Chapter One

The white-furred Khajiit crossed the bridge over the river, leaning against the top and musing about the last time she was here, her bright green eyes focusing on her reflection in the water. "Dar'Mora?" she heard someone call, looking up and seeing a young girl run towards her. "Hrefna..." the feline breathed, walking over towards her and chuckling as she hugged her waist. Dar'Mora smiled gently, looking up as a Nord woman came over, blinking in surprise. "How...?" she began. "We saw you get taken by the Imperials."

The Khajiit patted the girl's head as she let go, walking over. "It's...quite the tale. Annekke," she replied, moving towards the fire pit. "I was hoping my gear was still here to be honest-plus I wanted to make sure everyone was all right."

"We still have it." Annekke said, sitting down next to her. Dar' sighed, telling them about Helgen and how she was nearly killed before a dragon stopped it along with fleeing the place before staring into the fire, remembering when she first woke up at Darkwater Crossing.

-*Flashback*-

She groaned, opening her eyes and looking around, noticing the young girl next to her bed. "You're awake." She said. "The others were getting worried. I'm Hrefna."

"I am called Dar'Mora." Was the reply; she had been in Skyrim most of her life-having grown up on a secluded farm in the vicinity of Whiterun. Her parents had been more learned than most and had taught her well, though she had a habit of every once in a while slipping into Ta'agra-the language of her kind. The Khajiit looked down, seeing bandages around her chest through the neck of the tunic she currently had on and feeling another around her head, trying to remember what happened. "You staggered in here about a week ago," a male's voice said from the door, a Nord walking over and seeing her reaction. "It's all right-I'm Verner Rock-Chucker. Welcome to my home."

"Why are you being kind? Most Nords would be slinging insults by now."

"We actually rely on the generosity of the Khajiit caravans for supplies, so we are more tolerant than most. Do you remember anything?"

Dar' looked down, thinking. "All I remember was a blue-furred Khajiit and blinding pain." She admitted. "I don't even recall making it here." She looked up at him. "I will repay your kindness Verner-you did not have to help me."

He chuckled, going to the pot over the fire and ladling out some stew, bringing it over and watching her eat as he took the chair the girl had just gotten out of, the Khajiit watching the young one leave as she ate in silence. "You are different than most Dar'Mora," her host said finally. "Might I ask the reason?"

"I grew up in your land-the closest town to our farm was Whiterun, and even then that was a ways off." She set the empty bowl on the table. "When my parents returned to Elsweyr, I remained-I really have no memory of the place since leaving there when very young-Skyrim is my homeland now." She gestured to her nearby pack, an Amulet of Kynareth hanging from it. "There is some meat in there you are welcome to-and I can hunt and fish to help out."

There was movement at the door, a Nord woman coming in as looking at them. "She's awake I see." She said, Verner smiling. "Dar'Mora, this is my wife Annekke. Love, this is Dar'Mora."

"Kotu'sekil jer pana naba ja'fith." Dar'Mora said, seeing the looks she was getting. "Forgive me, old habit. It's kind of a blessing-it's Ta'agra for 'may your home be warm.'"

Annekke smiled at her. "I thank you for your words Dar'Mora." She gave her husband a look and watched him turn away to give them some privacy before raising the tunic she was wearing and removing the wrappings. "You're lucky the wounds weren't deep-they're healing nicely." She carefully cleaned them before lowering the tunic, holding out some clothing. "Head down to the pool behind the house and get washed up-you look like you could use it."

The Khajiit got up slowly, taking the clothing before heading out, going behind the house and to the pool, removing what she was wearing after setting the clean stuff down and washing herself after removing her hair from its braid. She looked at her reflection, seeing the scar on her chest where she had been slashed and touched it gently, feeling the one on her head and remembering the flash of an ebony blade, shrugging, tending to her hair. She got out and shook herself, pulling on the clothing before washing the tunic she had worn, bringing it back and hanging it up to dry before heading in, grabbing her brush from her bag and tending to her tail and hair before pulling out her coin purse, opening it and taking out about 30 Septims, handing them to Annekke. "Please, accept this for what you have done for me." She said, watching the woman stare. "It means that much to you, doesn't it?" the Nord intoned, watching her slip a pair of boots on her feet and braid her hair before grabbing a pickaxe, heading for the mine.

She had remained for two weeks before something happened, two groups of soldiers clashing in the area. Dar' had just come out of the mine and dropped her load, running for Hrefna who was cowering by one of the tents and lifting her up, carrying her to the house. Just as she set her down and turned, she had been struck in the head, getting knocked unconscious, waking later in a cart with three other people.

-*End Flashback*-

The Khajiit shook herself, realizing she had fallen silent and continued her story after apologizing. "So after I left Riverwood, I headed out this way." She looked ruefully at the furs she was wearing that had come from a bandit. "I would rather not spend coin on gear if I don't have to-plus some of what I had were from my parents, like my bow and my pendant."

"Head into the house," a male's voice said, Verner walking over to join them. "It's all there waiting-just oiled the pieces today."

Dar' got up and headed inside, returning after a few minutes in her leather and chain armor, hood and cloak, slipping her backpack on her back and shouldering her bow and quiver before sitting down. "That feels so much better than what I was wearing earlier-bandits do not take care of their clothing. Plus, having fur myself..."

Annekke chuckled, handing her some cooked salmon and watching her eat. "So where are you heading now?" she asked, watching her.

"I'm heading toward Riften currently," came the reply. "I get the feeling there's something there I need to see."

"Might I ask why you have an Amulet of Kynareth on your pack?" the male Nord asked. "Don't see many of those."

"I've been close to Her most of my life." She explained. "I revere Her and ask for Her blessing so that my hunts will be fruitful."

She saw him nod, knowing he most likely followed Talos himself like most Nords as there was the sound of footsteps, a group of four Khajiit making their way into the firelight as the Nord woman glanced over. "Welcome Ahkari." She said, the dark-furred feline smiling as they sat down. "This one thanks you Annekke," was the reply as she looked at Dar'. "And who might this be?"

"I am Dar'Mora." She said, getting introduced to Kharjo, Dro'marash and Zaynabi. "I have to ask my friends," Annekke said after a while. "Would you mind terribly if Dar' accompanied your group over to Riften? She's heading that way herself."

The group looked at her, sizing her up before talking with each other. "She is welcome to." Zaynabi replied. "No offense to your homeland, but Skyrim really is no place for a single Khajiit to travel alone."

Ahkari came closer, gently lowering Dar's hood and studying her markings. "I know of this one-she is Do'Zhiir and Dar'arji's daughter."

"You know of my parents?" she asked, looking at the black-furred woman in shock. "Do they still live?"

"They do." Came the reply as she rummaged in a bag. "They hoped we would come across you-here, this is where they are now."

She held out a folded letter, watching the young one take it and open it before reading, carefully tucking it in her pack when done. "Thank you." She said softly. "I grew up here in Skyrim, but it never hurts to travel with others."

Verner bartered with the group for a bit before they started out, Dar' hugging Hrefna and thanking Verner and Annekke before following the Khajiit and falling into talk with her companions, finding that her parents had a new farm and were doing well. Kharjo asked her about growing up in Skyrim, the female Khajiit relating some of her stories, remembering fondly going to the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun when they went there to sell their produce and her first visit to the building.

-*Flashback*-

Dar'Mora wandered up the steps, staring up at the tree and thinking how sad it looked before slipping into the building behind it, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light before looking around, a Nord priestess coming over to her. "What brings you here young one?" she asked kindly, watching her back away. "I-I am sorry..." the Khajiit stammered. "I did not mean to offend-I was just wondering..." She bowed. "I shall go-forgive me."

She turned, feeling a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Nonsense." Came the reply. "This is the Temple of Kynareth-you are welcome here young lady."

Dar' looked up at the woman, trembling a little as she thought for a moment. "To the Khajiit, we know her as Khenarthi-the Goddess of the Winds." She said, pride showing in her eyes as she remembered her lessons. "Forgive me, I am Dar'Mora."

"Danica Pure-Spring...I am the priestess here." She led the girl over to a bench, sitting next to her. "To us, She is the Goddess of the air, wind and sky, along with storms. Some see Her as a Goddess of the Hunt as it is said She created animals."

"Father says to respect your prey-that they die so that we can live."

"Your father is wise Dar'Mora, and he is right. There is a difference between being a hunter and a simple killer of animals and that is the respect a hunter shows their prey. Remember this when you hunt and Kynareth will guide you well."

The pair chatted for an hour before the door opened, a pair of Khajiit coming in. "There you are Dar'Mora," the male said, looking at the Nord. "I apologize if she was any trouble."

"Not at all." Danica replied. "You must be her wise father who has taught her to respect the prey she hunts. I am Danica."

"I am Do'Zhiir," he said. "And this is Dar'arji." He looked around the temple before taking out 15 Septims and handing them to the woman. "For your temple-and for watching over our daughter."

"She is welcome to return-I can see that she is close to whom we follow here."

Dar'arji chuckled. "We know of who Kynareth is Danica, and we believe you are right." She hugged her daughter. "We'll be back in a couple months and shall send her up if that's all right."

The Nord nodded, watching the family leave. "An interesting child, don't you think?" she asked the other priest who had just entered with a basket of produce.

"She is...different than most," Acolyte Jenssen replied, coming over. "The fact she thought she was in the wrong-I would say she had never been here before. That must be the family who has that lone farm halfway between here and Rorikstead." He held up the basket. "This is from their fields-they were looking for her as I was buying a few things so I mentioned she was here."

-*End Flashback*-

Dar'Mora had made a habit of returning to the temple whenever they came, giving half the money she got selling the pelts from her hunts to them to honor the Goddess and to thank Her for making her hunts bountiful. It had been a good 5 years since she had been back however, the Khajiit making a mental note to stop in when she went to Whiterun to talk with the Jarl. The group finally reached Riften and she parted ways after promising Kharjo that she would see about locating his Moon Amulet-touching the one she wore shaped like Kynareth's symbol her parents had given her. She entered the city, heading for the Bee and Barb to relax and try to figure out why she had felt drawn here. The Argonian woman looked at her as she dropped her hood before handing her a note, explaining that it had been given to her by another Khajiit that had described her markings and eyes exactly.

Dar' set down some coin before getting to her feet, heading outside and listening to the wind as a male Nord approached her. She told him she would talk to him later before heading for the Keep, allowing her feet to carry her where she needed to go and entering the jail. She slipped past the guards, finding a blue-furred Khajiit in one cell and picking the lock before entering, touching his shoulder and watching him stare up at her. "Thank the gods you've come!" he cried. "I can bare the guilt no longer!"

She stared as he explained how he knew her, bits and pieces of what had happened before she woke up at Darkwater Crossing coming back to her. "My memory's still a bit fuzzy," she said finally. "But it seems to me you owe me. Why not fight beside me to pay off your debt?"

The male, named Inigo, blinked at her words, seeming a bit in shock that she would say such a thing. He had been prepared to die for his actions and in no way had this thought come through his mind. "I will fight with you and if need be die defending you." He replied, accepting the clothing she offered him and slipping it on before they snuck out of the jail. Dar' spent some gold at the blacksmith for a suit of ebony armor, getting a hood and cloak for him too and waiting as he got changed, the pair leaving Riften and heading towards Whiterun.

(A.N.: Just something I've been working on. The story's AU as some things would be a little out-of-character for certain NPCS. Only things that are mine is the Khajiit Dar'Mora and her parents)