EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The next choice Sabine faced, from the memories Meesei was seeing, was an important one. It was perhaps one of the most pivotal moments of her life, even if she didn't recognize it at the time. Her choices led to her being turned, which created her life as she knew it now. The choice she should make here, however, was not as clear. Using the heart would change nothing about how events unfolded, while leaving it alone would prevent her from joining the pack. The decision would not be easy, but it was one that Meesei would certainly help talk her through.

"A pivotal moment in your life, the choice you made here set you on a path that led to your turning. What would you say the effects of your choices here would be? What happens if you leave the heart where it is? Another question you may wish to ask yourself is what were you thinking about at the time? What did you know, or not know, that led to your choice, and what were you intending by using the heart?" Meesei asked.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"You have already proven your strength, Sabine." Meesei answered. "Do you remember the trial of heart, when you encountered a wounded Tunxeek along your path? You were willing to take him all the way back to the village, despite the fact that doing so would cut down your chances of succeeding to nearly nothing. Like your sister, you were willing to sacrifice your own well-being for someone else. Make no mistake, though, this is not about trying to be like Ariel, it is about showing the strength you already hold within yourself." She advised. Meesei was starting to understand what the Hist were doing. In this scene, Sabine had done something she regretted, something that made her focus on a flaw in her own character. If she changed her actions, perhaps she could change how she saw herself.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei sat down on solid ground and imbibed her goblet of sap shortly after Sabine, allowing the magic of the Hist to envelop both of them. It was an experience Meesei had been through before, but not for a very long time. Of course, even if she had done the very same thing even the day before, it was not something one could prepare for. She wondered what wisdom the Hist might have for her, a Treeminder who left their service, but such was not the purpose of this ritual. It was for Sabine.

Once the darkness had passed, Meesei found herself in a familiar setting. It was one of the stone rooms from the keep that Sabine's coven made their home. The memories of the scene unfolding before her flooded into Meesei's mind to help give her better perspective on what was happening. Out of the whole room, Meesei was the only thing that seemed out of place, as she appeared ethereal in form, though only Sabine would be able to see her. It was her purpose to provide advice and comfort for Sabine, as some of the memories they were going to relive could potentially be rather emotion-inducing.

"Your sister, Ariel, she really cared for you, didn't she? Even at this point in your life, she was willing to take a punishment for you. What does this scene mean to you, Sabine? Why do you think the Hist are showing it to us? It may seem insignificant, but small events such as these can compound over a lifetime. What happens next?" Meesei asked. She did not need the answers to understand, as the Hist had given her most of the memories she needed to answer her questions. Rather, she asked the questions to help Sabine talk through the situation to see what was really important to her here.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Talk to you later.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Yeah, she gets to relive those events and change her choices. Meesei would be there as well, but no one in the vision would see her but sabine. Chronological order would probably make most sense.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

A few hours passed after everyone had woken up and eaten before it was time for Meesei and Sabine to join Thorantilth at the Hist tree. Since this was the entire reason they had come to the village in the first place, everyone else decided to come along as well. Even Kaleeth joined to observe, bringing Leaps with her just to make sure it didn't get into any trouble.

Thorantilth had been working for about an hour to collect and prepare the proper amount and consistency of Hist sap. He was underneath the tree among the pools sap and Argonian eggs. For reasons of safety, only Sabine and Meesei were allowed right next to the tree, to avoid a crowd. He held two small, highly decorated wooden goblets filled with the sap. As they approached, he greeted them.

"Greetings, it is good to see you two are well. Just in case you have not already, I will explain briefly what will happen. I have properly prepared enough sap for both of you. To initiate the ritual, simply drink all of it in your cup. Shortly afterwards, your body will fall unconscious, so you may wish to take a seat beforehand. Your soul, on the other hand, will remain connected to the Hist. With the preparations I have made, you will be shown visions by the Hist that Meesei will see as well. What exactly they show you will be their will. Sometimes, it is merely a passive experience that you observe, while others will require you interact with what they show you. The Hist will be able to reach into your mind and, if they will it, help you to heal your mental scars. You may drink when you are ready." Thorantilth explained, handing both of them their goblets.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I was thinking of focusing on the ritual for now, then the situation with Kaleeth after that. Should I move them to the ritual now?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei nodded to Janius. "Yes I did speak with her. She approached me last night with her questions. I answered every one I could, but she did not seem to come to any conclusion with just what I said. Mostly, she asked about the specifics of how we live, and what would happen to her. She was also curious about how the Hist would view it, though to that, I had no answer. I want to know, what have you been saying to her, Janius? I do not necessarily intend to deny her the ability to join us; I did say our pack would grow, but neither would I encourage it. From how conflicted she is I assume you have not been directly encouraging her."

With all the activity in the hut, Kaleeth began to stir, and given that she and Sabine would need to prepare for the ritual soon enough, there would not be too much time for them to speak. The matter with Kaleeth was definitely something she wanted to deal with, but Sabine's ritual took priority right now.

Elder Scrolls: Terror of the Padomaic

I would like to let reganza post, but I will soon if he cannot.

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Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth had spent some time talking with Thorantilth, with predictable results. He did not wish for her to leave the village. He did say that all Saxhleel have a path the Hist desires for them, and sometimes that path leads away from home, but in his opinion, she was just young and overcome with emotion. He felt that her desire to leave was not brought on by the Hist's will, but her own desires. She had to admit, he might be right. Maybe she was just being stupid in wanting to abandon her home, but she was still going to talk to others and get as much advice as she could before making a decision.

It was late when Kaleeth returned to the common hut, long after Janius and his friends had gone to sleep. She could have gone to sleep herself, but she could not bring herself to sleep just yet. As quietly as she could, Kaleeth knelt down beside Meesei and gently shook her awake. "Sorry, but can I talk to you Meesei? It is very important." She asked sincerely.

Any irritability Meesei might have had at being awoken was erased when she saw Kaleeth's concerned expression. As soon as she came to her senses, Meesei sat up and nodded as she rubbed her head. "What is it, Kaleeth?"

"It is...important. Can we talk outside?" She asked, rubbing her hands together nervously.

Meesei could guess about which topic she wished to discuss if it meant speaking away from others, so she nodded silently, then followed her outside. The nighttime air was humid and warm, as it always was in the marsh. The moons were not out, so the area was blanketed in thick darkness. Kaleeth walked slowly, though her familiarity with the area let her find a good place to talk.

"Meesei, I...have questions for you, about...me and Janius. I have been dreading the day you are leaving, and I was wondering...if I should leave with you. If I should become a werewolf?" Kaleeth asked nervously.

Meesei responded in a firm tone. "Kaleeth, embracing lycanthropy is no simple action. It requires that you join your spirit to that of a beast, it requires you bind your soul to the Hunting Grounds of Hircine. It requires you embrace a beast that can take control of your mind away from yourself if you cannot control it. Most of all, it requires you abandon everything you know. Your family, friends, the village, all of which you would never see again, in this life or the next. That is the gravity of this choice."

Kaleeth lowered her head. [i]"I know, Janius told me all of that. I know how much of a sacrifice it would be...which is why I am wanting to learn about it. Even knowing all of that, even knowing all I will have to give up, there is still a part of me that believes it is what is best for me. I just want to know everything I can about it, so I can make the best choice. I want to know what the Hist's path for me really is. Do you believe the Hist want this path for you?"

Meesei paused for a moment. That was a question she had asked herself for years. When she first left her village, it was because she felt she was growing stagnant by merely surviving. Recent events, however, had made her question if there really was a greater purpose to it, if there was something she was doing away from the Hist that she could not do otherwise. She did not know, however, so she could not answer Kaleeth's question with certainty. "I cannot say I know, Kaleeth. The mind of the Hist is more unknowable than anything in the mortal plane. I have meditated on that question many times before, but I can say with certainty that I believe my path is right for me. That does not, however, mean it would be right for you."

Kaleeth seemed a bit disappointed that Meesei did not have a definite answer, but when it came to the HIst, expecting a direct answer was rather unreasonable. Nevertheless, she felt there was more she could learn from Meesei."I...I understand. Do you...think you could tell me more, though? Can you tell me more about werewolves, things that Janius may not have thought about?"

Meesei was silent in thought for a few moments, then nodded. "Very well, if it helps you make an informed decision, then I will tell you what I can."

---

Despite staying up talking to Kaleeth for over an hour the previous night, Meesei brought herself to wake early, this time to help both Sabine and herself. She collected a good sized breakfast for both of them, as they would both need to be in good condition for the ritual. As her guide, Meesei would undergo the ritual as well and help Sabine's soul to understand whatever visions or challenges the Hist decided to give her. The ritual could be used for many purposes, but there was no need to do anything differently to accomplish something different. The Hist would be able to feel Sabine's pain, and if they found her worthy, they would do what they needed to help Sabine repair it.

With a sizable meal between them, Meesei gently shook Sabine awake. "Good morning, Sabine."