Ibrahim moved close to the cages and introduced the foxy Argonian and the khajiit to his new roommates.
"Lizard, wait, I guess I can''t call you that anymore, can I? Listen here fox, you and the stupid cat are going to go to the Isles for the impending slave trade. Soon you'll join that pretty female with golden skin. Oh, before I forget," He said, grinning maliciouusly, "These..." He said, gesturing to the four cages dotting the room, "May I introduce your cagemates, This scaly vermin is Ayr, he said, pointing to a grey-scaled Argonian with amber eyes." He paused for dramatic effect. "In this corner," he said, sounding like a slave trader looking for bids, "is... a green-scaled recluse that goes by the name of Valentia. She is just shy of thirteen years old with beautiful auburn hair and green scales quite like our foxy friend in cage number three."
He returned to the cage containing the vulpine and sneered, forcing the poor creature into a corner.
"There we go. All introduced? Good. Say your pelt will fetch for a nice price. Perhaps next time we are at market..."
Basarta unsheathed her curved blade and threw it at the Redguard, nicking him just behind the ear.
"The fox... is not... for skinning." She said, snarling. "Do you really want the boss to see a skinned fox, or, more precisely, a scaleless lizard? hmm? I think not." She said, her eyes flashing maliciously.
Ibrahim spun around and launched himself, sword unsheathed, at the khajiit, pinning her to the wall.
"How about I just skin you instead? How about that? Either way, the Altmer'll be happy. We could sell you pelt at market instead. An eye for an eye, right?"
Unseen by them, yellow eyes watched form the darkness. the redguard yelled as he was blown backward to slam into the opposite wall.
"Did you not think Ancano was watching, Ibrahim?" Ancano said, darkly. I will abide chaos and/or petty brawls on my ship. Leave the ttrash here. We're almostt to the Isles. I need you lot topside, now!" He yelled as a fireball shot out for the darkness, singing Basarta's whiskers. Not wanting to be told twice, the khajiit and redguard followed the Altmer up the stairs to the main deck.
The redguard and khajiit glanced over their shoulder and noticed Ancano wasn't following them but instead, stood rooted like a tree waiting to sprout. The khajiit furrowed her eyebrows at him. The high elf shooed them onward and said he'll be right behind them. Shrugging, they turned and walked up the stairs.
Ancano slowly walked to the middle cage, his robe flowing about him.
"So fox, You think you have me outwitted, but it is I who has the upper hand. Where's that wolfish grin?" The fox whimpered. Ancano smiled. "Yes, I thought so. I could almost smell the stench of the foul wolf on you. How did I know, it's quite simple really. All those years ago when you and that wretched defect of a lizard were aboard, one of my guard tipped me off that I was supposedly hauling a werewolf. Naturally, I held a shadow of a doubt, that is, until I heard tell of you tearing out of the caught with naught but your teeth." The fox backed away, growling. "Don't even try such foolish endeavors again. The bars have been thrice reinforced to prevent such... mishaps from occuring."
He turned away and faced the stairwell. A thought splashed into his fishtank and swam there for a bit before coming up for air.
"Have a good night's rest, or not." He said, his mouth curving mischieviously. "I doubt, with the cage as uncomfortable as it is, you'll catch much of sleep anyway. Farewell."
The fox wrapped himself in a cacoon of his own fur and was soon fast asleep. The last thing he heard was the elf's footsteps topside before he drifted off like a boat on water. He could heard something rustling in tthe leaves and wonder why in oblivion there would be eartth of any kind on the ship or whether Inigo was using a feather duster to wake him. He tried shifting his position to see if the noise would cease, it didn't. Wearily, he opened his eyes and saw it was the trees sighing. Do trees sigh? The fox had no time to ponder this thought when he saw a wolf brought down by a bow and arrow near his posittion. He lifted his snout to the wind and sniffed. The intoxxicating scent of oak, pine and cedar reached his nostrils; he surmized he was in a forest that strenched for miles in each direction.
The fox ran as fast as his could, he glanced down and saw the ground passing by at a much greater interval than usual. He came to a copse of trees and bent down to drink only to find his muzzle was strangely black than it had been previously. He had a reddish-tan face and sported a black manelike mohawk running down the top of his head ending at his wide shoulders. He also noticed he had four long black legs ending in black paws; a farcry from his previously donned fox form.
The newly transformed fox sat near the pond's edge pondering why the change occured. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted an ancient wolf fur-laden spear resting against a tree. Hircine couldn't be here, could he?
The former fox moved close to the spear and sniffed. It definitely smelled like the hunter. As if on command, a cerulean stag stepped out from behind one of the trees.
"Greetings hunter, I a sadden to say I cannot greet you in my other form, at least, not this deep within the Hunting Grounds." He trotted closer to the former fox; taking in his new scent. You may be wondering why I choose this form for you?" The deer vocalized that which could've been a laugh, "Yes, well..."
Without warning his eyes become bright red as the Bloodmoon.
"You disobeyed me! You killed my aspect. Not just mine but my sister's as well! I cannot let that injustice go unpunished. I saw fit to turn you into this..." The former fox snarled and his back bristled. "Well, not your current form. Your other form, the foxy one. If you disobey me further, I could justt abandoned you here, until the end of time, at which time you'll be branded as a traitor and I'll set my wolf on you, tearing you spirit limb from limb. Do you understand me hunter?"
The fox stood there silently and lowered his head to the huntsman, signalling subserviance. The stag's eyes returned to normal and bathed the fox in a cool breeze that escaped from his warm, cavernous nostrils.
"I will take that as you being remorseful for your actions. As for your current state, I transformed you into a hybrid, of sorts. Not exactly your former glory neither are you a fox with fur bright as early snowfall. If you are a good, erm, whatever you are, I will see fit to return your former self. But know this, the things I do I do to teach a lesson. I do not believe in punishment."
The former fox tried to bark that he understood but, as he glanced into the water, he saw the land and trees shift as if some earthquake had upset the natural balance of things. He could even hear the advice Hircine was giving him because it sounded as if it were coming from deep beyond a rapidly closing chasm. Hasir's reflection looked as though he were shifting alongside the kaleidoscope of watercolor mixed together by some experienced painter.
The next thing, he knew, his was in some area with smelled like sulfer and air that cold freeze the very soul within. He yelped as he was encased in metal in some deep, dank dungeon. He tried to ascertain where he was but his thought were dominated by one image, a indigo-colored khajiit. He swam in this image pool for a bit until he realized that he'd taken on the form of the khajiit's bird. He scanned the room with his ever watchful eyes and saw that he was not alone; birds of all shapes and sizes were inturred here, owls, finches, hawks and other falcons. The reptilian bird jabbed at the bars with his beak until he found the lock.
Finally free, he knew he had to free himself before help others. He flew, cages becoming a blur as he sped past, up into the cold night sky and headed north. He flew over the barren wasteland for what seemed like mere minutes until he spotted two of portals set into a square stone structure. One depicting a forsaken marketplace and another housing a daytime market. Making up his mind, Hasir flew through the 'daytime market' portal.
The falconish lizard emerged and was immediately overwhelmed by the high volume of traffic and the heightened cacopheny. The falcon did not let his progress falter as his destination was set, He deftly dodged vendors selling their wares as well as parttons on the streets. He soon came to a grey-stone building and flew in through an open window the width of a singe arrow. Once inside, he rapidly descended the round tower until he came to a sight that was familiar to his Argonian form. A multitude of portals surrounding a semi-whole central pillar.
His wings beat the air like a drum as he cirrcumnavigated the room. Portals blurred by like ripples on an ocean until he found the one he was searching for. He entered it and navigated the swamp until he found his way to an acient temple with pillars topped with birds in different stages of flight. The falcon entered and noted the natural beauty within until he found the goddess of nature sitting on a vine-covered throne.
Upon seeing the falcon, Kynareth got up and moved close to the falcon.
"How may I help you, my apsect? Are you lost and in need of guidance? Perhaps you came here for another reason?"
The falcon perched on her shoulder and relayed his tale to her; his plea of desperate assistance.
"I cannot give you what you seek, little one. You must look deep within to change. Yes, I can help you with this but you must attempt it for if you do not, you never again regain your true form. You can, however, go to the islands where ships stand tall as Sentinels waitted to do battle. There, you will find what you seek. A tribe cloaked in green will end you undue suffering. Now farewell."
As the realm before had done, so too did this vanish. The fox opened his eyes and found himself back in the ship's hold; everything was as it had been, except Ayr and Valenthia's eyes were upon him.
"How did a fox come to be here? last thing I know is my sister and I were thrown in here against our will." Ayr stated. He produced a lockpick and set to work unlocking his cage. With his cage unlocked, he moved like a shadow to his sister's cage and did the same to hers, and finally, to the one that housed the fox.
The fox stretched and barked a noted of gratitude, the Argonian boy bowed.
"No one deserves to be caged for no reason." He said angrily.
His sister beckoned them to followed her as she edged nearer the stairs leading topside. They followed and, feeling it more advantageous, the Argonian boy transformed. The fox, Argonian and grey werewolf snuck up the stairs and spotted members of the crew eating dinner. As they crept closer, the saw what they thought were legs of a deceased frog were actually... fried Argonian legs. Ayr ignored his sister's retching as he unlocked the door with one ebony dagger length claw and stepped out on the main deck with the fox and Argonian female close behind.
Inigo, Nanaki set down they mugs of spiced cider they'd been drinking and smiled at the jailbirds.
"Out of the clink, I see?" Inigo said, chuckling. "How about a celebratory mug of cider?"
Valenthia loooked at him, eyebrow raised, inquiring as to the ocassion.
"What for? We've just been unjustly violated; treated a common criminals for no reason. Wohy in Oblivion would we celebrate. I'll only celebrated when we free ourselves from this lot." She jerked her head toward Ancano and his guards.
Nanaki stood up and glanced over the starboard side to see a multitude of islands looming in the distance and smiled.
"It would be great if we got shot of them. I think we are approaching our destination. I wonder if anyone living there will rescue us from these sun-drenched morons?"
Ayr growled and rolled his eyes. They ignored this and watched as the ship neared the dock. Once the ship was moored securely, Ancano lead the fox, Argonian female, the werewolf and the other companions down the gangplank to the sandy beach.
"This is where the overflow is kept since the dam that is Dren Plantation burst about three cycles ago. You will work here until which time I deem it fit for you to return to your meaningless lives with your oaths fulfilled."
Nanaki poked the high elf in the chest, snarled and stared the Altmer dead in the eye.
"What oath? Is this your idea of a sick joke? We swore no oath!" The high elf opened his mouth to speak. "We swore no fealty either. You are not our lord and master. We go our own way. The way I see it is you are just trying to inconvenience us, own us; like all Altmer do. You think your race in above others. Well I've news for you, it isn't."
In his rage, the elf unstuck his coinpurse from his belt, undid the length of rope binding it and tied the rope around the khajiit's muzzle.
"There. One must keep their dogs muzzled else they'd cause chaos." He looked around and saw that the island was strangely devoid of mines. Now, since there isn't a mine here. I thought we'd set you lot to work catching fish for the annual fishboon festival that is scheduled to happen in Summerset."
Inigo cut across Ancano's speech like a knife through a thunderbolt.
"Excuse me, but, erm, the fishboon festival was several moons ago. Why in Oblivion would you have one now."
Ancano narrowed his eyes and snarled at the insolent khajiit.
"I say it is and it shall be. Now move!" He roared.
Nanaki and Inigo looked on as the werewolf and Valentia inched forward toward their impending doom. The fox followed, tail tucked between its legs when, out of nowhere, the elf blocked his path forward.
"No, not you, fox, I've a different plan for you." He laughed and took a shackle out of his shoulder bag and attached it to the fo'x neck, led the fox to a nearby cave and conjured a rock to block the cave entrance.
Nanaki and Inigo decided to follow the oddly aligned trio to their predestined location which proved to be a half-moon shaped spot of land surrounded by water. Inigo looked at the water and sighed.
"If only Hasir were here right now, he'd love to chase the water dragon all day; he'd be in his element, literally."
Nanaki tried to persuade the female Argonian to rise up with her brother and dominate the dominator that was turning her and her brother into cogs in the twisted forced labor machine while the fox was being held captive by the Altmer's twisted sense of self-elevation. She, however, would have none of it.
Sighing, he tried to catch the same fish as she did, so to speak.
"Look, the Altmer is a dark cloud, we all know that. Only the druids can help bring light to that dark cloud, scattering it to the four winds."
Valentia nodded even though the metaphor flew, like a hawk, over her head.
"I... What? Forgive my bullheadedness. You're right, but, somehow..." She shook her head, "I-I don't know, I know he's dangerous, but I daren't cross him lest he digs his claws in and feeds us to his newly hatched daedric fiends."
She, Nanaki and the fewt werewolf made the jounrey northward to the druis village. Nanaki told her that they might find the sun-kissed high elf there as well as the cure for Hasir's foxy situation.
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