EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Dro'cahi remained respectful and did not interrupt as Gallus was speaking, but wasted no time in giving his own response. "Dro'cahi is sure you have taken a detailed account of our resources, based on what he has read in this report. However, two months is a long siege to endure, and many of our people here are not equipped, physically or emotionally, for the challenges that would present. This one recognizes that it is very unlikely for an enemy force to arrive immediately after our warriors leave, but a siege is still a possibility. Provided, of course, that the enemy does not find a way to immediately break through into our stronghold."

As the topic was now focused on the stronghold's defenses, Ri'vashi could now speak well-within her element. "Dro'cahi, both Ri'vashi and her father before her saw to this stronghold's defenses. Every single stone lining the walls of our home has been checked for cracks and weaknesses. We know all of the thinnest points in the walls separating us from the outside, which are still more than adequately thick, and have reinforced them regardless. There are three separate points prepared along both the main entrance and escape tunnel that can be safely collapsed in the event of an attack, and with the scaffolding leading up to the top of the main chamber, we can have our warriors guarding from the top of a nearly insurmountable hill. Our stronghold was designed to be defended, and we have only improved it. For our enemy to have some knowledge of how to break through it that even we do not possess would be...unlikely. Ri'vashi would never want to deprive her home of the basic forces it needs to defend itself, but in this place, we do not need the majority of our soldiers to give an effective defense."

There was a hint of frustration in Dro'cahi's expression, but with a glance to Meesei, he maintained his composure. "This one has the utmost confidence in your military ability. Of that, there has never been any doubt, but is it not wise to plan for something to go wrong. Rather than assuming that our defenses will hold, would it not be better for us to leave more than we think we need here in case the unexpected comes to pass?"

Meanwhile, it was uncertain if Lorag was even paying attention to the debate going on around him. He was simply staring into his mug, silently and intensely. Any number of thoughts could have been passing through his mind, but it was almost certain that they all regarded Do'rhajul.

---

"At once." Peiter answered, matching her grin. Although, he delayed carrying her out of the room in order to kiss her a few more times. Eventually, he ceased the more intimate contact with her once he actually carried her out into the hall. There was only one place in the ruin where one could actually swim, at its lower levels near the stronghold's source of water. It was a public place, of course, but was generally only crowded in the morning, or in the evening after most everyone had finished their duties for the day. From where they were, they did not have to cross through the main chamber to reach the water, so they did not have to pass through any large crowds. Even so, it was not a normal sight for one to be carrying someone through the halls, so they did garner a few looks from the people they passed.

While the stronghold has access to more water than most other places in the desert short of Orcrest itself, the chamber they used for bathing and swimming was still not as extensive as other clans. The pools back in Bruma were much deeper and wider, and even the outpost the Senchal clan had been using had access to a larger river. Regardless, it served the same purpose. There were others who were swimming and bathing as well, so Peiter carried Sabine towards the least crowded side of the pool. There were two others that seemed to be relaxing near the edge on that side as well, but as they drew closer, Peiter realized that he recognized one of them.

In the pool, La'khay and La'tahne were sitting side-by-side, much closer than Peiter would have expected. Even more strangely, La'khay had her arm over La'tahne's shoulder, much like he would do with Sabine. Just as Peiter had recognized her, La'khay of course recognized him and Sabine almost immediately. She smiled widely as she motioned towards them. "Aw, just look at that. How romantic you two are. This one insists you join us."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Between three and four weeks." Meesei answered. "We have already taken stock and determined that we have more than enough food and water to make the journey, following paths between oases. I understand that does mean we will be away from the stronghold for close to two months at minimum, but it will allow us to deliver a crippling blow to Vile's forces in this region."

The next person to speak up was midway down the table: Dro'cahi. He was an older, brown-furred Khajiit, with an accent unlike that of an Elsweyr native, though he still spoke similarly. "This one knows our warriors are willing to undertake such a journey, of course, and he has the deepest respect for them, but are we sure it is wise to separate this clan from so many of its warriors for so long? This stronghold is defensible, but only if there remain those capable of defending it. The enemy has already sent a group of infiltrators into our ranks, what if they next send an army?"

Meesei had expected such an objection, so she was ready to answer. "We tricked one of the prisoners into divulging information, most of which is contained in your reports. They had not had a chance to send a messenger to report on the clan's location before we arrived. Vile's forces as a whole still do not know of this location."

"They may not know of our exact location in the desert, but it does seem evident that Vile's forces know of this location." Dro'cahi pointed out. "They knew enough to put their infiltrators int he right area, and even if they have to begin their search anew, two months will be a long wait. To say that it is not possible for them to find us in that time seems to be a dangerous assumption." Dro'cahi's objections, as Ri'vashi had predicted, were direct, and spoken with confidence. They were also not unreasonable, so Meesei could not deny them outright.

---

After a few minutes of simply laying together, and a few intimate touches from Peiter, Sabine spoke up again on his suggestion. Once more, he smiled, this time because he had guessed the thought of a bath would sound enticing to her. Peiter's mood was upbeat, and even playful, so slowly and carefully, he crawled over Sabine to stand up by the side of the bed and look down on her.

"Agreed, I think it sounds relaxing. But, if you don't feel like going anywhere yourself..." He began before quite suddenly putting his arms underneath her and lifting her up off the bed. "...perhaps I can just carry you there? I don't mind carrying you around like royalty."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Know something? I...no that...that can't be right." Lorag began, his tone matching his words to convey the disbelief he was experiencing. "How common of a name is that with you people? The Do'rhajul I know is dead; he was killed when my patrol was ambushed by those werewolves."

Lorag's interruption was all that Meesei needed to be reminded of where she had heard Do'rhajul's name. Lorag had spoke of him before, about how he had been a leader and mentor to him when he had served in the Legion. She could certainly understand Lorag's disbelief, as it was a coincidence that seemed far too unlikely to be reality. Of course, where Daedric lords are concerned, coincidences could be far less random than they seemed to mortals on Nirn.

"Your old commander, I remember now. It is possible that it is not him, but...he does match the description. If it is him, then that would raise many questions, but could also give us an advantage. In any case, we still have an opportunity to attack. I would like to review the information we have on the enemy fortress' defenses. Apart from the...identity of our enemy's General, are there any questions." Meesei asked.

---

It had been some time, though Peiter had hardly been keeping track. He was laying in bed, arms wrapped around Sabine, and was breathing a bit heavily. He kissed her neck, then laid his head so that he could easily whisper in to her ear. "It never gets old. Just make sure you make plenty of those potions for the march to Corinthe. How much of a tragedy would it be if we were to run out?" He commented with a chuckle.

After a brief pause, and a few enthusiastic kisses, Peiter continued. "I know you said you need to practice magic at some point, but...maybe we could stay together for a while longer? Perhaps go for a swim?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I didn't have anything specific in mind for them. I just figured it would be a goodbye scene before they left the clan.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"They've met? That may be..." Ri'vashi started, but her voice trailed off as she noticed that all of the others had taken their seats. Normally, Ri'vashi was the one to lead the meetings in the stronghold, but this time, of course, it was Meesei that would be directing them. Meesei laid out her papers in front of her and cleared her throat before she started.

"It seems as if everyone is here, so we may begin. As I am sure you know, we are meeting today to discuss our march on Vile's stronghold. We will need to make the final decision on what forces to commit, and what resources we will need. The warriors of the Orcrest clan have been prepared to move for several weeks, from my understanding, so we may begin our march at any time. In front of you all are copies of most of the relevant information we will be discussing. I would like you all to take a moment to read through the information as I start explaining the situation. As you may already know, the enemy stronghold is located to the northeast of Corinthe, in the forests. It is close to a month away by land, so we will need to prepare accordingly. The impostor who arrived before me had intended to lead this clan's warriors into a trap, but in this case, that has worked in our favor. According to our interrogations of the prisoners, and the scouts reports, the stronghold's defenders are not at full strength. Even so, it is still well-defended, and we will need a powerful force to overtake it. The stronghold is the headquarters of our enemy's General: a Cathay-raht named Do'rhajul." Meesei explained.

Nearby to Meesei, Lorag had been taking a drink from a mug of water, or possibly alcohol, and as soon as she spoke that name, he coughed as if he were choking on it. "Gah, say what?" He exclaimed.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter grinned, pulling Sabine in closer for a hug. "You know, looking at you know, one would never guess what things used to be like for you. Even since we first met years ago, you've changed quite a lot. It's really impressive what you've managed to do with yourself. You're such an intelligent, capable woman. Who knows? Maybe I'm holding the future Champion of Hircine in my arms?"

"Anyway, as for right now, maybe we should just head back to our room, have some time alone?" Peiter suggested.

---

"It should not be long." Ri'vashi answered. "It can be difficult to get all of the clan's leadership away from their responsibilities at the same time. Some of Ri'vashi's lieutenants have important roles in the stronghold, but again, it should not be long."

Meesei gave a look towards Dro'cahi as well, or at least the man in the group she assumed to be him based on his description. "With the report the scouts gave, and all else we have learned, we cannot afford to let the opportunity we have go to waste. It will be easier if everyone is in agreement, but unless this Dro'cahi makes some very compelling arguments, we will be marching on the enemy stronghold."

It was not long before a few others entered the room, which, by the reaction of Ri'vashi, were the ones they had been waiting for. Dro'cahi noticed as well and motioned for the group with which he was speaking to take their seats. Seeing the movement, everyone else started to take their seats. The meeting would certainly begin shortly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Once they were out of the room and had walked a short distance down the hall, Peiter breathed a sigh of relief. "Well...I do not think that went badly. It's not ideal, obviously, but it could have gone much worse. I do wish we could have changed his mind without making Ma'tanza angry, but I think he'll be able to handle it, and she doesn't seem too unreasonable about it. But you..." He began before stopping suddenly, putting his arms around Sabine's waist, and taking a few brief moments to give her a kiss. "You impressed me. With just a few words, I think you turned around all of his worries about Ma'tanza. I don't think I would have been able to do anything like that by myself."

Smiling, Peiter ran one hand through Sabine's hair. "I think you really helped him, and I really want to thank you for it. He is your friend too, I know, but he's still like a brother to me. I'm glad that he's going to be okay."

---

"That is quite alright." Ri'vashi answered. "We have no shortage of people capable to be message runners. You should have no trouble having his orders changed."

Moving to Gallus' other question, however, Ri'vashi became noticeably more uncomfortable. She made a subtle motion towards a group of people talking near the other side of the table, at the center of which was an older Suthay-raht man. "We may have to worry about this one's...usual opposition. Dro'cahi has voiced his displeasure at sending out such a large attack force even before you arrived, when the impostor ordered us to prepare our forces. He was not willing to to disobey what he thought was the Champion, but he certainly argued with her. Of course, the impostor was very quick to silence dissent, but the fact that we were fooled by her seems like it may have emboldened him. He, and some of the others, may push for a more cautious approach." She explained.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter was impressed with the cleverness of Sabine's response; he doubted that he could have come up with an argument so simple, yet so impactful. She was trying to get Tzirret to see the situation from Ma'tanza's perspective, so that he would see that it was not as serious as his mind was making it out to be. In truth, Peiter did not know what more he could add that would not seem like a simple afterthought. He had no advice better than what Sabine had given, so he simply decided to show his support.

"It seems like you know what to do then, brother." Peiter commented with a smile. "Just try to see the situation through her eyes. I wouldn't go chasing after her immediately, but you can give her some time to settle her mind, then speak to her. Until then, perhaps you should try to clear your own mind? Get some rest, or some dinner. Or, perhaps we could all go for a swim? That would be your choice." He offered.

---

As Gallus took a seat nearby, Meesei slid one of the illustrations the scouts had made of the enemy stronghold to him. "The news is encouraging, overall. I cannot claim this will be easy, but the defenses are not overwhelming. I have reviewed the reports, and it seems like they do not have a full contingent of defenders. Likely, some of their forces are away preparing for the ambush they were expecting to carry out on our forces. But, the walls themselves are strong, and they still have no shortage of soldiers at the ready to defend them. I doubt we will be able to afford a long siege, so we will need to find some way to breach quickly. There are some possible weaknesses, which we will go over in the meeting itself."

Ri'vashi nodded in agreement, but did look around the room with slight uncertainty. "As for the mood, it is not as universally positive. There is some tension over the prospect of dedicating so many of our soldiers to this fight. Even if our own defense was not a concern, we have not entered into combat of this scale before. Some of the others feel we stand to lose a lot if something goes wrong, and they may be correct in that."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter went along with Sabine's lead. She started trying to relate to him, and he did not seem to be pushing back against her advice in any real way. At the very least, he was not angry for her trying to help. That meant he could be a bit more direct in trying to comfort him. Sabine started explaining some of what she had told him about her history with her pack, though he noticed she did not go into any details about Black Marsh. He guessed that was intentional, so he decided not to give away any more than she had. Afterwards, she directed a question towards Peiter, which he actually had to pause for a few moments to think about. He had, of course, worried about upsetting Sabine in the past, and had thought about what he might say to her. But, something specific to Sabine would not be helpful to Tzirret.

"Well...my first step would be to figure out how you really felt about whatever happened, and how you were feeling about me. When people are angry, they can say things they don't mean, and the things they mean, they don't say. I would wait until things cooled off, then just talk to you. Ask about what happened, and anything that might hint about what you're feeling. What about you, Sabine? If I were to anger you, what and you were still angry after an apology, what would you want me to do to make it up to you? Peiter asked.

---

Inside the meeting chamber, the crowd was starting to form. All of Ri'nakhad's lieutenants, and most of Ri'vashi's had arrived. Meesei had set her papers at the chair at the far end of the table, and had made sure there were copies of the important documents spread around the table. Meesei had asked both Gallus and Lorag to join in the meeting, and despite the rush he had been in, Gallus had not been the last to arrive, as they were still waiting on a few of Ri'vashi's lieutenants.

Meesei had taken her seat at the end of the table, though most everyone in the room was still standing, talking in groups among themselves. The last time Meesei had attended a meeting this large was when she was discussing the large scale strategy of lycan forces across Tamriel with the representatives of the clans back in Bruma. What was essentially the leadership of three clans were all gathered together in a single room, ready to plan for war. When she saw Gallus enter the chamber, Ri'vashi gave a nod to him. The meeting had not yet convened, so he was free to speak to anyone.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sorry for the delay, I've been doing some things. Do you happen to remember the name of that werevulture lieutenant?