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

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth was quick to jump into the water after Janius fell into it, though not necessarily because she saw the danger he was in. Janius' challenge as set him up to be her prey, and she was acting on that impulse. She was still in control of her actions, but she wasn't thinking much at all. She was just acting. Her body was made for the water, so she had no issue swimming along with the current, and no reason to resist with how long she could hold her breath. She kept her arms close to her side and her legs extended out behind her to make her as narrow as possible while shifting her body back and forth in a similar manner as a fish. It was her tail that provided all of her thrust, and it was plenty powerful enough for her to hone in on Janius struggling to stay afloat in the water.

Eventually, the current forced Janius underwater, causing Kaleeth to speed towards him. In her muddled thoughts, however, she saw him as prey. She opened her mouth wide, intent on tearing him to shreds just as she did the dreugh. It was only a last second glance upon his face, a final rational thought that caused her to snap shut her gaping maw mere inches from his snout. With surprising willpower, she forced her beast spirit to retreat within her mind, then wrapped her arms around him and used her powerful tail to pull them both to shore. Once they were on (relatively) dry land, her massive body fell on top of him, though he did not have to bear the weight for long. She did not know quite how she was doing it, but she began to shift back into her Argonian form and cry out in both pain and regret. When the transformation completed, she found herself at least rational enough to look up and make sure he was still breathing.

[Muttonhawk]

In the struggle against the river, Janius didn't even notice Kaleeth's mouth opening towards him. He only flailed and held his breath, trying to find the surface. When Kaleeth grabbed him, even though his beast spirit tried to wriggle free and instinctively find something to bite to get this new assailant off him, he was in no position to resist. Right before he felt the cold of the air again, he blacked out momentarily.

Kaleeth falling onto Janius brought him back to consciousness with a series of coughs, the first of which brought forth a trickle of water from his mouth. When Kaleeth finally transformed back to Argonian form, Janius took a wheezing breath back in and coughed further. Weakened of body, Janius started to shift back into Imperial form. Once he did, he opened his eyes to see Kaleeth's Argonian face and smiled knowingly as he caught his breath. "I knew you could do it," Janius said to her, bringing one arm around her, "how are you feeling now?"

Despite it being a near-death experience, Janius was unapologetic in making it sound like he had planned it all along.

[EliteCommander]

"I...I not know." Kaleeth answered. Being in control of her werecroc form...it wasn't something she could have really prepared for. She was stronger and more capable than she had ever been, but at the same time, she had come close to killing Janius, probably more than once. How many more times would that happen? She stopped herself this time, but if it happened again...it only took one mistake to end everything for him. It was a frightening though, and one she wanted to push out of her mind.

"The...werecrocodile, it is strong, very strong. I crushed a dreugh with my hands, and nearly pushed over a tree. It is just, it likes to take control. It is strong in my mind. Was it like that for you, did it take you over at first? I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to hurt you." Kaleeth asked. Over the past few days, Kaleeth had been distant from Janius, and the pack in general. Ever since becoming a werecroc, she had not felt the same towards Janius. Part of her blamed him for everything that was happening to her, and she couldn't help but to feel a bit of anger towards him. She didn't know if things would change between them, but after nearly killing him, and being close to him now, she was starting to remember what it was like to be with him.

[Muttonhawk]

Angling his head to console Kaleeth, Janius nodded and reasserted what he had said throughout. "Control comes from practice, Kaleeth. We were all like this in the beginning. None of us had complete control." Janius brought his hand around and supported Kaleeth's chin with the side of his hand, "But you performed amazingly today. You demonstrated that you could control it, and however fearful of it you are, that is an important step to take."

Janius turned his head to one side to catch a glimpse at the river again, then his eyes found Kaleeth's once more. "I think the fact that I'm still alive is evidence of that. Hm, you did quite the opposite of hurting me." He turned his eyes to the ground, though he still smiled. Janius didn't mind being where he was at the moment. Being against Kaleeth again brought back nice feelings for once in what felt like an eternity. However, his own guilt kept him from being any more affectionate at this stage, especially with the fear still written on Kaleeth's face...but she wasn't standing up off him in any hurry. "We could...head back to camp if you like," Janius said in a tone that was a little unsure.

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth rolled off of Janius and laid down beside him in complete silence for a few moments. She thought about just heading back as Janius suggested, but there was something clawing at her mind, and it wasn't the beast spirit this time. It was her own regret, and her uncertainty about how things should be between them. "We...could talk, for a while." She suggested.

Once more, there was silence from Kaleeth for a few moments, but her mind was racing with thoughts. She wondered how Janius felt about her since she had turned. She had started ignoring him. Was that angering to him? Was he only training her and being friendly because he had to? She certainly had not been friendly in return. Before Janius could form any sort of question for her, her guilt caused her to speak up suddenly, without warning. "Janius, I...I hated you. I blamed you, I didn't want to be around you. I would not be a werecrocodile without you, so I wanted to get away from you. I started to wish I listened to father. I...still wish I could go home, but...I don't want to be mad at you anymore." She said with a shamed expression.

[Muttonhawk]

Janius thought for a moment on how to respond. It took a few seconds of looking up at the clouds and blinking every so often at the misty rain for him to form any words. "Kaleeth, I deserve your anger. Every bit of it." He turned his eyes down in an ashamed expression of his own, "I was stupid and selfish. I didn't deserve your love. Why on Nirn do you not want to be mad at me?" Janius' tone was rather defeated. Ever since Kaleeth had mentioned her wish to never have met him, Janius had accepted that he was not going to receive any more love from her. This was why Kaleeth's words now just perpetuated the pain.

[EliteCommander]

Once again, Kaleeth was silent for a while. She looked up at the sky and let the rain bear down on her. The thoughts in her mind were filled with all sorts of regrets. She wanted to be home again, but she was starting to move closer to accepting her situation. The reality that she would not be able to return was in the beginning stages of setting in, and she couldn't stay distant forever. She would have to talk to the others, she would have to talk to Janius. There was no way she could just keep ignoring her problems. Even more, there was no way she could be happy while being alone like this.

"Because...I want to care again." Kaleeth answered simply, and without thinking too much about what she was saying. She wasn't sure where she was going with it, but she had to follow what she was feeling.

[Muttonhawk]

Janius didn't really know what to make of it at first. She wanted to care again. Was it that being mad at him was making her unhappy? Janius could see that, he supposed. He remembered how much it brought him down to hold resentment towards the pack when he was turned. Though, Kaleeth had far more value placed in her former life. It clicked that Kaleeth may have been through such dark times before, and this kind of depression was just not who she was.

"...I understand." Janius said finally, though he didn't quite know how else to respond. After a pause he turned to look at Kaleeth and just said what came to mind. "Kaleeth, I know that some of us are nervous around you, and there are pack instincts missing with you, but that doesn't mean we can't be there if you need help." He looked away again. "I've seen how you have been distant these past few days. Even if you don't like being with us, just know that we care about you. I still care about you." Janius swallowed as he though of his own memories, drawing parallels to Kaleeth's situation, "I remember a going through what you are right now. What brought me out of it was...well, not what I had left behind, but what I had gained. I had to search for it. It might not be the same thing you have to look for, and I don't expect it will be immediately obvious, but...I think you will find ways to care again."

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth looked at Janius with uncertainty in her eyes. So much had happened in the course of only a few days that she didn't know how easy it would be to go back to caring for him. For the entire four days she was missing, she thought about her father, and everything he said about Janius. He told her how he would ruin her life, and how he wouldn't care about her forever. She repeated those things so much to herself that she started to believe them. She wasn't the type of person that would want to be outwardly aggressive and angry like her father, but she had convinced herself that Janius didn't really care about her. Now, her faith in that conclusion was starting to waver. It was a bad idea for them to get together to begin with, but maybe his affections were real? He was risking his own health considerably by training her. Maybe their love was stupid and ill-advised, but there was no going back now. No way to get to her old life. That mistake was already made, and staying away from Janius would not change that.

Once again, Kaleeth had a hard time thinking straight with all the emotions flowing through her mind: love, hate, excitement, anxiety, she couldn't decide how she felt. Once more, after a minute or so of silence, she stopped thinking and just started acting. Suddenly, and without warning, she wrapped her arms around him and rolled back onto him, kissing him passionately. It was probably another mistake, but it was one she was glad to make.

[Muttonhawk]

In the silence that followed, Janius didn't know whether his words had any impact. Kaleeth was looking at him curiously and it took a while to return her gaze. Otherwise, her inaction started to make Janius think that they should probably head back to camp. He was just about to sit up when Kaleeth embraced him. He tensed in surprise at first, but quickly relaxed and wrapped his own arms around her, accepting her kiss. In that moment, things seemed like an impossible dream. For all the dark clouds that hung over the both of them in their conversation, the atmosphere had suddenly taken a turn for uncaring passion.

When there was finally a pause in it all, Janius looked into Kaleeth's eyes and was at a complete loss for words. There wasn't really anything to say, though. His mouth just formed a heartfelt smile, devoid of any rakish undertone. As soon as any trace of his wits returned, he realised just how impossible the moment should have been. Words came slowly, but mostly in a surprised tone, "I thought...you hated me."

[EliteCommander]

"I...I did. I did hate you. But...I hated you for loving me. And I hated you because I loved you. I didn't want to leave home, but I had to because of what I became. It was because I loved you that I became this beast, and I wished that never happened. I wished that I never met you, so that I could stay home like I wanted, but...I didn't stop loving you. I just hated...that I loved you. Now...I just want to stop hating you." Kaleeth answered. She was somewhat incoherent, but she was speaking from the heart as it came to her. She continued to pin him to the ground, which she found she could do quite easily. Even in her Argonian form, she was granted a significant amount of strength, to the point that she was now physically the strongest member of the pack, despite her small appearance. She was granted none of the extra agility that a werewolf could enjoy in their normal forms, but her muscular strength was impressive.

"Do you still...want that?" She asked, silently afraid that the answer would not be what she wanted to hear.

[Muttonhawk]

It all added up as Janius heard it. For as long as Kaleeth had been withdrawn and angry, Janius thought that he had driven her away, but now things seem to have turned out for the better. To hear that, all along, Kaleeth had continued to be in love with him as he was in love with her was something that gave him an overwhelming relief of his own sadness.

Janius didn't resist Kaleeth pinning him. He merely placed a finger on her mouth to quieten her, pushed his head forward and across towards her ear, and whispered in Jel. "It would be my pleasure."

---

Before long, Kaleeth and Janius needed to head back to camp. The rain started bearing down harder and the water levels were starting to rise around them. Even with the weather, they both arrived back with slightly brighter expressions. Leaps came running up to them, and Janius squat down to grin and scratch him under the chin.

The rest of the pack seemed to be managing themselves as best as they could in the rain. Although, it was difficult to get used to. The first thing that Janius decided to do was to approach Meesei with Kaleeth in tow. "Kaleeth did quite well today, Meesei. I took her on a hunt. She managed to catch a dreugh in the river. I think she's less of a land hunter, or even a pack hunter in that regard, but she's capable. After that, we did a control exercise, which she seemed to do fairly well with. There's of course still practice to be had, but she's made good progress. In any case, I think we can breathe easy for a few days at least." Upon finishing, Janius glanced back to Kaleeth with a smile that was equal parts pride and affection. Without Janius noticing it, his behaviour was far more upbeat than earlier that day. Without the context of the other outcome of their training, their demeanour was in stark contrast to how they left. It turned both Fendros and Sabine's head in curiosity.

[EliteCommander]

The day concluded safely when the rain finally tapered off and stopped the water from rising all the way to the camp. Unfortunately, that day was far from an isolated incident. A trip that could normally be made in under a month was more than doubled by a variety of factors. For one, the rainy season did not relent in its severity. At times, the pack was locked in one place for days at a time, waiting for conditions to become favorable enough for them to move along. Argonian travelers were normally not bothered by rain or rising rivers to a great extent, but moving during a storm was usually not an option for them. Ahnasha in particular would be in danger if they tried, as she could hardly swim at all in her current state. They had to remain vigilant not to expose her to any unnecessary danger for the sake of her child's health. To make matters worse, the longer it took them, the harder it was for her to travel. The only silver lining to the delays were that they gave them ample time for training sessions for Kaleeth. At first, she mostly stayed around and trained with Janius, but upon Meesei's assistance, she at least tried to open up to the others. Meesei was of course the first person she started talking to other than Janius, as she actively sought out conversations with Kaleeth, but she started to be friendly with the others all the same. Lorag was the person she was least familiar with. No matter how much Meesei insisted (or yelled at him) that he talk more with her, they did not have much common ground, and she still felt nervous around him. Kaleeth still felt like an outsider in the pack, but she had at least became close enough to Meesei that she could safely train with her.

By the second month, Ahnasha's stomach was essentially at the largest point it would reach. While not as large as that of a pregnant human or elf, it was obvious that she was ready to give birth in a matter of days, a week at most. The pack was very close to Stormhold; even with bad weather, they could likely make it there in two or three days, which made it even worse knowing that it was probably too little, too late. It was nearing evening and the weather was fair for once, but this night was the night of the full moons. The pack would be forced to transform, so it was mandatory that they remain in the wilds, far from civilization. While it was technically possible that they could make it to Stormhold before it was time, that was seeming increasingly unlikely.

Ahnasha sat on the ground atop a pile of blankets, leaned up against a tree with her hands resting on her stomach. She looked nervously up at the sky, wondering how the night might unfold. She had transformed recently enough to know that she could do so without harming the child, but she was so close now. It was entirely possible that she could give birth tonight, which would mean she would be doing it alone. All of the others would be away on a hunt they could not avoid. It was worrying, a fact that was quite obvious in her expression.

[Muttonhawk]

As Janius trained Kaleeth more and more, she began to show traits that he was more familiar with as she opened up again. He doubted she would ever completely heal the scars of being separated from her home and family, but it was beginning to be offset by the permission to love each other freely again. Janius shouldn't have been surprised, but each time he spent time with Kaleeth, he got to know her a little better. He found it funny that he was both in love and still learning about her, but then again, the feeling had come over them very quickly after they met.

With her newfound mental freedom, unfettered by crippling anxiety, Sabine found more and more things to smile at. From new plants to new sights and sounds, she wondered how she could have enjoyed anything simple before. It turned out that she remained rather quiet, but had gained a new assertiveness. She never hesitated much if she needed to ask for anything, and would engage in small conversations as well. Starting conversations was probably not something she knew how to do, let alone attempted intentionally. Her time was spent making remedies for Ahnasha and helping her in other ways where Fendros needed help or was away from camp for whatever reason. She didn't know what exactly to expect with Ahnasha's birth, but she had been taught enough by her adopted witch guardians that it would be an ordeal.

Even as emotional states differed slightly between each member of the pack, tension was high amongst most of them. As time passed, nervousness came less and less from Kaleeth's presence as her training improved her control and she began to engage with the pack. It was replaced by a nervousness about Ahnasha's upcoming labor. In no one was the tension more built up than in Fendros. He tried not to express it too much, but even being near him seemed to make the tension spread to others. He would walk with a sternness in his limbs and spoke as if he had an underlying desire to remain quiet. He began to get a short fuse at times and he knew it. He had even snapped at Sabine at one point for misplacing a dagger, and apologised not an hour afterwards. He helped Ahnasha as he had been for most of the trip, and found some relief in just being with her. Whether he was genuinely being comforted, or just trying to offset Ahnasha's own worry by trying to be comforting, even he couldn't say at this point. Things were coming to a head. Tonight, Masser and Secunda would force the beast forms of them all.

"We have furs ready for swaddling and staunching, I've put together remedies if they're needed..." Fendros came up to Ahnasha and placed a bag down next to her, "...there's water and food available, and extra blankets." Fendros came out of his fussing and looked upon Ahnasha with a worried look that reflected hers. It was incredibly bad timing that the moons should rise full tonight. Ahnasha's waters could break at any moment, and Fendros hated that he would be forced away from her at such a crucial period of time. To miss the birth would be heartbreaking for him, but more importantly he couldn't be guaranteed to protect her. At the times where he had to hunt, his beast spirit didn't seem particularly interested in keeping Ahnasha safe as much as catching prey. He lowered himself down to his knees beside her and one of her hands in both of his. After a few seconds of just squeezing her hand, he spoke. "I wish I could stay lucid for this. This is...I knew the moons would fill eventually, but I..." Fendros pressed his lips together and exhaled quickly through his nose. Knowing that getting more and more worked up about it wasn't going to help, Fendros decided to breath, then leaned up against the tree and wrapped one arm around Ahnasha. "Stay safe, Ahna. However you can, stay safe."

Elsewhere, knowing that it would be Kaleeth's first full moon, Janius approached her with a reassuring smile. "Tonight will be a little chaotic. When the moons are full, werewolves are forced to transform for the night, no matter what. We have the least control during this time." Janius glanced at the sky. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was probably the most dangerous night that any of them had faced for a while. With Kaleeth around for her first full moons, and Ahnasha possibly in harms way, it was a bad combination. Even with the progress Kaleeth had made it didn't sit well, even with Janius. "I don't know about werecrocodiles, but I imagine you will transform as well." He angled his head forward, looked at Kaleeth in the eyes with a serious expression, and put his arms on her shoulders. "Just...hunt for a while in the waterways. remember what I've taught you. You will have the most control when you work with your beast spirit. Also, I cannot stress this hard enough; avoid the pack until morning. Even I couldn't stop my beast spirit tonight if you presented yourself as a threat and the pack decided to fight." Janius concern turned into a smile again, if one that betrayed his own apprehension a little more. "Are you ready, my love?"

[EliteCommander]

As the pack was preparing for night to fall, there was no small amount of tension in the air. Most of them had been through this countless times before, but there were going to be a lot of things different about this full moon. For one Kaleeth's presence complicated things. Unlike when they were training Fendros, they couldn't just have her come along naturally. In all likelyhood, she would attack them if they tried. For that reason, she had to stay away from everyone. That meant she would be alone in the swamp when she transformed back. Meesei had spent a few hours walking around the area with Kaleeth to help her familiarize herself with the landmarks, so she would probably be able to find her way back, but there was still the possibility of her becoming lost. Beyond that, there was also the matter of Ahnasha. Ideally, she would not give birth this night, but if she did, their beast forms would make matters much more complicated. She would have Sabine's potions to help her, but the danger of something going wrong would still be present.

Ahnasha took Fendros' hand and looked nervously into his eyes for a few moments. Before she could speak, however, Meesei approached and knelt down beside them. "I know none of this is ideal, but we will make this as safe as we possibly can. I will be staying here, and Lorag will lead tonight's hunt." Meesei said to the pair, holding out her hand to call attention to it. "My ring will allow me to stay in control for the duration of the full moon, so I will be able to take care of you if anything happens, Ahnasha. I may not know a great deal about Khajiit births, but I still have my restoration magic. I will do all I can to keep you safe, I promise."

To say Kaleeth was nervous would be an understatement. From what Meesei and Janius had told her, she was going to lose control completely, regardless of what she did to resist. At that point, she would be a danger to anyone and anything she met. The thought that she might turn on Janius if she saw him, or attack Ahnasha while she was weak, was terrible, which was why she had to get far away from everyone else. She wrapped her arms around Janius and held him tight, wishing she never had to let go. "I know, Meesei showed me the area, so I don't think I'll get lost. I just hope I don't wander back here. I...I should go now. I need to get as far away as I can before it gets dark. I don't want to make anything worse for Ahnasha. I will...see you soon. I hope."

[Muttonhawk]

Fendros nodded to Meesei. If anything, she was objectively the most appropriate pack member to stay behind and help Ahnasha. She was not only a powerful magical healer, but was also quite capable of protecting Ahnasha from danger. It wasn't as if Fendros knew much about delivering children either. "Thank you Meesei. This means a lot." Fendros looked at the ring and part of him wished he had one for tonight as well, but all he could do was leave and hope. He looked into Ahnasha's eyes again. "Is there anything else you need?" Fendros asked, then let out a small chuckle as he though of at least something to give levity, "Anything you want me to catch and bring back for you?"

"Right, I will see you soon." Janius returned Kaleeth's hug and held onto her for longer than was necessary. Even past his expressions he couldn't guarantee that things would go well. He placed a kiss on her cheek before pulling away, letting his hands slide from hers as they separated. "Go well, Kaleeth," He said to her with a smile as he watched her leave. With a sigh, his smile faded and he made his way to Lorag. He had already wished his best to Ahnasha and Meesei, so now all there was to do was wait for the moons.

[EliteCommander]

As much as Kaleeth wanted to stay, her desire to avoid harming the others pushed her to leave. As she was traveling alone, she was able to use a river to cover as much distance as possible. She swam for an hour for as far as the river could take her, being sure to pay attention to landmarks in her surroundings along the way. If she was lucky, her beast spirit would be content to hunt in the same river, as it would make it easier to get back, but she had to be ready for anything. Once she felt she was far enough away, she stopped and sat down by the shore to look up at the sky. Over the past few months, she had become less afraid of her beast form, but she was still far from having perfect, or even good control. From what Meesei told her, the beast spirit within her seemed to be less submissive than the wolf spirits they possessed. She guessed it had to do with the crocodile's greater independence. She had made progress, but none of that was going to matter tonight. Eventually, the sun lowered over the horizon, allowing the moons to shine even more brightly overhead. Looking up to them, she felt a rush of energy pulse through her, energy that called the primal part of her mind straight tot he forefront. Her transformation was quick, and just as painful as ever. Kaleeth herself was still conscious and could see what she was doing, but it was her beast that had full control. As its instincts commanded it, she dove into the water and once again brought herself to wait in ambush for her prey.

As the others left, Meesei did what she could to comfort Ahnasha. Even without her beast spirit to worry about, she was hardly comfortable as of late. All the walking they had been doing had exhausted her, though she suspected she would be tired regardless of any physical activity on her part. She passed the time until nightfall with small talk with Meesei, but her worries about the night were still on her mind. Meesei set out some raw meat beside Ahnasha in the hopes that it would be enough to placate her beast spirit, given her condition. After all, a pregnant wolf was no more active than a pregnant Khajiit. When nightfall finally came, all Ahnasha felt like doing was laying down, getting something to eat, then going to sleep, but as expected, when the full moons came, her body grew and contorted into its werewolf form...then she immediately laid down and lazily began tearing chunks off from the cuts of meat. As it turned out, her beast spirit's instincts at the moment did not drive it to take any real risks. Feasting on whatever was nearby was enough for it.

Lorag's group also put some distance between them and the camp, though not as much as Kaleeth. Even while not in control, they wouldn't be much of a danger to Ahnasha or Meesei if they wandered back into camp. Mostly, they just had to make sure they went in the opposite direction as Kaleeth .Lorag, looked out across the horizon as the sun slowly set, then looked to the others with a nod. "Alright, you all know the deal. Same thing as usual, except you'll be following me instead of Meesei. No sense in trying to make any plans though, it's not like we'll be doing the hunting."

Unlike most of the others, Lorag found himself looking forward to the night. Hunts under the full moons always had a certain intensity that normal ones lacked. He could find himself getting really into his kills, almost to the point that he felt like he was back in charge of his body again. The very moment the clouds parted and he could see the moons, he didn't even wait for the moons to start his transformation and instead began it himself.

[Muttonhawk]

Fendros bid that Ahnasha remain strong, as she always was, then reluctantly went to follow Lorag into the swamp with the others. It was only the four of them tonight, but they would be able to hunt well enough. Fendros and Janius stayed quiet for their own reasons, while Sabine was quiet because, well, she was Sabine. When they got to the spot upon which they would transform, Fendros was at first surprised that Lorag was transforming without himself being forced yet, but that thought was soon ended as he convulsed and warped with the rising moons. Once he finished transforming, Fendros stood up and readied himself to hunt. Just as all full moons he wanted to do little but hunt. However, something was different. It took Fendros by surprise, but his own worry for Ahnasha seemed not so much to be influencing his beast spirit as being reflected by it. A greater than normal portion of himself wished to go back and protect Ahnasha. For now though, there was hunting to be done. One look at the dominant pack member among them in Lorag was enough to focus his mind again.

Unlike Fendros, Janius didn't feel that extra worry from his beast spirit, if only because the protecting instinct didn't resonate with it enough in regards to Kaleeth. All he could do was regrettably let his beast spirit hunt and stay aware.

[EliteCommander]

For Kaleeth, her night involved her drifting in and out of consciousness while her beast spirit hunted. There were sections of her memory that seemed to be completely absent, though she assumed they were all the same as the parts she could remember. She often found herself waiting at the bottom of the river, or floating near the top with only the tip of her nose cresting the surface. Crocodiles were patient creatures and the lycan versions were no different. All she had to do was wait and something would inevitably come to her. She had no luck in finding something especially large like the dreugh during her first hunt, at least not in what she remembered, but there were some large fish that her beast spirit deemed worthy to catch. The most striking feature about the night that she remembered was how strong the beast spirit felt in her mind. Even her very first turning could not match the intensity of what she felt during the full moon. It was frightening; if the beast could take over her mind so completely and forcefully during a specific time, what was stopping it from doing the same thing at any time? Could Hircine give the beast spirits of all of his lycans the ability to overtake their hosts on a whim? Nevertheless, Kaleeth awoke in her Argonian form washed up on the side of the river, having lost consciousness after her beast spirit retreated back within her mind. Provided she was in the same river, she could find her way back to camp, though it might take an hour or two.

Lorag's group had a mostly uneventful night. They did not find any kind of spectacular or dangerous prey, but they did find enough to satisfy their beast spirits. For Ahnasha and Meesei, on the other hand, there was far more tension in the air for the duration of the night. Unlike Ahnasha, Meesei was unable to sleep or rest for a second. As peaceful and content as she seemed from the outside, Ahnasha was not in control of her actions. The appetite of her beast spirit coupled with the increased hunger from her pregnancy meant that Meesei had to make sure she had something to eat at all times, else she try to go elsewhere to satisfy her cravings. She ended up consuming the majority of the pack's remaining stores of meat. It was always a great relief when Ahnasha fell asleep for a nap, even if it was always short-lived. In a few instances, Meesei feared that the birth was upon her. She often shifted uncomfortably and let out pained whimpers at her discomfort.Each time, as cautiously as possible Meesei approached Ahnasha with her restoration magic to soothe her pains. At the same time, she made sure to examine her body to see if anything was out of the ordinary. Meesei could easily feel the child's life energy, as well as physically feel it moving within Ahnasha's stomach, but at no point did the birthing process begin. When the sun rose, Ahnasha awoke from a much needed nap, this time in her Khajiit form.

Ahnasha slowly opened her eyes, expecting to feel a great deal of soreness, but finding none. Meesei was sitting on her knees beside her with hands that pulsed with restoration energy. She gently rubbed them over Ahnasha's joints and stomach to negate the discomfort the transformation would cause. Though Meesei was not entirely sure, she guessed Ahnasha's current condition would magnify that pain if left unattended.

"So...I guess I'm not a mother yet, then." Ahnasha said in a weak, tired voice once she was cognisant enough of her surroundings to make sense of what was going on.

Meesei grinned, then lightly grabbed Ahnasha's hand and placed it on her stomach to feel the child kicking within, even though she was probably already well aware of that. "At this point, you're already a mother, Ahnasha. You just have to get through the formality of getting the child out of you." It was at that point where Meesei heard footsteps approaching, which she assumed to be Lorag's group returning.

[Muttonhawk]

The trip back to camp seemed to go by quickly. Perhaps it was because Fendros was too tired to be any more worried, or perhaps because his beast spirit had been feeding his anxiety all along. That wasn't to say he was no longer worried. When Ahnasha came into view, he breathed a sigh of relief to see that she was safe. To add to it, she had not given birth yet. He jogged ahead of the hunting party and approached Ahnasha and Meesei. "Good morning. How was the night? Was there any trouble?"

When Janius reached the camp with the others, he scratched his head looked around briefly. Kaleeth wasn't back yet. Well, given how early she left last night, she probably has an hour or more of distance from the camp. It would just be a matter of waiting for her. Still, the sooner she found her way back, the better. The pack needed to get to Stormhold as quickly as possible.