I'm sorry this took as long as it did, but it's finally done.

I had some personal problems and trouble sleeping for a while, so I didn't get much writing done for a long time. But I'm back into it now. I've even written 4 chapters that'll take place way ahead in the story, so I haven't been busy doing nothing. It was only this chapter that I got stuck on.

I had intended for it to be a bit longer, but the way it ends was so fitting that I had to leave it where it was. In other words: I'm one third done with the next chapter. Hopefully, it won't take as long for me to finish that one.

Hope you like it and enjoy.

Aela

"I found her."

Those were the only words I needed to hear to leave Kodlak's table—and company—for Aela's side. She watched me as I walked across the room toward her—my steps softened by the red carpet beneath my feet, the one with Wuuthrad embroidered on it in gold-yellow thread. Our mantles looked the same.

"You're making a mistake, boy." It wasn't a plea, but a statement. That's Kodlak for you—¨pretending¨ to know what you didn't. "Vengeance, fueled by anger, is a dangerous thing… especially for people like us," he said to my back. I paid him no heed, my mind was set, and so I walked on. "And you, Aela," he continued in a softer voice, surely solely because I gave him no response. "It gladdens me to see we feared the worst in vain, but how come we have not seen you sooner?"

"Don't play coy, old man..." Aela answered. 'Old man,' eh, I liked that. There was a draw of breath in her voice. Or perhaps I imagined it as I stopped by her side—didn't matter. "…I've been taking the fight to the Silver Hand."

Kodlak gave her a long look before continuing, "Aye, to avenge Skjor." There was a hint of disagreement in his voice, perhaps even disappointment. "I believed as much," he continued with contemplation rather than judgment. "But you could've at least let us know how you were. As for the Silver Hand, we could've helped."

"This is our fight, Kodlak," she said with an exhausted yet serious look on her face. "'Every Companion their own.' Isn't that what you use to say?"

"For honor, yes," Kodlak responded with a sigh, "Mind you, it's no business of mine what each Companion does in the name of honor. But you have taken more lives than honor demanded—"

"I only care for one life," Aela abruptly interrupted. From the tone in her voice I'd say her mind was set—and so was mine. "And as I said: I found her. And this time, I'm not letting her get away." There was a cold moment in the room as the two of them exchanged another long look. I don't think either of them would fold had it continued, but Aela ended it by straightening herself to speak. "You're not talking me out of avenging Skjor."

"Nor me," I added.

Kodlak's eyes went from Aela to me, lingered for a moment, and then back to Aela. "It is not the act of vengeance I am against, but the motivator that fuels it. Anger is a double-edged sword, and its wielder runs as great a chance of injury as its opponent."

This again? I thought, tightening my jaw.

"Double-edged or not, it's still a weapon," Aela said with confidence. "And you don't need to worry about me. I can wield it."

"It's not you, I worry about. You know better. But the boy."

Enough with this, I knew where Kodlak was going. And knowing Kodlak, he might just succeed. "We don't have time for this," I interrupted. "Do I need to pack?" I asked to draw Aela's attention.

And draw her attention I did, as Aela turned her head to look at me. There was a studying look in her eyes, almost confused. Had Kodlak's words gotten to her?… "It's about a day away," she finally said. …Hardly.

"Then we're leaving." I turned to exit the room before any more words could be said. The sooner we got on our way the better—the sooner we got away from Kodlak, the better.

"Make it quick," she said behind me as I began walking off.

"Aela," Kodlak interrupted calmly. "What did you do with Skjor's body?" That question stopped me in my tracks as I tilted my head to listen over my shoulder—I had been wondering the same.

There was a brief silence before she answered, "I gave him a Companion's funeral."

Again the silence returned to linger until Kodlak lowered his head and interrupted it with soft spoken words. "Good. He deserved as much."

"He deserved more," Aela said as she turned away from him. "Kodlak," she excused before following me out of the room.

I finished doning my armor, tightening the last straps by the side of my waist as Aela stood in my door opening and watched me as I began to pack. Like earlier, she was leaning against the side of the door opening, but she seemed more composed—she had her arms crossed now, as she did in most of my memories of her.

About a day away.

No need to pack much then—we wouldn't be needing much more than the tent and some food. If it was more than a day away that meant we'd need to spend at least one night out camping, perhaps two considering the walk back.

The walk back? Were we even coming back? Did I care to? If I manage to avenge Ysolda—to kill Krev—what did I have to return to? No… as long as I avenge Ysolda, I don't care if I come back or not.

"What's stalling you?" Aela asked strictly.

"Sorry," I said. "I got lost in thought."

"Well, focus. I need you sharp on this."

"I know," I answered, returning to packing.

As if I didn't know that. More than anything, I knew I needed to be at my best for this. No hesitation this time, no fear. And judging by the way I feel right now, I don't think that'll be an issue. It won't. No. It won't.

"So…" Aela uttered, "You wanna tell me what that was about?"

"What?" I'd rather not get into it, and I won't be needing the lantern.

"Don't be coy. I could hear you arguing with the old man before I entered the basement."

"It's nothing…" I really didn't feel like getting into it, besides, better if Aela didn't know. She might just change her mind about bringing me if she knew, or perhaps it'd motivate her, even more, to take me with her. After all, she and Skjor were… she at least has to understand more than the others about how I feel. "…Just Kodlak being Kodlak."

"Kodlak being Kodlak?" she repeated.

"Yeah," I said, tightening the rolled-up tent onto my rucksack. "You know how he is."

"Kodlak being Kodlak," she, again, repeated seemingly to herself before falling silent.

Aela had her head tilted away as I glanced at her. She had a stern face, a line between her eyebrows, and thin, pressed together, lips as if she was chewing on the inside of one of them. She was clearly deep in thought. I wonder what she's thinking of: Skjor? Kodlak? The task at hand? Krev?

I took my mind off Aela and tightened the last leather strap, threw the rucksack over my shoulder, and turned for her. "I'm done," I said, drawing her out of her thoughts. "Let's go."

Aela gave me a quick look before she turned toward the hallway and walked off, leading the way. I was quick to follow.

I kept close behind Aela as we walked through the candlelit hallway. There was purpose in our steps and I already felt a slight turmoil take shape in my stomach—vengeful excitement behind darkened anger, tightening the muscles in my jaw.

Krev… We're coming for you.

The staircase door opened before we had reached it, and I wasn't surprised to see who walked through it—Vilkas. How annoying. Why is it that whenever Kodlak takes the time to lecture me with his infinite wisdom, Vilkas soon decides to do the same? And I got the feeling his sudden appearance wasn't for any other reason.

"Aela. I was glad when I heard of your return," he said as he stopped in front of us, keeping himself between us and the door as he eyed the two of us. For a second, his eyes lingered on the rucksack over my shoulder before returning to Aela. "But by the looks of it, the two of you are leaving already."

"Vilkas," Aela greeted. She sounded on guard, careful even. The same tone she used when the two of them argued their differences on the wolf-blood. "Yes. I'm only here to pick something up."

Vilkas looked over at me, slowly turning serious as we held eye contact—he knew, as much as me, what she meant. "You reek of blood," he said, returning his eyes to Aela as he spoke. And there it was, the same, disagreeing, tone in his voice as Aela's, with a discreet hint of hostility.

"And I'm out for more."

"No, you're not," Vikas said. "You've done your part. If you know where Krev is, tell me. I've spoken to Kodlak, Farkas and I will handle her."

"By Shor you won't," I started. I already had this discussion with Kodlak, I wasn't about to have it again—I no longer have the patience for it.

"Yes, we are," Vilkas hastily interrupted before I could continue, "The two of you are in too deep. It's gotten too personal."

"Which is precisely why this is our fight," Aela answered before I had the chance to.

"And I've fought her before," I said. "Aela and I stand a better chance than—"

"Aela can't keep on fighting," Vilkas interrupted. "And you, you know very well why you shouldn't fight her right now."

Why? I thought as I felt my jaw tighten. Because she killed my family? Is that it? Is that really the argument he decided to go with? Isn't that argument the exact answer to why I should go after her? It's more than any reason I'd need. The only reason I need.

"I'll fight until Skjor is avenged," Aela stated, taking Vilkas's attention away from me.

"Skjor?" Vilkas said as if he had forgotten Aela's reason for fighting. "You've been gone for too long, Aela. You don't have the full picture, this is no longer about Skjor alone. Krev—" Vilkas gestured toward me, I knew he was about to tell Aela the one thing I didn't need her to know. I wouldn't let him.

"Krev's ours! And if—"

"Of course it is!" Aela snapped. "Skjor's the only reason I've been out there! The only reason I've been hunting the Silver Hand! For months! All in order to find Krev! And the ONLY reason I came back here, was because!…" Aela fell silent mid-sentence as she stopped herself from continuing. She clearly struggled with keeping silent, as the muscles in her jaw kept working as if they were still shaping words, but she quickly bit shut and looked down at her fists as she slowly unclenched them to calm herself.

There was a lingering silence as Vilkas and I looked at Aela, waiting for her to calm. I could almost hear our heartbeats in the silence, beating the tension away as they slowed.

"This is our fight, Vilkas," I said as I looked back at him. Somehow I felt calmer after Aela's outburst. "You're not talking us out of this. Kodlak already tried."

A brief look before he answered. "I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't." His expression was still hard, and he steadily remained standing between us and the door.

"We can handle Krev."

"That's not—"

"You know," I interrupted. "No matter how much Kodlak argues against our decisions, disapproves of them, in the end, he never hinders us to do what we believe is right. Because he honors the core of what we are: Companions. Every man and woman their own—we all choose our own path toward honor." I knew that to be the truth. Kodlak most certainly had the power to stop us if he so saw fit, but he never did. Never. And Vilkas always cared more for our customs than I, not that I didn't, I do, and I could tell by his face that the argument took. It was a strange sensation, I rarely got the upper hand with Vilkas, be it dueling or arguing—especially arguing. "Step aside, Vilkas. There are no ranks here."

"I know our ways, but this is about more than that." I never claimed he didn't, but it seemed the reminder had taken hold—even though he hid it well, his voice had taken on a tone of desperate pleading rather than the earlier tone of telling. "You're a werewolf, these kinds of things are dangerous to us."

"I don't care about that." I'm not entirely sure I knew what he meant, but I kept a straight face—as I'd said: I didn't care how dangerous Krev was. The only thing I cared about right now was avenging Ysolda. "If our roles were reversed? If you were in my shoes? What would you do?" If not reason did him in, then how about empathy?

He didn't answer, yet he remained serious as his unfaltering eye contact remained. But I wasn't about to fold now—I was winning—so I glared back just as serious. If this continued, things might turn ugly. And if it came to that… Well… I haven't defeated Vilkas once, and I doubt I'd be able to now. But I knew he was faltering, and slowly I realized I was right as he closed his eyes for a second and let out a surrendering sigh. "…I'd kill her." I thought as much.

"Then step aside. You know I need to do this."

"Aye," he uttered reluctantly, taking a single sideways step to leave his ¨post,¨ leaving the way to the door open for us. "Just… don't lose yourself."

"We won't," I said as I took no time to walk past him, Aela following close behind.

"He only did that because he cares about you," Aela said as we climbed the stairs.

"I know."

¨You're like a brother to me.¨ Vilkas had told me that shortly after Skjor died—the memories were still fresh in my mind. I knew he had been sincere—heavy, are the words of Companions. Aela was right.

Tilma was cleaning the floors in the meadhall as we entered. I gave her a nod as we passed—the sooner we left the better, I didn't want to spend any more time on chit-chat. She acted as if she hadn't noticed us enter, ignoring us. I'm sure she must have heard most of the arguing and decided to stay out of it.

"We'll leave through the underforge," Aela said as we walked across the room. "Walking through the city will take too much time—it's shorter."

Shorter? The tunnel from the underforge opens to the… "We're heading east?" I asked, slowing my pace to turn my attention to Aela as she walked past me. The last track I had of Krev was to the north-west, where I had found Ysolda—the thought weighed heavily upon me, rekindling dark emotions. Why east? Did Krev really move around that much? But it was the only explanation, why else would it be shorter?

"Yes," Aela said as she reached for the door handles of the main door. "Same place we found Skjor."

What? I thought, stopping fully in my tracks. Same place we found Skjor? Why, in the name of Ysmir, would she return there? And how did Aela know where to find her? Something didn't add up, I could feel it. ¨The ONLY reason I returned here was because…¨ she had said during her outburst. What had stopped her from completing that sentence? What wasn't she telling me?

"Enough with that dumb look of yours, you coming?" Aela asked impatiently, holding the doors open for the cold winter air to enter.

"Yes," I answered as I composed myself. We can talk while walking, my questions can wait. "I'm ready."