Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

At this point, Tzirret wished that he could hug Ma'tanza in return, but the shackles made that virtually impossible without pulling the stranger beside him. For now, he just leaned his head on Ma'tanza's arm. "Maybe we could talk quietly for a while. That would help distract this one, he thinks." Tzirret suggested. Though, when Tzirret lifted his head again, he saw Bheja and gave a look of surprise. It did not take longer than a moment to realise that Ma'tanza's hug had drawn him towards them. "Oh, sorry Bheja," Tzirret looked to Ma'tanza again and spoke awkwardly, "You should...probably let Tzirret go now."

Once they had reached a point of comparable comfort, Tzirret initiated the conversation, keeping it quiet. "You were speaking of M'ibasa, yes? I do not doubt that he will be okay. This clan is kind, and M'ibasa will find someone he knows."

Idle talk between the three was joined by others in the hold talking as well, but no one dared speak louder than a murmur. Whenever there was the sound of feet from above, those talking would all fall silent and look up. There was a case for keeping sanity through conversation, but no one would risk attracting the attention of the crew. Soon enough, Tzirret became acclimatised to the cramped position he sat in and he did not suffer another panic attack. The worst thing, really, was the unsolvable urge to stretch out his bent legs and back.

---

"Right," Gallus unfolded his arms and pushed off the door frame. "Colours, do you have something to do? I could give you an area to keep watch if you like. Or perhaps you could accompany the officers and keep an eye on them?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ma'tanza's embrace was at first surprisingly distressing for Tzirret. He had even less space to breathe and was on the verge of lashing out for fear of transforming. However, he did as she said and focussed on her. His breathing was uneven and shuddering for the first four breaths, but by the fifth, he felt his shoulders relax. He still could not fill his lungs to the fullest until about the tenth breath, and his beast spirit did not leave him alone until the fifteenth. All the while, he either had his eyes closed or fixed his gaze on Ma'tanza's eyes. About a minute later, on the twenty-third breath, he felt calm enough to stop.

"Okay, Tzirret thinks he is okay now," Tzirret murmured, looking guilty. "He thought he would not be afraid of this any more. He is so sorry." Tzirret's shame caused him to scrunch his eyes shut, trying to avoid tears. "He just needs...he just needs to focus now."

---

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Gallus conceded, "I will focus on keeping watch and I'll let you know as soon as possible if something happens." Gallus then gave a brief reassuring grin, then lowered his face just as quickly.

Glancing to Colours, Gallus felt bad for keeping him out of the conversation, but there was one more sensitive matter Gallus wanted to broach. "I was actually referring to your other veneer, Meesei," Gallus said quietly. He wasn't sure whether Meesei would be comfortable confiding her personal feelings towards the plan here, but she did not have to answer.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Tzirret did not get any better. No matter how much he tried to breathe, he was always short of breath. As Tzirret's stress escalated, he had a familiar niggling brush against his subconscious. He knew exactly what it was - it always came about when he was especially afraid. There was no order from Gallus here, no minotaur to kill, no focus, and most importantly, no escape. It only caused him to spiral further, but he remembered one thing that might have helped.

"Ma'tanza, please, this one needs to breathe..." Tzirret pleaded in a desperate whisper though his hyperventilation, "He needs...he needs you to count out breaths for him...slow breaths...it is what Najirra does...please. He cannot let his wolf out! Not now!"

---

"I think we'll do just fine," Gallus responded, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe, "Short of any unforseen hiccups. Still..." Gallus looked to another wall, "I might sneak below and hand out some water during the night. Just to keep everyone going."

Gallus didn't find the boarding experience easy either, so he suspected that Meesei might have been having trouble as well. His eyes found Meesei's again and he spoke at a lower volume, "How's that veneer holding up?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

G'night!

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Tzirret wished he could breathe a sigh of relief when the slavers closed the hatch to the hold they were packed into, but he was afraid that if he breathed out too quickly, he would not be able to breathe in again. He lowered himself down to be seated between Ma'tanza and the man in front of him and maintained shallow breaths.

In response to Ma'tanza, Tzirret tried craning his head around. Even if he could see around everyone else's heads, it was too dark to make out faces. "This one tried to see him while we were walking. He could not see him." Tzirret whispered in Ta'agra with his voice noticeably wavering. "Tzirret thinks that he might be on the other ship."

Tzirret tried looking up and only saw slivers of dim light through the ceiling. He tried taking a deeper breath and found that he indeed did not have room. His already shallow breathing became constricted. "Ma'tanza?" Tzirret's whispered words began including some panicked squeaks, "This one never liked confined spaces..."

---

Above decks, Gallus continued watching as the chained lines of clanspeople were lead into the wooden bellies of the ships. He almost betrayed a wince as one of the less patient slavers struck one of the clan for talking, but it was not violent enough to warrant intervening.

When the 'slaves' were accommodated and the supplies began getting loaded, Gallus considered following Meesei to make sure the next phase of the plan was clear, but they had plenty of time. He had already handed in his hammer and larger daggers, keeping two others well hidden on his person. Without taking his eyes off the porting crew, Gallus leaned his head to one side and spoke. "I'll come by once we've cast off."

It took roughly an hour before there was virtually nothing left on the shore. There were no serious complications so far. Satisfied, Gallus pushed of the railing of the top deck and made his way to Meesei and Colours' room.

Gallus knocked on the correct door before stepping inside and closing it behind him. "We are away. Everything is going according to plan." A small smile crept onto Gallus' face, betraying exhilaration at the risk that just passed.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I have to head to work soon. I'll see if I can get a post in on the way and call it a night.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

It's fine. We've been posting heaps these past couple of weeks anyway.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Okay, be safe," Fendros said as Ahnasha secured the shackles. After their kiss, Fendros gave a forced smile, "I will find you."

The boarding came about with such a rush that it didn't appear that the the slavers suspected anything. Sabine kept magical fire prepared in each of her hands while flanking the line of chained up Khajiit. She returned the looks of those she knew, but did not change her face from blank and impatient. Janius was too worried for Newt to get too far into acting, but he looked the part of a slaver easily enough with his armour on. Gallus and his pack did their part as well, though Gallus' position was mostly supervisory, looking on from the stern as the slaves waded into the water.

Tzirret found marching in the chains to be uneasy for more than one reason. Each time he missed a step from the one in front of him, he would be tugged forward, while if he tried moving too far forward, he would tug at Ma'tanza behind him. Still, he did his best to keep quiet and keep his head down. It was when Tzirret was halfway between the beach and the ship that he suddenly remembered something. Where is M'ibasa? He tried leaning to one side to look down the line and turned his head to look behind him, but it was not easy to see. Especially when he was tugged forward again, almost tripping into the water.

One of the clan posing as a slaver, an Orc with a mace, shoved Tzirret back in line and growled at him in Ta'agra, "No wandering."

Tzirret did not try looking further after that, but the pit of his stomach was getting closer to Ma'tanza's level of worry now.

The ramp came up before them and Tzirret was extra careful not to slip over or make eye contact with any in the crew. Soon they would be below decks, then they should be relatively safe. He just hoped that the slavers would not have their attention drawn to them.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"That is right," Sabine said, patting Bheja and Ma'tanza on the shoulder, before stepping across and doing the same for Qa'habi. "We had best get into position," Sabine faced Peiter, "We should go." Sabine gave a nod to everyone before heading off.

Tzirret did not want to overdo the reassurances, so he did not say anything further. However, he did try to bring a hand up to Ma'tanza's shoulder and give her a smile. He ended up awkwardly bringing both his hands up to her because of the shackles, but thankfully no one had secured themselves to the shackles on the other side of him yet. He only dragged the chains a little in the dirt rather than pull someone towards himself. Tzirret gave Ma'tanza's shoulder a comforting rub, but did not continue for long. After a moment, another Khajiit from the clan took up the unoccupied shackles. Now they just had to wait.

Fendros had come into the camp jogging and had informed all of the lieutenants that the slavers would arrive soon. Once his errands were run, he just had to take up position to receive the ships. First, though, Fendros wanted to take the time to see Ahnasha and Rhazii.

"Mama, why is everybody chaining themselves up? Transforming would hurt with those rings on," Rhazii protested. He was visibly nervous by the atmosphere and the tone of his mother's voice. "Why do Kaleeth and Janius have to stay away?"

It was then that Fendros approached, regaining his breath as he slowed from a brisk walk. "Alright, it shouldn't be longer than twenty minutes, maybe, before they get here," Fendros said, getting straight to the heart of the matter, "Remember the plan, stay by the kids. Rhazii? Newt?" Fendros placed his hand on both the toddlers' heads, "Listen to Ahna, stay near her, don't make a sound, understood?"

"Are you coming with us in the chains, dada?" Rhazii asked with an upset expression.

Fendros sighed, "I will not be in the chains, little one, but I'll be nearby. I will come to help if you need it, but do not call out for me, just stay by your mother."

"Okay," Rhazii said apprehensively.

Stepping forward and kneeling down, Fendros put a hand on Ahnasha's shoulder and another on her cheek. "How are you faring, Ahna? Are you ready?" Fendros asked. He was clearly worried, but he had learned long ago not to assume Ahnasha could not handle herself.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

As soon as the shackles closed shut on Tzirret's wrists, he winced at how painfully tight they were. He immediately wanted to be out of them. It did not take long for him to try to itch his forehead and forcefully and uncomfortably bring up his other hand as well. He could only imagine what it would be like to have these on for most of his life, like a slave. In that, he empathised with his friends' anxiety to his right. Still, he could not fathom their concerns to the fullest; they were all clearly more tense than he was.

When Peiter and Sabine came around, it was good to have their reassurance, but Peiter's question made Tzirret groan. "Very funny, Peiter," Tzirret said sarcastically, "This one does not think he wants to be in these chains for any longer than necessary."

Sabine was dressed in a more completely covering set of clothes - a light hooded, moth-eaten, faded blue over-robe and a pair of shoes. She still carried her shoulder bag and her dagger, but playing the part of a slaver would not be as easily demonstrated unless she wielded her magic. "Once we are out at sea, it will not be long before we take the ships. All we have to do is play the part," Sabine reminded everyone. She took on a reassuring smile, detecting all of their apprehension, "How are you all feeling?"

Leaning forward to see everyone, Tzirret had a less saccharine face, but reassuring words all the same. "This will turn out okay. Meesei and Gallus would not put anyone in this position unless they know it to be needed. I trust them. We will not get hurt."