[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[EliteCommander]

"You can calm yourself, Rhazii. I did not say that I would hurt you. Or at least...you would really need to mess up in order for that to happen." Meesei said, giving Rhazii an obvious, wide grin. Finally, she stood up and shifted to a more natural style. "But yes, I have no more to say. You should get some sleep, and perhaps consider my suggestion of speaking to your aunt Kaleeth, whenever she has time."

---

Meesei ended up returning to her room for only a short time before teleporting herself directly to Lunise's room so they could have each other's company for the night. The enchantments Meesei had placed in the room gave it a minimal risk for them to spend such time together, even overnight.

Unfortunately, Meesei had no choice but to part from Lunise's company early the next morning, given how busy her day would be. She personally visited Saras to inform him of the Emperor's letter and entrusted him with informing the rest of the council in turn. In the meantime, she would be traveling to the Imperial City to meet with the Orc Legate specified in the letter. She had no reason to believe she would be in any danger, and as a show of trust, she would be going alone. Once she had spoken to Saras, she clothed herself in a fine dress as red as her own feathers and opened up a portal to the Imperial City.

Meeting with the Legate was a somewhat more irritating process than meeting with Marod. They had established their connection with the Penitus Oculatus long ago, so the process for meeting them had been defined and streamlined. However, Meeting the Legate required waiting to be cleared to enter the military compound in the Prison District, then waiting for a soldier to lead her to a Captain, who made her wait in a room for a slightly higher ranked commander, who finally took her across the district to meet with the Legate. At the very least, she had finally been able to get into the same room as him before noon. She managed to avoid showing any of her frustration as she entered the room, and kept herself perfectly quiet until everyone who was not meant to hear the conversation had been instructed to leave.

"Legate gro-Tagnud, I presume? I am Meesei, the Champion of Hircine." She introduced herself.

[Muttonhawk]

Rhazii was still frowning by the time Meesei got to see his face again, but he wiped his eyes clear and nodded. "I'll do that," he answered. "Goodnight, aunt Meesei."

---

"That is Legate General Gro-Tagnud to you, Champion of Hircine." The bald, uniformed Orc looked up from the reports on his desk. His look was almost as piercing as the large crested helmet to the right of the papers. Beyond the military precision of his salt-and-pepper beard, his skin was pocked, wrinkled, and stretched in a way only decades in legion service could cause. All the same, his quick spring onto his feet and walk around the table told of a still sturdy body. His firm handshake added strength to the mix.

"But those particulars are not important right now," he continued. "The letter you received should have filled you in on how many men I have under my command for this mission."

Gro-Tagnud was hard to place. He had the eloquent delivery of Marod without the charisma or subtlety. He stepped back and stood with his legs a shoulder-width apart, clasping his hands behind his back.

"First thing's first. I need to know what your expectations are of the legion here. What do you need us for, how do you want us to do it, and how does it tie into your overall desired outcome?"

[EliteCommander]

"Sixteen thousand troops, according to the Emperor." Meesei answered immediately. She had made sure to make her handshake just a bit stronger than Legate gro-Tagnud. She was smaller than him by a fair margin, and her clothes hid her build, so she wanted to subtly reassure him that she was no weakling lizard in a dress. Beyond just her grip, she walked with a practiced, confident posture, and spoke in just the same way. She wanted to give off no appearance that she was anything less than the Legate General's equal. At minimum.

Given how direct gro-Tagnud was with his question, Meesei was equally as straightforward in her answer. "I do not know how much information you have been given thusfar, so I will be as complete as I can in my explanation. We are going to open a portal to Clavicus Vile's realm with the intent of defeating him and removing most of his power. More specifically, we will be opening a portal from Mundus to my lord Hircine's Hunting Grounds. Then, from there, we will open another portal to Vile's realm. Your men would be fighting alongside my own, as well as Hircine himself, and all of his Daedra which he commits to the battle. Additionally, we may be joined by Dominion forces, depending on their response to our request. As for the battle itself, there is only one singular objective of importance to our proposed attack. We have in our possession an Axe created by Clavicus Vile. Our goal is to have that Axe touch Vile himself. We are going to have the Axe empowered by another Daedric Prince, so we need not even cut him with it. If it makes contact with him, then our task will be complete. The energy within the Axe will weaken him enough to allow Hircine to defeat Vile in combat and, for the lack of a better word, 'kill' him. Daedra cannot die, especially Daedric Princes, but destroying his form will destabilize his essence, and release much of the power he has been gathering. The outcome, of course, being that Vile will no longer have the strength or influence to destroy the Towers that stabilize Mundus and absorb our world into his."

[Muttonhawk]

Whether the stern Legate General had practiced his stoic look or whether he knew more than he was letting on about the nature of the mission and its more academic points, he did not so much as flinch at the answer. His professionalism came off naturally.

Gro-Tagnud did not skip a beat once Meesei finished. "What other necessary steps are there towards touching this axe you have to Clavicus Vile?"

---

The morning in the Silent City came on more slowly than most. Undoubtedly, the abundance of food and wine from the night before had made enough people jovial. Those same people were taking the morning off. In contrast, Rhazii could not sleep in if he wanted to. His curiosity about Kaleeth's earlier years had been piqued since Meesei mentioned them. He was halfway through his breakfast porridge before anyone else in the pack emerged for food.

When Kaleeth-rei showed herself, Rhazii put his spoon down and stood up from the table. "Good morning Aunt Kaleeth," he said. He hesitated after his next breath. "Um...listen, I have some time before my group musters for training today. I was wondering, do you have time to talk about something?" He turned up his palm.

[EliteCommander]

"Once we are in Vile's realm, it will be a battle to escort the Axe-bearer to Vile. Difficult, certainly, but not a complex plan." Meesei answered. She was finding the Orc's attitude to be refreshing. He seemed content getting straight to the point and addressing the important subjects. The meeting could be over quicker than Meesei was expecting. "Indeed, there is a limit to how much planning we can make. We have no real ability to scout the battlefield beforehand, since that battlefield is in another plane of existence. At least, we will not be able to know the exact terrain or other obstacles before we enter his realm. Skilled conjurers can survey his realm in a more abstract sense, but only to determine the location of sources of magical power. Namely, Vile himself. They will be able to sense where he is when we create the portal, but unfortunately, we will not be able to open the portal too close to him. His immense power would prevent us from breaching into his realm at all. But, they will be able to get us as close as they can. When we attack, we will know exactly where Vile is, but for anything beyond that, we will have to be adaptable. He will likely be caught off-guard by the surprise attack, but he will send every Daedra he can after us. I would say that the best way for us to prepare would be to plan how to best make use of our forces' strengths, and how to cover for each others' weaknesses. And of course, to train and arm our soldiers specifically to fight Daedra."

---

Kaleeth was alone heading into the dining hall, as it was Janius' turn to feed Leaps his breakfast. Julan had joined him, likely just to have an excuse to play with him for a while. For Kaleeth, she had ended up somewhat gorging herself at the feast the previous night; her beast spirit was not one to encourage anything approaching moderation in her. It had not helped that she seemed to find the dragon flesh much more appealing than most of the others. Needless to say, she was only feeling in the mood for a light breakfast.

Kaleeth was momentarily surprised upon being stopped, which soon turned to a smile once she realized that it was Rhazii. She could not remember the last time that Rhazii had pulled her aside for something, so he certainly had her curiosity. "Oh, of course, Rhazii. Is there something you need me for?"

[Muttonhawk]

Gro-Tagnud was still for exactly two silent seconds between them. He then spun on his heel to step behind his desk and open a drawer. he spoke while filing through a pile of papers without looking up. "And our timetable? Tell me your best estimates for how long each stage will take once our forces rendezvous in your cavern."

The last request hinted that Gro-Tagnud had been spared few details on the circumstances. Likely he knew everything Marod did about the Blackreach.

---

Rhazii opened his mouth and tilted his head and eyes to one side. "Well, Meesei told me a few things last night," he said. He was not exactly nervous so much as thinking hard on how to put together such an odd request. "She said you joined the pack when you were only a few years older than me. I was thinking...would you mind telling me what it was like for you in the first few years?" Kaleeth's smile made Rhazii comfortable enough to laugh once and rub the back of his neck. "I was too young to remember."

[EliteCommander]

"For the most part, that will depend upon how quickly both your men and the Dominion's soldiers, if they are present, are able to be prepared." Meesei answered. "In terms of the attack itself, moving so many soldiers through the portals between realms will likely take several hours, even with the largest portal we can reasonably make. Fortunately, we estimate that the sigil stones can keep the portals open for weeks, so time will not be a limit in that regard. Still, we will not be able to move from the Hunting Grounds to Vile's realm immediately. It will take time to set up the second portal, but we can also use that time to prepare a forward camp in the Hunting Grounds. We can use it as a staging area, and set up medical tents to treat any wounded that might make it back alive. Vile's defeat will briefly destabilize his entire realm enough to close our portal, which, if you recall from the history of the Oblivion Crisis, will teleport us back immediately to where we came from. I would estimate that we would be in the Hunting Grounds for a day or two at most before we make our attack."

Meesei had expected all of the information she gave Marod to be shared, so it did not surprise her that gro-Tagnud had been informed. It did give her a good idea of what information she needed to focus on giving him for the moment. "As for the time leading up to the opening of the portal, I do not believe it would be wise to rush. We are not under any current pressing time constraints, and we are only going to have one chance at this. I can create for you a device that will allow you to teleport you soldiers into the cavern from anywhere. Only a few men at a time, but it would still be faster than marching them across Tamriel. And draw less attention. With that time saved, we can take the time to prepare and train for the battle. A few months, perhaps, to make sure we are ready to fight as effectively as possible."

---

Kaleeth raised her brow, curious at Rhazii's request. She did not quite understand why he was asking, but she also had no issue telling him. She supposed it could be fun to reminisce on her younger days, actually. Her smile quickly returned and she motioned for him to follow her as she grabbed her own breakfast. "My first few years in the pack? Oh, it was overwhelming. I know I've told you why I joined before: that me and Janius fell in love while the pack was visiting my village. He was such a kind and friendly man towards me. He was kind enough to help me even when a lot of the other hunters-in-training would not. Thinking back on it, the other boys in the village were probably all scared to get close to me because of my father. He was the Master Hunter of the whole village. And maybe they weren't wrong to be afraid; I thought he was going to kill Janius when he caught us mating out in the swamp." She commented, giving a lighthearted chuckle as she sat down with her plate of fried chaurus eggs.

"Anyways, I didn't know what to expect when I left the village. I had never been away from my people, and I didn't know anything about what I was getting into. It took a long time for me to be able to even talk normally to everyone except Meesei, since I hardly knew Cyrodilic. Before we even left Black Marsh, though, we got into something really dangerous with that cult of Molag Bal. I wouldn't say it was a good introduction to the pack for me. That whole experience was horrible. It was in that place that you got your burns, and I can only thank the Hist that you were too young to remember that. There were times early on that I wanted to leave the pack and find some way to go back home, but Janius helped me push through that." Kaleeth explained. She had not really touched on the difficulties she had fighting right after she joined the pack, but without the context of the conversation Rhazii had with Meesei, she did not know exactly what kind of information he was looking for.

[Muttonhawk]

From the draw of papers, Gro-Tagnud produced a small bunch at a time, still listening and talking. "Two questions next. What do I need to know about Hircine's Hunting grounds? And what do you believe we will face that will require two months of training and preparation? I remind you that maintaining a supply line to an isolated battlegroup such as this is no easy matter, regardless of how fast the supplies move along the land."

---

Rhazii was slightly embarrassed by Kaleeth's openness about her and Janius. That rapidly passed when the recount went to the cult of Molag Bal, whereby Rhazii unconsciously traced a finger over a ridge of misshapen fur on his head. Ahnasha and Fendros had never given him the full story themselves. By all he heard from other members of the pack over the years, he was glad to be too young to remember it.

Luckily, Kaleeth stumbled upon a point that ran somewhat parallel to Rhazii's original concerns. He perked up a little and spoke. "What did you do to push through those times? Where you were homesick, that is," Rhazii asked. He also quickly added. "Did you ever feel as though you...didn't belong back then?"

[EliteCommander]

The Orc might have noticed Meesei's expression turn ever so slightly more severe upon his question about the Hunting Grounds. "We will not be in the Hunting Grounds for long enough that your men will need to know much about it. What they will need to keep in mind the most is to remain respectful towards Hircine. The reason we cannot create a portal directly from Tamriel to Vile's realm is because the barriers between Mundus and Oblivion are too strong to breach, under normal circumstances. However, there are exceptions. One can create a doorway to Oblivion if they are invited. In other words, a portal, going one way, can be created to a plane of Oblivion if the Prince accepts it willingly. Hircine will accept our presence in his realm, and since there are no similar barriers between separate planes of Oblivion, his realm is the perfect staging area."

"And as for the need for preparation..." Meesei continued. "We will need to train to fight Daedra. It will not be mortal men that our armies are facing, and no army of mortals has faced against Daedric hordes for over two hundred years. The Dominion may have veterans from that time, but I doubt there are many legionnaires who were alive during the Oblivion Crisis. Even my warriors will benefit from more specialized training and equipment. Many of the Daedra that serve Vile are humanoids called Skaafin, similar to Dremora. However, any Daedra could find itself in service of any Prince, especially Vile. He is, after all, the Prince of deals, and that does not extend only to the realm of mortals. Other lesser Daedra can and do enter into deals with him. Daedroths, ogrims, Daedric Titans, normal military training would not approach how to deal with such beasts. And I will say, it may be easier than you think to maintain your forces in our cavern. Perhaps Marod did not make my capabilities clear, but I can create enchanted objects that can link any two points in Tamriel. Instantly. You could directly link your camp to your storehouses, if you wished. It would be as if your men were camped in the Imperial City."

---

Kaleeth was oblivious to any of Rhazii's discomfort. She had never been one to be shy about discussing more intimate matters. She also had not yet realized that Rhazii was asking these questions at all because of his own, current struggles, though that would not have stopped her from answering truthfully. "I'm still not convinced that I completely fit in." Kaleeth laughed. "Not so much in the clan; I feel right at home here. But there are so many little things in Imperial culture that I think are just silly. And Nordic culture, and...well a lot of others. For as long as I've lived in the clan, in Cyrodiil and Skyrim, I wouldn't say I really left any part of my home behind. I still feel like a Black Marsh Argonian; I'm just better at not embarrassing myself now. It's kind of hard to describe, actually. I mean, there was definitely a point early on where I just wanted to go back home. But Janius and the others, they just helped me find the things that were bothering me and fix them one by one. It took a long time, but as long as I didn't give up and just kept at it, I knew it would work. Eventually. I wasn't the fastest learner, not like Fendros. I didn't have any magical talent like Sabine. I just had to keep struggling through it."

[Muttonhawk]

Tagnud paused in his scrounging to give Meesei a look when she reiterated her teleportation capabilities. He resumed looking in his drawer to pull out one more wad of pages before standing up straight again.

"With respect, Champion, it's not a matter of transportation," he said, slower than before. "It's a matter of secrecy and maintaining supply. Officer Marod was clear as water. Both about you and my orders. This mission has to remain discrete. That means that if I can shave off a week, where someone might notice that over sixteen thousand rations are disappearing from the Legion storage every single day, I'll do it. Especially since my discussion with Marod found that foraging in your cavern presents too great a risk to rely on it."

The Legate General breathed in and turned his eyes down to the papers. "We'll work out those details later." He gestured to the documents. "These here are reports by the senior legion battlemagi in this battlegroup. Each has reported on their battalion's capabilities in fighting Daedra. Most in this battlegroup are mage hunters, so they're no strangers to the daedra that are brought to the battlefield. Go ahead and take them and you can judge how much mutual ground we need to cover in specialised training."

Gro-Tagnud lifted his chin. "Now going back to the Hunting Grounds. We're not here to discuss what my men need to know. That is for me to decide as their commanding officer. If we're going to cooperate like Marod said, I need you to be upfront about what I need to know about everywhere this mission will proceed to, no matter for how long we stay there. Do we have an understanding?"

---

Rhazii tightened his lips in acknowledgement and flicked his eyes away. It did not feel good, per se, that Meesei might have been right. He thought for a moment how to respond.

"I feel like I have been struggling a lot, lately." Rhazii took a turn for the dour. "Meesei told me off for what I said to Do'rhajul in front of everyone last night. I really should have kept my mouth shut." He breathed in and sighed. "Everyone else in the pack is just so...damned perfect that I feel like I shouldn't be even trying. Except I don't have a home that I would feel like running back to, like Black Marsh."

[EliteCommander]

Nodding to the Orc, Meesei stepped over to the table and picked up one of the documents. Although, it would likely take some time for her to review them all in any depth. Just at first glance, the page seemed to contain the kind of detail that Meesei would have expected from Imperial bureaucracy. "My answer is hardly different for you, Legate General. There is little to tell about the Hunting Grounds. It is a land of dense forests and grasslands, so it is not a hostile environment. It is the spirit home of my people, but as you shall be guests of Hircine, the lycan spirits shall not attack you, just as they will not attack us. There are other creatures: bears, wolves, unicorns, but nothing that would threaten a legion encampment. You will just need to maintain respect for Hircine and his land. All of the other information I have about the Hunting Grounds, while wonderfully interesting to me, is not terribly relevant to a military campaign."

---

Despite Rhazii's suddenly sour mood, Kaleeth still grinned. "What makes you think we're perfect? I don't feel very perfect, really. I think I'm good at somethings now, but I don't know what I would do without the others. I'd be defenseless against magic without people like Meesei or Janius. And your mother, she is so...eagle-eyed, I think is the way to put it. Such a great archer, I always feel that she can help me no matter where she is. And me, well...no one can quite punch through a stone wall bare-handed like I can." She chuckled.

"And that's all just for the fighting. We all do some things very well, but we also all make up for the problems that each other have. None of us are perfect at everything. When we're together, it can seem like we have no weaknesses, but that's only because we look out for each other. Why do you think you need to be perfect?" Kaleeth asked.

[Muttonhawk]

"Very well," Gro-Tagnud said. "Now, I need you to tell me about your forces. Numbers, composition, strengths, tactics, doctrine, everything. We both need to know the pieces we're bringing to the board here. And Marod? He's good at what he does, but he doesn't command several legions-worth of specialised soldiers."

---

"I don't think I need to be perfect," Rhazii droned as if it should have been obvious. He shook his head and leaned his temple on his fist. "I just..." His nostrils flared. "Who's weaknesses do I make up for? I don't know where I'm supposed to fit in, that's all." He looked to Kaleeth again. "How long did it take for you to feel like you were...you know, appreciated? Contributing?"

[EliteCommander]

Meesei lifted up her eyes from the page to meet gro-Tagnud's. "Now that...is a question that will take far longer than just one meeting here to answer. And I am not sure I could answer it to your satisfaction. I may be the leader of Tamriel's lycans, but I cannot manage everything. We have clans located in every corner of Tamriel. Each one may follow under Hircine's banner, but they are independent entities that train their own warriors, based on their own doctrines. I intend to bring as many of our warriors from every single clan as is possible to bear for this battle. I can say that many of our military leaders come from Legion backgrounds, so their tactics may be familiar to you. But, others are formerly from the Dominion military, or others from Redguard, Dunmer, or Argonian backgrounds. My General, a woman named Ri'vashi, has over a decade of experience in coordinating them all, so she has learned how to best use them. I shall arrange to have her meet with you to discuss the more...detailed aspects of military planning."

Meesei gave another glance down to the pages on the table in front of her. "I will also make sure to deliver these to her as well, once I have reviewed them. They will be the most beneficial in her hands. But, I do not wish to leave here without giving you something in the way of an answer. As you might imagine, all of our tactics are designed to integrate the strengths of our beast forms. I realize there is a great deal of myth and legend surrounding lycans, so I suppose I can describe which forms of lycan actually exist, and their attributes. Werewolves, like myself, are the most common form of lycanthrope, and can be found everywhere. We are Hircine's chosen hunters, being the most well-rounded of lycans. We are far faster and stronger than any man or elf. It varies between individuals, but I can outrun a horse and overpower a troll. I have sharp teeth and claws like daggers. My sense of smell and hearing is acute like a wolf, which is certainly helpful for tracking and general alertness. Those advantages extend into my Argonian form, to a lesser degree. Do not let my appearance fool you; I am more physically capable than any of your men. The other forms of lycans are werebears, werelions, wereboars, werecrocodiles, werevultures, and werebats. Werebears, as you might expect, are even larger and stronger than a werewolf, but not as naturally agile. Wereboars, although actually slightly smaller than a werewolf, lie between werewolves and werebears in terms of strength. They also tend to be more durable and...stubborn. Werelions, despite what you might think at first, are actually smaller than werewolves, but there are none that are faster and more agile. Werevultures and werebats are both flying lycans primarily from Valenwood. Werevultures are larger and can fly much higher and faster, while werebats are smaller, but bulkier and better at quick takeoffs and landings. Werecrocodiles...if you can imagine a daedroth, that is very close to a werecrocodile. They have armored scales, and are by far the most physically powerful of lycans. They may be the slowest out of water, but I do not think there is anything in Tamriel or beyond that can bite harder."

---

Kaleeth paused, finally eating one of the fried eggs in front of her as she thought. It was a harder question to answer than she initially thought, though her mind did eventually settle on one. Once more, she grinned. "Well, Janius definitely made me feel appreciated right away. But, I'm guessing you more mean when I felt that I deserved appreciation. After I learned Cyrodilic was when I really started feeling more like part of the pack. Janius was always great company for me, but it was kind of hard to feel like part of the family when I wasn't confident that I could talk to anyone else apart from Meesei. And she was the leader, so I was kind of...afraid of her for a while. You might not believe it, but Meesei can be kind of scary sometimes. But as for when I felt like I was contributing with fighting and everything...I guess that would be in Elsweyr. I had been training since the day I joined the pack, but like I said before, I wasn't really that good at fighting then. In my very first fight alongside everyone, I had to go into my werecrocodile form just to stand a chance. I definitely did a lot of damage, but I got stabbed, cut up, shot up by arrows. They weren't silver weapons, but I can tell you that does not stop it from being painful. And dangerous. Even lycans can bleed to death with enough injuries. In Elsweyr, though, it was different. I had been training with Janius and Lorag nonstop, and Ra'kalesh had even showed me and Janius some of his techniques. I knew I had gotten better, but the big battle at Do'rhajul's fort was where I first got to show it. That was a hard fight, and a lot of the details are still a blur for me. But, we fought against his best defenders, and I was doing more than just holding my own. When we were fleeing the fort, Meesei even trusted me enough to give me her Ring when she couldn't fight anymore. I remember the feeling of control was...amazing."

[Muttonhawk]

Gro-Tagnud mulled over the information. He stuck out his lower lip further than his tusks already pushed and nodded. "I'll keep that all in mind."

He paced around the room and slowed to a stop while looking at a large map of Tamriel hung on the wall. There were many pins of various colours placed around the borders between the Empire, the Dominion, and independent territories, such as Hammerfell and Black Marsh. "While I do desire to discuss lower level command structure with your general, there is one matter I would prefer made clear right now." He turned from the map to look at Meesei impassively. "Who is going to have authority over what, in your understanding? And what does the Dominion commander think? If they've thrown their lot in yet, of course."

---

Rhazii gave a look that was more understanding than Kaleeth might have expected when she mentioned how scary Meesei can be. That said, he did not interrupt. He was starting to appreciate why going to battle at his current level of skill might not be the best idea, given Kaleeth's troubles. It only kept him quiet and holding a neutral frown. However, mention of Meesei's ring lifted Rhazii's eyes.

"She...lent you her ring?" Rhazii took a moment to watch his disbelief fall like a curtain. "I have never seen her even take it off. I don't understand, I..." He paused and spoke in monotone. "She must have really believed in you."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei looked at the map as well, though the pins and markings meant little to her at first glance. She shook her head lightly as she answered. "The Emperor was the first to reply to our request. According to the Thalmor's representative, her superiors are still debating the issue. Regardless, if they do lend their forces, it would be my recommendation to keep your respective forces as separate as possible for matters of practicality just as much as morale. You already know how to lead your own men, and it would be inefficient to disrupt the command structures of the Legion or Dominion forces. You, the Dominion commander, and my General should maintain direct control over our own forces. As leaders of our armies, we can discuss and decide upon our overall strategy together, without relinquishing control of our forces."

"Though, I do also have a question for you, Legate General." Meesei continued. "Marod has often spoken of the possibility of integrating lycan soldiers into the Legion. He refers to some time likely long after the end of this war, but as you said, he is not the one in charge of legions of specialized soldiers. You know your men better than anyone; do you think that, in this invasion, your men will be comfortable fighting right alongside lycanthropes. Do you think they could be trained to integrate lycanthropes into their formations, their tactics? My warriors are not as numerous as yours, but we have experienced firsthand how our unique abilities can multiply the effectiveness of any 'standard' fighting force. It may be that we could be more effective together than we can be apart."

---

Kaleeth's expression turned notably more sour, if only for a few seconds. The grim thoughts of what could have been were not particularly pleasant. "She was dying. She had been horribly hurt in her fight with Do'rhajul. Even then, she kept herself together and fought with us up to the point where we were escaping the fort. She thought that, with complete, perfect control of my beast, I could be one of the most dangerous among us at that time. I don't know if that was true, but it definitely helped. It's hard to describe what it's like to have that much control. Imagine being able to move around and do things in your werewolf form just like you can in your normal one. Nothing tugging at your mind, just...you. Anyways, I used my ability to hit things really hard and broke through the gate so we could fight our way out. I loved having the ring, but I was beyond happy to have to give it back after she recovered. It was...close. We were getting to the point of having to say our goodbyes when Sabine and Marcaille's potions started to work."

[Muttonhawk]

Gro-Tagnud's face faltered as he thought about how to answer. It was hard to tell how exactly he felt about lycanthropes in the Legion, excepting an obvious layer of uncertainty.

He began carefully, which was a far cry from his confidence up to this point. "Champion, I know you have former legionnaires around in your inner circle, so I'm not going to presume your ignorance at the discipline it takes to be part of the Imperial Legion. Marod has also specifically told me to not underestimate the discipline required to live and function in society as a lycanthrope. What I am not going to do, however, is equate them like they are two bags of wheat. Legion doctrine is of tight formations, precise movements, discipline, bravery, resilience, and to follow orders without question." He tilted his head to one side. "I will not pass up an opportunity to increase our chances of success. But, while I know my own men, I don't know yours. Until I see your clan militias in action, I will reserve my decision on integrating."

At least part of Gro-Tagnud's words were certain. If he was so affirming of his own army's discipline, bravery, and loyalty, there should theoretically not be a problem with putting them close to lycans.

---

Rhazii ran a hand over his head. He knew as well as any the sensitivity of the events. Still, there were at least three parts of the story he was trying to unpack at once.

"I still remember the Orcrest clanhome," Rhazii said. "I remember noticing how Meesei was moving when everyone returned. I heard a bit about what happened. I guess...I guess I was too young to really appreciate how close it must have gotten." He lifted his ears. "Still, the ring does sound amazing. And to do all that after how you started." Rhazii blinked his eyes down. "You said you were training non-stop. How much did it take you to improve? What kind of training did you have to do?"

[EliteCommander]

"Sensible." Meesei replied with a quick nod. "I could spend all day describing my men's discipline and professionalism, but firsthand experience would be far better. Ri'vashi would also be the best person to join in that conversation. If you are not opposed to leaving the Imperial City, I can take you see our forces in person whenever you wish. I understand you may not be able to do so right at this moment, but if you give me a time, then either myself, or another member of my pack can take you there in an instant."

Meesei leaned back from the table and started gathering up the documents that gro-Tagnud had given her. "I would offer to wait here if there is any business you need to take care of first, but unfortunately, I have much to do in a short amount of time. After I leave here, I am going to have the Axe empowered. I will not lie, there is risk involved, but I am willing to take that risk upon myself. Should I fail, I will be sure to have the location of the Axe sent to you so that you might reclaim it and try again."

---

"Oh, all kinds." Kaleeth replied. "Meesei did try to teach me magic for a while, but I was never any good at that. I did conjure up a fireball once. Burned Janius' rear end." She laughed loudly, then cleared her throat before continuing.

"Well, for the most part, it was just combat training. All sorts of techniques, stances, swings. Things they've probably been teaching you; just a lot of it. It's so hard to realize when you're getting better. At first, I remember that I started out with a mace. I wasn't very, um, dexterous or agile, but I could hit things really, really hard. So, that's what I did. They gave me a mace and a shield, and I started to practice how to use my strength to my advantage. I think that's really what it took for me: finding the thing I was good enough at to make it really worth it to focus on. I use a sword now, but I admit, I still don't think I have that much finesse. Not compared to someone like your mother, or even Janius. But, I'm good at being a strong, steady force on the battlefield. With a big shield and a steel suit surrounding me, I really feel...confident in a fight. I don't think anyone has ever just outright overpowered me. Arrows don't scare me, blades can't threaten me very well. I can really just be a...center for our pack."

[Muttonhawk]

"I'll meet with your general in the soonest time I can make," Gro-Tagnud said. "All you need to do is to say the word for a reciprocal inspection here in Cyrodiil. She can see the quality of legionnaires I'll be gathering for herself."

Gro-Tagnud narrowed one eye. "Are you going to send the location to the Dominion as well? Should they agree to join the mission?" His tone was straight, but the implications were just as clear. "You make it sound as if I should lend you some bodyguards."

---

Kaleeth could tell this time that her words really had Rhazii thinking. He had gone from a low mood to a curious visage in under a minute. He leant both of his elbows on the table and held his clasped hands to his chin, looking off a distance over Kaleeth's shoulder.

"Do you think, maybe..." He returned his eyes to Kaleeth. "If I worked out something I'm really good at, I could focus on it like you did? Everyone in the pack has taught me a lot of different things. Even mother and father have made me familiar with so much. It's hard to know what to choose."

[EliteCommander]

"If the Dominion had sent their reply, perhaps I would. But, they have not yet done so, and I will either succeed or fail by the end of today. Unfortunately, I cannot simply bring enough forces to ensure my safety since I need to remain...diplomatic. I am merely informing you as a show of good faith, and so that you can plan ahead for the worst. Certainly, I do not intend to perish." Meesei replied.

Once she had collected all of the documents, Meesei stepped more towards an open part of the room and began the process of collecting her magicka for a portal. With all of the practice she had creating them, she was able to complete one about fifteen seconds sooner than she had been before. "And I believe I should get going now. I would rather arrive before sundown. One way or another, you should have news of the results in the next few days."

---

Kaleeth shrugged. "It's what worked for me, but you're not me. You might try doing something you've never tried before, if you want to figure out how to develop your skills. Personally, I never feel safer than when I'm in a suit of armor. You might try borrowing one for practice if you want to try that. Though, Ahnasha has told me that you've picked up magic pretty well too. Maybe you could try fighting like an armored battlemage? Really, it should be whatever you're the most comfortable with. But, the most important thing of all is to keep trying. It's not going to seem like you're accomplishing much of anything for a long time, until you suddenly find yourself holding your own more than you thought you could."

[Muttonhawk]

"We'll speak again, champion," Gro-Tagnud said. He did not have any further chance to react to Meesei's sudden dangerous excursion. "Keep me updated. We'll be ready to move within the week, once the marshalling is completed."

---

Rhazii genuinely smiled. "I might try that. I think I get it more, now. Thank you, Aunt Kaleeth."

He stood and stepped around the table to give Kaleeth a good, firm hug. When he let her go, he looked in the general direction of the egress to the square. "I should see if my unit is mustering training now." He looked to Kaleeth. "But, I'm feeling a lot better about my chances now. I really appreciate it."