sieralonapprentice – vvardenfellcat

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

Jinn listened with increasing horror at J’hasi’s explanation. He didn’t seem to notice or care about tracks in the snow—as far as he was concerned it only meant they went the right way.

“Wa-wasn’t there a w-w-a-way to co-control it.. pe-permanently? I tho-thought people we-we-went looking fo-for the curse t-to be powerf-full…”

Did those people know the risks?

And more importantly… did they care?

As the mer fell silent, he mulled what he just learned against what he saw. The raw, unstoppable power of the khajiit’s other form. Literally, if J’hasi’s story was as prevalent as it seemed.

“I—It mi-might be worth th-the risk…” he muttered at last. “No, it is! I ne-need to be st-st-strong…”

Esemi’s face flashed in his mind. He had to protect him. Had to make the world safe…

The Khajiit’s mouth pressed into a thin line, a slow sigh issuing through his nose.

“Supposedly the Ring of Hircine grants the ability to control it entirely, but when I came into contact with it, it wasn’t of any help.” All it had done was force him to shift right then and there. Despite greatly limiting the wolf’s influence in his head during those shifts, it too had proven to be yet another dead end. He swallowed, trudging through a thick drift up a small incline, noting that the area was starting to look a little more familiar. They had to be close to where he had stashed his things.

“I’ve only ran into a few weres that went looking for the curse. Most people are infected accidentally. It’s rare for those who go looking for it to survive an encounter with a were.” J’hasi’s gaze flicked down to where the frozen earth was torn up beneath the snow, scattered bits of sod littering the snow here and there. His brow furrowed, a small frown pulling at his lips.

“…why would you want this, anyway? There are other ways to become strong, and with far less risk of misdirected destruction.”

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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The Bosmer took the time to consider as he scrambled over
the fallen tree. His face remained pensive for a little longer before finally
speaking up.

“I—I thi-think they hunt th-the wi-wild ones,” he mused. “Those
wh-wh-o can-n-not cont-troll the-the-themselves…”

A frown creased his brow.
“Ho-how do yo-you l-l-lose co-control o-o-o-of it li-like that, though…?”
he wondered. “Y-yo-you bec-c-come strong, bu-but…. Do-does it d-drive them mad…?”

“It can. And it does if you’re not careful. Most hunters can’t tell who’s wild and who’s not. A good deal of them don’t care. They figure…that if you’re infected, you’re beyond saving, and hunt you down.”

The Khajiit said, his fingers brushing over a raised line under his fur, an old scar from one such occasion. Once Jinn was over the tree he resumed walking, shivering a little before he folded his arms over his stomach, fur fluffing as his tail curled closer for warmth.

“I’m not exactly an expert on all weres, but for me, once a month, I’m no better than any other feral werewolf you’d find. Worse, maybe, since ferals usually end up weakened and die off soon enough if they haven’t been taking care of themselves. Nothing I can do about it except tie myself down to something solid and hope no one gets too close.” J’hasi’s gaze flicked to a scrambled mess of snow where he had nicked the doe’s leg and she had gone sprawling, a small tree snapped in the middle where he had slammed into it in hot pursuit.

“The danger of falling into that, temporarily or permanently, is always there. You always have to be on guard with this curse. Slipping up, even once, could end up with someone dead, someone you care about, or leave your nature as a monster revealed. Mistakes with this sort of affliction are not forgiving.”

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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Jinn trotted along, to the side and ever so slightly behind the khajiit, exactly as he’d walked with Cake for so many years. J’hasi’s long strides didn’t seem to bother him, either; at this point, nothing probably would.

The mer’s faint shadow of a smile vanished at his question.

“Th-they’re str-r-r-rong,” he offered after a moment. “A-a-and fa-fast…. Mo-most people fear th-th-them, cause th-they’re weak against su-such things…”

The Khajiit swallowed as he stepped over a log with his claw marks torn deep into the bark, exposing the innards of the long-fallen tree, and aside from the quick glance at it, didn’t make mention of it. Jinn’s answer brought a faint half-grin, half-grimace to his expression.

“There are those who hate weres, and hunt them. How d’you imagine they fare?” he asked, glad that a counterpoint could be brought up for consideration so soon. He’d had brushes with witchhunters, and didn’t come out of them entirely unscathed. J’hasi’s tail flicked as he paused for a moment to let Jinn hop over the log before resuming their trek deeper into the forest.

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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Jinn didn’t move while J’hasi contemplated. He froze at his first question, at first worrying that he’d stumbled upon a Thalmor sympathizer—it would be just his luck to run into one in the heart of the Thalmor’s enemies.

When the khajiit spoke next Jinn’s heart fluttered, and he felt a foreign, warm glow of hope rise in his chest. The mer took J’hasi’s hand and smiled in a way that touched his eyes.

“You r-really mean it?” he said as he rose. “I—I mean… thank you!”

Nothing had been decided yet, of course, but Jinn knew in his secret heart that this could only go one way. Even if he had to stalk the khajiit until next full moon, or find a different werewolf more willing to share their gift, he’d finally gain the power and strength he’d always craved.

“Whe-ere are we go-going?”

J’hasi bit his lip as he pulled the mer up, looking towards the spot where he had taken down the deer, eyes tracking his trail up to the treeline where it vanished into the woods.

“Um…north…ish… Just have to follow my tracks and I can get to the tree where I stashed my stuff. I sort of got turned around so…I’m not sure how far it is. It can’t be too long of a walk; I spent most of my shift stalking the deer.” he said hesitantly, as if unsure even about that much. He tended to get caught up in the hunt and the chase. It wasn’t so bad in Cyrodiil or Morrowind where the milder climate usually would run from comfortable to brisk if he had to take a long trip back naked. Skyrim…well… Basically all Jinn had seen was the downsides to shifting back after a lengthy hunt in Skyrim. His toes were feeling burning numb from where they were pressed into the snow. The Khajiit cleared his throat, tail giving a brisk flick behind him.

“Anyways…best get movin’…” he muttered, heading towards the trampled snow marred by his claw marks and splatters of blood. Once they hit the treeline, he started on his growing list of questions for the Bosmer as he led him along his previous path, his stride lengths enormous compared to his current ones.

“What d’you know about weres?” J’hasi asked, hoping to get an idea of what the mer thought he was getting himself into.

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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The mer shrank and lowered his gaze to the fire, fidgeting in embarrassment.

“…I wa-wa-wanted t-to join the S-S-Stormcloaks,” he muttered softly. “Tho-thought killing a th-th-thalmor wo-ould have been enough… b-but…”

He glanced to the side, where Windhelm was just visible in the grey, predawn light. Could he tell this khajiit that he’d taken one look at the guards outside and fled?

“…I wa-want to prove… be-eyond doubt that I—I’m s-s-strong,” he finished. “I want t-to be able t-to fight… li-like you did a-as a wolf…”

There. It was out now. Jinn mustered his courage and looked at J’hasi, hopeful and fearful and longing all at once.

Well then.

The Khajiit’s brows were raised in surprise, ears pricked and his body still for a few moments before his whiskers twitched, fur fluffing in another wave of shivers.

“You…killed a Thalmor?” Hadn’t the mer just mentioned not having a knife because it made people think you wanted to pick a fight? Though…maybe the Thalmor was the reason he stopped carrying one, if he had one to start with at all. He didn’t know much about the Stormcloaks, but J’hasi had heard plenty about them during his travels throughout Skyrim. His general impression of them had been ignorant children fighting the wrong battle ‘for the sake of all Nords’ and bearing a heavy hatred towards the Empire, the Thalmor, and anyone who wasn’t a Nord, mer especially.

The Khajiit looked back to the fire, brows furrowed as he mulled over Jinn’s poorly-veiled request for the curse he carried. His tail tip slowly tapped on the ground as he let out a slow breath through his nose, steam rising in curls from his nostrils. On the one hand, if he didn’t give him the bite, the Bosmer would likely traipse off in search of another werewolf, one that would most likely be feral and probably kill him. But if he did…it would give Jinn the power he desired, and if he used it on the Thalmor, then it could greatly cut down on their numbers, certainly good news for the Blade-in-hiding. But it would also give the Stormcloaks a powerful weapon, the equivalent of giving the power of an accomplished mage to an infant. But if he informed the lad on how Stormcloaks felt about elves in general…

His gaze narrowed on the glowing coals, the snap-pop of the burning logs filling the silence. Too many variables. The smart thing to do would be to not give him the bite, give him all the reasons he shouldn’t go looking for another werewolf to do the job, and leave it at that. But people were stubborn, fickle, and would do what they thought was right despite being told no, whether or not it was actually the right thing to do. He was a fantastic example of this himself.

J’hasi sighed, taking a long inhale as he looked up at the tiny glimmerings of daybreak on the horizon. He slowly exhaled, watching as the heat of his breath curled in the crisp, cold morning air, only to be torn upwards when it drew too close to the heat of the flames.

…he’d give him a chance.

“If you want this, you have until moonrise tonight to convince me.” he said, looking over to glance at the shivering Bosmer before he finished speaking. He didn’t like the idea, but it wouldn’t be fair of him to not give the lad a chance to give his exact reasons, a chance to see if he was responsible enough for the blood Hircine had infected him with. Far as werewolves typically went, he was ancient. He wouldn’t give Jinn anything without a fight, no matter how well-intentioned he thought his desire. The Khajiit shivered as he stood up.

“I need to get my gear; I’m hungry and I’m sure you’d like your shirt back.” he said, offering the mer a hand up as his tail curled closer to the fire, greedily soaking up as much heat as it could before the frozen trek would steal it all away.

“We can talk along the way if you’d like. I’d advise you to take the extra time if you’re serious about this.”

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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Jinn frowned slightly at his chattering, wondering if it would be out of line to sit next to his new friend. Shared body heat kept everyone warm on cold desert nights, and Jinn assumed it would be no exception here.

However, he didn’t feel that now was a good time to test his limits.

“I—it’s okay,” Jinn grinned, and for the first time some of it reached his eyes. “I mean—th-that power! You to-took down that d-d-d-deer as i-if it was a rab-b-bit, a-a-and when you roared—I go-got goosebumps!”

Realizing how loud and fast he’d been talking, the mer shrank. “I—-I—I mean—” he fidgeted. “I do-don’t mind… i-i-t… it wa-a-s… no t-trouble…”

’Can I have it too!?’ part of him screamed. It didn’t make it past his lips, but the question waved frantically behind the mer’s eyes, doubly so when he looked at the khajiit curled near the fire.

J’hasi blinked in surprise, ears pricked at how Jinn described the end of his hunt. A slightly-embarrassed smile flitted across his face, a hand uncurling from his lap to rub at the back of his neck, his face and ears growing warmer in a way unrelated to the dancing flames in front of him.

“Th-thanks… I guess…” What a conflicting feeling it was, to be praised for a part of him he’d been trying to rid himself of for over two hundred years. He felt flattered, yet…there was something else that he wasn’t sure what to call exactly.

The Khajiit’s eyes flicked back to the fire, the smile still lingering as he fiddled with the hem of the borrowed shirt. He cleared his throat once he tried to compose himself once more, only to have surprise flick back over his face when he looked and saw the excitement in the Bosmer’s eyes. J’hasi swallowed, trying to think of what to even say before his mind diverted the topic to something else.

“S…so…um… What are you doing out here anyway? If I can ask that of you, I mean.” he asked, his voice sounding genuinely curious.

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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In the back of his mind, while his new friend got situated, Jinn wondered when the best time to ask about the lycanthropy would be. Certainly not right after he’d changed—he
didn’t know the process but would bet it took it out of a person—and it
seemed out-of-place to mention it in a greeting.When J’hasi next spoke he swallowed hard.”U-uh… Jinn,” said Jinn. “Ju-just Jinn… Wh-what’s… What’s yours?”

The Khajiit’s teeth started to chatter, incisors clicking before a burst of shivering left his jaw too tense to speak for a few moments. He blew hot air into his hands curled up near his face before he finally answered.

“M’name’s J-J-J’hasi.” he said, closing his eyes tightly as he curled tighter around the warmth trapped around his stomach and his legs.

“J-Just one J-J in there th-though.” he said, a brief grin quirking at his lips before he looked at the fire. Being sore and cold was one thing, but the exhaustion was making everything seem worse, amplified. He closed his eyes, resting his forehead on his knees for a few moments in quiet, save for the crackle-pop of the flames. When warmth finally started to bleed through to the sides of him, the front part of his body feeling almost painfully hot, he started to feel heavy and sleepy. The Khajiit lifted his head, looking at the flames for a few minutes more before he finally broke the silence.

“Sorry about before. I had no intentions of harming you. I just wanted you to leave so I could finish eating before I shifted back.” he mumbled, his voice sounding rougher before he cleared his throat and rested his chin on his arms curled up in front of him, his tail curling around to get more warmth soaking into his fur.

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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The Bosmer gently shook head head as he took off a layer of clothing. It left him with a tunic and leggings that seemed to be made of threads and hope, but Jinn didn’t seem to mind; he very carefully offered the khajiit his other clothes, mouth twitching in what eventually became a timid smile.

“Too d-d-da-dangerous,” he mumbled, a little desperately. “Ma-makes everyone thi-ink you want t-t-o fight…”

The offering of clothes caused the Khajiit’s brows to pop up in surprise, about to reach for it before his eyes caught the sight of blood still on his hands and was reminded of the blood all over his face. He briefly washed as much as he could off with snow, staining it scarlet before taking the shirt with a grateful look towards the mer.

“Th-thanks.” J’hasi said, feeling his jaw start to tense and chatter a little as the cold at his back battled with the warmth at his front. He was a little concerned about the Bosmer keeping warm enough, but he wouldn’t’ve offered had he not been okay with sharing his clothing. The Khajiit pulled the shirt over his head, shivering again as what remaining heat from the stranger lingering in the cloth sank into his own flesh. He looked at the deer with a slight frown.

“I’ll have to come back when I have my stuff with me.” he muttered, eyes flicking to the fire for a few moments, scooting a little closer to it before he huddled in a ball. His arms were drawn up to his chest, his legs pressing into his stomach and torso as he leaned forward, his tail keeping his balance as his feet simply had to deal with being on the cold ground. He was still hungry, but without a means to cut up his meat, he wouldn’t be able to eat any more unless the mer was alright with him tearing raw flesh off the bone and getting his shirt all bloody.

Oh. Right.

“S-so what’s your name?” J’hasi asked, cocking his head a little as he looked over at the Bosmer, the firelight throwing his features in harsh contrast, black and orange, with green eyes glittering in the dim lighting of the landscape. It felt strange, almost out of place having such normal things like introductions right after something out of the ordinary happened that caused the meeting in the first place.

It certainly said something about the Khajiit’s life when it had finally stopped being weird and became more of an uncommon occurrence.

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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Jinn shuddered, about to give up, when he spotted the dark form emerge from the trees. He shrunk a little out of habit, but recognized the person as a khajiit and perked up. It took a moment of staring, wondering why a khajiit would be out here with no clothes on, before the blood tipped him off and he inhaled a sharp breath.

“u-uhm… Hello,” he waved. “You’re the-the werewolf… u-uhm—I’m not mad! I mean—ca-can you…”

He stopped, took a breath, and tried again.

“Yo-you look co-co-cold… Join m-me a-around my fire… I—I won’t hu-hurt you…” he said. The pleading, almost desperate look he gave echoed in his voice. “W-we can ta-talk… o-or…”

J’hasi’s ears quirked at the stammering, but listened patiently as the Bosmer spoke. Whether it was from fear or cold didn’t matter; what did matter was that they were offering a warm fire. He kept an ear focused on the mer as he quietly picked his way through the snow towards the inner part of the clearing, his arms covering his stomach as he walked over to the deer.

The Khajiit picked up a hind leg and dragged the carcass over to the small fire, settling down on his haunches and watching the stranger carefully. Even the meager clothing the mer was wearing looked incredibly tempting. He shivered a little at a small breeze as he looked over his half-eaten catch. The Khajiit’s voice was raw and raspy when he did finally speak, his tail twitching behind him.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a knife, would you?”

Call of the Beast (J’hasi/Jinn RP)

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Jinn sucked in a breath of panic and ran after the beast, too caught up on obtaining that power for himself to worry about what it might actually do to him.

“W-wolf!” he rasped, in the strangled voice of someone wanting to be heard without daring to be so rude as to raise their voice. “Wolf! He-here!”

He skidded to a halt not far from the clearing, eyes darting around to try and find the beast’s trail. Something so large should have left one even he could follow; or at least make enough noise to give itself away.

“Come back,” he whimpered. Another shuddering breath and Jinn stood perfectly still, holding his breath and straining his ears for something, anything, to lead to his quarry.

J’hasi gasped, bursting up through the surface of the deep snow, swearing in a low, continuous hiss at just how godsdamned cold it was. He hadn’t expected to shift back so soon, mid-run even, and he had ended up landing facefirst deep into a drift. The sharp, sudden pain, that awful, snapping, popping, cracking that made him feel like he was being broken into pieces and remade that he went through every single godsdamned time he shifted had knocked any sense of thought out of his brain and left him to the mercy of his momentum.

The Khajiit shuddered, bringing his hands up to rub at his shoulders and upper arms as the icy chill started to sink down into his flesh, passing right through his fur like it wasn’t even there, too thin to be of much help in this bitter cold. The snow and the wind was already quickly sapping away his body heat, and he still had quite a ways to go to get back to his gear, to warm clothes, and all the while having to prevent that mer from tracking him…

Damn it.

He shivered, the tacky blood on his face already making his nose and face feel that much colder as he glanced back towards where the Bosmer (and his rather enticing fire) had been. His toes were already starting to tingle and would soon go numb if he didn’t do something about it. He could hear their shaky plea just fine, but…

‘You are going to freeze to death or at the very least lose a few toes if you don’t ask them for help.’ J’hasi sighed, his teeth starting to chatter as he looked down at the snow that still covered him from the waist down. He didn’t have much of choice here, did he? If they were stupid enough to try and get closer to a werewolf, then it wouldn’t seem too outlandish to think that they were less likely to turn him in for being such, right?

He sighed again, a bit more exasperated this time as he felt the muscles in his stomach and back start to spasm, causing his breath to leave him a little jerkily. The Khajiit forced himself to stand up out of the deep drift he had so ungracefully crashed into, despite the biting wind sinking its icy fangs even more viciously into his flesh, all the while swearing quietly under his breath at the situation, at the cold, and at his own stupidity for not paying attention to his surroundings better. He grimaced as he started walking back the way he came, his arms sliding down to cover his stomach and ribs out of self-consciousness.

‘On the scale of mildly idiotic to completely crazy, this solidly hits around ‘you are completely and utterly stupid’.’ he thought to himself bitterly, his mouth pressing into a thin line as he tried keep his teeth from clicking together.

J’hasi came out of the treeline where he had fled into not moments before (albeit much larger and furrier), making sure he was painfully visible to the quiet (and quite possibly mad, if not suicidal) Bosmer. Considering how close to dawn it was, as well as the stark whiteness of the snow, he figured he wouldn’t be difficult to spot.

If the eyes and fur didn’t give away what he had been moments before, the distinct lack of clothing and the blood still smeared over his face sure would.