I wake up feeling sore and achey all over. It's also freezing cold...and I'm stark naked, only covered up by a thin blanket. 

"Are you awake now?" I hear Aela's voice and I let out a groan in response. "I was starting to think you might not come back. Yours was not an easy transformation but you're alive, so congratulations,"

"Thanks, I think," I mutter and I try to wrap the blanket around me tighter. How long have I been out?

"We even have a celebration planned for you. There's a pack of werewolf hunters camped nearby, at Gallows Rock. The Silver Hand...I think you've met them before. We're going to slaughter them, all of them. Skjor's already scouting ahead,"

"Where's my stuff?"

Aela points to a chest that's near our makeshift camp. I slip into my armour gratefully and I sheathe my weapons. I still feel incredibly dizzy and I stand up shakily, only to stumble forward.

"You'll get used to this. Oh, and Eorland fixed up your armour for you and sharped your blades. Perfect for our little trip tonight," Aela assures me. 

I make a mental note to thank Eorland and I follow after Aela, trying to keep my balance. My sense have heightened dramatically and I can hear the snow touching the ground as it falls, Aela's steady breathing and I can even just about make out the smell of our prey up ahead. It's a strange feeling, but if this is the price I have to pay for being part of the Circle then so be it. 

We get to the little fortress and Aela gestures for me to duck down while she snipes out the archers. I charge on the remaining ones and swiftly put an end to them. Skjor wasn't lying when he said this would make me stronger. 

Once we've taken care of the ones outside, we progress inside. The first room is small with a few ruined books and a sealed gate. 

"I'll find the lever," I volunteer.

"Cowards must have locked the place down after Skjor charged in. You can taste the fear," Aela observes. I find a chain and I pull it, the iron gate opening shortly after. The two of us go through a corridor and there's a dead werewolf in the second chamber. The room reeks of death and fear. 

"What happened here!?" I gasp. 

Aela frowns. "Not sure...this is nobody we know, by the smell. Some can't separate the animal from themselves. Go feral. This poor sod could have been anyone. We should keep moving,"

We make our way through the underground fortress, killing the Silver Hand as we go along. They don't offer much of a fight and are embarrassingly easy to kill. In the next chamber we get to there are more cells with even more dead werewolves. There are also a few torture racks around...they definitely didn't die quickly and painlessly. They've also been dead for quite a while. 

"Do you think Skjor is okay?" I ask Aela, genuinely feeling worried.

She doesn't acknowledge my question, making me feel even more nervous. "Nothing we can do for these ones now. Don't even want to think about what those cretins did to them before they died," she looks up and frowns, tightening her grip on her bow. "We're getting close now. Be careful, their leader is a tricky one. They call her The Skinner. I don't think I need to tell you why,"

Definitely not, I think to myself. 

We push on and continue eliminating the Silver Hands. They become easy prey, seeing as Aela never misses her target and my own weapons are deadly. We make an excellent team together. I try very hard to ignore a strange feeling growing inside of me, a feeling of wanting to transform and go on a rampage. Must be the beast blood combined with my dragon soul. 

Suddenly, we find ourselves in a large and open room. There are three people in there, including the woman who I presume is The Skinner. The three of them launch at us and I barely have time to retaliate with my own weapons. I swipe at The Skinner with my axe and she jumps back, narrowly avoiding me. Aela works on taking care of the two associates. 

"Come at me, little pup," The Skinner sneers. She reminds me of Njada. 

I leap forward and I aim for her head, instead catching her on her shoulder. She bellows in pain and swings her battlaxe at me. I just about dodge her and Aela fires an arrow to her head. 

"Nice shot," I grin at her. 

Aela looks around the room, calling Skjor's name. I loot for some gold and I retrieve Aela's arrows for her. I come across a few potions too, which will be useful.

"Skylar!" Aela screams. My heart sinks at the sound of grief and terror in her voice and I rush over to where she is. 

In front of her is Skjor's dead body. 

"Oh my gods," I nearly drop my sword. Aela kneels down and holds Skjor's lifeless hand. I sheathe my weapons, sit next to Aela and I put my arm around her. She leans into me slightly. 

"The bastards...they managed to kill Skjor. He was one of the strongest we had, but numbers can overwhelm. He shouldn't have come here without a Shield-Sibling! Get out of here," her voice sounds indifferent and detached but I notice her trembling body and her eyes shine with tears that she's trying very hard to blink away. 

"Aela-"

"I'm going to make sure we got the last of them, and see if there's any information to be gotten from the bodies. You and I have work to do. The Silver Hand will tremble at our sight," she says angrily, tears spilling down her cheeks that she wipes away furiously. 

"I'll tell the others about Skjor," I try to sound gentle and comforting. I didn't really know Skjor that well, so I can't say his death is devastating me. But Aela is my friend and it hurts to see her like this. "Sister, if there's anything I can do for you please tell me,"

"Just leave me," Aela's voice cracks and she starts sobbing quietly.

"I understand," I give her a quick squeeze and stand up. "I'm here for you, sister,"

***

The walk back to Whiterun is unpleasant. It's a cold and crisp Sun's Dusk day and I try to walk quickly. Gallows Rock is in Eastmarch and I end up going past Windhelm. There are a few Stormcloak rebels trying to recruit people to their cause.

After a peace negotiation with the Empire and Stormcloaks (that I had the pleasure of attending), the Empire ambushed Ulfric and he's currently in their custody. In the meantime, Windhelm is being run by Ulfric's steward and things are apparently going to shits. 

"I'm not joining you!" I snap at the Stormcloaks. 

"But Dovahkiin!" the rebel exclaims. I can't be bothered to wonder about how he knows who I am. Most of Skyrim probably knows what I look like now. "We would be honoured to have someone as strong as you fight for us. Imagine, your Thu'um and Ulfric's-"

"Not interested," I stride along the road, ignoring his shouts. 

Once I reach the Windhelm stables, I pay for a carriage to take me to Whiterun. My joints and muscles are sore, my stomach is growling and my head hurts. I'm exhausted and absolutely dying for a rest. The carriage ride takes a little over an hour and when we finally get to the stables, I begin the short walk up to Jorrvaskr. Most people are inside, trying to avoid the bitter cold and winds. 

"Skylar! Where have you been?" Farkas yells when I get in. "You, Aela and Skjor have been missing all day!"

"Skjor is dead. He died fighting the Silver Hand," I announce regretfully. Everyone goes silent and Kodlak walks up to me, with a sad look. 

"Thank you for telling us. This is a day where our souls must cry, and our hearts will answer. Go. Grieve in whatever way you know," Kodlak says to everyone somberly. 

Grandfather returns to his study and I turn to face all of my grieving shield-siblings. Njada looks furious, Farkas crestfallen and Tilma and Ria are both crying. Athis and Torvar try to comfort them both. I have no idea where Vilkas is. He really ought to be here.

I sit down on my own, near Brill and Vignar's room, and Farkas joins me. "I don't know what to say anymore," Farkas says, his voice thick. "He was the one I looked up to. I need to find my brother,"

"I haven't seen him anywhere," I look down. 

"Well Kodlak told us about, you know..." Farkas says. "Vilkas then just left. He hasn't been back all day,"

I leave Farkas to grieve and I head down to the Gildergreen, finding its presence calming. I'm left along in peace until I hear heavy footsteps. I look up and I see Njada approaching me, and I groan inwardly. Not her. Anyone but her. 

"Whatever you have to say, I'm not interested," I say angrily. "I want to be alone,"

Njada sits next to me on the bench and I scoot away from her. "Someone needs to take Skjor's place in the Circle. Don't get in my way, Whitemane,"

"How did you-"

"I overhear things," Njada smiles nastily. So she did hear what I was saying to my grandfather yesterday. "You're an unbearable person, Skylar. You think that because you're the Dragonborn, Kodlak's kin and everyone's favourite person you'll rise up in the ranks before me? Think again. I'll be the new Circle member and if you try to get in my way, you'll be sorry,"

***

Aela returns to us a week later. She hasn't spoken to anyone or talked to anyone. All she does is shoot arrows and sit on the wall above the cliff, staring out onto the plains. Vilkas is still gone and Ria's been gone for a few days too. She's in Riften though, on personal business. She didn't really explain much more. Farkas hasn't been doing well this week either, he's become very nervous and jittery without his brother present. Torvar drinks more and not even Athis can control him. He's been getting into some trouble at The Bannered Mare and it won't be long until he finds himself in a jail cell.

Kodlak hasn't really spoken to me either. Everyone's kept their distance from each other and I often wonder how they'll all react to when Kodlak eventually announces that I'm the new Circle member and his granddaughter. Njada sounded almost insane when she was threatening me. She probably is. 

"Skylar,"

I look up and Aela jumps off the wall and walks over to me. She sits next to me on the porch and shakes the snow out of her hair. Nobody is out training and the ground is too slippery and it could be dangerous. 

"Everything alright?"

"Yes. Vilkas is on his way home after running some...errands. Errands that I'm sending you on now," Aela informs me. 

"What do you need me to do?" I ask her. 

"The Silver Hand have been scouring Skyrim for more pieces of Wuuthrad. One group has hidden out in Falkreath. Get it back, for the honour of us all,"

A/N:

Short chapter. Quick warning, the next chapter will mostly be a filler. But Chapter Ten will be worth it!

I have a cast list for this story and it's:

Skylar: Sophie Turner (I know she's way too tall to be Skylar, but her face matches her exactly how I imagined her)

Farkas: Sebastian Stan

Vilkas: Sebastian Stan

Aela: Rose Leslie

Kodlak: Jeffrey Bridges

Ria: Shay Mitchell

Njada: Emma Roberts

Skjor: Josh Holloway 

Athis: Alfie Allen

Marco: Dylan O'Brien

Eorland Greymane: Liam Cunningham