"Is your shoulder feeling any better?"

Kiir looked up from her breakfast as Romanda entered the dining hall. Kiir always forgot that Romanda didn't live here - she expected the Orc to come up from downstairs. Kiir shrugged. "Kinda."

Romanda took a seat. "You haven't been around much these past few days. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, of course," Kiir offered. In truth, she wasn't sure how she felt. After the werewolf attack she'd barely left Jorrvaskr. She felt so tired and everything was exhausting. Kiir would wake up and want nothing more than to go back to sleep.

She'd found out the Argonian had left the Companions. Farkas said something about a 'better offer somewhere else' but Kiir felt wholly responsible. Nie'mar had reminded Kiir that Companions knew the risks before they joined; that those who joined were under no false pretenses... but it didn't make it sting any less.

"Of course," Romanda echoed. She reached out and grabbed a mug, filling it with ale. "You should get outside. Breathe some fresh air. At the very least get some sun." Romanda placed a hand to Kiir's cheek. "You're looking a little pale."

Kiir smiled up at her. Maybe it would do her some good to leave Jorrvaskr, even just for a little while.

There was a soft breeze that drifted out through the town. It was warm and Kiir stood at the top of Jorrvaskr's stairs just letting it flow by her.

Whiterun had done well to get back up on its feet. A dragon attack, a werewolf attack and still the houses stood and the people persevered.

Moving on down to the market place, it was hard to tell there had ever even been an attack. The vendors had restored their stands and shoppers once again flocked to the square. One man pointed to his newly bandage arm, missing half of it, and proudly told of how he survived the attack.

But Kiir found it hard not to noticed the deep crack and scratches in the cobblestone or the dark stains under the crates and bags around the stands. She saw the guard she'd healed after the attack, trying to stand at attention but leaning onto the bannister.

"Hey, you're Kiir right?"

Kiir nearly jumped out of her skin. She'd been so in her own head she hadn't seen the gruff looking Nord wander up next to her. "Yes?"

"Good. I wasn't sure how many more Altmer women there'd be in Whiterun." He scratched at his neck. "Einar's been asking about you. You said you would help with the trap?"

Einar, shit! Kiir had completely forgotten about him and his plan. "Yeah, yes, of course. Are you doing it right now?"

The man nodded. "If you've got things to take care of that's fine-"

Kiir shook her head. "No, I'm ready. But I should let someone know I'm leaving-"

"Don't worry, we'll head to our camp first. We can send someone out to let them know." The man paused. "Does that sound alright?"

"Yes," Kiir answered. She followed the man, moving down the streets, outside the walls, and finally to the tent nestled on the outskirts of the city.

Kiir recognized most of the people here from her first visit, but was surprised to see Einar wasn't present. To her dismay, it looked like it was Havid who was in charge. She hesitated.

No, Kiir thought. She was doing the right thing. She had seen the devastation those werewolves could inflict and if she could do anything to stop it, she would.

"Ah!" Havid said, noticing Kiir enter. "I was wondering if Filgi would be able to find you."

"I wasn't hiding. I just..."

Havid nodded. "No problem. You made it just in time."

Kiir looked around, noticing many of the people moving towards the exit of the tent. "Where's Einar? Are we leaving already?"

"Yes we're leaving now. It was you we were waiting for. No sense in walking all the way out to the cave if you weren't coming."

Kiir hummed. She backed up to let the rest of the Silver Hand make their way out of the tent. She followed in the back.

Havid fell back next to her. "We do appreciate your help. This is the best course of action we've come up with and we were afraid we wouldn't be able to go through with it, had we not found someone to help."

"I'm glad to be helping."

"I know, I just wanted to make sure you knew we were grateful." Havid clapped a hand onto Kiir's shoulder. "Glad to have you on our side."

The cave wasn't far from camp. Kiir could still see Dragonsreach from the entrance of the cave before they descended inwards.

Everything progressed smoothly. As Einar had promised, Kiir was put in a room behind iron bars - she would be safe. The rest of the group would wait in the shadows for the werewolves to show up and then they would strike. After all was said and done, she would be let out and then they would deal with whatever came next.

It sounded good theoretically, but in reality Kiir didn't want to sit in the dirt and the room smelled musty and old. She traced her hands along the stone and tried to keep herself preoccupied. Havid had warned her it might be a while for the wolves to arrive, a few hours at the least. They were coming though, he reassured her.

Now that she was here, some parts of the plan didn't seem to make much sense. How would they even know where she was? Did Einar or Havid just walk up to the feral wolves, touting "Hey, the Dragonborn is in this cave!" Maybe they would follow her scent? Then again, how did they know what she smelled like?

Leaning against the wall, Kiir realized the cave seemed more like a tomb, if Kiir was remembering Saarthal correctly. There were Nordic designs etched into the walls and golden urns nestled into the corners.

Kiir thought back to the draugrs. She shivered. There had better not be any-

"Kiir!"

Kiir snapped her head up. She had been anticipating people, but not for people who knew her name.

Her anxieties were paused when she saw it was Farkas. But only for a moment.

Farkas?! What was he doing here? Kiir felt her heart rise into her throat. She'd been right all along. Farkas was-

Behind Farkas, who was now making a beeline for Kiir's cage, Nie'mar, Aela, and Vilkas all trailed in.

Kiir took a step backwards. Wait. She stood, staring directly ahead as Farkas grabbed ahold of the cage bars, shaking them. This can't be right. No, they'll spoil the whole plan. They have to get out of here!

"Kiir! Are you alright?"

Kiir focused her attention on Farkas. His eyes were wide, his brow creased in concern. "What?"

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Kiir shook her head. "No, I'm-"

Suddenly, there was a clatter near the door.

Kiir didn't need to move around Farkas to know what that was. She started to tell Havid that these were not the people they were looking for, but she was caught off guard as Nie'mar hissed.

There was no exchanging of words. The Silverhand immediately charged.

Kiir could hardly hear herself think and the room descended into chaos. I have to get out, I have to let them know there's been a mistake! She ran her hands along the wall again, this time with the distinct purpose of getting the hell out of there.

Nie'mar was shouting orders, with Havid's voice echoing behind hers with orders of his own.

Kiir moved to the bars, trying to catch someone's attention.

The battle seemed to be entirely one sided. While the Silverhand seemed to be moving full force and fighting with no reserves, Kiir watched the Companions dodge blow after blow. Vilkas seemed to be inching closer to Kiri while Farkas was busy trying to move his way around the perimeter towards a side door.

"Hey!" Kiir tried shouting into the room. "Stop there's been a mistake!"

Suddenly, Kiir heard a loud bang against the bars beside her. She looked and Farkas had been pinned against them by Havid, their faces inches apart.

Farkas was groping at a lever Kiir herself hadn't noticed.

Havid slammed Farkas' arm into the wall. "She belongs to us now, beast."

Kiir had seen Farkas change before. His body swelled at a rapid speed and his armor came hurtling off in different directions, the breastplate shoving Havid away from him. His face elongated and, within seconds, in his place stood a fully grown werewolf.

When Kiir looked to the other Companions, she expected looks of surprise. However, she had but a moment before a bit of Nie'mar's armor came flying off and got itself lodged between the iron bars.

Kiir scrambled backwards, slamming her back hard against the wall. What? This isn't-

The wolves moved to put themselves in front of her cage.

Havid did not wait a second more to charge again. He dragged his blade against one of the wolves' chests.

There was an echoing snarl in response.

The rest of the Silverhand followed suit. It was a dance now. The wolves trying to outmaneuver the silver and the Silverhand trying to outmaneuver the claws.

Kiir held her place against the back wall of her little cell. She should get up and help. Her friends were… werewolves? But they were in danger. They were the ones who had given her a home and friendship when she needed it. She should get up, she should help...

Havid shouted something and suddenly the roar of battle turned to a hummed ambience as the Silverhand fled. Kiir could hear running footsteps and clattering metal fade away.

She then watched as the werewolves thumped about outside her cage. Two of them stood at the bars, staring inward.

Then there was the loud metallic screech as the iron bars fell back into the ground.

Kiir didn't move. She knew who these wolves were but she couldn't see past the claws and teeth and-

One of the werewolves moved swiftly towards Kiir and put its face near hers.

Then, it licked her.

Kiir squinted, drawing herself from her stupor. She watched the others wander in slowly. Kiir pushed herself up from the ground but didn't approach. She stayed back a few feet from the one who licked her and just watched.

Without warning, the wolves seemed to draw in on themselves. Kiir suddenly found herself looking not at werewolves, but at the naked forms of the Companions.

Kiir flushed, immediately spinning on her heels to face the wall.

"Kiir?"

"You're naked."

There was a chorus of chuckles behind Kiir, then a shuffle and the sounds of metal and leather.

"You can turn around now."

Kiir looked out over her shoulder before turning around completely. They had haphazardly dressed... at least enough to be decent.

"Are you okay?" Farkas asked. He didn't step any closer than he already was.

"Yeah, totally fine."

Aela grinned. "Good. Can't have our favorite Altmer getting hurt."

Kiir looked to Aela, and then Nie'mar. "What's going on?"

"That is what we would like to know as well," Nie'mar replied. "How did you even end up here?"

Kiir paused. "I came here. I thought I was doing something good."

"You came here?" Vilkas repeated. His eyes narrowed. "What, willingly? What were you even doing with the Silverhand in the first place?"

"Trying to fix the werewolf problem!" Kiir shouted. She hadn't meant to get loud, but she didn't want any of them getting the wrong idea. "They had a plan and asked for my help. Clearly they hadn't planned for you."

"I would not be surprised if they had planned for us from the start," Nie'mar said. "The remaining Silverhand knows what we are. I thought we had a deal but it is possible that they think we have gone rogue and are behind these attacks."

Kiir was more confused than she liked being. "Deal?"

"The Silverhand know that we are not feral," Nie'mar explained. "Any brand new werewolf takes a risk but we are not a danger; we are ourselves."

"In fact, we help around here!" Aela looked upset at the idea of being feral was even mentioned.

Vilkas took a step forward. "What did they tell you? About us?"

"Nothing," Kiir answered. "I thought I was helping you all by coming out here. The only one I was worried about was you." Kiir looked pointedly at Farkas.

Farkas raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

"I knew what you were," Kiir continued. "I was afraid that you had been a part of the attack behind everyone's backs."

Nie'mar turned to face Farkas, her eyes low. "You told her?"

"No, I don't know how-" Farkas paused. "The Thalmor attack."

Kiir nodded. "But it seems I was mistaken."

Farkas looked to Nie'mar and seemed to shrink. He took a step back from the group.

"I'm sorry," Kiir offered. "I hadn't meant to put you all in any danger, I just thought... I assumed..."

"There is no need for apologies," Nie'mar replied. "Let us head back to Jorrvaskr before it gets too cold. I, we, can explain everything to you back there."

Kiir followed behind the Companions as they exited the cave and started up the path back to Whtierun. It was a silent walk; no one spoke even as Jorrvaskr drew close.

It wasn't until Kiir had been seated at the dining table, with just the four from earlier, that she was given the entire story.

Vilkas had explained that it was an exchange of sorts. "During your first transformation you invite in the spirit of a wolf into you. And that first change establishes your relationship."

"You can give it your body, let it take control and use you," Aela continued. "You can force it under your thumb, dominating it entirely. Or you can befriend it, work in unison as partners - but the first change establishes the pattern."

"In a real pack, a family like ours, we make sure you know what you are getting into and help keep you from temptations and dangers while you are in that critical time." Nie'mar leaned into the table. "We protect each other just as much as we protect anyone else."

"That's why this is so upsetting. These people are going in without a clue and their fear is letting the wolf take hold..." Vilkas sighed. "And there's no coming back from that."

Kiir nodded along, following as much as she could. This all still seemed so... surreal. She looked to Farkas, who hadn't said a word.

"Take your time, think things over," Nie'mar suggested. "I know it is a lot to take in. We will be here if you have any questions."

And with that, the group dispersed, leaving Kiir alone in the dining hall.

The Companions were werewolves. It was a statement Kiir had to repeat to herself a few times. She felt a little sad that they had not told her, but she understood why. With groups like the Silverhand, it was doubtful that they would be willing to listen to anything about 'controlled lycanthropy'.

Kiir leaned back in her chair, putting her feet up to the hot coals still twinkling in the hearth. Life in Skyrim was never dull, was it.

It was a few minutes later when Kiir finally stood, pushing in her chair and descending down to the bedrooms.

When she opened her door, though, she was surprised to find someone already in there. "Farkas?"

Farkas had been sitting in the chair by the bookshelf with his hands in his lap. He looked up as she entered. "Ah, sorry. I just wanted to get a chance to talk to you and wasn't sure-"

Kiir shrugged, sitting herself on her bed. "It's fine. You guys offered me a place to stay, free of charge. I can't complain too much." She smiled.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Farkas' lips before it disappeared again. "Listen, I just... wanted to apologize for not explaining myself earlier. I shouldn't have let you wonder about something so..."

"Farkas, that was months ago. I'm sorry I ever doubted you - you and Romanda were some of the first people to show me kindness when I got here. I can't believe I ever let myself think you had been a part of something so heinous." Kiir smiled again. "There's no need for apologies here. I'm just glad this was all cleared up before someone got hurt."

Farkas hummed. "Still-"

"Still nothing!" Kiir kicked at Farkas' leg. "This is the second time you've saved my ass."

"Third if you count-"

Kiir kicked him again, pointing to the door. "Shh. Now get out of here before Romanda comes storming in demanding to know why you're late. I'm not catching the brunt of that one."

Farkas laughed, a full smile finally adorning his face. "Fine, fine." He rose from the chair and moved towards the door. "Good night."

Kiir waved him off, shutting the doors behind him and laying herself down in bed. She reached over, moving aside the drawing she kept on her nightstand for a book that lay beneath.

The Lusty Argonian Maid, volume II.

Kiir settled in, opening to where she'd last left off. She shook her head. Sheesh. Who the hell writes themselves as a main character of their own story?