Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Karl breathed in to speak between Meesei's questions. When Sabine's past was queried, Sabine lifted her head from Karl's shoulder and looked at him sideways.

"Well," Karl said. He lifted his eyes to recollect. "Only one or two stories. Nothing especially mortifying. I suppose the pleasure will indeed be yours." He gestured forward out of the water.

Sabine's hand sprung out of the water to grab Karl's wrist. "Ah! Hey," Sabine said. She glanced to Meesei and Karl, open-mouthed. "Not fair. You first, Karl."

Karl laughed. "You're so jumpy, Sabine," he said teasingly.

Sabine jolted and quietly yelped in place before reaching under the water. The pair grinned and struggled for a moment before Sabine pulled Karl's dripping arm out from under the murky surface in both her hands. She triumphantly wrapped Karl's arm around her neck and softly bit her grin into the side of his hand.

"Alright, you win," Karl laughed and relaxed his arm. He closed his mouth and addressed Meesei. "I grew up in Wayrest. My parents were both wereboars in a sounder that lived in the city, in secret. We knew of the lycan clan that lived near the city, but both my mother and father had their lives rooted in Wayrest city itself when they were turned. So they preferred to stay." Karl's smile lowered as he continued. "I decided to leave for Blackreach when the call went out for lycan scholars of the Dwemer in Skyrim. I was an alchemist by trade, but Dwemer artefacts and history had been a collection hobby of mine for quite some time. I never could have imagined what I was travelling to." He tiled and shook his head. "Just to think, I was so upset to leave the majority of my collection behind. Only to live within possibly the largest Dwemer ruin in the entirety of Tamriel."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I don't know," Karl said with a grin. "Everyone might just spend all their time in a hot spring rather than do their work. It's so relaxing."

Sabine giggled, bowed her head and leaned her head on Karl's shoulder. "Just now you were afraid that this was not safe."

"I wasn't afraid. I was simply being careful," Karl said quietly, still grinning. He put an arm around Sabine's shoulders.

A gentle wave in the water preceded Lunise wading up to them all, neck deep in the water. Her blonde hair drifted behind her just on the surface. She looked to be struggling and hunched as she walked along the bed of the pool in a squat. When she sat down beside Meesei, she exhaled in relief and closed her eyes. Just like for everyone else, the murkiness of the water obscured Lunise's body. Her claw-etched scars were out of sight and mind.

"Were you okay, Lunise?" Sabine asked.

"Yes, yes," Lunise responded airily. She took a deep, slow, and utterly relaxed breath. "I took my time settling into the water. That is all." Meesei felt Lunise's arm curl around her waist.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine hummed with amusement. "I would, too." She opened her eyes to Karl. "You should join in as well. We could use your knowledge."

"Really?" Karl shot an interested look.

"Mhm," Sabine said. "You understand the city pipe structures better than us. Also..." The water sloshed as Sabine lifted her hand out and ran her palm over Karl's shoulder. "I want to work with you more."

Karl's face softened into a gentle smile. He shuffled closer to Sabine. "I'd like that," he said.

After Sabine and Karl exchanged their affectionate look, Karl looked to Meesei. "I didn't think I would be invited to a project the Champion was heading up. I probably didn't hide my nerves especially well at the beginning of the evening...and I certainly would not have been calm if I had been called upon for such a project before tonight. But, apart from all the..." Karl turned his hand just under the water's surface. "You know, arcane power, you are far less intimidating than the stories made you out to be, Meesei. Not to mean any offence, of course."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise frowned. "I was more concerned about passing as a lycan with such old wounds," she murmured. Something in her voice suggested she did not appreciate Meesei being quite so explicit in her wording. However, Karl seemed more occupied with stepping into the water with Sabine when Lunise wandered away.

Karl sucked in a breath through his teeth as he took his first step in the steaming waters. "Are you sure this is safe, Sabine?"

"Yes, we have done this many times before," Sabine responded. Leading Karl by the hand, she stepped ahead and gave him a smile. "It is good. I promise. You will not want to leave. Just try not to submerge your head."

Soon enough, they reached a waist deep spot to seat themselves. Both Sabine and Karl sighed as the water relaxed every muscle in their bodies.

Karl slowly opened his eyes and suddenly realised that Meesei was talking to him. "Oh, this? In the city?" He blinked a few times and tried to think. "Um...well, bath water is not something I know any existing mechanisms were made for. There would have to be some refitting. Not as much as from scratch -- the main engines of the Dwemer heat water to make pressure. It would still take some time and effort, however."

"Hot springs in the cavern would be wonderful. I would go every day I could." Sabine sat back in bliss, closing her eyes. "There are minerals in the water here that are good for skin. Everyone would be nice and smooth in the clan."

Karl breathed a short laugh. He then had another realisation. "I heard that Darahil once enabled some Ayleid magic in the previous clanhome that filled a large warm pool for everyone to use. It sounds nicer than the chilly streams running through Blackreach. Maybe, if he still had the right artefacts, he could install it again?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I would say so, yes.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

If you'd like to keep going with Fendros and Ahnasha, feel free to skip forward to wherever in their evening. I imagine the dance event would be an open floor with the occasional group dance added in, jaunty music, lots of fun and drink. I just figured they'd be focussed on enjoying themselves, so there's not really anything that needs a play-by-play unless there's something extra plot event added to it.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine stepped up to help Meesei. She spoke back to Karl with a soft smile. "You will love the hot springs, Karl. It is much better than any hot bath."

Before long, the group stepped into Eastmarch; their final venue for the evening. The smell of flowers was replaced with frigid cold with a hint of brimstone. Much of the moonlight around them was obscured by mist, so Sabine cast a few magelights upon the ground help them see. She then immediately started untying the cords of her clothing.

"We will leave our clothes here, Karl. Go on," Sabine encouraged.

"Sorry, Sabine," Karl responded. "This place is just different. I was wondering if we had entered Skyrim at all." He placed his stick down and peeled off his coat. "Which direction is the water?"

Sabine laughed. "All around us. We are on a rise. Do not worry, I will lead you in."

Lunise swallowed and lifted her chin. Meesei could tell she was hiding nerves. "Meesei?" She put two fingers on Meesei's shoulder and spoke surreptitiously. "If you do not mind, I shall disrobe just over there and then join you all in the water." She gestured a short distance across the little island. "I wouldn't want to leave a scar on our evening," she added pointedly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise inhaled and paused, as if a positive thought was interrupted in her head. "It happens that a number of my assignments lately have been to do with lycan clans located in the Dominion. Unfortunately, they are more local incidents than grand diplomatic ventures. It mostly revolves around if there is evidence of lycan attacks in an area. I then liaise with the local clan to resolve the issue. That was my capacity in Valenwood, as you might imagine." She looked down and up and tightened her lips. "Being that they are active issues that I submit regular reports on, I would be shirking my responsibilities if I were to spend an extra several months out in the field. A more opportune moment would be required." She hummed with a hint of amusement. "If said dragon was assailing Dominion waters, ask me again."

With Meesei prompting to move on, Lunise stood up and stretched her arms. "I never thought I would miss the cold of Skyrim, as beautiful as this place is. Yes, let us bathe before we all begin to smell something less pleasant than these flowers."

Sabine and Karl's attention was caught by Lunise's voice becoming clearer. They both had brows shining with sweat already, but had not separated their sides. They both got the message, exchanged a smile, and stood up in turn.

"Would you like help with the portal again?" Sabine asked.

---

"That is the kind of truth I've been waiting to hear all day." Fendros bent down and took Ahnasha's arm, pulling her upright. "Perhaps another bottle will make your dancing as amusing as mine," he said with a grin.

Fendros offered his bent elbow for Ahnasha to hold before they walked. "Shall we?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I cannot help but feel I would not be suited to it." Lunise readjusted. She was sweating to the point of discomfort. She even released a hand to cast a spell; it made her dress cool to the touch like the stone in Blackreach.

"I grew up in a city. I travel between cities. Holidays are not easily obtained in my profession." Lunise leaned in closer. "I might drag you all down. I might hate it. But, you have proven me wrong more times than I can control already. I shall keep you in mind if there comes a lapse in my duties."

---

A small laugh bubbled up Fendros' throat. "I think Rhazii deserves some credit. He'll be fine. You are right, though..." Fendros took up the wine and took a deeper draught. He exhaled and wiped his mouth, before stepping around beside Ahnasha. "You know those musicians that joined the clan last year? I hear they host public dances in one of the larger halls each week. And they play long into the night." He extended a hand. "I feel like joining in until we can hardly stand, and then finding a quiet spot to spend time until we can hardly stay awake. How about you?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise couldn't let the first comment go. "You have what my mother would call a filthy mouth, Meesei." A second later, Lunise pecked said mouth with a kiss.

"As for being 'one of you,' that is just the issue," Lunise continued. Her serious voice had returned. "I have learned it from many accounts and seen it firsthand. Even you say that packs are bound by their shared challenges. As are clans. You are lycanthropes. The beasts do inform your behaviour. Without that ring of yours, there would always be a part of you that sees me as...well, being on the exterior."

---

Fendros paused to take a smaller drink, but he put the bottle aside rather than pass it back just yet.

"Ahnasha," he replied. "I would rather the chauruses sabotage the plan than you get caught out and killed. If things go without a problem, they will not know that undead were involved at all." He worked out the knots at the base of her neck. "Besides, maybe Darahil has a few tricks up his sleeve. You might get help from just automatons after all. By the way, I think Rhazii is going to worry if we're on a mission either way. If he does not learn to live with it, and that could be hard enough...I don't know, maybe we can ask Saraya to help. She has been doing great work since Najirra passed away."