There were a few glorious seconds where she was lost in his kiss, in the feel of his lips on hers. But the discomfort grew too much to bear. Elana pushed against Vilkas with her left hand.

A look of hurt briefly crossed his face, until she removed her arm from his neck. "Better?"

He growled in pleasure. "Much." He dropped back flat on the ground and pulled her down to meet him. She acquiesced gladly, cupping his chin with her hands.

She hummed. "Does being a werewolf make you naturally a good kisser?"

As he chuckled, the door to Jorrvaskr slammed open.

Aela stomped to the edge of the platform and cast an "hmpf" at the way Vilkas was attempting to break the pin Elana had him caught in again. He had at least caught the ends of forearm before she could catch his neck, but with her whole weight coming down in that small area, he was slowly running out of comfort space. "Elana! If the two of you are done playing around like two lovesick pups Kodlak wants to see you."

She released him with an embarrassed shrug as Aela vanished back inside.

"Attempting to avoid teasing?"

"That and gossip. Besides, I had to try again to get you to tap out. It'll happen someday." She flashed a wicked grin and hurried inside the building.

"You wanted to see me, Harbinger?"

"Yes, youngling, have a seat." The older man gestured to the seat across from him, which Elana took with something next to trepidation. "I hear you've been busy of late."

Her mind flashed through each of the adventures of the past weeks, before she nodded her head slowly. "Yes."

"You had no Shield-Sibling to help your path."

There it was. The voice of the Harbinger who still yearned to feel the power of alpha. But the Circle was made of lone wolves. Elana's own wolf stiffened at his intrusion. "No. I survived well enough."

"And collected scars."

"And made them pay that dealt the blow."

He raised an eyebrow. "Careful you do not fall into vengeance. I have pulled Aela off the path of wrath against the Silver Hand when she took more lives than honor demanded. Be very careful, youngling, you do not fall into such a place. The cycle of retribution will continue for some time yet. In any case, I have a task for you. Have you heard the story of how we came to be werewolves?"

Elana paused a moment to think. "Vilkas said something about it being a curse."

"The boy has a nugget of truth, but the reality is more complicated than that. It always is. The Companions are nearly five thousand years old. This matter of beasthood has only troubled us for a few hundred. One of my predecessors was a good, but short-sighted, man. He made a deal with the witches of the Glenmori Coven. If the Companions would hunt in the name of their lord Hircine, we could be granted a great power."

Nothing you didn't make me aware of before. Thanks, by the way.

Mirmulnir purred. "You are most welcome. And I enjoy this change of attitude."

Don't get cozy.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Elana focused on Kodlak. "So they became werewolves?"

"They did not believe the change would be permanent. The witches offered payment, like anyone else. But we had been deceived."

"And you wish me to hunt the witches down for their trickery?"

Kodlak smiled a little. "We'll get to that. It's not so simple as just killing them though. The disease affects not just our bodies, but seeps into our spirit. Upon death, werewolves are claimed by Hircine for the Hunting Grounds. For some, this is a paradise. They want nothing more than to chase prey with their master for eternity. And that is there choice. But I am a true Nord. I still want for Sovngarde as my spirit home."

Aela was right. "Is there a way to cure yourself?"

"That is what I have spent my twilight years trying to find out. And now I've found the answer: The witches' magic ensnared us, and only their magic can release us. They won't give it willingly, but we can extract their foul powers by force. I want you to seek them out. Find their coven in the wilderness. Strike them down as a true warrior of the wild. Bring me their heads, the seat of their abilities. From there, we may begin to undo centuries of impurity."

"Am I to do this alone?"

Kodlak bowed his head in confirmation. "You will have no Shield-Sibling this time. But that has not been a problem for you in the past. The spirit of Ysgramor goes with you, to restore the honor of his legacy. Why, we recently have recovered all the shards of his great weapon, Wuuthrad." Elana rose to her feet. "Talos guide you, lass."

She smiled. "He always does." And she left for the stairs.

"Dragons do have the same dealings with Daedra as you mortals, but I do not believe one can tear a soul away from an Aedra."

Legend says the Aedra are banned from interfering with Nirn, and that includes securing souls in Sovengarde. The Daedra, who are free to meddle, can do as they please.

"Then perhaps Hircine has your soul."

Mine is part dragon remember? I don't know if the Lord of Hunt has authority over me.

"You still entered into the deal."

I was hoping that little deal would be forgotten. Mirmulnir laughed, as if she had told a fabulous joke. Now come on. I do need a Shield-Brother if I'm going to chase that kel in Blackreach.

"Interesting."

What?

"You called it a kel. Not an Elder Scroll."

Elana froze halfway up the steps to the wide commons of Jorrvaskr. "I suppose I did. Weird."

Mirmulnir coiled in on himself and hummed quietly. He kept his one traitorous thought to himself: "Not weird at all, not for a dovahkiin. Perhaps I should call your dovahkiir now, instead of hatchling."

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews guys! They keep me going. And guess what? This fic is now officially longer than the attempt-at-a-novel that I finished sophomore year of high school. Wow. Stay awesome guys!