The wind was howling, blowing from the North, and it was freezing. It was so cold that it dried and chilled everything it touched. A silver lining in all that was that it had dispersed all the clouds, and now the Sun was shining on the whole plain and on the exposed part of the woods East of Whiterun. And they call this Summer… Azrael thought with a sigh. Don't even want to think about the winter, then.

But it didn't take something like the winter to change the landscape. Whiterun and its hold had changed their appearance just in the last few days: a clash between an imperial and a stormcloak patrol left the main street covered in blood stains. The storm of the day before set alight a small copse. Lastly, there was what remained of the Western Watchtower: A crumbling pile of rocks, that still had the vague shape of a tower. It still was surrounded by various meters of devastated terrain.

That had been a hard fight indeed: the Dragon had nosedived several times just to breathe fire and trap the defenders in a circle of flames; it had scorched the land horribly while trying to do that.

What was his name? Mirmulnir, yes… Azrael remembered.

That had seriously been a hard fight.

That monster was about to win when he hit the tower again with the tail, he recalled. Those stones that fell almost killed both Irileth and the last three guards. Only Azura knows how I managed to hit him in the wing with that arrow.

The Dunmer looked behind him, observing the cracked section of the road. Some of the stone was pulverized and the soil had erupted from underneath. Two merchants had already asked to fix that, but it would have taken a lot of time.

Mirmulnir landed on the road, in a point where it was easy to incinerate everyone that came near. It had a decent tactical mind. Then… yeah.… it roared at me and covered me in flames. Lucky me I'm a Dunmer. Even Danica needed a whole day to mend those burns.

The Dark Elf touched the sword that hanged from his belt, sensing the familiar grip.

He lounged at me… Still surprises me how I dodged that bite. His teeth, damn it… they're as sharp as Eorlund's swords. Where… Ah, yes, I hit it on the neck, then again under its… well, chin, if I can say that of a Dragon. Don't know how I had that idea of jumping on its head, but it worked. I'll never understand where I hit it, but I'd wager it was the eye. Nothing else could have been so soft.

The bones had been removed the passed night. The skin… it evaporated.

Instinctively, Azrael watched the top of he Throat of the World.

Not yet, Old Guys, not yet, he thought. Now I have more pleasant matters to take care of. I'm a Companion after all. Now formally as well.

He felt something that gave him strength, purpose, and meanwhile he calm around him prevented it from exploding. He felt the silence, broke only by his light footsteps and the occasional gusts of wind. He liked silence, he remembered how soothing it can be. It allowed him to perceive the full force of the new results he had reached. He was a Companion, the best fighters in all of Skyrim. The warrior that battle all evil and everything that might harm the innocents and the frail. His dreams had come true, finally. With a few things that needed clearing, but mostly everything was perfect.

Okay… This should kill it. What? Wait a second…

Footsteps.

'Greeting, Shield-Brother.'

Azrael raised an eyebrow, and turned towards the new-comer.

'Welcome, Aela,' he said. He focused his attention back to the sleeping bear.

The Huntress silently walked by his side. 'A ledge…' she observed, looking down towards the animal. 'Good spot for a shot. How high is this?'

'Fifty feet, I'd say,' said the Dunmer, making his estimations and lowering the bow.

'Why are you shooting standing up?' she asked.

Azrael was really confused, and understood about half of what was happening.

What it the name of Azura is she doing here? Was she following me? What for?

'If you know a better way, then teach me,' he said, without going through meaningless question. He hated discussing over things that were already clear. Luckily Aela appreciated this tendency.

'No worthless words? Just action?' she asked, grinning. 'Good. You're starting to impress me.'

That takes a good deal of skill… thought the Dunmer.

The Huntress kneeled and took her own bow; she waved at the Dark Elf, clearly encouraging him to do the same. Azrael obeyed and assumed her same posture.

'Regardless of how deadly is your shot, it doesn't hurt anyone to make it even more lethal,' she said, and while talking she nocked an arrow. 'Now, do exactly what I do.'

She kept the bow horizontally, and not vertically like Azrael was used to doing. He imitated the movement.

'Good,' she said. 'With the bow in this position you can draw it further than when you stand. It's a good tactic to use when not seen. It allows you to be more precise, and the shot to be deadlier.'

'You have to stop to do it, though,' objected the Dunmer.

'Yes,' she admitted. 'It clearly hinders your mobility, but in certain situations agility in not required.'

The Dark Elf had stopped wondering about the meaning of that encounter, and just listened. He was learning something he didn't even know existed as a tactic.

'Perfect,' she said, looking at Azrael's position. 'Now shoot.'

The result was fairly predictable: the bow was drawn beyond normal, and the resulting shot was seriously lethal. The Dunmer followed the projectile with the eyes, and it flew through the air a lot quicker than his normal shots; the arrow hit the bear right between the eyes. The animal died instantly, the missile had penetrated and cracked the bones.

'Nice shot,' commented Aela. 'You learn quickly.'

'Having a good teacher helps, too,' he replied with a cock of his eyebrows.

Aela grinned briefly, then stood up and looked down at the carcass. The Dark Elf read on her face that she was there to talk to him about something important, but hesitated. Reason unknown.

'Aela, what are you doing here?' he asked. 'This bear is a job you gave me. If you would have come here anyway then why don't tend to it yourself?'

'I was just about to explain,' she replied.

Really? Didn't look like it.

'You see, I needed to ask you something, and it was best if we did that in private. I believe you noticed that I tried to talk to you after Kodlak finished that ceremony,' she explained.

'Yes, I noticed; I also saw how surprised you were when I immediately asked for a job.'

'You've got a cunning mind, Shield-Brother,' she whispered. 'Very well, I admit I was surprised. Although I couldn't believe my luck: I sent you on this mission, and only I knew where you were going; so I followed you.'

'To what end?'

The Huntress remained silent for a second, then sighed shortly.

'First of all, your reward,' she said, handing a purse to the Elf. 'Second, my question: Yesterday, inside that barrow, something happened, am I right?'

She knows.

'I'd say no,' said Azrael slowly, 'if I were the only cunning mind here.'

Aela smirked weakly again.

'It's clear from my face, isn't it?' asked the Dunmer again. 'Nevermind, I wanted to talk about that with someone anyway. I have to say, you're the absolute best candidate.'

'Because I'm the only one here?' she sneered.

'No,' replied Azrael calmly. 'Because I admire you.'

The Elf waited. He could have continued, but he wanted to leave Aela some time to think over those words. He would have continued anyway, she was quite confused by that confession, maybe he indulged her own pride and left her exposed for a moment. He continued when some time had gone by.

'Anyway… Yes, there was a little incident. You should know we ran into some Silver Hands, and maybe Farkas even told you that a large group was awaiting us near the entrance.'

She nodded.

'Well… When that group attacked I was blocked behind iron bars, of a trap; a very clever one. Farkas fought, and killed them all. Although not as a man…'

'But as a wolf,' finished Aela.

'You knew or just guessed?' asked the Dunmer.

'Guessed,' she said. 'I heard you asking something to the Old Man; you were talking in a frantic tone, which I've never heard you using. I counted fear out, being you, and understood it was surprise. I asked myself what could astonish you that much, and thought that the Beast Blood was the only possible thing.'

'And you were right. To be honest I was a bit frightened and well.'

'And why?' she asked, surprised.

The blood lust, thought Azrael. Killing has become normal for me, but I still fear that blind fury that grips me when I kill. The Werewolf seems the completion of that progress. I don't want to feed the beast inside of me, I want to tame it.

'Doesn't really matter,' said Azrael quickly. 'But why are you asking me this?'

'Just curiosity. For now.'

The Dunmer trembled: those last two words gave him the chills, even if he didn't understand their meaning. He took a deep sigh, and then looked at the Huntress.

'Well, nice of you to follow me here just to know if I was feeling well,' he said.

'We hunters take care of our own. We're lone predators, but it doesn't hurt to aid each another.'

They remained silent for a moment, but both took opportunity of the moment to rearrange their equipment. The Dark Elf tightened the buckle that held the quiver, and Aela checked her belt, seeing if the dagger was in the right place. Azrael felt strangely uneasy in her presence. He paid double the usual amount of energy on maintaining a strict control over what he did and said. In that moment specifically, he felt he had a chance to stay with her a bit more, and put some time into constructing the right sentence.

'So…' he began. 'I owe you a favor for today's lesson. What can I do for you, now?'

'Remember what I said to you the second day, when you asked to follow me?'

'Yes: "If you wish to hunt with me your feet need to be quick and your eyes quicker."'

'You're a quick study,' she said, grinning. 'I'm going to do just that for the rest of the day, until dusk. Do you wish to accompany me?'

'Gladly,' responded the Dunmer, feeling an odd shiver going down his spine. 'But do we really need to return to the city for twilight? Today's a full moon, there will be enough light even for a deer to see us.'

'No, I've something planned for this night. And it's in the city.'

Her tone… wondered Azrael. Strange one. Enigmatic. Wonder what she's up to now… And also… Well, that I could ask her.

'I understand this planned thing involves me,' he whispered.

'My, my, you're too intelligent. Be careful with that sharp mind, not all people like having smart individuals surrounding them.'

'I know,' the Dunmer said, lowering his head. 'It could be part of the reason I had to escape Morrowind.'

'Really?' she asked. 'How?'

Azrael sighed, then shook his head.

'I don't want to talk about it,' he said with low voice, almost whispering.

'Fine,' she answered, quickly settling the matter. 'Returning to the topic, yes, involves you.'

'What do you need me for?'

'You'll see this night. I'll not spoil your fun,' she responded, smirking.

She even has a vague sense of humor while she's not at Jorrvaskr. Back at the Hall she's all severe and stern, but out in the woods she almost laughs… I didn't even think she was able to. I'll have a chance to see now what she's really like. Who knows, maybe she's like me and feels ill at ease in the city.

'It's been a long time since I hunted with someone else. Have you ever had someone you shared everything with, even the most important moments?'

What's that supposed to be? Azrael wondered, without finding any answer. A taunt, something to get information out of me?

'Well, in a certain way. They were friends. It's my first time hunting with someone, if that's what you're asking.'

'And how are you finding it?'

'Entertaining,' he answered cooly, playing on the neutral ground as much as he could.

It wasn't a lie, quite obviously, but it was maybe an understatement. He was having the time of his life. Aela was always so distant and serious, with very little time to dedicate to others. Now she was different, and yet so very much herself. Azrael asked which one of the two was the true Aela, but came to the conclusion that both were one and the same. It was the context, the people around her, that made her behave a certain way. The important thing was that she was there, with him, conceding all of her time and attention to him alone, among so many others. And she was still fierce, savage and beautiful, just not in the same way.

'What about you?' he asked, tying to redirect. 'Am I hunting partner material?'

'You most certainly are,' she said firmly. 'You are a sharp talker and an even better huntsman. Bow and word combined have brought many people very far.' She stopped, but right when Azrael suspected she was done something more seemed to slip out of her mouth. 'And you're very good company.'

The Dunmer was too confused to think of something intelligent to say and fell back on good old irony to escape the sticky situation. 'Thank you… You mention that like it's nothing,' he said.

She seemed to be taken aback. 'I didn't mean…'

'Don't worry,' he said, smirking. 'I was joking.'

She grinned too. 'That's what I mean for pleasant company,' she said.

Silence fell for while. They were getting closer to a clearing, where they had tracked down a lone male elk. It was easy prey, and would have served the halls of Jorrvaskr well enough with its delicious meat and fine hide. Azrael looked up at the sky.

The Moons were rising.

Maybe I'm becoming a blasted paranoid but… Is that truly a coincidence that we spoke of Werewolves the night that both the Moons are high in the sky?

Masser glowed of an alarming shade of red, and even Secunda was covered by a vermillion veil.

It's almost twilight, in moments all may unravel. But what will happened?

'Come on, that one's yours,' said the Huntress.

Azrael kneeled, as she taught him that very morning, and drew the bow as far as he could. Then released the shot. The arrow hissed through the air, flew over a couple of bushes and struck the target it the throat. The elk fell to the ground with a bell. Silence fell.

'Goon one,' Aela said. 'You're getting better still.'

Azrael sighed, softly. He didn't want her to hear.

This was the last one. Now back to the city, where things will get clear. Perhaps.

He felt nervous, and didn't know exactly why. He gazed at Aela, with suspicion.

What are you planning, Aela? I don't know you well, I don't have the slightest idea of that that look you give me means. Are you finding me interesting, curious, or do you have some evil, terrible plans for me?

An idea bolted through his mind. He didn't listen to it, he didn't want to. But in the end that would have not changed much. He already considered himself a blood thirsty beast.

Being turned into the ultimate stalker wouldn't change me that much, but… I still fear it, I fear that part of me and the beast I might become would be a living incarnation of my worst self.

For a second, dread took control over him, but he repelled it. He raised his head, half-closing his eyes, which flashed of a hellish red; for a second he felt the wind blowing in his hair, the cold penetrating through his bones, and looked at the vermillion Moons.

I'm not about to give in.

A dreadful smile appeared on his lips.

Never, he though.