Sapphire Night Eye ver2

by Risemonger

She is the shadow on the wall, but a beacon of hope. A mistress of the night and a hero of the day. Join Ty'ani as she is transformed from Riften's most feared thief to Skyrim's greatest hero. Khajiit protagonist. Rated M.

7. The Way of the Voice

4E 201
30th of Sun's Dusk

The Greybeards formed a circle around Ty'ani, with Arngeir standing directly in front of her. He smiled contently as he spoke. "You have shown that you are Dragonborn. You have the inborn gift. But do you have the discipline and temperament to follow the path laid out before you? That remains to be seen."

"Without training," he continued. "You have already taken the first steps towards projecting your Voice into a Thu'um, a Shout. Now let us see if you are willing and able to learn." he explained, studying her face for a moment. "When you Shout, you speak in the language of dragons. Thus, your Dragon Blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power."

It was there that Ty'ani spoke up, curiosity evident in her tone. "Master Arngeir, my apologies for interrupting, but the dragons have a language?"

"But of course," Arngeir replied. "Dragons are just as intelligent as you and I, if not even more so. But for now, that is not important."

Ty'ani lowered her head. "Right, I'm sorry."

Arngeir continued. "Now, all Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger." he then gestured to another of the Greybeards to Ty'ani's left, whom stepped forward as he spoke. "Master Einarth will now teach you Ro, the second Word in 'Unrelenting Force'. Ro means 'Balance' in the dragon tongue. Combine it with Fus- Force- to focus you Thu'um more sharply."

Einarth faced the floor, back bowed and uttered very quietly the Word of Power: Ro. A small energy wave- similar to Ty'ani's power, but obviously more controlled- flew from the elder's mouth and struck the ground. Ty'ani watched in fascination when several runes compressed in the stone, glowing bright as though they were branded there by a hot iron. The markings were very similar to the ones she encountered at Bleak Falls Barrow. In the next instant, the etchings grew brighter.

The next thing she knew, her vision began to darken at the edges, the ambient noise that echoed around the monastery becoming muffled until all went silent. All she saw were the glowing edges of the runes, radiating with power.

All of a sudden, her vision went black as the Word integrated its magic within her. From deep in her mind, she heard the word speak to her. Ro.

Her senses were suddenly returned, her head flaring in pain as she doubled over, instantly covering her forehead as though she could sooth the ailment. The Khajiit let out a small cry as she regained her control, shaking her head before straightening back up, to see Arngeir looking upon her with admiration.

"You learn a new Word like a master... you truly do have the gift." he said, quite clearly pleased but also had a slight undertone of concern at her obvious pain. He gestured to his side, beckoning Ty'ani to stand beside him. Obeying, the white Khajiit walked over slowly, listening to his next words. "But learning a Word of Power is only the first step... you must unlock its meaning through constant practise in order to use it in a Shout. Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon's life-force and knowledge directly."

"But, there isn't any dragons here." Ty'ani pointed out. "How will I be able to learn it?"

"Ah, but it is not only from dragons where you can learn the knowledge." the monk explained. "You can learn from anyone who has the ability. As such, as part of your initiation, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of Ro."

Turning to the aforementioned Greybeard, Ty'ani watched as he lowered his head and closed his eyes, laying his left hand upon the other in concentration. After that, the elder began to emit a strange glow, and before long, tendrils of golden light began to leave him, travelling toward the Khajiit girl. Her limbs tensed as the energy flowed through her, squeezing her eyes closed as her mind began to fill with the knowledge of the Word of Power. It was intense, but wasn't as overwhelming as absorbing a dragon soul. In fact, it was almost... peaceful.

The light soon ceased to flow, turning the chamber back to the ambient light from the braziers. "Now let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu'um." Arngeir stated, stepping away from Ty'ani's side. The Khajiit followed his movements as he continued. "Use your 'Unrelenting Force' Shout to strike the target as it appears."

One of the other Greybeards to Ty'ani's left stepped forward, toward the centre. "Fiik Lo SAH!" he shouted. A purple distortion of air appeared in the centre, and when it dissipated, a ghostly entity stood in it's place. Ty'ani took a deep breath, beginning her Shout, even though she had no idea how she knew what to do.

"Fus Ro!"

Once the last Word left her mouth, the familiar blue shock wave left her, hurtling toward the entity with speed. It struck the ghost with such force that the apparition was destroyed in a violent puff of blue smoke. Dust that had collected on the stone ground flew into the air from the disturbance, swirling in the air in indistinguishable patterns before slowly descending back down.

"Impressive." Arngeir praised. "Your Thu'um is precise. You show great promise Dragonborn."

Surprised by how quickly the trials passed, Ty'ani glanced at the monk. "Is that all there is to it? That seems far too easy."

"Indeed. But remember, do not allow your easy mastery to turn to arrogance." after his reminder, Ty'ani nodded, allowing him to continue. "Now, you have one last trial. We will perform it in the courtyard."

In the cold? She grimaced at that, not wanting to do that at all. As she was about to ask to retrieve her cloak, that was when another voice sounded out. "Well, it's a good thing I thought to bring this."

Looking round, Altwen emerged from the corridor, smiling at the girl as she stepped closer. Seeing that she had her fur cloak, Ty'ani smiled back in appreciation. She took it from the half-elf in gratitude. "Thank you Altwen."

"No problem Kitten." she replied, adjusting her own cloak over her shoulders. "Hope you don't mind if I tag along? Kinda fascinated by what you did there, I wanna see more."

"Sure, I don't mind." once that was sorted, the two women followed the Greybeards up the stairs toward the doors at the back of the chamber. Bracing herself for the cold by wrapping her cloak around her trim body, she stepped out the now opened doors behind the elders.

She gasped when the air hit her warmed body, hugging the cloak even tighter. The sun had half-way disappeared behind the horizon in the time the adventurers were inside, causing the temperature to drop dramatically. The snow had even picked up as well, falling steadily from the heavens. Folding her hood over her head, she walked over to stand by the Greybeards. Arngeir spoke once she was beside them.

"Now we will see how quickly you can master a completely new Shout." he indicated to the monk beside him. "Master Borri will now teach you Wuld, which means 'Whirlwind'."

Upon his word, the mentioned Greybeard repeated the same ritual Einarth performed earlier, lowering his head and whispering the Word to the ground. Once the etching appeared, causing the snow to fly away due to the disturbance before settling once again. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, Ty'ani stepped away from Altwen and over the rune, allowing her vision to darken and the icy tendrils to grip her mind. After waiting for the headache to surpass once the Word was in her mind, Borri presented her with his knowledge. The four Greybeards then all headed to the far side of the courtyard, where two pillars sat with a wrought iron gate some distance from that.

Each of the four Greybeards took positions by and in-between these two structures and as she approached, Arngeir addressed her again. "Now we will see how quickly you can master a new Word." he gestured to the elder that stood beside him. "Master Wulfgar will demonstrate 'Whirlwind Sprint'. Then it will be your turn." he turned toward the iron gate, looking to Borri. "Master Borri."

The aforementioned Greybeard raised his hands and Shouted. "Bex!"

Upon uttering the Word, the gates swung open of their own accord. Before they opened fully, Wulgar began the Shout. "Wuld Nah KEST!"

All of a sudden, Wulfgar became a grey blur, travelling far faster than was physically possible for any mortal. He stopped on the other side of the gate, only for a split second later for them to close. Ty'ani's eyes widened in awe, truly impressed by the power. "Wow." she breathed.

"Your tellin' me." Altwen whispered back, looking at the girl with a smile. "You gonna give it a try?"

"Erm..." she said uneasily. It was one thing watching someone do that, but actually doing it was another thing entirely. Also, she had spotted that just beyond the gate was the edge of the summit. Seeing that, she had begun to second guess how dangerous this could be. "Is this even safe?" she asked Arngeir.

He nodded. "So long as you face the opening of the gate and there is nothing blocking the path. Stand beside me and you will not fall over the edge. Master Borri will open the gate and you use your 'Whirlwind Sprint' Shout to pass through before it closes."

Taking a shaky breath, the Khajiit stepped up to Arngeir's side. She shivered, both from the cold and from fear. The last thing she wanted to do was for this to go wrong, as she really didn't want to tumble over the edge. Before she had the chance to second guess herself, Borri Shouted out, which caused the gate to open. Mustering her courage, she threw caution to the wind and Shouted herself.

"Wuld!"

It almost seemed as though the entire world split in two, like a lightening bolt separating the sky as she shot forward at blinding speed with a sense of weightlessness. It was as if a portal had opened up before her, and she was merely stepping through it into a new location. She barely even had time to finished uttering the Shout before she was already through the gate. Once she slowed, she stumbled a few steps before coming to a complete stop, scrambling to regain her balance. Her heart felt as though it was pounding out of her ribcage as a huge sense of adrenaline ran through her system. That was absolutely incredible.

Ty'ani turned back to face where she came from, seeing the gates just now close before reopening, revealing the astonished looks of all the assembled. She walked back through the gate, placing a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart and approached Arngeir. Wrapping herself back in her cloak when the chill began to register with her senses again, the monk spoke.

"Your quick mastery of a new Thu'um is... astonishing." he commented, his voice full of awe. "I'd heard the stories of the abilities of Dragonborn, but to see it for myself..."

Altwen, who stepped up to Ty'ani's side, frowned at the elder. "What'd you mean? Ain't it easy for everyone?"

Arngeir let out a small laugh at that. "No. Indeed not." he answered the half-elf before glancing back at Ty'ani, speaking in a warning tone. "But beware that your skill does not outstrip your wisdom. You are now ready for your last trial. Retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder, from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. Remain true to the Way of the Voice, and you will return."

"Who was Jurgen Windcaller?" the Khajiit asked.

"He was a great war leader of the ancient Nords, a master of the Voice, or Tongue." he explained as they all began to return to the warm interior of High Hrothgar. "After the disaster at Red Mountain, where the Nord army was annihilated, he spent many years pondering the meaning of that terrible defeat. He finally came to realise that the Gods had punished the Nords for their arrogant a blasphemous misuse of the Voice. He was the first to understand that the Voice should be used solely for the glory and worship of the Gods, not the glory of men." they pushed open the iron doors, stepping through and immediately shutting them to keep out the cold. "Jurgen Windcaller's mastery of the Voice eventually overcame all opposition, and the Way of the Voice was born."

"When exactly was this?" the girl continued to ask.

"During the First Era, in the War of Succession." the monk answered. "Where the Nord army waged war against the Dwemer and Chimer, where they eventually forced the Nords out of Morrowind."

"And what are Chimer?"

Letting out a laugh, Altwen placed her hands on her hips as she answered for the elder. "They're more ancient Dwemer, Kitten. You really don't know anythin' about history, do you?"

Ty'ani frowned, glaring at the woman for her comment. Crossing her arms, she snapped back. "All right, fine then know-it-all, care to tell me where exactly Ustengrav is."

"Yup," the half-elf responded. "It's a few miles north of Morthal, in the marshlands."

Rolling her eyes, she reluctantly accepted defeat as she glanced back at the old monk before her. "My apologies. If it is all right with you, Master Arngeir, could you allow us to remain here for the night and we will leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"Of course." he said, nodding. "You and your companions may use whatever space you need. For now, I must depart. Sleep well, and may Kynareth watch over you." at that, the Greybeard walked away, following after his brothers- whom had departed while they spoke- leaving Ty'ani and Altwen alone.

As the Khajiit removed her cloak, Altwen inhaled a breath. "Well, I dunno about you Kitten, but I never got the chance to eat some of that grub they brought us earlier, I'm starved."

Smiling, Ty'ani nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds good about now." the two then walked toward the hallway that lead to the dining hall. Ty'ani wasn't exactly looking forward to encountering the rest of the group, but she had to start rebuilding the broken bridges at some point.

Before entering the hall, Ty'ani paused. "Oh, by the way Altwen...?"

Also stopping, the half-elf stepped back up to the girl's side. "Yeah Kitten?"

Ty'ani then gave her a playful look, and completely unexpectedly, punched her in the arm. Shocked, the huntress jerked back, rubbing the sore spot as she stared at the white Khajiit with wide eyes. "Ow! What in Oblivion was that for?"

Ty'ani smirked, answering coyly as she sidled past. "For laughing at me earlier."

Dumbstruck, the half-elf watched her go for a second, but before long a smirk crossed her face too. Following after her, Altwen shook her hooded head. "I'm growin' on her." she muttered to herself in amusement.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Hours later, the companions settled in the dining room, each laying their bedrolls in different corners of the room. During that time, they surmised that the weather had become worse, hearing the howling winds through the stone walls of the monastery. Though while they were all in the same room, the group hadn't exchanged very many words with each other. It was becoming quite awkward.

Sitting upon her bedroll, dressed in her oversized shirt, Ty'ani cleaned and adjusted her bow. The Nightingale weapon had become her best friend since Karliah gave it to her, promising that she would take great care of it. She buffed the bow until the designs on it shone. It was slightly worn, clearly showcasing the weapon's age, but it was still very strong.

Lowering the rag, she pulled her backpack closer to her and began rummaging around in it. She frowned as her fingers failed to find what she was after. Plucking the bow from her lap, she placed it beside her as she dragged her pack onto her knee in its place. The Khajiit continued searching, even taking a few things out, until at last she let out a noise of victory when she pulled out a glowing palm sized gem. A Soul Gem.

Soul Gems were, as a whole, naturally occurring stones that can house the souls of the dead. They are most commonly used for the purpose of enchanting armour and weapons, as well as recharging enchantments that already exist in weapons. While many of the magics housed in weapons were powerful, they unfortunately didn't last forever, as is the case with Ty'ani's weapon. Despite the Nightingale bow being created through the means of Nocturnal, it still loses its charge after an extended amount of time. Not as often as many other weapons though.

Retrieving her bow again as she placed her pack back down, she cradled it in her lap as she held the gem up to it. Once the tip of the stone touched the weapon, the gem began to glow brighter. Before long, tendrils of white light encircled it and the bow, transferring its power to the weapon. The lights turned a midnight blue as it flowed through the bow. After a few seconds, the light disappeared, leaving behind an empty Soul Gem, which Ty'ani threw back into her pack to sell later. As she had no talent in magic, apart from what she was born with, she didn't know how to refill the gem. Still, people would pay well for an empty Soul Gem, especially mages.

With that finished with, Ty'ani placed her bow with its quiver on the floor. Leaning forward to rest her elbow on her thigh, ergo resting her chin in her palm, Ty'ani glanced around. Since it was fairly late by now, the other women around her had laid in their rolls, already on the way to sleep. The only one that was still awake, apart from her, was Haema. The blonde Nord was sharpening her battle axe with a whetstone, the scraping sound of a stone running over metal filled the silence. Her blonde, shoulder length hair was pushed behind her ears, the locks flowing down her broad shoulders, framing her strong jaw line.

Ty'ani honestly had no idea how old Haema was, but from the fact that she had an adolescent son, she could guess that she was at least twenty years her senior. Maybe less than that, since the woman's weather worn features didn't entirely glean on her true age. Despite that, she was still quite a beautiful woman and if there was one thing that was certain, from both her physic and battle skills, she had much experience as well.

As though the woman sensed eyes upon her, Haema glanced up from her work, spotting Ty'ani looking her way. The Khajiit, in turn, returned her gaze for but a moment before breaking eye contact, still feeling awkward. Haema stared at the girl for a moment longer before sighing, placing down her axe and whetstone. Resting her arms on her thighs, she broke the silence between them. "Ty'ani." she beckoned, bringing the girl's attention back to her. She inclined her head. "Come here a moment, I wish to talk."

Feeling uncertain, Ty'ani decided not to argue as she rose to her feet. Her ears flattened and tail twitching to showcase her mood, she paced over to the Nord woman. Once in front of her, she stayed standing, wringing her hands together. Haema sighed again, patting the spot beside her, offering her to sit down. The Khajiit complied, crossing her legs once seated.

Haema wasted no time in beginning. "Listen Ty'ani, I have thought long and hard about this situation. Just know that your choice of being a thief has been a fairly unexpected turn for me, I hope you can understand what position you have put me in." the girl only nodded, not speaking at all as she stared at her own fiddling hands. Therefore, Haema continued. "I will say that I can understand why you turned to thievery as a child, but I must ask why you kept the habit up?"

Biting her lip, the white Khajiit hesitantly answered. "To be honest with you, I really don't know. I guess I thought that there was nothing else for me out there, since I cannot be a dock worker as I'm so weak. I can't be a merchant because I don't understand economics and I don't know how to read and write. I suppose I believed thievery was my only calling in life."

"That is barely an excuse, Ty'ani." Hamea retaliated, glancing at the girl with a blank look. "And do not say that you are weak. In the time I have known you, I have seen much strength in you. Understand that strength doesn't just come from your physical prowess, but from within your heart and soul." Placing a hand on the Khajiit's shoulder, bringing the girl's attention to her, she added. "Ty'ani, my point is that I'm not disappointed in you personally, but in your life choices. I had higher hopes for you."

Ty'ani lips pursed together, closing her eyes as tears threatened to form. Pushing down the urge to let it all out, Ty'ani replied. "I know. I'm just a massive disappointment for everyone. I don't care what Arngeir says, I don't deserve to be the Dragonborn."

Haema's eyes narrowed at that, releasing her hold on Ty'ani's shoulder. "Stop right there." she demanded, her tone sounding as though she was scolding a child, making Ty'ani turn her gaze back to her. "Never think that ever again. Master Arngeir is completely right in what he said; you being Dragonborn means that the Gods have foreseen a great future for you. If they believed that you were unworthy to hold this power, then you would not have it in the first place. Believe me when I say, in spite of your choices, that you are worth far more than you believe. Never allow anyone to tell you otherwise."

Blinking, Ty'ani stared at the blonde Nord for a long while, her thoughts a jumble. Many emotions ran through her, but in the end Haema's words had struck a nerve. Maybe she was right; if the Divines had chosen her, then maybe there was hope for her yet. She may not be able to keep her thievery to herself, as at this point it was a hard pressed habit, but she could still attempt to be a better person.

Wiping away a tear that made its way down her cheek, she gave Haema a small smile. "Thank you." she breathed. "I think I needed that talk."

In return, the Nord woman smiled as well. "You get good at giving pep talks when you become a parent, never mind a Harbinger of a warriors guild." she wrapped an arm over Ty'ani's shoulders, giving her a small hug. "You are a good woman Ty'ani, you just need to believe in yourself first before anyone else can."

"I will." the girl promised, withdrawing from the embrace, turning her glassy sapphire orbs to Haema. "I'm glad your still with me Haema, and I promise to be a better person."

After exchanging smiles, the two bid each other a good night, the Khajiit girl retreating back to her own bedroll while Haema settled into hers. Wiggling into the bedroll, Ty'ani turned onto her side, pillowing her head with her arm, the fingers of her other hand fiddling with the fur lining. The friendship between her and the others may not be entirely healed, but at least they are moving in the right direction. Her only hope is that they can all make it through this mess in one piece.

That thought was her last as she closed her eyes, drifting to sleep within moments.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

She floated in a vast void, the emptiness resounding around her like a wisp. Sound was even absent, reinforcing the feeling of solitude.

Ty'ani found this fairly perplexing. Was she dreaming? If she was then this was highly unusual, at least it was for her recently. Her dreams were usually plagued with the images of her recent past; of Helgen being destroyed or being run down by that monstrous dragon. This... nothingness... was very unnerving.

Surprisingly, despite the isolation, she was surrounded on all sides by warmth. It was comforting in actuality- even though in most cases she hated to be trapped in darkness, she'd never felt so content in her life.

But, this doesn't feel right to her at the same time. Something must be happening. Something had to have brought her here and if so, for what purpose? In an attempt to find out, Ty'ani stretched out her arms, searching for anything to anchor on to but found nothing but air. Frowning, she shifting in... whatever this was that supported her, and turned to see behind herself. Again, all that met her eyes was nothingness. Everything was so tangibly dark, a vast density to the air, and the Khajiit wasn't sure that she liked it.

"I don't want to be here." she said to herself, briefly wondering what here was precisely.

All of a sudden, her ears pricked up as a voice made itself known. "Neither do us all, but yet we exist to fulfil our menial destinies for this world."

Ty'ani's fur stood up on end at that, whipping her body around in an attempt to locate the source of the voice. She couldn't see anything. She was still very much alone, but yet there was something here with her.

"Who's there!" she called out, her voice an echo in the darkness.

The voice immediately answered, vibrating through her very being. "Know me merely as a fahdon, a friend."

"A friend?" Ty'ani repeated with a frown. "I do not even know nor trust you. How can I trust a being that I cannot see?"

"Prem. All in due time." the voice answered cryptically. "We shall meet one day. For now, you are not yet ready."

Looking around once more in a bid to catch sight of her company, Ty'ani's frown deepened. "What does that mean?" she questioned. "Many times today I've been told I'm not ready, when I don't even know what I'm suppose to be ready for."

"All will soon become clear to you." the voice reassured. "Mindah fen das bo wah prem. For now however, I must speak with you, Dovahkiin."

Perplexed, Ty'ani's frown receded, furrowing instead. Taking a steadying breath, she carefully inquired. "What is it you want of me? Are you the one that brought me here?"

"I am partly responsible, yes." it answered honestly. "But it is your own unconscious mind that brought you here. You may not realise, but you have been searching for one who will assist you. For one who will listen."

Ty'ani felt nothing but confusion at that. Whatever did that mean? She already has people who will listen to her- her companions. Granted, bridges needed to be rebuilt between them after what happened today, but after that conversation she had with Haema her spirits and confidence had risen in that regard. Raising her head in defiance, she answered back. "I already have people who will listen to me. My friends."

"Krosis zey, that I do not doubt." the voice responded apologetically. "However, are you confident in the knowledge that your friends will understand your plight? That they will understand the hardships already within your mind?"

"'Already within my mind'?" Ty'ani echoed, becoming more confused by the minute. "What are you talking about?"

A pause was her answer for only a few moments, feeling stretched out due to the deafening silence surrounding her. As she became certain the voice had vanished, leaving her with no answers, it replied at last. "Have no doubt, Dovahkiin, that your physical body is strong. That in the waking world, you can and shall overcome all opposition. But, here within your own mind, you are vulnerable. Hin gaansevah los ahst krilon do krasfaal. Even now, I sense a darkness growing within you. I warn you now, a day will come when this corruption will spread to your physical being and destroy you should you allow it."

This had Ty'ani extremely worried now. "What are you talking about? What corruption?"

"I am uncertain when you obtained this taint," the voice answered truthfully. "However, I know of its source. As I have been keeping watch of this land for many centuries, lingraav strin, I have been waiting for a time when the end times will be inevitable. Now that time is at hand, my one task above all else is to ensure your well being."

Attention well and truly grabbed, Ty'ani listened closely, her unease increasing with each word the entity spoke. Biting her lip after it paused, she spoke up quietly. "What must I do?"

"I know not when," it claimed despondently."But at a time in your immediate future, you shall feel the corruption begin to overtake your senses. When that time comes, you must go to the Greybeards immediately. They shall be overbearing and protective, often times illusive, but they will listen should you tell them these words: 'Tiid los voknau zey, Zu'u fent tinvaak voth Paarthurnax'. Remember these words, Dovahkiin, and they shall assist you."

Thoroughly perplexed, Ty'ani still nodded. "I understand." she acknowledged.

"Repeat the words to me." the voice ordered.

Now put on the spot, Ty'ani fumbled. "Erm... Tiid los... vok-nau zey, Zu'u.. fent... tin-vaak voth Paarthurnax."

"Again."

Becoming more frazzled, she repeated. "Tiid los vok-nau zey... Zu'u fent tin-vaak voth Paarthurnax."

"Again." it demanded once more. "Repeat the words until they sink in."

More confident now, she raised her head up and in a voice filled with determination, she said the line again. "Tiid los voknau zey, Zu'u fent tinvaak voth Paarthurnax."

"Rinik pruzah." the voice acknowledged proudly. "Until we meet again, Dovahkiin."

Then all went silent. Ty'ani almost felt the entity evaporate like smoke, as if a small part of her own being had disappeared. She frowned, her mind working overtime to comprehend what had just happened. Glancing down, she repeated the words the voice told her to remember again and again in her thoughts. She didn't understand the significance of what they meant, but...

It was then a flash of light appeared before her, beckoning her attention instantly. She watched as a large strip formed in the air, like a slash of a dagger through a canvas, revealing a blinding white light. The Khajiit squeezed her eyes closed against the assault of light, her vision unused to it.

Ty'ani inhaled a breath through her nose, her senses suddenly coming alive with the scent of dust and thin mountainous air. Snapping her eyes open, she found herself back in the dining area of High Hrothgar, laying on her side in her own bedroll.

Jerking up into a seating position while leaning on her hands, Ty'ani blinked sleepily and in confusion. So it was just a dream. Right?

Glancing around, she found that her companions were all still asleep in their own bedrolls, also seeing that the windows beyond the room in the hallway were dark, indicating that it was still twilight. Sighing, she brushed her messy hair back behind her pointed ears, running her fingers through the thick black locks before gripping it at the base of her neck.

Releasing her hair after a moment, Ty'ani rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn. Thinking it best to return to sleep while she could, the Khajiit laid back on her side, folding the furry bedroll tightly around her. She lay there staring into seemingly nothingness as she pondered over her dream.

Who, or what, was that voice? And what did it mean by everything it said? Plus the words it told her to remember...

"Tiid los voknau zey, Zu'u fent tinvaak voth Paarthurnax." she whispered absently.

That last word in the sentence stuck in her mind the most. Wasn't Paarthurnax what Arngeir said was the name of their leader? How could the entity have possibly known that? She briefly played with the idea that perhaps one of the nine Divines had spoken to her, maybe even Akatosh himself, but dismissed it immediately. It was absurd to think that a God would waste such a warning on a mere mortal, despite her being Dragonborn. And it was most definitely not a Daedric Prince, as it sounded far too benevolent for that. So if not the Divines or the Daedra, than what?

Feeling far too exhausted from the days events to ponder at that question for much longer, Ty'ani pushed it aside for now. Closing her eyes, it didn't take long for her to fall back to sleep, unanswered questions still lingering in the back of her mind.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The following morning, after Ty'ani and Altwen brought the others up to speed, they began the journey back down the mountain path, intent on getting back to Ivarstead as soon as possible. While there was no snow or too strong gusts of wind, it was still very cold, which gave them an even bigger incentive to get down quickly.

"So let me get this straight," Lydia said as they trudged down the icy steps, each wrapped up in their fur cloaks. "To finish your training, the Greybeards sent you to go to an ancient Nord burial mound, just to receive some old horn?"

Ty'ani nodded as she kept her eyes ahead of her. "That's about the short of it." she affirmed. "Though to be honest, I don't really know what that's suppose to prove. But in the end, if it helps me to understand my power a little better, at least I can feel I've achieved something."

"Well," Altwen piped up. "Hows about we get off this mountain first, yeah? I don't really fancy freezin' to death up here."

"I hear that." Ty'ani agreed. "I really can't wait to get off this mountain, I don't think I can stand this cold for much longer."

Looking over toward Alasse, whom was walking on the opposite side of the party, Ty'ani clearly saw that the Altmer was gazing intently up toward the rocky ridges. Cocking her head curiously, Ty'ani called over to her. "Alasse? Are you alright?"

"I am uncertain." she answered, pausing in her step, causing the rest of them to stop and glance at her as well. "I have a strange sense that something that means ill toward us is nearby."

Ty'ani frowned at that. She knew that elves tend to have a good sense of hearing, but if Alasse had heard something that put her on edge, then she would have heard it as well, since Khajiit ears were far better than any other race. Having said that though, she was slightly distracted by talking with everyone else. As such, she attempted to scent the air, to see if she could detect anything nearby. Unfortunately, due to the blustery winds, any scents that could have lingered were blown askew.

Ty'ani adjusted the angle of her hood, looking further up the rock face of the mountain, perking her ears up more. Despite the wind, she finally managed to pick up an out-of-place sound originating from...

Suddenly on edge, Ty'ani looked directly above her, eyes widening as a low growl echoed out. Seeing snow tumbling off the rocky ledge above her unnaturally, she leapt out the way just as a huge thing thumped down where she was just standing. Her companions immediately went for their weapons as she rolled back onto her feet, whipping round to see the assailant.

The Khajiit gasped when she saw a seven foot tall, white shaggy furred frost troll baring down on Haema. The Nord woman was desperately trying to gain some distance between it and her, fighting to pull her battle axe from its holster on her back.

Altwen was the first to react, nocking a broadhead arrow and loosening it at the beast. It struck the wide expanse of it's back, burying deep into a hunched shoulder blade. It howled in pain, turning toward the source and blindly charging in rage. The nimble half-elf dodged out of it's path, performing an impressive somersault as a fire bolt exploded on the creature's hide. As the last aspects of the flames licked at it's body, Haema moved in on the offensive, building momentum as she went, striking it in it's side. The troll roared, it's jaws wide showcasing it's huge canines and spraying saliva as it swung it's heavily muscled arm at the Nord, forcing her away to avoid the deadly claws.

Just as it swung at her again, Lydia came in for a low attack, slashing her steel broadsword across the back of it's knees, giving Haema the opening she needed to get back. The troll roared again as the wound released a small stream of blood, blindly swinging it's arms at the Housecarl, who raised her shield as she stepped back, allowing one attack to glance off the steel. The strength of the beast momentarily caused her to stumble, but thankfully two more arrows found home in the beast's hide curtsey of Altwen, distracting it.

Ty'ani had now recovered, having pulled off her bow and wrenched out an arrow. Straightening and nocking back the projectile, she released it at the beast. Her shock added with the chill made aiming slightly more difficult, but the arrow still struck true in it's back, the weapon's enchantment activating as ice and sparks. She followed up with two more as Haema went in for another attack.

Attention once again drawn to the blonde woman, the troll pursued her, only to be halted yet again. Altwen, seeing a window of opportunity, had swiftly put away her bow and drawn her swords, bounding off a nearby rock and slashing at the back of it's neck, rolling forward when she hit the ground. This enabled Haema and Lydia to get another attack in.

Alasse, now seeing an opening between her companions, peppered the creature with more fire bolts, setting it alight. The winds didn't allow the flames to remain, but trolls were widespreadly known to have a fear of fire. Therefore, with it thoroughly distracted with the dangerous element licking at it's hide, Lydia and Haema went to finish it off.

Seeing that the others had full control of the situation, Ty'ani lowered her nocked arrow, watching as Lydia slashed the knees one final time and Haema buried her axe blade in the trolls chest as it fell, ending it's life in an instant. She sighed in relief, as she had truly loathed the idea of facing a troll by herself, since she has little battlefield experience and just runs away as fast as she can in most scenarios. So she was very thankful for her current company.

However, just as that thought crossed her mind, that was when her ears perked up in alarm. The sound of heavy footfalls and deep gravelly breathing beckoned her attention and made her hackles stand up on end. Suddenly on alert, the Khajiit, whipped around, crying out in alarm as another troll appeared out of nowhere, thundering at her in apelike strides. It roared as it lunged at her and Ty'ani threw herself to the side to avoid the deadly black talons, landing heavily on her front. Panic exploded in her chest as it pursued her, flipping herself back onto her feet and darted under it's arms when it swung at her again.

"TY'ANI!" she heard Haema shout out in alarm, all of their attention turning from the dead troll to the one that stood far too close to the Khajiit. Altwen rearmed herself with her bow, releasing an arrow in quick succession, trying to bring it's attention off Ty'ani to buy the Khajiit the time she needed to get away. And to buy enough time for Haema and Lydia to get over there.

Unfortunately, that outcome did not happen. The troll completely ignored the arrow sticking out of it's flesh and continued to attack the slippery Khajiit.

Ty'ani's panic continued to raise as she stumbled through the voluminous snow, trying desperately to gain much needed distance between her and the troll. It powered through the snow banks with ease, continuing to ignore the arrows peppering it's hide as it clawed for her again. The girl managed to duck, allowing the arm to swing over her head, but the sharp movement caused her foot to slip on the icy ground. She collapsed hard on her knee, pain shooting up the sensitive nerve ending and up her thigh, paralysing her for a split second.

That second cost her greatly.

The troll struck, it's claws penetrated deep into her left shoulder, powerful three fingered hands enclosing around her and lifting her off her knees. She screamed, burning pain exploding from her shoulder, feeling her collarbone being crushed under the hold. The troll then buried the claws of it's other hand in the unprotected part of her belly, tearing through her shirt and skin like it was butter as the troll opened the wound further. Crimson immediately welled up from the three inch gouges, completely soaking her shirt and dripped down her thighs.

It only lasted for a second, but the pain made it feel like a lifetime to Ty'ani as she shrieked bloody murder. She barely even noticed the troll had attempted to lift her up so it could bite into her flesh only for it to roar out in pain, throwing her to the side as it did so. Though she did register smashing against the rocky wall, more pain exploding from her chest and head before she was suddenly encased in snow, the shock of the cold thoroughly paralysing her.

Unknown to the Khajiit, the only reason the troll had thrown her away was because Alasse had fired a bolt of flame at it's back, and it was now eating away at it's fur. The creature raised it's arms to bat away the flames in panic. Haema and Lydia roared out in challenge as they took advantage of the troll's distraction, the brunette slashing her sword across it's exposed belly, and the blonde cleaving her battle axe into the side of it's thick neck. Blood gushed from the wounds, spraying out in a wide arch, painting the Nords and the snow around them deep sanguine. Before long, the troll's eyes glazed over as the warriors pulled back, allowing it to fall to the ground with a loud thump. More blood cascaded out, pooling around the beast and melting the nearby snow, causing steam to rise.

The party wasted no time, sheathing their weapons and running toward Ty'ani's prone form.

"Ty'ani!" Haema cried out as she knelt by her side, brushing her dishevelled hair from her face. She was relieved to see that the Khajiit's sapphire eyes were still open, but the pupils were blown wide in obvious torment. Altwen darted to the girl's other side, removing her fur shawl and carefully lifted the injured girl, placing it under her to shield her from the snow. In the next second, Alasse knelt beside Haema, immediately assessing Ty'ani's wounds.

The puncture marks and gouges were easy to identify, but the Altmer had suspicions that she was also bleeding internally. She surmised that her collarbone was shattered, as were her ribs where she hit the rocks in force. Checking under her hair showed another bleeding injury, most likely a concussion. It was truly amazing that the girl was even still awake.

Tallying all this mentally, she glanced between the members with a serious look. "We cannot stay here. We must get her off the mountain, now!" she demanded as her hands glowed with the golden aura of healing magic.

Altwen scowled at that. "Ain't there somethin' you could do for her?"

"I will close her wounds." Alasse reassure, assuming to the task. "But that is as much as I can do for now. The most crucial thing we must do is to get her back to the village. I will be able to tend to her properly in a warm environment, but not here. She will most assuringly die."

It was then, when Alasse closed the open wounds, that Ty'ani began to whimper and cough painfully, tiny flecks of blood flying from her mouth as she did so. That isn't good. That most likely meant that a rib had punctured a lung. The high-elf glared hard at each woman. "We have to move her now, or she will drown in her own blood!"

Reacting immediately, Haema wrapped the girl's cloak and Altwen's shawl around the small Khajiit, sliding her arms under the girl's back and knees and heaved her off the ground, her heart wrenching at her painful whimpers. "Lydia, grab her equipment! Altwen, light a touch, we must keep her warm."

"On it!" the half-elf replied, pulling off a long and thick stick from her pack. As she ripped off a piece of her own undershirt without hesitation and wrapped it tightly around the head of the stick, she spoke again. "Gods, why didn't she use her Shouts? That could've got her outta there."

"She must have obviously been panicking." Lydia surmised as she collected Ty'ani's knapsack and bow. "People don't tend to think straight when they panic."

Altwen accepted that explanation, allowing Alasse to light her torch with a small flame spell, touching her finger on it. It caught fire and Altwen ran over to Haema's side, being mindful to keep pace with her as they all began the long march down the mountain. The huntress frowned at this.

"Shouldn't we take her back up to the Greybeards?" she asked.

"No." Lydia disagreed, her tone suggesting that she was thoroughly frazzled by the sudden turn of events. "That would take too long, Ivarstead is closer. We don't have time on our side right now."

On her part, Haema was thankful that the small Khajiit weighed next to nothing, making the journey a lot easier on her. Gazing at Ty'ani's face, she instantly spotted the bits of skin that was exposed around her eyes and above her brows were sheet white, when they should be a healthy pink. Her skin was now blending in with her snow white fur. She also saw that the girl's eyes were beginning to roll into the back of their sockets, recognising that she was starting to fall unconscious. Knowing that could be potentially dangerous for her, Haema gently shook her awake so as to not aggravate her wounds.

"Ty'ani." she called out to her. "You must stay awake, do you hear. Do not close your eyes."

Ty'ani was trying, but her vision was incredibly blurry and dark patches began to enclose around the edges. She felt lightweight, as though she was floating, her body shaking as she became numb to the pain. She was going into shock.

"Hold on Kitten!" she heard Altwen say. "Just hold on!

Unfortunately, that was the last thing she heard as her head fell back. The last of her vision was filled with the grey clouds overhead, seeing them parting to give way to the blue sky and warm sunlight. She saw nothing else after that, as she slipped into unconsciousness.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Eventually, after what seemed like days, the exhausted adventurers finally made it back to the village. It was a moment of panic for them all, as on the way down Alasse's medical knowledge and magical prowess was stretched to it's limits, all in an effort to keep Ty'ani from dying.

Nearby farmers glanced over at the group in confusion, wondering why it was they were in a hurry. That was until they spotted the unconscious Khajiit in Haema's arms. Klimmek, whom was working on the grinder, immediately stopped his work upon recognising the group. Running over to them, he studied the girl in the large woman's arms. "By Gods, what happened?"

"We were ambushed by trolls." Haema quickly explained. "Please, we need to take her somewhere warm."

"Of course, of course." the Nord man agreed hurriedly. "This way."

Giving their heartfelt thanks, the women jogged after the man toward a nearby home. He pulled out a key from his belt-pouch, unlocking the door and opening it, stepping to the side to allow the women in first. He followed immediately after, shutting the door behind him.

"Put her on here." he said, moving toward a bed on the other side of the room. Haema and Alasse moved over, the Nord woman carefully placing Ty'ani on the straw bed. As Haema stepped away, the Altmer then got to work removing the cloaks covering the Khajiit, frowning as she studied her wounds. As it appeared in their haste, the punctures had reopened, fresh blood soaking through the once white shirt. Inhaling in preparation, Alasse began unclasping Ty'ani's stiff leather bodice, thankful for the convenient clasps as she peeled it open. The shirt was beyond repair however, completely ruined by the blood.

Altwen stepped up to the other side of the bed, presenting the high-elf with a small dagger. "Here use this. Be careful, it's sharp." she warned. Alasse frowned at that, wondering for a moment where exactly she was hiding that but didn't question it. She took the dagger, placing it down on the bed for now as she unbuckled Ty'ani's belt, then undid the lacing holding her leggings together, giving her easy access to the wound. Carefully peeling away the shirt, Alasse used the dagger to cut it open, revealing the three tears on her stomach. She spread the two pieces of cloth aside, placing the dagger on the end table beside the bed, deciding to leave Ty'ani's breast covering for modesties sake.

The half-elf huntress glanced to Ty'ani's face, seeing her grimacing in her unconscious state, her eyes darting under their lids as she took shallow breaths. Concerned, Altwen placed her palm over the girl's forehead, feeling cold sweat soaking her fur, added with intense heat in her skin. "Crap, she's got a fever." she informed them.

"I know." Alasse replied, her hands beginning to glow again. "But I must concentrate if I am to save her, give me space."

Altwen scowled at that, leaning back as she placed her fists on her hips. "Look, Ice Queen, I get that you're stressed right now, but you're spreadin' yourself too thin. No matter how you look at it, you are gonna need some help."

In turn, Alasse also scowled, but she had no other choice but to agree with the woman. She didn't have the luxury to argue with her, not with Ty'ani's life in the balance. "Very well," she said reluctantly. "See if you can bring her temperature down."

As Altwen went to do what Alasse told her, Haema turned to Klimmek with a look of gratitude. "Many thanks to you ser." she told him. "Words cannot express our gratitude to you."

"It's no problem. She helped me, so it's only fair that I do the same for her." he replied, studying the large woman before him, spying the blood covering the front of her armour. "You injured as well?"

Haema shook her head, her breath hitching in her throat. "No, I'm not. This is from the troll... and Ty'ani." he nodded solemnly at that, leaving her be as he exited the house with Altwen to help her retrieve some water from the well. Haema sighed, falling into a chair next to Lydia, watching and waiting for Alasse to finish anxiously.

While that was going on, Alasse began the long and tedious operation. Her glowing hands hovered over the Khajiit's stomach and shoulder, closing her eyes in concentration and taking steadying breaths to focus herself. The deeper in the trace she became, the more aware of the magical energies swirling between them, focusing on Ty'ani's essence to assist her in repairing the girl's body. Soon enough, she could see the injuries within, discovering that the girl did indeed have internal damage. The bleeding had long since stopped, but she was far from stable, so Alasse needed to repair this as soon as possible.

Immediately, she found foreign material within her wounds, surmising that it was infection. Concentrating, she nullified it and once clean, she starting focusing on resetting the bones.

She began with the rib still lodged in Ty'ani's lung. The high-elf had to be careful though, as one wrong move could be fatal and the last thing she wanted was to cause more internal damage. She hovered both her hands over the affected area, furrowing her brows in concentration as she slowly began to manoeuvrer the bone out. At the same time, she repaired the damage done as the rib slowly slipped out, keeping blood from clotting and entering the lung. It was exhausting work, as her forehead started to form beads of sweat, but at long last, the rib slipped out the muscled airbag. She sighed as she repaired the lung, turning her attention to rejoining the ribs, sealing them with a controlled stasis spell to keep them in place for now.

As Alasse moved on to the collarbone, Altwen returned with Klimmek, hauling a bucket of water and placed it beside the bed. The Nord man grabbed a rag from the mantle above the fire, handing it to the woman, who immediately dumped it into the cool liquid. Wringing it out, the huntress dabbed the damp and cooled rag on Ty'ani's forehead, cleaning away the sweat and soothing her raging temperature.

As the two tended to the Khajiit, Klimmek turned his attention to the other two Nords. Furrowing his brow in sympathy, he spoke up to them. "I'm sorry. You all must be exhausted. Allow me to make you some stew, maybe have a bit of mead."

Haema looked toward the man, a sad smile forming on her lips. "You are very kind. My thanks."

As he went off to begin his task, Alasse focused on Ty'ani's fractured collarbone. This was going to be slightly more difficult to repair than her ribs, as the pieces were small and sharp in most places. Any wrong move here, she may end up causing more harm and possibly damaging any local nerves and arteries. At this time though, the Altmer was beginning to become increasingly wary, feeling her mana pool was almost completely depleted. She frowned, forcing herself to hold on a little while longer as she located the all the bone fractures.

However, just as she found all of the pieces, that was when her head flared in pain. A clear sign that her mana was too low. She released her connection with the magical energies instantly, the golden glow disappearing from her palms, groaning in pain and massaging her forehead. Blinking her eyes open, she immediately noticed another side effect of having low mana, as she had become temporarily colour blind.

Seeing the high-elf rubbing her head in pain, Altwen frowned in concern. "What happened?" she inquired hurriedly. "What's the matter?"

Groaning, Alasse tentatively answered. "My magicka is too low, I cannot concentrate for much longer."

Understanding instantly, Altwen dropped the rag into the bucket and grabbed her bag. After rummaging around for a moment, her fingers closed around the item she was searching for, pulling out a blue bottle. A magicka potion. She handed it to the Altmer. "Here, you need this more than I do right now."

"My thanks." Alasse replied, uncorking and draining the bottle, not even stopping to think why the woman had a magicka potion to begin with. Placing the empty container on the bedside table, she sighed as colour returned to her vision and her headache subsided, her mana regenerating instantly. Clearing her throat, she hovered her hands back over Ty'ani's shoulder, relocating all the bone fragments again. Like with the ribs, she carefully repositioned them back into place and conjured a controlled stasis to keep them in place.

With the broken bones taken care of, it was a simple job of using her healing magic to repair the broken flesh. With that done, she moved on to her head. For this, she simply cupped the back of the Khajiit's head, closing the wound as the skull was still thankfully intact. She sighed, now certain that the Khajiit was completely stable, she just needed regular healing sessions to help repair her bones and bed rest to battle the fever.

Leaning back, she dissipated the healing auras feeling her exhaustion hit her at once. Standing from her knelt position, the Altmer spoke to the others. "She is stable. All she needs now is bed rest."

"Thank you Alasse." Haema said. "I dread to think what would have happened if you were not with us."

"I second that notion." Altwen commented, lightly lifting Ty'ani to remove her bodice, shirt. As she removed Ty'ani's boots, she continued on. "So, Ice Queen... you still wanna leave? After this?" she gestured to the unconscious girl laying on the bed, covering her with her cloak.

Looking at the prone and whimpering girl, Alasse felt her insides twist. She would readily admit that she is incredibly disgusted with what Ty'ani is, but after what happened today, she had begun to second guess her own decision. Head lowering as she sat in a spare chair, the Altmer sighed. "I believed I did." she confessed. "I believed that due to her profession, I could never bring myself to associate myself with her. But now..."

"Yeah, exactly." Altwen practically hissed. "She nearly died up there. You didn't think twice about helpin' her, even though you knew what she does. Face it woman, if not for you, then we'd all be screwed. So you see, she needs you."

Frowning, Lydia pursed her lips. "As much as I'm not believing I'm saying this, she is right." she glanced at the blue robed woman next to her. "Without you, she would have most certainly died. If that happened, then Skyrim would surely suffer for it. I understand your feelings in this matter, more than anyone, but you are needed."

"And I see that now." the Altmer agreed, raising her hooded head. "I never did foresee that my assistance would be crucial to her, I believed I would not be needed. But I will admit that I was in the wrong, and I am sorry for that. Therefore, I shall remain."

Haema smiled at the mage. "And we will be happy to have you with us, Alasse."

As Klimmek began heating the water for the stew, he wiped his hands as he began chopping the vegetables, glancing over toward the women for a brief moment. "Forgive me for interrupting," he began. "But you speak of... what's her name, Ty'ani? You all speak of her as if she's important. May I ask why?"

Straightening in her seat, Haema looked at Klimmek with a nod. "That is because she is. I'm certain that you heard the Greybeard's call a week ago? To the Dragonborn?" at his nod, she continued. "They were calling her. She is the Dragonborn."

His eyes widened at that, lowing the knife he had to the table. "Truly?"

"It's true." Lydia affirmed.

"By Gods." he breathed. "I hardly even believed that the Dragonborn really returned, but this... the Dragonborn in my home. In that case, she's more than welcome to stay as long as she needs to shake off this fever. I'm honoured to have the legendary Dragonborn in my home, no matter what her species is."

After acknowledging their thanks, Klimmek returned to preparing the stew.

Once ready, he left it to bubble, retreating to the cellar to collect bottles of mead for his company. While he was gone, the women began to remove their forgotten cloaks and sullied armour, busying themselves with cleaning them to get their minds off the Khajiit in the bed. When Klimmek return however, that was when the entrance door opened, revealing another Nord man with long auburn hair and a typical look of a farmer. Upon seeing the bodies within, the man did a double take.

"What in the..." he muttered, his eyes snapping to the only other man. "Klimmek, what is this? Who are these people? And what is that Khajiit doing in your bed?"

The adventurers were quite put out by the sudden appearance of this man, but Altwen frowned in annoyance. "You best watch your tone, friend." she spat mockingly. "Or you can be sure that I'll knock a few teeth out."

"Altwen!" Haema scolded.

Seeing his accomplice seethe at the huntress, Klimmek attempted to keep the peace. "Bassianus, it's fine. She was critically injured and needed shelter to heal."

"But she's a Khajiit. In our house."

"And she's also the Dragonborn!" Klimmek yelled back, silencing Bassianus instantly. "Under no circumstances will I allow the hero of Skyrim to die, not when I can prevent it."

The other Nord male blinked, his mouth agape as he processed what he was just told. It was obvious he had trouble believing the information given to him. In any other situation, the rest of them wouldn't believe Ty'ani being Dragonborn either at first, if they hadn't seen the proof for themselves.

Finally, Bassianus spoke. "You've lost your head Klimmek. There's no possible way a Khajiit, of all things, can be the Dragonborn."

"Not so impossible." Lydia snapped, standing sharply from her seat with a deep frown. "The Divines care not what race one is; they believe her to be worthy of that power as every species are equals in the eyes of the Gods. Also remember that the legends never really spoke of what race the Dragonborn should be, and you should be thankful that she is here to fight the dragons."

Her words had an immediate effect on the man, as he fell silent. There was no denying that she was right, the Gods had brought the Khajiit race to Tamriel just as they did with the Nords, and they had just as much a right to exist in this world.

Now with that mess out the way, Altwen returned her attention back to the unconscious girl. Wringing the rag again, she dabbed it on her forehead to clear the reforming sweat. She was really concerned. Alasse may have fixed her up, but the fever seemed really bad, as she could feel the heat radiating off her skin. This could take days for her to shake off.

"You'd best get better soon, you hear me Kitten?" she whispered as she dunked and wrung the rag again, unfurling it to drape it over Ty'ani's forehead. "The world is gonna need ya."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Oh wow, I must really have my muse back. After having writer's block for a while, it makes a refreshing change. I know that it has been only a few days, and I really should space my chapters out more but still, after the long wait of the last one...

Well, consider this an early Christmas present (even though it's still November, derp)

Edit: Did some quick editing to correct some silly mistakes. It was like, one in the morning when I posted this.