"Hey Claudia," Vilkas said, "Skjor needs to see you."
Farkas turned to her "you didn't light the kitchen on fire again, did you?"
"No," Claudia snapped, "and it caught on fire when you asked me to cook something."
Before Farkas could say anything else, Claudia got up and went to hunt down Skjor. She found him in the training yard sitting in a chair in the shade reading.
"You wanted to see me?" she said as she approached.
"Yes," He confirmed, closing his book, "I have a job for you whelp; I want you and Farkas to go to Dustman's Cairn, and find a fragment of Wuuthrad." Skjor stood, straining his tunic, continuing, "This will be your trial."
"Yes, Skjor." Claudia replied.
"Good, now go get some rest, you're leaving in the morning."
Claudia dipped her head respectfully, and headed back into the mead hall. Despite her outward stoicism, Claudia could not believe Skjor. A Cairn? They were filled with draugr and all sort of disease ridden creatures. Not watching were she was going, Claudia ran smack into Farkas, almost toppling her over.
"Sorry Claudia, didn't see you there," said Farkas.
"It's alright, I wasn't watching where I was going." she said.
There was a pause, then Farkas cleared his throat, "Skjor wants me to go with you to Dustman's Cairn to retrieve the fragment of Wuuthrad."
"Yeah," she said, glancing down, "he just told me."
"Well, might as well get an early night." Farkas said.
"Agreed, I'll see you in the morning, ice-brain."
"Goodnight to you too, skeever-breath."
The next day Claudia was awoken by Farkas. She grumbled into her pillow for a few more minutes but Farkas picked her up out of her bed and told her to stop being lazy. So, Claudia was forced to get up. She told Farkas to get out of her room while she changed. Claudia then put on her leather armor. She grabbed her preferred sword and strapped it to her belt along with her knives. Going up to the main hall, the warm fire greeted her, like always. Grabbing a quick breakfast for the road, Claudia joined Farkas at the door, and they left Jorrvaskr together.
They walked in silence down to the city's main gate, where a guard opened it for them. They walked down to the stables and turned to the direction of Dustman's Cairn. About an hour along the road, they heard a roar much too big for a bear or saber cat. Claudia and Farkas looked at each other with questioning looks, when answered when a dark shadow swooped down and landed in front of them. Claudia drew her sword and Farkas did the same.
"YOL TUL SHOOL!" the dragon roared.
Flame shot towards Claudia who side stepped and charged the dragon. The dragon tried to snap at her but she side stepped and his teeth met thin air. Its neck was now exposed. Claudia brought her sword down but it didn't go deep, however the dragon still felt it. It swung its head, colliding painfully with Claudia's torso. She was flung backward; her sword went flying from her grip. The dragon was just about to snap its jaws around her when Farkas came charging at its side. While the dragon was distracted, Claudia got up, grabbed her sword, and attacking the dragon. Over the din of the dragon's screeches and Farkas' yelling, she heard hoof beats. Looking under the dragon's flailing wings, she could see a horseman riding fast towards them. The steed was black as pitch, and even from this distance Claudia could see its glowing red eyes. The man upon its back jumped from the saddle with impressive agility, and joyed the fray.
"FUS RO DAH!" he shouted at the dragon, knocking it back.
The man ran at the dragon yelling something in a different language. He grabbed its horned head and clambered onto its neck. The dragon whipped its head from side to side, trying to dislodge its assailant. Raising his sword above his head, the strange man drove the steel deep into the exposed flesh behind the dragon's head, and into its skull. The beast bellowed horrendously, pitching forward. It was dead before it even hit the ground.
Dismounting from his new kill, the stranger withdrew his weapon, cleaned it, and put it back at his side. He approached Claudia, who had her sword raised.
"It's alright, I helped you, didn't I?" he said.
He was suddenly knocked off his feet by Farkas' fist in his jaw.
"Farkas!" Claudia yelled, rushing forward to help the stranger out of the dirt. "Why in Oblivion did you do that?"
"I didn't like him." Farkas replied simply.
"He just killed that dragon, and you're trying to pick a fight with him?" she asked, exasperated.
Suddenly, she heard a crackling behind her. The dragons skin was burning off leaving only its skeleton. A golden light rushed towards the stranger, engulfing him where he stood.
It only lasted for a few seconds, but Claudia was left blinking at the man in amazement. His blue eyes looked back and forth between her and Farkas apprehensively.
"Before you strike me dead," the stranger-now-Dragonborn said, "let us first speak civilly."