Little Winged Riding Bull

Once upon a time, there was a dear bull named Morihaus who was beloved by all on Nirn.

But the one that loved him most of all was his mother Kyne. One day, the bull’s lover Alessia said to him. “Oh Morihaus, it has been long since you last visited your dear mother. Take this offering to her, and wish her well for me.”

So Morihaus set off to Aetherius to meet with his mother Kyne. Traveling through the Aether, Morihaus met the Daedric Prince of the Hunt, Hircine. Morihaus was not afraid of Hircine, because he knew the Prince was weakened from not being in his own plane.

“You are Kyne’s bull, are you not?” The Daedric Prince asked. Morihaus’ first thought was to ignore him, but decided instead to humor him with a response.

“That I am.” He snorted.

“I know of your deeds on Nirn, and know of your Rebellion. It is an interesting thing to me. The slaves you liberate are prey-turned-hunters. They are the lesser dogs to you, the Huntsman. It is also interesting to me to see you here now. So far from this Hunt that you and the Slave-Queen are staging. You know, it is not proper for a Huntsman to leave their Hun–”

The Bull interrupted Hircine with a wave of his hand and impatient snort. “I am here to speak with Kyne, not here to listen to one as vile as yourself. Begone, lest I gore you and return you to the Void.”

Hircine bowed respectfully to Morihaus. “Very well. Goodbye, Winged Bull.” And with those words, he left, and Morihaus huffed and continued on his way to Kyne.

What the bull did not realize was that he had given Hircine an opportunity. Morihaus did not yet know much of Hircine for he was an obscure prince at this time, and knew not of the hatred that Hircine harboured towards other divine spirits. And Kyne was perhaps the one that Hircine hated most, for her nature and beliefs were opposed to his own, and it was her faithful that hated Hircine’s creations most. So Hircine took the guise of Morihaus, and quickly made his way to Kyne, and approached her before the bull was able to. Kyne did not have time to realize that this figure was an imposter, because Hircine took the first window of opportunity to devour his nemesis. Once he devoured Kyne, he then took her appearance and waited for the Bull to come.

But Kyne, although now in Hircine’s belly, fought against him, making it difficult for the daedra to keep her face. So Hircine looked very peculiar indeed, a mix between wolf and bird, very large and terrifying, not much like Kyne at all. But Hircine was able to keep his meal down, and patiently waited for Morihaus to come, so he too could be eaten.

Morihaus then came, and was confused by the odd appearance of Kynareth, and he sensed something was wrong, though he could not put his hoof on why.

“Oh, mother. What big wings you have!” Morihaus said, looking at the great green wings of Kyne in confusion.

“All the better to help shield the races of man.” Kyne said.

“But mother, what a large fearsome beak you have!” Morihaus cried.

“All the better to peck those who seek to harm my children.” She responded.

“But mother, what is with those strange furry ears atop your head?” Morihaus asked.

“All the better to hear the prayers of my followers.” She replied.

“But mother, what large, scary talons you have.” He said.

“Yes, well, I tire of this. They’re large and scary because I am going to use them to rip you to shreds!” She screeched, and then used her talons to grab the Bull, so that she could then swallow him whole. And Hircine then took off the face of Kyne, for he was tired and wished to nap, and decided to nap right then and there.

The great Hunter’s snores echoed through Aetherius and were heard by none other than the Whitestrake, who felt there was something amiss. So the Whitestrake travelled to where Hircine was napping, and saw him in the place of Kyne. And the Whitestrake, who hated the daedra of Oblivion cut his belly open screaming about returning this foul abomination to the Waters. And from the cut his belly, out came Morihaus and Kyne, who embraced the Whitestrake and laughed as Hircine was sent back to the Void.