Very little was said about the night before.

Skylar woke in Serana's arms and almost instantly it felt as though the air between them had changed. Not in a bad way… But in a way where there was more of an understanding between them that strengthened their bond that they had with each other.

The secret need not be spoken for Serana to know just what her lover had suffered, and she didn't need Skylar to tell her that the little werewolf was mortified of something as simple as touch. Serana made a silent promise to keep her distance until Skylar was ready.

Perhaps she would allow the little wolf to come to her instead, surely Skylar knew what she wanted when the time was right. Serana had all the time in the world… She didn't mind the wait. As long as she had Skylar at her side the wait would be worth it.

The morning had been very slow. Skylar had her face buried in Serana's neck long into the morning, and by the time it was the afternoon they finally were risen when a frantic companion came rushing into the Companion HQ, telling of a man who was giving boat rides to very large and mysterious men and taking them to Solsthiem.

"Why exactly is this man giving boat rides to large groups of very large men back and forth from this island?" Skylar asked as she stared down at a map that was in the middle of the table that herself, Serana, Aela and the other circle members were sitting around.

"I know not." The companion member who brought the news said as he stood in front of the table. "I just recognized the scent of the werebears… It was the scent that was all over you the night you were mauled" He spoke.

Skylar twitched where she was sitting at the mention of the mauling, Serana placed her hand on Skylar's leg under the table to try and bring her comfort. Sitting right beside her she could feel her lover's discomfort.

"The scent…" The companion continued with narrowed eyes as if he was trying to concentrate. "It was all over those men, if I didn't know any better I would have guessed that those men WERE the werebears." He said with a firm nod of his head.

"Are you sure?" Aela asked as she glared at him. "I do not want to go off on some adventure to an island on fake information." She growled.

"Aela, I am certain that this is not fake." Skylar said in a firm tone. "Even if this information is slightly off this is the only lead we have… Besides, if we check out this boat man the scent of the werebears should still be all over that boat and probably all over the man… I would know the scent of one of these creatures anywhere." She declared.

Aela actually looked at Skylar surprised. It had been a while since she herself had spoken to the little pup, she didn't know if she should feel offended and betrayed with Skylar for her trusting this companion over her, or if she should respect her for wanting to find these werebears, even though the information they had was still quite fuzzy.

"We need to go check it out." Skylar said shaking her head.

"I don't want any more companion lives to be lost." Aela crossed her arms over her chest. She was dead serious. Truthfully, she didn't want to see another werebear for as long as she lived.

Skylar looked at her very surprised, she then looked around the table at the other companions. "So…. The mighty werewolves are going to hide in their little cave with their tails between their legs?" She asked with a scoff. "Now this, I have to admit, is something I never thought I would EVER see." She sighed. "Aela, it was you who came to me with this issue remember?" Skylar asked as she leaned her elbow on the table's surface and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "You were basically begging me to join your companions… But looking at you all now, mortified… Wanting to pass the problem onto someone else hoping that you won't have to ever deal with it again… I can see now that a cowardly companion is something I never want to be." She said with a sigh as she pushed herself away from the table.

"When the next person comes to me and asks me what I think of the mighty companions… I will tell them the truth… They are nothing but hired mercenaries who of which hide under their beds the instant a real threat shows itself." Skylar told them all before she was about to turn on her heel and walk away with Serana close behind her.

"Skylar, you know what those werebears did to me." Aela shot at her.

"Yeah?" Skylar turned back around and faced her with piercing eyes. "And you know what they did to me, it was ten time the amount that you suffered, and the only reason that happened to me was because I followed YOU into battle, a battle you all assumed you would win because you were just that cocky." She spat.

Skylar didn't wait to hear anymore. She stormed off towards the room she had been locked up in for a while now and began to pack up.

She didn't even look at Serana who was standing by the door with her hands clasped in front of her. "Maybe you should take a moment and think about this?" She asked with a brow furrowed.

"There is nothing to think about, we already know exactly what needs to be done." Skylar said quickly as she packed her bag. She looked around the room as she began to tap her chin as she tried to think of anything that she might be forgetting.

"Yes… I know… But these creatures, they are very dangerous, my love." Serana said as she slowly began to approach Skylar.

"I know, but now that the companions are not going to help… With a problem that they took up first and then just basically passed on to me… If someone doesn't do something soon… What if an army of those things comes over to Skyrim?" Skylar suddenly dropped her backpack on the bed and turned to look at Serana who was barely an arm's length away from Skylar by then.

"I don't know." Serana said in a gentle tone as she took Skylar's hands in her own. "But I don't think the companions would just simply drop this mission…" She said as she kissed Skylar's knuckles.

"Serana…" Skylar breathed as her face softened when she felt the kisses on her knuckles. "The Companions are nothing but hired goons… They are not being paid to do this mission… They saw the chance to pass this mission onto someone else so that they didn't have to worry about it… They know I would not just let this mission fall and hit the floor… Not with the risk of your father finding a way to control them…" She explained.

Serana didn't have anything to say to that… What Skylar said was true. She had been in the room with the Companions… It looked like they gave up, they passed the problem onto Skylar, who would NEVER let this problem go without it being resolved first.

"What do we do then?" Serana whispered.

"Well… First I want to pay a visit to that boatman to see if he know anything… So we can start there." Skylar said with a sigh. "But first… I think it is time for us to leave this bloody companion stronghold… I have been here far too long and this place is all but sour to me now… I don't want to be here." Skylar said with a tired look on her face.

She had spent so long healing within those walls, it felt like forever since she last went on a real adventure.

"Then let's leave this place… I will go buy a horse… I still don't want you overdoing it." Serana said as she bent down to place a tender kiss on Skylar's forehead. "I shall return shortly…"