Between Camps

Where is Vilkas when you need him? I thought, my mind scrabbling for a strategy. But between the high elf with the fire ball in his hand and the Khajiit literally breathing down my neck I couldn't. My mind was blank.

And then there was a yell, as Vilkas came around from the tent, heaving his giant sword with supernatural speed and cutting through the elf's neck. Quickly I reached into my belt and pulled out another hidden dagger (increasingly glad that I'd come prepared), and stabbed backward, into the the cat's face. He let out a cry and I kicked myself up and away as he released me. Quickly I turned around, took the steal blade from its eye, and stabbed it in the heart. His body slowly turned to dust before me.

Breathing hard I watched until I was sure it was dead, when I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me around roughly.

"What were you thinking? You could have got yourself killed!" Vilkas said, all previous professionalism gone.

"I did what you asked, I drew them out," I said.

"With magic!"

"There's nothing wrong with using magic. It's not like I use it often -"

"How about using your head? How am I supposed to enter the tent that's on fire? Did you just assume they would all come out the front entrance?"

"I -" I paused. Yes, I had. "You said there was only six."

"That I knew of at the time. I said there could be more, and five spell casters made their way out the back. And now on top of that you set a blaze that any nearby camp could see even mid-day!"

He was right of course. It hadn't been a well thought out plan. And I had paid for it again. Just like I had when I hadn't been quick enough to fight the vampires with Farkas. Just like I had when I threw myself in front of a fireball for Brynjolf. I was making a habit of this, and if I had to be honest, I was probably more angry with myself than I was with the raging Nord looking at me, yellow eyes narrowed and sword still clenched tightly in his hand.

"Well, how would you have lured them out? It's not like they responded well to the 'hey vampires come out' call," I said irritably.

Vilkas hand tightened and untightened around the hilt of his sword as he stared down at me, eyes flashing and too angry to speak (which was saying something as Vilkas was normally mad at me). Finally he sheathed his blade and said, "I would have thought for an archer that was obvious."

I had completely forgotten about my unsheathed bow. And of course he was right, I was an archer, it had been my first weapon and I prided myself at being quite proficient with it. I had used it on every single giant he'd sent me to fight. Of course, I couldn't see my targets through the thick, dark tent, but surely a few arrows would have found targets, enough to rouse them out.

And while I knew this to be true, all I wanted to do was just yell at Vilkas. Like an admonished child. I tried to reign in my anger though, the last thing I needed was to have him watch me fall apart. Because that's what I knew I was on the edge of doing. Not even a true Companion or Thieve's Guild member for three days and I was coming apart at the seams. I had faced dragons, and giants, and now some Nords and vampires had me fumbling for firm ground to stand on.

"Well?" Vilkas asked. "What do you have to say for yourself? Is this how it's going to be now that you're a Companion? I'm doing this for you, because you put our Guild in danger, because it's you they're coming after. But if you'd rather throw yourself senselessly at them -"

"Shut up!" I yelled. Before he could speak I continued, "You're right. Ok? You're right. I was stupid. Today, yesterday, the day before. I've made a lot of mistakes. Just like you've been asking for since day one. And at any moment I could get one or both of us killed." Just like I put Brynjolf and Farkas in danger.

"Are you done?" Vilkas asked, practically a growl.

"No. Honestly, being right isn't enough for you is it? I'm thinking the only reason you decided to come along is because you wanted the opportunity to watch me fail. I don't know why you didn't send Aela or Farkas if you can't stand me so much. Well, maybe I know why you didn't send Farkas -"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vilkas asked, taking a few steps closer.

My heart started beating faster, the stupid Nord was towering over me again but I wasn't going to back down, not now. I looked up at him, resolutely, and continued.

"Because your brother actually likes me, one of the only Companions who does. And you'd just hate to see him happy. Or maybe you really do just think I'm incompetent, that I'd see him hurt. Either way, I know you don't want us to be around the other, he told me that. Awfully convenient that I didn't see him at all before you whisked me away."

"My brother has other things to attend to. And what I've told my brother is no business of yours -"

"What I can't fathom is why you didn't go with him on whatever quest he's on. You could have sent anyone else with me. You didn't have to come along personally to -"

"I didn't expect you to fail. Why would I vouch for you as a Companion if I thought you were as incompetent as that?" he asked, irritated.

"I - don't know," I said, looking away from his face.

"You're angry but it isn't me you should be angry at," he said.

I looked him in the eyes again, "I could say the same of you."

Vilkas grimaced but said nothing. Finally he looked off, to the north. "We should go. There's a camp nearby that's sure to have seen the flames. If we don't attack them today they'll warn the others. If we hope to have any chance to prevent them from uniting, we must go now."

I nodded, and we started off again.

As we walked I tried to focus my mind. I hadn't been focused before the last fight and perhaps that had been part of the problem. I opened my mouth to ask Vilkas what the plan would be for this new clan but that isn't what came out.

"So why did you come with me? Did Kodlak..."

"No, I chose."

"Oh."

"I was the one who scouted out most of the camps. It made the most sense."

"I see."

"What does that mean?" Vilkas snapped.

"I didn't say anything. You don't have to be so defensive."

Vilkas laughed, and the sound shocked me. I wasn't sure I had heard him laugh, not since our duel. "This is coming from you. After that outburst."

I frowned, "You started it."

"You sound like a child."

"No just your annoying shield-sister."

And the corner of Vilkas's mouth quirked up. The sight was such a welcome one that I smiled despite myself as I looked to our new destination.