4. Priorities
.o0o.
"All right, Valtheim Towers . . ." With an absent wave at farmer Wulfric, Ta'aj spread the map on the low stone wall. Kharjo leaned in to study it.
"Across the river, north and east." He traced the route with a delicate claw and tapped the minute tower symbol. "The caravans found it simpler to pay their 'toll' rather than fight, although-"
"Shh!"
Ta'aj whipped her head around and, shoving the map at Kharjo, crouched and stalked forward, flexing her fingers warily. Tension quivering in every limb, she paused, secured her footing, then dove with a snarl into a clump of bushes.
"Ha! No, damn-"
She bolted upright, dropping a handful of shredded blooms, and lunged after the fluttering blue butterflies.
"Gotcha! And there-!"
Wulfric approached as Kharjo carefully refolded the map.
"Hah!"
"Is it a cat thing?" The human eyed the leaping, gyrating form. "We've got an old tabby acts just like that."
"Oo, Monarchs!"
"Same with my sister's moggie. Scourge of the garden. Yeah, must be a ca-" Wulfric hesitated, suddenly realizing he was the subject of an intense turquoise stare. ". . . Khajiit . . . thing? Er . . .?" he finished lamely, with a hitherto unfelt sympathy for the beleaguered insects.
After a pointed moment, Kharjo finished stowing the map and flicked a speck from his fine ebony cuirass.
"Surely this one is aware that the creatures' wings are an alchemical ingredient?"
"Right, right, of course."
"It requires a level of cunning and dexterity to capture them bare-handed."
"Oh, absolutely."
Ta'aj came to a halt in the ruined bushes, glaring about with blown pupils and fanned whiskers. At no further signs of life, she straightened and calmly tucked the colorful scraps into her pouch.
"All set?" She dusted her hands together fastidiously as Kharjo left the relieved Wulfric, and the two Khajiit continued down the road.
"So, you were saying?"
"Yes, they watch the pass most vigilantly."
"Definitely a night approach, then."
"Khajiit recalls Zaynabi and Ahkari speculating that an approach from the western cliff face might be-"
"Hey! Dragonflies!"
.o0o.