U.O.T.W. Chapter 93 Snowball

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    Shortly after Farkas and Vilkas disappeared out of sight, Sotek decided to dismount and give his aching shoulder a rest from the horse riding. He led his horse along the path while he took in the sights and sounds along with the various smells of the plains as he circumnavigated the all too familiar tundra. Alongside the track he noticed a few Red Mountain Flowers which were growing in a small clump by a boulder. Knowing they could come in useful, he collected the petals and stored them in an Alchemy bag which he kept securely in his pack.

    Sotek had travelled no more than a thousand yards when he heard a horse approaching from the direction of where the Companions had headed off. The horse and rider were hurtling along the track at some speed which he was easily able to deter by the thundering of the hoofs. He recognised the rider the very moment she came into view.

    Upon seeing that he was ok, Aela slowed her horse down to a steady trot. She slowly rode past him then turned her horse around so it was facing the way Sotek was heading then she dismounted. She walked her horse alongside his, the two of them slowly making their way along the path on foot.

    “Hi stranger, what brings you to these parts?”

    “Oh, I’m tracking a rare wolf. She’s around in these hills, somewhere”. As he spoke he smiled at her.

    Aela couldn’t help but smirk at his reply and she happily played along.

    “Oh really? What’s her name? Maybe I’ve heard of her”.

    He simply nodded at her as he watched her smile from the corner of his eye.

    “Most have, but she does go by a few different names. Some, those that know her but see her as an enemy, calls her ‘Red’. Most however just know of her, to them she is known as ‘Aela the huntress’... But, to her friends she is known as Aela”.

    She gave a small laugh then smiled although she kept facing forwards as if she was embarrassed to look at him.

    “Hmm, she sounds familiar. What... what do you call her?”

    Movement from his right caught Sotek’s eye. He eased his horse to a stop as he scanned the rugged terrain but he couldn’t see anything nor was he able to discern any specific scent. He felt the hairs on the nap of his neck stick up which was a very odd sensation for him as he didn’t have any hairs what so ever. Despite that fact though, he could still feel them rise up.

    Aela, who was oblivious to the threat, or unconcerned with it, continued walking for a few paces until she realised that Sotek had actually stopped. She glanced back over her shoulder just in time to hear him mutter to her.

    “Trouble”.

    She instantly stopped in her tracks and yanked the horse back. Her mouth fell open as she gawped at him in disbelief.

    “Trouble? You called me trouble? You slimy bastard... You could have said anything. Here, here’s a few suggestions for next time. Friend? Sexy? My girl? My mate as you keep bloody saying, but trouble?”

    A fireball quickly formed in Sotek’s left hand and without any hesitation, he launched it straight past Aela. She spun on the spot while she shielded her face from the heat of the fireball with her hand. Even then, she still managed to keep an eye on it and trace its path to see it promptly explode in the side of a Sabre cat. The predator had been out hunting for its next meal and had detected the scent of Sotek’s horse. Sotek’s next task was to summon his familiar. It wasted no time and attacked its opponent furiously.  

    The sabre cat lunged forwards and swiped at the familiar tossing it to the side like a celestial toy. Aela knew Sotek’s conjured wolf was weak and she fully expected it to cry out and fade. She certainly didn’t expect it to defy all odds and survive the colossal blow the cat had inflicted upon it. Aela knew she should have drawn her bow by now but she was too stunned to see the wolf roll across the ground, dig in its claws and rejoin the fight.

    The Sabre cat fell back from the onslaught of the wolf but it soon fought back and managed to bite into the wolf’s neck. The summoned animal howled out as its legs failed it and the familiar collapsed on the ground where the predator finished it off. The Sabre cat paused momentarily from bewilderment as the wolf disappeared in a blue mist then dissipated into nothing. Where the Sabre cat was fighting its prey, now there was nothing.

    The animal turned towards the two horses and snarled viciously as its mind turned back to the thought of food. Its body however wasn’t. Blood stained the cat’s fur and the fact that its rear leg was lame showed all too easily. As it prowled forwards, Sotek drew his axe and prepared to meet it head on. He knew it was wounded and badly too. Aela finally drew her bow and started to load an arrow but she was stopped by Sotek.

    “I got this...”

    A soft low growl hardened his focus as his fingers wrapped even tighter around the handle of his axe. His weak arm slid across his body and tucked in tightly against his chest while his eyes fixed upon their target. Gritting his teeth he broke into a run as he hissed defiantly at his opponent.

    The Sabre cat tried to speed up so it could bring its weight and mass into play but the limp leg slowed it down too much so it had to change tactics. As it ran towards its prey it readied itself to lash out with its paw. When they were mere moments from trading blows, Sotek bought a second weapon to the playing field. Running as fast as his shoulder would allow, Sotek swung the axe straight at the sabre cats head and shouted.

    “WULD”.

    He shot along the path as the axe slammed into the open maw of the cat. The blunt force of the weapon shattered the animals jaw spraying blood outwards in an arc across Sotek’s path.

    By the time Sotek came to a stop, the cat was behind him stretched out on the bloody path. Its head was contorted to the side and its tongue lay lifeless as it hung out the side of the beast’s mouth. A thin smile crept across Aela’s face as she watched the beast’s final exhale of breath. She walked over to the beast and tapped it with her boot just to confirm what she already knew. Even though she was sure it was dead, her hand held the handle of her dagger tightly.

    “Ok... I’m impressed. I have to be honest, I’ve been worrying about how you would cope but to see that. Your familiar, he’s stronger isn’t he?”

    She expected him to come alongside her but she couldn’t hear his footsteps at all. She quickly glanced back at him to see him kneeling on the ground while his axe lay in a patch of grass a few feet away from him.

    He covered his shoulder tightly with his hand as he tried to fend off the throbbing from the week old wound. Magic could only heal it so far and Arcadia’s potions did little to ease the pain. His face was screwed up and a low barely audible ‘hiss’ dissipated to the four winds. He felt a loving touch of a hand on his brow as Aela knelt alongside him.

    “Are you ok? Your arm!”

    Sotek closed his eyes as his tail slammed on the ground. His anger wasn’t directed at his fellow Companion, it was just his way of trying to deal with the injury.

    “I know! It’s killing me”.

    Her fingertips pulled the side of his face around so she could look at him. He watched as she carefully lifted his right arm which was awash with blood. Three claw marks where the cat had clawed him were oozing blood which dripped on the ground.

    “Your other arm, silly”.

    Sotek froze as he tried to work out when the actual blow happened but the reality was simple. He had no idea whatsoever. The left shoulder was causing so much agony that he didn’t even know he was wounded in the fight.

    “Damn, looks like he caught me after all”.

    Golden light burst out from his hand, nearly blinding Aela as she was so close to him. She watched as the wound closed up and new scales formed in seconds, sealing the wound. Inside his arm vessels bonded and the muscles repaired themselves. The whole process took a matter of seconds then the glow stopped and the only sign of the wound was dried up blood marking where he was previously injured.

    She smiled then gave him a kiss on his lips.

    “I can’t help with the pain but maybe I can make it more bearable. There, is that better?”

    Sotek slyly nodded at her as a twinkle formed in his eye.

     “Yess, but I think I need a ssecond dose”.

    She laughed at his hissing. If she was honest with herself though, she would admit that she found it more than slightly seductive.

    “Oh really? You always need a second dose. Well, that’s not happening so there! Simply because you lost the moment when you said ‘trouble’”.

    Sotek climbed to his feet then helped her up. She tried to move away but his good hand held her waist tightly.

    “Well, you repeat what you ssaid then I’ll get the moment back again. Hsss”.

    She just shook her head as she giggled.

    “Nope... I’m sorry but that’s gone. Besides I can’t exactly remember what I ssaid”.

    While he held her, his left hand slid across her leg and came to a stop just below her hip. He laughed slightly as he replayed the conversation.

    “Well you said ‘Hmm she sounds familiar, what do you call her?’ ”

    Aela laughed bashfully as she slightly shook her head.

    “This is silly... Ok ‘Hmm she sounds familiar, what do you call her?’” As she spoke she had a big grin on her face.

    Sotek leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

    I call her... lover. Hsss”.

    Aela stopped laughing. She looked at him straight in the eyes and gulped loudly. She felt his lips close with hers and followed his lead, kissing him back. As she held his head so she could control their embrace, she felt his left hand move up slightly to her backside. He held her tightly while his good hand moved around and gently caressed her back.

    Once they broke off she spoke in a whisper yet refrained from making eye contact. It was obvious to Sotek than she was out of breath.

    Yup, you did it... the moments back”. She stepped way then took a few lung full’s of air. “Oh wow... I’m feeling hot, let’s move”.

    As she headed off, she felt Red pull her back. Red was hungry and the smell of fresh blood did little to ease the sensation. She turned around and looked at the corpse but all she saw was flesh and meat. Aela fended off Red’s own will which threatened to dominate her and instead of feasting as she normally would, she stepped to the side.

     “This is a mood killer I know, but why don’t you change? There’s no one about to stop you... Albino could feed off the corpse”. One thing which surprised her was Red’s feeling towards her suggestion. It seemed to placate Red’s own desires almost like she was just as keen to see Albino feed as Aela was.

    Sotek however wasn’t feeling it at all. He stopped and gave her a peculiar look before he headed back to the dead animal.

    “Ermm.... I might be missing something, but I don’t feel the need to... Feed?”

    Aela sorrowfully sighed and wrapped her arms around him. Her chin rested on his chest as she looked up at his face.

    “I’m sorry... all this is new to you. As you feed, or rather as Albino feeds you become more in tune with him, your wolf side. Each time he feeds he becomes slightly stronger, faster. He’ll have more stamina. He needs to feed... You need to let him. Go on, change... It’s your turn, feed”.

    Sotek looked at her eyes or rather the sincerity in them then turned back at the corpse while Aela held both the horses’ reins and moved them away so they wouldn’t be frightened and try to run off. Sotek paused as he looked down at the corpse then gave Aela a fleeting look.

    “This will gradually make me stronger?”

    She nodded reassuringly but she couldn’t escape the feeling that he was overly apprehensive, scared even. His attitude confused her as he had already fed as Albino at Fort Greymoor. It certainly didn’t seem to bother him then.

    “Yes. It’s ok, go ahead. Don’t be afraid”.

    Sotek laughed a little, and then he looked at the body again.

    “It’s not fear I’m worried about... It’s the pain”. As before, he fell to the ground and screamed out from the agony of the transformation. Every second seemed like a lifetime and it came with all the hurt. His arms stretched out and his legs slowly became more elongated while his heart and lungs grew at a faster rate than his ribs, almost crushing themselves in his chest.

    Gradually over the next ten seconds, he transformed into Albino. Once he changed completely the white werewolf laid there on the ground. Having nearly passed out, he unsteadily pulled himself up to all four paws. Aela let go of the horses then ran to him, she reached out and grabbed him before he fell to the ground.

    “Steady, steady boy... Steady... Stay calm. it’s ok... I’m here...” She stroked the side of his face causing him to turn towards her. In one swift motion he sniffed the length of her body from the crutch upwards to her chest, remembering her scent before he moved away and reared up to his full height. A lone solitary howl rang out warning all that he was there.

    Aela found it hard to fathom that his werewolf form was the same height as herself. Despite that though, his emerald green eyes almost glowed with a will and hunger for the taste of flesh and blood. He turned to the corpse and snarled before ripping into its chest to feed off the heart.

    All the while Aela looked on with concern.

    Once he sated his hunger, Albino stood up and faced Aela. He lifted his head up so he could sniff the breeze. He could easily smell Aela’s scent and distinguish it from the other smells which he detected on the wind.

    Not too far away was a stag, he could smell it. Its smooth silky fur, its odour. Aela walked over to him, startling him slightly. He growled at her but she was quick to placate him by waving her finger at his face. She gently lifted up his paw so she could compare its size to her hand. Albino shuffled around so it could face the path they were heading along and growled loudly. Or at least as loudly as he could.

    Aela heard it too, she was fully aware that two horses were approaching at speed. Aela knew who they were. Her eyes closed as the rapid build up of dread filled her heart as well as her stomach. As she looked along the path she saw Vilkas and Farkas riding towards them. She quietly groaned when she saw that both of her ‘brothers’ were grinning like a pair of lunatics.

    Aela stepped in front of Albino almost like she was trying to conceal him or at the very least protect him. As the two Companions closed in, they both stopped their horses so that they were alongside each other. Both pairs of eyes were fixed on the white werewolf. Farkas didn’t initially dismount, he just sat upon his horse and gawped at Albino. Aela stared back at them and dreaded as to what they would say.

    It was in fact Vilkas who initiated the conversation. He climbed off his horse and grinned wildly at Aela.

    “Aela, please tell me this... thing isn’t who I think it is... Oh by the nines it is... Farkas, look at his eyes... It’s Sotek. Bloody hell and fiery Oblivion Aela... I know you said he was different but...”

    Farkas dismounted and walked up to him while he laughed due to the fact that he towered over the werewolf by half a foot.

    “What the hell do we call him? Snowball?”

    Albino didn’t like being laughed at. He felt an anger, a rage build up so he howled out loudly in an attempt to display as much raw threatening power as he could.

    Unfortunately it didn’t have the effect he expected. Even Aela’s face cringed at the ‘unearthly howl’. Vilkas burst out laughing at Albino’s attempt to force Farkas to back off.

    “Oh man that’s scary, what a howl... Ermm, sorry... was he howling then? Hang on...” He held his hand to his ear jestingly as if he was deaf. “Ok I’m ready howl again”.

    Farkas added to Aela’s anguish by warning Vilkas.

    “Careful, he’ll jump up and bite you on the kneecap. Damn it Aela, he’s tiny! What do we do with him? Put him in a bag or what?”

    Aela snarled as she slapped him in the face.

    “You shut the hell up! He’s having a hard time, it’s not easy for him... you don’t understand”.

    Vilkas was somewhat taken aback by her actions. Both he and Farkas knew what they said was winding her up and tugging on her strings but still, he saw no reason for violence. He barked crossly at Aela whilst he tried to smooth things over at the same time.

    “Hey! Calm down... we’re only playing with him! Alright we went a bit over the top but... Go easy ok?”

    Albino howled out in pain, drawing everyone towards him. His paws flailed about like he was trying to tear his chest open. Crying out, he fell to the ground just as Aela reached him. She tried to reassure him as best she could while his whining and beastly howls cause her to cringe from the pitch.

    “What the hell’s up with him?” Vilkas asked. All he could do was watch as Albino went through what Vilkas could only describe as hell.

    By now Sotek had changed back, at least the ‘outer shell’ had. Aela rested Sotek’s head on her lap whilst she tried to explain.

    “He’s changing back. It’s... brutal. I’ve never seen anyone go through this”. As she spoke she shed a few tears. Every time Sotek cried out, it ripped at her very soul.

    She was dimly aware of Farkas kneeling down beside her until he wrapped his arm around her.

    “He’ll be ok. He’s strong, like an ermm... Hell Aela! That’s not bloody normal! What’s up with him?” All Aela could do was shrug in response and wipe the sweat off Soteks brow with the back of her hand.

    After he changed back to his Argonian form, Sotek just lay there on the ground with his head on Aela’s lap. His breathing heavy and fast, each of the Companions could hear it. They all knew it was hammering in his chest. Sotek couldn’t fight it, his only choice was to let his body recover and it wasn’t in any rush to get back to normal.

    It took him over a minute before he could raise his arm and acknowledge the fact that he knew the others were even there.

    “Hi Aela, how’s it going?” His arm dropped to the ground as he was too exhausted to hold it up any longer.

    Once he felt ready, Sotek started getting up on his feet. As he did so both Vilkas and Farkas took over from Aela and held Sotek from either side. He tried not to but he yelled out when Farkas held his left arm.

    “Damn it, that hurt!!”

    On pure reflex Aela punched Farkas squarely in the back.

    “Go easy you moron”.

    Sotek instantly started laughing as he felt Farkas jerk forwards slightly from the blow.

    “Well at least she’s not punching me”.

    “Why on earth does it cause you so much pain?” As Vilkas asked, he sympathetically shook his head at Sotek. “Really, there’s no way that should happen”.

    Sotek had finally found his feet and pulled himself away so he could stand by himself. He felt rough but he could see Aela was struggling so he did his best to shake it all off. He quickly decided the best way was to make light of the whole affair. He grinned at Vilkas as he answered him.

    “Apparently, I’m on probation, I hope! When I prove that I’m no threat, things will improve”. Sotek explained as best as he could about Sheogorath and Hircine.

    Farkas couldn’t help but laugh dryly at the whole situation.

    “Sorry, but hell they can’t get worse. You’ve been given a bum deal. Why are you so bloody short? What’s with all the white?”

    Vilkas could see Aela wasn’t happy with the pair of them. Despite Farkas’s latest comments, he decided to try to put things right.

    “I’m sorry we took the Mickey. We didn’t know you had it so rough”

    Sotek just shrugged it off but he had the wit to throw Aela a sly wink.

    “Well, where’s the fun in the easy route? As for Albino being white, well that was the only colour available. It was white or pink with yellow spots... All the cool furs were already taken. Then again, if I happen to kill one of you two, then Hircine said I could have your fur”. With that comment both Sotek and Aela laughed.

    Vilkas looked at Farkas for a few seconds then glanced back at Sotek.

    “That was a joke, yes?”

    Sotek mounted up with Aela following behind him. As they rode off they heard Vilkas call out to them.

    “Aela! He was kidding, wasn’t he?” 

     

     

Comments

7 Comments
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  November 21, 2015
    I have a bit of fun with WULD in game but yea, Sotek does make far better use of it.
    Ahh poor Albino, Sotek's aware of his limitations but he does come up with a plan.
    Thanks for pointing out that typo: Fixed it.
  • Exuro
    Exuro   ·  November 21, 2015
    WULD is so much more useful in narratives than game play.That howl just made me cringe, poor Snowball, but Sotek got the brother back good in the end.
    The 5k word mark does seem to be about the limit for the ADHD readers
    Small typo: Not too fa...  more
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  November 21, 2015
    Just compare the length of this chapter with the last few or even the later ones you put in the blog story and editing group and you'll see a difference.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  November 21, 2015
    It's near 4000 words .
    On a serious note, I tend to let the chapters determine their own length. I prefer keeping them below 5k although I don’t always achieve it.
    Although I could stick both this chapter and the next stage of their journey to...  more
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  November 21, 2015
    Aww, so they finally caught a glimpse of Omega. Poor thing. 
    Sabre cat battle was good. 
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  November 21, 2015
    Not to mention the pain in his whole body.

    Wow Sotek, this was a short chapter. Not much longer than the first few.
  • ShyGuyWolf
    ShyGuyWolf   ·  November 20, 2015
    poor guy, still feeling the pain from your arm?