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Chimerical

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 21: The Hungry Cat

Jo'dehki walks with a spring in his step, elated by the encounter with Celewen only hours earlier. The Cathay-Raht looks up at the sky to see that the sun is inching towards the horizon. It is late in the afternoon as he returns to S'ren-ja. To his surprise, a large group of villagers stands near the center of town, gathered in a circle. The clan mother Ko'adhasa and her entourage leave the crowd, which begins to disperse. His curiosity peaked, Jo'dehki quickens his pace, dashing across the bridge and into the town proper.

As he approaches the group he can see Hiska-dar's tall stature towering over the others; he is the only other Cathay-Raht in S'ren-ja. Pushing through the horde of onlookers, he is suddenly grabbed by one of them. Looking down he sees Jadhi, Ra'kanishu's Suthay-Raht sister. She clutches his body tightly in her arms, burying her snout in his tunic and pressing her nose into his pectoral muscle. Turning her head to him, she flashes a wide grin. Smiling back at her, he reaches down and slips an arm around her, giving her a tight yet benign hug.

"It is good to see you again! We were all very worried." She exclaims.

"Jo'dehki apologizes for leaving so abruptly. He had something that he had to take care of."

"This one hopes it was not another woman." Jadhi purrs.

"For once it was not." He teases.

He chuckles as she furls her brow, glaring up at him. She pushes him gently before resuming her embrace, holding him tightly. Jo'dehki looks around the group, but still cannot see the center, or Ra'kanishu and his Suthay lover.

"What is going on? Where is Nish?" He asks.

"He left to fight bandits." Jadhi begins.

"What?!"

"Yes. An injured woman came saying that bandits killed her family and took her daughter. She barely escaped with her life. Ra treated her wounds with his magic and left to save the girl from the bandits." She explains.

"How many did she say there were?!" He asks in a panic.

"Jadhi doesn't know. It sounded like many."

Jo'dehki's heart sinks, his positive energy draining from his body as he worries for the safety of his closest friend, the only person to ever truly trust him and give him a chance to prove his worth. With Jadhi by his side, he pushes deeper into the crowd, soon meeting with Hiska-dar who stands at the inner-circle. Tsanavi sits with the Khajiiti woman, talking her through her shock. Her eyes glance to the shifting mass to see Jo'dehki standing there. In an instant she rises to her feet and lunges at him, reaching up and smacking him across the snout. He reels back, placing a hand on his face, his eyes wide in surprise.

"What was that for?!"

"How dare you leave without a word! Ra left alone because no one else in S'ren-ja has a spine, and you weren't here to help him!" She yells.

"That's not fair. He could not have known this would happen, yes?" Jadhi quickly defends Jo'dehki.

"Jo'dehki is sorry for what he did. He did not mean for this to happen. He will leave right away to find Nish and bring him back."

"Don't bother. He has been gone too long. If he needed your help, you are already too late. You'd better pray to the eight that he is alive..." Tsanavi growls.

The rage in the dainty Suthay's eyes fills his heart with a sense of dread; it doesn't matter that he is two heads taller than her and twice her body weight and muscle mass. Her fiery passion for her Imperial mate is unlike anything he has ever seen before. He knows that her threat is genuine, though he doesn't know how she could possibly fulfill it. Remaining silent, he stands dumbfounded as Tsanavi returns to the mother, who also looks quite shocked by the display. After a moment, he follows Jadhi back to the family home, sitting on the steps and watching the group from a distance for some time.

"Jo'dehki should have been here..." He murmurs to himself.

"Don't worry about Ra. He will be fine." Jadhi says confidently.

"Did you see how angry Tsanavi was?! She is obviously worried."

"She is always worried. She loves him more than life itself." Jadhi giggles. "Tsanavi knows what Ra can do; she still worries."

"Are you worried?" He softly asks.

"Of course, but Ra is a very strong warrior; stronger than you may realize."

"Let's hope he isn't that strong." Kazkhar suddenly chimes in.

Turning their heads, they see the Ohmes-Raht standing beside them alongside the steps, his arms crossed before his chest. His tail sways as a breeze flutters his hair and the silk of his purple tunic. He walks around the steps, standing before them.

"It would be better if that Imperial never made it back." He chuckles.

"Mind your tongue boy, before this one snaps you in half like a twig!" Jo'dehki growls.

"Aww. Are you upset that your lover left without you?" Kazkhar teases.

Jo'dehki rises to his feet, growling at the Ohmes-Raht who takes a step back, trying not to look visibly startled. Jadhi can't help but giggle at the arrogant Khajiit's brief display of fear. Kazkhar silently chuckles as he regains his composure, waving a hand as though dismissing the two before walking away himself. Jadhi sits back on the steps, a strange little grin across her face. Sitting down beside her, they watch the day wane as twilight looms. Looking toward the distant horizon, her whiskers twitch. Her eyes narrow as she rises to her feet.

Following her line of sight, Jo'dehki can see a figure in the distance, crossing the bridge and approaching the now small group in the center of town. He bolts to his feet and squints his eyes as the being comes into focus. Walking rather casually, Ra'kanishu carries a small Khajiit child on his back, her little head, broad snout and pointed ears peeking over his shoulder. Her underdeveloped tail whips through the air as her eyes fall on her mother, who immediately races toward the two. Jo'dehki and Jadhi leap from the steps and race through the rural thoroughfare.

As they draw near, the girl leaps from Nish's back, racing toward her mother who drops down to her knees, her arms outstretched. The girl leaps into her mother's open arms. Holding her daughter tightly, she kisses her daughter's face and nuzzles her cheek. Likewise, Tsanavi leaps into Nish's arms, her legs wrapping around his pelvis as her arms lock around his neck, her tail swishing as she kisses and nuzzles his face. The mother rises to her feet, picking up her daughter and holding her carefully as though she were a sack full of rubies.

She approaches the Imperial and his Suthay lover, who has finally climbed down from his body. As they approach the four, Jo'dehki can't help but notice that the girl looks at Nish with a bizarre, almost fearful expression. Standing before the man, the mother thanks him profusely for his help.

"You have no idea what this means; seeing her again has brought this one hope for the future." She begins.

"Ra'kanishu only did what was right, miss. You have his condolences. This one moved the bodies so that you may retrieve and bury them, but... In case they are found and looted before it can be done, he brought you this."

Taking out the matching amulet, he presents it to the widow. Her eyes well with tears as she takes hold of the artifact, heartbroken over the loss of her husband and brothers. She turns to her daughter who squeezes her hand reassuringly. Jo'dehki is perplexed by the way the child glances at Nish, as though she were eager to leave his presence. Nodding, she turns back to the Imperial and thanks him again before heading for the village hall; Ko'adhasa has offered her sanctuary for as long as she needs it, though she doesn't intend to stay any longer than she needs too.

"It's so good to have you back safely." The mother says, passing the group. "You are lucky he saved you."

"Yes, mother. He killed two handfuls of bad men." The little girl replies.

Jo'dehki raises his brow at her words, glancing over his shoulder at the Imperial. Not only does he look uninjured, he doesn't have any visible damage to his clothing. How is that possible? Is his magic even stronger than he realizes?

"Let's go home." Tsanavi says, wrapping her arms around Nish's trunk.

"Don't you want to pay off your debts first?" He asks.

She raises a brow, clearly confused by the statement. With a wide grin, Nish holds up the satchel of gold taken from the bandit's loot; so tightly packed with gold, it hasn't made any noise yet, even when shaken. After failing to make the coins jingle, he opens the satchel for all of them to see. Tsanavi's eyes grow wide, her jaw hanging open in shock as she stares at the small fortune. Jadhi, and Jo'dehki are equally amazed, having never seen so many drakes at one time. Tsanavi tilts her head up and gazes at the Imperial, her heart burning from his compassion and generosity.

He leans forward, bending down to kiss the wood elf sized Khajiit, his lips pressing firmly against the Suthay's. Her tail sways as he slips an arm around her slender body. Tsanavi purrs and nuzzles his neck with her snout. Though Jo'dehki is made somewhat uncomfortable by their display, Jadhi seems fascinated by it, grinning cheek to cheek.

"Ra said he'd do whatever he could for you." The Imperial says softly to his lover.

"Mmm. Just wait until we return home. It's Tsanavi's turn to do something for you." She says, grinning lustfully.

"Ahem..." Jo'dehki clears his throat.

The lovers turn to the Cathay-Raht, glancing at him with annoyed expressions. Jadhi's lips twist into a disappointed frown as she too looks back at Jo'dehki, who so rudely interrupted her entertainment.

"How did you survive 'two handfuls' of men?" Jo'dehki asks.

"Got lucky?" Nish shrugs, smirking at his friend.

"No games, Nish. Tell me what is going on. Why was the girl so afraid of you?"

Jo'dehki's eyes narrow, his brow furled as he looks to the Imperial. Jadhi and Tsanavi both look upset, though not for the same reasons. Glancing to each other, they seem to know the answer, but are unwilling to speak it.

"Please, Nish... We are friends. Don't lie to me."

Ra'kanishu lowers his head, knowing that he cannot hide the truth from Jo'dehki any longer. He slowly nods, taking a deep breath.

"You're right, Jo'dehki. You are my best friend." He begins.

"Hey?!" Tsanavi interrupts.

"Mates don't count as friends. That's a significant upgrade." Nish replies, grinning down at her. "We can talk at my family's house."

"Ra, don't." Jadhi says, stepping toward him.

"Ra'kanishu trust's Jo'dehki with his life; he is his best friend and he deserves to know." He turns to his sister.

They quickly return to the family home, climbing the stairs and entering the main room. S'tari, Nazahn and Hiska-dar are all surprised to find Nish and Tsanavi joining them unannounced. Their elation quickly turns to worry at the expressions on the female's faces. Jo'dehki takes a seat at the corner of the table, Nish sitting across the corner. The family take their seats in the same fashion they do for their dinners. Jo'dehki glances around the room, noting the worry on all of their faces. What is this secret that Nish has kept from him?

"Ra'kanishu... Has a tail..." The Imperial begins.

"What?!" Jo'dehki asks, raising a brow in disbelief. "You are Imperial, and this one does not see a tail."

"You wouldn't." Tsanavi remarks.

"Jo'dehki..." Nish takes a breath.

"What is it?"

"This one is a werewolf." He blurts out.

Jo'dehki's eyes grow wide as he rises to his feet, knocking the small chair over as he steps back both in fear and shock. He can hardly believe his ears. At first, he thinks that his friend is teasing him, but as he glances around the room he realizes that everyone is watching him intently. Hiska-dar and Nazahn both have their hands on the handles of gardening tools that could be used as weapons, a wheat sickle and sugar cane knife. They are obviously prepared to kill Jo'dehki if he were to turn against them; this cannot be a lie or a joke.

"You can imagine why no one else knows this but my family, Tsanavi and Ko'adhasa." Nish continues, lowering his head.

"H... How long?" Jo'dehk asks.

"Around eight years." He sighs.

"What?!" Jo'dehki chuckles in disbelief. "You have been a dog of Hircine since we have known each other?"

"This one is not a dog of Hircine!" Nish growls. "He does not command me, nor does his voice hold any sway."

"Please sit down, Jo'dehki. We will explain everything to you." Jadhi says softly.

She sets his chair upright, gently patting the soft cushion with her hand. Though apprehensive, he nods and approaches, sitting beside her and leaning on the table. Suddenly, Hiska-dar begins to speak and the story unfolds before him. When they were boys, Hiska-dar was very adventurous. He would often leave home and explore, while Nish was always obeying his parents and helping in the fields. As Hiska-dar disappeared, his friends would often search for him, but soon they feared venturing so far at their age; Nazahn and S'tari would send Nish to retrieve his adopted brother.

The Imperial loyally obeyed, scouring Reaper's March for his brother and dragging him home, sometimes even having to fight him. Ra'kanishu's interest in magic began as a way to even the odds, as Hiska-dar was so much larger and more powerful than him. When they were sixteen years old, Hiska-dar took an exceptionally long walk, disappearing along the road to Rawl'Kha and continuing on to Greenhill. Worried sick for their son, their parents once again sent Nish to find him and bring him home. After spending his money on a room, he eventually returned the next day, only to discover that Nish was gone and had never returned from his quest.

After being missing for nearly a week, a group of Khajiiti and Bosmer soldiers on their way to Dune brought back a wounded Nish. They had found him near death just west of Rawl'Kha, lying alongside the road and bleeding from many claw and bite wounds. Nish had claimed to have been attacked by a Senche, and after recovering in Rawl'Kha, was brought back home by the soldiers who had found him. Knowing that he would be killed if he told them the truth, Nish waited until he was home with his family to share his ordeal. Taking over for his brother, Nish recalls the events.

While walking along the road and following Hiska-dar's rather familiar path, he encountered a crazed Orc. Though ranting and raving, he did not do anything to harm the youth, at least while he was facing him. Once Nish turned his back, he was attacked by a powerful beast. Thrown many meters and landing on his back, the Orc was gone; a werewolf pounced atop him and began to feed upon him. He was certain he was dead, but for some unexplained reason the creature carried him to the island bridge just west of the city and left him there where he could be easily found.

Within an hour, patrolling guards had found him and brought him to Rawl'Kha. He spent the next few days struggling with nightmares, fighting Hircine's call. To his surprise, and possibly Hircine's, the boy's willpower was incredible; he refused the call in every dream. Though he sometimes still hears the voice of Hircine, Nish easily blocks it from his mind, never once having been swayed by it. His family were horrified by the revelation. Nazahn rather shamefully admits that he briefly considered destroying Nish, but S'tari and Jadhi would have no part of it; they loved him too much to see him dead.

Hiska-dar, being directly responsible for his state, would also not support his father. With little recourse, they brought clan mother Ko'adhasa to the home and revealed Nish's curse to her. Surprisingly open minded, the trained priestess instead offered to train Nish with her talents; to show him how to harness the curse and use it to his advantage. She spent the next several years training him in how to control his power in secret. By eighteen years old, Nish could transform at will and had only ever transformed by the light of the full moons during his first year with the curse. Tsanavi learned of Nish's plight early, already firmly attached to the Imperial at that age, having been friends since long before puberty.

Tsanavi was perhaps the most forgiving of his state. After taking another month to fully recover, Hiska-dar no longer left home, opting to stay behind in S'ren-ja and work the fields as Nish had done; a form of self-punishment that he continues to this very day. When nineteen years old, Nish secretly used his ability to help the village, proving that he could control his power completely. He destroyed a pride of Senche that was hunting the nearby deer and stalking several citizens who wandered toward the edge of the village. Unable take the credit, he simply allowed the villagers to believe that the Senche pride left on their own.

When Nish was twenty years old, an incident with Kazkhar nearly exposed Nish's secret. After picking on Tsanavi, Kazkhar attempted to beat her, but Nish stepped in. In his rage, he grew claws and slashed the Ohmes-Raht's chest, frightening him and causing him to flee. A large group of villagers returned in support of the popular and wealthy young Khajiit, demanding that Nish leave for attempting to murder him. They assumed he had used a weapon in the fight; even Kazkhar didn't realize it was werewolf claws. Uninfected by Ra'kanishu's touch, and outcast from the village, the Imperial exiled himself for his family's sake.

Jo'dehki sits in awe as he listens to their story. He cannot believe the weight Nish must have been carrying on his shoulders, bearing the curse of Hircine for so long and walking the road for years against his will. He looks down at Tsanavi as she snuggles with her lover, whom she intends to marry. He thinks back on all of the times that Nish could have killed him but didn't; the many times he could have transformed under the moons but didn't. The Imperial has been nothing but a friend to the Cathay-Raht, even saving his life and bribing him from the hands of guards who would have thrown him in prison. In that moment, Jo'dehki feels terribly guilty for his reaction to Nish's secret.

"Jo'dehki is very sorry, my friend. He trusts you with his life, and he should not have reacted the way that he did."

"It's alright. This one would not have expected any less." Nish chuckles.

"Not that he doubts you, but...Could you prove your ability to him?" Jo'dehki asks.

With an amused smirk, Ra'kanishu glances to his family and then back down to Tsanavi, all of whom give him confirming nods. With his arm around his mate, he pulls a hand away. By the time he rests his elbow atop the table, his fingers have doubled in length, two-inch claws jutting from each one. Black and gray fur covers his hand and over his wrist, running along his forearm. He waves his fingers slowly, as if taunting his friend. Reaching back, he rests a now perfectly normal, Imperial hand on Tsanavi's shoulder and gives her a loving squeeze.

"Satisfied?"