» Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:41 am
~Chapter 14: Locating The Quarry~
Written to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljMoeE-jXCg
Survival depends on the availability of sustenance and shelter. A werewolf in the wild must be able to find enough food to properly nourish itself. It can live on roots and leaves if it needs to in human form, but it needs to know what is edible. A werewolf is much better suited to the hunt, stalking and chasing prey for both exercise and fresh meat. It must also know when and how to seek shelter against the cold of night, the stark heat of day or deadly storms. A werewolf suffers damage from freezing temperatures as well, but “cold” is harder for her healing to repair. Like a mortal, this damage cannot be healed until the condition is remedied. Thankfully, werewolves have little to fear from frostbite. Any form has better insulation than the human form, so deciding to trot along as a wolf can keep a werewolf going for hours longer than she would have man. Veronica was not so lucky. She wandered around the woods with no clothes. She followed the werewolf tracks that she was responsible for all the way back to the spot of her transformation. She could retrieve her necklace and axe before anyone would find her. Although the werewolf’s shapes are different bodies, they are bound together by one spirit. The Spirit of The Wolf ability is granted by the almighty Hircine upon the death of a person by the werewolf’s hand. It allows the Lycanthrope to heal numerous amounts of lost flesh and blood, regenerating the lost tissue by the hour. Veronica was pleased to see she was in top shape.
Veronica was hungry, cold, naked and lost. To add to her disdain was the fact that she still had a target to catch. She had four days before the second moon would rise full. She would make the best of it. But she had no idea as to where she was. Every traveler needs a map, unless he or she is intimately familiar with the area and its landmarks. Veronica had to retrieve that map before someone arrived in the scene of the act. She did not doubt she would probably encounter the corpses of her late night meal. She could taste their blood even in her human form. As she passed through the forest, Veronica finally found a piece of silver gleaming in the sunlight near the fallen log. She got closer and saw that it was her axe, as well as the torn pieces of her clothing. She was glad to find her sack of gold and necklace as well. Veronica smiled and dropped down to grab her belongings. Sadly, her clothes were too torn to even cover her hand. But if she could find a small village or settlement, she would be good to go. She tied the sack of gold to her thigh using the strings from her tattered cloth. She then grabbed her necklace and placed it around her neck and gripped her axe tightly in hand while hiding the dart in the sack of gold. Tossed nearby a bush was a wet map she bought from Falcrenth a few days ago. It was torn and wet from the morning dew. It was too soaked to be entirely comprehendible, but she could pin point her location easily. She was in the pine forest many miles from Falcrenth. There was a lake a mile away from her location. Perhaps she can make her way there and find shelter.
Suddenly, there were voices coming from far behind. Veronica ducked in fear that she had been spotted, but as she continued listening, she took notice that it was coming from a good distance. Veronica followed the sounds in a stealthy motion, she ducked down and went straight to the source. The grass was badly touching her legs, causing her to scratch the itching skin as she traversed the pine forest. As she got closer to the noises, she saw what appeared to be two argonians standing over a nord corpse that was half eaten and devoured to where the bones could be seen. I did this, Veronica realized unfazed. Both were equal in color, almost as if they were twins. But what truly separated them from being identical was the size. One was tall and muscular while the other was skinnier. The two argonians spoke to each other as they inspected the dead body. She was able to listen to what they had to say.
“Not the work of a bear. I killed one weeks ago.” he shrugged.
“How do you know this?” the other large argonian said.
“Those tracks are not made from a bear’s paw, but of a wolf. A large one.” He said as he crouched down and began walking with his legs spread, following the large werewolf tracks. Veronica backed away a little to hide more behind the pines. She was certain these weren’t natives to Skyrim, for their attire matched Skins-His-Boots. She suspected they came from Morrowind. To add to her suspicion, she noticed another individual come up from behind. A dunmer with spiky hair and large red eyes. He spoke in a gruff voice that eerily reminded her of Hingarr. He was undoubtedly the leader figure amidst the two lizards.
“I found two more dead ones. I also found their campsite. No one survived,” he croaked as he leaned down beside the argonian fellow. “See those claw marks on his face? Too sharp to belong to a brown bear.”
The argonian nodded and placed his hand on the werewolf paw print. He sneered a smile that made him seem almost sinister. “And these tracks are made from a bipedal creature. As it moves, it changes to all fours. And it matched that of a wolf and humanoid.”
The other argonian crossed his arms and looked over at Veronica’s direction, although he did not spot her. He grabbed an old rusty shortsword and walked to where his friends where crouching down. “We have a werewolf nearby.”
“A werewolf?” The skinnier argonian asked. “Think we can kill it and sell the head for some coin?”
“No,” the Dunmer said, “We are getting paid enough to find Kraven before the Tong does. And we might just have to kill the Imperial woman before she gets to him. Skins-His-Boots made it clear that she was to be given a head start. When she finds him, we kill her and take him back to the boss. We have no time to chase beast men.”
Veronica did not say a word. But she was clearly aggravated at the situation. For the first time in a long time, she finally had some competition to face. Only a test to my abilities, Veronica spoke in her mind, Amateurs at best. Veronica did not waste anymore time. She quickly left the area and began running to her destination; the lake. She leaped and bounded over logs and had her feet cut by sharp stones, but she did not stop running. All her energy reserved were full and kicking, even after she had a lazy morning.
****
As Veronica took to speed, she reached a small Cliffside that had put an end to her sprinting. She gazed down and marveled at the beautiful sight. A large lake was beheld in front of her. Birds flew over it while the mist covered the large mountains to the south. Among the natural view, something artificial caught Veronica’s attention; a small wooden cottage with smoke coming out of top. Perhaps there is where I can find some food and clothes, she thought. But as she was about to leave, she caught a glimpse of a figure running in the distance toward the barely visible establishment. It was a naked man! Veronica cocked her head in confusion as she squinted in curiosity. The man had long hair black that fell to his back as he ran. He was clearly muscular and fit, but he ran without much effort, as if he was weakened. It took a few seconds for Veronica to realize two major things that baffled her; That this was the same man that rescued her when she was unconscious, he was Kraven Desselius, her bounty. And that his situation was much similar to hers. He was nvde and running through the forest. Her only conclusion was that he was a Lycanthrope just like she was.
She looked to her left and saw a path that led down to it and quickly descended down upon it. Instead of walking around the area, she jumped into the lake and swam across toward the large pine trees that hid the wooden cottage. She often dived underwater to avoid being detected by the rival bounty hunters. If she wanted to capture Kraven in his weakest state, it had to be now. And if she was skilled enough, she could ambush the rival bounty hunters and kill them before they had a chance to harm her or her success at receiving more gold. The water was so cold that Veronica saw her lips turn a light blue color. She swam as fast as she could toward land. Still naked and entirely wet, Veronica sprinted toward the shack in hopes to arrive there incase she was spotted by the bounty hunters. She had a distinct feeling that she was being watched and stalked by someone. The Imperial quickly ran from sight and jumped into the densely forested part that surrounded the wooden home.
She crouched down behind a few bushes and walked forth so she would not be seen. She snuck alongside the small but cozy cottage. She peeked through the glass window and saw the naked man shuffling through a wooden chest. She watched as he pulled out a fresh undergarment along with a Huntsman leather pants and a huntsman’s shirt. He quickly dressed himself up and traveled to the dining area. She noticed that he appeared somber, as if the life was drained from it. Did he kill last night as I did? She thought. Veronica went around the house to see what else the man was doing. She saw witnessed him taking a seat on the carved wooden table where food was already prepared upon his arrival. Did he live alone or was he accompanied by someone?
He quickly sat himself down to the table and sniffed his breakfast that he probably left prepared the night before; An array of carnage composed of meats from a mammoth, a horker and a goat along with venison and beef. The man had a few vegetables in his plate as well. Despite the lacking dish, Veronica felt her mouth water. She briefly fantasized herself eating the food and drinking some brandy. After her brief disctraction, Veronica saw that the man was no longer there dining. She looked around to see where he was, but he was no longer inside the house. She continued to peer inside the window until she felt a shadow arrive from behind her and a warmth that rivaled the cold air. She saw her reflection in the window, as well as a man standing behind her. She gasped whirled around to see Kraven standing inches away from her. If she didn’t notice his features early when she was drugged by the poison, she noticed them now.
He had a clean shaven face, his skin was light brown and his hair was black. But what caught her attention the most was his eyes. They were brown-golden eyes that almost matched her, but they were more vivid and dark, almost insane. She watched as his eyes fell down to her bosom and in between and stared at her amulet. He seemed nervous and debilitated. He stared at her with those intense eyes and frowned. She had her axe, but she noticed he had a silver spear with a sharp edgy point with mysterious engravings along the middle. She could not possibly try and confront a man who’s prowess possibly outmatched hers. Finally, after an awkward silence, he took the responsibility to break it.
“I find you hiding and scrutinizing at my window while I eat. You are in desperate need of a lesson in manners.” He said in a rough voice. He sounded disappointed.
“I..” Veronica stuttered.
Then he smiled. “Speaking of manners, where are mine? Forgive me. My name is Kraven Desselius.”
Veronica shook moved to the side, not entirely sure she could trust this man. Even if he was a Lycanthrope. He stared at her as she moved away from the wooden wall of the his cottage. He did not follow nor did he try to attack her. He simply stood there…glaring at her. The man then cracked a smile and looked down sheepishly. “If you must, I can give you some clothes. Running around bare-skinned and exposed will draw much attention. For a nord, being bewitched and left nvde is normal in Skyrim. But you’re case is a different matter altogether.”
Her eyes widened. She had completely forgotten that she was nvde and without clothes. She made no attempt to cover herself, for it was too late. At least the man respected her enough by not looking at her intimate parts. He walked away and stepped over the stairs that led into his cottage. She did not comply, but just stood there without saying a word. She was too shocked by her situation to even speak. For the first time, her sarcastic remarks escaped her tongue. And she felt like a child once more. Realizing that standing there would not be of much benefit, Veronica accompanied him into the house. She awaited at the door while he retrieved a pair of clothing for her; A forester’s shirt and laced leather pants, along with some undergarments that were made for women. She began to wonder if he truly was accompanied by someone else. Or maybe the house was previously owned? She took notice of the cottage. It was much larger than it appeared from the outside. The place was furniture and clean, aside from the pillows that were thrown in the living space and broken glass in the rear of the home. There were wooden benches around the living space and an upstairs which she had yet to see. The fire place had glowing ember on the inside, though it was almost dead. It was a had a home feel to it.
She snatched the clothes from his hands and went behind the door to where she could get changed. She put on the shirt and the pants that were a bit tight, but it was more than enough. After she got dressed, Veronica felt relieved. While she did not mind to be naked, she did think it was inappropriate to be nvde around other individuals, especially men. She paid no attention to her wild savage hair and smiled briefly at him. “Gratitude,” Veronica finally said.
“Indeed,” he agreed with a chuckle. “but not without reason. I saved your life once before. And now I offer clothes to hide your body. You should be grateful.”
Veronica bristled slightly at Kraven’s condescending tone, and she reacted to it with hostility. “I owe no man!”
“I ask no favor in return,” he said as he sat back in his chair to dine. “Sit with me.”
The female Imperial did as she was told. She took a seat opposite from him in the large square table. She sat there, looking at his plate. He rose up from his chair and grabbed another one from the counter. He halved his portion and poured some into her plate. He then slid the plate to where she sat and went back to his own seat. Veronica grabbed a fork and dug into the fresh food that was partially cooked and partially raw. After a few forkful shoves into her mouth, she looked at Kraven who was still staring at her. With her timidity now gone, she bared her teeth and stared back at him.
“What!?” she barked.
“I would of never imagine I would see you again after I found you. And finding your way upon my doorsteps. You indeed are a remarkable tracker!”
Ignoring his comment, Veronica asked yet again another question. “You are a Lycanthrope?”
Kraven swallowed his food and clasped his hands together as if he were going to pray. He nodded slightly and grinned without showing any teeth. He was less hostile than she was, but she didn’t doubt he was more dangerous.
“I am a werewolf,” he corrected “As you are.”
Veronica shook her head. The night he saved her when she was partially paralyzed, she did not remember anything special about him. He seemed like an ordinary man to her. And as if he was reading her mind, he answered her question based on the bewildered look on her visage.
“The poison that intoxicated you was enough to dull your superior senses. You could not sense that I was of the same kind as you.” Kraven answered.
“I realized that,” she said.
“I recognized your scent when you came upon my cottage. The smell is increased in the morning after the full moon. Our senses have been running wild now. There were few werewolves here in Skyrim, you see. It is great to have you upon my sight.”
“Few?” Veronica asked, she was aware that there was a large hunt going on against werewolves. But she did not grasp the enormity of it.
“Yes. Skyrim is the home to some Lycanthropes. The werebears and us werewolves. The hunt against us have been stressed upon because we are the most common. We are Hircine’s chosen.”
Veronica scoffed in between her teeth. “Hircine’s chosen?”
He smiled, again not displaying any bother with her obvious banter. He finished his food and sat back in his chair. His black hair falling on the other side. “If you choose to remain here until the next full moon. I am more than welcome to explain to you. But we must be vigilant. We are hunted every day.”
You are hunted every day, Veronica said in her mind. She was still bent on trying to capture him. But the fact that he was a werewolf and a man with some interesting answers changed everything. She would have to try to find a way to make this work. She could kill the bounty hunters with his help and then capture him. Or she can just poison him now and take his unconscious body back to Falcrenth before the next full moon. Either way, she was going to stay in the cottage.
“And how do I trust you? I don’t even know you!”
Kraven nodded at her response. He agreed entirely. “We are both of the same kind. I do not hold any murderous intent or uncivilized indulgences against you. We are of the same kind...of the same strain. You can have the separate room upstairs while I remain here in the living area. You are welcome to leave and stay anytime.”
Veronica weighted her options out. Was she really going to try and capture this man and deliver him to his old slave master after all that he has done for her? Most certainly she would. Kraven smiled at her, not knowing what to expect from her. He did not even imagine she was after him. He probably thought that she was a gibbering insane and ravening lunatic that stumbled upon his abode. But she was more than just a wandering idiot. She waited until he turned around to walk toward the living space of the old cottage. She grabbed the bag of gold and dropped it on the table. Kraven whirled around due to the heavy noise it made. Once he saw that she was counting her coin, he turned around and continued. Veronica grabbed the poison dart from within the sack and aimed at him. With a powerful throw, she tossed the poison dart straight to Kraven. The dart hit him square in his back side. He pounced and tried to remove it from behind, but the paralyzing effect was quickly taking place. She watched as he stumbled around, tripping on objects and glass as he tried to lean on a wall. She felt a twinge of pity for him, but a job was a job. It was nothing personal. Veronica grabbed her axe and walked toward him as he reached for his spear with trembling hands.
“Your worth a hefty price. It will all be over soon. Just sleep.” Veronica attempted to calm the man, but he was furious. She could see the hatred burning in his eyes, the feral anger that glowed as he dropped his weapon. He was already weakened by a night without a kill and now he was being paralyzed by the effects of her dart. The work was as good as done.
She slowly went toward him and stopped as she glimpsed a dark silhouette outside the window. Her golden eyes widened larger when she noticed that the masked individual had an bow aiming straight at her. While collapsing on the floor, Kraven saw that Veronica was frozen. The mirror nearby the wall reflected the window, which showed the hidden assassin. Kraven quickly used all of his strength to grab the carpet underneath Veronica’s feet. He pulled it toward him as Veronica was swept up from where she stood. The Imperial bounty hunter fell upon her back as the weapon was fired. The arrow shot through the glass window and straight toward Veronica as she fell. Kraven saved her life yet again. On the wooden floor, still trying to understand what had transpired, she stared at the Imperial man. His eyes were flushed and red as the poison took hold, but yet in his final moments of consciousness, he still had the will to save her life after what she did. After realizing his noble efforts, Veronica heard the bushes move as the attacker was approaching. She finally remembered the other competitor that would blow her chances at receiving her payment to pieces; The Morag Tong.