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

[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.

[EliteCommander]

Though she did see how everyone was gathering at the entrance of the tent, it was naturally Janius who earned all of her attention first. Although, she could not show her joy and relief nearly as much as she might have wanted. She could not muster the strength to get up and embrace him; it felt like just being awake took effort for her. Her voice was weak almost to the point that she sounded like a different person entirely, but she could still bring her hand to his cheek and pull him in close enough to nestle her head against his. “It’s over…isn’t it? We can be done with the fighting now?”

Ahnasha kept silent, not wanting to intrude upon the pair. Though, Fendros could see her looking over to him as her grip tightened on his hand. She shed a few tears of her own. It had still not quite settled in what they had already lost, but this was a reminder that they could have lost so much more.

[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.

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth groaned, letting her head rest back on her pillow. “Um, well…sore, I think. Sore all over.”

Ahnasha grinned lightly. She did not want to crowd Kaleeth nor Janius, but she did find a spot in the tent to stand that was a bit closer. Depite everything, Kaleeth’s attitude seemed relieved, and that did spread to her, to an extent. “I really can’t say I’m surprised, with how fiercely you fought that whole battle. I know I wouldn’t have been able to do the things you did.”

Kaleeth nodded, smiling a bit herself. “I just remember how much I wanted it all to be over. That whole time in the valley, I would keep looking up at that tower and keep thinking ‘That’s the end. Just need to get to the tower.’ My beast spirit wanted it too, I could feel it. All it’s anger at Vile; I could feel it just wanted to get up to that tower and rip him to pieces. I didn’t feel all the hits I took. All the pain, I think my beast spirit took it for me so I could keep pressing on.”

Laughing briefly, Kaleeth again groaned. “I feel it all now, though. But Sabine said I would get better. I remember that. How is…everyone else? Is anyone else hurt?”

[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."

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth lowered her head. “I remember seeing what was happening, at the end. I fought off the ones that tried to overwhelm me, and the rest ahead of me were trying to chase you down. I tried to stop them, but I couldn’t move my leg, I…couldn’t keep up. I saw Do’rhajul. He was surrounded, he was…hurt, but he still threw you his shield.”

“He knew what had to be done.” Lorag’s voice sounded out behind them. He still stood at the entrance of the tent, arms crossed, occasionally glancing outside. “Just like the Alpha. They saw what had to be done, and they did it. No hesitation. Couldn’t have done it without them. We killed a god, and they deserve the glory of that kill in their memory as much as any of us.”

[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."

[EliteCommander]

“I just want to be done with fighting, that’s all.” Kaleeth replied, turning her head away. “Learning to fight was all I wanted, growing up. To be the kind of hunter that would make my father proud, but…it feels like it’s been a lifetime of fighting for me. I’m glad it can be over now.” Kaleeth was quick to change the subject. For whatever reason, she did not seem too keen on talking about her injury. Instead, she looked over again to Janius and took his hand. “I think Julan will be glad it’s over too. Maybe…we’ll have time now to go visit some of those places he has wanted to see?”

If Kaleeth was not intent on dwelling on what she had lost, Ahnasha supposed she could move on from it at the moment as well. Perhaps at the moment, it was best to focus on what was ahead of them, rather than what had already come to pass. While Kaleeth seemed content to simply rest and spend time with Janius, Ahnasha nudged Fendros to leave with her and give them their space. “I know there’s more we’re going to need to do. Like Saras said, our people are going to need their Champion. They’re going to need you. We…well we did win. The battle, the war, everything. We stripped Vile of all the power he stole, and he won’t be able to threaten Mundus for centuries. And we all lost a lot in the process. I’m sure nearly every single one of them out there did, just like us. And they’re going to want to hear all of this from you so…I hope you’re ready to give speeches.” Ahnasha grinned, though it was fleeting, only to be replaced with a frown. “Do you think we should go talk to Sabine now, though? I wish we didn’t have to put that on her so soon. I know she’s going to be taking Meesei’s death hard, probably more than any of us. But…if we don’t tell her about Do’rhajul, she’ll just end up learning about it from someone else. Or figuring it out on her own.”

[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.

[EliteCommander]

Lorag’s only response was a wordless nod, but he understood. He had known Do’rhajul longer than any of the others from his time in the Legion, though it was hard to say what that connection truly meant for him in the end. At the very least, Lorag had understood Do’rhajul, from early in his life to its very end.

The work for the camp’s healers was as constant as it was intense at the moment, but no matter how much she might have wanted to, even Sabine would not have been able to keep up that work forever. They, of course, had enough healers working in shifts to make sure their patients would always have treatment, but even Sabine had to rest eventually. With how much they had been fighting from start to finish in the battle, that moment would most likely come sooner rather than later.

Ahnasha let Fendros lead, though she was not far behind him when they stepped into Sabine’s tent. It was plain to see that she was not treating any of the injured at the moment, but she still felt like it was appropriate to ask. “Is this…a good time to talk, Sabine?”

[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.

[EliteCommander]

Ahnasha did not look back at Fendros, as she was already moving to Sabine. Without a word, she wrapped her arms tightly around her, comforting her as best as she could as she allowed her to release her pain and frustration. There was plenty she could say to her in time, and plenty others would likely say too, but for at least a few minutes, she wanted just to be there for her.

Ahnasha did not keep track of the time too directly, but just felt when Sabine started to move somewhat more in her arms. She kept her arms around her and spoke, calmly and softly. “It isn’t fair. Not for Meesei, not for Do’rhajul, not for us. But, we still have to keep moving forward. You don’t have to stay silent, though. What you have been thinking and feeling…you can say it now. We’re here with you now, and…we feel it too.”

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine took the muffling of Ahnasha's embrace as the thin excuse she needed to uncontrollably weep. It was halting; she cried loudly before silencing herself and then taking strained breaths. Everyone could tell she was exhausted, and perhaps anticipated such news. She had been up on the tower with them to see Do'rhajul's sacrifice herself.

Ahansha's words brought Sabine to enough composure to return the hug. She breathed until she could breath without crying and managed to speak with a blocked nose. "I...I wish he would...could see what he did." She held her breath to stop herself crying more. "He suffered so much!"

She broke down again.

Something near a minute passed before Sabine's other surviving packmate Tarna came to the entrance of the tent. "Sabine, the healers need some advice about..." The Argonian stopped and lowered her hood to see better. Her expression lowered to sadness which spoke of her anticipating this just like Sabine. She looked at Fendros to confirm.

Fendros clasped his hands together behind his back. "Tarna," he acknowledged, not betraying any emotion of his own. "We'll go to see him shortly."

Tarna lowered her gaze. Her hand fell limp from the side of the tent entrance. "The man was strong. I had hoped..."

Sabine looked up to see Tarna. Her entire face was red.

This time, Fendros did not stay passive. He chewed his lip for a moment, then stepped over to Tarna and gently pushed her into the tent with his hand on her back. He brought her closer to Sabine. "We all hoped," Fendros said. "You'll need each other in the meantime. We shall all have time to honour him."

By this point, Sabine had stopped openly weeping, though the evidence of it would not clear for a while. She slipped away from Ahnasha's arms, giving her a nod in thanks, and turned to Tarna. The two of them hugged, gently, then tightly. Tarna closed her eyes to let her own tears fall. Tarna murmured something audible only to Sabine and Sabine nodded.

For the rest of them, the situation ran against their usual view of Sabine. She was being the strong one for someone else.

Fendros turned to lead the pack out only when he was confident they had enough time.

[EliteCommander]

When it finally came time for the pack to leave the camp and seek out Do’rhajul, Saras sent a scout to guide them to the place he had been spotted. When Vile had been defeated, every person and object that had invaded Vile’s realm had been brought back in a wide area around where the great gate had once stood, but knowing where they were going, it was only a half hour’s walk at most to reach them.

Though no blood had been spilled in Hircine’s domain, the forest they walked through still looked like a battlefield. Their priority had been on helping those that still lived, so most of the bodies that had been brought back still lay on the forest floor. Without the bodies of the Daedra to accompany them, it was hard not to focus on their losses. Every lifeless face they saw was one of an ally. All that could be done was to remind themselves of the victory this sacrifice had brought, and to keep moving ahead.

Yerig and Do’rhajul were not in the exact place the scouts had left them, but they were found not far beyond. In a clearing just beyond the forest, near the edge of a cliff overlooking a wide valley below, they spotted Yerig knelt down at Do’rhajul’s side. The Cathay-raht had been moved so that he lay on his back, neatly and orderly. The body’s arms were crossed with his hands resting on his chest, and his eyes had been closed. Yerig was on his knees beside him in deep meditation, or perhaps prayer.

[Muttonhawk]

Steeling himself to find Do'rhajul and Yerig helped Fendros confront the silent bodies along the way. Nothing could stay their impact. He had seen death before, but never at this scale. The quietness of it, like it was a graveyard yet to be dug, it unnerved him. These were people he may have interacted with before the battle. They had given their lives willingly, and yet their deaths still widened a deadly pang of guilt in his chest. Some of the more gruesome injuries only made matters worse. He cleared his throat several times on the way up to the cliff top.

Fendros lead the way behind the scout. He could not see the rest of his group's reaction to the scattered bodies.

At least at the cliff there was a breeze animating the grass and alleviating the oppressive silence. The scene before them as they spread out to regard Yerig and Do'rhajul's body demanded no words all the same. Not without deep consideration. The kind of consideration that made their eyes burn with the reality of it.

Sabine stepped up opposite Yerig across from Do'rhajul and lowered herself to her knees. Her face a sullen frown, she slowly reached for Do'rhajul's hand. It was twice the size of her own hand, cold and calloused under the thin khajiit fur. He was not there anymore. She still tightened her fingers around it.

For a while, they all stood respectfully in the wind. It could have been for hours or minutes.

Sabine lowered her head. Tears dripped off her chin. She mumbled something quiet, swallowed by the breeze.

[EliteCommander]

The silence did not break for some time, until Yerig ceased his silent prayer to look up to the stars above. The constellations one could usually observe were nowhere to be seen in this realm. “It is not Kyne’s sky that looks down upon us here. My prayers to her cannot fall upon her ears…but it was never her realm his spirit was meant to pass through. Sovngarde was not his home. His spirit-home was chosen by violence, by a twist of fate he spent his life trying to fight. His spirit…my friend’s spirit, was split. Bound by pact to the Prince of Wishes, and bound by blood to the Prince of Beasts. He fought with heart and will to break his bindings, but through desperation and fear, was driven to commit great sins to reclaim a life he was never fated to live.”

Yerig paused and seemed to catch his breath. His breaths were long and heavy, and even just speaking seemed like it took effort for him. The battle had been absolutely exhausting for all of them, but Yerig looked like he had aged another ten years in just a few hours. “But it was not sin that overtook him. It was not fear…not regret…it was purpose. He fought so long to avoid this realm, but in the end, he made his peace. His choice. He did not go to his grave fearing his death and what lay beyond. I do not know what fate lies ahead for him in this realm of Beasts, but I do know his mind was settled and content upon it. In the end, he claimed the fate of his choosing.”

[Muttonhawk]

In a way, Yerig's eulogy crystallised the formality of their gathering. It took his speech to make everyone realise that the shock had more or less passed. They all began to reflect. Fendros waited for Sabine to say something in response, but it was clear by her soft weeping that she needed more time. He decided to step up and clear his hoarse throat.

It took him a moment of held breath to start.

"This man..." he began. "Though he was once our most dangerous enemy, hated by countless folk, some of whom are close to us...He is also the reason Sabine is alive. He is the reason we could succeed. He was ruthless and blooded, but to call him damned by us...I would not accept it. Whatever debt he incurred, it is paid. Let him rest redeemed." He brought up a fist with the Ring of Hircine on display. "May Hircine himself strike me down if it not be so." He lowered his hand and his voice. "Yerig, Sabine. Thank you for vouching for him. You saved him, just as he saved us."

With that, Fendros stepped back.

"...No..." Sabine groaned quietly. She wiped away her tears with her arm. "I wanted peace for him." She said between halted breaths. "I failed."

[EliteCommander]

Yerig did not move from his position, and there was still a tiredness to his voice as he responded to Sabine. “You had a noble goal, but peace was never yours to give him, young one. All that you, I, or anyone else could do was to support him on his journey to claim it for himself. You wanted to give him the peace of a life outside this war, but for Do’rhajul, there was no longer any peace in life. For him, peace in life would have been a return to the life he had before he was infected, but even a cure would not have given him that now. When he came to me all those many years ago, he had not accepted that. When I told him I could not give him what he desired, he turned to someone who convinced him he could, and he found the snake Clavicus Vile.”

The old Nord gave a long sigh. He started to seem like he wanted to stand up, but he stopped after just a brief, strained effort. “Vile and Hircine both had claim over his soul. He did not know where his eternity would lie when his life ended, but with his sacrifice, he claimed that answer by his own hand. Clavicus Vile, weakened as he is now, will have no ability to enforce his claim on Do’rhajul.”

[Muttonhawk]

Fendros squatted down to put a hand on Sabine's back.

Sabine herself took a short while to respond. She slowly nodded and looked up to Yerig with a tear-soaked face. "You are right. I just wish it could have been different."

It was then that Tarna stepped up with her mouth clamped shut and offered Yerig a waterskin and a hand up.

"Is there anything you wish to say, Tarna?" Fendros asked.

Tarna slowly shook her head. "I am not a good speaker. I will miss him, but...that's not strong enough to say on its own."

Fendros nodded and sighed through his nose. "We should take his body back to give him a proper burial. Yerig...there is food and rest at camp. When you are refreshed, we should speak of what the next steps should be for you and Do'rhajul's remains."

[EliteCommander]

“I already know the answers to these questions. When his life ended, he wished his remains buried according to his people’s custom in the sands near to his hometown. Quietly. The friends and family of his former life believed him dead long ago, and he had no wish to change that.” Yerig answered. Once again, he moved to bring himself up to his feet, though it looked like it was a struggle just for him to stand. His hands shook and he was visibly straining, but he did eventually manage to stand up straight under his own power.

There were a few, heavy breaths before Yerig continued. “I have fulfilled my promise to him. If you could, please, take me back to Tamriel. This unnatural place is no world for me. I wish to look up and see Kyne’s domain above, not these false stars.”