Disclaimer: I do not own Skyrim, Bethseda does

From the first moment he saw her he knew she didn't belong on the cart with the Stormcloaks. Hadvar watched from his post at Ralof and the horse thief talked back and forth while the lone Khajiit looked at the small town of Helgen at though it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. The Imperial soldier guessed that was because it was most likely the last thing she would ever see.

The carts came to a stop and the prisoners hopped off and waited for their names to be called. All watched as Lokir tried to make a run for it. The Stormcloaks looked at the display with contempt; seeing only a coward too scared to face his death with honor. Being a Nord, he saw the same thing. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what she was with her cat-like eyes. The Captain ordered her forward and he was able to get a better look at the cat. Her fur was a burnt orange with bright orange eyes, the fur around her left eye and upper cheek was black as was under right eye. Her nose, mouth, chin, and forehead were a maroon red while her lower left cheek and all of her right cheek were white. There were also scars running diagonal on her nose and one just barely missing her left eye. The Imperial soldier could also see white markings on her neck. "Who are you?" He asked after taking her bizarre appearance.

The Khajiit was quiet for a moment. Does she not know Tamrielic(i)? He wondered. "This one is called Dar'Teeg," she answered with the same rough voice her kind was known for. Not as rough as Argonians, though Hadvar thought.

He turned to the Captain, "she's not on the list," He questioned, maybe she could be spared…

"She goes to the block," was his superior's answer.

"By your order, Captain," he sighed and turned back to the cat, "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Elsweyr." Her ears flicked and her multiple earrings jingled with the movement but otherwise she didn't react. "Follow the Captain, Prisoner," he ordered and watched her follow the Captain, clawed feet(ii) leaving marks in the dirt.


Hadvar watched as the Priestess was giving the prisoners their last rites; again the Khajiit was looking elsewhere, at the sky this time. He saw many emotions in her eyes but fear was not one of them. The Nord could only feel pity for the doomed cat so far away from her home. The first head fell into the basket and the Captain called for "the cat". Again, only her ears flicked as a reaction. She walked forward with her eyes staring longingly at the skies. Is she hoping for something to save her or is she homesick? He wondered. Just as the axe was about to fall, a dragon landed on the watch tower. The black dragon let out a mighty shout and almost everyone was knocked off their feet. The shout had killed the headsmen and Hadvar was too busy trying to save the townsfolk to bother with the bound Khajiit. By the time he remembered her, she was already with Ralof running for the neared tower. He caught a glimpse of her leaping from the hole in the tower into the building below; idly he wondered if she made the leap.


Hadvar next saw her again when he was calling Haming(iii) to the meager protection offered by the remains of a burning wall. Her arms were still bound and her fur was singed but seemed fine otherwise. "Still alive, Prisoner? Stay close if you want to stay that way," he commanded. The soldier made a run for the Keep with her hot on his heels. Once inside he took his dagger to her binds and got to see up close a Khajiit's claws; they were so long and sharp(iv)! He hoped he was never on the receiving end of those claws. "Look in those chests for some weapons and armour, I'm going to look for something for these burns," he ordered and turned to start looking. The Imperial Nord dressed his wounds as best he could and waited by the door for her. He watched as she eyed the sword in her hand with distain(v) but took it anyways. "Ready?" He asked.

"Yes," was her rough reply and into the Keep's halls they disappeared.


Hadvar mentally cursed at the predicament he found himself in; a group of Stormcloaks was in one of the tunnels and even with the Torturer's Assistant and the Prisoner, they were still out-numbered. It was to his great surprise when he saw Dar'Teeg take on three Stormcloaks with nothing more than her claws and out victorious. Yes, he was happy not to be on the receiving end of those claws.

When the ceiling fell down where they just were, he silently hoped the torturer and his assistant were alright but doubted it. "Come on, we have to keep moving," he called out.


It was the first time he had seen a Khajiit sneak. If it wasn't for the Cave Bear, he might have laughed! The Prisoner had gotten on all fours(vi) and was sneaking past the bear like any wild cat would. Hadvar had to admit though; she was faster and quieter on all fours than he was on two. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when the bear shifted her weight. He looked over at the Khajiit to see her watching the bear with narrowed eyes and hand on the bow. Can she not feel fear? He wondered.

They escaped the cave and the Nord blinked in the sudden sunlight, he looked to see the Prisoner rubbing her eyes in the sun. Suddenly she stopped and glared up at the sky with flattened ears and was hissing, seconds later the dragon flew by and both dove behind a rock for cover. Once the dragon was out of sight, he stood up. "There, I think he's gone for good this time," he breathed, "but I'd rather not stick around and find out," Hadvar explained to her that she should see his uncle in Riverwood and that they should part ways but was glad when she decided to travel with him; it was a long walk and he could do with the company. "I just realized, I never told you my name," he knew she probably already knew his name but it was polite to tell her anyways, "my name is Hadvar."

"This one is pleased to meet you," she smiled and Hadvar decided that he was happy not be on the business end of those fangs either.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" He asked.

"That is a question but go ahead."

"What were you doing by the border where we had our ambush?"

She paused for a moment to think, "Khajiit spied an injured soldier and went to investigate if was dead or not."

"Oh…" he trailed off. Here she had just been trying to help and was put to the axe for it.

She must have seen his expression because she started laughing, "this one was hoping for a dead soldier so she could take his supplies."

Hadvar was quiet for a minute; he wasn't sure if he was happy that she wasn't punished for a good deed or upset because she didn't care about the nameless soldier. "I see," he finally answered.

"The dead are dead and respect for a body must come second to survival," she explained, "dead soldier doesn't need food or armour but cold and hungry Khajiit does."

The Nord nodded, he could see the sense in that but it still didn't sit right with him that she had been robbing the dead. "What brings you to Skyrim?" He asked, "you don't look like you belong to a caravan."

"Khajiit is looking for something," she hummed.

"And what is that?" He asked.

Dar'Teeg paused in thought, "this one was in Hammerfell at the Shrine of Azurah(vii) praying to when Mother Soul(viii) spoke to me. She said that the people of Skyrim would need this one and Khajiit's presence would determine fate of Nirn(ix). Whether Azurah spoke or this one has gone mad isn't decided yet. If this one is mad, this one wishes her madness took her someplace warm!" She rubbed her arms and shivered to further prove she was cold. He was about to continue but was stopped when her ears flattened and she started hissing at a large boulder. No more than a handful of seconds later they were attacked by three wolves.

That is quite handy he thought as he fought the wolves.


They arrived in Riverwood with no further trouble and found his uncle, who was worried about his appearance, easily. "Who is this?" Alvor asked his nephew suspiciously, like most Nords, his uncle was distrustful of Khajiit.

"She's a friend," he answered and heard the earrings jingle as her ears perked at the word, "if it wasn't for her, I doubt I would be here right now."

His uncle studied the cat for a moment. "Any friend of Hadvar's is a friend of mine," he finally relented and led them inside.

Once they were all seated, he told his uncle what had happened, "I need to return to General Tulis and tell him what happened." His aunt gently placed a hand on his shoulder that told him he wasn't going anywhere until his wounds were healed.

His uncle and turned to his friend, "I need your help. Someone has to go to Whiterun and tell Jarl Balgruff that Riverwood is in danger."


"This one will leave for White run immediately," she confirmed and left the house. Hadvar watched from the window as she sprinted on all fours(x), Yes, he knew from the moment he first saw her that she didn't belong on that cart.


i The language I'm assuming spoken in Tamriel and since Khajiits have an accent, I'm assuming they have a different native tongue

ii A mod that gives Argonians and Khajiit more bestial looking feet you can get off Nexus

iii The kid from Helgen

iv Another mod from Nexus that fixes Khajiit claw damage from 12 to 15 like it should be

v Wiki it says Khajiit prefer to fight with their claws rather than weapons

vi A mod you can get that lets you walk like a cat. It's not meant for vanilla races but with some extra mods, you can make it that way

vii Khajiit "Azura"

viii Another name for Azura

ix The planet they live on

x Again part of the mod that lets you move around like a cat