As she was pulling his shirt up, Mori's thoughts were racing, running in the same rhythm as her heartbeat.
Why am I like this? It's just a body! Nothing I haven't seen countless times, torn, bleeding, infected and then pristine again. I never cared! It's just a chore to do!
But this is HIS body.
Pull yourself together. You wanted to try out that new healing magic, focus on that.
She found a large blue bruise on his side. She clicked her tongue. "Nothing, he said," she grumbled, inspecting it with the tips of her fingers.
Vilkas didn't comment.
She breathed in and out. She laid a hand gently over the bruise and the other on the grass beneath them.
It's basically just like using ointments. But instead of having the ointment power the spell, I need to get to the roots and imitate the life flowing through to convince the body to heal faster.
Her hand lit up with a faint green glow.
Did Orgoch not teach us to keep us in the roles? The Green Lady, the Queen of Beasts and the Primordial Sovereign? Or was she afraid? Or did she not know we could? It is so easy to do the things that felt impossible with her.
"It feels warm," Vilkas' surprised voice drew her attention. Something more did too, though. He relaxed considerably.
Was he afraid? Of my magic?
Well, it makes sense. But he said he would give me all the time I needed to get comfortable. I should give it to him too.
"Where are the other bruises?"
"One is here," he rolled up his sleeve. "And then a third...ah, do you need to touch my skin?"
"For now. I don't know how to make the spell work otherwise yet."
"Maybe we should leave that one."
"Where?" she started looking as the one on his arm slowly dissipated under her spell.
He was deliberating. And getting tense again. Finally, he gave a defeated sigh. "On my hip. Right here."
Her gaze slid down. Something in her stirred, something wild and primal.
She slipped the tips of her glowing fingers just a little under the pants, following his side. The bruise was right there, so she didn't need more.
I wonder if his breath would hitch if I-
No. No, don't do that. Don't act like a beast! I don't-
He was shivering. But she could tell it was delight, not anxiety. The smells coming with each emotion were different.
It was her heart that skipped a beat.
She shook her head and quickly withdrew. "Feels better, no?"
Vilkas let out a long, shaky breath. "Aye, it does." He circled his shoulders. "So can I have my reward now?"
"Yes. Close your eyes."
He chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." He laid back down, shifting around to make himself comfortable. Mori shuffled closer, almost touching him with her legs. She began caressing his face, only using the tips of her fingers.
Strangely enough she found the slight scrape of the stubble on his cheeks delightful.
Must be the Queen of Beasts in me.
As more time passed, Mori started getting adventurous again, extending her touches to the neck and clavicle too, or sliding down the ears into his hair. Oh, the hair! He must have done something with it, because usually it didn't look this nice. It always looked nice. But sometimes, it was grimy.
Not today.
Though, there is something inexplicably attractive about him when there's blood in his hair too.
It feels so soft...
She bent down, her hair spilling around him like a waterfall. Restlessness rose in her heart once more. She put one hand over his heart, wanting to feel it beat. He shivered. Taking a deeper breath, he covered her hand with his, pressing it against his chest slightly.
She slid her finger down his neck.
This time it was a sharp, short breath. His lips parted. He turned his head to the side, exposing his neck more to her.
He's mine and I want him.
She could feel her heart stirring, drawn by the scent and sight of his arousal.
He leaned into her hand and kissed it.
All the wild desire left her body. Uncertain, tingly warmth flooded in, shaking her to the very core of her being.
Pleasantly so.
He broke into her inner turmoil by slowly raising his other hand, sliding it along her hair, playing with it with utmost gentleness. Mori froze in an excited, yet nervous anticipation.
His hand cupped her cheek.
On instinct, Mori leaned in, letting out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.
What is this?
It's completely different! What do I call this feeling? I feel small...but in a good way. And I want to be even smaller.
I want to be held.
Her chest constricted with feelings. The intensity startled her, making her pull away.
"Too much?" Vilkas let his hand fall, his voice no more than a raspy murmur.
Mori, shivering all over, took a few breaths.
Calm down. You can deal with emotions. You're the Queen of Beasts. Now - communicate!
She moved back, leaning close to him. "For now," she whispered. "I'm...I'm not used to...feeling these things."
"Neither am I. There's no rush."
"No rush." Relief flooded into her, followed by a hope for more. "I like that. It feels comfortable."
She plopped down, curling into a ball. Her favourite sleeping position. She reached out, taking his hand. His fingers wrapped around hers.
"I want to see you more," Mori's voice was soft and shaky.
"I want that too," he turned his head, eyes still closed, towards her voice. Their noses were almost touching.
I want to look into his eyes, Mori fidgeted as she gazed on his lashes, so dark against the pale skin. Damn me and my stupid cowardice.
Falco said it was shyness. A normal thing.
I still hate it.
"You don't have your warpaint," she mumbled, distracted.
"I don't need it with you."
Mori could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks. "Sweet talker."
"It's true." He gave a sly smile. "But all the better if the truth pleases you, my dear maiden."
XXX
They talked for a few hours. But then, Vilkas had to leave.
Mori sat on a branch of a tree, having taken on the form of a white crow, feeling displeased. Who knows how long that trip is going to be?
I don't want him to leave. I want him here.
She hopped from branch to branch. At least the bow will help with keeping him safe. Not as well as if I was there, but-
Wait a moment.
Why...why shouldn't I go? There's absolutely no reason. I can stay close by, hidden to not bother anyone. What a wonderful idea!
But first I need to pack some things.
She cawed, calling a regular crow. After giving it food, she sent it after Vilkas, so she could find him easily later. With that, she took off.
XXX
Lakeview
"Where are you going now?" Bjorn eyed Mori's unusually large satchel. This one she would have to carry in her talons if she changed into a bird, no chance of hanging it around the neck.
"That's part of my girly secrets," she grinned, showing some fangs.
"A-ha, so your lad is on a job, hm? Just don't coddle him, warriors need to keep their edge, or they'll die," Bjorn leaned against the doorframe.
"I know that," she frowned.
"Of course you do. But you, my dear kitten," he pointed at her, "are head in, ass up in love, so your judgement is clouded."
"Talking from experience?" she arched an eyebrow.
She was not expecting an answer, so when it came, it caught her completely unprepared. "Yes," Bjorn looked away.
"Did something happen to Falco?" Mori tilted her head.
"No, not him...the one before him. He died. Because I was a fool. I don't want you to experience that. So. Keep a cool head, Mori. I know you can."
"Who are you, Bjorn?" Mori asked after a prolonged silence.
"Your maybe-papa, no?" he evaded. After she frowned, he waved his hand. "Alright, alright. If you must know, I can give you a bit. My father was a nobleman from Bruma. A part of his estate was raising horses. I don't have good relations with my family. But that's all you'll get today. Maybe I'll tell you more of my boyish secrets if you keep being nice to me too," he grinned back at her.
He bounced off the doorframe, turning to leave. As he did, he waved his hand. "Go get that ass. And make sure to come back, or you'll break Falco's goody little heart."
Just Falco's, hm? Definitely not yours, maybe-papa?
Mori clicked her tongue, no malice behind the gesture. She finished stuffing her satchel, picked it up and went over to the office - Falco was bound to be found there.
"Mhm. Send Rina to me when you catch her, I have things for her to do. Dismissed."
Mori slipped in, stopping by Yvaine. She was playing with Tiber and her portable alchemy set. The mixture inside looked suspiciously blue.
"Trouble?" Mori looked up at Falco.
"Not yet, but possibly brewing on the horizon," he grumbled.
"Do you need me to stay?"
Falco's eyes darted to her pack. He smiled. "Not for now, so go and have fun. We can deal with matters too, you know. Besides, it is good to-"
"Keep your edge?
"I see Bjorn talked with you already."
"He did."
"Where are you going this time?" Yvaine piped up. She was putting the strange, gooey blue mix on a strand of her hair. "Can you bring me flowers? Or cuttings? Seedlings? Dried mushrooms? Are you going to kill someone? Can I have their bones? I need marrow. When are you coming back?"
"I don't know, how long does it take to get to the Rift on foot?"
"Depends where," Falco invited her to look at a map.
"Mount Trolhetta."
"That is basically on the border over there," Falco pointed out. "No matter the circumstances, it's going to be a longer trip."
"We haven't been! Can you ask around and get some stories to tell me later?" Yvaine's eyes widened in joyful anticipation.
Mori smiled. "Of course."
Yvaine's face turned sly. "Wait a moment. Are you going with Vilkas? Can you get me candy? You should bring him for a visit. Him and Farkas too. He has the best stories to tell."
Falco let out a quiet groan. "Please, not the other one."
"Why not? I started making books because the stories were so good. Look!"
Mori took the paper with a drawing and very, VERY bad writing on it. It depicted two draugr doing...questionable things. "Why is the knee of one in the armpit of the other?"
"That's ROMANCE, you silly," Yvaine assumed a professional expression. "Maybe you should look at it carefully, so you know what you're doing."
Mori looked at Falco. He made a helpless gesture. "See?"
XXX
Nights were starting to turn cold. Mori was very satisfied with her decision to make a snowy owl totem all those years ago. It was a very useful shape to have.
She had been flying for about a day and a half now. According to the little feathered spies, her quarry ought to be near.
She flew on silent wings, watching out for a glint of fire. The snow hadn't arrived yet, but the temperature of the mountain pass between the Falkreath and Rift holds already fell quite low.
Maybe they left the pass already? With how long it took her to finish up things and pack up, they might have, even though they couldn't have flown.
Just when she started looking for a spot to sleep, she noticed a fiery glint. Quite the distance still.
She steered towards it.
It took some more time, but indeed, it was the camp she had been looking for. Relieved, she started looking for a nearby spot to land and rest.
There were wards.
She flapped her wings, rising in the air. Circling above, she observed. Precise work, but it shouldn't be too hard to slip through. The magic shapes she felt were...rather sharp and geometrical. And there were open spaces between the lines.
Nonetheless, she first landed outside of the warded area. Close enough so she could see all the members of the party - Farkas was watching the area and Vilkas was cooking. The two unknown to her, an unhealthy looking Nord woman, rather young, and a dark elf, were sitting by the fire. She was definitely having a hard time, breathing heavily and shaking in her fur cloak, he was casting mending spells on her.
She scoffed. The spells weren't bad, but even she, with her limited ability to summon healing energies, could do better.
Or maybe not. She wasn't sure what was wrong with the woman. Too much of a pressure could also destroy her body completely.
For a brief moment, she shifted back into a woman. Shivering due to the cold, she dug up her own dinner from her pack, then shifted to a fluffy cat to enjoy the meat in peace and warmth.
Eating as a cat was more efficient, as the smaller body needed less food. Well, she would have to outweigh it at some point anyway, but right now, she didn't have time and energy to hunt.
She looked wistfully at the camp.
It was better than not being here, but hiding pained her.
XXX
They were sticking to the path.
Good, that meant she had some time to hunt. The leopard would be better. If she ate enough to fill that belly, she wouldn't starve in her real body.
But maybe she should find prey first.
With flapping of wings she steered off the path.
XXX
"Was that an owl?" Siga was looking up. "I didn't see properly, but it looked like a snowy owl. I didn't know they went this far south."
"Are you sure you saw right?" Nevras also looked up, but the sky remained empty.
"Pretty sure. You know I have an interest in animals."
"As a hobby?" Vilkas asked. He rode at the head of the group while Farkas ended the procession as a rear guard.
"Well, yes. I wasn't allowed outside much because of my illness, and I had to amuse myself somehow. So I studied. And had pets."
"What illness is that?" Farkas wanted to know.
"No one really knows," she shrugged. "It makes my body weak. I didn't even grow tall. At least it's not actively killing me, which I can work with."
"Are you oversharing again?" Nevras, still trying to catch a glimpse of the bird, looked over his shoulder.
"You're the one to talk," Siga made a face at him. "If anything, I learnt it all from you."
Once they left official areas, Siga and Nevras began bickering and bantering with evident ease. Gone was the regal figure.
She was dealing with the travel admirably, but Vilkas could see they would need a longer break soon. He had planned on taking it in Ivarstead, then catching a cart to Riften, but Siga was growing paler and more exhausted by the day. The last longer break they had was in Helgen.
Nevras, ever watchful, was probably thinking the same. Vilkas noticed, as much as he engaged in conversation, his eyes darted around from time to time, looking for a campable area, protected from the harsh winds of the Autumn Pass.
"We can make it down the pass today, if we don't stop for too long of a lunch," Vilkas mentioned.
Nevras looked at Siga.
"...I can deal with it."
"Let me at least renew the spell for you," Nevras raised his hand, making flowy, elegant gestures with it. A spark of magic appeared, then grew into a glowy, rune covered ball. He flung it at her.
"Couldn't you have just done the touch variant?" she grumbled. "Thanks."
Vilkas circled his shoulders. All that academic-type magic was making him a little nervous.
XXX
When they finally arrived at the first usable spot down the mountain, Siga was almost falling off of her horse.
Nevras helped her down the saddle and immediately began tending to her. A daily ritual.
Vilkas and Farkas started setting the camp.
"Can we have stew today?" Farkas' stomach rumbled.
"Do we have any meat left?"
"A little. Please? I don't want more beans."
"Let me look through our supplies," Vilkas groaned as he got up. He went through their bags, pulling various packets out. Thanks to Nevras and Siga, they had quite the number of edibles, all packed neatly with ice wraith teeth in the enchanted bags.
"Aye, I can make stew. But it will need to cook for three hours. Can you take that?"
"Oho, for a hearty stew, I can take anything."
"Even some hunting tomorrow?" Vilkas arched an eyebrow. "This is all the meat left."
"You are better with a bow than me," Farkas waved his hand dismissively. "You should hunt. Especially since you got such a nice gift from your girl," his eyes went to the peculiar bow sticking over Vilkas' shoulder.
"Fine, I'll hunt. But you are making camp. Today AND tomorrow."
"Worth it!"
XXX
Vilkas went hunting early in the morning. Siga and Nevras would welcome longer sleep, and Farkas was enough to watch over the camp.
He found a small watering hole easily enough. He nested there, waiting for animals to come for water. As he did, he ran his fingers over the bow.
It's a magnificent weapon.
He had the opportunity to try it out already, and to say he was amazed was an understatement. The wood was pliant in a perfect amount, as much as it didn't look like it. At first he was worried about the strength of the bow, as pulling the string was not too difficult for him. It was weaker, but still strong enough.
It was weaker than what he was used to probably because of Mori's smaller stature. The bow had been made by her for herself, afterall. Even so, it worked like a charm.
A deer wandered in.
Vilkas nocked an arrow. When the deer lowered its head to drink, he aimed for the heart. At this distance, he shouldn't miss.
He released the string.
The leaves on the tips whispered softly as the bow sprung. The arrow flew right into its intended mark.
Satisfaction warmed him up from inside.
He slung the bow over his shoulder again and went to clean the deer. There were foods to be made from intestines, but he wasn't too sure about taking those along. He could take the most obvious ones and make lunch or dinner from those...if he remembered correctly, none of their little group had problems with eating liver. Maybe it would even help Siga somewhat.
He put that aside, as well as the heart. The rest he cleaned out for woodland beasts.
He stretched. Time to disappear before something large comes for the discarded guts. As he was picking the deer, he noticed a flash of white between the branches.
Was that Mori?
He shook his head.
Don't be stupid. What would she be doing here? There are other white animals.
But...maybe she came after me?
Don't flatter yourself. Focus on what you're supposed to be doing. Don't want another accident on your hands.
An owl hooted after him while he was leaving.
XXX
Due to him being so lucky with the hunt, there was a late, VERY late breakfast made from the liver. Fried on a pan with onion, herbs and a dash of wine he stole from Farkas' bag.
"Man, how are you so good with food?" Nevras was actually licking his plate.
"Would you consider joining us instead?" Siga grinned. "Nev is shit at cooking and I'm usually too tired to do anything after traveling."
"No."
"Worth a try," she shrugged, not really expecting a different answer.
"I wouldn't want to live in a place suspended in the air either," Farkas shuddered. "What if it decided to fall one day?"
"Magic doesn't work like that," Nevras flipped his hand a few times.
"Eh, still a pass."
"Naysayer."
"Give me the plate," Vilkas almost had to wrestle it away from the elf. "Let's wash the dishes quickly and set out. We're behind schedule already."
"All grim again, I see," Nevras released his plate. "What's the hurry?"
Vilkas gave him a blank look. "I have unread books waiting for me."
Farkas spurted a laugh, then quickly covered his mouth.
Nevras leaned to the side, grinning. "Oh my, that must be quite the book if it makes you this restless."
"Nothing you could read. Farkas, stop giggling and help me, by Shor's hairy knees!"
XXX
Later in the day, they heard howling. The twins prepared for a wolf encounter, but as they progressed, the howling stopped.
They even noticed some wolves slinking through the forest, going away from them.
Vilkas raised his gaze, looking among the branches.
He saw nothing. The gut feeling wouldn't go away, though.
XXX
"Will we make it to Ivarstead tomorrow?" Siga wanted to know. She felt somewhat better that evening, most probably thanks to shortened travel time.
"Aye, if things go well."
She let out a breath of relief. "Good. Don't misunderstand me, I have utmost respect for your skills. But my fragile bones yearn for a soft bed."
"Mine too, and they are not fragile," Farkas piped in.
"I think everyone enjoys comforts of bed and food they didn't have to make themselves," Nevras looked up from placing wards around their camp.
The three of them turned to Vilkas, looking expectant.
"What?"
"Don't you?"
"Well...yes."
"Yes, but?"
"Nothing," Vilkas frowned at Nevras. "Your nosiness is summoning cues where there are none." He gave an unhappy look to the wards. "Must we have them? Can't we just keep watch?"
"We can get a full sleep with my wards. If," the elf pierced him with a look, "someone didn't insist on keeping watch anyway."
"And what happens if something slips through the spell, hm?"
"Nothing will."
"I wouldn't be so confident," Vilkas grumbled. "I'll take the first watch."
XXX
I can't breathe.
There are fingers around my throat. Squeezing.
I can't breathe. I can't-
Vilkas shot awake, gasping for breath. Farkas, sleeping next to him, mumbled something and turned to his other side.
His throat still felt constricted.
Groaning softly, he got out of the tent and stretched. According to the color of the sky, morning would come soon, but not soon enough to not sleep...
I don't want to sleep. I don't want to choke again.
His eyes wandered off to where Nevras was supposed to keep watch, only to find the spot empty. Vilkas clicked his tongue. Shaking his head, he walked a little further from the tents, but remained within the wards.
He sat down, running his hands through his hair.
When are the nightmares going to stop? They just keep piling on.
Soft steps approached. His head shot up in alarm.
Mori was standing in front of him, coated in her leopard form. He couldn't see much in the low light, but he could recognize that fur coat.
He would recognize it under any circumstance.
She stepped closer, bumping him with her head like a cat. Unable to contain himself, he buried his face and hands in the soft fur. She nuzzled him, gently so as to not roll him on the ground from the sheer weight of her.
"How did you...why are you-"
She purred, the deep rumble of it disturbing and reassuring at the same time. She moved, wrapping around him in a very cat-like fashion, ending up with most of her body behind him, head on his lap and tail wrapped from the other side.
"The wards didn't harm you, did they?"
She made a sound resembling a scoff. The tip of her tail moved from side to side.
Vilkas started scratching her behind the ears. As his fingers combed through the fur, he could feel the tension leaving him. Slowly, his eyelids began feeling heavier.
"Oh, sorry," he jerked up once he realized he was slowly leaning on her, mind wandering off to sleep.
She tilted her head, looking up at him.
He could have sworn he saw a sly feline smile spread on her face even in the darkness. She shifted, moving her head away. Instead, she laid down on her side.
When Vilkas didn't follow, she grabbed him with a paw and pulled him down, right next to her. She put both the paws on her upper side over him and finished with curling the incredibly fluffy tail around them both.
Well...that's not what I was expecting.
It's much better.