don't drink it all. I'm serious." He said. Coming from Lorag, that was not a warning to be taken lightly.

Over the course of a few hours, Rukeewei gave all the important information he could think of about the city. He explained all about local factions and groups, such as the Meetraxil-Ei-Mnett, which sort of served like the local equivalent of a mage's guild. He explained some of the laws and customs that most outsiders were unaware of, as well as how the local branch of the An-Xileel ran the city. Additionally, he gave recommendations of local shopkeepers and other people that she might be able to get along with, as well as elements of the city she should avoid. In particular, he warned her of which people he knew of that were likely involved in criminal organizations. Once he was finished with everything he could think of, he continued to answer her questions.

After a few hours, Rukeewei had pretty much exhausted all of Ariel's questions, and his attention turned to someone new who entered the inn. He was a pink scaled Argonian male with orange feathers and no horns, apart from a few along his jaw on each side. "Ah, there's my brother. He's going to take over for me now, so I think I'm going to head over to the festival. You should go and see it for yourself if you get a chance." Rukeewei said before bidding her farewell and allowing his brother to take his place behind the bar. He had the same friendly demeanor, but as Rukeewei had explained during his overview of the city, his brother would not be too keen on conversation unless Rukeewei directly introduced them himself. Even then, he was rather shy.

Meesei looked over to the stairway leading up to their rooms, wondering if enough time had passed that she should wake Ahnasha to go get her dress. It had been a few hours, so the alterations should have been finished. She had finished off both Janius and Lorag's drinks when they decided they had enough, but she was still quite sober. After what happened last time she drank, she had no intention of overdoing it.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I need to go to bed, but I'll try to make at least a short post first. I'll probably make that timeskip.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ah, thank you. I'll make sure to write it down.