Hasir looked at Xeeka as if he were scrutizing a tasty fish before ingesting it.
"How did you meet this Sharp-As-Night? Did you two have a love affair in a dark alley or something?"
Xeeka raised a hand and slapped the insolent Argonian. Never before had she been as insulted as to be told such as bold-faced lie, by her own
kin no less.
"How fucking dare you! Sharp and I were friends nothing more." " She raised a threatening clawed finger, "One more word of the sort and I will
not tell you of this nor will I asked Sharp to aid you in your rescue mission."
Hasir rasied his hands in apology which fanned the flames of Xeeka's fury a bit. Xeeka accepted his apology.
"I accept your apology. As for where Sharp-As-Night is located, well, I haven't the foggiest acctually. You can try asked around in the village,
either that or in the Stake and Muck, that's the inn in the village. It is near the trapdoor leading to the Outlaw's Refuge. Speaking of that, you can
also check there."
Hasir nodded but Inigo took in a sharp breath, causing them both to jump in shock.
"You mean go back? Why? What's the reason? To be shot at again or have the Doomstrider possess one of us next? No thanks, I'll take my
chances with the village or the inn."
Xeeka grabbed at Wooden stood next to a small table which she set the tray and sat down between Hasir and Inigo.
"Inigo, if you don't want to go to the Outlaw's Refuge you can try splitting the reeds by searching the inn while Hasir and I go to the Outlaw's
Refuge, sound like a plan?" The smart blue cat nodded.
Xeeka and Hasir left after Inigo as they went their seperate ways.
Inigo walked through the village and saw an inn outfitted in a reed facade. He read the sign, smiled and entered. He looked amazedly around
him. Vines climbed the walls as if escaping from the lilypads that littered the floor. The tables looked like there were rafts have sunken in the
dried mud floor, each flanked by hewn wooden logs that Inigo guessed served as seats.
He spotted the counter and walked towards. As he walked, he glanced left and right. He sawArgonians sitting at some of the sunken 'rafts' and
managed to catch snippets of conversation.
"....Dunno why there's a khajiit in the swamp...better scuttle off to Elsweyr...might not survive long, what with the Wamasu, Haj-Mota and
fleshflies everywhere...might bruise their tail or bend a whisker..."
Inigo paid no heed to this and walked up to the wooden counter. An Argonian, who was busying cleaning a mug, smiled at him.
"Greetings ojel. This is the Stake and Muck. What is your pleasure? Food? Drink?" He said enthusiastically.
Inigo shook his head and ponder on what exactly an 'ojel' was.
"No thanks. I just wanted to ask you if you know where Sharp-As-Night is." He said, eyeing the bartender carefully The bartender gulped,
dropped the mug and hid under the counter.
Inigo repeated his question again, thinking the 'game' the barkeeper, who revealed himself to be Makes-Many-Drinks, was playing was beneath
his kind.
"Come on!" He said, annoyed. "Can't you act like respectable people instead of tiny furless kittens?" I only asked for a name. How bad can it
be?"
Makes-Many-Drink reapeered and apologized for his unsual behavior.
"Sorry, erm... Sharp is, er, well, he is a Saxhleel who does things in an unorthodox way. He does not abide by the way of the Hist. He is a
mercenary who was born to a Hist but left Blackmarsh in search of adventure. He joined the Blackmarsh fighter's guild in an attempt to achieve
that desire." Makes-Many0- Drinks pondered one the khajiit's former question, "Ojel is the Saxhleel word for outsider, or 'one who is not of the
root'.
Inigo scratched his head and thought on this new card that was being dealt into his deck of knowledge.
"Mercenary? I thought he was an assassin. At least, that's what Xeeka told me."
The elderly Argonian said he knewXeeka since she was a hatchling. He knew she and Sharp-As-Night were hatching mates and grew thicker
than the sap at the base of a Hist tree. Soon though, young Sharp, he grew tired of life in Lilmoth and went off the various parts of Tamriel. He
had a constant need for freedom and adventure. He was a hackwing not content to stay within its cage. "Drinks sighed, the reason I and many
other Saxhleel do not dare to utter the name of Sharp-As-Night is because he'd rather side with the fighter's guild rather tthan his own flesh
and blood; even the Hist tree he was hatched under became rogue. As for his location, I last heard of the Ojel ventured in Morrowind near
Lukiul Uxith. The dunmer guard stationed there seized him and threw him in Blackrose prison for no reason other than crossing into dunmer
territory."
Inigo eyed Makes-Many-Drinks curiously. He couldn't fathom why the Argonian who hide in fear yet somehow look up to the Argonian
mercenary.
"Interesting dichotomy. From your actions, you seem to hate Sharp-As-Nights but your story says differntly, that you are worried about him.
May I ask why that is?"
Makes-Many-Drinks sighed, Truth be told, he was afraid of beings run through like a suck fish on a spit by Morrowind's guards.
"I thought you were an Imperial agent sent by the Morrowind guards."
Inigo screwed his face up and mouthed the words 'Imperial agent'.
"You think a khajiit like me could ever get into the Iperial guard? By Oblivion, they'd see my blue fur and jail me for being 'different.' He sighed
and slumped onto one of the log benches, "It's no less than I deserve, I suppose. What with Elsweyr continetally hating me." He placed his head
in his hands and sighed mournfully.
Makes-Many-Drinks walked towards a log bench opposite the khajiit and sat down.
"Inigo, you shouldn't be to hard on yourself. you should try to forge a new path in life much like a blacksmith forgees a new blade." Inigo
nodded as the Argonian handed hima leather cloth to wipe his eyes. "On a side note, I am certain the Sharp-As-Night is a prisoner still in
Blackrose prison."
He got up and took two mugs from behind the bar, filled them with an unknown liquid and brought them over to the table.
"Here, this might help to quell yours sorrows." The Argonian said with a grin. Inigo took it, cast him a weary smile and asked him what was in
it. He gestured to the mug and said that it was an Argonian beverage called Bug Musk."
Inigo narrowed his eyes at the Argonian and screwed his face up in denail.
"I thought the Telvanni came up with the idea of it. If that is the case, aren't you stealing?"
Makes-Many-Drinks thought on this and decided Inigo might be right. He knew, however, that the recipe has been held by the Saxhleel for
many moons. He leaned over and stared intesnely at the khajii; Inigo nearly feel of the log in his shock.
"Inigo, do you really think that those dunmer thieves cooked it up themselves? No, it is an Argonian recipe. Those filthy 'graybacks' stole it just
as sure as they sold our bodies into forced labor for themselves because they can't do a fucking thing on their own!" He thundered, slamming
his fist on the wooden surface.
Inigo placed a caring hand on the Argonian's shoulder.
"Is there anything I can do to ease this burden?"
"Yes, you can steal back the formula from those ignorant grayskins." He snarled
Inigo stared at the argonian, mouth agape,
"Steal it right from under their nose? I can't I..." He said nervously, biting his lip
Makes-Many-Drinks took a sip from his tankard and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
"Of course you can. Don't bother to go in all stealthy, better to do something incredibly stupid." He said, already drunk
Inigo asked him what the Argonian's intentions were. The argonian 'smiled' drunkenly,
"You could always... I dunno, sneak into to Morag Tong headquarters and masquerade as one of their assassin recruits so you can ascertain
where the recipe is, or who has it as then... rob them blind and bring it back to where it truly belongs."
Inigo looked perplexed at this. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he leave Hasir and sneak into the Morag Tong headquarters, wherever that
was, and procure the recipe or would it be best for him to join Hasir, tackle that task together and then they can sneak into the Morag Tong
headquarters together?
Inigo, not wanting to be an inhospitable guest, gingerly drank the murky blank substance and found, to his delight, that he quite enjoyed it. He
extracted his coin purse and slid it across the table. The Argonian shook his head.
"Your gold is no good here khajiit. Think or this as a mere sympathy drink. By the way. "He said, standing up, "If you are going ahead with you
plan, do mind the Camonna Tong. Inigo cocked his head in wonderment and asked who they were. Makes-Many-Drinks stared at him, "You
don't know whothey...? Have you been taking at cat naps these past moons? The Camonna Tong is at odds with the Morag Tong because of how
they kill unscupulous characters of their own and not outsiders..." Makes-Many-Drinks's face screwed up. "Well, I guess in the land of the Red
Mountains, they're reffered to as outlanders.
Inigo watched as Makes-Many-Drinks stumbled to the bar. The khajiit smiled as he put an arm around the Argonian.
"You know, you remind me of my first time trying mead at the Bannered Mare in Whiterun. Gods I was a mess." He said, giggling. "I am
actually amazed how well you can hold your liquor. You argonians must have strong stomach, or high tolerance to alcohol. I remembe that
Hasir had to drag me to Jorrvaskr."
When they made it to the Argonian's room, Inigo laid Makes-Many-Drinks on his bed and closed to door. Inigo wasn't even ten feet when the
Argonian called out to him.
"Hasir, I like that lizard." The words barely escaped his scaly lips as he fell asleep.
The khajiit left the inn and went to see how Hasir was faring at the Outlaw's Refuge.
Inigo stopped halfway to the abandoned house in Lilmoth when he noticed a figure emerging from the trapdoor. He pressed his body against a
pillar that was sticking out of the house and readied his bow and arrow. He slowly stepped out from the pillar and aimed a bit above his scaly
target.
Hasir saw Inigo and waved. A 'frown' crept over his face as his eyes went wide with fright.
"Hi Inigo, did you fin-" He looked perplexedly from the taut string to the khajiit. "Whoa, Whoa, hey. W-we are on the same side. Please don't
tell me the Doomstrider possessed you again.
Inigo eyed him darkly, never once lowering his bow or unnocking the arrow.
"Molag Bal will reward me greatlyfor your caputre, doubly so for for skin on his wall." Inigo sneered.
Hasir could see no escape from this and surrendered; rasing his hands above his head.
"Ok Inigo, this isn't funny. Expell the Doomstrider right now." He said nervously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Inigo lowered his bow and laughed heartedly at the fish drenched in swamp water. Hasir narrowed his eyes,
"That was not funny!" He hissed, "I thought that the Doomstrider HAD possessed you. Now you make this a big joke and leave me shaking like a
leaf."
The smart blue cat wiped his forehead with his sleeve and replaced the unfired arrow.
"Sorry my friend, I could resist." He said shrugging. "I couldn't resist. I set the perfect trap and you, foolish as you are, took the bait."
Hasir let down his guard and huffed in anger.
"Fine. but I'm not letting this slide even if it was a joke. Did you learn anything about Sharp-As-Night? Where we can find him I mean?"
Inigo inquired how the Argonian's search went. Hasir gave a 'thumbs down' gesture.
"That bad huh?" The blue khajiit asked. "I have some news that will put some sun on your scales. I went to the inn and met an Argonian that
gave me a little backstory on Sharp-As-Night and told me that the dunmer guards threw him in Blackrose prison. If we hurry, we may still find
him there as well as free any other prisoners we find."
Hasir nodded and left the stilted city with the khajiit. As they walked through the trees and swamps, Hasir held up a hand. The khajiit halted
and eyed him warily.
"What is it, my friend? Do you sense someone following us?"
He turned to the khajiit and nodded nervously.
"Y-yesss..." He hissed, "Ssomeone iss indeed on our tail, so to speak." He said eyeing Inigo side-long glance.
The blue khajiit grabbed his shoulder in concern, causing the argonian to utter a strained 'hsss' as dagger-like claws dug into his scaly skin.
"What are we going to do? We are exposed. They or... whatever is following us will spot us like a hawk spots a mouse."
Hasir looked at the blue khajiit knowingly and smirked.
"They can try.... I have a plan." He said, and can you please stop treating me like a scratching post?"
Inigo released his iron grip on the Argonian's shoulder and watched as Hasir howled out and transformed. Twilight stretched to his full height
as he sniffed the air for their pursuers. A low snarl told Inigo that the wolf had caught the scent. Twilight ran headlong down a hill flanked by
swampy pools, tripped on a stone and rolled down it in a tangle of fur and limbs only to fall face-first on the grass below. When he got to his
four paws, he found himself muzzle to snout with two scaly beings, eyes narrowed and silver spears pointed at him.
The black and white werewolf retreated into the shadows of a rocky overhang causing the Argonians to spread out and search for the beast.
Inigo saw this and, a bit confused as to the reason for Argonians to go about hunting their own, ran to tthe overhang and hoped to draw a false
path for the attackers even though he didn't know if he was doing the right thing. He hoped that distracting the 'crooked' Argonians.would assist
the yinyang wolf in his escape.
Twilight noted what the khajiit was trying to do and hid among the trees; using them as cover that he hoped would shield him from his attackers.
He halted and pressed himself against a tree. He peered out and snarling as he saw his pursuers. He snarled and leapt out of the shadows
catching the Sahxeel by surprise. He used his claws to tear one of the argonian's arms from its socket and tearing the other's face off.
Inigo marvelled at how well the werewolf mutilated his victims. It fascinated and sickened him, at the same time. With that done, the beast
lowered its muzzlle and fed on one of the corpses. Unseen by either the wolf or the khajiit, an Argonian leapt out of the shadow of the treeline,
wresteled the werewolf to the ground and placed a silver collar around his tree-like neck and a silver muzzle on his face.
Inigo saw this and unsheathed his bow. He nocked an arrow and fire. The Argonia who was much too large to be a typical Blackmarsh resident,
prodeced a silver rope with what looked like balls on both ends and flung it at the khajiit. The Saxhleel sneered at his downed prisoner.
"Consider that a warning from the Silver Dawn, all werewolves lives are prey for Lord Bal. When will you people learn? All is fair game for the
Silver Dawn. Dawn will come and the overgrown barkdogs will fall."
Inigo untangled himself and got to his feet.
"The silver dawn? I've never heard of you. Are you related to the Silver Hand?"
The argonian snarled as if the silver hand was poison to his ears.
"Ha! That is funny! No, you deluded cat, hatred of werewolves runs deep in our veins. The silver hand are mere children that have be born in the
shallow end. We, however, were born when the pool was but a hole in the ground, nay, when it was just an idea. We were born of shadow and
pain. Our leader, the Doomstrider, is a direct manifestation of the darkness."
The khajiit shook off a horrifying image of a jet black khajiit sucking countless realms into his open maw and spitting them into the merciless
realm of Coldharbour. He cursed to himself an the werewolf was dragged through a black and blue portal that appeared. The khajiit tried to
follow but as soon as he got within three feet of the portal, it disappeared.
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