Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine did not look up from the alchemy table she was diligently working at. "Hello," she voiced hoarsely. "Did you need something?"

While he inwardly sighed at Sabine's refusal to rest, Fendros could guess that she would drop asleep for at least a day as soon as she laid her head down. He cut to the heart of the matter. "Yerig and Do'rhajul have been found."

Sabine turned and looked up at the three of them entering her tent. Her face was dominated by large dark bags under her wide eyes. Her breath was short as she tried to speak. "W-where? Tell me more."

"Sabine..." He hesitated.

The hesitation spoke to Sabine before Fendros could continue. She felt her lungs empty and her eyes burn.

Fendros clasped his hands together. Even as stoic as he tried to be, it was an effort to keep his composure seeing Sabine's reaction. "It's Do'rhajul, he...he fell in the final moments. Yerig watches over his body, apart from camp. I'm sorry."

Fendros had better words in his mind leading up to the moment. They were forgotten. He could only watch as Sabine slowly wrapped her arms around her own torso and let her eyes close shut. Her eyes tightened shut. She was resisting.

"We are going to retrieve them both, if you would accompany us," Fendros continued. "Yerig will not leave Do'rhajul's side."

Perhaps it was exhaustion that kept Fendros from being more comforting for Sabine. She held herself more closely and was bending as if she was about to double-over. Fendros halfway extended an arm, again he hesitated. He glanced at Ahnasha beside him.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Janius picked up matters where Fendros was urged away. "I can think of no better way to start enjoying this peace," Janius said.

Fendros briefly grimaced at Ahnasha and the others. "To be honest, thinking of what to orate to everyone has been easier than thinking about how to inform Sabine. I do not believe we should tarry." He addressed the pack. "I am going to find Sabine and tell her, and then try to find Yerig and Do'rhajul. Ahna, I would appreciate your support; Janius and Kaleeth, I will not ask you to part ways so soon..."

Janius nodded by Kaleeth's side.

Fendros kept turning and stopped. "Lorag..." He considered how to phrase Lorag's required emotional presence without undue pressure. "...We shall need your help bringing the late general's body to camp," he finally said with gravity.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"They deserve that, and more," Fendros agreed. "Without his shield, Vile would have destroyed me, us, Hircine...We wouldn't be here. I barely think it in question that Do'Rhajul is redeemed."

He stepped up to Kaleeth and tried to lower his formality. "I won't be distracted, however. You fought and were pivotal in winning the war, Kaleeth." He glanced at her remaining foot. "I wish it had not come at so high a physical cost. We'll help you adjust in any way we can, I promise."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The pack grew quiet. Fendros lowered his eyes for a moment, but took a breath to face it. "Some wounds. Nothing permanent there. Meesei and Do'rhajul, however..." He swallowed. "We are told Do'rhajul's body has been found. We all saw what happened to Meesei. I fear she will not be returning with us."

The following moment lingered for respect, but Fendros soon after added. "Sabine does not know about Do'rhajul yet. We were going to inform her soon after we checked on you."

Halo: Aegis Team

Yalu 'Suumko

Yalu was less precise than his squadmates opening fire. The grunts were easy pickings. The elites and jackals might actually triangulate them. Yalu peered through his scope looking for Kig-Yar holding long weapons. They got a needle to their shooting hand, or their jaws. Disabled as they were, it would only add to the confusion. Sangheili caught a burst of needles until their shields flared. The light made them easy pickings for their marksmen.

Time came to reload. Yalu rolled from his prone position behind a shrub on his back, took a couple of plasma grenades, and tossed them over to the enemy in a high arc. The reload came after, timed to spot the enemy by the time they decided to move away from the explosives. Wouldn't be long before it was time to assault the platform itself.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Janius was in tears of joy. "Yes! Vile is gone. The fighting is done. We won, and our family is finally safe."

Meanwhile, Fendros squeezed Ahnasha's hand in return. "We found you a ways from the camp," he said, though he expected to need to repeat the story once Kaleeth had more time to rest. "I would be lying if I claimed my worry was any less than Janius when we brought you to the healers. How are you feeling?"

It felt like an idiotic question to Fendros. He had asked it all the same.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ko'tanza's account was vague in all the worst ways as they approached the tent. Fendros pursed his lips, and it was all he could do not to stop Janius going in. But Janius still had a searching look in his eyes. He knew Kaleeth was alive, he just needed to see her.

What they saw struck them all with a wordless shock. All except Janius, who sighed into a open-mouthed smile as if Kaleeth's missing lower leg meant nothing. He strode with broad steps around the cot and knelt down to take Kaleeth's hand in both of his. He kissed her hand and pressed it against his forehead.

"Good day, Kaleeth-rei," Janius said, raising his head to look at her. "You...I worried I would lose you..."

Fendros was not nearly as joyous. He was relieved to see their friend and packmate Kaleeth alive and stable, but the reality of her loss was impossible to ignore. He kept his words to himself for now. In his fatigue he might otherwise say something rash.

Halo: Aegis Team

Yalu 'Suumko

A quick affirmative and Yalu was in line with Ryker. He strode forward with his needle rifle down and to one side. With any luck, the engagement would finish rapidly after it started.

Yalu had to perform some mental unit conversion in his head to give Ryker an answer. "21 metres during combat. Until then, Tar is the huntress here." He did not elaborate. "Grikgar, signal ten seconds before detonation. We will ready weapons and shields as late as we can."

It was tempting for Yalu to take off his helmet to see further past the storm cover. Every second leading up to the clash was making him more tense. Until then, more climbing, more stalking.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Janius' response was immediate upon Ko'tanza mentioning 'her.' He shot up from his seat and locked eyes with the healer. "Take me to her."

While Fendros showed more exhaustion, he got up too. "I would like to see her too, if you do not mind, Janius." He spoke solemnly. "At least to know how she fares."

It took Janiud a moment before he nodded.

Before they left, Fendros looked to the others. "One thing at a time. We'll let Sabine know about what Saras reported once things have calmed down some more."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The great weight of the day bore heavily on them all. Janius sat across from Fendros and Ahnasha in nothing but his Imperial skin and a spare blanket. His knee bounced with furious anxiety while he sat forward with his hands together. His dragonbone armour was in a pile behind him, and he was not sure he ever wanted to look at it again.

Fendros, on the other hand, was caught between his exhaustion, his desire to go out with the search parties, and staying with his pack for their own reassurance. He chose the latter for now, but not without showing his own exhaustion in his red Dunmer eyes. He did not let Ahnasha's hand go, nor did he raise his head to Saras before he spoke.

A significant amount of the weight Fendros felt was summarised in Saras' words. Fendros eyed the others. He saw Janius lower his gaze. Resolved, Fendros filled his lungs, squeezed Ahnasha's hand, stood up, and gave both Janius and Lorag firm pats each on the back. Then he addressed Saras.

"If we're lucky, we'll see her here before we return," Fendros stated. "Either way, she will not be able to return with us to Mundus." He stood stoically to let the words sink in. "If you can call for the commanders to assemble the lycans, I will speak to them."