EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei patiently waited with Vera for Sabine and Kaleeth. Mostly, she allowed Vera to talk to the others and simply observed, chiming in when addressed, or when she felt she had been silent for too long. The others around them seemed to accept Vera's explanation for where Jerrick had gone, which made sense. After all, what reason would they have to doubt her? As well, no one seemed to pay attention to the fact that neither of them were eating, which was also sensible, since the clan had no particular reason to scrutinize them at the moment. If someone did ask about it, she could simply say they had already eaten. Eventually, Meesei spotted Kaleeth and Sabine entering the dining chamber, prompting her to wave them over to her. It took a few moments, but Kaleeth noticed, then joined Meesei and Vera along with Sabine. "Ah, good morning, Kaleeth, Sabine. I trust Ahnasha told you about what you will be doing? You will be with Vera for the next few hours. She will be teaching you more about the clan, just like the other lieutenants. Do not worry, myself and Sabine will watch after Rhazii." Meesei explained. Her voice was loud enough that others around them could hear, but not so loud as to call attention to it. "Did you get everything you will need from our room, Sabine?" She continued.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

After gathering up enough furs to make the cold bearable, Ahnasha was stopped by Sabine. “Like I said, just head to the dining chamber with Kaleeth and find Meesei. Make sure to get whatever you will need for the day. Just…do the best you can with whatever Meesei needs from you, Sabine, but don’t fear failure. If you worry yourself too much, you will make yourself make mistakes. Take care.” Ahnasha said, finally departing from the room and heading towards the ruin’s exit. Kaleeth gathered everything she thought she might possibly need, especially her weaponry. She carried her shield on her back and her weapon at her side so that she did not look as if she was expecting a fight, but she felt she was practiced enough to reach them quickly enough. Once ready, she picked up Rhazii, then made sure to set out something for Leaps to eat and drink while they were away. Everyone was too busy to look after the wamasu personally, so they would have to keep him locked in the room most of the day. They could clean up after him later. Kaleeth stood by the door as she waited for Sabine to finish getting whatever she needed, already starting to become anxious about the day ahead. --- Meesei was pleased to see that Vera was able to at least maintain the appearance of normality, and even somewhat of an upbeat attitude. Cooperation from the lieutenants was greatly helpful, and she would be sure to pay close attention to anyone who did not. Trouble from any of the lieutenants would not necessarily be proof of guilt, but it would certainly push suspicion onto them. If it turned out that Vera was not the traitor, Meesei was going to be sure to find a way to express her gratitude to her for her efforts. Like Vera, Meesei smiled in response to Anders. “Thank you. Be assured, I will be working tirelessly to keep the clan secure. Take care in the city.” --- Lorag gave a smirk and a chuckle. “Not yet.” He responded, giving no more hints as to what happened before adding his own comments to the conversation. All this subterfuge was really not his element, but he could at least give Harriet’s pack something to believe. “Wish the Champion wouldn’t at least given us a full night’s sleep, but there’s always somethin’ to do. All these preparations and everything; she’s really on top it when it comes to defense. Vile’s lackeys won’t know what to do once she’s finished. Hopefully we won’t end up needin’ all this preparation, but at least we’ll be safe.”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

After Vera produced the gold for Ahnasha and Darahil recorded the expense, it seemed as if everyone was ready to move, but before they left Meesei quickly approached Ahnasha. "You can go ahead and be on your way. I will stay with Vera for the moment. On your way out, stop by our room and get Kaleeth and Sabine. Send them both to the dining hall to find me, and be sure to remind Sabine to gather everything she will need for today. Also, stay safe, Ahnasha." Ahnasha nodded in understanding, splitting off from the group as they all left the meeting room. Meesei stayed within sight of Vera, but also made a point to approach Darahil and speak specifically to him as they walked along. "We did not get a chance last night, but just as a reminder, I still need to see that rune in the meeting room." She said quietly before quickly returning to Vera's side. Once in the dining chamber, Meesei remained close to Vera. She was hungry, but she, and the rest of her pack, could wait for Ahnasha to return just as well as the lieutenants. Indeed, the likelihood of this specific meal being poisoned was almost none, but Meesei wanted to get into the habit of relying only on food she knew was safe. When Oswall asked if she wanted to make an announcement, she shook her head. "Thank you, but I do not have anything I wish to say at the moment. I will notify you if I do." Kaleeth had been awake along with Sabine for a short while before Ahnasha arrived, thanks to Rhazii. When she stepped into the room, she saw Rhazii, freshly clothed and freshly fed from the spare milk Ahnasha liked to keep among their supplies, in case someone else needed to feed him. He was sitting propped up against Kaleeth, playing with her tail. It seemed that there was still some food left over among the pack's supplies, as Kaleeth was just finishing up her breakfast. Ahnasha had gathered up as many empty bags and pouches as she could find from in and around the meeting room before she left, which Kaleeth immediately noticed. "What is going on? Are we going somewhere?" She asked. Ahnasha shook her head. "Not all of us, just me. Meesei tasked me with heading to Bruma to pick up food for us and the lieutenants. She's afraid the traitor might try to poison someone else. She wants you to stay with Vera while I'm away, Kaleeth. You're supposed to both protect her if the traitor tries to hurt her, and watch her closely to make sure she isn't the traitor. I also think she is supposed to teach you about the clan and her duties as a sort of...cover. Both of you are supposed to head to the dining chamber and find Meesei. She will tell you what to do from there. " There was a brief pause where Ahnasha's attention shifted to her son. Being separated from Rhazii brought back memories of Black Marsh and the cult of Molag Bal; memories that she wished she could be rid of. Since then, she had been dreading any sort of separation from Rhazii, but at least this time, one of her pack would be watching over him. "And...take good care of Rhazii, okay? You should have enough milk for the day; I'll try to prepare more when I can."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Through the night, each of the pack, including Meesei, took turns on watch, with the last being Fendros. Thankfully, it was a boring night for all involved, as they each started to awake in the morning with no one having been harmed. Meesei was among the first to rise, and she did not delay a moment in starting on her business for the day. As everyone did not awake at the same time, she was able to take a brief moment to speak to each of her pack individually while the others were either still asleep, or preparing for the day. With each, she made sure to stress that they keep an eye on their charges at all times, but to also be cautious. She warned them to try and make sure the lieutenants did not take them to too secluded of locations and, if the traitor did reveal themselves, to run instead of fight. As long as the traitor could be identified, their power to harm the clan would be diminished, so her pack's safety was more important than capturing the traitor. Eventually, everyone awoke in varying states of fatigue and general grogginess. It was fair to say that no one in the room was in a good mood, and there was no indication that would improve anytime soon. Regardless, out of duty to Hircine, Meesei would press on no matter what. After everyone looked to be reasonably awake, Meesei spoke up to the group as a whole. "This will be the first real day of the investigation. Hopefully, it will also be the last, but be prepared for it to go on regardless. To reiterate what I said last night, the lieutenants are going to need to go about their duties in as normal of a manner as possible. Obviously, you cannot leave the ruin, and I would strongly advise against going into the uninhabited sections as well. I am sure you can imagine how the traitor could take advantage of that. The clan knows I am here to bolster our defenses against Vile, so if anyone inquires on any kind of unusual behavior, you may cite that as the reason. Again, I need your help in maintaining order through all of this. You all can help to prevent the clan from falling into chaos, and for that I will be grateful. For now, I need enough coin so one of my pack can buy food for us all. You can choose to eat food from here if you cannot wait, but in doing so, you accept the danger that comes with it. Ahnasha, I will send you to Bruma for the supplies. Vera, can you acquire the coin for her? Another of my pack, Kaleeth, will stay with you while she is gone. We can go to collect her on the way."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei waited in complete silence as she allowed the traitor to consider her offer. As much as she wanted to make sure the traitor was punished, it was best for the clan if the situation was resolved as soon as possible. Therefore, she was honest in her offer. As an exile, the traitor could no longer cause harm to the clan, or at least, not from within. However, after a short time, it became clear that the traitor was not willing to step forward, so Meesei uncrossed her arms and stepped forward closer to the center of the room. "Very well." Meesei said, her tone firm and disappointing. "If you do not wish to admit to the betrayal in front of the others, you may approach me any time before the end of tomorrow. Until then, the offer stands, and you will be allowed to leave unharmed. However, after that point, your fate is sealed. Now, as for right now, I acknowledge that the day has been long, and stressful. There is more I need to do before I can question you further, but since I cannot do them until tomorrow, then we are done for today. We can all retire for the night and get as much rest as we can. First thing tomorrow, I am going to need enough coin for one of my pack to head to Bruma for food, so as to eliminate the possibility of another poisoning. I will not stop you from eating what is already here, but you do so at your own risk. Also, to prevent harm from coming to any of you, or my own pack, we should all sleep in the same room. I can have one of my pack up as a lookout at all times to ensure the traitor is unable to enact any plans in the night. Tomorrow, you will need to go about your duties as close to normally as possible. We need to be careful not to cause any alarm among the clan as a whole. According to Jerrick's warning, it is divisive chaos among the clan that will threaten to tear it apart. If you are wondering what you can do to help in all of this, that is it: preserving the peace, keeping the confidence of the clan. I need your cooperation. One of you is a traitor, but the rest of us are all on the same side. Ideally, the clan should not know of Jerrick's death until after the full moons have passed. I will not directly lie to the clan, but word will get around that he is away on important business. Do whatever you can to avoid contradicting that rumor. If it becomes necessary to tell the clan before the full moons, then be sure not to indicate that any of you are suspects. If the people do not think we are divided, then they will not be divided either. Now, are there any questions before we retire for the night?" Meesei did not want to reveal too much of her plans to the lieutenants, but there was no way they could be successful without their cooperation. As well, if the traitor wanted to reveal the truth to the clan, they would have to take a heavy risk of exposing themselves.

The Depths of Deception

Rareth was going through her wine more quickly than the others. Her actions and overall attitude were completely relaxed, something she hoped would rub off everyone else. The wine was of moderate strength, so she knew about how much she could handle. Although, for the somewhat smaller bodies of the Masulu, she assumed it would not take as much to intoxicate them. To Shiva's question, Rareth shrugged her shoulders before taking another drink. "I wouldn't know, I've never been in the military. The Rahn'Masser aren't exactly normal civilians, but we're not military either. We're sort of...separate from almost all Rothian governmental structures. The only entity we truly answer to are the Rahn'Saki themselves. Telmeck can tell you more about the military side of things, but when I am off duty, I can just kind of...go home, or on a vacation. Of course, I can be recalled at any time, but incidents that require my attention are not incredibly common. Around my home, though, there is plenty to do; more than I can list off the top of my head. Threria calls itself the entertainment capital of Rothia, though there are one or two cities that might dispute that claim. Some kinds of entertainment were developed on Rothia, and many more were imported in. One place I rather like, Tyri'Upva, is a sort of theater and casino. They have an entire underground complex where they can put on massive shows, holographic or live, that can literally put you in the middle of the action. And, of course, they have a myriad of games for you to lose your money. That is a popular spot, but there are plenty of lesser-known attractions. There is an amusement park and casino with rides that actually go well-beyond the city. They are some of the fastest and most exciting on the planet. Oh, and there's a restaurant and casino in a building just across from my apartment that I frequent which imports food from all corners of galactic civilization. I actually know the owner of that one; he's an...interesting individual. A bit eccentric, but friendly."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

I also feel like pointing out that Alaira is with Lyn in the cart. She ain't leaving unless something forces her too.

@Freeshooter92

Perhaps, but the others do not know that.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Once Meesei left the room, Kaleeth answered back to Sabine, finally breaking her silence. "It's alright. You just wanted to find out what the poison was. Everything that is happening is...frightening. I hope we catch the killer. They killed Jerrick without him even being able to fight back. I...I'm glad I don't have to worry about poison. The Treeminder told us we were immune to almost all of them because there were so many of them in Black Marsh. Apparently, some of the most deadly poisons there are come from there." She said, though she was not really certain where she was going with her comment. She was speaking more through nervousness than anything. She was glad that they would finally be able to get some sleep, even if it was not a whole night's rest. Rhazii had already woken once, and would probably wake again before the night was over, but at least for the moment, both he and Leaps were asleep. By this point, Meesei was familiar enough with the layout of the halls around their own room that she was able to navigate her way back to the meeting room easily. Some of the lieutenants, and even a few of her own pack, looked half asleep when she walked in, but most of them snapped awake when they noticed her. "Since we have all had a long, stressful day, I will not waste any time. Before I say anything more, I have an offer to make, to the one among you who killed Jerrick. You have compromised the future of the clan, you have brought suffering to his friends, and unimaginable pain to his family. It is a crime whose punishment can be no less than execution and, if this thought has not crossed your mind, I will remind you that we are all lycans here. As such, your soul is bound for Hircine's Hunting Grounds. Your actions have served our enemy, and you will be bound to the realm of the one you betrayed for all eternity. I say this because I am offering one chance to avoid that fate, a way to pursue some hope of redemption. If the traitor gives his or herself up now, the punishment shall be exile, not death. On my honor, and in the name of Hircine and the title he has granted me, I give my word that you will be allowed to leave with no harm brought to you. From there, you will have your life to make amends to our lord. This is a generous offer which I will not make again. Now, will you accept it?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"This is very important, but we are not in so much of a rush that you have to do this all tonight." Meesei answered. She had hoped to question the lieutenants further that night, but she did not want to do so until she had more information on the poison. However, the hour was late, and her, her pack, and the lieutenants were likely all fatigued. As much as Meesei wanted to solve the murder quickly, a night's rest would help her keep herself from making mistakes. Meesei finally released her grip on Sabine, then stepped back and looked at both her and Kaleeth. "You two can stay here, get some rest, and take care of Rhazii. I am going to go back to the others and tell them they may retire for the night. I am going to have all of the lieutenants, and the rest of our pack, sleep in the same room so we can keep an eye on them all. I will likely join them. Tomorrow, I will come back here and take you to the alchemist. Oh, and Sabine, I want you to make sure to stay with one of us at all times, alright? We are doing everything we can to keep an eye on the lieutenants, but that does not erase the fact that all of us are now targets of this traitor. I want to make sure you are safe." Ahnasha gave a silent nod to Oswall, making sure to say nothing more so that she did not inadvertently cause another problem. After Oswall's outburst, no one in the room was quite keen on talking, but neither she nor anyone else in the pack could exactly go to sleep when they were meant to be watching the lieutenants. Eventually Ahnasha made her way over to Fendros and leaned herself against the wall beside him. The room was too small for anyone to talk privately, so instead, she let out a sigh, then took his hand in hers and leaned herself against him.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei maintained her calm attitude while keeping her hands on Sabine's shoulders. She pulled her closer in an attempt to console her. Certainly, Sabine was not accustomed to failure with anything alchemical, but it was not as if she was familiar with every ingredient in Tamriel and beyond, so it was bound to happen eventually. Regardless, she doubted Sabine would give up so easily, and Meesei would do whatever she could to help with her tests. "Tell me what you do know about the poison. If you cannot identify it, then do you believe it is made from something exotic? If Vile is involved, the ingredients could be from Oblivion itself. In any case, if you need something, we will get it for you. We have all week, and perhaps longer for the investigation, so you will probably have time for whatever you need. I may even be able to come up with a way for the scholars themselves to help you, depending on how my investigation goes." Meesei said reassuringly. Ahnasha crossed her arms, trying to maintain something of a firm demeanor. She obviously had his attention, and Fendros seemed to think she was doing well, so she decided to continue. "None of us want to sit around and do 'nothing,' but you know just as well as I that you, or any lieutenant, cannot do the investigating, not yet. You know whether or not you're the traitor, but no one else does. Think about it, do you really want the traitor having free reign to build a case against one of the others? Oswall, you're brash, headstrong, and have been working your way up the ranks for decades. You would be real easy for someone to blame, but Meesei, she doesn't care about that. She will base her suspicions on fact and evidence alone; not something that everyone else will do. There is no telling what the traitor would do if given the chance. What we're doing is just as much for your protection as anything else. None of us want to blame the wrong person."