U.O.T.W. Chapter 84 Consequences

• Posted by Sotek October 22, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,076 views

  

   

  A wailing cry drew both brothers towards Aela. Her head was tilted back clearly showing the tears which freely ran down her face. Her arms pulled the wolfs head into her chest as she screamed out in anguish. Farkas froze as a numb feeling filled his gut. He blankly turned to Vilkas, his brother for guidance.

   

  Vilkas slowly walked behind Aela and rested his hand on her shoulder. She stopped crying almost instantly as if Vilkas had turned off a switch. He knelt alongside her and caressed her hand as he gently tried to pull her arm away from the wolf’s body.

  “Aela... Aela, he’s gone... I’m...”

   

  Aela slowly turned towards him with pleading eyes as her hands gripped the black wolf’s fur. She whimpered between a spout of sniffing as she sluggishly tilted her head towards her shield sibling.

  “No. This can’t be... He can’t... Please! Do something... Anything...”

   

  She felt Vilkas’s palm brush against her cheek as he tried to comfort her. They had all felt the pain of loss throughout the years but he knew in his heart this was one loss which Aela would never recover from. Once again his arm wrapped around her as if it was a shield, a way of protecting her, but it did little if nothing at all.

   

  Aela felt Vilkas’s arm slightly pull at her side. He was trying to bring her closer to his chest so she knew she didn’t have to face the awful reality alone. Aela however mistook his intentions and presumed he was pulling her away from Sotek, and she was far from ready to let him go.

  “Get off me! Leave me the fuck alone! He’ll wake up, he’s not dead.. He’s not damn you...” She held Sotek tighter and crouched over the body. Her face buried itself in the fur as she whispered to the wolf. “Please... Wake up... I need you... Don’t leave me, please... I beg you, wake up...” She slowly pulled a piece of linen cloth from her pocket and proceeded to wipe the blood away from the wolf’s mouth almost as if she was caressing him before she curled herself up in a ball with the wolf laying in her arms.

   

  Farkas approached her and softly called out to her with genuine albeit tactless concern.

  “Aela, you can’t stay there. You’ll get cold”.

   

  Aela half turned her head towards them both and whispered savagely leaving them with no doubt as to her state of mind.

  “leave... Me... Alone!” She took a deep breath then once again buried her face in the wolf’s side as her fingers held him tightly.

   

  Throughout all this time Sotek was breathing as faintly as he could. His lungs were bursting and he was desperate to draw a big breath of fresh air but he daren’t. Things had gone too far now and he could feel Aela was on the edge. Every second bought him nearer to the climax of his plan. As he kept a stringent control on his instincts to breathe, a rather annoyingly yet familiar voice whispered in his ear.

  “Ok, what the hell and cheese wheels are you doing? You’re not hurt!”

   

  Deep inside Sotek’s mind, he groaned...

  “Not now! You of all Daedra.. Please, shut the hell up and keep out of it”.

   

  Before Sheogorath could respond, Aela lifted herself up and lovingly stroked the top of the wolfs head. She wiped a few tears from her face then ruffled the wolf’s ears as if he was sleeping. She crouched over him again and spoke softly as if she was afraid to disturb him.

  “You can’t be dead... Wake up, please... I need you... It hurts... So much... I... Love you, I’m so sorry”.

   

  The very moment Sotek heard those words he drew a breath and flicked up to his paws tearing himself away from Aela’s embrace as she sat there staring in utter astonishment. Her mouth fell open as a vacant expression covered her face while her arms fell limply to her sides.

   

  Sotek slowly glanced around at the other siblings to find they were also staring at him. Instantly he knew he was in trouble and it was far too late to do anything about it. Realism sank in and he started wishing he was far slower in his ‘recovery’. Wearily he watched Aela’s face as her pale complexion changed from white to a seething red. The wolf’s head sank down as his paws separated out giving him a much more sturdy stance so he could move away at speed if he felt the need to. And the need became more and more pressing with every passing second.

   

  Aela kept staring at him as her hand slowly traced along the ground. Whether she was aware of it or not made no difference, her fingers wrapped themselves around a rock and her knuckles turned white as she held the small boulder with a vice like grip. She threw herself up to her feet as her hand raised up to lash out at the wolf, forcing him to back away at speed but from out of nowhere a bigger hand grasped her wrist preventing her from lashing out.

   

  “Whoaa! Let it go!” She snapped her head around to see Vilkas holding her and it was clear he wasn’t messing about. Aela grudgingly released the rock letting it simply fall to the floor then without a single word she yanked her hand away and quietly walked to the overhang. Farkas, Vilkas and Sotek who was still trapped in the wolf form despite the fact that he had managed to trick Aela into saying that she loved him, all stood still like statues except for their heads which followed Aela like they were owls.

   

  Aela crouched down to Farkas’s pack and pulled out a flask of oil. With complete disregard to her safety or anyone else’s, she threw the flask on the fire. A loud bang shook the ground as a fireball rose up lighting up the area and sending out a torrent wave of heat. All of them shielded their eyes from the nova like flare but when the flames died down they all saw Aela glaring at the three of them as if she blamed each one just as much as the other.

   

  As the wood on the fire was now burning fiercely, all Aela had to do was to lay down. She rested on her bedroll but not before savagely stabbing the earth with her dagger. All the while her eyes bore into the wolf.

   

  Vilkas drew a deep breath to steady his nerves then muttered to Farkas as he led them towards the camp.

  “Looks like we’re resting her... Here for a while... Come on”.

   

  A lone solitary female voice called out from under a fur. Each one of them knew it was fuelled by Aela’s temper and they all took her threat seriously.
  “Don’t come near me, not one of you bastards... Don’t!”

   

  Farkas discretely sulked as he didn’t want to incur Aela’s wroth. He felt it before when they were younger. He glanced at his bedroll which was a mere few feet away from Aela and dismissed the thought of retrieving it as it was with all intents a suicide mission. As he watched the flames he subconsciously rubbed his leg where an old scar marked the occasion when he hid Aela’s bow.

   

  It was a good few years before when that incident occurred. He and Vilkas were just boys and for a laugh they hid Aela’s bow in the kitchen in a cupboard where Aela couldn’t find it. Aela however didn’t even bother to look for it. She snatched Farkas’s dagger and threatened him. Kodlak himself forced Aela to hand the dagger back which she did promptly by stabbing it into Farkas’s thigh. She refused to let it go until her property was returned to her.

   

  Farkas and Vilkas never hid her bow again and it was a while before Kodlak would allow Aela to have a dagger of her own.

   

  His thoughts were disrupted by a soft whining which originated from Sotek who lay slumped upon the ground. He kept raising his head and glancing over towards Aela who was blatantly ignoring him. The only words of encouragement came from Vilkas and they were of little comfort.

   

  “You should have took your time getting up. What the hell were you playing at anyway? Why play dead like that? Why the hell am I talking to a wolf? I just hope you can explain it when this is over. We won’t survive another day like this so take some advice, shut your bloody trap, lay down and get some sodding sleep”. He then looked over towards his own bedroll and huffed loudly.

   

  It took her a few moments to calm herself down to the point where she could speak. When she was ready but more to the point when she was willing, she propped herself up on her elbow and hollered at the wolf.

  “Get your god damned ass over here, and stop that insufferable whining. You two, get some rest”. She laid down once more and watched as Sotek timidly approached her. In her mind she counted out the seconds which only served to rattle her more. After what seemed like hours the wolf laid alongside her although he was careful to leave a gap between them both. Aela’s own body betrayed her and she instinctively moved back into him. She could feel the warmth of his fur which only served to anger her but she fought the rage and closed her eyes. The last thing she felt was a single wolf leg rest across her body.

   

  Mid morning was marked by the glaring brightness of the sun as it crept past the Throat of the World mountain. Sunlight bathed the overhang disturbing Aela’s sleep despite the fact that she was protected by the full glare of the sun due to the rocky slab which served as a roof.

   

  As she stirred, she was dimly aware that there were still a good few hours until midday. Random thoughts of the past few days entered her head and played out, staying there, in her mind for a few seconds then faded out as another scenario took its place. Red running along the log. Her jaw snapping at the black wolf as they fell into the ravine. Aela herself hanging upside down as the wolf watched her. As Sotek watched her.

   

  “You cunning bastard” She murmured to herself as she held her eyes tightly shut before she opened them and faced the realism that it was time to get up. Her eyes were sore and she felt tired. Too many days without proper sleep and too many emotions. Emotions she didn’t want, like pain and anger... And tears.

   

  She could feel him tucked in behind her. His arm was wrapped around her waist. She held on to it tightly as she pushed herself back into him a little just to try to get that little bit closer to him. Subconsciously she played with his hand, intertwining her fingers with his.

   

  In a flash her eyes opened wide. Aela laid there staring at his arm while his hand rested in hers. His proper hand. She held it up in front of her face with disbelieving eyes as if she was studying the green scales and the talon like claws which served as fingernails. She dared to turn around, praying that she wasn’t dreaming, almost pleading with bated breath that it wasn’t some cruel hoax. She fought against the urge to blink. The fear of Sotek disappearing in that tiniest of a fraction was too strong for her to risk it.

   

  Slowly she looked over her shoulder while her hands gripped his arm as if she was trying to prevent him from vanishing in a puff of smoke. Aela found herself staring straight at Sotek. She had to look twice while she desperately hoped that what she saw was the truth and not some twisted Daedra game. There he was though, not the black wolf which she spent the last three days trying to hunt and kill, but Sotek. Sotek the Argonian. She could even feel his tail which was coiled around her thigh like a serpent.

   

  Her trembling fingertips barely touched his scales as they traced along the features of his face with the same delicate care someone would have if they were holding a fragile glass orb. Unable to contain her emotions any more, the realism that Sotek was actually there in front of her proved to be too much for her to handle. She screamed as she grabbed him tightly.

  “You're back!” Sotek’s eyes shot wide open as Aela flung herself at him despite their close proximity.

   

  Everyone jumped. Vilkas’s reaction was immediate. He was on his feet in seconds with his sword at the ready. Farkas was somewhat slower to respond to Aela’s excitable cry. It took him a few moments to gather his wits and a precious few seconds more to join his brothers side as they prepared to counter any possible danger.

   

  Their senses were acute as they both scanned the area, however there was no intruder, or any signs of a threat. Farkas turned towards the overhang where Sotek was still laying down after being smothered by Aela.

  “What? What’s happening? Who?”

   

  Aela herself had jumped, but her reaction was because of how the others reacted. In a single action the camp changed from a peaceful sanctuary to a hot bed of emotions and confusion. Aela sat up giving Sotek the much needed room to look at the other Companions. A devious smile crept along Sotek’s lips as he singled Farkas out despite Aela’s eyes which were still staring at him.

  “Farkas, you're talking in your sleep again”.

   

  “What? Me? Ermm sorry”. Farkas timidly sat back down on his bed roll and rested his sword by his side. A few moments past before he realised that he was actually looking at Sotek rather than the black wolf. “Hey, you're back”.

   

  Aela and Sotek shared a few chuckles of laughter until he tried to get up. The serenity and relief which both he and Aela felt from the knowledge that he was no longer an animal was shattered in an instant. His whole left shoulder crippled him from the pain causing him to scream out in agony as he fell on his side. Holding on to Aela for emotional support, Sotek tried to fight the excruciating pain but it was too much to bear, he rolled on his back in an attempt to combat the pressure on his shoulder. He lay there motionless except for his heavy breathing and just stared at the large overhang above him.

   

  Aela gingerly caressed his forehead just to let him know she was still there by his side. She glanced across the camp and called out to her brother.

  “Vilkas! Come and help me get him to his feet. Farkas, throw me a leather strap”. She then leaned over Sotek and kissed him softly on his cheek. “Bite down on the leather, we’ll get you to your feet but you keep hold of me. Don’t try to stand by yourself”.

   

  Sotek briefly nodded as Aela placed the leather strap between his teeth. He bit down as Aela had instructed then nodded a second time informing both Aela and Vilkas that he was ready. His fingers wrapped tightly around Vilkas’s muscular arm and his claws dug into Vilkas’s wolf armor due to the pain which coursed through him. Vilkas held his waist tighter as he took the strain and some of Sotek’s weight, helping him to his feet.

  “Steady… Your shoulder’s badly hurt. Do you remember what happened?”

   

  Sotek growled through clenched teeth as he tried to mentally blackout the intense burning sensation which tore through his stooped shoulder. Gradually it faded to a dull aching throb allowing him to spit out the leather strap. He hissed back at Vilkas as his tail slammed on the ground angrily.

  “Yess, I remember… I remember all of it. That bitch sshot me!”

   

  Aela’s jaw dropped. She tried to think of any comeback but her mind was a complete blank.

   

  Farkas however, burst out laughing as he watched Aela’s face turn pale.

  “Oh good. He really does remember”.

   

  Slowly Sotek became more steady as he found his feet. He tapped Vilkas on the arm as a signal to let him try to stand without the Companions aid but throughout all that time he still clung on to Aela.

  “God it feels funny walking upright”.

   

  Aela’s arm wrapped around Sotek’s back allowing her to hold his inured side by the waist whilst causing him the minimal of discomfort. They both stood there watching the plains as she spoke to him.

  “When you were that blasted wolf… How much of it do you actually remember?”

   

  Sotek groaned dryly as he cast his mind back over the last few days.

  “Yess, the wolf. Falling off the blasted log, getting hit by that bloody bow… Didn’t I tell you not to shoot me with it? You know I’m sure I did”.

   

  Aela returned a weak smile as she slightly nodded.

  “You actually said, don’t shoot you in the arm with it. I didn’t… I shot you in the leg…”

   

  Sotek sighed as he found himself having to admit that Aela was right.

  “And the corridor where we fought. You bit into my shoulder… Someone pushed me to my knees… I remember you screaming my name… You screamed, then at some point he intervened...”

   

  Aela cast a confused expression as she tilted her head so she could look at him better.

  “Who intervened?”

   

  Sotek glanced down at her as he whispered his reply.

  “Sheogorath… I need a minute”. Sotek closed his eyes and shut out everyone’s voices. He slowly placed events as he tried to remember everything that Sheogorath had told him. Confusion clouded his mind and he slowly shook his head. “I need a walk. I’ve got to get my legs going. Damn my shoulder kills”. For the first time he looked at his shoulder and grimaced as he saw massive tear scars which smothered his shoulder blade. They stretched all around his shoulder showing a massive bite mark. He tried to raise his arm but he only managed to lift it as high as Aela’s waist line then it fell limply to his side as his face screwed up in pain.“Ahhrrg… Fuck it! I can’t lift it, I can’t use my arm!”

   

  More annoyed with himself than anything else, he pulled himself away from Aela and attempted once more to raise his injured arm but the pain was too much for him to bear. It didn’t matter how desperate he was to raise it, the moment he tried to elevate it, a shock wave ripped through him like he was being tortured. His brow was caked in sweat as he relaxed his arm once more in defeat.

   

  Vilkas walked over to him and beckoned Aela to his side, telling her to come over towards them.

  “Technically, you're wrong”.

   

  Sotek rolled his eyes then hissed in response to Vilkas’s remark.

  “What the hell do you mean? I’m ssodding wrong… Hsss”

   

  Aela gently held Sotek’s hand as she joined in the conversation with a uncharacteristically quiet whispering voice.

  “It wasn’t me… It was Red…”

   

  Sotek slowly turned towards her as a gawping stare covered his face. He glanced back at Vilkas as he pointed at Aela accusingly despite the fact that she was still standing next to him.

  “Did I hear her right just then? It wasn’t her? Is she pulling my sodding tail?”

   

  Vilkas backed away as he felt they needed some space. Instead he shrugged his shoulders as he replied dryly.

  “No, she’s not. Red’s different to our werewolf forms. I told you that ages ago. What I didn’t tell you was this… Red has her own personality, just because Aela likes someone or a particular food, it don’t mean Red will. Again if Red likes someone, it don’t mean Aela will either. Aela wasn’t there, she didn’t do it. Red was the one who bit you…” He sighed then cast a look back at the camp and started walking towards it. He looked back over his shoulder as he signalled Farkas to follow him. “I know it’s hard to get your head around, but you have to. It wasn’t Aela. We’ll be back at camp. I guess you two need to talk”.

   

  Sotek’s attention switched back to Aela who was watching his expressions nervously. His tail twitched about like a snake on a hot rock as he felt a wave of emotions pull him in a multitude of directions. He felt just as agitated and confused about the whole series of events as Aela did. He shook his head dismissing any thoughts and pulled Aela close to him. She nearly buckled backwards as his weight pressed against her when he unexpectedly rested his head on her shoulder as if it was a rock.

  “I know... I know you’re close to Red far more that they are with their wolf spirits... I see it in your eyes, when you hunt... Even when we have...”

   

  Farkas waited patiently for him to finish but he never did. After waiting for what seemed an eternity he called out to Sotek in an attempt to coax him into finishing what he was trying to say.

  “Even when you have what? Lunch?”

   

  Aela blinked a few times in succession from the surprised feeling of being kissed on the top of her head. Sotek glanced back at Farkas and studied his brute strength which Sotek had now found himself lacking.

  “Never you mind”.

   

  Aela caressed his head with one hand while the other hand stroked his back as she tried to sooth his emotions. She whispered to him despite the fact that the others were now a good few yards away.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t control her when she’s like that. That’s why there should be a lock on my door”.

   

  She held him tightly for a few seconds then pushed against his chest with the palm of her hand as she stepped backwards forcing a two foot space between them. Sotek looked up in surprise but she just stared at him. When she found the words she wanted, she spoke briskly.

  “I’m sorry, I really am, but you’re the moron that smashed my bloody door down”.

   

  Sotek eyes closed for a few seconds as her words plagued him. His emotions filled with defiance and anger which he directed straight at Aela.

  “Oh, so this is my fault? Ok, I don‘t believe this. Yes, ok I smashed down your door. But remember this sweetheart… In doing so, we saved your bloody arse you bitch!”

   

  Aela’s frustrations came to the fore and served a reminder as to how vicious it was to both Farkas and Vilkas who looked on with concern. Her face screwed up and she gritted her teeth. The next moment Sotek’s head was thrown sideways as she promptly slapped him hard across the face, stinging her hand in the process.

  “Don’t you dare shout at me you cunt. I’ve been worried sick over you! And you tricked me into saying that I lo...” She walked away from him making sure that she kept her back to him at all times so he couldn’t see a single tear run down her cheek. She discretely wiped it away as she nursed the palm of her hand. Her voice was somewhat calmer as she spoke once more to Sotek despite the fact that he was behind her still. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to lash out at you”.

   

  She felt Sotek’s hand rest on her hip for the briefest of seconds before it slid up her body to settle just above her breasts. She let herself be gently pulled backwards into Sotek’s chest where she tilted her head to rest against him.

   

  Aela turned around to face him once more and held him at arm’s length by the waist. He went to rest his hands on her hips but he stopped as he noticed a big grin form on Aela’s face. Her head tilted downwards in a slow deliberate motion as she gawped brazenly at his groin. Feeling perplexed Sotek followed her line of sight and sighed heavily. As his shoulders dropped he let out a soft cry of pain as he momentarily forgot the wound as a more pressing need took his attention.

  “Where the hell are my blasted clothes?”

   

  Aela still had a broad smile as she looked up evilly at him. Her voice changed to one of a far more sultry tone as her hand slowly slid across his chest.

  “You’re naked. Like a hatchling...”

   

  A solitary sigh huffed across the top of her head as Sotek stared at the horizon behind her.

  “Oh really? And you just noticed did you?”

   

  She started giggling like a little girl, tittering to herself as she shamelessly nodded to him. All the while her eyes followed his torso down once more where she shamelessly kept looking at his groin. “Unfortunately, yes...”

   

  Sotek could easily cope with Aela staring at him after all he would openly watch her. The tip of his tail started to curve as Aela’s eyes started widening along with the smile on her face. Sotek growled as he tried to control his emotions. His tail started to coil up between his feet as he glanced over at Farkas and Vilkas.

   

  Farkas, who had heard the entire conversation smiled as he listened to Aela chuckling to herself. He enjoyed the fact that Sotek was so prone and was more than happy to add to the Argonian’s discomfort.

  “Ermm, just so you know... We didn’t notice either, but now we aren’t looking”.

   

  Throughout all this time Sotek held Aela’s hips tightly and kept her between himself and the others. Aela flashed her eyelids at him as she pointed between his legs.

  “Mr Wolf is very alert today”.

   

  Sotek snarled as his jaws locked together.

  “Aela, shut up. You’re not helping”.

   

  She burst out laughing as she pretended to walk away from him.

  “Fine... Shall I go and join the others? Yes, maybe that would be for the best”.

   

  Sotek’s face filled with alarm as he held on to her franticly.

  “No! You stay there. Farkas! Throw me a fur”.

   

  Aela glanced over her shoulder to her ‘brother’ and waved her finger at him.

  “Don’t you dare”.

   

  A solitary growl forced Aela to back down but fortunately for Sotek, Vilkas answered his plight and walked over to him with a large fur in his arms while at the same time he kept his eyes fixed on a point in the horizon.

  “Here, cover yourself up. You’re a Companion damn it. Have some decorum. What in Oblivion would Tilma say?”. However the moment he started walking off he was chuckling as well.

   

  Aela covered her mouth as she increased her laughing. She shook her head near hysterically as Sotek held the fur against himself in an attempt to cover himself up. She turned to Farkas and grinned broadly as she spoke.

  “She’d say Aela’s a lucky girl” The next moment she flinched as Vilkas smacked the back of her head. She responded by flicking him on the nose. Throughout all of this Sotek tried to work out how he would wrap the fur around himself with only one arm.

   

  His mate came to his aid and started covering him from the waist down with the fur but she came to a rapid stop when she stood behind him.

  “Ermm in or out?”

   

  Sotek confusingly glanced over his shoulder at her as he unmeaning snapped his response.

  “What?”

   

  Aela simply raised her eyebrows then tugged on his tail to empathise what she was on about.

  “Don’t what me Mr... Now, your tail... In or out?”

   

  He tutted as his tail thrashed around before lowering itself to the ground submissively.

  “Oh right... In”

   

  Once he was looking far more decent, Aela led him back to the camp where she barked out her orders to the group, automatically taking charge and leaving no one in doubt as to who was the alpha.

  “Farkas, head back with Vilkas and fetch Sotek’s gear. He can’t enter Whiterun like that. You had best tell Danica that we all met up. You can’t say Sotek was a wolf so just make up something like... Like what?”

   

  Sotek sat down on Aela’s bedroll and thought for a few moments before he nodded to himself.

  “That’ll do it. Tell her I woke up a few nights ago and you three found me on the plains wandering about. Don’t say any more than that, you simply don’t know. She’ll believe your ignorance and accept it as fact. Don’t tell anyone about my shoulder”.

   

  Vilkas sadly shook his head as he sighed remorsefully. His voice was full of empathy and his mouth felt dry as he answered to Sotek’s instructions.

  “Everyone knows about it. They said your arm would be useless”.

   

  Sotek looked down as his hand and slowly his fingers formed a fist as he hissed back to his shield siblings.

  “Like hell it iss”.

   

  Aela silently looked on as she watched both Farkas and Vilkas head back towards Whiterun. Then moment she and Sotek were alone she chose to stand alongside him despite the fact that he was sitting down. She never knelt down but just stood there towering over him literally forcing him to look up at her. The jovial mood quickly changed with pace of her hurtful, angry tone, let alone the fact that her foot had started tapping.

  “Tell me something... Why the hell did you pretend to die? By the way, just so you know… That was a nasty, dirty trick you pulled. Making someone who really cares for you, believe that you died in front of them. I hope you had a big chuckle over that. We all thought you were dead...” Aela’s eyes started swelling up but she closed them tightly and controlled her breathing. Her will strengthened and her hostile gaze met Sotek’s nervous stare once more. “Now, cut the crap... Tell me, why you made me believe you had died?”

   

  Sotek’s eyes seemed to glaze over as he watched her features almost like he was studying her before he shamefully turned away so she couldn’t see his face. He sighed loudly just to try to give himself a few seconds to think.

  “It’s complicated, but I will tell you what I can...”

   

  Aela rolled her eyes as she flumped down opposite him. Her groan was off putting but Aela was beyond caring. Her dagger dug into the ground as she coldly remarked on his attempted explanation.

  “It’s going to be one of those tales isn’t it... Make it good Sotek... It had better be the best tale you’ve told”.

   

  Sotek hissed at her open hostility with his own anger, matching hers like two wolves confronting one another for dominance. He lowered his head once more then openly glared right in her face.

  “It isn’t a tale. Hsss. It’s the truth, at least the truth as I remember it... It started at the temple, I think... Sheogorath, he came to me... Or summoned me to him, I don’t know... What I do know is that I appeared outside Ivarstead as a wolf. Sheogorath told me that Hircine was watching, at least I think he said it... I don’t know”.

   

  He stood up then walked to the edge of the overhang and rested his good hand on the lip of the roof as he cast a glance across the plains. He studied some deer in the distance before he turned back to Aela to carry on with his explanation.

  “Sheogorath said that I have to prove you love me. I had to get you to say you love me... Bear in mind I was a wolf... What the hell was I supposed to do? It took me three days to get you not to try to kill me for howling out loud. We hunted together and you said that you never felt like that, but even then you wouldn’t say it. It was when you skinned the deer. That’s when I had the idea. If I feigned injury or death then with some luck your emotions would overcome your bloody pig headed stubbornness. It took my death to get you to say you love me... The fact is that I had no other choice and I certainly didn’t find it amusing. And screw you for thinking that”. With that he left the overhang and slowly walked past the campfire, trying his best to ignore Aela which was like trying to ignore the fact that a mammoth was standing on your foot.

   

  Aela sprang up to her feet and followed him outside. She called out to him but he ignored her and kept on walking. Not anywhere in particular just anywhere away from her. He knew she was angry, after all he reasoned she had a right to be but then again what was he supposed to do. Maybe there was another way he could have played it, maybe.

   

  His attention was pulled back to Aela just as quickly as his hand which she grabbed with the speed of a snake darting forwards to bite its prey. Sotek stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around. He felt the palm of her hand rest against his cheek long before he saw it. Her soft voice quelled the mixed up fury of emotions which he felt tearing himself up from within like a storm blowing out a candle. Her eye met his but as he went to speak a solitary finger rested on his lips silencing him, allowing Aela to talk instead.

  “I’m not explaining it now, this isn’t the time. It’s hard for me to say that. That’s why I was so angry... I didn’t know you needed me to say it... It was still nasty... It was a good plan Sotek... You played me well there... I hate the fact that I said it, but I understand”.

   

  Sotek pulled his face away from Aela’s finger then snapped at her angrily.

  “Well I don’t understand. Not one bloody bit. Why? What was it all for? Three days on the run from you for what? My arm’s useless, I can’t even hold a fireball let alone throw it”. Just for emphasis he cast a fireball in his left hand and almost cried out from the pain. The ball of fire dispelled in his hand as he nursed his shoulder. His breathing was rapid and sweat dripped from his brow. “My arm... Vilkas is right... It’s useless”. He turned to Aela with desperation clearly sewn in his voice. “What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

   

  Aela gently pulled his head down to her bosom and caressed the side of his face. The anger she had felt dissipated as her emotions now seemed so over the top. She thought about what they had been through, what he had been through. That was when she turned her own anger against herself. He was just an easy target. It was far easier having a go at him than facing the simple truth. She and she alone was to blame.

  “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, it’s my fault, I did this”. she put her arm around him and held him tightly.

   

  Sotek slightly shook his head despite the fact that he was still resting against her chest. Her face screwed up slightly as a bone spike momentarily dug into her but she said nothing about it. Instead she repositioned his head slightly using the guile of a quick kiss to the top of his forehead.

   

  Sotek lifted his head up to face her as another thought entered his already troubled mind. As he walked up behind her, his right hand rested on her hip.

  “Kodlak, is he ok?”

   

  A soft dull thud resonated from Sotek’s chest as Aela’s forehead banged against his chest. She held his sides tightly the two words murmured from her mouth.

  “Aww crap” She looked up and smiled nervously before explaining what Red had actually done. “Kodlak’s fine. The only one hurt was you... But...”

   

  Sotek growled as his eyes narrowed. If there was one thing he dreaded more than his own ‘but’ it would be Aela’s.

  “But what? What has Red done?”

   

  Aela took a deep breath then cast a long drawn out look at the city of Whiterun which broke the skyline on the horizon.

  “You know the Undercroft? She tore it apart...”

   

  Sotek followed her gaze to Jorrvaskr but he struggled to take in exactly what Aela was trying to say.

  “My room? My alchemy shelves? The stores? What did she damage precisely?”

   

  Aela simply shrugged then cast an uneasy peek at his features before turning away again. She gulped as she tried to find the right words but whatever way she tried to put it, it all meant the same thing.

  “Everything. She destroyed everything... Sotek she was down there for three whole days”.

   

  Sotek’s face filled with shock as he counted out the whole time that seemed to pass. He shook his head as a stunned emotion seemed to choke him.

  “Three days? You’ve been chasing me for four bloody days damn it. How many days was I out for?”

   

  Aela shrugged her shoulders as she answered him.

  “About a week”.

   

  If it was at all possible, then his jaw would have dropped to the floor. He gawped at her for several seconds as he tried to think of a response but before he could even consider saying anything, a single high pitched voice from behind them caused Sotek’s face to fill with dread.

   

  Both Companions lurched forwards as the Daedra Lord slapped them simultaneously on their backs causing Sotek to hiss loudly as pain tore through his shoulder once more. Aela span around with a face full of anger and glared at Sheogorath who himself had an overly large demented grin plastered across his face. Whether he knew or even cared about the agro he had caused them was lost in an instant as he greeted them both with his high pitched insane voice. “Well hello and good cheese wheels to you both. You’re a cunning bastard aren’t you, hmmm?” Sheogorath laugh as he blatantly ignored the expressions on their faces.

   

  Sotek, who was still nursing his shoulder, boldly walked towards Sheogorath. He yelled out as a way of dealing with his pent up frustrations.

  “What the hell do you want now? No, don’t tell me... I don’t effing well care.”

   

  Sheogorath rolled his eyes in an exaggerated motion which would have made Aela chuckle if she wasn’t feeling so pissed off. Ignoring the hostile atmosphere, Sheogorath promptly sat back in a luxurious armchair which seemed to appear out of nowhere. He supped on an overly large cup before tipping its contents out onto a saucer and then slurped on it loudly.

  “That’s not fair, I thought we made a great team” Sheogorath spoke in his high pitched excited voice as usual. “You done so well over the last few days. The chases with her were amazing. We had so much fun”.

   

  Sotek instantly snapped as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Aela found herself to be the centre of his rant just as much as Sheogorath was.

  “Amazing? I was on the run for three bloody days, being chased by those sodding bastards”. He then turned to face Aela and let loose all his frustrations upon her. “You’re supposed to hunt something. Not chase it to bloody death”. He then turned back to Sheogorath and almost screamed at him as he pointed towards Aela accusingly. “She’s bloody psychotic”.

   

  Sheogorath looked across to Aela with a questioning look. He studied her for a moment then turned back towards Sotek and raised his hand.

  “Who do you mean? Her or Red? The werewolf?”

   

  Sotek growled loudly as his head snapped back towards her sending more pain to shoot up across his chest. This just added to his confusion causing him to get somewhat tongue tied.

  “What? Her! Red! Hell both of her, them, what bloody ever!” At that point he could have screamed.

   

  For once in her life, Aela wisely decided to just stand there listening to them both.

   

  Sheogorath laughed as he held his hands up to him as if he was some sort of threat. All the while though the Daedra Lord was laughing and grinning profusely.

  “Calm down, you did well. At least I think you did well. Do you want me to check? No? Here’s something that’ll cheer you up moody breaches... You’re on probation... Now you be a good little doggie and you’ll be fine. Be a bad doggie and we’ll get the Companions to hunt you down”. As he spoke he tapped Sotek on the top of his head a few times causing Sotek’s eyes to blink with every touch.

   

  Sotek Pulled his head away from Sheogorath’s reach and hissed back angrily.

  “You’ve tried that already you basstard”.

   

  Sheogorath bellowed loudly with laughter as he held his stomach. However he quickly stopped then bizarrely he licked his finger and held it up in the air as if he was trying to tell which way the wind was blowing. His features changed from a highly amused state to one of worry and discord. As he started shivering he rapidly spoke to the pair of them.

  “Cold wind from the south. Never a good sign. He’s there you know, to the south beyond the mountains. Hop along now, hipper de hop”.

   

  He then transformed into a pink rabbit and bound across the plains screaming out for Haskill before he disappeared down a rabbit hole.

   

  Aela angrily turned around to face Sotek and promptly yelled at him for reasons Sotek couldn’t understand.

  “That was Sheogorath... He’s the bastard that took me from my room!”

   

  Before Sotek could answer a strange scent swept past them. Aela’s eyes opened wide with a mesmerizing stare of awe as she promptly fell to her knees in an almost revered pose. A spiritual hand rested on her head and stroked her hair three times in succession.

   

  Sotek had his back to them. He didn’t need to see who had chased off Sheogorath, he knew instinctively. Slowly he turned around and hissed out loudly in open defiance.

  “Hircine... Hssssss”