EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus' next question took considerably longer for Meesei to consider, particularly with the focus she was having to place into her own healing. Nevertheless, she tried to give something of a smile. "You certainly did not come to me with only easy questions." She commented, quickly turning more serious. "That...is not an easy decision. Do not doubt that I understand the importance of morale. I do not need to see the camp to know how our warriors must be feeling. Recovering those bodies would help to give them closure, but if the enemy is still present, and they find our scout...we may only be adding another body to the grave. Even if there is no resistance, it is not something we can do quickly. If my memory is correct, we lost many soldiers, some within the keep. And, we do know that enemy reinforcements may be returning to their fortress from their failed ambush to the west. The group that reinforced them during the attack could not have been a full ambushing force. There would be value in returning, both for the morale of our soldiers, and in terms of the valuable equipment we could salvage, but it would force us to stay close by for longer, and put us in more danger. We must decide if that is worth the risk."

Ri'vashi was looking at the ground, involuntarily clenching her teeth as she tried to at least decide on her own opinion. "It...is an awful risk."

---

With Fendros' last question, Ahnasha sat up on her bedroll. It was unquestionably clear what Fendros was doing, and she certainly did not appreciate it. He was trying to make the argument personal, to force her to feel guilt over it. But, just as he could bring family into the argument, she could do the very same thing. She looked him dead in the eyes and maintained a deadly serious tone. "I would raise your corpse to save Rhazii's life. I refuse to believe that you would not want me to bring your soul back for one last chance to defend his life if it was in danger. Look at me. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you would rather me let our son die than to bring you back."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei gave something of a huff. "Hmm, straight to business I see. I do intend to at least try and survive this night, you know?" Meesei commented, though she quickly moved past it and let out a short sigh. "I suppose I have not made my plans very well known, but I planned for succession years ago. Lorag is my second, and has been for many years. He is a strong, capable warrior, and an experienced leader. He is...rough around the edges, but I am more than confident in his abilities. If anything ever happens to me, he will become the alpha of my pack, and he will bear the Ring. Of course, I cannot simply confer to him the title of Champion. The Ring of Hircine is a powerful artifact, but it is still essentially just a magical trinket. Merely possessing it is not enough to make one Hircine's Champion. Hircine may choose to grant Lorag that title, if he finds him worthy of it, but otherwise, he will bear the Ring and act as my successor until such a time as a new Champion is chosen."

---

Ahnasha did not directly answer Fendros' question. No one truly close to her had ever died in her memory. There was her grandmother, but Ahnasha was very young at the time, so she did not experience the full weight of it. Regardless, she did not think it to be relevant. "Those are things that benefit the living not the dead. Sure, I understand why people go through all those rites. It helps calm people's minds, give them closure. I am fine with all of that; it makes sense to me, but it still does nothing for the person who died. And, personally, I would rather deny a few of our allies the ability to bury one of their friends, than to have a few extra bodies to bury after the fight. They didn't like it, I know, but would you really rather them be dead than just angry?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei's concentration on her own healing was such that she was almost in a trance when Gallus and Ri'vashi arrived. Ri'vashi had held just as serious of a demeanor as Gallus on the walk over, but even she felt nervous in disturbing the Champion. Regardless, after a few seconds of silence between everyone present, she eventually willed herself to speak up.

"Our apologies, Champion, but...there is something we would like to speak to you about." Ri'vashi commented.

Meesei was quite slow to respond, either due to her concentration, or her general weakness. Her eyelids slowly crept downwards until they were finally open, and she took in a breath. "Ah, Gallus, Ri'vashi. Good to see you are both well. I thought you may wish to come by and speak to me. I am sure there are a few who would want to, though I imagine many of the others are rather...distraught right now. Now, was there anything specific you wanted to say first?"

---

Ahnasha's reaction was, of course, defensive. She did not get up from where she was laying, and for the moment, did not make eye contact with Fendros. "No one is going to get to put their friends to rest, Fendros. What, do you think we're actually going to be going back there? No, as soon as we're able to pack this camp up and leave, I guarantee that's what we're going to do. All those bodies back there...all those people we lost, they'll be lucky to get a mass grave. I know it's not pleasant to say, not nice to think about, but it's reality. You know as well as I that can't be denied. The best we can do is honor their sacrifices, and wish their souls well in the Hunting Grounds."

"As for myself, nothing's changed, Fendros. I've always been a...how would I say it? A pragmatist. You shouldn't be so concerned about the dead that you'd sacrifice the living. Back on the walls, that lycan's body was able to help us, even after he died. He killed our enemies, he helped break through our lines. He might have saved some lives. Don't you think that's what he would have wanted? To keep his friends alive? I know I would. So, he was reanimated, but what does that really mean to the dead? Sure, his soul was drawn back to Nirn for a few minutes, but what is that next to eternity? A body is just meat and bones, even a person's body. The only thing that matters is the soul. Burial rites don't actually do anything; they're just...traditions. The soul will go on its way regardless, so why waste the body?" Ahnasha argued.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ri'vashi nodded silently at first. The possibility that they might lose their Champion was one that she had been thinking on since they arrived in camp, but that did not make it any easier to come to terms with it. Finally, she broke away from staring out into the forest to look to Gallus. "Yes, it is a...conversation that needs to be had. We need to be prepared for anything, though since the Champion is awake, Ri'vashi imagines she has been thinking on the very same issue. As long as she is still of sound mind, of course. Do you know if it is a good time for us to question her, or are the healers still working? Regardless, she would at least head over to the tent."

---

Ahnasha had no equipment to contend with, so she simply laid herself down on the bedroll in her and Fendros' tent while Fendros dealt with his own belongings. She closed her eyes quickly, but Fendros apparently had something specific in mind for them to discuss. Ahnasha had her suspicions on what he was referring to, and was not exactly looking forward to any of the conversations she had in her mind. Ultimately, she answered vaguely. "I remember a lot of things happening in the fighting, and few of them were pleasant."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Despite Meirin’s worries, Ssarak seemed unfazed, and still in quite good humor. He leaned his head to the side slightly as she rubbed her hand across his muzzle. He gave a soft, pleasant hum. ”You need not fear. I know what it is that I am doing.” He answered confidently. They were nearing the edge of the cloud, so the truthfulness of his words would be proven shortly.

As the pair ascended into the cloud from below, Meirin might have been surprised by the sensation, in that it did not feel too appreciably different from flying anywhere else. For someone who lived their life on the ground, a cloud might appear soft, like cotton, but the only change they could feel physically was that it quickly became strongly humid. It was almost like flying through a very thick fog, and indeed, they could not see more than a few feet in front of them. Even Ssarak’s sharp eyesight did not allow him to see any farther than Meirin. Regardless, he had flown through many clouds in the past, so there was no panic from the fact that he could not see their current bearing. He simply continued to spiral upwards in the same circles as before.

Even with the lack of sensation, Ssarak did not doubt that the cloud was a new experience for Meirin. Clouds were simple things, and a common sight to anyone who did not live in a desert. But, that only meant that they were something most people could fanaticize about, without actually being able to reach them. Among Humans, Meirin was now one of the few exceptions. However, what was even more impressive than being in the clouds was the view once they breached the top of the clouds, and were able to fly above them.

Extending out in all directions around the pair were clouds, which had replaced the horizon below. Though their underside had been dark, even stormclouds were almost solid white from above. They appeared more beautiful than threatening, particularly for one viewing them for the first time. From the ground, clouds tended to appear deceptively small, but now that they were flying just above them, their true scale was readily apparent. They were like mountains floating through the sky all around them. Above them, the sky was bright blue, like the clearest of days. Some of the splendor of the sight was lost on Ssarak, since he had flown to these heights before, but he could still remember his first time testing the limits of his wings. Between the clouds’ white color, and their sheer scale, it was like flying inches above the landscape of some strange, foreign world.

”Sublime, is it not? Just tell me if you start to feel short of breath, and I shall climb no higher.” Ssarak commented.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Writing up another post at the moment. Might be slightly delayed.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth, after a short internal deliberation, decided to follow Janius, leaving Meesei in the company of only her healers. Outside, the mood in the camp was nothing short of grim. Most who were not still on orders to be on watch for an enemy attack were tending to the wounds of themselves or their friends, or simply sulking in grief for those they had lost. There was fear among the warriors of a possible enemy counterattack, even moreso once rumors of the gas began to spread around from those who had overheard their leaders discussing it.

Ri'vashi was at the edge of the camp, along with a group of warriors making simple barricades. She was still in her full armor and held her sword unsheathed as if an enemy attack was imminent, though the forest was silent, save for their own camp. She did not break her watch on the forest when Gallus approached, though she did acknowledge him with a nod. "Depends on what news you are speaking of. Ri'vashi has heard word from the healers that the Champion is still alive, and they have given her treatment. They have also given this one their...opinions on her chances. Otherwise, our scouts have reported no signs of an enemy counterattack. Vile's forces may have been too disorganized, or too busy licking their wounds to give chase as we fled. We...did deal them a significant blow today." She commented, but with no joy in her voice as she spoke the words.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Marcaille hesitated to answer Fendros. It was obvious that the crowding in the tent was getting in the way of their efforts, so there would be no point in trying to deny it. But, she did not seem comfortable in asking everyone to leave. "You can all go if you want, but I'm certainly not going to make you."

Though it did not take too long, it was difficult for Ahnasha to decide what to do about the dilemma. This was possibly the last bit of time that she, or any of the others, would get to spend with Meesei, but ultimately, she cared more about giving Meesei a better chance of living than spending a few more hours in her presence. "I think I need some rest as well. I am going to go find somewhere to lay down."

"Yeah...and I should probably make sure our defense is solid." Lorag added. "Nothing we do here has any point if the enemy ends up overrunin' us."

Kaleeth, meanwhile, was gripped with uncertainty for most aspects of the situation. She did not stand or speak, but looked up to Janius to see what decision he would make.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Marcaille gave a light sigh. "I made that same potion for our last attempt. Or at least, one very similar. It worked to an extent, but...not enough. It worked the same way, moving the silver into the blood so we could contend with it. But, what is left behind is trapped rather stubbornly in her organs. Certainly try it if you like, though. Your formula could be more efficient than mine, but...be aware that it may not work."

Meesei opened her eyes, appearing more attentive while Marcaille was explaining her potion. She did not openly react too strongly; however, their conversation did at least inspire her with some ideas. They were faint, distant hopes, but something she could pursue. Meesei's voice sounded even weaker than before, though that was simply due to her numbness. "Marcaille...that potion, do you think you could describe it to me? How does it function? Its specific interactions with the body, that is." She asked.

Though curious as to why Meesei would want to hear an alchemical lecture at this point, she nevertheless started to respond with a detailed explanation of her potion's creation and function. With the detail Meesei requested, it would take some time.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Once more, Marcaille raised her brow at Sabine. She seemed confused at first, and it took a few moments of thought before she could respond. "Vos? On Vvardenfell; that Vos? What in Oblivion is a Breton coven doing in Morrowind? Skyrim I can understand, but Vos? Well, they might have come from the Glenmoril witches if they worshiped lord Hircine. Otherwise, it's a mystery to me."

Ahnasha did not acknowledge Fendros' suggestion. The same idea had occurred to her, but magic was the last subject on her mind at the moment. She was sitting in her chair, hunched forward with her hands clasped together in her lap. She was making an effort not to stare at Meesei too much, but she was doing a poor job of it. Lorag, meanwhile, took one of the potions from his bag and silently placed it down on the table, next to Meesei. She was no doubt already under the effects of multiple potions, but he wanted her to have another at the ready regardless.

Meesei gave a nod of acknowledgement to Lorag without breaking in her healing. Her body had been numbed almost entirely by the combination of spells flowing through her body, so she was at least not suffering at the moment. Still, it was staring to seem more like a miracle would be required for her to be able to be healed enough that she could survive. She gave no indication to the others of it, but she was afraid.