EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Between the two of them, it was clear which of the fighters had received the worst of the punishment, though it was not as if Kaleeth had emerged unscathed after having ignored her own defense in favor of indulging in the attack. But, such superficial injuries were not something that typically concerned lycans, and Kaleeth in particular. With their regeneration, it generally required a severe maiming to create lasting injuries, and Kaleeth was a step even beyond that level of durability. An Argonian werecrocodile, specifically, had perhaps the most stellar regenerative properties of any creature in Tamriel. She was bloody and bruised now, but was not likely to have a scratch on her within a few hours. Although, the confidence her robust nature gave her could be a curse as much as a boon. In combat as well as in training, Kaleeth had become more willing, over the last few years, to accept injuries if it meant accomplishing her goals, and she was not invincible.

Kaleeth look surprised, then suddenly embarrassed when Janius finally called her attention to him. For a few, brief seconds, she had that look of innocent confusion that had been so common for her early in their relationship. Of course, it did quickly fade into a normal sort of embarrassment. "Oh, um, has it been that long? Sorry, I was just trying to clear my head with some fights, and...I guess it took...longer."

One of the more enthusiastic Nords in the crowd, meanwhile, peered back up at Janius and Kaleeth behind him and let out a brief chuckle. "Heh, what's the matter Kaleeth? Your wife come to drag you away from your fun?"

Kaleeth tilted her head to the side, again caught off guard. "Huh? What do you mean about a wife? Janius is a man." She said, not understanding the joke.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

In the few moments longer that the fight continued, Kaleeth showed progressively less and less of the expert technique she had demonstrated throughout the fight, instead opting for pure ferocity. If he could look closely enough, Janius could see that primal force in her eyes that had been such a problem for them in the past. No matter how much control she gained, it had never truly gone away; she merely knew better how to live with it. Right now, it was relishing each blow she delivered, and even those she received. Kaleeth's nose was bloodied, and many of the scales on her arms and chest were discolored from bruising, but in this straightforward slugging match, Kaleeth could easily outlast her opponent.

Eventually, the pressure that Kaleeth was putting on the Nord reached the point where he was no longer effectively fighting back. Kaleeth continued to let out a satisfied shout with each punch, hitting two against his arms, then getting one around to his stomach. He lurched forward, and was met immediately with a blow to his jaw.

"Alright, alright, I give. You got me." The Nord managed to stammer out, just intelligibly enough that Kaleeth was able to bring herself to stop, albeit reluctantly. For a few seconds, there was a genuine disappointment on Kaleeth's expression that she was no longer able to fight. She stopped, taking in a long, deep breath to immerse herself in the scent of blood in the air. It fed her beast's desires, but ultimately, it did not bring her into any risk of losing control. She was more than experienced enough to know her limits, and what could trigger the beast. Ultimately, the fighting was helpful for her mental state in the long run.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I would think so, though perhaps we should save the business for the end of the visit. I have everything I need with me, so I will follow you to meet up with the others, unless you require privacy, of course." Meesei replied.

---

To an ignorant observer, the larger Nord might have seemed to have some physical advantage, but everyone present knew well that Kaleeth's size was misleading. For the Nord, he was having a hard time even approaching her. Every slight mis-step, every brief moment of over-aggression, was punished with a hefty punch. Even Kaleeth's fighting style was as odd as it was effective. Despite being an Argonian living among Nords, she fought nothing like either of them. To one educated in such things, the core of her style was reminiscent to the Khajiit Whispering Fang, thanks to the training Ri'kalesh had given herself and Janius during their mission in Elsweyr. It had been the starting point that she had built upon and evolved from ever since.

Even just watching for a short time, Janius would be able to see that Kaleeth was in full control of the pace of the fight. The Nord tried to feint, then jab for her gut, but she grabbed his wrist and pulled him in while jamming her knee into his abdomen. She could easily hold the advantage in a grapple, but she seemed to release him on purpose just to deliver another punch to his chest, then allowed him the time to recover.

After another two attacks from the Nord with an equal lack of success, Kaleeth let out a subtle sigh, looking as if she were bored with the fight. It lasted for just a few moments before she one more started to stare down her opponent with much more intensity. Instead of allowing him to initiate his attacks, she started to step forward, slowly, but with purpose. The Nord, to his credit, side-stepped and delivered a jab that could punish her less cautious movements, or at least force her on the defensive. However, unfortunately for him, Kaleeth had already decided against fighting "optimally." She simply accepted his jab to deliver an even stronger strike of her own. A flare of pain pulsed out from Kaleeth's ribs, but she knocked the breath out of him, and this time, she did not allow him to recover before going straight back on the offensive. The Nord fought back, landing hit after hit. A punch to Kaleeth's jaw, kicks strong enough to nearly fracture bone, and all of which Kaleeth should have been fast enough to block. But, for all of the injuries the Nord was delivering, he was receiving even worse.

Based on some of the cheers and anticipation in the expressions of a few of the members of the crowd, they had seen this from her before.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"If they were able to get a close enough look at you, possibly. Argonians would have a more difficult time discerning the more subtle details of your face, but they still might recognize you. Although, if you did more than just your hair, you might have more success. Changes to your complexion, eye color...there may be some alchemical concoctions that could accomplish that temporarily. Ariel would likely know." Meesei reasoned. "You can take some goods from our stocks and pose as a simple trader from another clan, if you arrive through the propylon chamber."

---

Kaleeth was in one of the training rooms, near to the bottom floor of one of the buildings. It was somewhat less commonly used than some of the other rooms since it was far out of the way, and the sounds of the boiling water and steam pumping through the pipes beneath them was a loud constant. Although, for what Kaleeth and the rest of the group she was currently with used it for, the noise of the pumps tended to be drowned out by taunting and cheers. They had their own, informal fighting pit, with fights that were generally far more brutal than simple sparring. There was gambling as well, but Kaleeth was far more interested in the fighting than coin. She had long been a member of these sorts of fighting rings ever since their mission to Elsweyr over a decade ago, but she had only put down any sort of wager on a fight a handfull of times, and even then, nothing truly significant. For her, it was the blood, pain, and satisfaction of victory that helped to satisfy her endlessly restless beast spirit.

Kaleeth had told Janius she had intended to fight that morning, but had lost track of the time several fights ago. She stood in the middle of their "arena", somewhat bruised, but hardly beaten. She wore a tattered and torn loincloth, as well as a few bloodstained strips of cloth wrapped around her knuckles. She generally avoided fighting with her claws, though it was not as if she needed them. There had been a time when she had not been the favorite in most fights. She had always been capable, but strength alone could not carry her to victory every time, and she had not always been terribly skilled. But, as she grew in ability along with the rest of her pack, losses became fewer and farther between. She started applying the techniques she had been taught more successfully, and her raw strength became an asset, rather than something she relied upon. Now, she mostly only fought those looking for a challenge, and most of her rounds went without bets unless someone like Lorag was her opponent. There were many who wanted to see her in a fight against Ri'vashi, but as of yet, no one had been able to convince her to join. Her current opponent was a tough Nord in his own right, and was just coming off of a win of his own, but he had not yet even touched Kaleeth.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei grinned. "That you say that shows that you may be more ready than you think. A good leader knows that they do not know everything; they accept their limitations. Form a pack of capable people you can trust, and do not hesitate to listen to their advice. I am sure you know with what matters you are the expert, and where you will need help."

Meesei glanced quickly at the letter. That Sabine was receiving such sudden attention from faraway lands was unsurprising. "I would be aware that there are some clans who will just be looking to place their own people in more important positions, but that does not mean the volunteers themselves are unsuitable. At least, not all of them. Many will be seeking this opportunity to better themselves, and not for the politics of their alphas. They certainly be looking to impress you. It will be relatively easy to test their skills, but the true challenge will be to reach through whatever facade they have put on to find out who they really are. Pretty much everyone in the clans knows who 'Sabine' is, but I would say that most of them do not know exactly what you look like. At least not enough to identify you from any other Breton. You might use that to your advantage."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Well, he had purpose for us. He knew what was coming, and what would be needed to stop it. I suspect he guided many packs together, but we were the ones who emerged as the strongest. Your pack, unfortunately, will need to be assembled through far more mundane means. Although, you will have a far more expansive list of options than most pack alphas, and hopefully, your pack will not be fated to carry the weight of the world on your collective shoulders as ours has." Meesei replied, smiling, though she was serious in her sentiment. She had long wanted Sabine to be able to live a more normal life, so she genuinely hoped that Sabine and her pack would not face the same challenges and responsibilities. that had filled most of her life so far.

Meesei placed her hand lightly upon Sabine's shoulder, looking in silence for just a few seconds. "It is still hard for me to imagine you not being a member of my pack, but I still could not be more proud. You are more than capable; you will be an excellent leader. Had you chose to pursue it, I would have had complete faith in you as my second. You could fill my role better than I have. Though, whether technically in my pack or not, I do still hope to have you at my side when the invasion is finally upon us."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Hmm, well my offer may at least force him to have to abandon his excuse. He will not need to maintain any secrecy around Ariel and Rukeewei, so perhaps that may allay some of his fears." Meesei suggested. "Though, I suspect you would know better how to convince him than I."

Meesei noticed Sabine looking to the letters, which gave context as to their likely recipients. No doubt, Sabine was finding the task she had given herself more difficult than she had likely anticipated at first. "You need not rush in selecting your pack. They will be important decisions for you, as I am sure you know. Given your fame among the clans, there will be no shortage of volunteers from all across Tamriel. With your position, they do need to be capable, of course, but I would say to be patient with your selections. Take your time and meet with them, get to know them. They will need to be your family just as much as they need to be warriors. They will need to be people who can get along with you, and Do'rhajul. The latter perhaps being more difficult than the former."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei tried not to shift away from positivity too suddenly, though her voice did become distinctly more serious, but supportive. "That would weigh on the mind of anyone, no matter how strong. And we lycans are beings of passion and intensity, but that can work against us. Our emotions can hold more sway over us, even the painful ones. But, I am still confident in you, Sabine. I know it will not plague you forever. You have recovered from worse."

Especially now, Meesei did not wish to dwell on the topic. She did not believe it would be healthy for Sabine to keep it on her mind so frequently, and being able to move on from it quickly whenever it entered her mind would be helpful for her. "Does Karl intend to come as well? I have to imagine Ariel is just as excited to meet him, if you have been exchanging letters. If he has any duties tying him up, I will personally excuse him from them. Some might say that would be abusing my influence, but I would say...I do not care." Meesei smiled.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Hmm, I have to wonder what she has told them about us. I cannot imagine she has told them the full truth; children of that age are not terribly reliable at keeping secrets. Perhaps we are the eccentric mage aunt and her former master, wandering the world in search of adventure?" Meesei grinned. "At any rate, I suppose I will just wait and see what story Ariel has concocted for us. I also am looking forward to seeing what she has done with the shop. What we paid her was more than enough to repay her loan, and perhaps invest more into it. She deserves all of the prosperity we could give her after what she did for us. It is hard to appreciate how many lives you and her helped to save with the antidote you developed."

Meesei's gaze moved to the desk, and the letters that Sabine had been writing. Despite Sabine's efforts, Meesei had noticed the bandage, and she did find it curious that she was attempting to hide it. Minor wounds were far from uncommon in the pack, from training and the like, and Meesei would have thought nothing of it otherwise. "Did you do something to your hand? Or have you begun to use your blood for ink?" Meesei joked.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei nodded and greeted Sabine, closing the door behind her. She pulled over a wooden chair next to the stone one built into the floor at Sabine's desk and took a seat beside her. "Yes, I have a question. Or...more of a request, really. I know you are planning on taking Janius, Kaleeth, and Julan to Black Marsh today, and to visit your sister. I managed to convince Saras to handle the meeting with the Daggerfall alpha today, so I will also have some time to myself. I was wondering if I might join you today? I do not want to get in the way of you spending time with your sister, but perhaps before or after that, we could take some time together as well?" She suggested.