U.O.T.W. Chapter 77 Intentions Revealed

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    Despite the fact that the sun had started to set, Sotek could still hear the Companions following some distance behind.

     

    “Don’t they ever give up?” He was tired and hungry after running for hours in an attempt to try to break away from them but their pursuit of him was relentless. It was only with some luck that he managed to open up some ground but even so they were no more than quarter of an hour away.

     

    Nearby he saw a small isolated cave and decided to head inside in the hope that he could hide away until dawn. He found himself in the entrance to a cavern. There were no tunnels heading deeper inside however to his dismay, it was occupied already. Three wolves clambered up to their paws to defend their territory against the unwelcome intruder. The Black wolf started to back up away from them.

     

    “Hey! Why are you running?” Sheogorath asked with a bewildered expression plastered across his face.

     

    “They are wolves, I’m a wolf. Three to one, not good odds”. Sotek knew with no skills, he was completely outclassed.

     

    Sheogorath tutted as he headed inside.

    “But you’re not a wolf. You’re a giant wolf”. As he talked he stretched upwards to the roof of the cave like a deranged clown in a city fair. “You can take them out easily... Watch out... It has a claw”.

     

    Two wolves charged at the black wolf as one in a synchronised attack. A paw swiped out at his shoulder cutting into flesh as the claws sprayed out a trail of blood. Sotek instantly retaliated hitting one of the wolves on the side. To his surprise it was thrown across the cave like a rag doll. He bit out at the second one, tearing into its neck. It yelped in agony desperately trying to get away, but he held firm then savagely flailed his head around ripping out the wolves throat.

     

    The third wolf attacked without remorse, pity or any common sense. If it had thought for a second it would have realised that it was facing a superior foe, instead it charged head first towards Sotek... Towards death. Claws ripped into fur from both sides as they lashed out in a blood frenzy. Due to the Black wolfs size there was just one outcome and within seconds the third wolf was finished. Sotek tore into its side killing it. Then without a moment’s hesitation he attacked the wolf who was thrown into the cavern wall. It was slowly recovering but he tore into it without mercy, to him it was prey... Nothing more than prey.

     

    Sheogorath clapped his hands excitedly as his head popped up from a boulder he was hiding behind for whatever reason he thought at the time.

    “See. I knew you could take them. Well I have to admit you’re doing bloody fantastic”. He promptly threw down two pink flags which he held in his hands. One had ‘Go Sotek Go’ written in green lettering on it while the other flag has scribbled in charcoal, ‘The Wild Wolves Are Howling’.

     

     

    The Black wolf sniffed at the dead wolves as his hungry eyes stared at the pools of blood forming around them.

     

    “Now I know you’re not going to do what I think you’re going to do. Come on have some restraint. You’re an Argonian”. Sheogorath stood there in front of him shaking his head as he watched Sotek’s eyes fill with hunger.

     

    Growling softly Sotek stepped closer to the corpses as he shook his head wildly side to side.

    “No I’m not, I’m a wolf”. He tore off tearing chunks of flesh and fur as he worked his way through the corpses to get to the meaty flesh. Blood poured out from the wounds smothering his snout as he greedily fed. He actually found the taste of warm flesh and blood exiting as he swallowed chunks of bloodied wolf meat.

     

    When his hunger was sated he looked around the cave. Up above him almost hidden from view was a ledge which seemed an ideal spot to rest on as it was a good several feet above the floor. If he could reach it...

     

    He headed out the cave then ran full bore at the ledge. His claws dug into the mossy rock allowing himself to grab at the edge of the ledge. With pure effort and determination along with his momentum, he just managed to reach it and pull himself up. His stomach felt bloated forcing himself to wish he had eaten less instead of gorging himself. Whining softly to himself, there he rested before falling asleep.

     

    About an hour later he woke up hearing voices from outside. He quickly lifted his tail up which was draping over the side of the ledge.

    “Hey, there’s a cave here. It’s ideal for wolves, trolls or worse... Let’s check it out, we could rest up here for the night”. He instantly recognised it as Aela’s. Slowly he moved away from the edge whilst trying at the same time to stay out of sight.

     

    Two torches lit up the cave as the three companions entered inside. Instantly Sotek’s eyes slammed shut from the unearthly orangey glow. Aela swiftly glanced around the cave taking in everything she saw with a keen and hungry interest in her surroundings.

    “He’s been here. These are fresh kills and he’s eaten. So, we’re still on his tracks. He’s gone aground now, we’ll rest here and start early... I’m damned if he’s getting away”.

     

    Vilkas stared at the carnage as he held his nose from the stench of the bloody carcasses.

    “Aela, it stinks in here”.

     

    She grabbed him by the collar as she threatened him with her fist. She was in no mood for his typical complaints and she let him know it in no uncertain terms.

    “He will probably come back in the morning to feed. We’ll lay a trap at the entrance. We are staying here!”

     

    Farkas agreed with her however more so out of fear than anything else. Subconsciously he rubbed the side of his left leg, just above the knee where an old scar from years before served as a reminder to Aela’s temper.

    “We’ll clear the cave a bit. It won’t take long.”

     

    Aela drew her dagger as she knelt down next to one of the dead wolves.

    “There’s still some good meat left, let’s get a fire going. Vilkas, your cooking”.

     

    Farkas built a small fire as Aela cut off some meat which hadn’t been touched. Soon enough the cave filled with a more welcoming scent of cooking wolf meat.

     

    Once they had eaten, Aela fell quiet as she stared into the flames. She silently moved away into the shadows of the cavern which draped over her face so the others couldn’t use her expressions to read her emotions. Both Farkas and Vilkas watched her and despite her precautions, they each saw a single tear form then watched it as it ran down her cheek.

     

    Farkas gave Vilkas a nudge with his elbow encouraging him to approach Aela and give her some mental support.

    “Hey, he’s strong don’t worry about him”. As Vilkas spoke he sat beside her giving her a shoulder to rest on as he pulled her close to him.

     

    She fought back the tears which built up rapidly. All day she repressed her emotions. That was the sole reason her pursuit of the wolf was so important, it released the pressure, let her mind wander free of the shackles to her ‘crimes’.

    “By Hircine, I miss him... I should have seen him before we left”.

     

    The Black wolf silently crept to the edge of the ledge and watched her, wishing he could tell her that he was ok. As he looked on Sheogorath appeared and sat alongside him in a cross legged position. His overly large curled pointed yellow shoes nearly prodded the ceiling as they both looked below the ledge.

     

    “We tried to tell you that..” Farkas stated but as soon as he did Vilkas shot him a look telling him to shut up. “What I mean is...”

     

    Vilkas took over from his brothers lack of tact and gave Aela a slight hug in his brutish arm.

    “Look, what Farkas is trying to say despite the fact that he’s making a complete hash of it is this. Sotek, he knows you love him. We’ll be back soon enough then you can see him, ok”.

     

    The Black wolf looked down at her with desperation in his voice.

    “Say you love me, say you love me, say you love me”. He practically willed her to say it despite the fact that his voice sounded out only in his head.

     

    Sheogorath never helped one little bit as his voice rose and dropped several pitches as he played on Sotek’s emotions.

    “Did she say it? Yes? No? Maybe? She misses you! Oh damn, sorry that’s not it”

     

    Aela looked up at Vilkas but she never smiled, she just slowly nodded solemnly.

    “Yes, we’ll have the wolf tomorrow then we’ll be back home. Then I can see him... Tell him I’m sorry, tell him how I feel about him. Why is it always me that screws up? I just wished he was here...” She shut her eyes and held tightly onto Vilkas.

     

    Vilkas glanced down at the top of her head then nudged her cheek with the knuckle of his index finger.

    “How do you feel about him?”

     

    The Black wolfs ears pricked right up, he desperately hoped this was it.

    “Oh she’s going to say it oh yea, you did it my boy. Dog. Wolf. Argonian wolf thing”. Sheogorath slapped the back of the wolf so hard that he nearly fell off the ledge. As he lurched forwards his eyes opened wide in shock from the slap.

     

    Aela sighed as she held onto Vilkas’s arm. She whispered to them both despite the fact that there was no one else around, or so she thought.

    “I love… I’m not saying it to you two, it feels weird”. Then she gave a little laugh and rested her head against Vilkas’s lap as she curled up.

     

    “Oh she does, she really loves him”. Vilkas jested whilst he pulled an old fur over her shoulders to keep the cold at bay.

     

    Sotek aka the black wolf could have screamed out at that point.

    “Damn it all”.

     

    Aela turned a bit red in the cheeks, then she shouted at Vilkas smiling as she did so.

    “Shut up. Else I’ll pull you into the mud again”. With that comment she promptly bit him in the thigh making him yell from surprise. Farkas laughed as Vilkas threatened retribution by smacking the back of Aela’s head. She growled at him before smirking to them both before she rested her head down once more. She whispered one last time before she settled down to sleep for the rest of the night. “I just wished he was here”.

     

    The Black wolf gazed down at her and whispered back although it was just in his mind. He wished that he could at least tell her that he was ok or even just let her know that he was close by instead however he had to contend with the fact that at least he knew she was safe.

    “ I am, I am here.” He crept away from the edge, and sadly curled around himself.

     

    Once again Sheogorath fed on his emotions like a mystical leech sucking the very life out of him.

    “Oh bad luck...So close! I thought you did it, I really did. Didn’t I? Yes... See... Oh well... You do know you can’t run forever don’t you. They will catch you, and when they do they will kill you. She will kill you, then that’s it, game over. You’ll die and Greymane will have her forever”.

     

    At this point in time, Sotek was desperately trying to shut out Sheogorath’s voice. However those last words caused his eyes to snap wide open in anger. Saliva dripped from his maw as he shot to his paws and growled at Sheogorath.

    “What the hell do you know about Greymane?”

     

    A tittering voice whispered in his ear almost like it was mocking him.

    “Oops did I say that?” Sheogorath appeared in front of him with a massive smile across his face.

     

    “Tell me you bastard!” The Black wolf screamed at him. Although it was only in his mind, the hostility was unmistakable.

     

    Sheogorath rolled his eyes as he turned blatantly away from Sotek.

    “As you put it so nicely, no I won’t”. He then blew a long winded raspberry at the wolf before he chuckled to himself.

     

    The wolfs shoulders dropped as his head sunk into the ruff fur of his collar.

    “Oh for the love of... I’m playing your bloody games for howling out loud. Hircine is up to his bloody neck in this. She don’t know which way to turn... Help me damn you, please!” Sotek desperately pleaded with the mad Daedra lord in the furlong hope of gaining some information which might help him and Aela with their ‘Greymane problem’. He whined, growled and pleaded as he desperately attempted to coax Sheogorath along.

     

    The Daedra Lord shook his hands as he insanely grinned back at the overly distressed wolf.

    “Oh look, I’m not allowed to tell you it’s against my rules,” He then stopped and looked at himself in a giant mirror which had appeared from nowhere and promptly started arguing with his own reflection. “But we’re having so much fun”.

     

    The reflection rolled his eyes as he turned his back on the Sheogorath facing him.

    “No, rules are rules”.

     

    Sheogorath’s mouth opened wide like Red’s maw when she was yawning. Sotek thought he could fit a whole pumpkin inside it. Sheogorath’s arms flapped outwards like a demented bird as he replied sarcastically to the mirror.

    “Since when do I follow rules?”

     

    His reflection burst out laughing as he held his belly as if he was a bloated ale drinker.

    “Well, ok but don’t tell him anything”.

     

    Sheogorath seemed ecstatic at the new development. He rubbed his hands together excitedly as he nodded to himself.

    “So I can tell him nothing? Splendid”.

     

    His reflection suddenly appeared just as gleefully cheerful as the original Sheogorath. He clicked his fingers together then pointed straight at the Daedra Lord.

    “Yes, that’s it! Don’t tell him”.

     

    “OK that will work”.Sheogorath stared coldly down at the black wolf with a hard sinister expression. “Ok I’m not telling you, we decided... Haskill? Oh Haasskkiillll?”

     

    The mirror disappeared from view after Sheogorath waved goodbye to himself and in its place stepped a solemn looking and very bald Breton. He wasn’t overly built and he was dressed in fine outlandish robes. As he dusted himself off he spoke with a flat heavy almost lifeless droning voice.

    “You called?”

     

    Sheogorath shouted out gleefully as he grabbed the man’s shoulders with both hands. The man’s face screwed up as he forced himself away from the Daedra Lord.

    “Haskill, you have to tell him all about you know what. I can’t because I told myself I’m not to. But you can as I’m giving you permission... But don’t tell me, tell him”.

     

    Haskill gazed down at the wolf as if it was a flea bitten mongrel which he wanted to kick. He groaned as the palm of his hand covered his face preventing Sotek from looking at his features. Despite Sheogorath’s excitement the man’s voice kept it’s dead like pitch.

    “Its a dog... Don’t make me talk to a dog...”

     

    Sheogorath’s response was short, precise and extremely confusing.

    “Quack!”

     

    Haskill groaned as he stared down at Sotek.

    “It’s a wol....”

     

    “Quack”

     

    Haskill huffed as he turned to face Sheogorath but as he spoke the Daedra Lord cut him off.

    “Lord Sheog...”

     

    “Quack, quack, quack.... Quuaacckkk”

     

    This time it was Sotek who growled. He glared at Sheogorath as he laid out his threat.

    “If you quack one more time I swear I’ll bite you!”

     

     

    If Sotek thought that was going to stop Sheogorath then he was very much mistaken. A tiny voice whispered in his ear showing Sheogorath’s response to his useless and pathetic threat.

    “Qqquuuaaaccckkk”

     

    The wolf snapped out at Sheogorath’s leg but all he caught in his maw was air. A second later the wolf shook his head side to side violently as it tried to shake off a glove which was stuck over its snout.

     

    Sotek started growling until Aela lifted her head up from the bedroll which Vilkas had laid her out on hours before. She gazed around the cave in the darkness before resting her head once more on a rolled up fur and falling back asleep. Moments later Haskill pulled off the glove and tucked it in his belt.

     

    It was then that Haskill realised he was wearing a paper party hat which happened to be yellow and smothered in red spots. He yanked it off his head then threw it over the edge of the ledge.

     

    To Sotek’s horror the hat drifted down towards Aela but moments before it struck her it broke up into tiny pieces and evaporated into a reddish mist which turned yellow before it dispelled completely.

    Haskill slapped Sotek lightly on the snout then sat on a wooden chair which appeared from nowhere. His voice was once again lifeless and flat.

    “Oh I do hope you’re paying attention”.

     

    Just as Haskill started talking, Sheogorath poked Sotek in the ribs.

    “I’m popping out for a bit. If you see me at all, can you keep me here until I get back?” With that he disappeared leaving Haskill to explain everything by himself.

     

    Haskill stroked the top of his bald head with his fingers then droned on in his monotonous voice.

    “Where to start? Where indeed. Her. We’ll start with her… Aela. You are paying attention aren’t you? I would hate to have to explain everything a second time”. He left the chair behind and lent over the edge of the ledge to gaze down to the three Companions below them.

     

    The wolf rolled its eyes as it sat there watching him. Sotek couldn’t help himself but lay down in a depressed mood.

    “I bet your great at parties”.

     

    Haskill sighed as he rubbed his brow. He tutted slightly then continued with his task at hand of informing Sotek with whatever information he had.

    “This is going to take all night… Aela, she was told by Hircine to do something, but she wouldn’t do it. That was why Sheogorath took her away so you could prove to Hircine that you love her… Which you did”. He then clapped slowly in a dry sarcastic fashion as if he wasn’t impressed at all with Sotek’s endeavours. “Greymane… He displeased Hircine immensely by sending some… You know who’s against you? Ermm, him? Ermm Sotek?”

     

    Sotek sat up as his head tilted sideways. The information was coming at a slow pace and his own mind raced through various scenarios.

    “Shadowscales?”

     

    Haskill’s hands rested on his knees as he thankfully nodded.

    “Oh marvellous, you are paying attention after all. Yes, reptilian Argonians known as Shadowscales. Greymane should have tried to deal with you himself. That is the way of Hircine… A ‘hunt’ not a ‘go fetch’…”

     

    Sotek found himself growling slightly at Haskill’s remark. He pulled himself up to his paws and menacingly approached the Breton.

    “Reptilian Argonians?”

     

    Haskill tutted as he slowly gazed down towards Sotek with little regards to the wolfs composure.

    “Yes… Not to be confused with the fur coated ones like yourself. Oh do sit down. Your leaving patches of fur everywhere”.

     

    “Now about your ancestor. This is confusing as the details are rather sketchy at best so do at least try to listen… Your great, great, great, not so great, ancestor… He had as you know three boons… Well don’t get too excited. You have them as well. No not you, him… This Sotek that you are… Were sorry… Will be again? Oh I do wish Sheogorath would explain sometimes. Things can make much more sense when they make less sense…”

     

    Sotek’s face screwed up as he tried to understand what he was being told but just as he was going to ask Haskill to repeat himself, Sheogorath reappeared.

    “I’m just in time for the good bit. You my dear boy, wolf, lizard… You broke the mould so to speak. In your blood lies three boons which are so potent that Hircine has never used them again…. Want to know what they are?”

     

    He laughed and as he started to sit down on nothing but air however a big armchair appeared just behind him. He landed on it with a ‘thump’.

    “1. You can eat as much ice cream on Tirdas as you like”

    “2. You can juggle three cats while you have a bucket on your head”

    “3. … Oh wait… Wrong Argonian…”

     

    “What the hell?” Sotek was confused before but now he was totally lost and his head started pounding with all the stress he was under. He slumped down on the ledge and whined pitifully to himself until Farkas rolled over on his back and started snoring. Seconds later Soteks paws buried his head.

     

    “Oh don’t worry you will remember it all”. Sheogorath just laughed as his arm stretched out and patted Sotek rather heavily on his back.

     

    “What was Aela told to do?” The Black wolf looked down at Aela as she was sleeping.

     

    He turned back to Sheogorath who just shrugged his shoulders in reply.

    “That you have to ask her, but I wouldn’t worry about that one”.

     

    Giving up with that line of questioning Sotek decided to go back to his ancestors and try to coax more information about them instead.

    “These three boons… They are in my blood?”

     

    Sheogorath roared out with laughter as he shook his head. He climbed up to his feet and peered over the edge at the three Companions before slapping the side of Sotek’s nose.

    “What! No that’s just silly, they are in Soteks blood. Why do you think he don’t suffer with the cold? Each boon also gives slight protection from the cold you see. He has all three so he is far less affected by cold. Now, you’re a wolf remember…. Wolf as in bark, bark, howl. Damn it try to keep up with the conversation. You certainly stuffed your face like one earlier”.

     

    Sotek’s nose twitched as he pulled his head away from the Daedra Lord. He growled softly for a few seconds before a thought came to his struggling and perplexed mind.

    “Ice magic hurts me the same as the others, so why don’t they work with that?”

     

    Haskill groaned as he prepared to leave. Sotek guessed he was ready to go as he had started buttoning up an overly large fluffy robe.

    “Oh listen, you mangy flea bitten hound. They protect you from the weather, not magic”.

     

    Sheogorath lent down to Sotek and whispered quietly in his ear as if he had something important to tell him.

    “Oh one last thing, Hircine is watching on the side lines. Now you have a chance to put everything right. But to do that you have to have a plan and although running around throwing people into mud pits is great fun. Seriously, that really was fun… If you intend to sort out Greymane and take Aela for yourself then you need a plan!”

     

    “Oh don’t worry, I got a plan”. As he gazed down at the Companions who surprisingly were still sleeping, he looked at Aela’s back. Behind her was her quiver full of arrows. Sotek’s gaze drifted to the fire for a few seconds before he nodded to himself. “Come the morning, I’ll put it in motion”. Then he settled down curled up once more. Just before he fell asleep he whispered to Sheogorath one last time. “Can I ask a simple favour?”

     

    Sheogorath rubbed his hands together gleefully as he nodded.

    “Providing tomorrow is as much fun, then yes”.

     

    “Oh it will be. Wake me up just before they wake up. I need a few minutes before they start to rise”. He studied the camp layout as he planned his moves through his head one last time before he settled down for the remainders of the night.

     

    “That’s all? Ok, I won’t”. Sheogorath laughed as he and Haskill started to disappear.

     

    The black wolf smiled then closed his eyes as his mind switched off leaving him to fall into a deep sleep.

     

     

Comments

5 Comments
  • Aela The Huntress
    Aela The Huntress   ·  September 18, 2015
    Sheogorath always makes me laugh. It was nice to see Haskill here as well. Far better than the original version when Sheogorath explains everything. Having Haskill talk t Sotek was a good choice.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  September 8, 2015
    Always doing that. That's the hard part with larger chapters, it's so easy to miss things. Fixing what I can find now.
    I has a lot of fun with Sheo. He's one of my fav Daedric Lords.
    As for Aela, she's younger than the Aela in your story. Abou...  more
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  September 8, 2015
    A few things to watch out for. You're not your. Or you did it the opposite way, I'm not sure. You did it again though. And Breton is spelled with one "t". But it doesn't matter. You take a lot of risk writing as much as you do about Daedric lords and that...  more
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  September 8, 2015
    I really couldn't tell you to be honest. Old habits I guess. You are right of course, I do need to address that.
    Edit
    Changed triple exclamation points on this post to just the one. If you happen to see anything else which would help me either...  more
  • Okan-Zeeus
    Okan-Zeeus   ·  September 8, 2015
    So this is something I've been curious about for a while... 
    I don't think I've ever seen you use a single exclamation point in any of your posts. You only use triple exclamations. Why is that?