EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Outwardly, Colors nervousness seemed to disappear. He smiled and stopped glancing around nervously, but his scent betrayed the apparently increasing stress he was feeling. His heart was starting to beat rapidly, and his breathing was becoming irregular. "Ah, I thought so. You two have that look about you. I must say, you are quite a lucky man, Janius, to find a woman as beautiful as...Kaleeth, correct? Her tattoos are striking." He commented, thinking back to recall the introductions they had exchanged earlier.

Colors' words and upbeat tone were in opposition to his more subtle body language. "It is refreshing to meet an Imperial who has an interest in my kind. Too many just see us as beasts. So, how did you meet?"

Even Kaleeth could pick up on the strange ways in which Colors was acting, but she had no way of knowing why. "Meesei's pack visited my village in Black Marsh a few years ago. I had never really spoken to an outsider before, so I started talking to him and we...just kept talking. Given how poor my Cyrodilic was...that was definitely saying something."

---

Peiter undressed as well, leaving his clothing just at the edge of the stream in case he did actually decide to wash them. Stepping into the water, he sat down beside Sabine. Even with just his lower body being mostly submerged, he could already feel the relief of the brisk water. He supposed that, in an absolute sense, the water was warm, but in comparison to the hot, humid air, it might as well have been ice. While Sabine decided to use her tunic to drench herself, Peiter decided to go ahead and lay down on his back. As the water was just deep enough that his head would be submerged near completely, he put his hands behind his head to keep it lifted up. The soreness of his muscles seemed to wash away along with the dirt and sweat that had covered him during their trek to this place, and their training once they arrived.

For a few moments, Peiter looked up at Sabine silently and returned her smile. It was to the point that he almost seemed to be staring before he finally spoke up. "This is...I don't think I've ever been so glad to get in the water. It's going to be hard to get me out."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter was perfectly content waiting down on the forest floor, especially since he would not have been able to climb the ropes anyway. Up in the higher platforms, the first person Sabine saw was Sees-No-Colors, who was standing outside the main structure in the center, evidently getting some fresh air. When asked, he readily informed her that there was a stream nearby, just to the east of the ropes. Peiter had indeed been correct that the supply outpost was built near a water source.

Shortly after Sabine left, Colors headed back inside the main structure with the others. It, like all of the other structures, was built encircling the trunk of one of the large trees. It was anchored to it, and other surrounding trees, by wooden beams and thick ropes. Inside, it had all of the amenities that one would expect from a home. There were candles for lighting, proper chairs and furniture, and even a fireplace for cooking. There was more than enough food in the main structure for their dinner and a breakfast in the morning, and there was more food in the storage building nearby. While there were not enough chairs for three entire packs, there were cushions that anyone else could use if they were sitting on the floor.

Once they had become settled in, Meesei's packs had spent some time speaking with Ra'maranja's group. The topics were serious at first, though they quickly became more casual. Ra'maranja asked about the Bruma clan, and Meesei herself, while Colors described the Senchal clan, and particularly its leader. Now, most everyone had settled into groups either eating their dinner, or just conversing among themselves while they waited to become tired enough to actually fall asleep. As Ra'maranja had suspected, it seemed as if they would be waiting until morning before they went to meet with the Senchal clan leader.

After pacing in front of the fire for a few moments, Colors eventually walked over and sat down on a cushion near Janius, Kaleeth, and a few of the others. Most of Ra'maranja's group appeared relaxed, but Colors looked almost to be nervous. He seemed oddly alert, but had said nothing to indicate that anything was out of the ordinary. He looked at Janius and Kaleeth curiously for an almost awkward amount of time as he seemed to be deliberating on something intensely within his mind. "So you two are bonded, yes? Mates?"

Down on the forest floor, Peiter had taken the time while Sabine was away to pack up the practice swords and other belongings. He was surprised to see that, even with the amount of time they had trained, his shirt had still hardly dried at all. It made him wonder which he hated more: the heat, or the humidity. Nevertheless, he packed it up carefully, away from anything he wanted to keep dry. Once Sabine returned, it was not a far walk to the east before they could hear the flowing water over the rest of the sounds of the forest. Peiter was glad to have hope of relief from the heat, though a river this body of water certainly wasn't. As they walked up to the water, Peiter could see that, while large for a stream, they certainly would not be able to swim in the traditional sense. It was about as wide as Peiter was tall, and at its deepest, only came up about halfway to Peiter's knee. Still, the water was fairly clear, and when he knelt down and ran his hand through the water, he could feel that it was crisp and cool.

"Well, we're not going to be doing any diving, but at least it will be refreshing. I can at least wash these city clothes." Peiter commented.

---

In her response, Irenya was completely firm, and serious. "Gallus, it is my duty to protect them. Lord Hircine has commanded this task, and has seen fit that we be the ones to accompany the Champion. No matter what I think, you know me well enough to know that I will not fail in my duty, no matter what that might be. If Hircine commanded me to protect Vile himself, I would do it. You will not find me starting arguments or fights, but I cannot control the actions of that prideful cat. If I were you, I would be sure to address her as well."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Alright, I can take them to it in my next one.

Irenya does respect her leadership. As the conversation so far has shown, she is quite devoted to Hircine. The thing that has been hard to show is that she usually isn't like this. Before this point, she had never shown any hostility towards any Khajiit or Argonian. But, she had never had to deal with a couple like Fendros and Ahnasha, and there is one thing about Meesei that sets her apart from other Argonians she has known. I do think we should bring her and Gallus back up to the others soon enough, as there is another conversation of importance to have up there.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter nodded. "Alright. I was mostly just thinking of walking around within sight of the ropes, see if we can hear any running water. Mostly though, I just need a moment to rest. I'd probably end up falling flat on my back if I tried climbing up that tree right now." He chuckled.

When Sabine thanked him Peiter returned a smile. "Anytime. Whenever you feel like it, you can have your turn of giving me a lesson in magic. I guess that would require a lot less space than sparring."

There was a brief pause where it seemed like Peiter was going to say something, but he evidently lost the words. Glancing away for a moment, he looked back and gave another smile. "And thank you, too."

---

At this point, Irenya was not entirely certain what Gallus wanted. She appeared annoyed as she thought. Given what they had been speaking about, her train of thought brought her to her actions, and what she needed to do for this mission. Regardless of what Gallus wanted, the answer she arrived at was one that she believed to be true.

"What you need from me? Obedience." She answered.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter went through the drills, just as he was taught. Or at least, mostly like he was taught. His teachers back in the clan were not nearly as forgiving as himself. This was meant to be a friendly lesson, not anything stressful. Although, failure, no matter the context, had a tendency to be stressful regardless of the intention.

The pair trained for a while, a bit longer than Peiter originally intended. His focus on the task at hand had caused him to lose track of how much time was passing. However, their stamina gave out before the daylight did. It was getting dark, though the sun would be up for a while yet. Peiter dropped his practice blade down next to his bag, then went through it to find his waterskin. Once he pulled it from the bag, he immediately dropped down and sat on the ground beside Sabine. He ran his arm across his face to wipe away the sweat and took a large drink of his water.

"We, uh, might have gone on longer that we should've. I tend to get...focused when training. It's hard to do anything for long in this heat, though." He commented before turning his head and looking at her with a smile. Noticing she was out of water, he reached out and offered his waterskin to her. "But, you did well. I wouldn't worry about not getting that last bit. We're both tired, and besides, you're just starting. The Imperial City wasn't built in a day. It's all about progress." He said encouragingly. Looking up at the ropes leading up to the platform above, he grimaced. He was not looking forward to climbing with his rather sore arms. "Say, do you want to look around and see if there is a water source nearby? Something to cool off with?"

---

Irenya let out a huff. "An adult? Fendros doesn't look like he's even over fifty! You're not a Dunmer, Gallus, you don't understand. He is little more than a boy in our eyes. The child doesn't change that. If anything, it makes it more clear..."

The comment about Irenya's own breaks with her traditions did give her pause, though it was hardly going to cause her to give up her beliefs. "I may not serve the Reclamations, Gallus, but I am still proud to be Dunmer. I am proud of our culture and history. I am proud of our strengths, and acknowledge our flaws. I acknowledge that selecting worthy gods to serve has never been a...strength of our people. Our religion almost seems to change with the seasons. I can serve Hircine and still be a true Dunmer. I will do everything that is necessary to serve Hircine's will on Tamriel. Even if that means playing nice with the one who has forsaken his people, or living in service to the lizard."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter had not expected to hit with his first strike, though it was not exactly as if he was trying to make it easy to block. Her retaliatory strike was actually not bad in concept. In swordfighting, the hands were a vulnerable and useful target to attempt to hit. However, he was able to twist his blade to block the strike with the crossguard. That did not necessarily put her in a bad position, but because her footing was unstable at best, he was able to push the blade aside at an angle that would be awkward to resist and recover from, then thrust successfully at her stomach.

Peiter did not take up a combat stance again, and instead rubbed his chin as he looked her over. "I see. It seems you do have the theoretical knowledge, but of course you're not in practice enough to execute it properly. That's no trouble, though. It just means you need practice."

Walking over to stand beside Sabine, Peiter assumed a basic combat stance. "You seem to know where to hold the blade, but your footwork needs work. It is the basis of any fighting style, and while it can be boring to practice, it's probably the most important thing to master. Watch my feet when I swing." He said before demonstrating a heavy forward slash. Just as if he was in a duel, he took a step forward so Sabine could see what he was referring to. "Now, why don't you try. See if you can move like I do."

---

Irenya shook her head. "Oh, don't give me that, Gallus. I know what you're trying to say. I am certainly not intimidated by that particular lizard. But, even if I do not agree with lord Hircine's decisions, I will follow them. By rights, this...Argonian is the alpha of every lycan in Tamriel, and I would be a fool to disobey Hircine without issuing the proper challenges."

Although Irenya's answer hinted at her feelings, she was still not directly stating it. The issues she was having were not as simple as complete bigotry, but neither were they far removed from it.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

That's alright. We may want to start summarizing the swordsmanship training at some point. I do have knowledge of swordfighting techniques...but only very basic knowledge.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

That's quite alright. About how long do you think you have?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter picked up his practice sword as well, though he did not assume a combat stance at first. Instead, he walked around Sabine and observed how she was standing. "Not bad. I'd hold the blade a bit higher, but other than that, it's a proper stance. Especially for a beginner. It's important to note that there is no one 'right' way to fight. No one stance that will be better than all the others. It's just a matter of the situation you're in. How about we start with a quick bout just to see how much you already know."

Taking a few steps away, Peiter stopped, faced Sabine, then assumed his own combat stance. The weapons were practice longswords, so they were meant to be held with two hands. He kept the blade out in front of him in a position that would allow him to respond quickly to attacks at most angles. "Okay...begin."

Staring out, Peiter did not attack immediately. Instead, he stepped forward, but kept far enough away that neither of them could hit the other's body without taking a step forward. He touched the tip of his blade to the end of hers so that he could feel what she was going to do. From there, he gave a simple forward thrust at her torso, just to test her defenses.

---

Irenya was irritated, though whether it was specifically directed at Gallus at the moment was hard to say. She sneered, though was not looking at Gallus. "Yes, I suppose that problem is with Fendros, but I can't say I'm fond of the cat either. Not with her attitude. And she is just as responsible as him for tainting his bloodline. That boy, Fendros, I don't think he even knows what he is doing. He is young, and not from our homeland. He doesn't understand his people, or what he is doing to his traditions."

Upon asking about Meesei, Irenya looked at Gallus with as unemotional of an expression as she could manage. "Meesei is Hircine's Champion, and I am honor-bound to follow her lead for as long as she retains that title." She said with a tone matching her expression. It was an evasive answer which did nothing to actually address the question.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

As they had to take turns, it did take some time for most of everyone to make it up into the trees. Meesei was last, along with Leaps. Fortunately, the lift could support both of them at the same time, so she was able to stay close to the wamasu to ensure that he did not panic on the way up. Leaps certainly became nervous as they began to lift the pair up. He stood quickly and looked down over the edge, so Meesei rubbed the back of his neck gently and repeated the command "stay" until they were high enough that he would not consider jumping. It was unavoidable that Leaps would be stressed by this new experience, but once they were on the platform, he at least had no problem staying away from the edge.

Once most of everyone was up in the trees, Ra'maranja approached the Bosmer in his group. "Continue on to the clan and inform the clan leader of our proposed meeting. We will remain here with the Champion's pack." He ordered, to which the Bosmer quickly agreed. Ra'maranja then moved forward towards one of the ramps leading up to the structures above. "Come, this one will show you to your accommodations. There are four buildings, built entirely around the trunks of the trees. The smaller two mostly just contain beds, while the large one in the middle is basically the living area. The last, medium-sized hut is just for storage, and contains most of the supplies."

Peiter nodded to Sabine as they made their way back to the ropes. "That...makes sense. I can just imagine how good some nice, cold water would feel right about now. We might want to go searching for some after this training; swordfighting can be pretty physically intensive. I imagine they would put a supply outpost somewhere near a source of water." He commented.

The pair climbed back down the ropes, then found an open area that was as far away from Gallus and Irenya as was reasonable without making it look intentional. They certainly did not want to intrude upon the conversation that they could imagine was occurring at the moment. Peiter set his bag down on a fallen log, then pulled out the two wooden practice swords from within and propped them up against it. Letting out a deep breath, he wiped his brow once more. His energy had already been somewhat drained by the journey to the outpost, and the exertion of climbing up and down the tree, but he could still go through with the training, albeit not for as long as usual. Given the heat, he removed his sweat-drenched shirt and held it up in front of himself for a moment before dropping it onto his bag with something of a disgusted grunt. "I feel like I've already been swimming at this point."

---

Although she had already known what the conversation would be about before it started, Irenya could not help but to be annoyed and frustrated by it. She stood leaned up against a tree with her arms crossed. "And you are talking to me about this? It was the cat that started that fight, not me. If anything, she should be the one you're berating. She shouts at me, calls me a bigot. You know how I treat our little Tzirret, you know that can't be true. It's just...you're not a Dunmer. You wouldn't understand the problem. We hold great reverence for family and ancestors in Morrowind. It is an integral part of the shared culture of all Dunmer. To corrupt that linage with the blood of a cat...it is just wrong. What future is there for Fendros when he has no heir to pass down the traditions of his family? It is a disservice to our people." Irenya reluctantly explained. Of course, even ignoring the matter of whether or not her protests were acceptable, they would do nothing to explain her treatment of Meesei.