"Why bother over this mortal?"

Elana didn't answer, simply hacking at the dummy over and over in any and all ways she could devise.

"Try with the Shout."

And what if I don't want to be able to do so?

"Your wants are overshadowed by the dragon soul you have lodged in your mind. Have the decency to accept your fate and bring it to fruition."

"Elana?"

"Oh, forget him."

Elana whirled back from striking at the dummy and spun to face Vilkas in a fighting stance. She relaxed out of it in one smooth motion. "Yes?"

"You might want to consider your lines a little more when you strike. It will be more effective."

"Alright. Was that it?"

He sighed. "I don't know what I said that angered you, but I'm sorry I did. If you could enlighten me, I could make sure it never happens again."

Elana inclined her head. "You are forgiven. I had begun to see the destruction in souls this war has caused, and it disappointed me that you would not choose a side and fight to see the war ended. It angered me that I am told I don't really want the quiet life while the Companions avoid supporting a faction that they don't have to fight for it."

"You mistake neutrality for cowardice. Kodlak cannot back a side without bringing the division into the Companions. Do you think Ria would want to fight against her people?"

"I thought the Harbringer wasn't the leader."

"He's not, but we'd still have his back in a fight."

"Unless, of course, you disagree with him. Then he'll be left high and dry." Vilkas snarled. "Forgive me," Elana said quickly, turning a bit red. "That was uncalled for."

"Very."

"Would fighting it out help?"

Vilkas responded by bowling her over with a fist to the shoulder. Elana sprung right back at him and before long, they were brawling in the dust and laughing.

As he grappled for a headlock, Vilkas chuckled breathily. "Oh, thank you. I haven't gotten to do this in ages."

Elana elbowed him in the gut and rolled away. "Isn't that what brothers are for?"

They circled each other, crouching. "We're Companions now, dignified-" He feinted left and swiped with his right. "-and Farkas is trying to impress Ria."

"Well," snarked Elana as she kicked a leg out from underneath him, only to have him pull her down as well. "I thought it would be obvious that rowdy brawls are the only way to woo the ladies."

"Hey now," he laughed as she almost bit him.

"Too much sarcasm?"

"No," he hooked one arm under hers and over he back and rolled over, effectively pinning her down. "Too much dirty fighting."

Elana laughed herself. "I'm not taking the easy, cruel road to victory if you're afraid of that."

"My future children thank you."

She hooked her legs through his and drew him underneath her, almost sliding out of his hold. "I'm still going to try and win."

"Anything less would be disappointing."

They had transitioned from throwing unchecked punches to wrestling for a pin down. Elana had a slight edge in agility which Vilkas made up for in strength.

"I apologize for being so rude."

"You are forgiven," he replied as he finally managed to pin Elana. "This helped. We should resolve all our fights like this."

"Somehow I see that ending badly," she said, tapping out.

Vilkas shrugged as they rose. "Way I see it, if you can't talk it out, punch it out. Now, want to get clean in that one spot-"

"-That I tripped into once coming back from delivering something to Proventus?"

"You looked like a drowned rat."

Elana punched him again and took off running for the water before he could retaliate.

"How do you manage to run after I beat you up?"

"Stamina!"

He growled and picked up his pace to match hers. "So glad neither of us wore armor today."

Vilkas caught up just as she leapt into the water. When she resurfaced, she smirked. "That would have just made everything more painful."

"Like you wouldn't have used the edges of your armor to dislodge me."

"Oh, that's exactly what I'm saying." And she drew one hand back and splashed him clear in the face. "Now get in. You were starting to smell like a dog there at the end."

"That's it!" And their brawl recommenced, only this time the medium was water.

Clean and dry, Elana met Skjor long after the sun had set. To her surprise, Aela had joined them.

"Once she's inside, we will follow."

"There is something wrong here."

I think you're right. But what would it be? Aela wouldn't join in anything to harm me, would she?

"You're correct in that. But would Skjor?"

Him, I don't know about.

Mirmulnir snarled in annoyance as Elana ducked her head and entered the Underforge. "You express doubt and go through anyway? Think, little one!"

There were no words as Elana faced a fully formed werewolf.

Becoming a werewolf seemed a cop-out. Yet Elana had a feeling she couldn't walk out of this room as she was now without a fight.

It was possible, however, that the wolf could push out the dragon, could it not? The chosen over-powering the innate? Did that even make sense?

Mirmulnir stirred angrily when he realized what was going on, but Elana did her best to shut down any communication. She moved forward, offering her right hand. "I accept."

-"Hatchling, no, this is not the answer."

Sweat. Flowers. Dirt. Air. All these smells-

-"Little one, this will achieve nothing."

The blood in her veins pumped more powerfully than she'd ever known it to do before.

-It tasted of night and the hunt.

She could sense so much more as she stalked down the tunnel where Aela's scent led her. Adjusting to the claws and new stature was something to work on.

-"Dovahkiin, please, no"

Mirmulnir was silent. If the wolf spirit had pushed him out, Elana could not tell. But his pleas before she took in the wolf seemed to support such a theory. Perhaps this had been the answer all along. Undoubtedly, there was a catch. But she could deal with that later. Now there was the outside of Whiterun to-

Elana opened her eyes and noticed immediately the lack of senses. They were greater than yesterday, but weaker from her wolf form.

She turned to Aela, smelling instantly the wild scent she identified as werewolf.

"Come," the green-painted warrior said. "There's a Silver Hand outpost nearby. We're going to wipe them out."

Elana rose shakily to her feet.

"You awake? Yours was not an easy transformation. But you're still alive, so congratulations. You'll get used to the inertia. The things your wolf-form did not absorb, mostly things with metal, are over there."

"No wonder you wear mostly leather."

Aela chuckled. "I chose a different solution to the, well, assets problem then tying everything down. Now hurry. The hunt is on, shield-sister. It does not wait." Elana fell in behind Aela, still strapping various items to her person. "We have a celebration planned for you. Remember the Silver Hand? There's a group of them camped at Gallow's Rock. We're going to slaughter them. All of them. Skjor is already scouting ahead."

It was a quick run to the camp. Both Elana and Aela drew their bows.

The hunt began.