EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lorag had been standing in the back of the group in silence, but having spoken to everyone else, he did not escape Meesei's sight for long. "Lorag." She said simply, calling clear attention to him.

In a truly rare display of weakness, Lorag appeared to be nervous as he stepped between the others to approach the table. As a soldier, he had dealt with death many times before, but his demeanor now made it seem as if he had never even seen a corpse before. The notion that Meesei was likely to die broke down most of the barriers he placed between himself and others. He was not in tears, by any means, but a keen eye could spot his hands quivering as they spoke. "Alpha, this...you can beat this. If there's anyone in this gods forsaken world that can beat it, it's you."

"I will do my best, Lorag. But, if the worst does come to pass, I will rest easy knowing you can keep everything together. You are a rock, in more ways than one. Perhaps you are not the most eloquent or outgoing individual, but you are inspiring. You possess a strength that any soldier can recognize. More so than my own, in many ways. Magic can inspire awe in the average person, but for those who are not mages, it is not something they can relate to. Your strength comes from your deadly skill and iron will. If there is someone behind whom Tamriel's lycans can rally, it is you." Meesei responded. Though her words were entirely confident, there was still a certain sadness in her expression, especially as her gaze turned back upon Sabine.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Even seeing that Meesei and Fendros were trying to have some humor about the situation, Ahnasha was having a hard time reciprocating. The whole situation, everything Meesei was saying to the others, nearly had her in tears. When she finally did give a response to Fendros, her levity was obviously forced. "Not on your life."

"Hmm, true, I will admit that you are still like a thunderstorm, Ahnasha." Meesei commented. "It is just, you used to be a hurricane. Do not take it as criticism, of course. I think we can both agree that your life has been improved by some stability. You have a son, more time to relax, but...well, I know you are not going to let Fendro's life become boring. Just try not to cause too much trouble for them."

With some hesitation, Meesei began to look at Ahnasha more seriously. She leaned slightly closer, and spoke more softly. "And Ahnasha...I understand why you are doing what you are doing. I cannot begrudge your decisions, but please, promise me that you will not allow yourself to fall down a dark path. Just...take care."

"Of course...Alpha." Ahnasha answered meekly. She held her head low, and despite her best efforts, could not hide her shame as she glanced to Fendros.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"You will both be excellent parents." Meesei responded, smiling at the pair. "Admittedly, even I still have a hard time imagining you settling down as a family man, Janius. But, that seems to be closer and closer to reality. I am just hoping that you continue building your magical knowledge, and perhaps pass that along to your son, if he has an interest in it. You know how I love to teach others of the arcane; perhaps you might enjoy it as well?"

Moving on to the other members of her pack, Meesei's eyes settled on Fendros and Ahnasha. "Of course, I do not want to diminish your parenting skills. I think you have all been learning from one another. I know I have not given you as much advice as I perhaps should have, but you have all done quite well regardless. Four years ago, back when you were still living at the vineyard in Cheydinhal, I do not think you could ever have imagined were you would be now. Hmm, I must admit, even I underestimated you. I did not expect you to be able to calm the raging tempest of passion and pride that was Ahnasha."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei managed to give a chuckle. "My plan is not to die, but..." She began, her voice trailing off. "I love you, Sabine." Though it took considerable effort on her part, Meesei managed to lift up her upper body enough to wrap her free arm around Sabine to give her a hug.

Kaleeth, meanwhile, slightly jumped upon hearing Janius' voice. The mixture of intense sadness and fear she was feeling had kept her entirely stiff and silent, so the nudge from Janius had been necessary to get her to do much of anything. Even so, she stepped up to the table slowly, and with rapid breaths.

"M-Meesei. I...this is yours; you should have it." Kaleeth said quickly, only scarcely holding back tears. She reached out and placed the Ring firmly in Meesei's hand, and made sure she had a good grip on it before letting go.

Meesei grinned, then carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. "Thank you, Kaleeth. You have been a good caretaker for it. You used it well during our escape. I know you were brought into our world, this...existence of struggles and war, without really understanding what it was you were getting into, but I have been glad for your company over the past few years. You are among the most kind and caring people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. And, while I know it may be hard for you to see at times, I have also seen you become strong. Capable. Whatever life you choose for yourself when this is all over, I think it will suit you well."

Shifting her gaze to Janius, Meesei continued in a voice that at least sounded upbeat. "And Janius...despite all odds, you have grown so much since we first met. Due in no small part to a certain crocodile, no doubt."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Still here, flying into clouds and stuff.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"The silver is like dust now, in my heart, and a few other organs." Meesei answered. "But do not worry, I am not giving up, Sabine. I did give you my word, and I intend to keep it." She said, smiling, though that expression quickly turned to one of uncertainty. "It is just...there are some things that I feel I should say to you all while I know that I can. Just...in case."

Meesei placed her hand atop one of Sabine's. As much as she wanted to promise Sabine that she would recover, it was simply not something she could do. Meesei was doing the best to hide the constant pain pulsing through her body, and to avoid coughing up blood in front of them. "I know you will not give up, on me, or anything you have set out to do. I know that you will be an exceptional mage, and a brilliant alchemist. You are the model of everything a lycan should be, and I feel safer knowing you will be here to help me."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"We saved everyone we could, then. Everyone in the courtyard at least. Good...good." Meesei interrupted as soon as she felt that Sabine had said enough. Then, as much as she wanted to hide it, Meesei felt a sharp pain, then cringed as she clutched her side. After a few quick breaths, her body started to glow with restoration magic.

Even as she was attempting to heal herself, Meesei reached up and placed her hand on Sabine's cheek. "Sabine, I...know it is not easy, but do not blame yourself for anything. Everything you have done, all that you are, all that you have become...I could not be more proud of you. You are my greatest student, my closest family. There is nothing in this word, or any beyond it, that can come close to breaking that bond."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Sabine..." Meesei said weakly. She squeezed Sabine's hand as well, though her grip felt as soft as her voice. "I can promise you, without any doubt, I will not give up. No matter what, I will not give up tonight, you have my word." She held some determination in her tone, though even she did not have any illusions about her chances.

Meesei leaned her head back on her bedroll, then breathed in deeply. "But, for now, I want to know about you. Were you hurt at all? Is everyone else okay? Was everyone in the courtyard able to make it away from the fortress?" She asked. Despite her own condition, it made sense that she would want to know about her pack, and the rest of the warband. After all, her purpose in joining the final fight during their escape was to ensure everyone's survival. If that action ended up sacrificing her life, she wanted to know that the sacrifice would not be in vain.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha was not far behind Sabine, though she allowed her to go in first so as not to crowd Meesei too severely. Kaleeth was behind most of the others, sticking close to Janius. She was already in tears from the news the healer had given, and she was not sure how she was going to handle speaking to Meesei. She was clutching the Ring in her hand so tightly that it was leaving an indentation in her palm. Even though she had not known Meesei nearly as long as any of the others, she still cared for, and deeply respected her.

Lorag was the last to stand, and did so in complete silence. Since they had arrived at the camp, he had shifted between bouts of anger, hints of despair, and long rants about what they should have done differently. Now, since the Cathay's announcement, he had spoken not a word, and his face was entirely devoid of any emotion.

Inside the tent, Meesei was laying on a makeshift bed, consisting of a padded bedroll atop a table, in the center of the tent. All of her wounds had been mended to the point that they were no longer bleeding. There were many scars, though those could be healed easily later. But, the real damage to her body, according to the healer, was internal. She was weak, undoubtedly. It seemed to be an effort for her to even turn her head when Sabine stepped inside. But, despite everything, the first thing that Sabine was greeted with was Meesei's smile.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The Cathay healer became increasingly nervous as he approached the pack. When Fendros questioned him, he hesitated, taking in a deep breath. "We performed the procedure, successfully, but...we fear it may not be enough. The potion worked as intended, and we were able to remove some of the silver. Most of it, actually, but what remains is...stubborn, for the lack of a better word. It is not circulating through her blood any more, but it is is caught in her tissues, some of them vital. It is still harming her, and we have reached the end of what we can do."

The healer could not maintain eye contact, and instead kept his gaze firmly at the ground. His hands were clasped together, and his eyes held deep regret. "The...one piece of good news this one has is that, somehow, the Champion has awoken. She is conscious, and seems perfectly lucid. The silver did not make it into her brain, at least. Her body is still weakening, but you can speak to her."

"But...if Meesei is awake, then that means she can help." Ahnasha responded hopefully. "Her magic, she is a skilled healer. She can help with her own magic; add her power to that of the other healers. No one knows her body better than herself. Surely she still has a chance?"

Again, the Cathay hesitated. The uncertainty and fear was obvious in his expression. "The procedure did improve her chances, yes, but...Khajiit does not wish to lie to you; to give false hope. The Champion is in very bad condition. This one does not know of her healing abilities, but even with that, she is still weakening. We do not believe it is likely for her to survive the night. You...may wish to say your goodbyes."