U.O.T.W. Chapter 17 Broken Arrow

• Posted by Sotek May 10, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,035 views

   

  

   

  The Next day around mid morning a whelp nervously sought out Aela who was in the main hall. As she approached Aela, her nerves started to get the better of her.

  “The Harbinger has been informed of a sabre cat prowling around the mill, due to ermm”. Then she paused as she tried desperately to relay the message correctly in her mind. “Due to wolf attacks and err the like, he has instructed me to tell you… To inform you rather…”. All the while she was looking up at the ceiling while she concentrated on getting the message right. “To seek out the… Cat and kill it”.

   

  Throughout all this time Aela was getting impatient and angry. She snapped at the whelp.

  “Just say ‘The Harbinger has a job. A sabre cat’s near the mill. He wants it dealt with”. Then she started hollering at the whelp causing everyone else to stare at the pair of them.  “Not, he’s been told, so he’s telling you, to tell me, whatever in oblivion he’s been bloody told!!!” Aela then walked off muttering under her breath. Inside however she was smiling as a single thought dominated her mind. ‘Yes!!! Task one’.

   

  The first thing now on Aela’s list of things to do was to find Sotek. That in itself was easy because she knew exactly where to look. The one place where he could be found at this time was in the courtyard sitting on a bench watching the others train. She casually approached him from behind.

  “Sotek, I have your first task. Near the mill is a sabre cat harassing the farms. I need you to deal with it”.

   

  “I’ll take care of it”. As he spoke he slightly turned towards her, but not completely, like something else held his interest.

   

  Aela looked across the yard to see what he was watching. All she could see was Vilkas training by himself swinging his two handed sword at a training dummy.

  “Well get a move on”. She snapped.

   

  Sotek glanced at Aela for a few seconds before he picked up his bow and headed off towards the main gate of Whiterun. Outside the city walls were three farmers angrily shouting at a guard. Sotek went over to the farmers interrupting them in the middle of their rant.

  “You have a sabre cat problem?”

   

  One of the farmers exploded with sarcasm.

  “Cat problem!! No we don’t have a cat problem. We like having our cattle being torn to shreds, it makes collecting the fur easier... Why don’t you go and…” With that he turned and faced Sotek recognizing him instantly which in itself wasn’t a surprise as Sotek was the only Argonian in Whiterun. “D-d-dragonborn cats… Yes, sorry. A sabre cat’s over by the mill… The guard won’t help”.

   

  Sotek smiled wearily at the farmer.

  “The guard’s protecting the gate. How can he protect it if he’s out chasing cats? That’s a Companions job”. With that he walked off towards the mill with his bow in hand.

   

  One of the farmers nervously called out to him.

  “Ermm, you’re not using any fire spells are ya?”

   

  Sotek just ignored him. As he approached the mill he looked around for the cat. Of it there was no sign, but however plenty of signs of its handy work. One cow was torn to pieces, hell it even went after the chickens. Next second he heard a snarl… He never found the sabre cat, it found him instead.

   

  Lifting up his bow he quickly readied a shot. In his mind he could see Aela there talking him through it.

  “Hold your breath and watch the target. Can you feel its heart beating? See how it moves, track it’s movements… Fire!!!”

   

  He could almost feel the passion she had with the bow. He let the arrow go and watched it fly. It went straight and true hitting the sabre cat in the shoulder. It gave out a roar from the shock and pain but then turned and bound towards him. He fired again. An arrow tore into the side but it ignored the hit and still carried on. Sotek released a  third arrow which flew towards the target however this time he missed it completely as it came bounding up towards him. Seconds later it leaped up in the air.

   

  He sidestepped the lunge while at the same time he swung his bow at the cat striking it in the side of its head. The blow momentarily stunned it but more so due to surprise than actual physical damage. It jumped up again renewing it’s attack. Sotek bought the bow crashing down onto the cats head. With a loud crack the bow broke almost in half. The cat reared up slamming two massive paws into Soteks chest trying to push him down for a quick kill. With one hand he grabbed the cats throat and tried desperately to throw it off away from him. His other hand somehow found its way to the arrow that penetrated its side. He ripped it out then repeatedly and wildly stabbed the cat in the throat numerous times with the broken shaft. Every second it’s long jagged teeth got  ever closer to Soteks face, to the point where he could even feel it’s hot putrid breath.

   

  “FUS RO”. The shout came out instinctively, even surprising Sotek. He didn’t even think about it, it was just on total reflex from the danger. The sabre cat being so close received the full force sending it flying backwards to end up smashing into a wall. With the other injuries from the arrows and the multiple stab wounds in its throat the impact with the wall was too much. it fell slumped over hardly moving except for its heavy breathing which rapidly became shallow. As it’s heart failed, the legs went limp then it was dead in a heap by the stone wall.

   

  Sotek skinned it then cut off some meat sections. He left them and the fur with the farmers hoping it could help out from the loss of the cattle. He then picked up his broken bow and wearily trudged back towards Whiterun. From there he made his way to the Skyforge. When he got there Eorlund wasn’t about so he headed inside Jorrvaskr as he went around looking for him. When he reached the main doors, one of the Jarls aids came out. He gave Sotek a smile then headed back to Dragonsreach. Sotek opened the door and entered.

   

  Upon entering the hall he saw the Harbinger talking to Aela.

  “The Jarls impressed, and thought it was a nice touch giving the farmers the skin and meat from the kill. Thirty gold for the kill and another twenty as a bonus… Well done”. With that he handed the purse which contained fifty gold pieces over to Aela.

   

  “Thank you Harbinger”. She said with a big smile on her face as she pocketed the gold. She then looked across to Sotek holding his broken bow.

   

  “Ermm what happened to your bow?” She smirked as she pointed at it.

   

  “Broke it”. Sotek replied. He half blanked her as he was still looking for the blacksmith.

   

  “Well that’s obvious”. She snapped. “But how?”

   

  He replied blankly before walking off as he went searching out the back.

  “Hitting sabre cats”.

   

  Aela called out to him.

  “That’s what your axe is for… Dumb ass!!”

   

  Sotek ignored her and opened the door to the courtyard as he continued his search for Eorlund. Just at that moment Aela realized that something was missing. She called out to the other two Companions and the whelps sitting in the hall.

  “Hey, you lot!”

   

  Farkas guessed that she was still gunning for Sotek. He tried not to but he found himself snapping at her.

  “What?”

   

  Ignoring the tone of his reply she looked over to the door where Sotek had just left.

  “Where’s Sotek’s axe?”

   

  Farkas glanced at the door then back to Aela.

  “No one knows. No one has seen it since he used it to put you on your ass”. With that he got up and left for the courtyard. He saw Sotek and Eorlund walking up to the Skyforge.

   

  Farkas ran up the path behind them trying to catch up with the pair of them before they reached the top.

  “Sotek, can I have a word?” His voice was quiet trying not to get the blacksmiths attention. Which was in itself impossible due to the fact that Sotek was standing right next to him at the time. Sotek and Farkas walked back down the path a bit so they could speak privately. “Why do you put up with that?”

   

  “What?” Sotek replied with his usual ‘nothing bothers me’ look. They were all getting used to that.

   

  “That’s your gold she has, not hers…” He stated as he pointed towards the hall.

   

  Sotek however shook his head.

  “No it isn’t. She was told to deal with it and she did”

   

  “No she didn’t… You did”

   

  Sotek gave out a slight sigh.

  “She dealt with it by sending me. Complaining won’t help matters, it’s just her way”. With that he rested his hand on Farkas’s shoulder, gave him a smile then headed back up to the Skyforge to try to get his bow repaired.

   

  That evening the Harbinger approached Aela.

  “Have you thought of a second task yet?”

   

  Aela froze as the Harbingers words rang in her ears.

  “Second Task?” She said worryingly thinking that the Harbinger knew about the cat.

   

  “Yes, second… The Sabre cat being the first. Well?” His voice was gentle but firm.

   

  Aela felt embarrassed, like a little girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

  “Not yet”. He started heading off however as Aela watched him walk away she called out to him. “Harbinger?”

   

  “Yes?” He stopped but didn’t turn around so he would keep his back to her.

   

  “Do you know where his axe is?” she asked.

   

  “Who’s axe?” He feinted ignorance, however he knew full well what she was talking about. Mainly because he knew very well as to what axe she was referring to. Besides there’s only one person in the Companions who ever used axes.

   

  It was completely obvious to Aela that the Harbinger knew who she was referring to, but she went along with it all the same.

  “Sotek’s… Sotek’s axe is missing”.

   

  With that he turned around and faced her.

  “Oh it’s not missing. He knows where it is”.

   

  At this point Aela herself felt she was missing something. She cast a strange look at the Harbinger as she tried to work out why Sotek never had his axe.

  “Then why don’t he use it?”

   

  “Why don’t he use it? Well because he can’t. Go see Eorlund… He’ll tell you why”. With that he walked off to his chamber.

   

  Aela found the blacksmith tucking into a meal and a flask of mead.

  “Can I ask you something?” Her voice was timid, showing the blacksmith her usual respect for the Harbinger when she’s more level headed.

   

  “Sure but be quick”. He spoke bluntly and carried on eating his meal.

   

  “Can I ask you outside?” She asked meekly hoping that he would comply with her request.

   

  He got up and started to follow Aela to the yard. As if it was an afterthought, he then turned back around to the table and picked up his flask before heading out into the courtyard.

  “Well, what is it lass?” He asked with his usual blunt approach.

   

  “Why don’t Sotek use his axe?"

   

  He slowly shook his head at her before leading Aela up the ramp to the Skyforge.

  “Come with me”. When they got to the forge he pointed to some weapons lying in a pile beside the anvil. “It’s there”.

   

  She looked at the pile of weapons but she still felt confused.

  “I can’t see it, only these swords”

   

  “No, not there… There!!” Then he pointed into the heart of the forge.

   

  Aela looked at the burning coals as she tried to take in what he said.

  “What?”

   

  “That morning when we were all told that you were ok. He came up here without a word and threw his axe in the forge. He hasn’t used one since”.

   

  “But what does he use then?” She asked. She tried to think as to what weapon she had seen him with but all she could picture was Sotek’s axe.

   

  With that the blacksmith held up Soteks broken bow and waved it at her.  

  “This apparently. The trouble is Aela, both of you were hurt that day. One of you is over it”. With that he picked up the irreparable bow and threw it on the furnace. “And the other one… Is not”. Then he walked back down to his meal and a new flask of mead.

   

  This time leaving Aela alone with her thoughts.