EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha shook her head. "Oh, no. Fendros had taken me around the city, including to the Temple of the Reclamations. Mostly it was for sightseeing, as that was the first real Morrowind city he had been to as well, though I think he also had more personal reasons for going to the temple. Regardless, we were near Mephala's shrine when a priest approached us, identified us immediately as lycans. Though, it was not a priest speaking to us; Mephala was using him as a sort of vessel through which to speak to us. The voice was...unmistakable. Essentially, she warned against someone in service of our enemy giving me a false offer to extend my life. Which, to my knowledge, has not happened yet. According to Mephala, the same enemy that hunts us had offended her. I was...understandably cautious at the time to trust the word of a being claiming to be a Daedric Pince, but regardless of the source, I do see the wisdom in refusing an offer of a quick and easy shortcut to immortality. Such a thing could be nothing but a trick."

Meesei joined in speaking with Monderyn along with Janius after rejoining the main group, though she particularly felt she should speak to Calia after her conversation with Ahnasha was finished. Fendros would no doubt be deeply affected by the opinions of his parents, so she wanted to make sure they left on as good of terms as possible. Newt, meanwhile was taking a particular interest in Monderyn, for some undetermined reason. Monderyn did not have a physical resemblance to Fendros, since they were not blood relatives, but he had seen him speaking to Fendros before, and he was confused as to why this stranger was considered Rhazii's "uncle." Eventually, he walked straight up to Monderyn, to the point that he was nearly touching his leg, and simply looked up at him in contemplative silence.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei laughed. "No, I believe that would be a rather difficult partner to find. I just mean someone who is reasonably similar to myself. Of course, as I said, I am not looking for any sort of romance, so all of this talk is purely hypothetical."

Standing alongside Sabine, Meesei placed her hand gently on her shoulder and looked at her encouragingly. "So, do you think your are ready to head back in there with the others? Fendros' family may like to meet us."

Ahnasha gave an understanding nod. "That is sensible. I never would have thought I would have enjoyed settling down, but now that I have a family, my outlook on that has been changing. A few years ago, I would have asked why you do not move back to Morrowind, but the safety, security, and as you said, simplicity here are probably even more appealing. And owning all of that land, it certainly gives you the ability to live as you please. Not to mention that it is a Cyrodilic city with a proper Dunmer Temple."

"Personally, I wish it were easier to travel." Ahnasha continued. "I think you would enjoy it if it were not such an ordeal. It is hard to appreciate the splendor that Tamriel has to offer without being able to see it in person. We actually did travel through Morrowind a few years ago, though unfortunately, we did not spend too much time in its 'nicer' parts. We ended up crossing Vvardenfell's ashlands, though we did end up in a place called Vos, in the northeast. It was not as badly affected by ash, so it was actually rather nice. It was the first Dunmer city I had ever really been to, apart from the port we traveled through to get to the island in the first place. That was where Mephala spoke to us." She explained, her voice carrying a surprising calm about being spoken to by one of the Reclamations.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei confirmed Sabine's question with a nod. "Yes, more normal than my attractions, I would say. Well...more common would be a better way to put it. The kind of person you are looking for sounds like a fine man, and like someone you might find among the clan. You can think about the kind of person you would like to find, but as I said, just be careful not to become too locked into that image, else you overlook a good match."

Meesei was actually a bit surprised when Sabine asked about her own preferences, though that quickly turned to a chuckle. "Honestly, I do not believe I am looking for anyone at the moment. With my responsibilities, I do not believe romance would serve me well right now. I am content as I am now. But, if you are just asking about my preferences in general, I do like someone I can relate to. That does not strictly mean I would be looking for a mage, but it is always nice to have someone with which I can further my research. I would just want someone I could relate to meaningfully. I find both men and women attractive, maybe with a...slight edge to women; again, being someone I can relate to more easily. Probably an Argonian, like myself. I can appreciate the beauty in any race, but I think my own kind appeals to me the most."

Crossing her arms, Meesei put on a bit more of a grin. "And personally, I think it is everyone else that has the strange eyes. It always seems odd to see you blink downwards, instead of upwards."

To Calia's statement regarding Rhazii, Ahnasha could finally speak with complete candor. "Honestly, I do not believe I could put anything before Rhazii even if I tried. As important as everything else seems, I could not bring myself to do anything that would place him at risk."

For the most part, Ahnasha was glad that they were moving on in their topic. She would have liked to leave it with some more conclusiveness, but they had moved passed some of the hardest issues. Ahnasha could have simply lied about them, but, apart from the issue of necromancy, she did not believe that would be a good idea in the long run. Regardless, Ahnasha started to smile. "Well, I think I would like to bother you again about that nettle from High Rock. You have to know that we are going to get those ingredients for you regardless. Since you now know that it would not be any sort of burden for us, perhaps you will find it an appropriate gift?

"Otherwise..." Ahnasha continued. "What would you say interests you, in general? I have always lived somewhat apart from Imperial society, even as a cub, so I am curious of what kind of things you enjoy about living here."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sorry, was playing BF1 with a friend, will respond now.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Your emotions are a burden on no one in the pack; do not try to convince yourself otherwise." Meesei answered quickly, and a bit firmly. "We can head back in with the others in just a moment. Take a chance to collect yourself. Perhaps...just talk. Let us assume that your relationship with Pieter does not continue upon our return; what kind of partner would you think you would want? Someone who shares your interests, like a mage or alchemist, or someone who has a different sort of lifestyle? Do you have a preference of male or female, or of race? Would you want to be with someone who is also Human, or maybe Elven, Khajiit, or Argonian? I will say that you are probably not going to find someone who perfectly fits all of those ideals, but if you already have in mind the kind of person you are looking for, then it might make it easier for you to notice when you meet someone who is at least something like them."

Ahnasha still could not help but to try to use her body language when trying to reassure Calia, despite its futility. Regardless, her tone was soft, but confident. "Believe me, I understand your reservations. I have encountered those who have allowed necromancy to overwhelm them, and I know how vile it can make them. But, as you said, I have made quite a lot of progress in the time I have been training. I have skilled teachers, access to resources, and most importantly, time. I do not have to rush to reach my goal. I am not a master yet, but time is the only thing between me, and the kind of magic you are talking about. I promise I will not take the shortcut with necromancy. After all, I have always appreciated a challenge, and becoming a master conjurer will be a worthy one."

"As for Rhazii, and our safety in general, we have already gone through great efforts to ensure it." Ahnasha continued. She looked briefly at Rhazii in Fendros' arms, trying not to think about everything that had threatened him in the past. "The simple answer is: we now have the resources to protect ourselves. There was a time where we were not as safe, but now, we have a home that is as well-hidden as it is easy to defend. We have information, coin, everything we need to make sure that life in Tamriel is as safe for our kind as possible. Our condition is, unfortunately, quite incurable to the best of our knowledge. Rhazii was born with our blood, and there is no way to change that, just as we cannot cure ourselves. So, our only remaining option has been to improve the livelihoods of all organized lycans. We still have enemies, and there are still ferals out there inspiring more to take up arms against us, but we have done a lot to improve our lives. It is why I offered to obtain the ingredients needed for your cure; it really would take little effort to collect them. Most of them we have already. I know Meesei's title does bring us closer to Hircine, but it also makes us better able to protect Rhazii than most lycans would be." She explained.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Do not be so sure, Sabine." Meesei responded, keeping her voice light and hopeful. "I will grant you that you are unlikely to fall in love while we are traveling, but we are not always going to be away from the clan. And sometimes, we may have other packs from the clan with us when we are away, depending on our mission. Not only that, but we are going to be bringing more lycans into our clanhome as we expand; more people for you to meet. There will be plenty of chances for you to make new friends, and maybe find someone more intimate. I know you, Sabine, and I think you will be able to find a nice, handsome man, or a beautiful woman, to share your life with."

Ahnasha smiled. "Well, I am dedicated, and I have a skilled teacher. I originally pursued the study to learn about the possibility of extending my life. I did not know much of that sort of magic at the time, and unfortunately, I soon found out that all of the 'common' methods of life extension require necromancy. Still, some of what I have learned suggests there may be other ways to attain that goal without falling to that kind of magic. I might not have believed that myself a year or two ago, but with the kinds of strange, esoteric magic I have seen in my travels, I have hope." She explained, only technically not lying, since there was a slim possibility that life extension could be achieved without necromancy. However, she decided not to reveal that she was perfectly willing and able to perform necromancy.

When the conversation shifted to Ahnasha's property, she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Well...that is a complicated question. I do not own property as much as we own property. As I believe we alluded to before, we all work together to survive against those that might hunt us, and we have quite a few contacts across Tamriel. I would venture to call it a network, really. I...cannot give too many specifics, unfortunately. You must understand that secrecy is what protects us, and while you certainly can be trusted, knowing too much could put you in danger. I would not want to bring harm to you or your family by saying too much. What I can say is that Meesei is someone of importance among our kind, so our pack has importance. She is...well, I am sure you know what it means to be the champion of a Daedra?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei pulled Sabine in close for a hug, staying silent for a few moments to allow her a chance to calm at least somewhat. "I understand how you are feeling, Sabine. I know that your relationship with Pieter was not perfect, and you two had some problems, but I know you were happy when you were with him. What happened to him...I wish there was something I could have done. It did change him, and it has kept him from leaving the clan. I hate what it did to him, and I hate what it did to you. If there is anyone that deserves happiness, it is you, Sabine. But, just because things have not been going well recently, that does not mean your situation will never improve."

Meesei let out a soft sigh as she thought back on her own past. "Trust me, I know what it is like to love, and to lose that love. I believe I told you before about the partners I had growing up. I believe there was a time with each one of them where I thought they were the love of my life. But, it never lasted forever, for one reason or another. Losing those connections was some of the greatest emotional pain I had ever felt, but, well this may sound like terribly stereotypical advice, but it is hard to see too far ahead when you are young, and caught up in the moment. As much as you cared about Pieter, there are other people in this world who you may be able to care for just as much, if not more. I do not believe that there is only one single person that any person is 'destined' to be with. I believe there are quite a lot of people who you may eventually come to love. I know our lifestyle, our tendency to travel, does not make it easy to form bonds like that, but it is still possible. Our pack is family, but it will not stay the same forever. Some of us may one day leave, others may join. If you found a mate, someone who you were actually going to spend the rest of your days with, I would not keep them out of the pack. Or, perhaps one day you will create a pack of your own?"

Ahnasha nodded to Calia, despite it being quite literally a useless gesture to her. "Yes, I would say I've really been raised more Imperial than Bosmer or Khajiit." Ahnasha answered. "I suppose I was taught as most children are, by my parents. They were fairly well-off as far as merchants are concerned, but they did not really have the coin for private tutors like nobility. They did of course teach me about the Bosmer and the Khajiit, but they taught me how to be an Imperial citizen first and foremost. They taught me about Imperial history, quite a lot about the Eight, and of course, business. Learning how to be a merchant was really the focus of the education they gave me. How to speak eloquently and persuasively, mathematics, financial planning, and general business advice. I did not have a great deal of interest in it, but it is what they taught me. Fortunately, I was lucky in that their general store was always buying and selling books from travelers. Whenever the store was closed, I was able to read whichever ones interested me. What got me interested in archery and hunting was actually an old training manual I found. I learned quite a lot more through practice and experience than I ever could through a book, but it sparked my interest. The magic tomes were of much more direct help to my learning. They are what got me started in my magical studies. I found illusion most helpful to keeping me hidden from animals, and helping me convince my parents to let me hunt more often. As for an actual magic instructor..."

Ahnasha paused briefly to look around for Meesei, but could not spot her immediately. However, since Calia could not see what she was doing, Ahnasha decided to continue quickly. "Meesei, our leader, was the person who gave me most of my more formal instruction after I joined her. She built upon what I had taught myself, and really helped me to improve. She is, without a doubt, the strongest mage I have ever met. Magic has been a part of her for her entire life, and she has access to magic that you might consider lost to Tamriel as a whole. She is the strongest among us, no question. More recently, I also have been learning conjuration from another master. I am to the point where I can summon a storm atronach, albeit inefficiently." Given that a storm atronach was a rather powerful Daedra, the fact that Ahnasha was close to being able to summon them reliably did paint her as a skilled conjurer.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The room that Meesei guided Sabine into was not one that Meesei could immediately identify. It was mostly empty, save for a sizable circle filled with ash in the center of the room. But, regardless of its purpose, it would give them the chance to talk in private, as long as they kept their voices at a reasonable level.

"Now, you can tell me what is bothering you. I am always here to help you." Meesei said reassuringly.

Despite Janius' reluctance, Kaleeth maintained her confidence. "Nonsense. Father was upset, yes, but I think my mother was just surprised and confused. And Father had probably been talking bad about you to her. But I'm their only remaining child; I know they still love me. If they didn't love me, then they wouldn't have cared so much about me leaving. Father just had his own ideas of what was best for me. I'm sure once they see how good things are for us, they'll be happy for me."

Briefly, Kaleeth looked away with a bit less enthusiasm. "Though...I don't know when we'll ever have a chance to look for the village. Or if we'll be able to at all. It might just be an idea."

Ahnasha had no problem explaining her own past to Calia. "Well, I was born in Leyawiin. My father is a Bosmer named Gwindir, and my mother's name is S'nashi. They own a general store in the city, so they taught me and my brother, Vasiq, all about business. My brother took to it a lot more than I did. They also tried to raise me to be a devout follower of the Eight, but again, I didn't really identify with them. My parents cared about me, definitely, and they tried to do the best they could for me, but I suppose they didn't really understand why I wouldn't want to be like they raised me to be. Or maybe they just thought my interests were a phase. Either way, I taught myself a lot about archery, fighting, magic, and hunting in general. I started..." She said, pausing briefly to make sure there were no priests or other strangers nearby. "...worshipping Hircine. Eventually I left and hunted down a minotaur to earn an audience with an aspect of Hircine himself. He guided me to Meesei's pack, where I became a lycan myself. I did go back to my parents eventually, a few years ago, to try to make up for at least some of the lost time between us."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Ssarak Dyreackthanose

---

Naturally, Ssarak was immediately suspicious as soon as Lyn gave him her answer. The claim that she wanted to meet an “old friend” seemed almost ridiculous for someone who had been alive for only about a year, and while he certainly trusted that Lyn was being honest with him, that did not mean he trusted that she was safe. This “old friend” was an unknown, and in this environment, this gala, anything unknown was a potential threat.

Ssarak stayed close to Keri, but did not tell her what he was doing. He did not take pleasure in keeping important secrets from his allies, but knowledge was dangerous in this place. He could not assume Keri’s mind to be safe from the intrusion of psychomancers, so the less she knew about what Ssarak was doing, the safer Lyn would be. His first step was, of course, to get a sense of what Lyn was walking into. He already had access to Lyn’s mind, so mentally, he tracked her mind as she stepped out onto the balcony and searched for any other minds around her. She seemed to be alone, save for a single other person, and a few nearby songbirds. His next step was to prod the mind of the person Lyn was meeting, though he made sure to do so in no different of a way as all of the other dozens of psychomancers had been doing since they had arrived. Immediately, he detected a strong ward, so he stopped any further attempts to pry into the person’s mind to keep himself from being detected. Feeling a simple prod against one’s ward was nothing unusual at the gala, so it was unlikely that this “old friend” would have a reason to believe they were being specifically observed.

Despite the setback of the ward, Ssarak was not without options. Being that he was inside Lyn’s mind, he could read her senses of sight and hearing to spy on the conversation without Lyn being any the wiser. However, given Lyn’s knowledge of psychomancy, she had thought far enough ahead to specifically ask Ssarak not to do that exact thing before the gala. Ssarak was willing to break that promise for the purpose of protecting her, but not when he had another option available to him. While there did not seem to be any other people outside, there were far simpler minds he could manipulate. There were birds already close by to the balcony, so Ssarak entered the mind of the nearest one and manipulated it to make it seem appealing to stay in place. He intruded into the bird’s sense of hearing and sight to give himself a metaphorical fly on the wall with which to eavesdrop onto Lyn’s conversation.

With the bird under Ssarak’s influence, he heard everything in the conversation between Lyn and this vampire man. It allowed him to finally understand the context of how Lyn could have an old friend to begin with; however, the vampire did not reveal too much of use about himself. He seemed friendly, but Ssarak knew well how, with some practice, one could easily hold an olive branch in one hand, and a dagger in the other. Unfortunately, Lyn was not nearly as reserved in what she said, and she gave away information Ssarak really would have preferred to keep secret. Information that could be dangerous to the Naga. As Lyn was walking back inside, Ssarak did not stop observing, so he heard the vampire’s final comment, which only further solidified Ssarak’s desire to act. He encouraged the bird to follow after the vampire, and while Ssarak would not be able to maintain a mental connection with the bird for too far of a distance, it would at least give him a few moments to make his next decisions.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei pulled Sabine a bit closer to her. "Sabine, I know you are not going to be able to enjoy anything here with this on your mind. There looks to be an empty room over there, let us just head in there and talk about all of this now. I think it will make you feel better." Meesei recommended.

Kaleeth considered Janius suggestion for surprisingly little time before she started to shake her head. "Hmm...no, I don't want to have it at the clanhome. I want to have it in my village. If we ever end up in Black Marsh again after this, we should go there. I have always dreamed about having a real, genuine Argonian wedding. Well...unless you wanted to find your family, like Fendros, and have it with them." She answered. She did not actually want to have a wedding outside of her village, but she supposed she should be fair to him.

"I think we should definitely all take the time to talk. Let's find somewhere comfortable to sit down." Ahnasha answered, almost enthusiastically. "Though, it's hard to say where to begin. Obviously, we don't really know each other that well, since we only met yesterday. I feel like we have years of catching up to do. Fendros has told me about you before, so...I suppose I should start by asking if there is anything you'd like to know about me?"