C.O.T.W Chapter 20: Once Bitten

  • Hasir and Ceralyne stepped into the cool night air. They both breathed the air through their nose and exhaled the air out of their

    mouth. They fell to their hands and knees as they tranformed into the wolf forms in the silvery light of the moon. Ceralyne's

    tranformation was easier than the wildly thrashing and cconvulsing argonian that lay next to her.

     

    Luna padded over, put her paw on Hasir's head and moved it close to her cheest. She felt bad for him, having to go through the

    same agonizing pain every night. When the writhing and convulsing had stopped, a white wolf la with his head in the golden wolf's

    chest, panting heavily while the black wolf lay five inches away from them. The three wolves stood up and licked their lips. Their

    tongues felt like sandpaper as they scrapped along their equally cracked lips.

     

    All three of them decided to go up the stairs that lead to the cloud district. They walked past the gildergreen, a giant tree in front of

    the temple of Kynarreth and some houses until they came to a pool of water that ran under some steps leading up to a building that

    they'd not heard about.

     

    Frost knew that they had time for a refreshing dip before the meeting began. To tell the truth, he liked serving Hircine in his own

    way. He did not adhere to the rules of worship set down by Valjira. The black wolf padded over to the stairs, situated to the left of

    Jorrvaskr and sat there while the white and gold wolves descended the stairs.

    When Luna was at the bottom about to jump in, Frost came up behind her and pushed her.

     

    'Splash'

     

    Luna eyes went wide as she fell head first into the water, she yelped loudly as she banged her injured leg against the bottom step.

    Frost jumped in after her. From the angle she was at, all she could see was the white underbelly of Frost as he gracefully arced

    over her and splashed into the water a few inches from her. Luna paddled over and pushed Frost's head down into the water. Frost

    did say he was thirsty, but instead of just getting a mouthful, he got an earful, noseful and eyeful. Frost surfaced, gasping for air.

    Satisfied, Luna swam circles around the spluttering wolf, on her back.

     

    Frost got to the stairs and climbed the steps, closely followed by Luna who was limping badly because of how hard she banged her

    injured leg. When they were on firmer ground, frost padded to Luna's side and started licking her left hind leg in the hopes that the

    moisture from his saliva would make it feel better. When he was satisfied, they walked onwards to the underforge. They must've

    crossed an invisible energy field five feet from the chapel entrance because the wolves reverted back to their original states.

     

    They continued to walk towards the entrance and saw an enraged Aela standing inches from the entrance, tapping her foot rapidly.

     

     

    She approached them like a wolf would their prey. Aela yelled at them.

    "You idiots, where have you been?" Aela looked sharply at Hasir who was dripping wet, "Swimming huh? How the fuck is swimming

    more important than the fucking service to Hircine?" 

     

    Hasir turned to Ceralyne and whispered.

    "She has a temper, that much is true, but does she have brain cells to make up for her short fuse?"

     

    They both roared with laughter and rolled around on the ground in front of the porch. Hasir mocked Aela's way of speaking and that

    caused them both to laugh even harder. Aela's face was as red as a hot stove by this point.

     

    She pointed at them, yelling.

    "If you don't stop you will have to face my wolf, Red. She hasn't had a meal in weeks and would love a plate of argonian tail paired

    with high elf eyes.They stopped laughing, looked up at her and started laughing again, even harder than the last time. 

     

    Aela did her best imitation of a steamed tea kettle.

    "Alright, that's it, you too chuckleheads are coming with me to the service wether you want to or not." She reached down, grabbed

    the argonian and hiigh elf by the arm and dragged the still laughing duo into the cavernous chapel.

     

    She sat them down hard on the last vacant bench in the chapel and looked sternly at both of them.

    "Now sit down, shut up and listen to the cat, got it?" She bore into the pair wiith eyes burning with the fires of Oblivion. "If I have to

    come back here to teach you the same lesson a second time then you will get to see the wolf and her claws." To emphasize, she

    kicked the wood of the bench next to them, "and I don't think you want that. now, am I clear on my demands?" 

     

    They both nodded; scared stiff by Aela's show of strength. The huntress headed back to her bench and sat down. Hasir and Ceralyne

    uncoiled from their frightened states into a more relax one as they turned their attention to Vajhira, who was wearing an all black

    cloak and cape combo.

     

    Hasir turned to Ceralyne, made a confused face while pointing at the khajiit with his thumb in hitchhiker mode.

    "What is THAT about? did someone die?" He asked.

     

    Aela shot him an annoyed glare from across the room. She had no idea he could be so insensitive...or so ignorant. She yelled at

    Hasir to be quiet and let Valjira say what she has to say.

    Vajhira bowed her head, she signalled for the congregation to do the same; everyone except Hasir performed this gesture. He was

    still in the dark about what was going on. Aela got up from her seat, walked over to him and forced his head down. Hasir, of course

    protested this, but obeyed Aela who told him that if he did things his way instead of following the collective then he would be in the

    dark about alot of stuff and also she reiterated what she had said before about showing him her wolf and letting her teach him a

    lesson. Aela, satisfied that Hasir wouldn't pull any more bulllshit went back to her seat.

     

    Vajhira's voice washed over the whole room like a current.

    "Yesterday, we lost an esteemed member of our congregation. Moonman was not only a member of this chapel, but also a friend to a

    great many people here. He was cut down in the prime of life by a monster who wanted his 'ancestors' to be pleased with him and

    bestow upon him 'Molag Bal's gift.' To that, I say I am apalled that this person would cut down an innocent life for his own gain." She

    lifted her furry head up and looked straight at Quinchal, who was sitting in the fourth row of benches, unphazed by this. Valhira was

    in tears by this point, "I hope the person that did this will rot in Oblivion for the heartless act."

     

    She gestured to Quinchal, Ceralyne, Hasir, Rakel and Inigo.

    "Would you come up here please?" She said with a throaty growl, They came forward, standing before the altar. Valhira paced back

    and forth, hands folded behind her, in front of them, "I know one of you did it. Confess and this will go easy, if neither of you

    confesses to this crime, all of you will be punished."  

     

    Quinchal felt sick to his stomch. He knew if he did not confess, he would live with the guilt for the rest of his life.

     

    He gulped and stepped forward.

    "Uh Vajhira, I have something to say."

     

    She stopped pacing and backtracked so she stood directly in front of Quinchal.

    "Yes brother? Do you have something to confess?" She asked him.

     

    Inigo and Hasir looked at each other. Quinchal did not back down, he stood his ground.

    "I do, I...killed Moonman."

     

    Vajira rounded on him like a mother wolf would a misbehaving member of her pack, Quinchal recoiled a bit,

    "Sorry, what did you say?"

     

    Quinchal stood firm, not wanting to show fear, that way the Akavikar way.

    I killed Moonman because I wanted  my honored restored, I forsook the gift of the wolf for my birthright, the blood of Molag Bal."

     

    Vajhira applauded the tsaesci and smiled unpleasantly.

    "Very good. Rakel, Inigo and Hasir will go out in the wilds and find a suitable wolf corpse since Moonman's corpse is nowhere to be

    found and bring it here to be buried."

     

    The argonian, nord, elf and khajiit turned to leave. Quinchal started to follow them. Valjira grabbed him by the shoulder and

    whispered into his ear,

    "Do not think you are getting off easy, tsaesci. There will be a reckoning, count on it."

     

    and with that, he and the rest of the congregation left the chapel.

    The five stopped just outside the underforge. Hasir look to his left and saw Aela sitting on a rock that lay flush agaisnt the cavern.

    Sensing eyes upon her, she turned her head in that direction. She slowly got up and walked over to Hasir, her momentum caused

    her arms to swing. 

     

    She bent down, placed her bag on the ground a pulled out a dusty, yellowing map from her bag, which she unfurled.

    "I heard you guys were headed out to kiill a wolf." She asked while looking up at them. At the same time, she smoothed out the

    mapp on her knee so that it would lie flat.

     

    Hasir nodded,

    "Yes, we are heading out to the wilds now, if you would like to accompany us."

     

    "I would love t-" Aela began, but, Inigo grabbed him with his furry blue arm and pulled him aside.

     

    Inigo looked sternly at Hasir. He wasn't sure why they were going out to kill a wolf when they come be easily batered for.

    "My friend, wolf pelts are easily bought at shop. They cost at least five gold each and that is if the shopkeeper is feeling generous."

    He whispered.

     

    Hasir loosened the vice-like grip of the khajiit one finger at a time until his fur collar was free and the walked back over to Aela, knelt

    down and studied the map. He asked where wolves populate in Skyrim. Aela told him that that ice wolves congregate near the

    snowy parts of Skyrim. While she talked, she traced known routes one would find a wolf and prodded several locations with her

    finger.  

     

    Hasir looked angrily at Aela. He wasn't sure if she had gotten into the companions by favoritism or for her sheer lack of brainpower,

    "I said a GREY wolf, not an ice wolf, for the love of..." He throw his hands up as a sign of defeat, "Hircine help us, Where can I

    find a grey wolf?" She recoiled away from him as if his scales were exuding the very fires of Oblivion.

     

    Aela snapped forward, pointing a finger at him.

    "There are no 'grey' wolves in Skyrim you blasted lizard, now either get off my case and let me work or you will see what I'm like

    when I get pissed off!" She snarled, giving him a scathing look.

     

    Hasir held up his hands.

    "Okay, sorry I asked." He said, backing away slightly. Now a safe distance from Aela, he sat down on a rock and watched as she

    conntinued pouring over the map.

     

    Aela jumped up and strode over to the rock Hasir was sitting on. The other four noticed this and went over to join them. Aela called

    for quiet when everyone started talking at once. She told Hasir that the ice wolf is a creature native to the coldest regions in Skyrim

    and that they would most likely be found near the throat of the world. She glanced at the argonian and took note of his confused

    expression. She told him that the Throat of the World is the tallest mountain in Skyrim, if they want to find an ice wolf, that is where

    they will find one.

     

    She Started againwhen all the talked that had erupted around her had died out.

    "Listen up, creatures of Skyrim are made of sturdier stuff than most. Pay attention, be swift and if you are forced to fight, don't

    back down for any reason. If we stand together we will net one of those bastards."

     

    They wanted to get started but Inigo advised them to get a good night sleep before hand as he wouldn't want them to fail in their

    duties. He found a rack of bear, wolf and deer furs hanging on a line near the picnic tables, plucked the furs off one by one and

    handed them to the travelers. He grabbed one for himself, placed each of them on the wooden floor. Within minutes, they all were

    fast asleep. 

          

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