EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei appreciated Ariel's sympathy. She doubted that she would have a way to solve her issues, but it was still nice to be able to voice them. "The worst? Well, the worst situation I can think of is likely that whoever I select as my mate might start to be seen critically in the eyes of other lycans, and my actions towards him might impact their views of me. Some pack leaders may look down upon me if my mate is someone of lower...status, you might say. It is not logical, and I do not like that mindset, but it is what I have to deal with. As well, if my mate was a pack alpha, some others may lose respect for me if I show him preferential treatment. The problem is, even if I am careful to avoid showing that kind of preference, some people may interpret any kind of preference, even if well-deserved, as being a result of the relationship. Which would, of course, impact their respect for me. As Champion, their respect is something I will need, and it will be hard enough keeping it as an Argonian."

Meesei let out a sigh. She knew she was likely exaggerating some of the potential problems in her mind, but she did not think she was far from the truth. "I know it is not likely that all of those things will happen, but my responsibilities are of great importance, and I fear what might happen if I cannot handle them."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei shifted somewhat uncomfortably. The question Ariel posed was one that she had found herself thinking about quite a lot, but the conclusions she always came to were not quite comforting. As she had once explained to Janius, forming a relationship of that nature was not something that was an option to her, but she did care about it a fair amount more than she had let on. "Um, well, no. As you said, I travel quite a lot, so the only people I can really know on a personal level are those in the pack. I do not think about any of them in such a way, and even if I dd, it would not be right of me to pursue such a relationship. True, there are some that might disagree with me. Like the packs of actual wolves, some werewolf packs might have alphas to become mates with the strongest member of their pack, but I do not agree with such an approach. I feel it is too...animalistic. Some simply form relationships based on personal attachments, which I would suppose is acceptable. For me, however, even though I try to be a friend before anything else to them...there is still the matter of the authority I have. Having that authority in a relationship like that would be far too...complicated in my mind."

Meesei considered stopping there, but there was another part of the situation, something that bothered her considerably to think about. Since Ariel was not a member of her pack, she decided that speaking with her might be a good way to vent her own concerns, and perhaps come to terms with them. "That isn't to say I do not desire a relationship, but I do not believe it will ever be an option for me. Considering my role among lycans, there will always be the issue of authority to contend with. If I am to remain an effective leader, I will likely need to refrain from pursuing such attachments."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei smiled and gave a slight chuckle. "You remind me of some of the relationships I had back in my village. Being the apprentice of the Treeminder, I always felt sort of...apart from most of the others my age. Very early in my life, I did not have many friends and was often quite nervous talking to others. As I got older, that started to go away, but not entirely. As the prospective Treeminder, I attracted the interest of a few of the boys my age. In the years before I actually became the Treeminder, I found myself in a few relationships. You cannot imagine how many times I went through the same mental dialogue as you just described. Although, to be honest, I was far worse. I recall one instance where I was going to meet my prospective mate for a dinner, but he did not arrive. I spent hours worrying about what was wrong with me that he would abandon me. I shifted between sadness, anger towards myself, anger towards him, and was scarcely able to sleep. It did not stop until I figured out the next day that he had simply injured his leg during a hunt and spent the evening with the healer."

Meesei had to laugh at the foolishness of her younger self. She did not blame herself too strongly, as her anxiety had been the result of her non-social upbringing, but they were lessons she had learned from nonetheless. Her present confidence would not exist without the past experience of her awkward, nervous youth. "Anyway, I suppose the point of the story is that you should not let yourself become overcome with fear. Do not try to rush your relationship, or force it to progress too slowly, just...pay attention to how it is progressing at the moment. If you really want to say something to him, you might try paying attention to the things you do when you are having that mental argument about his feelings. You might find him doing the very same things. Who knows? If you continue with him long enough, you might find him offering you a fine amethyst ring."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei smiled and nodded. "Yes, as I am sure you know, the two languages are worlds apart. They formed and developed completely independently from one another. I think there have been some very limited influences in some Jel dialects from Cyrodilic due to past Imperial occupation, but it is largely its own entity. Going in the other direction, from Jel to Cyrodilic, is just as difficult. Luckily, as I was to become Treeminder, I started learning it from a young age, so it was a bit easier for me. Even so, I did have some issues at first when I actually moved to Cyrodiil. My accent was much thicker then, and, as you can tell, it still is not gone entirely. It is perhaps not as exotic as a Breton speaking Jel with a Dunmeri accent...but I do not think the others mind."

Rhazii started to shift around in Meesei's arms as he lost interest in Meesei's hands, so she paused a moment to find something else to occupy him. After a few moments, she decided to turn him towards the ocean so he could watch the waves crashing against the shore, which seemed to adequately satisfy him. "Anyway, it is a great relief knowing you hare happy here. I will admit that there were many times since we left Thorn where I found myself worrying about how you were faring. But this is a city with a lot of wealth, and I think you will be able to earn your share. You have even found someone to call a mate." "Meesei said as she started to grin. "Speaking of which, how far has your relationship...developed?"

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Ssarak graciously accepted the mug from Darius, though he was not quite enthused enough about their "success" that day to believe they deserved a celebration. But a drink to numb his worries for the moment? He could accept that. Lyn was still with him, though she and her toy now had their own chair instead of sitting in his lap. He had not yet had an opportunity to get out of his armor, but he supposed it would be safer to remain armored anyway, even in a settlement.

After taking a drink of the mead, Ssarak gave a slight chuckle. "I do not think I am quite ready for a celebration yet. I prefer to hold that off until the task is complete. Once we are back at the college, alive and unharmed, then I can be happy. Still, I do not mind a drink, as long as I do not overdo it. Although, as you might imagine, it does take quite a lot for me to become intoxicated, at least with drinks from Human lands."

Looking up from his drink to pay closer attention to Darius, some questions formed in his mind, now that he had the opportunity to ask them. He knew a fair amount about Meirin and Alaira, but Darius was still mostly a mystery to him. Honestly, he did not seem like an individual that he wanted to get to know, but for the sake of their mission, he would rather know the people with which he was stepping into danger. "Anyway, since we finally have a free moment, I have a question for you. A few, actually. I know Meirin and Alaira fairly well, who they are, their capabilities, and so on, but we are still mostly strangers. I know you are a swordsman, and by the way you fight, a trained one, but nothing beyond that. Perhaps we could learn a bit more about one another?" He suggested.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

I'm quite busy with preparations for finals at the moment, but I'll respond when I can.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ariel's description of Sabine's magical instruction made sense, given what she had observed so far in trying to teach her. Sabine was picking up on the basics quickly, likely because she had been through them once before and needed only to be reminded. It was hard to say what pace she would settle into once they started covering unfamiliar topics, but if she was interested enough, they could move quickly.

"It is hard to say so early on where her talent might lie. I did not learn using the schools of magic, so you are correct in that I am not using them to teach either. It has not been long, so we are starting with the basics that apply to almost all forms of magic. Once we get into spells themselves, I will likely be starting with practical forms of magic for self-defense, but I am hoping she becomes interested enough to explore its deeper mysteries. I have heard that an understanding of magic can complement an understanding of alchemy, since the root...mechanisms, you might say, are actually quite similar. Alchemy simply uses the magical properties of an ingredient instead of the mage. That might inspire her interest, but even if it does not, i am glad to teach her even just the practical spells." Meesei explained.

Meesei paused a moment and looked out across horizon over the ocean. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took in a deep, relaxed breath and began to smile lightly. "This really is a beautiful place, isn't it? I have seen the ocean before, but it has been quite a long time. I suppose Vos was on the coast as well, so you might be used to the sea, but...I just hope you enjoy your life here. I realize it isn't all ideal, but you are a talented person, and I think you will make the most of it." She commented, giving a smile as she switched to her native tongue. "And you have improved significantly with your Jel, haven't you?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei sat down by the fire and allowed Rhazii to sit in her lap, though he seemed notably uncomfortable until he could turn himself away from the flames. "Oh, there is nothing specific. I was just hoping to pass the time until the others return, so you can leave whenever you need to. Perhaps I will take Rhazii and Leaps down to the water again. He seemed to enjoy it yesterday. "

Since Ariel seemed to be staying for the moment, Meesei decided to enjoy some conversation while she could. "I'm sure you already noticed when she stayed with you last night, but Sabine has improved greatly since her ritual. She still tends to be a bit quiet at times, but I think that is just in her nature. One of the most encouraging things I have noticed about her is her curiosity. It is as if she is making up for years of lost time with her new inquisitive nature. I have actually begun giving her lessons in magic, though it is more out of necessity than anything. She needs a way to defend herself reliably that doesn't rely on her beast spirit. We have only started relatively recently, but I think she will enjoy it. You both were instructed in magic during your time with the coven, weren't you?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei's expression became serious, even as Rhazii was blissfully giggling in her arms. "I know, I have seen the changes over the past few months, but it is not something I can simply...approach them about. Ahnasha is, well, a prideful individual. Not only does she value her strength, but also how others view her strength. Her mental state is delicate, and I fear that knowing her suffering isn't hidden could cause her undue embarrassment and mental stress. None of us would ever think less of her after what she went through, but an injured mind does not always think rationally. Fendros I may be able to speak to, but Ahnasha will have to be handled carefully. Perhaps your medicine will make it easier, though I request that you give Sabine a recipe if possible. She will no doubt run out while aboard the ship, so I may not be able to help her as much then, but...maybe after this business in Cyrodiil is over, we can find a way to get her the help she needs."

Meesei closed her eyes a moment and let out a sigh. "Hopefully, your medicine will help give some sort of treatment, at least. I wish I could join you back to the city, but someone needs to stay and watch our camp. I suppose you do not have time to stay here and talk?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Once everyone else was in their beast forms, Lorag took the lead as they moved off of the beach and into the swamp. They would keep up a good pace at first, as they did not wish to hunt too close to the city, but they would move in their usual cautious manner once they were sufficiently far away. For Kaleeth, her enthusiasm for the hunt motivated her to run as quickly as she could, which was still slow enough that the others had to slow down so she could somewhat keep up. As much as she wanted to hunt with the others, the fact that she was now a lumbering behemoth was not doing her any favors.

As the others left, Meesei noticed that Ariel remained. Rhazii was hungry for attention, so she had to keep much of her focus on him, but she assumed Ariel would quickly start with what she had to say. Meesei looked down and smiled at Rhazii, which allowed him to reach up and smack the end of her snout repeatedly. Meesei laughed, finding that, at least for moments like this, she did no quite mind taking care of him. There were of course plenty of more unsavory moments, but she was accustomed to those from her time helping others in her village care for their hatchlings.