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

[EliteCommander]

Like the water, Kaleeth was quick to grab the potion Sabine made, and thankfully, it came with considerably more relief. As the magic within the potion started to work, she felt her headache begin to fade. After a few moments, she sat up, then suddenly hugged Sabine tightly. "Oh by the Hist, thank you!." She said gratefully.

---

After Kaleeth's hangover was dealt with, everyone joined by the fire for breakfast, much like normal. Their morning proceeded as usual for a while, but unfortunately, the group did not have all of the time as they did before, as their ship was scheduled to leave at midday. Meesei wanted to be sure to give Sabine plenty of time for farewells, so she made sure the camp was packed up shortly after they ate. Once it started to get close enough to noon, they headed off to Thorn.

Meesei had made sure that the pack was prepared in every way possible for their journey. Anything they did not need or could not directly use had been sold, which would hopefully leave them with enough gold to work with once they reached the Imperial City. As a result, they did not need to stop for anything before making their way to the docks, at the place where they had agreed to meet Ariel. They arrived early, so once Ariel was able to make it, they would have a decent amount of time to talk.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine was taken off guard by Kaleeth’s sudden embrace, but eventually raised her arms to return it. She had never received a thank you this enthusiastic for her simple little cure. It gave her a moment of levity despite her anxiety, especially since many of the interactions that Sabine and Kaleeth had were when Kaleeth was in a more negative place.

---

"I’m going to miss this city," Janius said as he led the pack to the ship he had found a couple of days earlier, "There’s nothing quite like it."

Fendros agreed, "There are certainly some good memories."

Janius looked over his shoulder with a cheeky smile, "Including accidentally taking moon sugar?"

"Well, mostly good memories," Fendros corrected, squinting his eyes and feeling an uncomfortable tingle just at the thought.

Sabine looked mostly withdrawn throughout the walk, understandably. No matter what comfort anyone offered, she just wanted to get the farewells over and done with before she could anticipate them any further.

The pack eventually reached the ship, which was abuzz with more activity than before. The crew of mostly Imperials with smatterings of just about every other race, were all tying, carrying, securing, or cleaning various things in preparation to leave later in the morning.

Janius eventually spotted the captain, who happened to be a middle-aged, yet still imposing Nord. After inspecting the pack and their belongings, he confirmed the deal to provide passage to the Imperial City, and Meesei came forward with a sack of septims in payment. As if having the uncanny ability to count the coins by weight, the captain only needed to heft and knead the sack in one hand for a few moments before giving a satisfied nod. With that, he noted that their pet lizard should stay restrained, referring to Leaps, but otherwise reminded everyone of the time of departure and went about his business. Now all that was left was to sit around the dock for Ariel to arrive and keep out of the way of the crew.

Luckily, the pack didn’t have to wait too long for Ariel to come briskly walking out to the docks with her head craned up, aimlessly looking for the pack. Some in the pack called her over and waved, and soon she wore a bright smile as she came towards them.

"Good morning, everyone!" Ariel said over the crowds and movement. She held one hand in the other and looked over everyone’s faces, taking a breath and thinking of what to say. "So, how long until you set sail?"

[EliteCommander]

Finalizing the remainder of the payment with the captain went smoothly. Meesei was not entirely certain of what their living arrangements would be while onboard, but for the price they were paying, she doubted it would be anything extravagant. If they were not in an enclosed room, someone would need to keep an eye on Leaps at all times, or keep him tied up when they could not. She would much rather have the little wamasu with them than not, however, as she predicted the voyage was going to become quite dull.

"Good morning, Ariel." Meesei said as she approached. The docks were already crowded, but they had found a place to talk that at least seemed out of the way of everyone else. "Our ship is set to leave at noon, so not too terribly long, but enough for proper goodbyes."

Meesei stepped forward and lightly placed her hand on Ariel's shoulder. "I will miss you, Ariel. When you sneaked into our camp in Morrowind and paralyzed Janius, I do not think any of us could have imagined where it would lead. We are from vastly different places, with different lives and different goals, but I pretty much consider you family by now. If you were like us, I would accept you into our family in a heartbeat, but I understand that your path is different from ours, and I wish you the best as you walk it."

[Muttonhawk]

Ariel grinned at the reminder of the rather rash decision that began her time with the pack. She put a hand on Meesei's shoulder as well after she spoke, then drew her into a hug, "I'll miss you too, all of you. For whatever challenges lie ahead, I wish you the best of luck. I know I've mentioned this a thousand times, but thank you for everything." Ariel pulled back from the hug and looked upon Meesei with a sad smile, "I hope you in particular will eventually be able to overcome your challenges, Meesei. Have a good voyage and...thank you so much for helping Sabine."

The next nearest pack member happened to be Lorag, and Ariel didn't spare him from a hug. "You behave yourself, now, Lorag," Ariel said almost like a chiding mother mixed with her regret to see them leave, even if Lorag was much older than her.

Not lowering her smile, but her eyes becoming more red as she progressed, Ariel turned to Ahnasha and wrapped her arms around her. She didn't squeeze too tightly so as to spare Rhazii, but still showed her utmost affection. "You have a beautiful child, Ahnasha. Go well, and continue being a wonderful mother." Ariel pulled back enough to look at Rhazii, who seemed a bit confused about the whole situation, but giggled a little at Ariel brushing a finger over his chest. "And you be nice to your parents, okay Rhazii?" Ariel said in a higher voice.

Fendros was next in line. He received a tight hug as well. "I hope the medicine helps you both, Fendros. I wish you all the best for helping yourselves." Ariel gave a couple of pats on Fendros' back, "Goodbye."

"Thank you, Ariel." Fendros replied, "We'll never forget you, and the kindness you've done."

Next up was Janius, who was holding onto Kaleeth's hand, but let go momentarily to return Ariel's incoming goodbye hug. "So it took a tribal Argonian girl to tame you, Janius?" Ariel said, half-jokingly, "It looks like you two fit together. Keep each other safe, now." She pulled back and smirked knowingly, "Watch your drink."

"Watch your ring finger," Janius retorted, eliciting a blush and a nod from Ariel in a silent 'touche'.

Even though Kaleeth was less familiar to Ariel, she didn't escape from a tight hug either. This time, Ariel spoke in Jel. "It's a big, wide world out there, Kaleeth-Rei. Full of many sights, sounds, smells, and other experiences. As you make distance from the marsh, the Hist will be harder to hear, but do not be afraid. Your new family will be with you all of the time." Ariel glanced to Janius, who was respectfully waiting, but obviously wishing he knew everything Ariel was saying, "You will have help wherever you go, but remember that your help may be required from the others as well." Ariel pulled back and gave her one last smile, "Hist guide you."

All this time, Sabine had been half-hiding behind everyone else, not wanting to say goodbye yet. Even though she knew it was inevitable, there was still one childish part of her mind that thought it wouldn't be true if she put it off for long enough. When Ariel looked upon her, however, her lip began to quiver as reality became fully apparent. "Sabine, come here," Ariel said, opening her arms. Sabine threw herself into Ariel with such force that she was almost barrelled over. Ariel could hear her sobbing into her chest and she herself couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Ariel placed and arm around Sabine's head and another around her shoulders. Although she spoke with a now far shakier voice, Ariel still maintained her tone. "Sabine, I have not experienced any greater joy than to have seen your smile and greeting in my shop a few days ago. I wish we had more time together, but even seeing you for a day and a night in such an open and curious way fills my heart with pride. Keep on exploring, sister. Go see the world. And promise to always write letters, and take care of your family, and...and yourself, and stay strong...and..." Ariel had to pause to scrunch her eyes shut and release some sadness before continuing, "...and be the best you can be." During the exchange, as emotional as it was Ariel slipped some folded parchment into Sabine's shoulder bag in such a way that it was difficult to perceive, even by Sabine.

"I will, I promise," Sabine's strained voice spoke into Ariel's chest. They were in each others arms just as tightly as they were when they met in Ariel's shop two days prior. They didn't look like they were going to separate. Neither of them really wanted to. Sabine was still quietly crying into Ariel's body, but Ariel at least was capable of responding to any last words.

[EliteCommander]

As per usual, Lorag's reaction wasn't as openly emotional as the others'. He gave a simple, respectful nod, but be was not without feeling at the situation. Ariel had been with them long enough that their final goodbye was something of a sad event to him, but he dealt with it internally, as wcith almost all of the pain he faced in life.

Both Meesei and Ahnasha were similar in that they had prior experience with voluntarily leaving those they cared about, but they were visibly saddened nonetheless. Even Meesei shed a few tears, mostly out of sympathy for Sabine. She wanted to say more in the way of a farewell to Ariel, but in the grand scheme of things, this moment would be best to remain focused on the two sisters. When they both looked back on it weeks, months, or years into the future, it would be their interaction with one another that they would remember the most.

Kaleeth did not have the same attachment to Ariel as any of the others, but even so, it affected her more deeply than any of the others except for Sabine. This farewell reminded her far too greatly of her own goodbyes to her family, memories which were till, relatively speaking, fresh on her mind. She had not wanted to leave her family, just as Sabine did not want to leave her sister, so she understood fully the pain of it all. Even though she did not know her very well, Kaleeth took Ariel's advice to heart. She wanted to be able to give some kind of advice in return to Ariel and Sabine to make their separation more bearable, but in truth, she had hardly even been able to deal with her own pain, so she had no advice to give.

Meesei could see that the crew of the ship were coming close to loading the last of their freight onto the ship, but she remained silent just a bit longer so that Sabine and Ariel could have their time.

[Muttonhawk]

Some time passed as the sisters held each other closely. The pack stood back respectfully, the only other action being from Janius to put an arm around Kaleeth when he noticed that she was on the verge of tears. Janius didn't quite realise why this was, perhaps it was simply empathy, but he did not want to interrupt the moment that Sabine and Ariel were having.

A rare sight for everyone was seeing Meesei with tears running from her eyes. She was silent and stoic as normal during these times, but none of them could really name a time where they had seen her cry. Such was the connection Meesei held with Sabine, and that the pack in general held with Ariel. Even Fendros had to intentionally keep the growing soreness in his eyes from being turned to tears in that moment.

"Hey, passengers!" The Nordic captain shouted down from the stern of the ship in his Skyrim-inflected accent, "Finish your goodbyes, we are casting off as soon as the gangplank is raised!"

It almost pained Fendros to step forward and place a hand on Sabine's shoulder. "Come, Sabine," He said softly.

Ariel had to initiate their separation, letting Sabine go and sniffing loudly before looking at her face. "Goodbye, sister. I love you."

Sabine's face was so reddened and contorted that it looked as if it was about to collapse. Tears streamed down her face, but she managed to smile as she stepped back. "I love you too. Goodbye." She kept her face looking to Ariel's as she was led away slowly.

Everyone shifted into a steady speed and climbed up the gangway with the last of the crew. Ariel stayed on the dock with one hand clasped in the other. She was smiling widely, but every other feature on her face spoke of sadness. She was just as sad to see everyone go as last time, but this time she had a pride in her heart after seeing how Sabine had changed. The ship ponderously drifted from the dock after the mooring was loosed and the pack and Ariel waved each other off until they could no longer see each other.

The dock of Thorn slowly shrank as the pack looked back, revealing the city's entire breadth as it too grew smaller and eventually was obscured by the tree-covered coast that jutted out from the side of the port.

[EliteCommander]

Meesei would have stayed longer above decks watching the coastline recede, but the captain urged them to get themselves and the significant amount of baggage they were carrying below decks, and out of the way of the crew. A deckhand led them down to the bottom deck, at the bow where the crew quarters were located. As it was not a specialized passenger vessel, they would be sharing the same quarters as the rest of the standard crew.

The bunks consisted of rows of hammocks along the walls in the triangular shaped room, enough for most of the crew. There were other quarters with more traditional beds in other parts of the ship, but they were reserved for the various kinds of officers aboard the vessel, and Meesei had certainly not paid enough to use those. Fortunately, they were permitted to use an adjacent storage room for their belongings to help alleviate the crowding. As the ship had just set sail, the quarters were currently empty apart from the pack, but from what Meesei understood, they would be pretty much constantly inhabited after a while as the crew alternated between shifts of sleeping and working. It was not the most ideal way to spend the next month, but at least they would all be together to make it more bearable.

The pack was still fresh off of the emotional exchange between Sabine and Ariel, but they distracted themselves by taking their time getting settled in. Once Kaleeth found a place in the storage room for the bags she was carrying, she approached the hammock curiously. Having not used one before, she did not even recognize their intended purpose until she noticed there was no other form of bed in the room. She approached unsteadily, as she was still unused to the constant swaying of the ship.

"So, these are what we are supposed to sleep in?" Kaleeth commented as she attempted to climb into one. "Do I just..." She began, but between the swaying of the ship, the difficulty she had with moving in her dress, and her unfamiliarity with hammocks, she lost her balance and flipped over onto the ground as soon as she attempted to lie down.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine, despite still sniffling from saying goodbye, was the quickest to deposit her luggage. She stayed up on the stern of the ship, holding onto the railing and watching the coast of Black Marsh. She wished that she could still see Ariel, but even if the dock wasn't obscured by trees and scrub by now, it was too far away to discern anything but the shape of the tallest towers and the city tree.

Out on the choppy waters, the entire pack was having trouble keeping their balance. Fendros was satisfied to stand around, hanging onto a beam until he got used to it. He was honestly at a loss for what to do in the ships confines. After confirming that Ahnasha and Rhazii were settled, he eventually decided to have a quick look around on his own. The ship wasn't especially large, and the cargo was strictly off limits to the pack and the crew alike, so it wouldn't take long. It was something to occupy him, though.

Near to Kaleeth as usual, Janius was just as curious about the ship as she was. It was a fate foreseeable to Janius for several seconds that Kaleeth would lose her balance in some way. Kaleeth trying to do three things at once meant that it was easy to see. Janius wasn't quite quick enough to catch her, however he had reached. Her fall made Janius wince, but seeing that Kaleeth was okay turned his face into a laugh. "Careful, Kaleeth," Janius said, helping her up with one hand. It had taken a little while for Janius to find his sea legs, but he had to admit to himself that the hammocks now looked more treacherous than they had before. Of course, that didn't stop him from stepping forward and trying his hand at getting into one. He took the edges of the hammock's fabric, spread it apart, and then awkwardly lifted his knee into its centre. The shuddering effort to stay steady on the swaying floor meant that the endeavour was a constant exercise in balance, so he took it slowly. "I think...I can get this," he said gruffly to reassure Kaleeth, as well as his pride. It took a clumsy, half-intentional spin to get his body into the hammock. He lay face up and lop-sided, but as he swung gently, he had a look of slight fear and he dared not move in case he spun right out again. Moments passed and he readjusted so that his entire body was cradled by the fabric, then he smiled at the comfort it provided. "There we are. Easy!" He said, grinning to Kaleeth. He held his arms up and out from the hammock, beckoning Kaleeth with his hands. "Now you try."

It had not yet crossed anyone's mind how they might get out of the hammock without hurting themselves.

[EliteCommander]

With Sabine returning above decks to watch the shoreline recede behind them, it was perhaps no surprise that Meesei emerged shortly afterwards to join her. She stood next to her, looking out at the steadily shrinking city in the distance silently. The shouting and general commotion of the crew around them did ruin the peaceful atmosphere to an extent, but it was still a beautiful view regardless. As long as they stayed out of the way of the crew, it was unlikely anyone would bother them.

"A majestic sight, isn't it? We have made so many memories in those swamps, so many life-changing events. Some wonderful, some...beyond terrible. I don't think any of us could have predicted what would happen when we first crossed into its hot and humid borders, or even through the pass into Morrowind before that. I think there is a lot we would all like to change if we could, but with everything considered...I think our time here ended pretty well. Your sister is happy. Happy with herself, with her new life, and most of all, with you. As painful as it is to leave, she is proud of who you are, and the woman you are becoming."

Kaleeth's second attempt at climbing into the hammock, this time with Janius, was just as awkward as the first, but at least she had an example to follow. As she tried to climb over him, the hammock rocked back and forth wildly, nearly throwing both of them to the ground several times. Eventually, she managed to find a position that kept the hammock stable, but unfortunately, it was not the most optimal one. She was laying across him in an awkward manner that placed enough weight on his chest to make it harder for him to breathe. It was perhaps possible that she could readjust to make them more comfortable, but she was too afraid of tipping them over to attempt it. "Is this, uh, okay? It isn't, is it?"

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine acknowledged Meesei's presence, but kept her eyes at the shore. Talking about Ariel only made her waves of sadness return. For the moment, she held her tears back. Even though Sabine knew that Meesei was referring to the way Sabine was more socially engaged, the mention of who she was becoming dipped her into a thought that kept her so silent that Meesei might have initially thought that she was ignoring her. "Meesei, I'm not..." Sabine thought she had something to say, but stopped herself to keep thinking for a few moments longer. Sabine raised her head to Meesei, and for a moment she noticed that she didn't have to hold her head so steeply. She must have had a growth spurt. That was aside from her thoughts, though. "You make it sound like you and Ariel know what will happen to me. Am I changing? I don't know what will happen to me." Sabine broke eye contact, and for a moment she looked like she was slightly intimidated. Up until now, she hadn't thought much about the future, or whether she would be changing as she grew up. It was naive to think that she wouldn't develop her personality as she grew up and experienced the world, but to have that sort of expectation of herself was slightly frightening to think about. "How do I know what I should become?" She thought out loud tiredly as she leaned her forearms on the railing of the ship and rested her chin on her fingers.

Even being secure in the Hammock didn't stop Janius from tensing his mouth in awkward fright as Kaleeth attempted to climb in again. Janius tried to guide her with his hands, no little effect. He was surprised that Kaleeth was able to get to the position she did without capsizing the entire thing. She was atop him eventually, steady, but with a similar expression to his in paralysed fear of any movement rolling them over. "How...about...we try...moving a little," Janius said with obvious strain. Before they could shift, he frantically slowed her down, "Ah-let's stay laying down, though." He took a slow breath and his eyes remained wide, "I don't think it will roll over if we stay laying down."

Janius attempted to shift under Kaleeth's weight to varying degrees of success. The fact that their weight seemed to keep the hammock steady at this point helped him to relax. As long as Kaleeth didn't try to sit up suddenly, they would probably not flip over and fall, however it was becoming clear that the hammock was only made with one person in mind. They didn't exactly have as much space as in their bedroll. After some careful movement, the two eventually lay side by side and very close, facing each other. "There we go," Janius said quietly to Kaleeth, "They're cosy once all is said and done, aren't they? We'll just have to remember how to do this come nightfall." Janius looked into Kaleeth's eyes and failed to keep a straight face. They must have looked ridiculous trying to get into the hammock. He began to laugh off the stress of the whole procedure, almost as if the last few minutes had been dangerous. The laughter escalated from inside Janius' core, but didn't stretch on for too long. Once the laughter subsided, he blinked a couple of times and his smile faded in realisation. "...How do we get out?"

With the officers' quarters and the cargo hold off limits, Fendros didn't take much time to map out the ship. There were a few strange shapes and devices strewn about, but none of the crew seemed to be idle to satisfy is curiosity. He went under the hold again, intending to spend some more time reading Orskan's tome. As he passed Kaleeth and Janius' bunk, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the squirming and strained voices emanating from the hammock fabric that encased them. He decided not to look directly inside for the sake of their privacy, however much they were counting on in such a place. Nevertheless, Fendros quickly moved on. He and Ahnasha would have plenty of time to read the tome while they were at sea, between everything else and puzzling how they were to deal with the memories that plagued them.

[EliteCommander]

Meesei leaned against the railing alongside Sabine, letting out a long sigh as she looked out over the horizon along with her. It would have been much easier if she could have given her a direct, clear answer, but for a question like Sabine's there was no right answer. "I could just say 'become whoever you want to be,' but I believe we both know it is more complicated than that. You are changing, that much in certain. Physically, you are taller, and you look much more mature than when we first met. In a few years, no one will be calling you a 'little girl,' though that really doesn't describe you anymore already. As for the person you will become, well, I don't think anyone really knows who they are going to be, not really. I thought I did when I was your age, but I could not have been more wrong. Who you become is based off of what you experience, what you understand about the world around you. It is how you want to fit into your world. I cannot tell you who you should be, but what I can do is make sure you do not have to deal with it alone. I can give you the tools to help you build your beliefs. Any question, no matter how difficult, no matter how long the answer, no matter how...awkward the subject, I will answer. No matter what it is, I will give whatever advice my experience allows. Becoming an adult, it is not easy, and it is understandable that you are scared, but I want you to know that I will be with you every step of the way."

Once they were settled, Kaleeth was content to relax with Janius. The hammock was small for the two of them, so it forced them quite close together, but that was something she did not mind. Once he asked about getting up, she would have tried to find a way to get up carefully, but was frightened of sending them both to the floor. She thought about it for a few moments, looking around at her options until she came to a decision. "How about we...don't? We can just stay here together until the boat shakes us over onto the ground." She said with a smile, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

It was a few minutes later that one of the crew members finally made his way down to the bunks. Like much of the crew, he was Imperial, though with a particularly rough-looking exterior. He looked older, with a long, prominent scar on his right arm and two missing fingers. As the bunks were all situated in the same, large room, he could clearly see Janius and Kaleeth, and he had no real consideration for their privacy. He looked over to them, and as his eyes met Janius' he gave him a disgusted glare and muttered something under his breath as he made his way to his own hammock. As Kaleeth was facing the opposite direction, she did not notice.

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine took in each word that Meesei had while she stared at the undulating sea. For a moment, Sabine was afraid that she should have learned the way forward already. It was insinuated, though, that even Meesei could not simply tell her that. It didn't put her mind completely at ease, but at least it helped to be reminded that Meesei was there to guide her. Sabine didn't know how she would cope without her counsel.

For the next minute, Sabine silently thought as far into the future as she could, wondering what she would possibly grow up to be like. From the outset, she wanted to be wise and brave, like Meesei. Sabine thought she had become quite brave since her ritual, but she still experienced fear at times. She didn't consider herself particularly wise, though. Meesei always knew what to do, and while Sabine had sharp eyes for people's reactions, she didn't really know how to approach them all the time. Even when she did, she often made mistakes, like asking Rukeewei about marrying Ariel. That seemed to upset Ariel. It was certainly awkward. Sabine wished she had a specific question about conversational skills, but she couldn't come up with one. Other than that, Sabine was curious to know what it was like to be drunk, to be in love, to know what it was like to lead, and a number of other things. At this stage she expected that she would just have to be patient for most of those opportunities to present themselves. She couldn't really ask many questions about what she knew little to nothing about, no matter how awkward they might turn out to be.

Awkward. Sabine rolled the concept around in her head for a little while. She knew what it was, but not always where it would come up. There were some things that embarrassed her, though. One thing in particular cropped up in Sabine's mind. She breathed uneasily while building up the courage to ask Meesei about it. Meesei would understand, surely. "Meesei, there is one thing. I didn't tell Ariel because I didn't want to make her guilty about it." Sabine's head bobbed up and down while she talked, as she pushed it off her chin resting on her hands. Her voice softened with apprehension, "Every few weeks, something happens that I thought was caused by being locked up in the silver cage, but it didn't stop after the ritual." Sabine's eyes went down, thinking that something was wrong with her body, "There's one or two days each month where I...bleed. I wasn't hurt there or anything, and healing potions don't help. I don't know what to do about it."

Sabine had only known as much about human reproduction as was taught to her by her previous witch guardians. That was, conception, pregnancy, and birth, compounded by eyewitness experience of the latter two in Ahnasha. All answers had come from her direct questioning rather than a complete picture. As such, the other details of her developing body had not been addressed before she had turned. Sabine was red with humiliation over the matter; she had not had anyone to confide in about it for all this time, and those parts of her body were 'not to be touched', according to the witches of the coven. Unfortunately, the differences present in female Argonian biology meant that Meesei might not have been the most experienced in the process. However, Meesei's studious knowledge would probably suffice, given that she often played a pivotal part in Kaleeth and Ahnasha's contraception. At least, when Sabine did not have a remedy to do the job. Those kinds of potions were from recipe, giving Sabine no insight as to how they physically affected Ahnasha and Kaleeth beyond just...preventing pregnancy.

Janius' smile spread with Kaleeth's. "We might be here for a while, then," he said, sliding his arms around her in turn, "I wouldn't mind that." Janius brought his head forward to kiss Kaleeth and wondered exactly how much they could get away with in the hammock. There was no space to simply go off and be alone with Kaleeth, like in the wilderness, so they might have to restrain themselves during the voyage. Perhaps it would have to go even further than they could stand if even small public displays of affection were taboo in front of the ship's crew. Blast it all, Janius thought, Imperial culture can keep its clothes and etiquette if it means more of this here. Here, though, there wasn't any true harm. Janius let his fears go and relaxed for the moment.

Some footsteps passed occasionally, but a particular pair were accompanied by a head peeping through the opening of the couple's hammock. The face of the unenthused and gruff Imperial man startled Janius enough that he separated his lips from Kaleeth's and looked up at him with some fear. By the time the man moved on, Janius realised that unlike when his father caught him in similar acts, he didn't seem to need to escape, or explain himself to the man before he walked away. He only noticed then just how much the fear had caused his heart to race. Janius lifted his head up out of the hammock just to irrationally make sure that it wasn't his father.

[EliteCommander]

Part of Meesei had hoped that Sabine would not start off with questions of such a nature, but she did say that she would answer anything, so there was no real way of avoiding it. The Argonian process of maturation had distinct differences from Humans, namely in aspects that involved the Hist. As well, their adult bodies had their obvious differences, so Meesei was not personally experienced in everything Sabine had to go through, but fortunately, she was at least knowledgeable on them. As a student of restoration, Meesei had studied the anatomies of all different races, and even many creatures, so she could speak with confidence on Sabine's fears. "Yes, I know what you are speaking of. The healing potions do not help because there is nothing wrong. It is related to Human reproduction, and it is not something that should make you afraid. It might cause discomfort and pain, but it is not something that is going to harm you. It is normal. The topic of reproduction...it isn't the most comfortable one. It is something people usually do not like to discuss or hear about, but it is something you need to know, and as I said, I will help you however I can."

As Kaleeth was not aware of what Janius had seen, she appeared confused when he suddenly lifted up his head to look at something in the room. When she looked up as well, all she saw was Ahnasha and Fendros, and a man from the crew. She saw nothing else of interest, or at least nothing that was not the same as when they arrived. "Is there something wrong? Did I do something?"

The generally angry-looking crew member was quick to grab the cloth-wrapped items he was seeking from the bags under his hammock, so he started to leave shortly after arriving. However, as he started to walk past Janius and Kaleeth, he muttered something loudly enough that it was clear he wanted them to hear it. "Lizard lover."

The man did not stop walking and left quickly, giving no real chance for a response and leaving Kaleeth to look at Janius, confused.

[Muttonhawk]

A sizable pocket of worry deflated in Sabine's mind as Meesei explained that what was happening was normal. She figured that she should have expected that it was to do with her fertility. In the space of a few moments, a constant source of worry for her had turned into another symbol of her growing up. She wasn't sure what to make of it. If anything, it was still uncomfortable and embarrassing. "But, other animals don't bleed like that, don't they? Why does it happen to humans?"

With a tense sigh, Janius let his head flop down onto the hammock again and breathed a curse. He had hoped that that kind of man would not be amongst the sailors. He shouldn't have been so reckless, and now it was probable that more ill would come of it. It was likely, with the general Imperial abundance of crew, that the man who saw them would not be the only one. It ruined Janius' mood, he clearly wore a face of frustration with himself. He tightened his lips, closed his eyes and took in a breath through his nose, before starting to sit up and talk. "It's okay Kaleeth. I think we should...be little more discrete, though. While on the ship, that is." Janius found that getting off the hammock was actually much less dangerous than he had anticipated, especially with Kaleeth still in it. He slid onto his feet and turned to her with a lower voice. "That man, and probably others here...I don't think they are fond of Argonians. That or they don't like the idea of an Imperial with an Argonian."

[EliteCommander]

"Well, all animals, or at least all female animals, go through something related to their reproduction, just not the same thing. When I first started out learning about restoration, animals were one of the first things I started studying." Meesei began. "However, there are far to many animals for me to explain how they all work without spending an entire afternoon on it. And those are just the ones I know. Really, most people do not even know why their bodies do the things they do. They just know the effects they can see. It is complicated, but I think the simplest way to explain it is that the reason Humans are the way they are is because they can have children at all times of the year. Many animals cannot. If you really want to, I could go into more detail on all of this, but perhaps in a more private place than here. Or at least as private as we can find on this ship. "

After Meesei finished speaking, she heard one of the nearby crew members mutter the words "Thank you" under his breath.

Kaleeth shakily tried to sit up, but once again, it tipped to the point that she fell out of it. Luckily, she landed on her feet cleanly enough that it looked intentional. Still, it did nothing to improve her mood. She held her head down, wondering why strangers would even care who others choose as their mates. "So...like my father, but opposite?" She asked.

Kaleeth took a few moments to think about what they could do about it, but the more she thought, the more she wondered why she should do anything at all. At first, she had been merely confused at the Imperial man, but now, she was slightly angry. If he had a problem with her and Janius, why should she care at all? She didn't like the man, she didn't need to impress him. Kaleeth crossed her arms defiantly and looked to Janius with some amount of resolve. "But if he is a stranger...why should we care about him. He isn't in my family or yours, so....he doesn't matter. I don't care what he thinks; I don't even like him."

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine's eyes moved in the direction of the quiet thanks that the nearby crewman spoke, but didn't turn around to him. She realised, then, just how uncomfortable she was making people and decided to leave the subject for later. The main worries had been addressed, anyway. "Okay. I'll ask later." Sabine said.

Even if she sounded a little disappointed, Sabine still wanted to stay to watch the waves. She tried to find something else to ask Meesei about, but she found that most areas referring to herself that she didn't know about to either not be of any importance, or be so unknown that they were just swirling messes of anxiety in her head. Her thoughts drove her to how Meesei might have dealt with such things at her age. After a pause, Sabine swallowed, then lifted her head to face Meesei. "Meesei, what was your mother like?"

There was nothing Kaleeth said that Janius could claim to be untrue. "Well..." Janius bared his teeth nervously and reached for the back of his head while he tried to put the words together, "You're right, he shouldn't matter, it's just...if there are more people like him, then they..." Janius' face relaxed as he recalled a memory of such behaviour. "I've seen it in Bravil, my home town. There were a lot of people who didn't get taught not to be afraid and hateful, and as a result, they jeered at Argonians, and Khajiit, and Elves, and whoever else was different. It started out harmless, but it escalated to treating them badly, and even violence in some cases. Guards had to be called in to stop gangs of youths fighting each other." Janius stopped and shook his head, he didn't need to explain every detail, "Look, the point is, we just need to be wary of them. Their captain is their leader, and while he's not around, the others might be...less civil."

[EliteCommander]

"My mother? She was an interesting woman. Lively, energetic. She had a lot of skills, though she did not really specialize in anything. She loved making friends, and had a hand in just about everything in the village. Obviously, she helped my father with his rituals as Treeminder, but she also helped gather ingredients for our alchemist, she helped make armor and weapons for our hunters, she helped farm our crops, and even build our huts. For someone without a definite 'role', her days were quite busy. Overall, I would say her biggest role in the village was simply to be a friend to the people she knew. And she had quite a few friends. I doubt anything has changed for her in that respect since I left." Meesei explained.

Kaleeth kept her arms crossed, wishing she had some way to vent her sudden frustrations. As excited as she was to see the various parts of Tamriel, like the Imperial City, she wondered if it would even be worth it if the people they came across were going to give them problems. Why could they not just worry about their own lives? "So, if he tries to do anything to us, we can...punch him in the face or something. I don't know, I just...I don't think we should have to worry about it. It doesn't seem fair. I chose to fight back against those kinds of hateful opinions when I disobeyed my father. If I could fight back against him, then I can fight back against these strangers too. If the world wants to try to make us unhappy, well, I don't want to see you giving in, okay?" Kaleeth said with a surprising amount of conviction. Even if she did not fully understand how some people outside her homeland felt about Argonians, her experience with her father had been enough to give her strong opinions on the issue.

[Muttonhawk]

While it was interesting to hear about Meesei's mother, Sabine was more curious about how Meesei and her mother got along. It sounded like she was very busy most of the time, and Meesei was probably just as busy with her studies. For now, though, Sabine followed up with what she wanted to find out first. "Meesei, I feel like I should ask about more things. Things about the future, but...I don't know what to ask, so...what things did you ask your mother when you were my age? Was there anything you wish you had asked her about?"

Janius tried to stay calm and keep his voice down. Only a liar could say that this didn't bother Kaleeth, that much was clear, but he didn't want the issue to escalate too much. He held one hand up to try and console her, "I'm not saying it isn't a bad thing. It is stupid, I know, but this is their ship. We still need the crew to take us to Cyrodiil. If we attack them, they have an excuse to head to shore and drop us there. We can't afford that." Janius placed a hand on Kaleeth's shoulder and exhaled through his nose, "Right now, these are just the rules of a game we will have to play on this ship. Just ignore the jeers and the mutterings, don't inflame it, and we should be fine. If they try anything without provocation, then we can talk to the captain and he will put them back in line."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei had to think for a moment about Sabine's question. She could recall asking her mother many questions, but they were all so...mundane. How to make clothing, how her magic could help with farming, and so on. Her father was the one she often sought wisdom from. "That is...hard to answer. My father was usually my mentor. He was wise, one of the leaders of the village, and considering I was his apprentice, it was only natural I would go to him. I did ask my mother many of the same kinds of questions you just asked me, of course, but as for what I wished I would have asked her...well, I suppose there was one thing. I was speaking to your sister about this yesterday, in fact. When I was young, I was often...apart from the others my age. Since I was the apprentice to the treeminder, I did not have as much time to just be a hatchling. I did have some trouble making friends as a result, but I think it was the romantic side of things that really bothered me. I made some embarrassing mistakes when it came to potential mates. I think I wish I would have asked my mother more about that, and socializing in general. It was her greatest skill, after all."

Kaleeth took in a deep breath, then breathed out slowly to calm herself. She realized she had not fully overcome the tendencies of her beast spirit, or at least she assumed that was where this anger was coming from. "I don't know what the 'game' is, but...I understand. I think. I just need to not cause trouble. Just let them cause trouble first instead. Then I can punch him." She said with a smile, trying to bring herself into her former, better mood. "So..." She began, glancing down with an annoyed gaze at her dress. "...do you think I can find something else to wear than this...thing?"

[Muttonhawk]

"Mhm," Sabine hummed in acknowledgement, then bit her lower lip. Making friends didn't seem all that hard, at least not with Tunxeek, back in the tribe. That was really the only experience she had gained, though. She knew that once they were with the Bruma pack, she wanted to try her hand at making friends again. In that, she might forge friendships that last much longer. What scared and piqued her curiosity more was the other social aspect Meesei mentioned. Romance was not something that she felt pressured to engage in, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't have to deal with it at some point. "I don't know much about any of that. Some bits are easy, some are difficult, and...I don't know anything about love except what Ariel and Ahnasha told me. What mistakes should I...not make?"

Kaleeth's smile was returned with a tight lipped one from Janius. The essential message had been received, but he hoped that a broken nose wouldn't be dealt out without good reason.

Janius looked down at Kaleeth's dress and brushed a finger across his chin in thought. "Hmm. Might be that we can find you some clothes that you're less likely to trip over. I don't think the sailors would baulk whether you were in a skirt or trousers." He stepped and turned, letting the hand on Kaleeth's shoulder wrap around her back, guiding her towards the pack's luggage. "You can borrow our spare set," Janius suggested, before leaning his head close to hers and murmuring, "Though I still think you look best in no clothing at all."

Janius and Fendros had a spare set of clothes between them so they would be able to clean the articles they wore currently. Their sizes were similar, but the clothing might be a little big for Kaleeth. Not to mention they would have to accommodate for Kaleeth's tail. That detail had not crossed Janius' mind yet.