U.O.T.W. Chapter 166 The Huntress of the Plains

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    Arrows darted across the plains towards the four wolves that were rapidly closing the gap between them and the large pack of Companions. Some of the creatures were struck down as the projectiles tore into them, tearing through muscle and organs as they pierced the tough fur.

     

    With a whining cry, two wolves fell to the ground, kicking up dirt along with the few arrows that had unfortunately missed their targets where the Whelps had fired rashly rather than take a good solid aim.

     

    The third wolf flipped over backwards in a somersault when two arrows struck it full in the chest, flipping it over as it ran. The fourth wolf however… did not.

     

    With the Whelps and the two brothers fumbling to load arrows, Sotek broke into a run. He dropped his bow and two ethereal swords burst into life in his hands while he ran as fast and hard as he could to intercept the wolf before it managed to leap up at his mate. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he watched his blade skim the wolf’s head, missing it by inches.

     

    The Argonian slammed into the dirt as he helplessly watched the wolf run past and take the final two steps before launching itself at Aela. The Huntress grabbed hold of an arrow only to drop it as there was no time to fire.

     

    The wolf could almost taste its prey; flesh, blood, meat. They bound together in a smell sensation sending the wolf in a bloody frenzy. Howling out its shrilling cry, the wolf leapt up brandishing its claws and fangs.

     

    Armed with just her bow, Aela rolled backwards with the wolf, letting its momentum take her. She tucked in her knees, pulling them tight against her chest by wrapping herself up in a ball while the flats of her boots were tight against the wolf’s stomach. Her bow was shoved into the wolf’s maw, preventing it from biting as they tumbled across the grassland. Aela’s knuckles were white as she held the beast at bay with both hands firmly gripping the one weapon preventing the wolf from making such a quick kill.

     

    Aela by now had rolled almost all the way over. Her backside was sticking up in the air and the ground was just touching her shoulder blades when she kicked out with all her strength.

     

    Her feet propelled the beast over the top of her as she sent it high in the air in an uncontrollable spin while she carried on rolling. A sickening crunch along with a cloud of debris was quickly followed by a snarling growl as the wolf clawed its way back to its paws.

     

    Aela spun around and leaned forwards, poised to strike with her fingers as she snarled back at the creature. Her teeth were brandished like fangs while her hands were sticking out to her sides where her fingernails were wielded as if they were claws. She growled back at the wolf, warning it to come no closer to her in a threat display marking her territory to which the wolf was invading.

     

    The wolf took one paw forward and sniffed the air. Her scent was unmistakable, she was death incarnate, the Huntress of the plains and the creature knew he had been lucky to survive. With a soft low whine it turned around and fled while Aela’s snarls and hisses tormented its ears.

     

    Aela hadn’t even realized she dropped her bow. She bent over and breathed in deeply in an attempt to quell the rising beast within her. Some of the Whelps who saw her shaking presumed she was scared but the Companions knew better. Such raw energy flowed through her and the shaking was a direct result to her holding back a creature that would condemn them all.

     

    Sotek pointed to the dead wolves and relayed his orders quickly and without compromise. He knew Aela was on the edge and she needed help. Speed was the enemy now.

    “Farkas, take the Whelps and start skinning. Vilkas, keep them here. Aela… Aela!! To me. Me!!”

     

    He forcefully grabbed her hand and yanked her towards him while he headed off setting a fast rapid pace away from the others. One thing he kept doing was talking to her, trying to keep the beast inside and help the Huntress maintain control.

    “Aela? Talk to me… Aela? Are you ok?”

     

    She looked at him with wild crazy eyes tainted with yellow. Sotek held her tightly by the cheeks and lightly shook her, helping her to focus while he kept talking to her.

    “Aela… The plains? We’re on the plains with the Whelps? Snap out of it. Take back control”.

     

    She doubled over and sank to her knees as she buried her face in her hands. She screamed out in fury, releasing some of the barely contained energy, preventing Red from taking over.

     

    After a few minutes of being cradled in Sotek’s arms, Aela lightly pushed him away and rose to her feet. She lifted her face up to the heavens and cried out in hysterical laughter.

    “That… was… amazing! Oh it’s like sex but ten times better… What a rush!! She was there, with me. Me and Red, Red and me, side by side. Oh Sotek….. I’m knackered…”

    She slumped against him, weakly holding on to him, relying extensively for him to support her.

     

    Vilkas briskly walked towards them and grabbed Aela by the shoulder. Although it wasn’t clear what she was saying, he could understand enough of it to know she was talking about Red.

    “Shush you stupid cow!”

     

    Aela’s posture belied the energy within her that had remained. With all the strength she could, she swung around and thumped Vilkas across the jaw with a haymaker. His head was thrown sideways, sending him to the ground with a single punch.

    “Don’t… touch… me!”

     

    She turned to the Whelps who now looked back fearfully as they realized Aela wasn’t afraid at all. She was exited, empowered and wild.

     

    The Huntress lifted up her head and shouted out for all to hear.
    “I’m Aela the Huntress. Huntress of the plains!!! I hunt here!!!”

     

    She gazed back to Sotek who hadn’t moved an inch since seeing Vilkas topple to the ground and she whispered to him.

    “I’m Aela the Huntress. I hunt here….”

     

    The Argonian cast a fleeting glance at Vilkas who was being helped to his feet by Farkas and stepped closer to Aela. He held her by the cheek and pulled her to his chest while he stroked her head like she was a beloved pet.

    “Not anymore you don’t; least not today. We’ll make camp”.

     

    Vilkas rubbed his jaw and cursed out loud whilst being careful not to engage Aela directly.
    “Make camp? You think? Farkas, have the Whelps gather the wood”.

     

    Aela lifted up her head and lazily gazed at Vilkas before turning to her other brother.

    “Farkas… have the Whelp’s gather some wood. We’re making camp”.

     

    It was late afternoon by the time they were all sitting around the campfire. Farkas was taking care of the venison they were cooking while Vilkas took care of his jaw. Sotek had cast a healing spell on it but it still felt sore as he talked.

    “You keep her under control. Here of all places? What the hell sent you off like that?”

     

    Aela walked over to the wolf furs and picked up an iron arrow. She threw it at Vilkas’s feet and demanded an explanation for her own curiosity.

    “What bloody moron fired that first shot?”

     

    All the members in Sotek’s pack turned towards the Imperial girl with three exceptions. She glanced down at her feet in shame and stared at a stone, silently wishing the ground to swallow her up. Sotek kept his gaze fixed on Aela as he was unsure whether she had now calmed down or if she was one step away from tearing someone apart. Had he instead looked at the others then he would have seen Vilkas who glanced at the Imperial before leaning forwards, offering himself as a sacrifice.

    “Sorry; that was me. I said I’m not much use with a bow”.

     

    Aela rolled her eyes and groaned despairingly while throwing her hands up at the sky.

    “You bloody ape! Try harder damn it. How the hell are they going to learn?”

     

    At that point Sotek placed his hand on her shoulder, momentarily distracting her.

    “Hey, it’s ok. He’s learned his lesson; they all have and we got the wolves. You go for a walk and leave them to me. I’ll sort him out”.

     

    “He’s an idiot. That could have screwed up the whole thing”.

    When Aela looked across the landscape, she felt a loss should she venture away from the camp. She desperately wanted to hunt but she needed Scarface to be there as well. Dejectedly she shook her head, refusing to take Sotek up on his offer. “I don’t trust myself. I’ll stay here and be quiet; you sort them out”.

     

    She threw one last glare at Vilkas, warning him to take heed to what Sotek had to say then the Huntress fell quiet and lay down on her back, bathing her face in the afternoon sun.

     

    When Sotek talked, he openly cursed Vilkas, but not actually at him. Instead he singled out the Imperial female Whelp and beckoned her to sit next to him, although he made sure she was the other side of Aela.

    “Sometimes when you’re hunting, especially when you’re using a bow, your hand can get slippery. Now…” Then he leaned forwards and scooped up some dust from the ground. “Just grab some dust and smother your hand in it. It will feel dirty but it will absorb the moisture and sweat. You’ll find it helps”.

     

    The Whelp sheepishly knelt down and followed suit, then Sotek beckoned Vilkas to follow him as he moved away from the camp to gather a few more logs of wood. When they were finally out of earshot, Sotek commented on Vilkas’s bravery while warning him to stay clear of such honorable choices.

    “Quick thinking there but ermm… don’t jump into the breach with her any more today. Leave that to me”.

     

    Vilkas laughed then just nodded in agreement.

    “Yes, that would be safer. When Red takes hold she has one hell of a swing”.

     

    Sotek chuckled and pulled back his chest armor showing Vilkas where she had bit him a few nights before.

    “It could have been worse. Least she didn’t use her teeth”.

     

    “Bloody hell!” Vilkas cried. He turned back to Aela and shook his head at her. “She’s out of control. Why didn’t you stop her?”

     

    Sotek couldn’t help but smile as he replied.
    “I was busy at the time”.

     

    “Busy doing what?” Vilkas asked; not realizing the whole situation.

     

    Sotek just smirked back at him and rejoined the others at the camp where Aela was on her feet scanning the horizon. When he closed in upon her, she called out to him as she pointed past a corps of trees.

    “There’s a bear about a thousand yards out. It’s agitated; probably due to the blood on the wind. I’m afraid we’ve roused its hunger. One more skin?”

     

    Tapping her leg with his boot, he crept forwards, taking an opportunity to scout ahead with his mate by his side. Stealthily they made their way across the rocky tundra as they slowly and methodically made their way towards the bear.

    Sotek had a quick look at the animal and having noticed it was near a gully, he rapidly formed his plan of attack.

    “Split them into two groups. We’ll get the bear to run down the gap in the rocks and have everyone fire at it the moment it passes the killing ground”. To help with his explanation, he pointed to a rock, showing Aela where he wanted everyone.

     

    Looking around at the layout of the terrain, Aela pondered on one fact which the whole plan was dependant on.

    “How do you intend to get the bear to run down the chasm?”

     

    Sotek laughed as he studied the large majestic creature.

    “Bait! I’ll get it to chase me”.

     

    Aela gave him a slight slap on the cheek like she was trying to help maintain his focus.

    “You’re a moron. Go careful; don’t make me come after you and don’t screw this up by tripping over or something daft”.

     

    He tenderly rubbed his cheek while his tail thudded down in the grass.

    “You know a kiss would be just as effective. More appreciated as well”.

     

    She shook her head at him and giggled.

    “But not nearly as much fun. Then again…”

     

    Hissing under his breath, Sotek headed off towards the bear in preparation for the fox and rabbit chase. The two main problems he had was the fact that he was the rabbit and the Whelps were going to be aiming behind him as he ran…

     

    When Aela returned to the camp she called everyone towards her and ran through Sotek’s plan with them. Vilkas knew she wasn’t happy with at as she used the term ‘slimy reptilian serpent’ whenever she referred to Sotek. Wasting no time, she led them into position where they all quietly waited in apprehension for an Argonian to come running through the small pass.

     

    The two brothers laid out a bet with each other just for laughs. Vilkas stated Sotek would run along the pass composed and with his wits while Farkas chuckled at the thought of the Argonian waving his hands in the air as he screamed; ‘Don’t shoot me!’

     

    About five minutes later, Sotek approached the bear and threw a rock at it. It instantly reacted and growled loudly at him. He bent down and picked up a slightly bigger stone and threw it as accurately as he could. It smacked the bear in the chest, causing it to holler out at the indignity of being the weak specimen’s target. It dropped to all fours and slowly charged forwards, gaining speed with every second as its paws pounded down, crushing everything in its path.

     

    One thing in its path which didn’t want to be crushed was the rabbit Sotek. He spun around on the spot and ran as fast as he could towards the pack where Aela was watching him. Sotek’s ears pricked up as he heard the bears pace quicken as it speeded up, closing the gap between them. As the ‘slimy reptilian snake’s eyes met Aela’s, she smiled wickedly causing one last thought which screamed out in Sotek’s mind. ‘Shoot the bear, I’m an Argonian!’

     

    As soon as the bear reached the rock marker, Aela shouted out. All as once the canyon filled with flying projectiles as the whole pack fired their bows. As arrows shot past Sotek, he dived to the ground, covering his head lest an arrow missed its target. One arrow dug deeply into the ground less than a foot away from his tail which coiled tightly around it as if it was trying to crush the offending missile.

     

    With baited breath, hardly daring to move Sotek slowly lifted his head up and glanced over his shoulder while he was lying prone on the ground. The bear was on its side, it’s breathing shallow and weak. Arrows dug into it all along its chest and stomach yet the creature still growled in pain.

     

    Aela drew her dagger and closed in, moving forwards to end the beasts suffering. Sotek climbed to his feet and summoned the two ethereal blades as he joined his mate, fully committed to easing the bears passing into the next life.

     

    When they were only a few steps away, the beast rolled over and charged forwards once more. Sotek shoved Aela in her chest, pushing her clear as his blade swished through the air in an upwards cut, slashing into the beast’s torso.

     

    Despite his blow, claws tore at his arm, spraying out blood and tearing into armor as if it was paper, coating it in rich red blood. With an agonizing cry, Sotek thrust his blade forwards, catching the beast in the chest a second time. Such was his strength which was empowered by adrenalin; the sword broke its way through bone and tore at the lungs of the bear, striking it down to where it finally died. Leaving nothing to chance Sotek stood over the creature and plunged his sword into its neck, making certain that the creature wouldn’t rise up any more

     

    Ignorant of Aela’s proximity, the Argonian stood over the bear. His reptilian green eyes were totally fixed on the carcass lying in front of him. The scent of blood flowed through his nostrils causing them to open with each breath he took. As to his wound, he had completely blanked out the pain. All he could do was stand there watching the blood drain from the dead bear and form a bloody puddle on the floor.

     

    The three Companions all watched him, they all knew that look he had, for they all had experienced it at one time or another. Aela had only recently felt the power he was experiencing. The rush of energy was like a drug. They even saw the slight change in his eyes, as the emerald green in them turned brighter. His scales seemed darker as if Scarface’s fur was on the very verge of breaking out.

     

    Farkas leant over to Vilkas and whispered to him. He tried to hide the alarm but he knew Vilkas felt the same concerns.

    “Oh great! Now we got to keep an eye on two of them".

     

    Vilkas looked back at Farkas and grimaced with anxiety and worry.

    “Well it's not overly surprising ,is it? With Aela leading him on the plains and screwing him in his bed this was bound to happen. I just didn’t expect him to get this way so quickly”.

     

    Aela picked herself up off the floor and dusted her armor off. That was when she saw the small pool of blood as droplets fell from Sotek’s hand and splashed upwards as they hit the small puddle forming by his boot. Even before she went over to him, she could hear his heart hammering like crazy while his breathing was way off the scale.

    “Sotek? Hey, Sotek… look at me… come on… my mate, listen to my voice… come to me”. She reached out and lifted his wounded arm up, causing the blood to trickle back along his wrist to gather at the elbow.

     

    Sotek looked down at it, his mind snapping back to reality.

    “Aela? My arm? Yes... the bear...”

     

     He cast his healing spell or rather he tried to. After the third attempt, Aela lightly tapped his hand and offered him one of her potions.
    “You’re not focused enough for spells. Here, drink this”.

     

    He smirked at the vial, recognizing it as one of his own and held it firmly in his hand while Aela pulled out the stopper, allowing him access to the liquid inside. He guzzled it down and within seconds the wound was fully healed. He held Aela in his arms and smiled at his mate.

    “See? I’m good”.

     

    She just shook her head at him and pulled on one of his bonespikes so she could whisper into his ear.

    No, youre not though; are you?

     

    He whispered back at her, warning her that such fears were well founded.

    Yes Im ok, but Scarface isn’t. Hes hungry. All I want to do is change and rip the bear into pieces. By Hircine its hard. Is this how you get”.

     

    Aela nodded at him and replied.

    Yep, more often than I would like to admit. Look, if you need to we can slip out tonight. Hircine knows Red wants to”.

     

    Sotek’s breathing slowed down a fraction but he was still breathing faster than he usually did and his heart was pounding way beyond its usual rhythm. He glanced at the other two Companions and immediately guessed they knew what was in his mind.

    “They know… don’t they”.

     

    She glanced over to them; their faces told her straight away what they were thinking.

    “Yes, they know. Slow down your breathing and fix your mind on something. Some thought you can focus on, a strong one”.

     

    She held him by the waist and moved closer to him, letting him feel her warmth as her body pressed against him. His breathing started turning erratic as he jumped from one memory to another in the search for something to hold on to; something to allow him to focus. He only managed to slow it down marginally while his mind stretched back to thinking about when he first entered Jorrvaskr.

     

    Memories flashed before him of his trial, the image of Aela lying there covered in blood fixed in his head. He tried to focus on her but it didn’t help. If anything it made him worse. His breathing started speeding up again as he found himself focusing more on her blood than her body. The blood seemed so rich, the scent of it so sweet. He could smell the bear at his feet; its blood. Reacting to these overwhelming senses, his mind darted forwards to another time in Jorrvaskr in the search for something else to cling on to.

     

    Turning to sex as a means to control his emotions seemed to be a good idea. Not that with Scarface pulling at him helped with the Argonian’s chain of thought. He cast himself back to Greenspring Hollow where he and Aela had laid together for the first time in the hope that it was a strong enough emotion to quell the beast inside.

     

    It was a strong emotion, one which certainly helped take control. Unfortunately, it helped the wrong one. Scarface tapped into such raw emotions which only served to increase his hold. Aela’s lust for him, his own need for her; her scent drove him deeper in the beast’s grasp.

     

    Aela could see the change in his color and knew he was losing this fight. She slapped him across the cheek, bringing him from the abyss back to the here and now.

    “Whatever you’re thinking, it isn’t working! Think of something else!”

     

    “Se…x I was thinking of us at Greenhollow… Greenrock… ermmm”. Different memories flickered through his mind as he battled with Scarface for control.

     

    Aela elbowed him in the stomach and relayed her words of wisdom.

    “Idiot! Sex is no good; too much lust and emotions. Calm memories! You screwing my tail off will not help this but fuel it. Think!”

     

    Sex once more entered his head. This time it was in the troll cave where Aela was so wild with her passions. Something about that cave pulled him to it, an experience he had with her which they had often repeated. He locked onto that memory and slowly he started to feel at peace, driving Scarface back down into the depths where he was once again contained.

     

    Having quelled the beast within, his breathing once again gradually settled to its natural rate while his green coloring returned. He opened his eyes to see an anxious looking Aela peering back at him and he quickly set her mind at peace.

    Im ok, Im good…

     

    Vilkas breathed a sigh of relief, as he did so Sotek looked over to them both and smiled then he turned to the Whelps.

    “Well? You’ve all seen a dead bear before”. As he spoke to them he pointed at three Whelps, singling them out for skinning duty.

     “You, you, and you, skin detail. Get to it and don’t forget the bear meat. Kodlak likes a bit of bear every so often”.

     

    All the Whelps stared at him completely disbelieving how he shrugged off the wound from earlier. One Whelp, the Imperial girl walked up to him and tapped the healed wound with her finger.

    “Your arm! That didn’t bother you at all?”

     

    Sotek and Aela both threw each other blank glances then Sotek spoke to the group.

    “Everyone gets hurt at some point. Me, Aela, Vilkas and even Farkas. Even you! That’s the way of it. Get used to it, to the idea of seeing your own blood spill because one day it will. During training, when we all sit at the table, remember one thing; whenever we step outside those walls, death walks with us and she is a very fickle mistress. She doesn’t care if it’s us or our prey that dies and she is there constant at our sides. When you get wounded…” He looked straight at the Whelp, transfixing her in his stare as he spoke. “At some point you will get wounded… and it will hurt; be thankful of the pain. Because then you know you’re still alive”.

     

    Ignoring the Whelps pale, now off whiteface, Sotek called out to his siblings.

    “Farkas, Vilkas, you have the pack. I’m going with Aela to scout ahead. We could do with one more skin. We’ll be close by. Try not to fall beyond a half hour gap”.

     

    He gave Aela a quick slap on her backside, knocking her forwards a step.

    “You ready?”

     

    She growled back at him before smiling deviously. Before he could react she lightly stamped on his tail, causing him to hiss before running off, leaving him behind.

     

    Sotek growled at her as she ran before he bolted forwards as fast as he could in an attempt to catch her up.

     

    Farkas whispered to Vilkas while he watched them disappear over a hill.

    “They aren’t going to do what I think they are; are they?”

     

    Vilkas just shook his head, at his brother then gathered the pack together and set off trailing behind the Huntress and her mate.

    “No, he’s smarter than that. Don’t be surprised though if they stay out here when we all head back”.

     

    Farkas gave out a sigh as they headed off slowly following Aela's trail.

     

    As for the Huntress herself, once she saw that they were out of sight she stopped running and pulled Sotek aside. She looked deep in his eyes for any trace of Scarface but she was relieved to see his eyes had regained their usual emerald green.

     

    As he looked back at her, she could see the sharpness in them. She smiled to him, giving him a hug.

    “Well done, you actually controlled it! Over time, it will get easier, but also sometimes harder. When you do actually change, it‘s hard to let go when you change back“.

     

    “Is that what happened with you in the troll cave? Red wouldn’t let you go?”

     

    Aela blushed and buried her face in his chest so he couldn’t see her cheeks redden.

    “Yes… but then I didn’t want to let go of her either. It felt so… I felt alive!”

     

    She looked up at him as a question started buzzing around her like a swarm of bees during summer.

    “What thought did you use to quell Scarface?”

     

    Sotek gulped and his tail slid over Aela’s boot so it could settle between his feet. He took a deep breath and whispered despite no one else being able to hear them.

    “The troll cave. When you and Red were wild… We were wild”.

     

    When Aela finally absorbed the information she punched him in the chest and almost shouted at him. To her, he had ignored her advice and picked something that was too emotional to use.

    “What! I explicitly said nothing to do with sex! How did you conclude that would help when I told you ‘no’?”

     

    Sotek moved back a little so he could lift her chin up to face him. He smiled back at her and calmly explained what he had meant.

    “Not when we were on the furs… afterwards! You remember what we did?”

     

    Aela’s mind fell blank as she cast herself back to the cave. The smells, the hunger… the icy cold chill of the water.

    “We swam in the water! That was the first time you let me hold on to your back as you swam through the water. You… you cast your flame spell on it and warmed it up then we swam in it. I remember you disappearing then you dived out of the water and flew over me. We went down, right down in the depths then you took me up so, so fast and we broke the water’s surface, clearing it…”

     

    With a big smile plastered across her face she nodded.

    “That’s a great memory. Keep it, don’t let it fade and it will always be there to help you…”

     

    Sotek proudly grinned back at her, knowing he picked well.

    “What about you? What memory do you use?”

     

    Aela smiled and wrapped her arms around herself, cuddling her own body.

    “A dream… of Red in the Hunting Grounds… I told you about it once. Scarface was there, waiting at the cave… I love that dream…”

     

    Sotek looked somewhat confused. He tried to ignore it but he just had to ask her.

    “I can’t think of sex as it fuels Scarface yet you can think of Red in the Hunting Grounds? How the hell does that work?”

     

    Aela tutted and rolled her eyes at him. He seemed so intelligent at times and other moments he was like a child, naïve and clueless.

    “You’re a boy, I’m a girl. We’re put together differently”.

     

    Without thinking, Sotek blurted out a question he quickly regretted.

    “In what way?”

     

    Aela smiled evilly as she moved closer to him.

    “Well for one; it doesn’t hurt half as much if someone does this!”

     

    A second later she lightly kneed him between the legs. He doubled over in an automatic reaction while Aela laughed as she took flight lest he came after her for revenge.

     

     

Comments

6 Comments   |   Ben W and 7 others like this.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  November 30, 2016
    *Aela...
    No comment! Hssss!!!!


    *Lissette  Thanks, nice to know readers like what I try to convay. Of course I don't always manage it. 


    *Ebonslayer. I do like to go in a bit deeper than others wit...  more
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  November 30, 2016
    Lycanthropy is too complicated for me. I just prefer to drink my daily blood potion/bandit, makes life so much easier.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  November 1, 2016
    I liked the whole sequence where Sotek is struggling with his feelings and picks the wrong memories. Interesting. 
  • Aela The Huntress
    Aela The Huntress   ·  October 31, 2016
    It makes his voice go funny......  (L)
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  October 23, 2016
    Hahaha  yea... She'll learn one day... I hope.
    Made a few small alterations/error fixes.
    Thanks for the likes everyone.
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  October 23, 2016
    Aela has a rather unhealthy fascination with blows to the groin.