C52 Charred Ass

Skjor looked at me, still a bit dazed, but eventually—he nodded.

— —

"That... that was—"

"Completely different! Unlike any other hunt," Aela interrupted Farkas, "Never have I felt such strength, such ferocity, such—"

"Exhilaration." Skjor did the same and interrupted her in turn.

At the moment, we're all getting ready to leave the fort.

We found some horses that the Silver Hand had kept here; they're obviously going to have quite a bit of loot strapped to them, not just us.

'Why is it so much fun to loot!? None of this stuff is even the slightest bit valuable to me, and yet, if it wasn't for the lack of space, I'd be a hoarder by now.'

"I have to agree," Vilkas chimed in.

After a pause, he continued, "Truthfully, I was coming to the same conclusion as the old man. That Sovngarde was where I wanted to go—but now—I'm not so sure anymore."

Farkas nodded along with him.

"What about you?" Aela looked at me, "A transformation like yours has never been seen in the Companions—and whatever it is, made us stronger just by being near you."

Before I could respond, Farkas butted in, "And you're taller—even outside of beast form. You were my height before, but now, you're a head higher than me."

"I—"

"Your ears are pointy now too."

"I—"

"And you've got more hair."

"I don't—"

"And your eyes... are..." his voice grew quieter since the eyes he was talking about—my eyes—were looking directly at him.

-Cough-

"Like I was—trying—to say. I don't know why I'm different. All I know is that I'm stronger and was able to keep Skjor alive by making him drink my blood."

"Thank you for that, by the way."

I nodded to Skjor while tugging at my clothes.

Since the Silver Hand lived at the fort, we were able to find clothes—they're just too small for me.

"As for why I still have some animal traits outside of beast form—I don't know that either. Doubly so, since Skjor still looks the same when not turned, even after giving him my blood."

After saying that, I finished tacking up my horse and made sure everything was strapped on well.

The 'Spoils of War' were being hauled on spare horses so we wouldn't be slowed down by encumbered horses.

"Well—"

Skjor started talking, so we all looked at him.

"I'm not all the same as before," he rubs the fuzz in his head, "I'm not bald anymore, and the sight in my left eye is starting to come back."

—

After a while, we made it down the mountainside and onto the main road.

"You're sure you wanna bring her?" Vilkas's voice could be heard.

"Yes—I think she can make a good Shield-Sister," Aela looked behind her at the teenage girl sleeping against her back.

She was the clumsy, no-good stray that gave us away when we attacked last night.

"Hmm, if you say so—but she'll be your's to watch over and show the ropes," Skjor accepted her decision.

Aela only nodded in response.

"At least she wasn't a milk-drinker like the other one. As soon as he was back to normal, he ran away as fast as he could," Farkas seemed to be in favor of it as well.

The cowardly one was the same werewolf that wanted to kill the Dawnguard.

"Just make sure she learns proper footwork, hahaha!" I spurred my horse to a trot, "Don't want her ruining another ambush like she did last night!"

— —

"What a beautiful sight it is," Vilkas said as we looked at the sun setting behind Whiterun.

We made it back after a whole day of riding.

"That it is, but—" I urge my horse forward, "I'm hungry and need to get out of these clothes before I lose anymore feeling than I already have."

"..."

"Hahaha!"

Vilkas started moving while waving everyone to follow, "Come along, everyone! Our—Furry Friend—here, is getting hungry and needs his supper."

"Then we've better hurry," Farkas didn't think it was a joking matter, "Who knows. He might start thinking we look good and decide to take a bite."

I decided to play along and looked back at everyone, giving them a smile full of not-so-dull teeth.

"Alright. Stop fooling around, and let's get moving," Skjor got everyone to pick up the pace.

They may not've really believed that I'd do that, but that didn't stop them from moving a bit faster—just in case.

—

Nearing the stalls, I thought, 'Well—I'm taller and look like I have some khajiit ancestry now—I doubt that'll cause any troubles...'

Apart from the looming threat of a Skooma addiction, I'm also strong enough—outside of beast form—to handle more than just a simple Flames spell without disintegrating.

'Now, I just have to wait and see what comes next...'

— — —

Inside of Jorrvaskr.

"There you are, just as you ordered."

Eorlund set down a wooden box on the table I was sitting at, "A lighter version of the Wolf Armor."

Unlike in the game, there are many different options for armor. I ordered a variant of the Wolf Armor used by those in the Circle right after we got back to Whiterun.

I never ordered armor before because I was pretty sure something would happen to me after I became a werewolf, and I didn't want to waste time, or Septims, on gear I didn't need.

"And—I made those alterations you talked about."

I also suggested a few changes to help with its practicality.

He sat down beside me, "I have to say they were pretty good ideas. Ever thought of taking up the trade? You'd be a natural, I'm sure."

"I did, at one point, but then—things—happened... Now I'm here," I answered him while pretending to hold back some emotions.

'I wonder what level my speech/bullshittery level would be?'

"Ah, well, that's the way life goes sometimes," he pats my shoulder while getting up, "but you're a tough one. Just let Kyne guide your steps, and you'll be fine."

Then he left, though I could hear him muttering something about his daughter Olfina still being available for marriage.

'Heh, that's what he thinks.'

I stood up as well and headed down to the barracks with the box.

— —

I'm currently leaning against Jorrvaskr and looking blankly at the Gildergreen while stuck in thought.

'Well—I became a werewolf last week, and now I have what can be considered an above-average starting armor,' I tugged at some of the straps on my armor that still needed adjusting.

The armor's the same design as the original, for the most part. It's just a bit sleeker and doesn't have big-ass shoulder pads.

'I can't think of anything else that I would need to do before the first dragon pops up. I mean—I don't think Alduin can be stalled or slowed for that long, no matter how much this "force" may want to...'

I look up to the sky, "Heh."

'On the other hand. Maybe I screwed it up a bit by keeping Skjor alive and preventing the rest of the Companions' "Questline" from playing out... Kodlak never even asked me to take care of those witches.'

-Whine-

Hearing a whine, I look down at my feet.

'Ah, my little minions.'

Out of all the wolves, only two survived. They tagged along with us on our way back and have become the Companions' mascots of sorts.

Crouching down, I scratch behind their ears while muttering, "Hmm, you've both grown a bit."

I figured they've been through a lot—and—I may, or may not've, decided to give them both a drop of my blood as compensation.

"Yes, you're good wolffos, aren't you..."

After indulging myself in their fur for a while, I returned to my contemplations.

'If it takes much longer, then I'm going to go get the Horn.'

I didn't do so already because it'd be a waste of time to get it when someone else was going to be kind enough to do it for me.

Speaking of which.

'What should I do with them? I don't really need the Blades, as I can do everything without them, but...' thinking of a certain—someone—my eyes start turning dangerous.

Esbern's a pretty cool guy; even if he wanted to kill Paarthurnax, he wasn't all—Delphine—about it and could probably be reasoned with.

But Delphine...

'Heh, heh, heh. Oh, I'm not going to ignore them, not at all. At least not her. I'm gonna—'

"A mighty dangerous look you've got there, young one."

Brought out from my thoughts, I look at Kodlak, who just came outside.

"Mhm, I was just remembering someone I don't particularly like very much."

Stepping away from the wall, I stretch my back, "What brings you out, old man? Chasing after a little old lady, perhaps?"

"Hahaha, no, I'm afraid those days are long past now."

He looked at the Gildergreen, "No, I came to ask if—"

He stopped talking when he caught sight of a lone guard rushing past the tree like his ass was on fire. There were even some scorch marks like it really had been.

"Now, what's going on here? Must be trouble in the hold somewhere," he said.

I sniffed and looked to the west; there was smoke a few miles away.

'Finally—'

"Appears so," I pointed, "and it's damn close."

'It looks like it's time.'

Then I look at him, "I'm gonna check it out. I don't like potentially dangerous unknowns so close to the place I sleep."

He nods, "I'll have Skjor and Aela go as well. I doubt it's just bandits causing trouble out there if the way that guard was acting is any measure."

"I'll meet them down at the stables."

I started jogging away, 'At this rate, all the Companions will be coming with me...'

— —

//Note//

I wonder how many spelling errors I made while editing this.

I swear, they must hide in the blind spots of my eyes because some of them are damn obvious, and I still don't catch'em!

— —

This chap was going to be a bit longer, but I decided it was best to not end the chapter right when the action starts.

It'll also make the start of the next chapter less jarring.

— —

His armor is based on "Sleek Wolf Armor - Replacer and Standalone - CBBE - BHUNP - HIMBO - Vanilla" by cuyima.

It's pretty cool.

— —

The wolves aren't following him.

I just saw a video where a couple wolves were hanging around Jorrvaskr and thought it was a good idea...

— —

I don't remember if I mentioned this or not, but IN SKYRIM, he started out looking like a standard Nord.

Either the first one seen in the game's character creation menu or the Nord in the trailer; it doesn't matter.

Now, after becoming a Werewolf Lord: he has pointy ears, sharper canines, etc.

The normal stuff.

He basically looks like a taller Ohmes if my understanding of the different Khajiit furstocks is correct.

— —