Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei had brought up details that Sabine had not actually considered in her state. She was correct that fear was disproportionately influencing Sabine's decision making, even if she would have denied that to herself. The pain of separation was of course going to come about anyway, but Sabine wasn't looking that far ahead. Still, it gave her some perspective on what their time together would mean either way. Would she endure the pain of being around Peiter for the rest of the journey and not being able to love him, only to regret it after they separated, or would it be worse to be with him for the time they had and regret separating?

Sabine sat silently staring down at her tear-wet hands for what reached half a minute at least. As much as she wanted to just pick an answer, she would need to think about her decision. She finally shifted from where she was sitting and slowly wrapped her hands around Meesei. "I will decide. I think I need time." Sabine pushed her face into Meesei's shoulder and spoke as a daughter would, "I love you, Meesei."

While Peiter explained, Tzirret laid himself down on his side, looking up at him. His tail swayed back and forth with more grace than his drunken body ever had. Despite promising to stay silent, he spoke anyway. "Tzirret believes that if what you say is true, then Sabine is either a madwoman or is confused," He closed his eyes and looked contented, "This one thinks you were not the confused one. You could still be a madman, but you do not seem as much to Tzirret..."

If Peiter had a response, he would be speaking it to a now sleeping Tzirret. He drifted off so silently that it was difficult to tell if he was still awake without closer inspection. Apparently the middle of the day could be a time for rest after all.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ha, nice work.

Good luck for your other ones. If you need time to study, don't hesitate to pause or slow the RP.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Oh yeah, how'd your final go?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

There was no obvious answer that came from Sabine. She had to open her swollen eyes, look down, and think for a moment. She tried imagining different people she knew being tortured to try and compare her reaction and found every single sight to be sickening and terrifying. She had to concentrate deeply to try and get anything useful from it. "With Peiter, it would be worse," Sabine said sullenly, "but I do not know how I would make it better. Even if I didn't tell him how I felt, the thought is just as bad. I just...maybe it will be worse again if I do tell him." Sabine ran her hands down her face and sniffed again, "I just wish that I did not feel this way until after this whole mission. It hurts to brush him away."

In response to Peiter, Tzirret glanced to the pride, heard another peal of laughter from their talking, then looked back to lonely Peiter. Tzirret let his head angle to one side and he gave a sympathetic smile. "Are you sure, brother?" Tzirret glanced down and away, "When Tzirret feels as you do, his mind can get stuck. Even just speaking the words to Gallus or someone else can help this one to make sense of things, even without advice in return." Tzirret opened his mouth wide and brought his hand up to close his jaw comically. Through his closed jaw, he mumbled, "This one will stay silent if Peiter wishes it. Of this, now, and forever more." Tzirret lowered his hand and angled his head forward, "Now speak! What answer did she give?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Although her tears had slowed and she was no longer sobbing, Sabine's nose was still blocked and her face was still strained and red from crying. She swallowed and turned to look at the space in front of herself. "Because I like him a lot, but..." Sabine's mind was a maelstrom of the different reasons that she wanted to stop liking Peiter. It was hard to pick one out. "...he almost died...or, he and I could have been captured, and then what happened to Fendros and Ahnasha - or to Ciinriel - could happen to us." Sabine brought the heel of her hand to her eye and sniffed, "I do not want to feel that pain. It still haunts them, I see it. I do not feel safe liking him. I'm...scared of what might happen to one of us, but...I keep getting close to him. I have been trying to...delay things. I cannot keep doing that." Sabine held her eyes shut. "It hurts. I don't want to like him any more."

Tzirret broke into a quiet, dry, staccato laugh. "Tzirret thinks that even one who is not lycan or Khajiit could smell Sabine on your hides." Tzirret took another breath, "You also held hands at breakfast." With realisation, Tzirret's smile lowered slightly and his tone became a little apprehensive, "Wait, Khajiit is not mistaken? When Bretons hold hands, is it for affection, yes?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

With tear-soaked eyes, Sabine peeked up at Meesei when she sat down beside her. Her question took a few moments to answer. At first, Sabine caught her breath and tried to clear up her tears. It was difficult as the feelings would not simply go away. "Meesei, how do..." Sabine sobbed, barely able to get that much out, "...how do you stop liking someone?"

"Drunk? Rest?" Tzirret crossed his arms and lowered his brow, but not his ears, "Rest is not for the middle of the day!" Tzirret leaned forward and looked at Peiter closely, even leaning his hands on the ground in front of him. "If Tzirret looks through your eyes, maybe he can guess why you brood so. This one's grandmother could do the same thing before she died." Tzirret squinted and stared, "Hmmm...it was your magic lesson. That is what you were doing just before, yes? You...were bad at magic! No! You were..." Tzirret sat back suddenly, clapped his hands once, and pointed to Peiter with a triumphant grin, "You tried to confess to Sabine!"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

As soon as Sabine calms down, she'll probably seek out Meesei, whatever she's doing. If you like, though, you can have Meesei look for Sabine before then. Depends if you want to run Tzirret and Peiter's scene at the same time.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Despite Colours' warning, the opening bout was not the first time that La'khay and Do'ajee intellectually sparred that morning. Regardless, the conversations lasted for another few hours, bringing all who participated closer together. Both Janius and Tzirret ended up learning much and more about Elsweyr and Pelletine in particular, while trading stories in return. As the last of the wine was making its rounds, the laughter and good nature of the circle reached a crescendo. Even Janius was affected by the moon sugar to the point where he was probably not the most responsible guardian of Kaleeth. They ended up relaxing into each other more and more until poor Newt started to overheat between them and squeezed out to find Rhazii.

After Fendros and Ahnasha left for the city, the task of keeping an eye on Rhazii would normally have fallen to Janius and Kaleeth, but Tzirret and Meesei ended up being the only ones sober enough to make sure both Rhazii and Newt didn't wander too far when playing. Even Tzirret was still affected by the wine.

The sobriety of the group was going to be required for a hunt, and the cover of darkness would help them all. In light of this, the three groups were going to hunt in the late afternoon and sunset. For now, though, the jovial gathering went on.

With not much else to do in the heat of the day, Sabine desperately tried to distract herself from her inner conflict by brewing potions out of the local flora. While patience and clear thought were normally her virtues in alchemy, Sabine did not make much progress for obvious reasons. She only discerned the basic effects of most of her samples. It frustrated her. She almost started throwing things around before she broke down and burst into tears fully. She buried her face in her hands and bent forward, trying to muffle her sobs. Secretly, she wished she could talk to someone about it without exposing her feelings.

In the opposite corner of the area, Peiter's brooding was interrupted by a staggering Tzirret, carefully trying to step through the detritus in front of Peiter's vision. As if Tzirret did not notice Peiter at all, he stopped a short distance away and began to urinate by a tree, facing away from him. The sound of the rough trickling was likely distracting enough, but halfway through, Tzirret began to hum tunelessly as if he was remembering a nostalgic hymn of prayer. It wasn't anything that either of them would recognise out of context, because it didn't resemble anything.

Once Tzirret was finished and laced up again, he looked over to Peiter and gave an uncharacteristic grin. It was interrupted by a sudden, small step forward from Tzirret to keep himself from falling over. Tzirret walked to a point beside Peiter and leaned over sideways to level their faces. Tzirret's ears were so taut upwards that they might have touched tips together if he strained. Tzirret was leaning further and further sideways, angling his head such that his ears were beginning to point to the ground, up until now, he looked deep in thought while closely inspecting Peiter's face. "Why is Peiter sulking and Tzirret humming happily? Nirn is turning upside-down!" Just as Tzirret reached the end of his sentence, his head was fully upside-down while looking at Peiter. He overbalance and tumbled, partly gracefully and partly clumsily, over onto the ground and sat up into a position with his legs crossed and looking at Peiter. With a leaf still on his head, Tzirret grinned as if he didn't feel a thing. "Tzirret wants to help his friend." He opened his arms, expecting an embrace for some reason, "Let me hear your troubles instead, while the ground is still spinning."

Peiter would have known Tzirret well enough that he was the last person to offer good relationship advice. He was younger than Peiter, and generally less confident. The wine and moon sugar cocktail was the only thing giving him the bravery to speak so directly. Still, they were friends, and Tzirret had a kind and gentle heart that might serve well in listening.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I actually need to get ready for work anyway. I'll get a response up afterwards. Bye!

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I don't think we need to skip too far ahead. I have a feeling Sabine and Peiter will have some things to do before then.

Also, g'night and good luck!