Claudia and Farkas got back to Whiterun, it was a sunny day with no clouds in sight. The weather however didn't fit how the companions would feel after they received the bad news. They reached the steps up to Jorrvaskr.
"Where have you been? It's been four days." Aela snapped.
"We need to see Skjor right now. It's urgent." Farkas said.
"We know where the fragment is." Claudia added as they followed Aiela into the mead hall.
"Where is the fragment then?" Aiela demanded. Most everyone was in the main hall for their mid-day meal. Looking up from their food, they all listened in.
"That's why we need to see Skjor. Archer, the man who was here, has it, and he gave it to the Silver-hand." explained Farkas.
Everyone gasped at this, some cursed, and others, who were werewolves, growled. A cloud seemed to roll over Jorrvaskr. Their precious fragment was in the hand of their deadliest foe. Farkas explained everything else, how Archer had had the fragment all along since they first met him.
"We need to keep on highest alert, if Archer has been here, he'll know where some of our weak points are, and he can tell the Silver Hand. Vilkas, go tell the guards to be to on the look-out for anyone suspicious entering the city, as well as for Archer." ordered Aiela. "Tell them he stole something from us."
"When will Skjor be back?" asked Farkas.
"I don't know." The huntress said dejectedly. "It may be awhile, we'll just have to hold our own."
Claudia, feeling like she had failed again, went down to the lower halls of Jorrvaskr. She went to her room to change out of her armor into something more comfortable. First, she washed of the grime of four days of travel then she put on a tunic and breeches. She still kept her knife in her boot, and a sword strapped to her side, just in case though. Feeling more refreshed, the newest member of the Companions went back up to the upper-level of the mead hall. The fire was blazing and everyone gathered at the table around it.
"We'll have to strike at the Silver-hand first."
"We need to gather our forces before we attack."
"We'll need to send out scouts to find the best offensive position against the Silver-hand."
Claudia sat next to Farkas at the table, and grabbed a turkey leg and cheese wedge. Her brows pinched as she listened to everyone making plans for attack.
"Hey," Farkas whispered, "you alright? You're making a face."
"Yeah, just worried is all."
"We're all worried. It's hard to predict their next move. Will they attack? They would be mad to strike the Hall in the middle of a city." Farkas harrumphed, "Then again, they are a band of murderous psychopaths."
Claudia snorted into her mug, "I didn't know you knew such big words, Farkas. I'm impressed." The large Nord elbowed her in the side, mead sloshing onto the table top. After recovering, Claudia's face pinched and her tone leveled. "Seriously, though. If they do attack, or we attack, most likely they will know how to pinpoint werewolves and will try to capture you. Just…be extra careful, okay?"
Farkas tore a large chunk of meat from a rabbit haunch, laughing through the mouthful of food, "Don't forget, Aela, Vilkas, and Skjor are werewolves, too. Don't worry, we'll crush the Silver-hand, and get the fragment back."
"Just as soon as Skjor gets back." Claudia added.
The Companions continued to plan an attack on the Silver-hand over the next few days, sending out scouts to find the weaknesses of the fort. If they were able to get this fragment, then the only had one more piece to go.
"I wish those scouts would hurry up." growled Farkas. He and Claudia had just finished a few sparring rounds with wooden training swords.
"Spy work is tough, we don't want them to compromise themselves for the sake of time." Claudia chided her mentor. Chucking a rock as high up over the wall as she could, she listened for the tell-tail sound of it reaching the rocky cliff on the other side.
"Could they do it any slower?" the large Nord mumbled.
When the scouts did come back it was with good and bad news. The good news was that a wall of the fort had crumbled, and had been replaced by wood. The bad news was they had the Companions outnumbered four to one. The Companions would have to use the element of surprise, and use the other tricks up their sleeves, even if it meant showing their werewolf forms to the rest.
Skjor finally came back from a higher-end contract job, by then everyone had become antsy about the upcoming fight. They were all ready to fight the Silver-hand. Farkas, and Claudia filled Skjor in on what happened, his reaction was one they had expected, they had made sure there were no tables nearby when they told him.
"Damn those Silver-hand," growled Skjor, "Aiela, I trust you and the other Companions have already devised a plan of attack?"
Aiela and the others told Skjor of their battle plan. They would have half the Companions attack the weakened part of the wall, so when the Silver Hand left the front gate unguarded, someone from the inside would open it. Aiela would lead the first group with Vilkas and a few others, and Skjor leading the second group with Farkas, Claudia, and the rest of the Companions. After the rest of the preparations were completed, they would start towards the fort.