Rain was pouring as we made it back to the Sanctuary. Cicero couldn't say the passwords fast enough to get out of the rain.

I heard Gabriella speaking as we entered. She was somewhere further down in the Sanctuary, perhaps where Astrid usually would stand.

"Will it ever end? All of this rain is agonizing," she said.

"I don't know," a little girl's voice said. "I think having another cat here is more agonizing than the rain."

"Really, Babette? I don't know . . . I think we should give her a chance. Omazirr really did wonders for us all now, didn't he?"

"That was Omazirr, though. And even then, I still can't say that I enjoy having him around. All Khajiits, in my opinion, are meant to be made into rugs."

Cicero stood by me, silent as I was, watching my eyes closely.

I felt a hiss rising in my throat.

"Tell them I sent you back early," I growled quietly. I turned and ran back out into the cold, icy raindrops.

I spent half an hour, pointlessly walking through the forested area. I was potentially starting to regret it, because as I sat on a giant boulder that was caressed by fallen trees and grass, I didn't know which way would take my back to the Sanctuary.

I ended up propping my back against a tree after tearing off a small tree branch. I rested one leg atop of the other and took out my Orcish dagger. For a while, I sat there sharpening the edge of the tree branch.

I didn't know Babette hated me so much, I thought. I mean, I knew she didn't like me, but . . . she was so kind to me that one night. She actually started a conversation with me which was really unnecessary. Gabriella, on the other hand now, she defended me. And for what reason? It was highly unlikely for either of them to ever be friends with me, but the two of them alone were obviously great friends, so how could they share such a disagreement?

I shook my head as a strong gust of wind blew towards me. My eyes closed, my ears flattened and I looked away from the wind until it calmed down. My mind was suddenly on Eorlund and the Daedric Prince, Boethiah. Hadn't she said in that one dream that she would help me get in to Riften? I knew that she did, but Eorlund was the one who helped me instead. Maybe I just didn't give her the chance? I don't dream very often . . .

By the time the stick had a very fine point, a few hours had passes and the rain didn't look like it was going to die down at all. I had to keep restarting the sharpening process because, right when I thought I had a good point, I would press down too hard and it would snap off, leaving me in a frustrated state of mind and with a brand new point to be made.

I was so focused on making a fine point that my mind wasn't on anything else. I didn't think about the Sanctuary, Delvin being on my back . . . okay, I was thinking a little bit about wanting to ram a knife through Babette's neck, but she pretty much said I outta be a rug! If you were in my position, you'd feel the same way!

I was starting to get frustrated again, but right before I could push down and snap the new tip, the tree branch was yanked out of my hands. My eyes widened in shock and in the next second, I jumped to my feet and held my Orcish dagger in a ready-to-stab position. I was growling and hissing even after I saw that Omazirr was simply reviewing and poking over the point I'd made.

"This is very fine," he said after a long moment, eventually looking up at me.

I finally was able to calm down and talk myself into sheathing the dagger after another few minutes. I sat back down on the rock, thankful that the leaves above were shielding me. Omazirr dropped the branch and stood there in the rain for a bit. He looked at me and I looked back at him. I wasn't going to start a conversation, and since the sky was growing dark, I'd sit there all night if I had to. I definitely didn't want to return to the Sanctuary.

"Why are you out here?" he asked, finally realizing I wasn't going to start a conversation.

"Because," I replied. I looked away, not planning to say anything more.

I was taken by shock when, in one leap, one single bound, he was kneeling at my feet and looking in to my eyes. He was very close to me; just, a few breaths away.

"Why?" he pressed.

I felt tense now that he was close to me, but I let out a slow breath as I looked away.

"I will not go back to your Sanctuary."

"My Sanctuary?" I noted out of the corners of my eyes that his ears dipped down just a few centimeters.

"I cannot call your home my own."

He chuckled. My heart started to pound faster when I felt something raising my hand. I turned to look, and I saw his paw under mine, holding it. "Why's that? Are you afraid of the others there?"
"Afraid?" I hissed. "More like I don't want to see those rotten faces!" I yanked my hand from his and quickly looked away. My cheeks were burning up and I felt flushed.

"Rotten . . ?" His gaze was quizzical, here in front of me.

A soft, low growl escaped my throat. "I'm not returning to a place that holds people who think my kind should be made into a rug!"

His ears stood straight up and I saw his tail whip around behind him.

"Who said that?" I saw an angry glare now in his eyes. His paws were curling into fists, but I could still see his nails ready to come out and attack.

When I didn't reply, he looked up into my eyes. "Who?" he asked again.

"Babette," I said.

A long hiss escaped his lips. "She doesn't know worth when she sees it!"

I wanted to laugh. "And you do?" I asked.

"What makes you think I don't?"

"You saved me, didn't you?"

The air turned cold. The wind pushed hard. My eyes evaded him while his own were trying so desperately now to meet with mine. When he realized his attempts were futile, a low purr came from his chest and he leaned in toward me. I almost shrieked when I was suddenly hoisted up into the air.

"Put me down!" I commanded. "Where are we going?"

"Back to the Sanctuary."

"No!" I shouted. "I'm not going back there!" I started to thrash in his arms, trying to get out.

"Yes, you are." I was no match for his strength. Within ten minutes, I was tired out.

"Why are you making me go back?"

"Because. When I got back to the Sanctuary after my own contract, Cicero came to me and told me to go get you. Everybody was asking where you were . . . except-"

"Babette."

"It makes sense now," he whispered softly. "But she's just like that sometimes, Ajivha. Don't take what she says to heart."

I gave one more attempt to break free of his arms, pushing my body up to try and break his grip on me. He was simply too strong as he held me like a baby.

I gave up trying to fight and I let him carry me to the Sanctuary.

As we came upon the door, he whispered to me. "Pretend to be asleep."
"Why?" I asked.

"Because I don't think that you want everybody questioning you." He hoisted me up a little more in his arms so my head was cradled against his chest.

"But then everybody will question you," I said.

I felt him shrug his shoulders, "I'll tell them I found you on a boulder and that's all I know. No big deal. It's a secret I'll keep for you so long as you keep or pantheon secret."

I considered this as he stood in front of the door, the rain still dripping on to the both of us.

"Fine. Deal." I sort of cuddled into his chest and let my eyes close as I did. I brought my tail up and rested it against my stomach. I hadn't expected to, but I actually fell asleep in his arms.

I woke up later to darkness in the room, but I could just barely make out a figure standing at the doorway. It was small, and as my eyes quickly adjusted, I wanted to growl and attack.

"What do you want, Babette?" I propped myself up on one arm, forcing the venom to stay out of my voice.

"I want to know the truth about why you 'didn't come back' right away."

Through the darkness, I squinted at her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I know that you came to the Sanctuary with Cicero and then left again. I want to know why."

I wanted to laugh so badly. "Why's it matter to you?" Little witch! I thought.

"Because you're a liar! You said you sent Cicero back early but you didn't! You came back with him and then left!" Her hands curled into small fists as her body was just slightly hunched forward in anger. "Are you a chicken? Huh? Huh! Afraid to confront me!"

I sat up and turned my neck to the side, cracking it once, twice. "You can't make a rug out of a chicken, now can you, little girl?"

She stood up straight and suddenly lunged at me, her hands and arms extended as she aimed for my throat.

I jumped up and brought my arms up to shield my neck. Her hands grabbed my arms and started pulling, pushing, pulling, pushing me. She was screaming at me, calling me vulgar things.

I don't know how long it went on for, because I just didn't have the will to fight a little girl, but eventually she was lugged off of me and I found Astrid, Omazirr, Nazir, Veezara and Arnbjorn came by to see the ruckus. Gabriella pulled her off of me.

I wasn't going to seem like the bad one, though.

"What's going on here?" Astrid asked, exasperated.

"Ask the girl who attacked me!" I yelled. I stood up and threw my arms into the air. "What kind of Sanctuary are you running here? You bring me in then say I'd make a fine rug behind my back and then attack me for it!"

Most of them exchanged a curious glance, then recognition crossed their faces. Gabriella scorned Babette and led her out of the room. I was still growling all the while and Astrid sent the others away except for Omazirr. He walked over to the chest I meant to pick, pulled out a key and unlocked it. I didn't see everything in there, but I did see him pull out a roll of bandages. When he came back to me, I realized why. There was a stinging pain down my arms, and when I looked down, I was bleeding! The little wench dug her nails into me!

Astrid sighed and shook her head while Omazirr bandaged me up.

"Tomorrow I'm sending you to Riften," Astrid said. "I'll make sure Nazir wakes you up in the morning and you two can get the show on the road."

"Let me go with her," Omazirr said. "Give Nazir a break."

"No," Astrid said. "Nazir already accepted the task of watching over her. And besides, you have other things to do."

"I'm sure Nazir won't mind switching places with me." Omazirr looked up at Astrid wearily, wanting to go with me to Riften. I didn't, quite frankly, know why.

But Astrid sighed, "Talk to Nazir about it. If he lets you take his spot, then so be it. Meanwhile," she turned to me. "You need to sleep now if you're going to get in to Riften with that bounty on your head."

With that, she turned and left. I expected Omazirr to do the same, but he stayed my bed even after he finished wrapping up my arms and I laid down.

When he saw me giving him a curious look, he said, "I'm staying here to make sure she doesn't come back to mess with you. Get some rest."

He turned his back to me and sat facing the door. I sighed, told him to sit up on my bed at least, and soon found that I was back asleep.

I dreamed only of one thing. Killing Babette.