CatDance #12
#12 of CatDance
Down but not Out
In which Ubergard does absolutely nothing, a wild khajiit appears, and no mod exists for a stretcher in Skyrim leading to an abrupt change of scenery that I wish I could have avoided.
| Kitty and Mikael searched around the tent but found nothing. They discussed splitting up to search and the wisdom of shouting her name, settling on taking the risk of calling for her but staying together.
"UBER! WHERE ARE YOU UBER?" Kitty called. "UBERGARD!" Mikael shouted repeatedly, but no response was heard.
"Nothing. Well, up or down do you think?" asked Mikael.
"Let's try down. I can't think of any reason she'd have gone up anyway." | | | Mikael nodded and they started down the slope towards the trees below, calling as they went. It wasn't long before they heard an answer, though it clearly wasn't Ubergard.
"Here! Ubergod lies here!" came a voice on their right.
The two looked at each other, but decided that no one with evil intent would reveal their location like that, and followed the voice.
"Hello? Who are you?" Mikael called ahead, just making out a figure at the base of a cliff, kneeling over something.
Kitty, however, had dropped to all fours and easily outran Mikael. | | | Kitty couldn't help but notice that it lay directly below their campsite above and feared the worst.
As they approached, the figure resolved into a small Khajiit in a hooded robe. "She lives. She sleeps but will not awaken," she called as they realized that it was Ubergard's body laying on the ground before her. A nasty red stain under her head revealed the seriousness of her injury and Kitty choked back tears as she ran to her friend.
"I gave health potion to her, but it is not enough," the stranger said to Mikael. "She lay here long before I found her. Ubergod is very large."
"Uber_gard_," Kitty corrected, "and thank you, stranger."
"To help life is the duty of all, but I have not much potion nor experience. I gave her all." | | | By this time Kitty had retrieved her own vial and managed to get some more down Ubergard's throat. While the magical potion did seem to restore her vitality somewhat, the big Argonian remained unconscious. Mikael tenderly lifted her head, then set it back down.
"Is it bad?" Kitty asked Mikael, not knowing what else to do.
"It's not good. I'm no doctor, but if she survives, she'll have a nasty scar at the very least. I'm going to rig up a stretcher and we will carry her to Morthal. There's not much else I can do here. The health potion has stopped the bleeding. I'd get a blanket, but it feels like her armor is keeping her warm so that shouldn't be a problem," Mikael replied. "I'll go get some leather and poles from the tent and pack up the rest. You stay here and watch over her. And give her some water if you can. She's bound to be dehydrated from the loss of all that blood. I'll be back as quick as I can." | | | With that, Mikael left and Kitty composed herself. "This is not a time to go all blubbery. Think Kitty!" Then she looked up at the stranger. "Thank you again. You probably saved her life. I have no right to ask, but do you think you could help us move her?"
"I would be honored to help Ubergod, friend Khajiit. Ubergod is not going to be easy to move if she does not awaken. She is very large. But to me she is Ubergod. I will help."
Kitty noticed the odd phrasing, and concluded the Khajiit must not be from around here, yet also did not speak in the standard Khajiit manner.
"Thank you, friend Khajiit. My name is Kitty. Would you tell me yours?"
"My name is Gahilfa but you should call me Helfer. That is my name for you to use," the strange Khajiit replied. "Kitty?"
Kitty turned to her fellow Khajiit, "Yes?"
"Kitty, Helfer is not stupid. I don't know your speech. I don't talk much. But Helfer is not stupid. Remember please."
Kitty nodded and turned back to Ubergard. | | | Kitty began to straighten out Ubergard so that she could be lifted onto the stretcher after she got Ubergard to drink some water, though the swallowing was obviously just reflexive. It did not appear that Ubergard would be waking up anytime soon.
Suddenly she felt an odd sensation along her flank. Turning, she saw that Helfer was stroking her. Looking up, the stranger said, "This is unusual cloth. It is much smooth. It makes me like you. I like Ubergod clothes too. I like them very much."
Kitty was a bit confused. "Do you... do you want my clothes as payment? I have other clothes. I would give you this if you want it."
At that, Helfer pulled away. "Oh no! No payment for Helfer. I only like it. I like it very much. Maybe another payment, later. Payment in love from Ubergod. She is very large. We must make her well." | | | Kitty nodded at this strange response, not quite sure of what to make of her. But by then Mikael had returned with the improvised stretcher and had packed the campsite into his inventory.
The three struggled somewhat to bring the stricken Argonian down the side of the mountain, but Helfer did well and was surprisingly strong given her size. Fortunately Morthal was near and within the hour they had reached the town.
Mikael knew the barkeeper, Jonna, at the tavern known as The Moorside Inn. With her cajoling of some local patrons of the bar, they soon had Ubergard resting comfortably in one of the rooms. | | | "So, now you travel with Argonians and Khajiit eh, Mikael?" the dark-skinned Redguard asked.
"I travel with anyone who desires my company, Jonna. You should know that."
"Oh, I do! Myself included once upon a time. But it's good to see you again. Traveling to Solitude?"
"Yes. My annual pilgrimage."
"So, what happened?"
"We were camping in the mountains on our way here. Apparently Ubergard went out at night and fell over a cliff somehow. That's the best we can figure. The other Khajiit, Helfer, she's not really with us. But she found Ubergard and helped us bring her here. She saved Ubergard's life with some healing potion. Other than that, we really don't know anything about her." | | | "She's an odd one, but we have seen her around. No one's talked to her before though. I think she came from somewhere to the west, but that could just be a rumor. And Kitty? Is that the 'Kitty' we've heard about from Whiterun? The one with the castle?"
"Oh, you've heard of her up here?"
"Just gossip. But don't worry, the gossip is good. Something about finding a chest of gold and getting rich gives people hope. She'll be welcome in Morthal. Say, are you two...?"
Mikael smiled. "Are we what?" he asked, daring her to say it.
The Redguard frowned. "Alright, if you insist! Are you fucking her?"
"Nonsense!" Mikael replied. "I'm standing here talking to you!" | | | "Ok, ok. If you don't want to say, then don't. None of my business anyway. Though I must admit, for a furry, she's kinda cute."
Mikael turned to look at his lover, sitting in the room nearby with Helfer and Ubergard. "Yes. She is, isn't she? For a furry."
Jonna smiled. She was no dolt when it came to people, and she now knew all she needed to about Mikael and Kitty's relationship from his expression when he looked at her. "Too bad," she said.
Mikael turned back to her. "Yes. Ubergard is a good friend. I do hope she'll be alright."
"Oh, I didn't mean that. You're going to have a tough time, Mikael." | | | "You and Kitty. Even if people come to accept her, they're going to have a tough time accepting your relationship."
Mikael looked at Jonna directly. "You might be surprised. Have you heard the Jarl is dating an Argonian?"
Jonna conceded. "Good point. Maybe around Whiterun anyway, you'll be accepted. But it's still going to be tough. It's hard enough when you are the same species. But I wish you luck."
"Thanks Jonna. So you think..."
"Definitely. You won't leave her. I see it in your eyes."
Mikael sighed. "I suppose you're right." | | | "Still, you're not married yet! You know where my room is. You can always drop in for a quickie if you want. It'll be like old times!"
Mikael smiled slyly at the woman. "Sorry Jonna, not enough fur."
At that, she slapped him firmly but with a smile and they both laughed, causing Kitty to look back at him through the door in curiosity. Next to her, Ubergard began to groan... | |