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

[EliteCommander]

"We will need to hunt tonight to build up our stocks. Actually, now that we are in the marsh, we will need to hunt more frequently since meat rots more quickly. I have an idea of where to go to find a village, but it may require some searching around." Meesei explained as they started to make their way out of the city.

The next few weeks of travel proved more difficult than the pack was used to in Cyrodiil. Even though the marsh was teeming with life, it took some time for the rest of the pack to become acquainted with how to track and kill the marsh's creatures. As they moved away from the coast, the terrain became more difficult to navigate, slowing their pace further, and Meesei could only offer so much advice. Normally, she would have swam along the marsh's plentiful rivers to travel quickly, but that was not feasible for the rest of her pack. She only knew how to speed their pace slightly when it came to land travel. Even so, they were making slow and steady progress. Unfortunately, actually locating a village was proving more difficult than she had hoped. She had a general idea of the region the village would be moving to, but it was a wide area and was subject to change.

Ahnasha's condition was further complicating matters, as much as she hated it. She couldn't hunt effectively like she used to and only did so when her beast spirit demanded it. She couldn't keep up the same pace as the others, so inevitably, they started to cover less and less ground in a day, which caused her no small amount of guilt. Ahnasha at least tried to take care of the camp in whatever way she could so she could at least feel like she was contributing. Otherwise, she began to make use of the painting supplies they picked up in Thorn so she could practice in her now-abundant free time. As she predicted, her first creations were nothing spectacular, but she was at least trying to improve. Through it all, she never stopped giving Fendros his archery lessons, as that was something she could do no matter what her stage of pregnancy. As usual, his skills were steadily improving; Ahnasha found it surprisingly easy to teach him. He still wasn't as accurate as her, but she could honestly say that he was now a formidable opponent at range.

Overall, it was about one and a half months before the pack made it to an Argonian town. It wasn't a village like they were looking for and did not have a central tree they could use, but Meesei had reason to believe that the town's leadership would know the current location of a village. They would only be stopping in for a short time for a limited resupply and to ask about the village. The town itself was nothing like the grand and beautiful Thorn. Rather, it was a small, tight-knit community. It still held some of the Imperial influences found in the city, but it was much more in-touch with traditional Argonian culture. The buildings on the main road through town were certainly interesting to look at for Meesei. They were made of wood like Imperial buildings, but were decorated with distinctly Argonian designs. Additionally, they were reinforced rather heavily against flooding, but even so, at least some water damage was apparent along the base of some of them. Outside the main road, most of the homes were made from packed mud and clay, which was far easier to rebuild than a wooden building. If a flood did happen to wash away some of the buildings, it was not a difficult task to rebuild, all things considered. As for the people, they also were somewhere between Imperial-influenced and traditional Argonian. Since the village was a stop on the road for travelers, the clothing styles were somewhat similar to what they saw in Thorn, but much less extravagant in design. Instead, they dressed simply and practically for what they needed in their day-to-day lives. The shopkeepers and other people who expected to see travelers would be able to speak Cyrodilic well enough, but most others would likely only know Jel. As expected, most of the population was Argonian, but Meesei would not be surprised to see a Human or Elf that decided to make the place their home.

"Alright, just be kind and considerate and you will likely not run the risk of offending anyone. Try to remember all the important things I've told you about Argonian culture. Trust is something that is earned among Argonians, so keep that in mind if you interact with anyone.This town is a stop on the road, so it is used to travelers, but still, be cautious. I think it would be best if I spoke to the town's leadership alone, just to avoid complicating things.

[Muttonhawk]

In response to Meesei, everyone in the pack made some kind of acknowledgement. Even though they were glad to get back into the wilds, the inland was taking its toll at this point. Still, as the pack got used to the conditions, their attitudes and performance in the marshes seemed to improve, with the exception of Ahnasha, but she had other things to worry about. The first order of business in this town, preceding buying supplies, was for Meesei to inquire to the town's leaders to find out their next heading. This place was rather different to Thorn. The people seemed to regard the pack with more curiosity. Meesei mentioned that travellers passed through, but a group such as theirs was a rare one anywhere, but especially Black Marsh.

While Meesei went to meet with the leaders, some of the pack didn't have much to do. Janius and Lorag went to the bilingual merchants to start selling hides, teeth, bones and ingredients for other supplies, while the others were left idle to admire the scenery.

Fendros decided to check up on Ahnasha. He suspected that taking the chance to be seated would be one she would be grateful for; her burden was only becoming heavier and heavier. "Hey there. How are you doing?"

Sabine decided to sit off to the side. Though she didn't show it, she was a little relieved that this wasn't the place where the ritual would take place. She had been anxious about it for a long time and it only seemed to be getting worse. She almost jumped out of her skin when an Argonian girl came running up and sat next to her out of nowhere, eyes bright and smile wide. The girl had pale white scales with yellow streaks through it and wore simple clothes. A couple of small fins spread over the top of her head. She looked about Sabine's age.

The girl said some things in Jel that Sabine didn't get a word of. Sabine just looked blankly back at her, not understanding. It didn't deter the girl's smile, however. She pointed to herself and hissed something resembling "Gseetum-Sa, Gseetum-Sa."

Sabine blinked and glanced one side, then the other. She swallowed and hesitated, but was so caught up in the moment that she decided at least to share her name. Sabine pointed to herself, "Sabine."

The girl opened her mouth excitedly to speak some more, but turned her head to a shouting Argonian man behind her with a few pieces of wood under his arm. The man seemed cross at the girl and gesticulated for her to follow as he spoke. The girl said one last thing to Sabine, then got up and scurried off. It was over so quickly that Sabine was at a loss.

[EliteCommander]

While one Argonian child approached Sabine, it seemed that another took interest in Ahnasha. It was a small, light green Argonian boy of about five or six years of age, though Ahnasha had to admit she had a hard time telling the difference in gender of very young Argonians. He looked up at her with a smile and laughter as he said something in Jel that she couldn't understand.

"I'm sorry, I cannot speak Jel." Ahnasha said to the little boy. Surprisingly, the boy seemed to understand, then concentrated heavily on what he was going to say next.

"You talk Cyro-bilic? Mother isss...isss ssleeping-place owner." He said, heavily exaggerating each "s" sound with a hiss. Ahnasha returned a smile and gave a light chuckle. The boy certainly seemed curious and friendly, and if she understood him properly, it seemed like his mother was an innkeeper, which did explain his minor understanding of Cyrodilic. "I a Saxhleel, you a...kitten." He said excitedly before lightly poking her stomach. "Big kitten."

Normally, Ahnasha might be offended, but coming from a small child, especially one with such an amusing speech pattern, she found it rather cute. For Fendros, it would likely be obvious just by looking at her that she was thinking about their own child. It would only be a few years before their child was at the same stage as the Argonian boy, with all the benefits and challenges that came along with it. "Close. I am a Khajiit, though it won't be long before we have a 'kitten'." She said with a grin, rubbing her stomach.

Considering that he came from an egg, the boy probably didn't really understand what Ahnasha meant, but nevertheless, he seemed to accept it. "You are Khaj-it...Kha-jeet." The boy said before turning towards Fendros beside her. "What is he?"

"He is a Dark Elf, a Dunmer." Ahnasha explained. She expected that the boy would be curious, but instead, he gasped and stared at Fendros with his eyes wide and filled with fear. "A Dunmer! No let him take me, no let him take me!" The boy screamed, running around Ahnasha and hiding behind her legs. Tears formed in his eyes and he began to sob as he peered around Ahnasha's legs at Fendros. For Ahnasha, she was at a bit of a loss for what to do and, for the moment, only managed to look at Fendros with a concerned expression and shrug her shoulders awkwardly.

[Muttonhawk]

The curious child caused Fendros to smile. In such a small community, he probably didn't get to see so many races in one group. At first he stayed silent as he conversed with Ahnasha. He knew some Cyrodilic, which was interesting. When the boy was told that Fendros was a Dunmer, however, Fendros was at first quite shocked and a little saddened by his reaction. It had been so many years since slavery was outlawed, and even now the Argonian children were afraid of Dunmer. Sure, Fendros' parents did used to keep slaves, and a few months ago he would have been aloof at such a display, but he had changed over his time with the pack. By interacting with Meesei, Argonian communities, and even Ahnasha, he felt as if his opinion of beast races had changed, the attitude of Dunmer superiority was close to diminished. It wasn't until now that he properly realised that he had developed an empathy for beast races.

By Ahnasha's shrug, it didn't appear as if she had the answer to this situation. Fendros thought perhaps he could calm the child down. He lowered himself to one knee and leaned such that his eyes were in line with the boy's, and craned his neck to one side to try and see him better. The boy just shuffled to hide behind Ahnasha even more at this. "Don't worry, I'm not here to take you. I promise. Dunmer are not allowed to do that anymore." Fendros smiled and spoke each of his words slowly and clearly so that the boy might understand better. Fendros fished around in his mind for the basic Jel phrases he had learned from Meesei. The pronunciation of hisses still made Fendros sound like he had an amusing lisp, perhaps the child might find it funny. "My name ith Fendros. Whath ith your name?"

[EliteCommander]

The boy continued to hide behind Ahnasha despite Fendros' words. Even if he wasn't too afraid to speak, he did not have a name to give Fendros, since he was not yet old enough for his naming ceremony. He continued to look at Fendros through frightened eyes until their silent standoff was broken by a voice sounding out from the doorway of a nearby building.

"Come, hatchling." The Argonian woman said, to which the boy immediately darted off crying towards her. She shot Fendros a distrustful glare, then stepped back into the inn and closed the door behind her.

"Well...I guess it is a good thing we won't be staying the night. Somehow, I doubt the boy's mother would give you a good deal on a room." Ahnasha commented. The entire situation was uncomfortable, and she certainly did not envy being Fendros right now. Distrust towards Dunmer was probably higher in Black Marsh than anywhere else in Tamriel. It had not really been bad at all in Thorn, but a town like this did not see visitors nearly as frequently. "I'm guessing the boy just heard stories about the past and thought it was all still true today. Children of that age can latch onto things like that, even if their parents don't mean for them to. I saw how the mother glared at you, but that's probably just because you made her son cry. Not the best first impression, really." She said, wanting to try and reassure Fendros that everyone around them probably didn't despise him. Of course, she didn't know what any of them actually thought, but with how long it had been since the slave trade was active, not all of them would be resentful. Indeed, apart from a few glances, most of the town didn't seem to be paying Fendros or the rest of the group much attention.

"Still, I am a bit curious about how things are going to be once we get to that village. From what Meesei has explained, the nomadic villages are the most traditional of Argonians. I guess it all depends on what kind of traditions they have. I think Meesei said they don't all follow the same customs. Maybe you should try learning more about the Hist to impress them or something? Like Ariel did in Thorn." She suggested.

[Muttonhawk]

Fendros stood up and watched the crying child run off. His mother's glare was rather intimidating. He looked at the door while Ahnasha spoke and held a ponderous face. On the inside, he felt rather unwelcome.

"Maybe." Fendros replied to Ahnasha's suggestion. "There was a lot of damage done by both sides though. I think even if I learned more, I still wouldn't be trusted by some people. Never felt the sting of inherited guilt before though." He looked to Ahnasha and shrugged with resignation, "In any case, I don't think we exactly look like a group of slave drivers, so if I had to worry about everyone in a village acting like that boy, I might as well stay away while the ritual takes place. Although, it couldn't hurt to learn more I suppose."

There was a pause, then Fendros put his hand over Ahnasha's stomach and smiled at it. "Do you think our child might act the same way around Lorag if we tell it about the Orc werewolf hunter?"

[EliteCommander]

"I doubt it. Werewolf hunters come from all over. You will even find some serving Hircine, I hear. Lorag would probably take it as a point of pride that he was an Orc, given his capabilities." Ahnasha responded. Since they were out of the way of most of the townsfolk, and most of them did not speak Cyrodilic, they could speak more freely than they could in Thorn. Even so, she decided to pick her words carefully enough so that what they were would not be obvious.

"Anyway, I'm starting to get a bit more anxious the closer we get to the day our child will be born. Back when this all first started, there was so much I didn't know about anything related to raising a child. I just always figured there would be plenty of time for me to figure it out. Well, now it has been five months and I still know only a little more than when it started. Instinct will only help up to a point. I've sat down and talked with Meesei about it before. She has been a big help, but even she hasn't raised a child in our...situation before. Not to mention the birth itself. Meesei knows about laying eggs, not delivering cubs. From everything I've heard, it is a painful and sometimes dangerous ordeal. The only thing I can think of to do to prepare is to make sure Runt has plenty of ingredients for painkillers in the weeks leading up to it, then just...wait. Unless there is something more you can think of to do?" Ahnasha asked. She knew it was unlikely, but a part of her wished Fendros had some idea or suggestion she had not thought of, as she really did not like stepping into this blind.

[Muttonhawk]

A moment passed where Fendros stood with a frown and thought about it. He breathed in slowly before he spoke, "If we manage to reach a temple or a healer, not an Argonian one in this case, then we might learn how to deliver the child. I think we would need a good reason to give to whomever teaches us as to why we would have to do such a thing outside of town. Other than the reality of course. It will probably be too dangerous to employ a midwife so close to the full moons. However, if we're lucky, we might find someone to teach us. Or perhaps there might be a book about it that could help." Looking up at Ahnasha, Fendros wrapped his arms around her and tried to comfort her. "I know you're worried, but I think things are going to turn out okay, you'll see." When he pulled away from her, he held onto her arms for a bit longer and smiled, "Wouldn't it be something ideal if we found a werewolf midwife, or at least one that worships Hircine? Hmf, I wish it were plausible. Explaining to whoever instructs why we can't just stay around might be a problem." he said quietly, his smile fading. "As for raising the child, I know about as much you do, but I can't really think of anywhere we might find out more about it. At least, for travelling in the pack and such. I don't know whether or not our situation is rare or unique, but if it is, we might just have to feel our way through it on our own." He sighed, "Other than that, as long as we stay focussed and take Meesei's advice..." he trailed off and shrugged.

Fendros looked away as another thought developed in his mind. It wasn't a perfect idea, but it might be worth considering. "Actually... oh, I don't know whether it... I think I remember Ariel mentioning that some witches covens have closer ties to Hircine. I don't know whether we might find one that would be willing to help, let alone a safe one, but... they would be secretive enough not to raise the ire of the general public and maybe teach how to deliver a child?" Fendros noncommittally faced his palm upwards, "It's just a thought."

[EliteCommander]

Ahnasha shrugged. She thought the idea had potential, but there were still problems to solve."I don't know. I think it would be nice if we could find any of those, but I would have no idea where to even begin looking. There really isn't that much more time left. Two months at most, not even considering however much time is required to reach this village for Runt's ritual. I...I know I've been slowing you all down when it comes to traveling. We have to stop constantly for me, or at least a lot more than we used to. It is difficult and slow to travel through Black Marsh even without a handicap; I don't even know if we could get out of Black Marsh before it is time. I would love to find one of those groups you mentioned, but I wouldn't really know where to begin. Maybe...maybe I'm just overthinking this. Maybe I am worrying over what will amount to nothing. I know childbirth isn't easy, but I mean, there are plenty of people who don't have access to healers and alchemists. They can get through it just fine with no permanent issues. It will all probably turn out fine...hopefully. I don't know, I guess when it comes to the safety of our child, it is better for me to worry too much than not enough." She said, trying to rationalize away her fear.

Ahnasha looked around for a moment at the home Meesei had gone into. She was likely already talking to the town's leaders about her questions. Apart from that, and the quick resupply that Lorag was currently in charge of, they had little reason to remain in the town afterwards. Provided Meesei got the answers she was looking for, they would probably leave just as quickly as they arrived...which would mean even more walking for Ahnasha. At the moment, she was grateful for the chance to rest, but she was no doubt going to have to rest plenty of times more before the end of the day. Her diminishing physical capabilities as of late was something that was filling her with a mix of guilt and shame. Not only was she starting to become a burden on the pack, but she was uncomfortable with the feeling of being weak. At the very least, she could still shoot straight, so anything involving archery, she could still do.

Breaking out of her thoughts, Ahnasha leaned forward with a slight grin and gave Fendros a quick kiss. "I definitely appreciate the suggestions, though. You've been a big help to me the past few months."

[Muttonhawk]

"No need to mention it, Ahna. Like I said before, this is my responsibility as much as yours." Fendros said with a smile, "Now come on, big kitten, let's find a seat. Meesei shouldn't be too much longer. In the meantime," he turned his head sideways to her curiously, "How has your drawing been? I haven't seen inside your book for a while."

Fendros would ask Meesei later if there was even a chance they might find a place to learn how to deliver a child, but otherwise they would make do with what they had. Having the birth take place in Black Marsh was something Fendros wasn't sure about as a probability, however. With the frequent stops they were making, he suspected that eventually they would have to remain stationary for a period of time before the birth. Hopefully that wouldn't be a problem.

For now though, they could only wait until Meesei was done with the village leaders. Lorag and Janius eventually came back with some replenished supplies that they passed around. Thankfully the merchants were fair despite lacking outward trust. What they bought would serve them at least to the next settlement.

[EliteCommander]

"My drawing is, uh, okay? I'm hardly an artist yet, but I don't think it looks bad by any means. It is obvious I put effort into them, but I don't exactly think anyone would want to buy a painting from me at this point. I'll keep working at it as long as I have supplies, though." Ahnasha responded as they found some place to sit down. Drawing had been a great distraction for her in her free time, so she was definitely glad they picked up the supplies. She wasn't sure yet if she would keep with it after her child was born, or if she would even be able if she wanted to, but she did had to admit that she enjoyed it. The others returned shortly, and it was not long after that when Meesei emerged from the building and met back up with the rest of the group. Ahnasha did not even have to ask to tell what kind of news she brought, as the smile on her face and general upbeat attitude gave that away immediately.

"It seems fortune is smiling upon us, the town's elder had actually met with a trader from a village only a few days ago. This village has made their home relatively close to the town for the season, and they have been trading with the village regularly. After I explained our situation and assured him of our intentions, he told me exactly where we might find them. Based on the speed we have been traveling recently, we should be able to reach them within a week. I see that we are now resupplied, so we can leave now, unless there is something else that needs to be done." Meesei explained, excited that Sabine's ritual was drawing closer.

[Muttonhawk]

The first one to notice Meesei returning was Sabine, who quickly stood up. The news was good, but she was still apprehensive. The rest of the pack seemed relieved and happy though. Travelling in the marsh for such a time made the destination a satisfying goal, and now they could see it.

Fendros glanced at Ahnasha, then stood up and addressed Meesei before they departed. "There is one thing, but we can probably discuss it while we move." Fendros helped Ahnasha up, then hefted his baggage over his shoulders. "Ahnasha and myself were talking, and we were concerned about the birth. No one in the pack really knows how to deliver a child. We were wondering whether we could, if at all possible, find someone to learn from, whether it be a town healer, or a priest, or... well, I threw up the idea of finding a witches coven, but that could be risky."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei nodded in agreement, then motioned for everyone to follow her out of the town as she began to speak. "I agree, it is something I have been thinking about. From all I have learned, it is more difficult than laying an egg. However, I doubt the village we will be going to will be of any help, nor would this town, for that matter. There might be a few non-Argonians here, but the majority of the population is still Argonian. Our next best option would be to go to a city before it happens. I would say we might return to Thorn, but this village is even farther to the west. By that point, we will be too far from Thorn for it to be practical for us to return. The closest city will be...Stormhold, I believe."

Once they were far enough from the town, Meesei continued on her next point. "There is also the matter of the full moons to contend with, however. We absolutely cannot be in a city when that happens, and unfortunately, it is a possibility she could deliver the child on that day. Ideally, we will be able to return to Stormhold before it happens so a professional can help Ahnasha, but to be safe, we can attempt to learn the required knowledge beforehand, if we can even find someone willing to teach us. I admit, it is a plan with many unknowns, but it is the best we have."

[Muttonhawk]

Despite the situation being under less control than what was ideal, Fendros was satisfied with Meesei's answer. There was of course no guarantee that they would even make it to Stormhold in time, but it was the best shot they had. While they travelled, Fendros decided to try and think of something believable as an excuse if they were to be questioned by any prospective midwifery mentors.

The next week held much of the same routines as usual as the pack travelled in the direction of the village. The same, except for Sabine herself. Anxious and excited about the ritual, her behaviour relapsed into shyness and fear that was more similar to how it had been in Cyrodiil several months ago, and even going further at some times. One day she stopped eating until the pack noticed and insisted that she eat. She complied, but held herself carefully for a time after each meal, as if it was becoming difficult not to feel sick. The state she was in started to fluctuate between being jittery and reactive one day, and tired and slow the next. Eventually Meesei intervened and spent a lot of time coaxing her to speak about it. The best that Sabine could respond with was with only a few words at a time, telling Meesei that she was scared of what the ritual might do. That she might have to relive her bad memories again.

By the afternoon of the eighth day, the pack smelled Argonians in the air again, and spotted a few flitting around the trees and the water. They were close to the village now. Noticing them keeping their distance and mostly staying out of sight, Janius murmured to the pack, "Are they trying to work out if we're a threat or something?"

[EliteCommander]

Meesei looked over and nodded to Janius. "We are unknown to them, and since we are approaching their home, they will be observing until we get too close to the village. Actually, they are likely going to confront us soon. I would wager that they have been watching us for longer than we have been noticing them. Just do nothing aggressive and allow me to talk to them. They will probably be distrustful and intentionally intimidating, but they will not murder travelers without a reasonable cause. In a village such as this, the only people who will have any knowledge of Cyrodilic would be the leaders of the clan, and perhaps a trader or two."

Just as Meesei predicted, after a few more minutes of walking, the hunters pursuing them finally revealed themselves. They emerged from the marshes on all sides of them, armed with spears and bows. In contrast to other Argonians they had met, their attire was tribal in nature. Normally, the pack would need to wear their city clothes to blend in with a settlement, but in this case, their clothing was very similar to the pack's. In fact, the hunters seemed to be even more heavily ornamented with bone jewelry, war paint, and tattoos. A black-scaled Argonian male was the first to speak, while the others kept a sharp eye on the pack. As the only Argonian in the group, the man naturally spoke to Meesei first.

"You are approaching our home. Unless you have a good reason to be here, we would like you to leave us in peace." The Argonian said in a somewhat forceful tone.

Meesei bowed her head slightly and closed her eyes while clasping together her hands. "Peace, egg-brother. We approach with only the greatest respect. We seek to give reverence to the Hist and to bask in their wisdom. I search for a tree that gives freely of the sap which gives us life. Does your home have what we seek?" Meesei asked. Her tone was polite, but it was likely her accent which gave her words the most credibility. As she was raised in a village similar to that of these hunters, her accent was comparable to theirs, letting them know that she was a native of the marsh just as they were.

The Argonian hunter gave a slight grunt and looked over the rest of the group suspiciously. It was easy to tell that he was not comfortable, but Meesei's words had caused him to take notice. "You bring outsiders to our home to seek the Hist? I do not like this. I fear that, intentional or no, you may only bring harm to my home, but our customs do not allow me to deny you. Only our Treeminder may decide if we will honor your...request. I can, however, demand that you turn over your weapons as a condition of being allowed to enter our village. My home is a place of peace, and I will not have it disturbed. We will return them to you when you leave."

[i]"Of course. Meesei answered before looking back to her pack. "They will allow us to enter, but first you must turn over your weapons to them. Do not attempt to hide them, just give them without protest. They will not harm us, and they will return the weapons when we leave." She explained as a few of the hunters stepped forward cautiously to collect the weapons.

[Muttonhawk]

All of Janius, Sabine and Fendros handed over all the weapons they carried without question. That they were surrounded by the tribals was not immediately intimidating, it was their deft movement in the marsh and the knowledge that they could disappear just as quickly. Even with heightened senses, their lycan forms wouldn't be effective against them if they could continue to harass them, or perhaps poison them in the process. But this was all beside the point while they were not trying to fight them. They just needed access to the village. To the Hist and its treeminder.

Fendros was quietly cautious about the tribal Argonians. These were the people he had been warned about as a child. Savage and ghostly in the marsh. At this point he doubted that they were all base and savage creatures with an intelligent only worth enslaving as his father had said, but that didn't mean that they weren't prepared to defend themselves. As they began to be escorted to the village, Fendros looked around to the warriors and asked Meesei cautiously in Cyrodilic, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

[EliteCommander]

Lorag was the most hesitant to give up his weapons, but as the Alpha had ordered it, he still parted with them willingly. Meesei seemed quite calm, but most of the rest of the pack appeared to be on-edge, understandably. She knew the others would not be comfortable heading into a village with people who had, thusfar, only been outwardly aggressive, but she also knew of the customs and traditions of her people. As long as they remained respectful and non-hostile, there would be no way the villagers would consider harming them.

"I am confident that I understand my people's customs. Remain respectful and we will be safe." Meesei answered to Fendros just as they stepped into the village. Unlike the towns and cities, all of the structures in a village such as this were designed to be temporary, lasting only a season at most. Their huts were made from compacted mud and clay that, while surprisingly sturdy for being what they were, would be easy to tear down and rebuild. There were some decorations and small idols, mostly in the style of the ancient Argonian civilization, but the majority of the village was plain and functional. The most prominent feature of the village was of course the Hist tree at its center, which, while not as large as the tree in Thorn, shared the same purpose. Sap had dripped from the tree, pooling at its base and surrounding the nests that contained the village's next generation.

The hunter Meesei was speaking to had sent a runner ahead to alert the village, so there was already a collection of armed Argonians waiting to greet them. They did not act aggressively, but they certainly stared down the group distrustfully. One hunter in particular, a dark green male with quite a few smaller horns on his head, was quite heavily ornamented with bone jewelry, tattoos, and piercings. The hunter who had guided the pack to the village bowed his head slightly as he stood before him. "Master-Hunter, these are the strangers. They disarmed willingly when asked, and the Saxhleel among them appears educated in our ways."

The Master-Hunter nodded and motioned for the hunter to be on his way, then stepped forward towards the pack and looked at Meesei. "Wait here for the Elder and Treeminder," He ordered before he started pacing around the group, sizing up each one in turn. Strangely, while many of the hunters tended to stare more at Fendros, the Master-Hunter seemed to look at Janius with the most distrust. He stood beside him carefully observing his features, but not saying a word.

[Muttonhawk]

Never mind that other town. Fendros truly felt a universal feeling of distrust in the eyes of all of the Argonians gathered around them. It felt as if they were pushing him out of the village by just their force of will. Fendros felt as if he should have asked Meesei beforehand exactly how long the ritual would take, as each second only seemed to make him more nervous here.

Janius was too busy returning the stare of the master hunter to regard the rest of the tribe. He wondered what it was exactly that made the man so fixated on him with that 'don't try anything' glare. It put Janius enough on edge that he was tempted to speak up, but he decided against it in this situation. I don't know this Argonian, does he know me? Impossible, he must just not like Imperials, Janius thought to himself as he tried to recognise any of his bone ornaments as made from humanoids.

During their wait, Sabine stood hunched and silent, but seemed to be hiding her anxiety behind a kind of focus now. She felt the sense of danger from the rest of her pack, and it made a good distraction for now. Still, these people seemed to be about as wary as the pack was, she trusted Meesei's words in that they wouldn't be harmed as long as they stayed peaceful and respectful. Her thoughts went to what the tribesfolk could be thinking and she understood their fear. The pack was probably the strangest thing they had ever seen.

[EliteCommander]

The Master-Hunter did not seem to like Janius' stare, but he likely would not have approved of anything Janius did. The air was tense for the few minutes that they had to wait for any of the tribe's other leaders to arrive. When the Elder finally emerged from her hut, the Master-Hunter walked away from Janius, muttering
Waxhuthil" under his breath.

The Elder, true to her title, was a very old Argonian woman. Her scales had lost their color long ago, and were now to the point that they were nearly translucent. Her feathers had fallen out of her head, leaving her with only a few small horns above each eye, and by the way she moved, it seemed like a feat that she was even walking unaided. Her eyes were completely covered with a milky-blue film, indicating that she was quite blind. Nevertheless, she did not seem to have any trouble finding her way around. As soon as she was at the base of the mud ramp to her hut, she took a few sniffs of the air and looked in the direction of the pack. "I can smell the anger in the air, the fear. I see you have done a fine job of making our guests uncomfortable, Zharanthixil." She said, the sarcasm evident in her tone.

"They are not guests, Elder, they are outsiders. They have come seeking our Hist tree. Who knows what harm they might intend to bring? From the very beginnings of Nirn, outsiders have caused nothing but harm for our people. Even if they are not lying, I do not think the Hist would want to commune with-" Master-Hunter Zharanthixil began, only to be interrupted by the Elder.

"You are not of the same mind as the Hist, Zharan, do not attempt to speak for them. The Hist have communed with outsiders before, and it is not our place to say if they will do so again. Be cautious of your words, young one. The Hist call for us to be cautious, but they do not call for us to hate. Your words skirt the line between concern and anger. Do not fall into the trap of hatred, young hunter, it has no place in our home. Please, meditate on this. I insist." The old Argonian chided.

"Of course, Elder. My hunters will keep you safe." Zharanthixil responded in a polite, but forced tone. He was clearly unconvinced and still regarded the pack suspiciously, but nevertheless, he returned to his hut.

With the Master-Hunter gone, the Elder turned her head to face the pack, even if she could not actually see them. She took a few more sniffs of the air to take in the scents of their visitors, then spoke up in slow, heavily-accented, but clear Cyrodilic. "Treeminder Thorantilth will arrive soon. I welcome you to our home. Our hunters will not harm you if you maintain respect for the Hist and their people." She explained. Even so, the suspicious glares of the hunters around them did not subside.

[Muttonhawk]

When the elder emerged, it didn't do much to diminish the tension as far as the pack could perceive. The Argonian crone certainly had a few harsh words for the master hunter, but Fendros only picked up a few of them. Not enough to gather the context. The elder appeared to be more patient and polite, but her presence was an ominous one. Neither Fendros, Sabine, or Janius had ever seen such an old Argonian.

Even though they had been officially welcomed, nothing else happened to make the pack feel any safer. Fendros opted to do nothing and let Meesei do the talking. Janius was curious as to what slur he had just been referred to by, but kept his curiosity to himself for now. Instead, he hazarded a question quietly to Meesei in an effort to lower the tension, "Shall we introduce ourselves?"

Fendros nudged Janius on the arm in caution. "Wait for the treeminder," he murmured.