His bare feet crunched in the dying grass. His hind was close to the ground. He tilted his head counting each solitary moment with the rhythm of his beating heart. The archer had only to allow the arrow to fly, but the wind kept his shot flying wide of the intended prey.

Tai was a big man, angled cheek bones to his firm jaw. Messy facial hair clad him along with long yet well-kept black hair. Tai's eyes were bright blue, an eagerness for battle shone in them. They were enhanced by the blackness around them, be it war paint or tattoo. Purpose was in his heavy brow as he squinted more, his eyes becoming almost frightening in their focus. Tai's bare chest and back were well built, if not in need of shaving. Black hair ran down him in select areas giving Tai an animalistic appearance, also the illusion of a more muscular frame.

The pounding and yells broke his focus as he turned his head; the deer flew away like the arrow Tai had intended to release. He soon found his new target irritating, large footed, rude and attacking three warriors.

The first warrior was big, strong and messy. His long hair unkempt, his face covered with the grime of battle, his eyes almost unnatural in their paleness. Silver as the moon yet as warm as the sun. Truly stunning in his firm jawed face. His cheeks hollowed slightly, giving a slightly angled look to him, his messy facial hair however disguised this well. His nose was small, cute however upon a good looking man. A scar was upon his heavy brow yet the well-trimmed eyebrows evened this out. He appeared very much like Tai, save Tai's more rounded cheeks.

He swung the claymore he held with ease, his body twisting in ways Tai couldn't believe possible with such a large weapon. His steel armour was dented, clearly Nordic yet shining as if newly cleaned. The chest was carved, giving a defined V look about it despite he was covered and square. The shoulders were scaled, sharpened to harm those who would hit them. His arms were covered in steel down the outside yet fur and leather on the inner arm, as it was with his boots.

The second warrior was also male, very dark skinned, a deep grey green, maybe even blue colour with bright white hair pulled back behind his pointed ears. The warrior was a dark elf, scarred down his bony face with eyes red as the blood flowing from the gash across his left arm. His leather armour was clearly damaged, almost as badly as the warrior it protected.

He wielded his short sword poorly, as if in his off hand. Tai couldn't help feel pity for the obviously beaten elf struggling with his elderly age.

The third was a woman, a very beautiful one at that. Her face was quite angled, a pointed chin with a curved somewhat low jaw into large wolf like silver eyes. Her nose was somewhat large, pointed yet somehow only added to her beauty. Her hair seemed browny red in the light from an overcast sky. Her lips were small yet perfectly shaped for such a huntress, painted black and stained with the green paint across her face in bands, camouflage. Her skin slightly sun kissed yet not overly so.

Her armour however really caught Tai's attention, his more animalistic attention. It was old, styled like the original companions of Ysgramor.

Fur lined her shoulders under carved metal; down her chest was more revealing, leather with beads holding it together. Perfectly positioned for teasing men that would have challenged her. The old Nordic steel continued from her belt down to midthigh in strips, old leather split down the sides of her legs. Her boots came up to her knees, metal padded down the front.

Tai levelled his arrow as he willed his heart to slow. One beat. Breathe. Two beats. Hold. Three beats. Release.

The arrow flew like a bat outta hell, bending slightly as it left the string of Tai's old imperial bow. It spun a deadly spin as it flew closer and closer to its target.

The huge Giant roared as the arrow pierced its eye with deadly accuracy, the head erupting out the back of the Giant's skull. The giant fell in the cabbage field with a huge earth shuddering impact. Its back lay upon the fence, its head twisted at an off angle.

The woman's eyes widened as they rested on Tai, his bow still held perfectly still. The woman then looked to the giant as Tai begun his triumphant descent from the hilltop. He stared dead ahead as the dark elf kicked the giant with a well-chosen curse.

The first warrior's eyes widened as he stared at Tai.

"That's not Vilkas" he spoke simply as Tai stopped before the trio. His voice was rumbling, deep with a slight gruffness to it. He sounded as dumb as a post, yet kindly in a strange way. Tai grinned as the woman spoke.

"No it's not" Her voice was medium, strong however as she almost glared at Tai. He tilted his head.

"Vilkas?" he asked then turned his eyes to the first warrior.

"I assume you're Farkas then"

"I am" The warrior replied. The woman looked uneasy.

"You know of us. Who are you? Speak" she ordered with an intimidating bark. Tai cleared his throat.

"I wish to join the companions. My name is Teinavoh, most call me Tai" his reply seemed to make the woman even more nervous.

"An Argonian name"

"I was adopted at a young age" Tai answered, the woman seemed satisfied.

"Well as for joining it's not my place to say. Speak to the Harbinger, she will decide if you have the mettle for it" the woman sighed.

"I am Aela, a huntress" she spoke evenly, Tai smiled.

"I thought as much" he mumbled. Aela glared at him as his eyes ventured down her swiftly and inappropriately.

"I saw that" she growled before walking off, Tai just blinked. Farkas looked confused as the dark elf shook his head with a knowing smile.

"You don't have a chance in hell"

"Whiterun, home of the Sky forge. It's said a blade forged in its flames can cut through sinew, as if it were parchment" – Quote Lucian Lachance

Tai stared as he walked up the stairs, the running water from Dragonsreach, the great palace of Whiterun roaring almost as loudly as the Priest of Talos as he screamed about the Elf lords, of their tolerance been non-existent and how the Nords should rise up.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. The steps he took, skipping a stair here and there in his long balanced strides.

Tai was at home among the city. His former profession had demanded he be charming, deadly and faster than the shadows could be blown away by light on the wind or a flickering torch. The Dark Brotherhood was cold, an unforgiving family with no place for error. However those with the talent were accepted like no one could care to explain. The ways of murder were not strange to the warrior Tai. Tai had left his family upon the Great War, leaving the Jester to his ways as he had sought the truth about his life. The Listener was not pleased he imagined. Then again, Tai had never truly been an assassin but merely a guard serving little purpose than show among a family that could not accept him.

Tai paused as he finally stood at the heavy ancient doors of Jorrvaskr, home of the Companions. He stared at the boat shaped roof, his eyes on the dragon decorations as he strode up the three steps to the door, and he proceeded to push it open. With one final deep breath Tai walked through the door into his new life.

"Get your hands up Ria" Vilkas yelled. His voice was higher, more controlled than Farkas' or Tai's yet still held that rumble that would melt a womans heart should he use the right phrase. Vilkas was identical to Farkas in structure, yet his face was clean. Shaved, his hair well groomed and his armour golden compared to the silver steel. Vilkas bore a long sword, yet not the double handed size of the one across the back of his twin brother Farkas.

Several people gathered around two women fighting.

The first was clearly Imperial. Full faced with a dent in her chin, bright honey eyes and hair. The fur could have been thrown over her shoulder for its organisation yet there was an obvious method to her madness. In various pouches and hidden pockets were all her supplies, arrows, her bow and her silver short sword. A sword which the Circle, the highest ranking companions, eyed very, very nervously.

The second woman was clearly more experienced, yet younger than the middle aged Ria.

Her face was pointed, very pointed. Her rich soft skin was sun kissed, her long ears pointed as the classic wood elf ears usually are. Her cheeks hollowed out rather harshly, and yet she was still elegant. Her facial features were sharp, yet her expression seemed almost relaxed with her pure black eyes. Her eyes were huge, on an obvious inward slant with the corners tucking up. Not that it could be easily seen. Her bright blonde hair was braided back in two strands, they came behind her head to meet then her hair flowed freely past her shoulder blades. The elf was very small, short and fine framed.

Her armour could barely be called armour. A tight fitting leather vest, tied at the front with metal down her shoulders. This continued into metal clad legs, hidden by rabbit skins falling like a fashionable skirt, metal studs were placed down her sides and the rabbits. Her feet were bare, yet strangely attractive Tai discovered. She seemed to barely move her feet and yet be dancing around the struggling Ria. A quiver of elven arrows and such a bow were on her back with two daggers strapped to each thigh, again slightly hidden by the unfortunate rabbits.

The elf suddenly danced to her left as Ria charged for the strike. The elf was so swift Tai's mouth nearly fell open; his recovery was almost as swift as the elf's hand closing around the back of Ria's head. The elf threw her right knee up into Ria's gut as she forced Ria's head down to the floor. Ria flipped over the elf's leg with a groan as the elf spun with deadly purpose and threw Ria. Ria rolled a few times before turning with her hand raised. The elf smiled.

"Vale won… Again" Vilkas mumbled, clear disappointment in his voice as coins changed hands with his brother.

"Don't sound so disappointed brother" Vale came up with a smile, her voice airy and light. Then she shared her laugh, trickling like a gentle stream. Tai blinked in shock as something resounded in him with her. By the look of shock on her face Vale felt it too.

"Have we met?" she asked simply. Tai shifted on the balls of his bare feet then replied.

"I would remember meeting such a fair creature"

"Yeah…" Vale trailed off as Tai smiled. Then her face was no longer so light as she looked to Farkas.

"I don't like him"

Tai looked utterly shocked as Vale begun to walk away, she paused with her hand a blur in her deadly throw. Tai leapt sidewards staring at the unfired arrow now buried in the thick wooden post behind his head. Vale smiled.

"To hunt with us your feet need to be quick and your eyes quicker" Aela spoke, Vale finished for her.

"I think charming has just shown his worth" then the two stunning women in their own right walked off, side by side hands almost touching. Tai tilted his head.

"Are they?" Tai struggled for words.

"Related?"

"Oh no. Aela is a Nord and Vale a wood elf; even I know that they can't be siblings of blood. They are shield siblings" Farkas answered in his dumb voice. Vilkas seemed to ignore the question as Tai nodded with his lips pursed, as if asking for a kiss. Even Farkas noticed this as Tai's eyes wondered Aela's hind once more. Vilkas cleared his throat snapping Tai's attention back to the twins.

3 years ago

The girl was nervous as she walked down the hall towards the carrying voices her leather boots moving silently. This young girl was a master of stealth, deadly with a blade and destruction magic but was about as skilled with a shield as Farkas was with his mind. Not very.

"But I still hear the call of the blood" Vilkas spoke. The young girl couldn't help but be shocked by his handsome appearance, for a warrior he was reasonably unscarred and not the bulking giant she had imagined. His armour however was very tight, the swelling around his neck proved this.

The girl had needs and instinct for secrecy; she pushed her back to the stone cold wall. Shadows were her mask, cloak and armour as she literally turned invisible as the magic kicked in.

"It is our curse to bare" The second man spoke. The conversation continued on and on.

"You have my brother and me obviously, but I don't know the rest will come along quite so easily" Vilkas spoke. By now the girl had heard enough to know the rumours were true.

The girl regretted the departure of Arnbjorn, he had been one of the closest things to a father she had. His wife, Astrid had been like her mother. The girls name was lost to even her, been a shipwrecked orphan it was not surprising. After killing his target and all survivors foolish or unlucky enough to cross blades with him Arnbjorn had taken an unusual shine to her upon discovering her lying in the cold water outside of Solitude. The wolf had raised her, with his human wife and later traitor of the dark Brotherhood Astrid. The girl had taken the name Z upon herself. By the time she had discovered she was dragon born Z had travelled far from her family. Later to return to discover Valana Valore as Listener. Infuriated Z had killed the woman and had managed assume the mantle herself.

She had still been too late.

"A stranger comes to our halls" Kodlak spoke as Z strode through the ancient archway, a determined frown on her face, her midnight blue eyes only briefly scanning Vilkas.

"I wish to join the companions"