EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The closer the pair drew to one another, the more Meesei's smile turn closer to a smirk. "Hmm, now that is where you are wrong."

Meesei did not give Lunise much of a chance to consider her words before she took action. She slung one arm around Lunise's back, and the other behind her legs so that, in one quick motion, she could quite literally sweep Lunise up off her feet into Meesei's arms. The ease with which she scooped up a grown woman and started to walk around towards the bed was just another reminder of her more-than-mortal body. "I certainly plan on taking you...somewhere tonight. Perhaps a few times." She said before quite quickly occupying Lunise's lips with a kiss.

---

It took a moment for Do'rhajul to find a chair that looked as if it could support him, which gave Sabine time to share more of the details of what she was dealing with. Do'rhajul listened, but was unswayed by Sabine's obvious self-doubt. "It sounds like your Champion's duties make her essentially a politician, then. A warrior as well, I suppose, but still someone who is trapped dealing with political maneuvering. That is a kind of leader, yes, but not the only one."

Do'rhajul pointed a finger to his own chest. "Do I look like a politician? I can tell you I am not. I do not care for worrying about appearances, lying through my smiles, and all of that nonsense. I would sooner cut out my own tongue than to have to learn to coat it in silver. If I were to have to attempt to hold your Champion's role, then I would fail. But now I ask, am I not still a leader? I do not need to come up with flowery words to stand as an example to my soldiers. What other leaders think of me does not matter when I can serve my men, and have them serve me with the respect I earned from them. I lead by example, and through my deeds as their general. Not with clever words. You already showed them your bravery, so you do not need to spend your time talking with politicians to be a hero. You just need to be ready, when the time comes, to stand at their lead in the face of Vile with that very same bravery."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Given how rare it was to see Lunise laugh so genuinely, Meesei could not stop herself from joining in with her own deep, bellowing laughter. Being a wolf did not change the fact that there were tears in her eyes by the time she stopped herself. "Hmm...you say that now. You might be surprised on how...tempting it can be when you really think about it in detail." She continued to tease. Although, she did not delay much longer in reverting back to her Argonian form. Just as before, she did not so much as lose her footing for a moment.

"Well, regardless, I can say without a doubt that it is such a joy to see you laugh." Meesei said, regardless of how her laugh actually sounded. "With how superb you are at keeping up appearances, it is sometimes easy to forget the person under the facade. I know you are going to have much to do while you are here, but I cannot begin to describe how glad I am that you are going to be with us for so long. It is going to be torturous to have to keep up an act for so much of the time we are together, but even with that, I think we will have plenty more time together. This cavern is exceptionally large, and the fact that I will be able to teleport to and from this room at will without the smallest sound escaping will help, I think. And I can always just take us to some faraway land like we usually do, if all else fails."

---

As usual, Do'rhajul was patient. He watched Sabine in silence through her tears for a minute or so, allowing her ample time to air out her emotions in full. He did not think it best to try and suppress her feelings, though that did not mean he intended to do nothing. The look he gave her, while somewhat hard to read, was calculating.

"You are wrong; categorically so." Do'rhajul stated boldly. "Your failure with Ri'vashi is not enough to make me doubt your leadership. I could have told you that trying to persuade that woman of anything else was a fool's errand. Even without knowing her, I could see it in her eyes when she looked at me. She hates me with every fiber of her being, and has every right to do so. Convincing her to forgive me would be like convincing a Thalmor to worship Talos. The only think you failed was to accomplish an impossible task. The inability to perform miracles does not make you a bad leader."

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

So, I would like to make an effort to get activity going and help move people who are stuck. I unfortunately don't have all of the details on all of the plots that I wasn't directly involved in, but if anyone who is stuck would like to message me, I can probably help to get things moving again.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei took a step back and gave a quick look up and down Lunise's body. With a grunt, she brushed some of her fur off of Lunise's shoulder. "That ship may have already sailed, I am afraid."

Lunise might not have been able to recognize Meesei's grin, but she still would have been able to notice the playful, or perhaps mischievous look in her eyes. She hunched over so that her head was closer to being level with Lunise's, then locked eyes with her. Meesei let out a deep, but recognizable chuckle. "Hmm, fair. Werewolves may not be the best for giving kisses. I can oblige you, though I would still argue that a wolf is capable of showing affection by...other means." She commented, sticking out and calling attention to her particularly long tongue.

---

Do'rhajul returned a slow nod. "I understand. I would not wish to take that risk either. It may be a while before we can feel safe allowing me to be unsupervised in the city. You may wish to plan ahead to make sure there is someone you trust who can stay with me when you are unavailable." He recommended.

There was a brief, somewhat awkward silence before Do'rhajul looked over again and spoke up hesitantly. "I can...assume your conversation did not go well?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei's head tilted back somewhat and her eyes shifted to one side as if she were caught, though she still produced another chuckle. "Okay, so perhaps I...oversimplified that statement somewhat."

After the brief pause, Meesei resumed rubbing Lunise's back, except this time pulling herself closer. She wrapped her in a hug that ended up essentially enveloping her in fur and muscle. "But that does not mean it was completely false. Lycans do turn on loved ones, but that is because the beast does not see them as family, or as their mate. Those beasts only see the prey."

Meesei leaned her head down her head just above Lunise's and took in a long, deep breath of her scent. "But if the beast has time to know them, to build that familiarity or...love. Well, then things can be different. The reason that the beasts are not hostile to their own pack is not because they are also lycans. No, feral lycans fight each other all the time. It is the bond they take the time to develop that turns them into a family." Finally, Meesei nuzzled her snout against the side of Lunise's head for a few moments, then lightly pressed the tip of her snout to the very end of Lunise's nose. "I think the beast is starting to like you."

---

For as quickly as Sabine left, Ri'vashi did nothing to stop her. It was Do'rhajul that was far more surprised to see Sabine stomping up to her and demanding that he leave with her. He was not exactly being friendly with his present company by any means, but it was not as if he had been given any particular reason to want to leave right away. Regardless, he was not going to argue with an order from her. "Of course, as his master orders." He replied as he stood, keeping in mind his present company.

Do'rhajul waited until they were safely out of earshot until he dared to speak a word. "Is there any danger we should be worried about?"

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

So, since Sep is not going to continue running things, who needs posts from GMs right now in order to keep moving?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Well, that was the point in doing it." Meesei replied with a deep chuckle. She placed one of her massive hands gently on top of Lunise's hand on her navel, then reached her other hand around to Lunise's back. Meesei started to massage her quite firmly, but still perhaps more gently than Lunise might have thought her capable. Her hand was large enough to be able to reach most of her upper back at once, and she could use her claws to apply just the right amount of pressure to some of the more tense muscles on her back.

"Of course, I did not lie. Living in the clan would require you to get used to these forms whether you wanted to or not, but I do hope that I have been able to help." She continued. "You will never have to fear my beast form. Even if I were caught with you without my Ring, under the full moons, I know you would be safe with me. Even an animal will not attack her mate."

---

Ri'vashi did not reply with as much emotional vigor as Sabine had, but Sabine's more aggressive tone also was not seeming to do much to make her back down. "Has Ri'vashi thought about it? Yes, in fact, she has, with little doubt on what she would decide. Public execution, likely hanging or beheading. Ideally to be held in the Torval clan for the survivors from Orcrest. What, did you think Ri'vashi wanted to do more? Rip out his eyes? Tear off his arms and make him watch us feed them to the chaurus? Ri'vashi is no savage, Sabine, but that does not mean she just forgives a mass murderer. A quick, efficient public execution removes him as a threat, and gives closure to the families of the slaughtered."

Ri'vashi took a step forward, though not quite threateningly. "But Ri'vashi gave up on that. The council made a decision, and it is not one that Ri'vashi can objectively call foolish enough that she cannot accept it. You should not accuse this one of not understanding your reasons. She heard your words, and she understands why you did it. You could call it a professional disagreement, but Khajiit understands fully well that you did not do it out of malice towards Ri'vashi. If anything, your continued insistence to hound Ri'vashi on this issue is doing more to harm our friendship than your decision did."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Even if it cannot truly keep them, they still respect the boundaries we give them. Based on their training, their servile nature, the fences encourage them not to roam. It also keeps out other animals that might wander by and bother them." Meesei answered. "Now, we have plenty of chaurus, if you would like your own trained insectoid companion. Just make sure you are ready for the responsibility. They will love you to the end of their days." She added, chuckling to herself.

Meesei turned and made a motion towards one of the other buildings. "At any rate, I should show you to your quarters. They will be yours for the duration of your stay here, so you can feel free to do with them as you will. But, I did give them my own personal attention to make them as comfortable as possible for you. They are located as far as I could manage from the noisy boilers and Dwemer piping that runs through the city. You can still hear it faintly, unfortunately, but I also took the liberty of giving the walls enchantments you can activate at any time to block any sound coming in or out of the room. Both to help you get a good night's sleep, and to ensure your privacy, should you need it."

---

Meesei remained in her werewolf form as she took the pair to their quarters. Being that it was the end of their tour, Meesei brought Marod to his room first, then left him to settle in while Meesei showed Lunise to her room. This time, she would actually have her own space, instead of sharing a bed with Meesei. Lunise's quarters were on the same floor as Marod's, though on the far end of the hallway. She followed Lunise inside, and even in her werewolf form, Lunise would be able to notice Meesei visibly relax as soon as she closed the door behind her.

"And here is your lovely abode. I tried to make it as familiar to you as I could with the furniture with what I had on hand. If there is anything specific you would like, just let me know. It is a shame that we will not be able to share a bed every night, but someone would eventually notice that, I am afraid." Meesei remarked.

---

Ri'vashi's arms remained crossed, though she did not remain completely stoic as Sabine seemed to near the edge of a breakdown. There was still some sympathy within her, but her anger did make it more cloudy. "Do what? Speak with Ri'vashi? She is sorry, but just being sad about the fact that you hurt Ri'vashi does not make that pain go away. Khajiit has to live every day knowing that murderer is perhaps just a few rooms, maybe a few buildings away from her at all times. And not only does he live, but Ri'vashi's clan is going to be supporting him, feeding him, clothing him. Ri'vashi has to live with the fact that her efforts are working towards supporting the man who killed everyone she loved. If you would take a few moments to really think about all of that, Sabine, then perhaps you might come to understand why Ri'vashi is so...terribly agitated by all of this. Maybe you will see why Ri'vashi has not been able to sleep but a few hours for the past two days. Or why half of our training dummies were...inexplicably destroyed by a disgruntled clan member yesterday."

By this point, Ri'vashi's hands were clenched together, and her teeth were bared at Sabine. Although, she was intentionally avoiding eye contact.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"And you enjoyed it as such, yes?" Meesei commented, giving Marod a curious look. If you think about them closely, what difference is there really between a chaurus and a mudcrab? Two hard-shelled creatures with soft meat. A mudcrab is like an insect of the water. The only reason it seems normal to you is because they are more common. Besides, it is not as if it is unheard of to eat chaurus. I believe there is a commonly-circulated book in Skyrim that gives an excellent recipe for chaurus pie."

With how enthused it seemed to be with Meesei, it perhaps should not have been a surprise when the chaurus crawled completely over the fence and began to walk tightly around her. While it was a reasonably tall fence, Ma'rasi was able to bypass it with little effort. It was doubtful that the fences posed any real barrier to the creatures if they had a mind to escape. Again, Meesei laughed. "You know, I do see the irony in the fact that our fierce military commander has among the friendliest of chaurus. We do use them for livestock, particularly with how useful their chitin is. For those who do not wear heavy armor, chaurus chitin is a good alternative to Dwemer metal. But, it is not all we use them for. Their senses rival our own, especially for finding prey in low-light, and they are excellent climbers. Chaurus hunters can even fly. They work well with scouts, and their tough shells and acid make them useful in combat. For a while, the Falmer were quite confused to see them fighting for us, once we started training them."

Meesei took a step back from the chaurus, then started to shift into her werewolf form, to which the chaurus was entirely undeterred. Once in her werewolf form again, Meesei let out a quick grunt. "And once you come to terms with their looks, they are loyal companions." She explained as she reached down underneath the chaurus, grabbing it around the center of its body. While she did show some effort in doing so, she proceeded to hoist up Ma'rasi over her own head, causing her legs to flail out reflexively in search of some ground to latch onto. Ma'rasi while not at the absolute largest stage of her development, was much more massive than any Human or Elf, so the fact that Meesei was able to pick her up and set her back down on the other side of the fence spoke to her strength. "Now, stay Ma'rasi. I have other things to do right now."

---

Ri'vashi closed her eyes, breathing out a long sigh. "Sabine, you cannot just demand friendship. You know that as well as I. You knew what you were doing in accepting Do'rhajul as you have, and you knew what it might mean to others. If that is the path you choose, then you have to be willing to accept any sacrifices that go along with it. That being said...Ri'vashi did not say anything about our friendship. There is a lot of history between us, Sabine, even though you are making her...very angry right now."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei could not help but to grin. She seemed to have no fear of the acid, given that she leaned over the fence to rub the chaurus' neck, specifically the points where the shell's plates met. "As much as I would like for my clan to be able to take all of the credit, the Falmer did most of the work for us. These chaurus are quite a bit different from those you might find up in Hjaalmarch. The Falmer trained the chaurus, use them for everything. They have been breeding them as their loyal servants for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. For these chaurus, it is already in their nature to serve their masters. We merely needed to take some eggs and raise them as the Falmer do. We were skeptical and cautious at first, but their behavior has proven to be as malleable as any dog, horse, or livestock.

The chaurus, Ma'rasi, put two of its legs up on the fence to allow it to raise itself up over the fence, then lowered its head down closer to Meesei. It clicked a few more times, then rubbed its head up against her, all while Meesei smiled. "This is Ma'rasi. She is Ri'vashi's chaurus. She is one of the older ones that we have. Her trainer was going to gift her to me, but my pack already have our hands full enough with Leaps. Most of the time, chaurus go through a metamorphosis to turn in to a flying form, called a chaurus hunter. There are some, though, that just end up growing much larger: chaurus reapers. We are not completely sure why; perhaps because they are the chaurus that lay the majority of the eggs. Ma'rasi may be one of those, though we really do not know how to say for sure. What I can say, though, is that they are perfectly safe to be around. No trained chaurus has ever hurt one of us. Well...no more than any other domestic creature. They do not use their acid unless they are threatened. Or on our command. Their appearance is unsettling, I admit, but our clan has slowly grown used to them over the years."

---

Ri'vashi crossed her arms, already appearing impatient before they even began. "The council came to a decision that made...plausible strategic sense. They believe that the General can be of sufficient benefit to us alive. That is a position that is defensible, and Ri'vashi cannot prove it wrong. It was not Khajiit's choice, but it is what we are doing. The only thing Ri'vashi wants now is for you to make sure it is worth it."