This is very silly but a while ago I got randomly inspired by this repeating NPC encounter in Telvanni Peninsula and wrote this little thing lmao
(my condolences to fendar you are now a crybaby — but you live this time, so surely it's a win! yay!)
The massive beast does look quite peaceful, sleeping all curled up like that, Humus has to admit. That applies to most creatures, however, and the bosmer is not at all convinced about his and his new researcher friend's safety. He glances back and is relieved to see that his imgakin companion has found a relatively safe perch atop the small rocky hill beside them. Even the little monkey knows better.
The researcher — Fendar — next to him keeps rambling on about the wamasu, making it increasingly clear that while most of his information on the species is true, Fendar's thinking is very heavily influenced by his own desire to one day befriend such a beast.
Suddenly Humus feels a prickle on the back of his neck and he snaps his gaze back to the wamasu. It's staring right at him, almost through him, its slit-pupil eyes wide open and aware.
It still hasn't moved yet, but then Fendar notices it woke up.
"Oh, hello there! My, how beautiful you are," the dunmer sighs and takes a step closer. The wamasu rolls its shoulders, shaking off the last dregs of sleep and slowly stands up. It's clearly confused about the two mer standing so close to it, apparently unafraid, but Humus sees how its muscles tense under thick scales as it digs its claws into the dirt.
"Fendar—"
"You're a gentle beast, aren't you?" the researcher coos, ignoring the attempted warning. "Breathtaking. Oh, my friend, isn't this just marvellous?"
Fendar is smiling so wide and so happy but as soon as he turns to look at Humus and takes his eyes off the beast, it pulls its head back to draw a breath.
Humus doesn't speak, doesn't think, just lunges at Fendar to tackle him to the ground and not a second too late. Humus feels the crackling heat of the wamasu's blast on his back as they tumble down to the edge of the water. There's no time to spare the other mer's feelings, which is unfortunate, but dying wasn't in Humus' plans for today and he doubts it's in Fendar's either.
As soon as he gets his knees under him on the muddy pier, he draws an arrow as he turns to face the giant lizard. Fortunately it didn't follow after them and is instead charging another blast of lightning, which gives Humus just enough time to aim and shoot. It's a clean shot through the beast's throat and its garbled roar hurts — it's not dead yet, and Humus readies another arrow but before he can let it loose, another kind of roar reverberates in his bones as his bear companion returns. He leaps over him and poor dazed Fendar, going straight for the wamasu's injured throat.
There's a crunch, and a snap, and the fight is over almost as soon as it began. The lizard's body hits the ground, unmoving.
"G-good job, Pup," Humus stutters gratefully, stowing his bow with shaking hands. He takes a deep breath and sits back on the ground. The bear, massive in his own right, looks mighty happy with himself as he lumbers to Humus' side and nuzzles his shoulder.
Fendar sits up. His hair a mess, face pale, eyes wide from the realisation that he's still alive—
"'Pup'. Did you… Did you name your bear Puppy?"
Humus looks up at him, sees the glazed eyes of a dunmer that only barely avoided being turned to literal ash, and it takes a moment for him to register what was asked.
"I, uh. Yes, kind of? I never really chose a name for him and that one just, I don't know. Stuck."
Fendar stares at him for what feels like minutes, then turns his gaze to his hands resting in his lap. His lip wobbles.
"Haha. Oh, Gods. That is so funny."
He buries his face in his hands and bursts into tears.
