EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Deerz was surprised enough by Janius' swift intervention to not be able to resist him, though his companions certainly reacted. One woman raised a spear towards Janius, while an archer nocked an arrow, though did not draw it. The tension was thick in the air, and Julan looked as terrified as Kaleeth, but the silence was interrupted before Deerz could finish climbing back up to his feet.

"Stand down. You step too far." A voice called out nearby. It belonged to an Argonian hunter bearing a spear made from a single, rather long carved bone. His scales were as black as night, and his tattoos were unlike any of the others Janius had seen thusfar. The tattoo on the front of his torso depicted a reptilian creature with large teeth and a head not unlike a dragon, a large spinal crest along its back, and a tail that wrapped around one of the Argonian's arms.

Deerz, by this point, had finally scrambled back up to his feet and picked his spear back up from the ground. Though livid towards Janius, the other hunter seemed to demand his attention. "Master-Hunter, this Human..."

"You. Step. Too. Far. Return to your homes, now." The hunter, evidently Juran-Selth, was not shouting and, in fact, had hardly even raised his voice. However, he was every bit as firm and intimidating as Zharanthixil had been when he held the position. Even the hatred and anger that the hunters obviously had towards Janius was not enough to make them defy their Master-Hunter.

While the group of hunters were clearing out, Juran-Selth approached Janius and the others. Despite his intervention, Kaleeth still looked just as nervous around him as before, though Julan was confused on how he should feel about him. For the moment, Juran was focused on Janius. "Did they cause any injury to any of you?

---

"Wonderful. Now, I would not expect lowly bandits to be particularly well-trained, nor will they be equipped with silver, but you should take them seriously regardless. Even inexperienced fighters can get lucky. If we are outnumbered, then I will take care of most of them myself. I'll just leave you to fight one yourself, that way you can just focus on what you need to do. Oh, and I would stay in your normal form for this. If you transform, your beast spirit will get too much sway in your mind and make it too easy for you to make the kill. The whole point of this is that you need to have the mental strength to do it yourself. Can you conjure bound weapons yet? Bows, swords? It's not too complex of a spell." Ahnasha asked.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Once again, Kaleeth looked lost, having been caught completely off-guard. Her head was low, and her body language verging on meek. "Deerz, I...don't understand. You were so supportive when I left; you said I should be happy, I...you were my friend. That doesn't have to change. I haven't changed."

While he was obviously hostile towards them, even Kaleeth did not expect him to become so quickly aggressive. Deerz suddenly grabbed Kaleeth's shoulder and pushed her back against the nearest hut, sneering at her. "But you HAVE! And that's the problem. You left, but then never returned. Not for far too long. You decided to breed with this hairless Igma, instead of a proper Saxhleel. Do you even feel the Hist anymore? Or have they rejected you like you rejected them? You insult all of us by bringing these outsiders here."

---

In stark contrast to Rhazii's anxious surprise, Ahnasha actually chuckled in response. "Bandit hunting is a common past time for adventurers, you know? Even non-lycans. Granted, they usually do not eat them afterwards, except for Bosmer. The people we will be hunting are thieves and murderers, undeserving of the lives they have. Killing them will give justice to the innocents they have killed, and make the roads safer for travelers. We will be performing a public service."

Ahnasha placed a comforting hand onto Rhazii's shoulder. "Don't worry son, you're not going to suddenly go feral if you feast on some bandits. You learned those lessons because that is what children need to be taught to learn control. Now, you're basically an adult, and you can be trusted to keep better control of yourself. And you need this practice, Rhazii. You need to expose yourself to the act of killing against a weak opponent, so that you do not find yourself hesitating when it really matters. I'll be right there with you to help."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Then we shall see if you are correct, or if you are overconfident in your own style of training." Zharanthixil remarked. Now that Julan was settled on his intentions, Zharan looked more relaxed. He slowly laid himself down in his hammock, then carefully placed his cane within his reach. "I am feeling tired now; I need to rest. You should speak with the Master-Hunter so he can know to prepare the rite. And likely the Elder as well. There is not space for all of you here, but the Elder can decide on your accommodations."

Kaleeth had to hide her surprise until they were out of the hut, this time being joined by Julan. Part of her had wanted to stay and spend more time with her father, but she had a feeling that the real reason he had laid down was to encourage them on getting started with Julan's rite. She felt that she had a good idea of how important Julan's success was to her father. "I never thought I would hear my father say something so nice about you." She commented to Janius. "Well...nice by his standards, at least. I think..."

Unfortunately, the three of them were interrupted rather abruptly when a group of four stopped them in their tracks on the way to find the Master-Hunter. Just by their weapons and clothing, Janius would likely have been able to identify all of them as hunters, but Zharan had given him enough of an explanation for him to interpret their tattoos as well. Like Kaleeth's, they were quite extensive and reached all across their body, but three of them had designs resemblings snakes wrapped around them, while one depicted a vicious lizard surrounded by lightning: the marks of the viper and wamasu, respectively. Even between individuals with the same marks, the designs were not identical, but shared the same themes. Unfortunately, this group of hunters were not there to give them a friendly greeting.

"So it's true." The tall, bronze-scaled male said, baring his teeth at the three of them. "You have returned, with your Human and your..." He began, practically growling as his glare fixated on Julan. "...abomination. Just leave, Kaleeth-Rei. You were happy to abandon your people when your family needed you the most, so it shouldn't be a problem for you now. You have become an embarrassment to us, and you never should have returned."

---

Ahnasha allowed Rhazii enough time to have a fair chance to respond before she continued. She had expected this to be a somewhat difficult subject for him, but considering his training, she was not quite sure if she expected him to be entirely speechless. "Well, I know this might seem like a strange time for this, but I do think it helps put this whole business with my family in perspective. I mean, I do want to avoid upsetting my family, it's not the most important thing in the world. It's not worth worrying ourselves to death about. After tonight, I don't think it will seem nearly as stressful."

Ahnasha paused for just a few seconds to take a few sniffs of the air before continuing on. "Anytime our pack goes basically anywhere, Saras gives us these security reports with any scouting information that we might have on wherever we're going. Personally, I think he's a bit overzealous about it, especially since we were just coming here to visit our families, but I've given up on arguing with that Dunmer. Anyways, the point is, I read that there's been rumors of highwaymen operating to the west of Cheydinhal. They've robbed some travelers, killed a few, and there probably aren't any more than a few individuals in their little gang. So, they would be the perfect prey. If we can manage to find them, then we can kill them together. They're just bandits, so their bodies would do far more good in the world being food for you than whatever their worthless souls are going to use them for." She said, rather harshly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

With all the eyes in the room on him, Julan could not help but to feel nervous. He felt that his parents would want him to be cautious, especially since this rite wasn't really necessary for him. After all, they would be leaving the village sooner or later, and it would not really matter if he was officially one of the tribe or not. But, he knew his grandfather would be disappointed if he refused, and probably even more angry at Janius. Even Julan had picked up on the fact that it was not difficult to get Zharan upset at his father. "I can do it, I think. I don't think they would want to let people die in the rite, so it shouldn't be that bad. Right?"

Zharanthixil nodded. "Correct. Deaths are quite rare, as there are potions and healers available to assist. The rite of might is often attempted, though still the most rare to complete, aside from the rite of endurance. It is not often that an apprentice can outmatch a more experienced, physically superior opponent. You must be confident in the training your father has given you."

Zharan walked straight up to Janius, stern as usual, but perhaps less aggressive than before in his posture. [i]"I will admit, it is a surprise to me that you are even allowing this opportunity for your son. I had assumed an Imperial would be too soft to allow his son to take these risks, but I was obviously mistaken. I had feared you had turned Kaleeth away from the ways of her people, but perhaps she has helped to make you more like us? Indeed, you are...not at all like what I expected. Perhaps I am guilty of misjudging you."

---

Ahnasha grunted briefly and started to continue on forward deeper into the forest. "And that is the real trouble, isn't it? The ultimate purpose of any fighter is to be able to kill when needed, but you have no way of knowing if you have that strength until the time is upon you. It is not easy, not at first, but I cannot understate how important it is to be able to go through with it when it does happen."

It was as if the forest itself grew quieter as their conversation grew darker. Ahnasha continued on in the same neutral tone, regardless of how uncomfortable the topic may have made Rhazii. "Whole graveyards could be filled with the corpses of those I have slain, even just by my own hand. I am far more closely acquainted with death than any woman probably should be. I know well what killing is like, and I have seen what can happen to warriors who hesitate. I have seen new recruits in the heat of battle, fearing for their lives, but able to carry out their training just on instinct, until they get to the part they're not trained for. I remember one time pretty clearly; a skirmish, I think somewhere in the West Weald. There was this young, fresh-faced Imperial in a scouting party we were working with. We got into a fight with some enemy scouts, and naturally we were winning. The Imperial ended up outflanking the guy I was fighting and jabbed him in the gut with his sword, disarmed him and everything. The boy moved in to finish him, and he looked like he had it handled, so I moved on to the next target. But, the Imperial boy stopped. He hesitated. The enemy scout was terrified, begging for his life, probably soiled himself out of fear. Maybe the Imperial boy had never killed before, or had just never had to finish someone who didn't die right away, but all he got for his brief moment of mercy was a silver dagger through his heart. Killed him pretty much right away; nothing we could do for him."

Ahnasha finally looked back at Rhazii. "I'm not saying you shouldn't be a warrior. I'm just saying that, as your mother, it is my responsibility to make sure you are as safe as I can make you, and that you're prepared to do what you need to do. You've grown up most of your life around Nords, so I'm sure you've heard all about the honor and glory of battle. Really, you're probably more like a Nord child than a Khajiit, if I'm being honest. But, fighting isn't all glory. It's dirty, bloody, nauseating at times. And it's brutal. You have to be able to watch a man's life fade from his eyes because of the sword you just jammed into his ribs, or kill someone who, in their final desperate moments of terror, is begging for their life. It's not pretty, and it's not easy, but it is reality."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth's expression held much less certainty than Janius might have expected. She hesitated, and just hummed to herself for a few seconds as she tried to collect together her thoughts. "I...don't know, really. Back them, almost all the other apprentices were better than me. I couldn't beat anyone, except people younger than me. It's been so long that I don't know if I really remember enough from back then to be able to tell."

Guilt was starting to surface in Kaleeth's mind once again, though this time just for the fact that she did not feel like she was being helpful. After another few moments of hesitation, managed to come up with something that could be considered reassuring. "But...Julan doesn't have to fight the best hunter or anything. He just has to fight a full hunter who is older than him. And he can fight however he wants, with any weapon. He won't have to do anything unfamiliar to him."

"I could probably at least...try." Julan commented.

---

"Oh, you definitely are a good fighter. There is no mistaking that." Ahnasha replied with an encouraging smile back at Rhazii. "You're much better in a fight than I was at your age. Mind you, that's not really surprising, with all the training and support you've had access to, but still, that fact remains. Me, our pack, we learned our lessons in combat so you didn't have to. We figured out the techniques the hard way so we could pass them on to you, and so you could get even better than we are. I've been told that's the goal of any master for their apprentice. I've seen you training, seen you fighting, and I do really and truly believe that you can eventually outpace anyone in the pack if you keep at it. Your ability or potential is not why I am bringing this up. What you are saying you want to do with your life is not just about the actual act of fighting. To be a powerful fighter like you want to be, you have to have a strong mind, and I am not just talking about magic."

Ahnasha stopped in place and locked eyes with Rhazii. "Your actual combat experience so far has been against animals, maybe Falmer at most. I know you can fight, but..." She said, any last hint of a smile or levity leaving Ahnasha's expression, instead replaced with the most severe gaze she had ever given him. "...can you kill, Rhazii?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Julan was silent for a time, but obviously focused in his thoughts. Between Zharanthixil and his father, they had given him quite a lot to consider. He knew he should say something, but hesitated several times in doing so before finally voicing his thoughts aloud. "So I could do any of the rites...if I wanted to. I...don't know if I could pass a magic rite. I'm not, um, I mean I can do magic, but...maybe one of the other ones. I know my mother did the endurance one, but I guess she also lived in the marsh all her life, so that one might not make sense for me. Hunting something doesn't sound too hard, but I could also do the one with the fight. I guess we would do that one here in the village?"

Zharanthixil took on a rather scolding tone. "The rite of might would take place in the village, yes. And refer to it properly. Take care not to take our sacred traditions lightly. I would discipline one of my apprentices for doing so, but I will concede that, as an outsider, you require education first. If you believe yourself a warrior to match a fully-trained hunter, then you can announce to the Master-Hunter your intention to undergo the rite. You are somewhat young...but you would not be the youngest to do so."

Julan looked up to his parents. "Would that one be okay? Do you think my training is good enough?"

---

The three of them stayed on the path out of the city for a short while before Ahnasha and Rhazii split off from Frendros, and into the forest. They started to head to the north and west, but even once they were out of sight of the city, Ahnasha did not show any indication of wanting to stop and find a place for their belongings, as Rhazii might have expected. Instead, she kept moving on towards some uncertain destination before finally speaking up to him.

"So Rhazii, I have noticed that you have been training a lot recently. Well, not recently as much as just always. It seems like there is hardly a moment that you aren't doing something to improve your abilities. You're not as bad as when Meesei was in her 'obsessive training' phase, but I have noticed your effort. This business with my parents has been reminding me of when I was your age. You've met them now, so you can probably imagine that they didn't like me going out and doing dangerous things. Fighting, magic, I had to learn it in secret. When I had you, I promised myself that I wouldn't do the same to you. That I wouldn't try to make you be like me. But...I guess I also have to be careful not to try to make you be different from me. I have to ask you if this is what you want? Being a warrior, that is? Soldier, hunter, battlemage, however you want to do it, are those the kinds of skills you want to develop?" Ahnasha asked.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I did have something of interest for Ahnasha and Rhazii's hunt. Did you have anything specific in mind for Narsi?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Well then, he is right here." Zharanthixil answered, gesturing towards Julan and either not understanding, or not caring about any implied desire for privacy. "You said you want to learn more about your people, boy, right? Then you should experience yourself what it means to be one of us."

Julan was predictably nervous to have such pressure so squarely on himself, especially coming from his grandfather. "I...guess so. I've never really known much about us, but...would becoming one of you mean that I'd have to stay here?"

Zharan crossed his arms with a distinctly unimpressed expression. "I do not know why you would ever want to leave your own people just after gaining your belonging among them, but there would be nothing binding you to stay, no. Short of committing horrible crimes against us, you would always be a part of us. Even my daughter, your mother, after leaving us so long ago, is still a member of this tribe. You would always have your place in the world, whether or not you choose to take it."

Though still nervous, Julan was at least curious about Zharan's offer. "That does all sound like a...good thing. But...the rites don't sound safe."

Zharan scoffed, and ended up glaring at Janius. "Is this what you've taught your son, Human? To fear danger? No, the rites are not safe. Deaths are quite rare, but your safety is not guaranteed. The first lesson that any Saxhleel learns of the marsh is that it is unforgiving. It does not care if you are a warrior, or a scholar. A man, woman, or child. It is merciless, and will kill with no discrimination. We live every moment of our lives surviving against the dangers that lurk behind every bush or tree. The swamp never sleeps, and we must always be ready to meet its challenges. Our homeland strengthens us by its very nature, and makes us into a people worthy of defending it."

---

Ahnasha made no attempt to hold back a laugh. "Yes, welcome to the first...what was it? Eighteen, nineteen years of my life? I can hardly even remember at this point. My parents have always been like that. I can say that they honestly are well-intentioned, but it can come off as pretty heavy handed at times. Or most of the time, really. I would not expect my mother to stop singing your praises at any point."

Continuing on towards the city gates, Ahnasha shrugged after taking a few seconds to think. "I suppose we can go ahead and go for a hunt now. It doesn't really matter what part of the day we choose, as long as we are far enough from the city. That would also let us get more sleep tonight. Once we get a ways down the road, you can just follow me, Rhazii. I have a good idea of just where we can go. Stay, um...normal for now. We want to get some distance from the city."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth nodded to Janius, though already, she looked like she had some concerns. "Yes, for the rite of endurance. It's the one I chose." She answered, though Zharanthixil was quick to pick up where she left off.

[i]"Kaleeth attempted other rites, and failed a few times. They are not easy, and not always safe. The rite of endurance can be the easiest, or most deadly depending upon how the Hist wills to test the apprentice. The apprentice is led far from the village, and left alone, with no belongings nor weapons. Unlike the other rites, there is no definite opponent to defeat, but they must show that they are able to survive on their own, forage and hunt effectively, and be able to follow their trail back to their home without losing it. They are taken far enough that it can require upwards of a week to return. If they return alive, they receive the mark of the vine, and become a hunter." Zharan explained, glancing down at Julan. It was certainly not an encouraging description, Julan did show some of his nervousness.

Zharanthixil continued. "There are also three other rites. The rite of might shows that an apprentice values strength and ability in combat. And that their skill is beyond average. It requires that they are able to defeat a hunter beyond their years in single combat. It is not a fight to the death, but the weapons used are real. It is no simple sparring match. These hunters receive the mark of the leviathan. The rite of wit is a magic-focused test, and naturally appeals to hunters who fight with their minds as well as their bodies. I was never the one to administer it, so I am not completely familiar with all of its details, but it requires several magical tests, and a magical duel. Succeeding grants the hunter the mark of the wamasu. Finally, the rite of the predator requires tracking and killing sufficiently dangerous prey, then presenting the body to the Master-Hunter for inspection. The apprentice must hunt alone, but can use any weapons or strategies to make their kill. Their prey must be challenging to kill, so the Master-Hunter inspects the prey afterwards to make sure that the apprentice did not choose an already sick or injured target. These hunters receive the mark of the viper. For Julan, passing a rite would mean receiving his marks, and being accepted as a hunter of our village."

---

Although Gwindir and S'nashi did take turns repeating their "goodbyes" at least three more times, they did eventually allow them to take their leave. Ahnasha and Fendros headed out of the inn, with Rhazii in tow just behind them. Ahnasha kept glancing back towards the inn several times, just to make sure that her family did not follow after them before she finally allowed herself to relax. She released a long breath, releasing much of the anxiety she felt being around her parents. "Fendros, I think I will take Rhazii on a hunt tonight. I could really use the distraction. Would you mind keeping an eye on things here in the city?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Um, I think so." Julan answered, standing up and facing his parents. "He asked me a bunch of questions, and I...think he's happy with everything. But...now he wants me to go fight some people...or something?"

Zharanthixil did not give Janius time to question what Julan was saying before he stepped in to elaborate. "I want him to be tested according to the standards and customs of one of our hunters. I have spoke to the boy, examined him, and I shall admit, it seems you have done more for him than I would have expected. He is strong for a boy of his age, and though you have obviously been putting him through some sort of odd...Imperial form of training, he was able to answer my questions on the basics of combat. I am not sure if he is a knowledgeable hunter; the kind of creatures he describes hunting do not exist in Black Marsh. He cannot ambush his quarry in the swamps by hiding in...[/i]snow, whatever that is."

Zharanthixil stood as well, albeit more slowly. He was a tall man, but his limp and his cane removed much of the intimidation his presence once held. "More to the point, a hunter's worth cannot be judged through simple questions alone. I want the chance to have my grandson join his people in earnest. To be a true equal among our hunters. We have several rites that a hunter may undertake to end their apprenticeship. The rites of the predator, might, endurance, or wit. An apprentice need only complete one to earn their marks, and their place among our hunters."

---

Gwindir stood from his seat, with S'nashi following suit short after. He walked up alongside Fendros' chair and, with a wide smile, gave Fendros a few enthusiastic pats on the back. "I wouldn't worry so much, son, it'll be a great time for all of us. Your family included, you'll see. You are right that me and my wife do need to go meet with my associate. I told her that I would come meet with her as soon as we got settled in town, and she's not someone I think I should keep waiting. But, we definitely should all get back together as soon as we can. Then, you can tell us all about how you got to the city so quickly."