I didn't know whether to be happy, sad, grievous, relieved, or any combination of the four. On the one hand, what I had just been through was undoubtedly awful, and the past day had comprised the worst state of my entire life. On the other though, I had met her. Doubtlessly the kindest person I'd ever met, and I knew it even then.

I complied with her offer of water after a short few moments of contemplation. The bliss of soothing a dry throat almost helped me take my mind off of the whole situation—though I did notice it seemed to smell a bit off. What to expect, though?

My eyes then veered to the cooked salmon on my right, and for the first time I noticed the small campfire Meliana had built while I was asleep. My hunger spoke to me, spoke to me words of wisdom—"Eat the food."

I was forced to acquiesce or stay starved the remainder of the night. My sleep would be troubled if I didn't, I knew. Eventually I caved in and slowly ate the prepared fish. Each bite I made as quick and painless as I could to prevent retching and uneasiness. It was difficult, but after I finished I was indeed no longer hungry.

I rested my body as I waited for Meliana's return. I scooted away from the splash of the falls and to the welcoming hearth-heat of the fire and curled my body around its familiar blaze, letting it drain away the water from my clothes and fur. I almost began to nod away a few times over the course of the uneventful hours of twilight, but managed to prevent it. After what must have been the twentieth unsuccessful ambush by sleep, I sat up.

Meliana would return soon. It had been a couple hours since she had left. Indeed, my hunch was correct—a shadow appeared next to the waterfall without sound of any kind not long after I spawned the thought. My ears perked and my pulse sped up just a bit.

"I see you are still here. Smart boy." I simply nodded.

Meliana brought down from her back an intricately styled bow and a quiver with only three finely-shafted arrows remaining inside—two of which had been stained with blood, surely wrenched back from her victims. I gulped, wondering just what it was she had killed.

"Wolves almost gave me trouble. Least, I knew they would. Got them down before they could notice me." What she said did not make me any less insecure, but I just blinked blankly. She reached into a satchel on the left of her hip and retrieved a sizeable flask filled to the brim with a purple-colored liquid.

"Drink this, Norn." She said simply. She did not bother with the details, assuming I could very well guess.

I slowly and cautiously took the flask from her, feeling the grip on its neck fade away as she let go. I hesitantly sniffed the contents and then gulped the whole thing down. I shuddered—it burned worse than liquor.

"It may hurt for a little while, but it's preferable to being stuck with a disease." Her dark pupils darted around the cave quickly and within the span of what could only have been a second, noticing the meal she had prepared for me was missing.

"And I see you have eaten? That's good. It will help you feel much better. Now then," she began, pulling out a folded cloak from the contents of her pack, "get some rest."

Meliana spread the cloak overhead like an all-encompassing shadow and then rested it as a blanket on my stiff being. I looked up to meet her face, but was disappointed to see that its attention was rested on the calming sounds of the falls.

"You certainly need your sleep. Rest well, fellow Khajiit." I did as she was told, almost immediately being taken in by dream's sweet embrace.

During my slumber, my dream was peculiar. A person of great importance—least, that's what my mind told me—stood before me in the shadows cast of a brilliant light. It stood stoic for a few moments, holding out its chest with heroism. Finally, it let out a deafening cry of indescribable nature, a call to the wild and a show of strength. I remained unharmed by the roar, the shout, despite my close proximity. As it turned to meet me, its visage almost became clear—

And then I woke once more.

Before the question is asked: no, neither of them are involved with the Dragonborn.