U.O.T.W. Chapter 222 Bad Decisions

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    As Sotek headed down the hillside to the path that followed the lake to Riverwood, he recognised the bank where he first found himself after the ambush all those long weeks ago. He sat back on a rock and thought about everything that had happened since. The traders at Riverwood; they had took flight almost straightaway since he blew the whistle on them. Two new owners had since taken the store over but Sotek never forgot their faces. One day he will find them and have his revenge.

     

    He then thought about what it meant to be the Dragonborn and the power that went with it. If anything that was something he would change. He was happy being who he was, a Companion, werewolf, Aela’s mate. As for the Dragonborn though, he knew he had to fulfil a ‘destiny’ whatever that meant. He even had an idea of what was expected of him but he didn’t have to publicise the fact nor did he have to enjoy it. The simple truth was he didn’t, not one little bit.

     

    A few times he’s seen dragons resting at the mountain tops away from everyone. He just went on past letting them be. It was only when he saw them as a threat did he fight against them.

     

    As he sat there thinking about all that had happened, he heard a strange whining coming from the hillside just above him. It sounded like a wolf but it was too high in pitch and it never carried in the wind. He cautiously followed the sound around various banks and mounds until there under a tree, he saw a dead wolf. It was caught in a hunters trap some days before. Next to the now rotting carcass was a wolf cub.

     

    It was cold, wet and hungry. Sotek knelt down near the cub and carefully pulled out a piece of cooked chicken from his pack. He pilfered the chicken from the stores earlier under Tilma’s nose.

     

    Using his finger’s claw, he tore off a small piece of the meat then threw it to the cub. The cub looked at him strangely then started sniffing the meat. Slowly it went over to the small piece of chicken then started examining it, all the while it never took its eyes off Sotek. After sniffing it for several seconds the cub started chewing on it. The small animal took it in its mouth then it ran to the dead wolf for protection dragging the small piece of meat with it as it went. That told Sotek all he needed to know. He suspected it at the start but this confirmed it. The dead wolf was its mother.

     

    As he sat there, slowly throwing small pieces of meat one at a time to the wolf cub, darkness began setting in. Sotek knew Aela would be pacing around waiting for him but leaving the cub didn’t feel right and if anything else, Sotek always tried to do what he felt was right; even if ultimately it was wrong.

     

    He became aware of movement towards the west and the sounds of heavy boots alerted him. Before he could move, a voice called out.

    “Hey! We got one”.

     

    Sotek stood up while the cub hid behind it’s dead mother just as two hunters came out from the nearby trees. They eyed him suspiciously and they weren’t impressed to see him near their kill.

    “Stranger what are you doing? That’s our prey”.

     

    Sotek frowned as he cast a look at them. One of the ‘hunter’s’ dropped a large pile of furs. Sotek knew from the stack of skins that they weren’t hunters from the area.

    “How many skins do you have there?”

     

    “Twelve in all. Wolves, stags and deer”. The man replied happily.

     

    Sotek stepped towards them both, blocking their way to the dead wolf.

    “I don’t recognise you two? Where are you from?”

     

    “What’s it to you?” Replied the other hunter. As he spoke he drew his bow.

     

    Sotek slowly nodded and snarled.

    “Poachers? I thought as much. Hunters don’t kill everything; they let the area repopulate. They find a balance. Not you two though... you kill the lot”.

     

    “And you are in our way so move! And drop your weapons, they will fetch a fair price I reckon”. The Poacher said threateningly as he readied an arrow.

     

    Sotek stood back and dropped his weapons, allowing the second man a clear path to the wolf while the first poacher held his bow to Sotek, holding him at bay. When the man reached down to the dead wolf, the cub, trying it’s best to defend its mother, jumped up at him and bit his finger. He screamed out from shock and as the other poacher turned to him, Sotek cast his bound bow spell.

     

    Before the man even realised he was in danger, an arrow struck him in the stomach. Sotek cursed and took better aim then he sent a second missile into the poacher’s chest.

     

    The remaining poacher drew a sword and charged towards the Companion. A second later the sword fell to the ground as the man screamed in disbelief and crumpled to the floor. He coiled up in a ball and held his shattered knee. Blood seeped out from his fingers where the shaft of an arrow protruded from.

    “Let me guess”. Sotek smirked. “You used to be a poacher but then you took an arrow to the knee!”

     

    Completely ignoring the man’s pleas and cries of pain, Sotek wrenched him up to his feet and bound him to a tree. The poacher started cursing him so he gagged him as well. Now all the man could do was silently swear and cringe as blood trickled down his leg.

     

    Sotek slapped him across the face as a means of getting him to focus upon the Companion. This was aided by Sotek’s rough handling of the man’s hair which Sotek had a fist full of. As he shook the man’s head, he relayed the situation in all its stark, horrible clarity.

    “I’ll send a guard to recover you. If you’re lucky I’ll send one out tonight. If you’re really lucky I’ll send him to where you are and not give him false directions. Now, if you’re unlucky the guard will just say, ‘So what?’ and not bother with you. I for one won’t be coming back this way for a few days. Maybe you’ll starve like the wolf did. Maybe a wolf will find you, then things will get interesting. Wolves have a great sense of smell. I’ll bet Hircine that the wolves on the plains can smell your blood”.

     

    Sotek smiled at him as he struggled with his bonds but then Sotek ignored him and returned to the dead wolf and the cub, he threw down another piece of meat for the cub to eat then he pondered on another problem.

    “And you, you little bastard! What am I going to do with you?”

     

    A thought entered his head. He played with it for a few minutes, weighing up the possibilities before sitting down. Sotek gave out a low soft howl and the wolf cub reacted to it by lifting its head as it listened to him. When Sotek stopped, the cub tried to howl back. It sounded like a strange drawn out bark. Sotek howled out again, the cub took a few steps closer to him and then took a piece of chicken from his hand. Instead of running next to the dead wolf for protection, it sat there chewing the food right in front of Sotek.

     

    He watched it then spoke loudly.

    “No good will come of this. Sotek, this is a bad idea”. He reached over to the cub and picked it up. Initially it struggled as it fought against him but once Sotek gave it another piece of meat to chew on it stopped kicking and sat there in his arm, holding the piece of chicken in its mouth.

     

    Despite knowing it would lead to him being in a whole world of trouble, Sotek took the cub with him to Riverwood. The first thing he done was to approach a guard and tell him about the incident regarding the poachers.

    “Back there, there’s a poacher tied to a tree. I want him charged with poaching, attempted robbery, animal cruelty and stupidity”.

     

    “Dragonborn? Yes, I’ll get him. Ermm, those charges... he didn’t try to rob you did he?”

     

    All Sotek had to do was grin. The guard started laughing and set of along the pathway albeit slowly. He stopped and glanced back over his shoulder at Sotek and grinned.

    “That would be the stupidity charge. Fancy trying to rob a Companion who just so happens to be a werewolf, the stupid bastard”.

     

    He stopped in his tracks and stared at Sotek’s arm. The small tatty bundle of fur lifted up its head causing the guard to stumble.

    “That’s a wolf cub! Not my business... I haven’t seen it. Go to the trader; the shop’s shut but he’s still about. He might have a box for it”.

     

    “Thanks but I’ll carry it for now”. Sotek replied. He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when he arrived at Whiterun. In particular, what would happen to him? Feeling he had little in the way of choices, he went passed the store and followed the path to the plains. By the time he got there it was well into the night. He sneaked the cub past the guards by tucking it in the fold s of his arm and he walked briskly inside.

     

    Now he regretted not stopping at the traders shop, he faced a home truth. He needed a box. Having no other way to get one, he kicked his boot against the door to Belethor’s shop and yelled up at the window.

    “Open up damn you and your lazy hide”.

     

    A guard came running up to him and half shouted, asking him to keep the noise down.

    “What is going on? The shops are all shut for the night! Keep it down”.

     

    “Not tonight it isn’t! Sotek said determinedly while trying to keep the cub out of sight. In desperation he yelled even louder.

    “Belethor!! Wake up you lazy bastard!!”

     

    As he shouted out, the window above the shop opened then Belethor leaned out.

    “What’s with all the shouting?”

     

    “I need to buy something from you, now please”. Sotek called up.

     

    Arcadia opened her window and joined in with the yelling.

    “Belethor! Get down there and open up before the whole towns awake! Sotek? Why you scaly reptilian... I’ll have words with you in the bloody morning!!” then Arcadia slammed her window.

     

    A few minutes later Belethor opened his door to be barged out of the way as Sotek walked straight in. The Companion then shut the door behind him, blocking the guard’s view.

     

    “What on earth is this about? What’s going on? That’s a wolf! What are you doing with a wolf cub?” As Belethor spoke his face turned more than a bit alarmed.

     

    Sotek chucked a bag of gold on the counter and pointed across the room.

    “I need a box! That one! Put some straw in it”.

     

    “Yes sir, everything’s for sale”. The shop keeper said gleefully,

     

    “Good” Sotek stated as he smiled evilly. “Because I’m going to need to buy two bowls and your time”.

     

    Belethor stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to the Argonian.

    “Huh? My time?”

     

    Sotek nodded as he placed the cub in the box.

    “Yes. Here’s what I want you to do”.

     

    Shortly afterwards Sotek headed to Jorrvaskr but instead of going to the front of the hall, he sneaked around the back and placed the box by the door. He put another piece of meat inside it where the wolf cub was resting then closed the box.

     

    Drawing a deep breath he spoke to himself one last time before committing himself. Such a sentiment caused him to chuckle though as he knew he was bound to this path the moment he thought of the plan.

    “Sotek, this is a bad idea”. With no words of comfort to give himself, he gulped then opened the door and entered.

     

     

Comments

6 Comments   |   Teekus and 7 others like this.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  June 27, 2018
    Puppies are NEVER bad ideas. :D
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  August 15, 2017
    I remember you talking to me about that wolf cub a while back, I didn't think you'd actually go through with it though.
    • Sotek
      Sotek
      Ebonslayer
      Ebonslayer
      Ebonslayer
      I remember you talking to me about that wolf cub a while back, I didn't think you'd actually go through with it though.
        ·  August 18, 2017
      well it adds another aspect to the story while giving me an opportunity to have a play. Question is what will Kodlak think. 
  • Aela The Huntress
    Aela The Huntress   ·  July 3, 2017
    It's a great idea........
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  May 13, 2017
    That guard. He smart. Me likes.

    Also the arrow joke. You just haaaaaaaaaad to, didn't you, Sotek-jo?!
    • Sotek
      Sotek
      The Sunflower Manual
      The Sunflower Manual
      The Sunflower Manual
      That guard. He smart. Me likes.

      Also the arrow joke. You just haaaaaaaaaad to, didn't you, Sotek-jo?!
        ·  May 14, 2017
      I'm afraid so. Just couldn' t resist it.