EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I see. I think that could work." Kaleeth commented. "I suggested magic because it could be quicker for someone without the, um, physique for other kinds of defense. Though, I guess you could afford to give her some magical enchantments if you want to make her a bit safer."

Kaleeth saw Aurana's reaction to Remus' offer to bring her to the Imperial City, which she supposed was a good sign. If she was reacting this way now, then Kaleeth supposed that she had probably never even left Bravil before, even under supervision. "Do you think that's all a good idea, Janius?" Kaleeth asked.

---

Meesei smiled, seeing that Lunise seemed to be getting clever. Though, if Lunise wanted to take their "battle" underwater, then she would be more than happy to oblige. She had likely cast waterbreathing on herself before she jumped into the water, and perhaps something else along with it, based on what Meesei had observed.

Instead of trying to resist the geyser of water, Meesei dove along with it underwater while dispelling her own water walking, using its momentum to carry her deeper. Meesei could swim with exceptional agility underwater, though even she could not match the speed that Lunise seemed to be demonstrating. Swift swim, most likely; an application of alteration magic. Meesei could use restoration to enhance her own speed on land, but that had very limited effectiveness underwater. She had never had any need to practice any magic that would improve her abilities underwater, since she could naturally outclass any other race of mortals. Regardless, Meesei still had the edge in terms of experience underwater, and she intended to leverage that experience. With an even greater display of telekinetic ability than before, Meesey began to swirl the water around her into a whirlpool around her, with currents that moved up and down seemingly at random. She would see if Lunise knew how to deal with unpredictable currents without becoming disoriented.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth was pleased that Remus seemed willing to admit his mistakes, so now the challenge seemed to be to get both him and Aurana to an agreement that would make both of them happy. Indeed, Kaleeth doubted that giving Aurana everything she wanted would be good for her. She had no real experience in the world, and without that experience, Remus would be right to be worried about her getting hurt. Kaleeth could recall what it was like leaving Black Marsh all those years ago, knowing nothing about the world outside her homeland. She made many mistakes in her dealings with other people, but she had both her pack and the physical prowess of a werecrocodile to protect her. Aurana had neither.

"The world is an amazing place to see, Aurana, but it is also dangerous. Your father did not lie about that. The problem is that you are going to have to face the world one day, but you never learned how. I had that problem myself when I left my homeland. My father didn't know anything about the rest of Tamriel, and my mother never expected me to leave so soon. The people outside Black Marsh behaved so strangely to me. I didn't really understand them, and there were a lot of them that could have taken advantage of me if I didn't have Janius to help me. I think, if I was going to suggest something, I would say to show Aurana the world a little bit at a time. Teach her about this city first, let her talk to and meet with people on her own, while you're still around to protect her. Maybe let her learn some magic for self-defense. I, um, use magic to make myself really, really strong." Kaleeth said, figuring that magical enchantments would be a suitable explanation for her unnatural strength. Lorag had added strength enchantments to his armor about a year ago, so she knew it was possible.

---

Meesei remained standing with her arms outstretched to give Lunise a free hit against her, which seemed to be fair. The water hit a fair bit harder than Meesei's initial strike, but it still hardly stung. Once more, Meesei laughed. "A good hit. Though, I would like to point out now that you have accepted the challenge of an Argonian in the water. Let us see if you can best me in my own element."

Lunise would be able to feel Meesei charging an even stronger telekinetic spell. This time, instead of a ball of water, she lifted up the water near the shoreline into a small wave that would thoroughly soak Lunise. Afterwards, Meesei cast a spell of water walking on her self and jumped up to bring herself above the surface of the water. Using telekinesis on the water under her feet, in combination with her own movements, she turned around and started to move quickly away from the shore. She used fluid, graceful movements, as if she were skating on ice, until she was sufficiently far away from Lunise for her to stop.

Turning back around, Meesei resumed launching balls of water in Lunise's direction. They were well-aimed, but at her current distance, they moved slowly enough to be easily dodged or blocked. Of course, the same was true in the opposite direction. If Lunise wanted to effectively retaliate, she would have to go out into the water as well.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Goodnight.

I'll be interested to see if Meesei can get Lunise out of her shell. The "challenging her pride" approach seems solid.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

By this point, Julan had all but given up on correcting Aeramina. Each time they had, she found a new way to mispronounce his name. "I, um, really liked the salmon. I've had salmon before, but I didn't know it could taste like that." He answered. Unsurprisingly, he favored the part of the meal involving meat. He usually preferred his meat raw, but the chefs had prepared it in a way that did genuinely make it taste better than usual. Indeed, the same was true for most of the rest of the meal. Inwardly, Kaleeth hoped that this did not make Julan more picky in the future. For Kaleeth, she wondered if all of Janius' meals as a child had been like this one. It felt like a feast that she would have had in her village only on special occasions. She supposed that reuniting with their son would count as a special occasion for his parents, but that also meant that they had all of the food on hand to make this kind of a meal whenever they desired. It was a luxury that Kaleeth would have loved to have as a hatchling, and she wondered what other kinds of luxuries Janius had given up to live with the pack.

Regardless of Julan's opinion on the meal, Kaleeth was more concerned about Aurana. She had given her word that they would have that conversation before leaving, so she wanted to make sure that Remus did not try to get out of having it. She gave a glance to Aurana, then to Janius. Ultimately, he would know better how to appropriately guide the conversation to Aurana.

---

Meesei maintained her grin. "Would I not?" She remarked. She brought the ball of water in front of her hand, then, much like a fireball, she launched it straight towards Lunise. Since she had not bothered to put up a defense, the ball of water splashed across the front of her uniform. It was a simple ball of water thrown without too much force, so the only thing in danger of being harmed was pride.

By this point, Meesei was laughing loudly. Once she could keep her eyes open, Meesei stood with her arms outstretched, inviting Lunise to retaliate. "You are not going to allow that to go unanswered, are you Lunise? It was a good throw, if I do say so myself. I would expect that a Justiciar would have even better aim." She said playfully.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth was not entirely sure how Janius wanted them to deal with his mother. Her behavior was much different from his father's. In a way, his father was easier for her to understand. He was an angry man by nature, and they needed to argue with him to make him understand why he was wrong. His mother, however, seemed so...disconnected from the events around her. It was like she was blissfully unaware of the anger and tension that had filled the air only a short time ago. Kaleeth would have to follow Janius' lead when dealing with her.

Kaleeth did not argue with Remus on the topic of Aurana, but she did make sure to give Aurana an answer of her own as well. "Don't worry, Aurana, we're not going to be leaving before that conversation. I promise."

---

After Lunise's stubborn and proud argument, Meesei could not help but to begin to chuckle. "Is that so? Do you fear the fish might report back to the Altmer in the city? Or do you have a bit more in common with the Imperials than you are letting on?" Meesei said teasingly. "Do not worry, I am only joking. But you need not be shy. Besides which, I think you have had me beat in terms of 'appropriate attire' for this entire excursion. I was the one to wear that dress into an Altmer college. It clashes so much with my feathers."

Meesei ran her fingertips along the water, disturbing its surface. "If we are going to make this into a...cultural learning opportunity, then perhaps I can show you how Argonians have fun?" She said, charging telekinetic energy through her hand to lift up a small ball of water out of the ocean. Across her face, a subtle, mischievous smile started to form.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Alright, I'll just give a quick comment from Kaleeth, then you can summarize it.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Julan gave a concerned expression, looking up to his mother beside him. "It's, um..." He began, but he was too afraid of doing something wrong to continue.

Kaleeth too was not entirely sure what would and would not be considered rude in a place like this, but she supposed there would not be harm in correcting Aeramina, at least after she responded to her. "Thank you; it's not often we have special meals. We rarely work in places that are as, um, nice as this. We spend a lot of time on the road, traveling in the wilderness, and that sort of thing. It is exciting to meet an entire other half of my family, I would say. Though, just to give a...correction, our son's name is Kaj-Julan. It translates to 'Ample Benefit'. Roughly. The languages are not too similar."

---

Meesei looked to be confused for a brief moment. "Hmm? Oh, do Altmer share that 'modesty' custom with the Imperials? I cannot always keep track. I travel all over Tamriel, and the customs are not always consistent. Even within provinces. You need not worry about it around me, though. I am a lycan, after all, and a tribal Argonian before that. I will not become embarrassed if you undress." She said, her tone attempting to be reassuring.

Once more, Meesei found a place to set down her clothes, then started to step out into the water. The water was just about to her waist when she turned back around to see if Lunise intended to join her.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth stood up shortly after Remus, taking Julan's hand in hers to prompt him to follow. Remus did not seem to be in a hurry, but there was little reason to stay where they were, so she followed along with the others into the dining room. Unsurprisingly, it showed just as much of a high-class style as the rest of the manor. With the connections that the clans had formed and the places that the pack had gone, it was not the first time that Kaleeth had been into a wealthy home, but it was still a rare event. It still made her somewhat nervous to be around all of the expensive items, particularly knowing that Remus' attention was on her.

Kaleeth followed Harald's direction to take her seat, with Julan taking a seat right beside her. Since Kaleeth was not entirely familiar with proper Imperial table manners, she decided to do nothing but wait for the moment. In her mind, she was already working on making up excuses for any unusual behavior that Remus might notice.

---

Again, Meesei nodded. "I understand your reservations. Lycans were, after all, designed by Hircine to be both dangerous predators, and dangerous prey. Although, I would like to help you become more comfortable around us, over time. We are going to be allies in this, and I expect you may need to spend more time around my people. I will be courteous, but not all of my people may share that courtesy. I can assure you that any lycan you would be interacting with will have the necessary training to control themselves. Even the children in my pack are in no danger of acting against their will, short of their lives being seriously threatened. Indeed, there are non-lycans that live among the clans, and who enjoy the same privileges and status as their lycan brethren. I hope we are never forced into it, but if something goes wrong and you are in need of a safe place to hide in Tamriel, my clan is open to you. I would so love to be able to show it to you; it is a beautiful place, even moreso than this tranquil cove we are in now."

Meesei took her clothes when Lunise offered them to her, though she did not immediately act upon receiving them. Instead, she held them under her arm as she turned her head and looked out over the water. The way Meesei stood and acted did not so much as acknowledge her own nudity. It was a part of lycan culture that Lunise no doubt would have learned about in her research, though this was the first time she was faced with it. "Speaking of the cove, would you like to join me for a swim?" Meesei suggested after a brief moment, pointing her thumb towards the water.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Yeah..." Julan began. Fortunately, his hesitation could be easily attributed to his residual fear of Remus from his shouting a few moments prior. With the way that Remus had asked his question, Julan did not actually have to say many direct lies. He could simply tell the truth, without giving any of the important specifics.

"They are busy a lot; always going on important missions. We, um, me and my brother, can't usually go with them anywhere. Since it's dangerous, and they're doing things we're not allowed to see. But we do have a big family. Well...I guess you'd just call them friends, like Rhazii. But I still see them as family. Usually, not everyone is away at once, and my parents don't always leave at the same time. They still have time to spend with me doing things; I'm learning a lot, and becoming a great hunter." Julan explained.

---

"It is difficult to unlearn the habits that have kept you safe for so long. More difficult still, I imagine, to decide if you should even be unlearning them at all." Meesei responded, showing some understanding of Lunise's situation. "As I said, I merely want to show that you are not going to be working with amateurs. The resistance to those trying to destroy our world is going to have teeth. Literally and figuratively."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Meesei began to shift back out of her werewolf form, causing her to once again shrink below Lunise's height. Again, there was no struggle in the transformation, and hardly any signs of pain. Once it was over, she continued the conversation with barely a few moments of an interruption. "And I suppose you would not have quite the same comfort being around a werewolf as I. Conversations with transformed lycanthropes is a daily occurrence for me. A werewolf in a good mood can be something like an...overgrown puppy, which is rather amusing, if I am being honest. At any rate, I apologize if I caused you any undue stress."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth would have to continue to lie; there would be no avoiding it. Her actual past would not make much sense with the story she had given so far. There was no hiding that she was a Black Marsh native, just by her accent alone. But, as a Penitus Oculatus agent, she would have to have strong connections to the Empire. Since Black Marsh was an independent nation, that would mean she would have to have some family connections. Luckily, she had been given enough time to form some more of the details of her cover story.

"Well, my father was a traditional Argonian. Tribal, actually. If you've caught any glimpses of my tattoos, that would probably be obvious. But my mother's family has always had strong ties to the Empire, going back hundreds of years. My mother was a...trader, a merchant. She was a part of the East Empire Company. That's not what I was interested in as a hatchling, though. My father raised me to be a warrior. A hunter, really, but in Black Marsh, those two are pretty much the same. That's how I met Janius. He was in Black Marsh on a mission, and his team needed a local guide. That ended up being me. I...can't talk about the details. We're not allowed to talk about missions, even to family. But, Janius was in the area on that mission for quite a while, we spent a lot of time together, and ended up falling in love. I would say we are just made for each other. It took many years before I had the honor of joining the Penitus Oculatus. It is hard to join, but my service, and my family's loyalty to the Empire, probably helped." She explained.

---

"Indeed, a beast spirit is quite disruptive by its nature." Meesei said, nodding in agreement. "Though, an important distinction to make is that my Ring does not merely give me enough control. It gives complete control. That is quite important, for any kind of internal struggle with the beast would make this impossible. Of course, merely having perfect control is not enough to grant me this ability. If it were, I would have accomplished this long ago."

Meesei took a few steps away from Lunise in order to give a safe amount of space to charge an even stronger ball of lightning in her hand. "The beast spirit is disruptive, but it is not purposefully disruptive. It does not try to disturb the magicka in the body; it merely does so by the nature of its existence. Over the years, I have become more adept at manipulating my beast spirit, instead of merely suppressing it with the ring. It is...difficult to explain to someone who has not felt a beast spirit before, but I will try. When a lycan transforms, they have to 'release' their beast spirit. Even with the Ring, I cannot keep it shackled within my mind and keep my lycan form. The beast spirit is a Daedric spirit, a vestige. It is like having two souls in the same body, and when we transform, the energy of its vestige melds with my soul more completely. It changes the energies of my body wholly and completely, to the point that they are unrecognizable. That, of course, changes everything about how magicka flows through my body. As mages, we push magicka through our bodies almost as a learned reflex. Like our our minds control our muscles without conscious thought. Trying to cast a spell as a werewolf would be like trying to...think your heart to stop. Even I cannot break through that barrier, so instead, I figured out how to eliminate the barrier altogether. With the greater control I have developed over my beast spirit, I learned how to modify [i]how[i] the vestige bonds with my own soul, so that the energies of my body remain similar to those of my normal, Argonian form. It is not completely identical, and I would say my magical potential is still greater in my normal form, but, well, it is certainly not weak."

After a moment, Meesei gave another chuckle. "So, the end result is that I am now a werewolf who can shoot lightning at my enemies. And teleport. I believe I am going to give some Vile cultists nightmares. And I hope I will be able to leverage my prowess into helping you for many years. Forgive me for not being humble, but I hope it gives you some comfort to know that you have powerful allies."

Ceasing her spell, Meesei stepped forward, directly in front of Lunise and placed her now-oversized paw onto Lunise's shoulder, keeping a warm expression. "Powerful friends."