EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I think there's a daily quota for making Tzirret feel awkward.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

For a while, both Meesei and Sabine simply hugged one another in silence, apart from their now-loving sobs. It took a while for them to the most intense of their emotions, but Meesei did eventually release her hold over her. She knew that Sabine had not truly gone through any sudden, drastic change. She was the same person today that she was the day before; the only difference now was that she had a mate with whom she was willing to be intimate. No matter how old she grew, she would always be her daughter.

Meesei swallowed, and took in a deep breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Well...then. I am glad you have found someone you love, Sabine. You do love Peiter, right? You care for him in that way? And you took a potion for the mating, right?" She asked, though before Sabine could respond, she took another breath and collected herself. "Yes, you did. Of course you did. You told me you did. When did you take it?"

---

"Oh, sure, you can swim with us." Ma'tanza answered. She was the last to climb in the water, as it took her longer than the others to undress, since she wore a length of cloth wound tightly around her chest which needed to be unraveled. It was understandable why, as removing it revealed a very large bust size, more than enough to be impractical for any sort of physical labor. She walked in the river, up to Tzirret and the others, then stopped to allow herself to get used to the water.

"Ma'tanza? She is an apprentice, learning to become a mage and enchanter. This one's father used to teach her, but he...died in the attack. An Altmer named Serelian teaches her now. She is a nice person, though. Not like those Thalmor." She explained.

"M'ibasa doesn't know what he's going to do yet." He chimed in. "He might be an alchemist, or a mage like his sister."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

When Meesei finally pulled away from Sabine, she had stopped sobbing, but there were still tears swelling in the bottom of her eyes, just above her eyelids. She blinked a few times to clear her vision, then shook her head lightly as she stared into Sabine's own eyes. "No, no, you don't need to apologize, Sabine; you don't need to feel bad. You...you didn't do anything wrong. All of this is not really about you, it is...more about me, I suppose."

Meesei swallowed uncomfortably, trying to find the words for how she felt. "Sabine, I...I still remember back, years ago when you were barely more than a child, back in the forests in Cyrodiil. I could see that you were scarred, you were hurt and afraid. I did not do it openly back then, but...I cried the first night after we found you. I cried harder than I had ever since the day my father died. You were just a little, frightened girl who had obviously been through...gods knew whatever kind of terror. I made a promise to myself that night that I would do whatever I could to make you better. I thought that I would have fulfilled that promise with your ritual in Black Marsh, but...in the weeks after, I realized that it was not that simple. I had helped you with your trauma, sure, but I knew that you had been denied a childhood. You had lived in either torment or fear for so long, that you just could not have the one you deserved. No matter how much I wanted, I could not give that to you. It had been too long, and you were too old to ever be a child again, but..."

Raising up her hand, Meesei placed it gently onto Sabine's cheek and smiled. "I could give you the love and support those witches never did. I could give you...family. I knew it would not be perfect. I knew that most people would never see me, an Argonian, as your mother, but as long as I could give you the help you needed, it did not matter. And now...we are here. I have seen you as that little girl for so long, but...that is not who you are anymore. You got past your fear, you learned what you needed to learn from me. You are an adult now; you are a grown woman just like me. I am sorry for reacting like that, and intruding on a very intimate moment with your mate. I just never expected to be...faced with all of that at once."

Meesei closed her eyes a moment and let out a long, shaky breath. "Just...may I ask you one thing? Do you think I have...fulfilled my promise?"

---

M'ibasa looked over to the river once Tzirret mentioned it. "Yeah, it is. And speaking of the river, are we actually going to start swimming soon. We've been sitting here forever." He complained.

Ma'tanza gave a chuckle. "Alright, little brother. We can go for a swim.

"Hey, I'm not little anymore He retorted.

"Right." She responded. M'ibasa sprung up from where he was sitting, undressed, and quite literally jumped into the water, while most of the others started to stand more slowly. Thusfar, Tzirret's interaction with the group had essentially only been to relay to them stories about the Champion. But, if he wanted to join them and talk to them more normally, and not just as a storyteller, then he would need to take the initiative to ask.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei was scarcely able to hold herself together as she and Sabine stepped out into the hall. Compared to a normal building on the ground, the hallway was rather compact, and Peiter would still likely be able to hear what they were saying if he made an attempt to listen in. But, at the very least, it did provide her with some illusion of privacy.

Meesei did not say anything in response to Sabine's apology. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her for a tight hug, ignoring the sweat, or anything else, that might have been on her. She hung her head over Sabine's shoulder and cried quite audibly, saying nothing for at least a minute. It was perhaps the more outward display of emotion Meesei had given in years.

"I love you, Sabine. I will always, always love you as my daughter; I want you to know that. No matter what, you will always be my daughter." Meesei finally said between sobs. Her words were charged with emotion and determination, but not a hint of anger.

---

Bheja looked back and forth between his friends. "So there was a traitor? I hope this Harriet never comes here. If she could escape the Champion, she would have to be dangerous."

There were a few nods of agreement from among the group before Qa'habi commented. "Well...the Champion is here now, and if she found out that Harriet traitor, then she wouldn't come anywhere near here. Qa'habi is sure the Champion will be able to help us, and keep us safe."

"We'll all be fine with her here." Ma'tanza agreed. "What about everywhere else? We haven't heard anything from outside the clan for months. Is anything else good happening out there...or bad?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Good, that is...good." Meesei said in response to Sabine mentioning the potion, though she was still overwhelmed by the situation she had walked in on. Peiter was sitting up on the bed with his legs handing off the side, and the sheets pulled over his lap, and seemed to be just as nervous as Sabine. As soon as the door was opened, Meesei could both see and smell the evidence of what had been happening within the room. "You really have been...and did you shave your..." She stammered as she brought her hand up to her head. The shock of it all was actually starting to make her feel lightheaded.

"I...came here to speak to you about some...I should not disturb you, but..." Meesei swallowed nervously before looking straight as Sabine, then reaching out and gently placing her hand on her shoulder. "Could we step out into the hall and speak...privately?" Meesei asked, but her expression was not quite like any Sabine would have seen before, and her hand was very obviously shaking. It was almost like she was afraid, but there seemed to be more to it.

---

By this point, Ma'tanza was leaning forward towards Tzirret cross-legged, with her elbows resting on her knees, and her head resting on her hands, and the others were showing similar states of attention. Evidently, his stories of the Champion had sparked quite a bit of interest in them.

"Ma'tanza heard about that fight. It was apparently the first big battle of the war. They say there were hundreds of lycan hunters that all stormed into your stronghold, and the Champion spearheaded the charge to kill every last one. Funnily enough, the ones who don't like her use that story as evidence of why she is a liar. They say it sounds too heroic, and is a lie. They also mention something about her letting a traitor go after the attack. This one doesn't think it makes any sense." She commented.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

It's also interesting to see Tzirret trying new things, though it is fun to make him feel awkward.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Her personality has quite a few layers, as you've likely seen. And not all of them are particularly noble.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Ah, good afternoon, Sabine. I was wanting to talk...to you...about..." Meesei started to say, but she trailed off as a certain realization smacked into her like a charging minotaur. She might have been able to explain away the fact that Sabine was drenched in sweat, considering the heat in the air, and she might not have noticed her hair, since it was usually rather disorderly. But, the scent was what made it undeniable. It was that distinctive, pungent scent that she recognize which confirmed what the other evidence hinted at. Her nostrils flared as she took in a few breaths, then her eyes widened as if she had seen some otherworldly specter and her mouth hung slightly open.

"I...you...I had no idea you...are mating?" Meesei said in shock. She had not meant to be so direct in stating it, but rather, it was something she had blurted out through her mind's current discord. To see Meesei in such mental disarray was an exceptionally rare event, even for one as close to her as Sabine. She was not necessarily angry, or even disappointed in Sabine, as it was not as if she had expected her to remain chaste forever. However, despite the fact that she was an adult, Meesei still had the image of Sabine as her young, slightly naive daughter who was not yet fully part of the very dangerous world of the adults around her. But, to know that she was doing something so decidedly mature caused that illusion to shatter before her. "Can I...can I...speak...to you?" She asked nervously.

---

The reactions of the four Khajiit to Tzirret's version of the story ranged between skepticism and fascination. Ma'tanza seemed particularly interested to hear the actual story of the Champion. Her ears were perked up, and her eyes were wide with interest. "Ma'tanza has never heard that part of the story. She has always been told that silver is very dangerous to us; surviving a silver spear sounds difficult. Maybe that's why the Altmer haven't done anything; they're afraid. They are mages; used to be...Thalmor soldiers, this one thinks. They don't get along well with a lot of people here."

With the mention of Tzirret witnessing Meesei's magic, Bheja spoke up next. "Well, if you've seen her magic before, does that mean you've fought with her before? What was that like?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei nodded in agreement. "Yes, we must not get ahead of ourselves. There are several matters we should probably tend to before meeting with the clan's leadership again. I want to make sure we have a way to ensure our food stays preserved. We can...technically sustain ourselves on spoiled meat, being that disease is not an issue, but that would not be good for morale. I think I will search for a magical, or perhaps alchemical solution. If we are to attempt this plan, it would also be wise to mask our scent. Very few who are not lycans can tell what we are by scent, even among Vile's minions, but I would rather not take any chances. I believe I will contend with those issues, while you seek out Colors. If he knows anyone who may deal in slaves, tell him to join in our meeting tomorrow. I would go search for him down in the camp. Just look for attractive women; he is bound not to be far behind." She suggested with a slight chuckle.

Once the two separated, Meesei went about finding someone who could help with the matter of preserving their food for the journey. Naturally, her thoughts turned to Sabine. She had heard her mention that she was working on a way to keep their bodies cool in the tropical head, so it was possible she already had potions that could do the same for their provisions. Since her and Peiter's room was nearby, she decided to first look for her there. She had to search around to jog her memory on which of the rooms Sabine and Peiter had selected, but eventually made her way to the room and knocked on its door. She thought she heard something strange inside as she approached, but did not think anything of it at the moment.

Just as they had planned, Peiter and Sabine had mated several times over the course of a few hours. Their first encounter in the river had been in the morning, and it was already well into the afternoon. There were a few mistakes on both their parts, but overall, he was thoroughly enjoying himself. The exertion of it all was starting to fatigue him, but each time they took a break to recover and recharge, the allure of the sensations he could expect would draw him back in. He did at least feel like he was improving. They went undisturbed for a while, but it was in the height of one of these encounters that Meesei came knocking at the door.

---

Turn herself into lightning? That cannot be true, surely? Ma'tanza responded in disbelief. "This one has heard rumors about her, yes. Rumors about her being a powerful mage, but that sounds like fantasy. Maybe she could demonstrate her power, if she ever has the time for it?"

Although Tzirret's fear was visible in his body language, none of the others had yet commented on it, perhaps because they were too preoccupied with the conversation. Qa'habi was the next to answer him. "There are lots of other rumors about her too. Some say she had to kill this giant, powerful Orc lycan hunter who was possessed by Clavicus Vile himself, or something like that. Then she received the Ring of Hircine from Hircine himself. Some people don't think she's the real Champion, though. Qa'habi has heard some people say she just found the ring and made up the story. Or that she's an illusionist that's been pretending to be powerful. This one heard these three Altmer say they would each challenge her to a duel if they ever saw her. It's strange they haven't said anything about it yet. Everyone knows she's here."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Nice, I'll have a response up for when you are next available.