EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

We can perhaps do some conversations with them after these scenes. There are some interesting characters among the pride, I think.

There are quite a lot of people traveling in this group. It allows for some interesting opportunities I look forward to, we just have to be comfortable with only focusing on a few at a time.

The same is true of Gallus' pack. I enjoy fleshing them out and building the relationships among them, but I still don't intend any of them to be permanent companions to the pack. That could make things interesting down the line.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Pretty much everyone in their now rather large group was awake not too long after dawn, albeit reluctantly for some. The previous day had been exhausting for all, and not everyone had been able to get a good night's rest. Peiter and Meesei had at least been able to get enough rest and enough healing that neither were at risk of any serious complications from their injuries. With some more, periodic magical healing, their scars would even be healed as well.

Breakfast was actually somewhat lively for some among the group. Within Ra'kalesh's pride, some had finally absorbed the fact that they were finally free. No longer would pain and suffering be the daily norm, nor would they need to fear for the lives of themselves, or their friends. A few were actually in cheerful moods. Around the center of camp, Colors, La'khay, and even Ciinriel found themselves talking and laughing with one another, and the others that were joining them for breakfast.

Naturally, Peiter decided to find Sabine shortly after he grabbed his breakfast. He took a seat next to her before quickly realizing he still had nothing to say. There was much on his mind from the previous day, but surprisingly little of it involved the ambush, or his own wounds. He seemed to be in an oddly good mood considering the situation. "So...how are you feeling this morning? Do you...still want me to sit with you?" He asked with a bit of a chuckle."

Although she felt like doing little more than resting after her breakfast, she knew she had her responsibilities to tend to. Gallus had been sure to gather herself and Ra'kalesh as soon as they were both available to discuss their next move. Gallus seemed quite enthusiastic to take action on the information they had gathered, but Ra'kalesh was less confident, and Meesei had a more tempered response in mind. "I believe you may be too eager, Gallus. It is no small trek from here to Corinthe; the fortress in question is nearly halfway across Elsweyr. And, if the prisoner was being truthful, Vile has a force much larger than ours ready to defend it. This knowledge of where to find our enemy's fortress is, unfortunately, useless to us if we do not have the forces to deal with them."

Ra'kalesh nodded in agreement. "Yes, and even if our numbers were enough, this one's pride is just not ready to join you. Our wounds are the culmination of months of torture, and our bodies withered from months of neglect. We are weak, and will need much more time to recover. We can travel if we must, but fighting is something we should avoid if possible. We would not be of much use to you."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

You can go ahead and skip. Do whatever you like for the morning.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"It was." Jo'rashaad said simply and angrily before he started to walk back to camp, ignoring anything more that anyone had to say to him. Were the situation different, Meesei likely would have confronted him right then and there, physically if necessary. Meesei had made her decision on what to do with the prisoner, and Jo'rashaad had gone against it. She could not and would not have her authority bypassed in such a manner without punishment. However, Jo'rashaad's body was already in a weakened state and could not afford any physical trauma. Not to mention, he obviously had mental scars from his torture, and may not have been acting in his right mind. For those reasons, Meesei did not say anything immediately, but that did not mean she was finished. She was going to go to his pride leader to discuss his punishment.

Ra'kalesh had been able to see the exchange from camp, and while he could not hear what they had said, just seeing the events unfold was enough to let him know something was wrong. He met Meesei just at the edge of camp, as it was quite obvious she was upset. "Champion, what just happened?"

"What happened is that Jo'rashaad acted against my direct orders. I arranged a deal with the prisoner in exchange for information, and while we did receive that information, your pride member forced me to break my word by killing him. The ordeal you all have endured kept me from acting on that offense immediately, but I cannot ignore this. I cannot have my authority challenged in such a way." She explained.

Ra'kalesh let out a sigh. He was conflicted between loyalties, knowing that Jo'rashaad was wrong to act against the Champion, but also that the prisoner deserved far worse than what he received. No matter what their obligations were to the Champion, there was no way he could expect Jo'rashaad to just let go of what their prisoner had done. He turned for a moment and looked to Jo'rashaad, who had returned to sit with his wife. They sat together watching their daughter sleep, both in tears.

When Ra'kalesh turned back to Meesei, he was just as uncertain, but nevertheless decided in his response. "Champion, this one is...sorry this happened. But that monster tortured more than just physically. Ciinriel, she is Jo'rashaad and S'ajira's daughter. That prisoner, he took her and...had his way with her, right in front of us. Surely you can understand why Jo'rashaad could not let him go? That kind of pain is not something someone should endure."

Meesei could not say anything upon Ra'kalesh's explanation. The context he gave made her more understanding of the Khajiit's actions. Had she known, she likely would not have given that prisoner any hope of survival. Jo'rashaad had still defied her orders, but as her eyes wandered across the camp and found Sabine sleeping in her bedroll, she paused and closed her eyes. "I understand."

Meesei looked back to Ra'kalesh with less hostility. "Just be sure that he understands it can not happen again."

"Of course, Champion." He answered. Both of them then separated, with Meesei heading back to her own bedroll. There was much they all needed to discuss, especially with what they had learned from the prisoner, but now was the time for them to get as much rest as they could.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Jo'rashaad sneered at Gallus, obviously unsatisfied with his suggestion. "This depraved waste of fur inflicted a kind of suffering you cannot imagine upon this one's family. He is a coward and a monster; the fact that you would consider giving him even a slim chance of escape is an affront to the very concept of justice. This one does not care if he now has the beast blood, only that Jo'rashaad should be the one to spill it!" He shouted.

Meesei could certainly understand Jo'rashaad's anger. Torture was a terrible experience to endure, and vengeance was something even Meesei would likely desire if she was ever put through it. However, throughout this war, Meesei had gained a reputation as one who would keep her word, even to the enemy. If an enemy prisoner made a deal with her, she could be reasonably expected to honor it. It was something that made prisoners who knew of her more likely to be cooperative. Even if she would rather him see justice, she wanted to keep to her word.

"Your anger is justified, Jo'rashaad, but I made a deal not to kill him if he was cooperative. If I start breaking my word, then cooperative prisoners will be a thing of the past. He is scum, yes, but allowing me to keep to my word is better for all of us." Meesei explained.

Jo'rashaad was seething in rage, towards Gallus, Meesei, and especially the prisoner. He glared at the bound Khajiit in front of him, who was looking back at him with no shortage of fear in his eyes. The prisoner knew exactly why Jo'rashaad was so relentlessly angry, and it was enough to make him terrified. There was silence for a moment, then suddenly, something that none of them had quite expected. The anger within Jo'rashaad had reached its breaking point, and before anyone could act in response, he charged enough destruction magic through his hands to charge and launch an ice spike straight into the prisoner's throat. The artery which is severed caused blood to pour from his neck fast enough for him to bleed to death in but seconds.

"This one does not care." He said, breathing heavily and baring his teeth as he looked upon the corpse with his hand still swirling with frost magic.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The prisoner shook his head. "No, none other than him. Well, there could be, but not that this one has ever heard of. This general of theirs is unique in many ways. If you want my advice, do not underestimate him."

"I will keep that in mind." Meesei commented as she thought about the implications of what the prisoner described. If it was true, then it did make more sense how the Senchal clan could have been overrun. A large force with a talented leader was a combination that could overcome even the strongest of defenses. "So, where can we find this fortress, and this general?"

Once more, the prisoner shook his head, but this time in defiance. "No...no, not yet. You have to turn this one first. Turn him, and promise to let him go. Khajitt will not let his soul be taken by Vile after this."

Meesei glanced to Gallus and gave a nod before kneeling down in front of the Khajiit. She reached out to one of his arms and tore his sleeve, then cut a gash across his bicep, causing him to cringe in pain. She held her other hand over the wound and squeezed a few drops of her own blood into it. "My blood is now within you. You are not a lycan yet, but in about three days time, the condition will grow strong enough to overtake you, and you will transform for the first time. Be sure you are not close to civilization when that happens. Now, for your part of the deal."

The prisoner let out a deep, nervous breath as he thought about what was going to happen, but nevertheless, nodded in compliance. "Okay, Khajiit will share what he knows. You found a map when you searched this one's belongings, yes? Well, there is a very subtle mark on it over the location of the fortress. Bring it over here and this one will show you."

Meesei prompted Gallus to go retrieve the map from camp and, once he returned, unrolled it in front of him. "Here is your map, now where is this mark?" She demanded.

"Well, this one cannot show you like this. If you unbind his hands..."

"Do it with your toes." Meesei ordered firmly as she held the map close to his feet. After a moment, he pointed to a spot northeast of Corinthe, in the northern Tenmar forest. Sure enough, there was a small, subtle mark that had been added to the map, which would have been easy to overlook.

"So...you have the map, and you know where to find the fortress. What...does this mean for this one now?" The prisoner asked.

"It means he's useless to us now." A voice sounded out nearby. From the direction of the camp, Jo'rashaad stepped towards them. Evidently, he had moved himself closer to them as they had been interrogating him; although, it was not certain how much he had overheard.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

After Gallus left, Meesei decided to wait until he returned to continue her questions. For this conversation, she would prefer to have at least one other present. There was not a chance that this prisoner would be remaining with their particular group for any significant length of time, but turning him into a lycan was not something that would cost her at all. There was a great potential for him to be harmed from it, but she and her pack could simply send him on his way if they wished.

Once Gallus returned, Meesei continued. "If you hope to be protected from Vile's rage by Hircine, then you have much work ahead of you. But, this is not a deal I am opposed to. But, that is not a gift that I would give for nothing of value in return, and you have not yet shown that you actually know anything. I would like you to tell me about these forces of Vile's. What strength do they have?" Meesei asked.

The prisoner seemed reluctant to answer at first, but since he still had the location of the base, he could get away with sharing this. "Oh, very strong. Given how badly Vile's war has been going for him, this one wonders how he has been able to muster such a force. Their fortress alone has hundreds of ale-bodied soldiers, maybe more. And there are more in the region. Vile must have an entire legion in Elsweyr, and it is not just numbers. His force reminds this one of the legion in more ways than one. They are regimented, disciplined. There tactics and equipment are all very...military. They are not lycan hunter tactics exactly, but they are involved in them. Obviously, not all of them are outfitted with silver; that would be too expensive even for Vile's followers, but there are more than you can handle. This one thinks it's all because of their general. He's a Cathay-raht; strong, intelligent, leads from the front. Don't know much about him, other than his reputation. Don't even know why he's working for Vile, considering he's a werewolf."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The prisoner tried to look away from Meesei, but she quickly grabbed his head and forced him to make eye contact with her. She stared at him wordlessly, but her body language made her intentions abundantly clear. As she brought her bleeding hand closer to him, he finally gave a frightened answer.

"Okay, okay, maybe this one can tell you something." He said quickly, after which Meesei backed off to give him more space. "But...he still does not know about what Vile wants. Khajiit was not lying about that. He is no commander, only a soldier. This one just follows his orders, and receives his payments. Deals with Vile can be lucrative and...punishing if broken. This one can tell you the strength of his forces and, oh, and where you can find them as well. Khajiit has been to the largest of our bases in the area, he can show you where to find it, but...his soul will be taken by Vile on death if he breaks his deal with him."

The prisoner's eyes darted back and forth between Gallus and Meesei nervously. He was afraid of them, obviously, but was also just as frightened of what would happen if he submitted. Eventually, however, his gaze focused on the drops of blood in Meesei's palm, and an idea came to his mind. "Maybe...yes, yes. Khajiit knows what can be done. Your blood; you can turn him into one of those things. A werebeast. It will bond him to your master, then he can work for Hircine. And maybe, when Khajiit does die, your master won't be as angry with him, yes? Promise to let this one go, and turn him into one of you, and he will tell you everything he knows."

For a moment, Meesei was silent as she considered the prisoner's offer. She preferred to avoid turning if she could, but this was a chance to get information from the prisoner willingly, with no further effort or trouble. And, if the prisoner was bound to Hircine, he would have an incentive to be honest. Although, it would mean letting go one of the pride's torturers. It was not an easy choice, and she glanced to Gallus to judge his reaction while she thought.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I'm working on one last term project. I may or may not have a post up by the time you get online.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

La'khay shook her head solemnly. "La'khay does not know if there is anything we can do. The girls in Senchal, they rarely wanted to talk about it. Even with the work they were doing, it was painful for them to remember. This one does not think that help can be forced upon her; she has to be willing to accept it. Her parents tried helping her, but they don't know any more about that than this one. Perhaps all we can do is to be here to support her. To care for her. Her freedom will probably help."

Meesei took a few steps forward towards the prisoner, so as to appear even larger in his field of view. Her expression was not necessarily aggressive, but certainly not gentle. When she spoke, her voice could best be described as demanding. "I will not mince words with you, prisoner. What I want from you is everything you know about Vile's plans in this area. I want to know how strong they are, where they are, and what they want. Make no mistake, I will have that information before we are done. What your cooperation will negotiate for you is what happens to you in the aftermath." She said before giving a nod to Gallus.

Once the gag was removed, the prisoner started to laugh. "You beasts really are stupid. If Khajiit knew Vile's plans, which he doesn't, then you think he'd tell you? Vile can do far worse to this one than you ever could."

Meesei gave no immediate response to the Khajiit, and instead knelt down in front of him. She held out her hand a few inches in front of his face, then started to press her claw into her own palm until she drew a drop of blood. "So whatever deal you have made with Vile has bound you to him, you think? Well, that may be true, but I would like for you to think about this. A few drops of my blood, and you will be bound to the lord of the Hunt. You will have the spirit of the wolf tied irreversibly to your soul: a bond that I can assure you is stronger than any deal you could make with Vile. You would be bound for eternity to my master, the Daedra upon which you have waged war. I would like you to think on that for a moment. I would like you to think about all of the suffering you have experienced in your life. I would like you to think about all of the suffering you have caused, about all of the suffering that has ever been felt by any mortal on Nirn. Every death, every dismemberment, every single moment of torture throughout all of history. I would like for you to think about all of that, then consider, for a moment, that the sum total of all mortal suffering in history is but a fleeting moment next to the vast expanse of the eternity you will spend under the boot of my master. Now, do you have something to say to me?"

For a few moments after Meesei spoke, all the prisoner seemed to be able to do was stare and blink. Meanwhile, closer to camp, Jo'rashaad was watching Meesei and Gallus from afar. He was not close enough to hear the words they were saying, but he was not about to take his attention off of the prisoner.