I have put off finishing this story for far too long. Mostly because I wanted a proper transition between The Shadow and The Wolf as the second half of this chapter, but it just wouldn't come. Still hasn't. But now I'm gonna fight it out. It's time this thing got labeled 'complete', don't you think?

For those of you who have read The Wolf, you'll recognize the vast majority of this chapter. I'll chew out one last epilogue-let for the sake of stringing the prequel to the The Wolf properly.

It took two days for the Guard to release the ship's cargo and for Sharah to get her windows. And, of course, it was within those two days that Sharah's Ra Gada Urge decided to surface and begin hounding her in earnest. She'd been waiting to see Lex in town. Now he was here. And fitting nicely into his new role as captain. The way he handled the massacre on the Serpent's Wake earned him the immediate respect of his soldiers and many of the citizens. Sharah was proud. But she'd known he could do it.

And now that he was here, Sharah was free to leave. Well, almost free. She wasn't going to leave her house without windows for one. And there were a few other tasks she needed to do before setting out again. But all those little things around the manor would have to wait. She needed the road. She'd already been here too long for her taste. Although she would miss this bed. Divines and Daedra it was enormous! And Sharah couldn't help but fill it with all those plush pillows from storage that had survived the moths, especially considering she wasn't bothering with guest rooms. She just about buried herself in them every night.

And this night was no different. At least in respect to the pillows. Tonight was the last night she would be sleeping in this bed for a while. Tomorrow, Sharah was getting out of the city, moving on to the next adventure and shaking the dust from her boots. Her bag was already packed and all the important things for the house were done. Sure, she might come back to find some dust and the garden hosting weeds amongst the herbs, but Sharah was ready to travel again. And owning a manor didn't change that tendency one bit.

Sharah's thoughts were interrupted by an urging from the manor. She had finally gotten used to the strange, not-quite-sentient communications. This one said clearly, 'Intruder'. Sharah reached beneath the pillows on instinct and bit down on a curse. No dagger. It was sitting on the dresser with her travel clothes, waiting for tomorrow. She was so ready to leave that she'd gotten complacent. Before Sharah could rise to retrieve it, she heard the sound of her balcony doorknob turning. The intruder was coming into her bedroom from the balcony. Big mistake on his part. Sharah eased into a ready position that still appeared restful and held still.

She heard the door open and the intruder enter. She breathed evenly, feigning sleep and waiting, listening. Sharah felt more than heard him approach her bedside. Every nerve tingled as the adrenaline started to rush through her veins. Then, at the proper instant, Sharah threw off the covers and launched out of bed at the intruder. He was taken completely by surprise and they went toppling to the ground. Sharah made a grab for his collar and her hand found the fabric, but somehow he slipped from her grasp. When she gained her feet, it was between him and the balcony door.

The intruder took the next option and darted for the door into her house. Sharah sprinted after. He was fast, rushing down the hallway like a ghost. But she knew her manor. While he went for the stairs, she ducked into her office to the little inner overlook and tossed herself over the rail, dropping into the sitting room and fairly falling on top of him as the intruder crossed below. Again, she laid a hand on his clothing, and again he slipped out of her hold. But this time, when they came to their feet, he didn't run.

Sharah lurched up to the ready and got her first good look at the man. Any intent to demand his identity seemed pointless. She'd seen the 'wanted' posters. And who else would wear that distinctive gray cowl over his face. The Gray Fox stood before her.

The Gray Fox crossed his arms, clearly at ease. "You are good. I don't think anyone's caught me trespassing in…ten years."

Sharah didn't drop her guard. This was unexpected, to say the least. Armand Christophe had said that the Thieves Guild followed the Gray Fox, and that that came with loyalty and allegiance and so forth. But in the back of her mind, Sharah always assumed he was just a myth. A figurehead that the Guild used to give their members a focus. With all the rumors circulating around about him in the Thieves Guild and between ordinary citizens, it couldn't all be true. He couldn't be more than a myth. She had to rethink that assumption now, given that he was a myth currently stealing into her house.

The Gray Fox regarded her. "It might be considered polite to begin with introductions."

Sharah replied carefully, "If you knocked on the front door maybe. You do know I'm a member of the Thieves Guild, right?" And that members were forbidden from stealing from one another.

He nodded. "Of course."

"Then what are you doing breaking into my house?" She was balancing her anger at the intrusion with caution due a mythic thief. Still, didn't he have to follow Guild rules, too?

The Gray Fox drew a good sized pouch from his satchel. It jangled pleasantly with coin. "Your payment. For taking care of Lex. I thought I'd deliver it myself to show my appreciation. Although, I suppose the note is unnecessary at this point." He tore a bit of parchment that had been bound to the leather thong an offered her the bag.

Sharah didn't move to take it. "I didn't agree to any payment. I don't need money from the Guild."

"So I've heard," the Gray Fox remarked. Seeing her expression, he tried a different approach. "Then consider this a reimbursement for what you paid the forger, with interest and my regards." He took two steps to drop the pouch on a low table nearby, clearly with no intention of doing anything but leaving the gold where it now lay.

Sharah still watched him with suspicion. "Thanks. But I could just as easily have gotten it from Armand next time I was in the Imperial City. Why bring it yourself?"

The Gray Fox replied, "I thought it time we met face to face."

Sharah straightened up out of her ready battle stance. "Why?"

The Gray Fox's tone took on a mock of astonishment. "Is it so strange for me to wish acquaintance with a master thief?"

Sharah told him, "I am not a master thief."

He smiled roguishly. "Not yet, maybe." Sharah tried to measure what he was implying with that remark, but with that cowl on it was hard to tell much of anything from his facial expression. He continued, unperturbed. "You've been making some waves in the underworld. Word was bound to reach me eventually of your accomplishments. Framing Myvryna Arano, Hrormir's Icestaff, your dealings with Captain Lex without him suspecting a thing. Even if you don't think yourself a proper thief, that is quite a resume. I was especially impressed with the way you handled yourself in that meeting. I was going to recommend transferring Lex myself, but you beat me to it. And after that I thought I'd just sit back and let you work."

Sharah straightened further, startled. "You were there?"

He nodded. "In fact, I was sitting right next to you."

Sharah tried to remember back, pick out the face of the Gray Fox from the people at that meeting. But nothing came to mind. She remembered the forger who she'd sat and talked with beforehand, but not who was sitting on her other side. Certainly no one who could be the Gray Fox.

He seemed unconcerned with her confusion. "Let's start properly, shall we? I am the Gray Fox, master thief." He gave an elegant bow, indicative of some gentleman thief.

Sharah hesitated, but eventually inclined her head, if a bit stiffly. "Sharah the Wolf…Nice to meet you."

He stood straight and gave her a once over from head to toe. "For not being a true thief, you are remarkably good at it. But you could be better."

Sharah crossed her arms. "Thank you. I'll try to work on that."

"I would offer my services in that regard," the Gray Fox said.

Sharah cocked her head slightly and her eyebrow rose. "Tutoring from the Gray Fox himself? I must have made quite an impression."

He replied, "Actually, I was considering more of an apprenticeship."

She snorted despite her intent to remain respectful. "Apprenticed to a thief? No. I'm not interested. Whatever you've heard, thievery is a hobby for me. And only when the need arises. I prize my public reputation too much to chance getting caught in league with you."

He raised his hands to hold off her refusal. "Please. Just hear me out. I'm looking into something and I know I'll need assistance. But I'll need the best."

"And you come to me?" she asked.

The Gray Fox replied, "Yes. But you're not quite good enough. Not yet. But you will be. With all I can teach you, you could be the greatest thief in Cyrodiil. Perhaps all Tamriel."

Sharah knew flattery when she heard it. And she wasn't looking to get caught up in another big thief based scheme. "Like I said. I prefer my public image to being a master thief."

"And I respect that," he persisted. "Believe me. But what if I could ensure that you would never be caught?"

Sharah eyed him. Why was he selling this so hard? "Everyone gets caught. Have you read 'Purloined Shadows'? Apprenticing to a master thief is not customarily beneficial to the apprentice." The Gray Fox actually groaned in frustration, his confident mask breaking a little, and rubbed furiously at his cowl. Sharah stood straighter, even more certain of her refusal. "Look. I'm honored you'd think of me. But the fact remains: I'm not interested. I'm sure any number of folks would be more than happy to become your apprentice. I'm just not one of them. Try Methredhel. She idolizes you." Sharah headed for the stairs. He'd see himself out.

The Gray Fox leapt around her to cut her off on the stair and dropped to a knee in an unexpected display of humility. "Please. Just…let me tell you a story. And if, after you've heard it, you still are not interested, then you will never hear from me again. I swear it."

Sharah listened. And when he was done, she couldn't bring herself to refuse his request.

There you go. This thing has been sitting on my computer so long I'm surprised it hasn't grown moss. I thought it would be half of the last chapter. Now it's just a chapter. Time to chew out the last one. Wish me luck.