EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter ran his hand down his face and let out a very obvious sigh. He had not been in the room with the imposter during Gallus' interrogations, so he could not understand why he was so intent on finding this woman's son. "I don't want to lose the clan either, Gallus. If we do end up moving, I know the Champion is going to want to keep our new home a closely held secret, since they can just gas us out of any hideout we're in."

Despite all of his pack being against him, Gallus seemed rather stubborn in his desire to find this Argonian. Peiter understood that he would want to keep his word, but he wouldn't think that he would be willing to take such a risk for it. Peiter actually did not mind the idea of Gallus going to help this boy as much as he was letting on, but he wanted to say anything he could to keep Gallus from leaving, at least for a while. "I don't know what you hope to do for this boy, anyway. If he has some terrible disease, then you're not going to be able to cure it. You think he'll just want to turn into a lycan or something? People hate us; he's probably not going to want that. I don't know what happens to Argonians when they die, but he'll probably want his soul to be with his family, or friends, or something."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Ssarak Dyreackthanose

---

The reminder of Tyrael caused Ssarak to think back briefly to the incident in the catacombs. It was a thought that made him quite obviously uncomfortable. "Yes...Tyrael." Ssarak began, shifting his weight to one side and breathing in deeply. "I saw his...I am not even sure what to call it. Breakdown? Transformation? Regardless, I witnessed it from its beginning through to its end. As soon as he saw the Naga, something within him snapped. He was no longer the person I knew him to be. Still, I do hope he recovers, mentally. Despite my general distaste for demons, I cannot deny Tyrael's strength, and I cannot deny that we will need him in the coming days. I would much rather have him as an ally than to not. Or even worse, to have him as an enemy."

Ssarak's eyes shifted briefly towards Meirin. He knew she distrusted demons, and he could not help but to agree. Since they had arrived at the College, demons had proved to be a danger on multiple occasions. The demon attack had nearly destroyed the College entirely, and now Tyrael had seemed to lose control of himself. It was difficult to give demons any measure of trust, but Ssarak's practicality also influenced his opinions. Tyrael was a master mage who would be an asset to the College for as long as he was allied with it, and given the power of their enemy, they would need as many allies as possible.

"I will admit, standing against Tyrael was among the most frightening things I have ever done." Ssarak continued. "He is powerful beyond anything I could hope to stand against, but it was not within me to allow him to murder the Naga in cold blood. I had to take a stand, even if it was bordering on suicidal. I am simply glad that most of the other students had the bravery and will to stand against him as well. The guardsman Grey, and particularly Colette, they did far more than I could have asked." As Ssarak spoke, he turned his attention more directly towards Amary and Lyam. "And that risk did pay off in the end. Your people have undergone a great tragedy, but you are still alive. I cannot admit to knowing how you might recover, but it is at least still a possibility for your future."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

I worry that my desire to find something Fallout will end the same way.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Internally, Peiter did not actually have any specific doubts on what Gallus intended to do in Black Marsh. He did not know much about the place, but since he had heard of it before, he was pretty sure that Gideon was one of the larger cities, which meant that it would not be too dangerous for a foreigner. It was not likely to be any sort of trap, and while Peiter was not really sure what Gallus actually intended to do for that woman's son, he probably did exist. However, Peiter still wanted to think of whatever reason he could to keep Gallus from going. He had essentially forgiven Gallus for what had happened during the attack, and despite his overall sour mood, he still wanted his pack to stay together. The loss of Irenya had devastated them, and he did not want to lose anyone else.

After another, brief pause to collect his thoughts, Peiter spoke up hesitantly. "I don't know, Gallus. When we were with the warband, I heard the talk around camp on the way back. Talk about how, if the enemy found their home near Orcrest, they'd have to give it all up and find a new place because of the gas. Well...Vile knows where our clan is. They've attacked us before, so they can attack us again with the gas. What if we end up having to move our whole clan? What if we have to move, and you're not there?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

For Peiter, he was not entirely sure what to think about Gallus' intentions once he explained them, but his first reaction was not wholly accepting of this plan. He was skeptical of anything said by their enemy, and while his overall mood may have influenced his skepticism, he had always felt it a good idea to be suspicious of Vile's agents.

"But...are you really sure about all of this? Are you that certain she was honest? Maybe she wasn't trying to save herself; maybe she was just...trying to redirect your questioning? And if she was telling the truth, is it really a good idea to start telling strangers about us? They might not believe you, or might even call the guards on you." Peiter objected.

From his expression, Peiter was taking a few moments to think of more reasons that it was a bad idea. "And, do you think it will really be a good time to leave so soon after we get back? That impostor was from Black Marsh, right? You'd have to go all the way across Tamriel. Won't you have more important things to do in Bruma once we get back? Aren't we going to have to do something about this whole situation with that gas?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Peiter felt at least slightly more comfortable with the focus of the conversation off of himself, though that relief quickly became concern when Gallus got to the point of the meeting he had called. Peiter's first thought was that it had something to do with Irenya. Even being in her pack, Peiter did not know a great deal about her past, but he was aware that she had family in Cyrodiil. Not to mention, she had always been a bit more open with Gallus about such matters. Still, there was something about Gallus' plans to leave that made Peiter nervous.

"Where are you going; is it about Irenya's family?" Peiter asked. Even the brief mention of her was enough to inspire a bit of sadness within him at her memory. If there was one thing that he was feeling worse about than his arm, it was the loss of their pack member.

---

"He will find his peace eventually." Meesei answered. She moved herself closer to Sabine and placed a hand on her back. "It might take time, but he will not live like this forever. I know it has been a few weeks since the attack, and that may seem like quite a while, but try to keep in mind how often he is reminded of his injury. It will naturally take longer for him to recover, mentally. Just do not give up hope that he can improve, and that you might be able to help him. You can go try to speak to him now if you wish, or I can give advice on any questions you might have, to the best of my ability."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Alright, that's fine. I made a quick post, but I need to get to bed. Goodnight.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

When asked if there was anything else he wanted to talk about, Peiter quickly shook his head. Even when Gallus mentioned Sabine, Peiter remained dismissive. "No, things are just fine between us." He lied. They had not spent time together in the same way as they had before in the weeks since the attack. There were some occasions where they talked and laughed together, but they were much more rare than usual. His mood swings tended to keep them from enjoying their time together. They had not mated since before the attack, and, quite strangely for him, Peiter had not so much as hinted that he actually wanted to. "If you want to talk with the pack about something, I probably shouldn't hold you up."

---

Sabine's description of Peiter's behavior followed with what Meesei expected from someone in his condition. Or at least, it was one of a few types of reactions she would expect. "It is perfectly understandable that you feel bad seeing Peiter in this position, but be careful not to blame yourself. His mood is not being caused by anything you have done. It is also understandable that he feels this way. You cannot force him to be happy or outgoing, nor should you attempt to, but you still may be able to help him. In fact, you may be one of the most likely people among us to be able to reach him. Try to think back on what used to make him happy before his injury; you might be able to use it to cheer him up once more. Just make sure not to approach it as a simple tool. Spend time with him in a way that would make you both happy, instead of solely making an effort to cheer him up alone."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

The deal the Naga had received was sensible, in Ssarak's eyes. It could be difficult finding unclaimed areas of land in Tiien, but they were actually somewhat common in the region around the Scorched Lands. "That is a reasonable plan, I imagine. I have always noticed that the other races tended to give our lands a wider berth than was necessary to avoid being poisoned by our homeland's air. Sensible, but if you know of a place that is safe for them, then they may have some protection simply from the reputation of the land itself."

As Khan shifted the conversation towards himself and Meirin, Ssarak picked up on the lightened mood. He gave a short, subtle nod to Khan, and even started to grin. "I personally have been taking the time to relax whenever I can. Though, my studies are rather demanding. Today, we were fortunate enough that both of our schedules permitted us to have some time together. Satori had another obligation which forced her to reschedule our private lessons. It is rare for her not to keep an appointment, at least in my experience, but I suppose she had her reasons. I certainly shall not complain about an...albeit short reprieve. Now, you have inspired some curiosity within me, Khan. When was the last time a certain Headmaster had any significant time to himself." Ssarak asked.

Ssarak was by no means against lighthearted conversation, but he doubted that the Naga would have the desire to join in. He did hope to speak to both Lyam and the Martriarch before they departed.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Again, Peiter was silent for a while after Gallus' question. He had to admit, to himself at least, that he had not been thinking too heavily on the specific tasks he might be able to perform once they returned home. For a short while, he actually thought seriously on the suggestions Gallus was making. The idea of learning to fight again in his current condition was not appealing to him. He already found fighting to be difficult enough when he was in prime condition, so he could only imagine the danger he would be placing himself in if he tried fighting with a disability. Perhaps it would be possible for a particularly talented fighter, but he knew that was not him. He had put some thought before into trades he could pick up, but it was difficult for him to reason out which one would be the easiest for him. For every trade he considered, the first thoughts to come to his mind were the problems he would have to deal with, which did not serve to encourage him. Pursuing magic was the option of which he had the least understanding, though that also meant that he had the least negative thoughts about it. His practice with Sabine thusfar had given him only a cursory understanding of magical concepts, so he did not know enough to think about what problems his disability might cause him.

"I...I don't know, alright? I don't know much about any of this, or what I'm going to have to deal with. It's all anyone ever talks about, you know? Ever since this happened, everyone has something to say about it, and it's usually the same thing. I know what's wrong with me, and I know everyone things there's something I could be doing." He said before lowering his head and letting out a sigh. "But...thank you for at least being specific. I'm guessing I don't have to decide right this second, right?"

---

Meesei nodded in understanding. She too had noticed Peiter's sour mood since the attack, but had rarely been in a position to speak to him about it. Even if she had, she had no doubt that her voice would simply be one among many with advice for his situation. It seemed that, currently, the greatest threat to his health was his own mind, and that was not something she could easily heal. "I see. I am afraid there is no easy solution to his problems. His injury is lifechanging, and at his age, a terrible tragedy for him. But, it may not be wise to speak to him about it too frequently, at least not for quite some time. Undoubtedly, there have been many who have tried to give him advice. To them, they may have only spoken to him about it for a few minutes, once or twice. But for him, there are always people wanting to talk to him about it; to remind him of it. Perhaps the best thing you can do for him in the short term is to give him something else to focus on. In that way, you may be able to help each other."