A/N: I am having way too much fun with these two. Also this is kind of a sequel to Startling Consequences.
He had done it again. Except instead of birds startling him, it was an Orlesian noble that either didn't know about the rule of quiet in a library or he didn't care. Dorian was going to have him thrown off the battlements once he returned to his normal human self. As of now, he was trying to adjust to being on four legs while simultaneously ignoring Elisa's displeased glare she was pointedly giving him. Not only had he turned her into a cat, he was affected by his haywire magic as well. If not for the younger's glare, he would have been worried that he had turned her into a babe again, what with her form being that of a very young kitten. Dorian adored his adopted little sister, but his magic seemed to take the little part quite literally.
Now they were both in feline form and no one had been around to witness the mage's second mishap. He was both pleased and frustrated at the thought. Frustrated mostly because no one knew to help them. Dorian would have to find someone to help since he could do nothing as a cat.
With a huff, he makes his way over to and down the stairs with Elisa close behind, hoping that maybe Solas would see them and put two and two together. Except the elf was not in the rotunda. Just the Orlesian noble that was not paying attention to where he was walking and succeeding in stepping on one of Elisa's paws. She yowls painfully and Dorian stands over her to hiss at the noble before instinctually picking up the younger by her scruff and running off toward the tavern. Not even five minutes and they were already being stepped on. He was sure that the Orlesian would have kicked Elisa across the room from the disgusted look on his face, but Dorian didn't give him a chance. Until the spell wore off or he managed to find help, his future consisted of carrying Elisa everywhere so she was in less danger of being stepped on.
The feline mage carefully weaves his way through other nobles in the Great Hall, some looking down to them curiously, down the steps, and past the training ring to finally arrive at the mercifully open door of the tavern. He had hoped that Cole was in his usual spot upstairs since the spirit would be the only one to know Dorian and Elisa were not what they seemed, and when Dorian climbed all the way up to the boy's usual haunt carrying Elisa, he was glad to find Cole. He was even happier when the spirit's initial confusion turned into understanding as he crouched in front of them.
"He was rude. Startled and afraid…and he hurt her." Cole gently pats Dorian's head, much to his humiliation, and the mage gently drops his burden on the ground. "Stay here. I will go find the Inquisitor." With that, he was gone and Elisa licks her bruised paw a few times before testing it on the ground. When she makes no noise of discomfort, Dorian gently bumps her head with his and hoped his apology and concern was understood. Cole's spot on the third floor was fairly safe considering it saw very little foot traffic and they would not be stepped on. The consideration was enough for Dorian to lie down, relax, and lazily watch the younger wander the floor while keeping away from the railing. Despite Elisa's earlier annoyance, she seemed unconcerned about their dilemma. The mage liked to think that she believed he would get them out of their mess, or the spell would eventually wear off like before.
A few more moments of quiet pass, the tavern being mostly empty in the early afternoon, and then Cole reappeared near them with only a flick of Dorian's ear to show that the mage noticed him. "He will be here soon. He seemed happy when I told him you were a cat."
Dorian huffs loudly at Cole's words. Of course Nolan would be amused.
Wooden stairs groaning under the weight of climbing feet minutes later alerts the trio to the approaching Inquisitor and the man stops at the top when he spots the spirit and his two feline friends. He regards them momentarily…
…and then laughs. Dorian's fur stands on end in offense and Nolan doubles over from laughing even harder at his lover's reaction. Nolan wipes his eyes after a few more minutes and gently picks up the feline duo once Elisa rejoins them and thanks Cole before making his way back to his room.
"I'm sorry Dorian. You have to admit though that you would laugh if it were me or anyone else." The Inquisitor strides through the Great Hall as confidently as one can with an armful of cats, only getting a few more curious glances than Dorian had gotten earlier, and makes his way into his quarters. Once at the top of the stairs, he walks over to his bed and carefully deposits the two black cats onto his bed, to which Dorian quickly takes his place on one of the man's pillows and gives him a knowing look. He was going to be sure that his bed was covered in fur just for laughing at them. Nolan folds his arms at the mage's petty revenge, and then sighs when Elisa seems to catch on, rolls all over the second pillow, and then joins Dorian on his with a triumphant mewl.
"You are a bad influence on her."
Dorian ignores him as he eyes the fur standing askew on a tiny head, and before he even realizes what he is doing, he begins grooming the younger who purrs at the attention. Every bit of human in him was smacking his forehead, but the very strong feline instincts he was experiencing could care less. Perhaps if it had been anyone else besides Elisa, he might not have even humored the idea, but it was and his feline instinct was probably associating with his fraternal instinct. Nolan was also the only other person around and although he and the inner circle were aware of the deep bond Dorian and Elisa shared, the Inquisitor would not question it.
"You are aware that Vivienne and Solas are not in Skyhold right now…right?" Dorian stops mid-lick and looks up at his lover with a sigh. Well at least a sigh was intended, but Nolan seemed to understand. "Will it wear off like last time?" Dorian attempts a nod. He was almost certain it would and right now that was their only hope of turning back to normal since he did not trust the apostates to try their hand at some attempts. "Then we wait. You two should stay with me in case you need something. I'd hate to think of what would happen if you got locked in your own room." Dorian purrs his agreement and resumes his task of grooming his half-asleep sister, even as she does finally give in to sleep and face plants into the pillow, much to his amusement. It was how his spent the next few hours while Nolan sat at his desk to do some work. At least part of it. He also took a couple of cat naps, and when Elisa finally woke up, he endured her game of pouncing on his tail. If it kept her even mildly entertained, he would swish his tail away as she pounced as long as she pleased. It was how the advisors found them later that evening. All three looked rather worried as they approached Nolan at his desk who looks up at them with concern.
"Why do you look as if someone died?"
Josephine opens and closes her mouth a few times as she shares a look with Leliana and Cullen. "Who have you sent out for missions or allowed personal time away from Skyhold?"
Nolan raises an eyebrow. "Just Solas and Vivienne. Why do you ask?"
This time Leliana answers. "Dorian and Lady Umbra are missing. No one has seen them since this morning."
The Inquisitor glances behind them and watches Elisa nearly tumble off his bed as Dorian jumps to her aid and catch her by her scruff. "Oh."
Cullen stares at Nolan in disbelief as Dorian drops Elisa back in the middle of the bed and the kitten returns to her pouncing game. The mage was half expecting the Commander's eyes to pop out of his head the way he was looking at Nolan. He had half a mind to laugh (at least he would if he could) but he was more curious to see how far Nolan would take their supposed disappearance. Elisa was too enthralled by her new game of chewing on Dorian's ear to care, and the mage began to wonder if the girl really was nineteen as he attempted to swat her away in warning.
"With all due respect Inquisitor, two of our allies are missing and all you can say is 'oh'?" Cullen rubs his temples.
Nolan just smiles and Dorian really did want to laugh at his next words. "Have you checked the bathhouse? The Herald's Rest? Or maybe even their room?"
The four current humans continue their conversation as Dorian periodically swats Elisa when she gets too rough, and only when she begins to tire and plops down against the elder cat to receive more grooming from him, does Leliana notice their presence. Dorian ignores the Spymaster as she narrows her eyes in observation, and after a few moments, her eyebrows fly up in realization and she promptly turns toward Nolan and points at him, cutting Josephine off.
"You know exactly where they are!"
Josephine gawks and Cullen sputters when their leader's smile grows wider. "Yes."
The Ambassador and Commander watch as Leliana turns back toward the bed and she walks over to the bed and sits on the edge before reaching out and gently scratching Elisa's head. Dorian stops his grooming and waits patiently, knowing the woman was only stalling so Cullen and Josephine would squirm in anticipation.
"It was that Orlesian wasn't it? I'll have Josie send him home. He spooked my ravens as well."
Dorian places a paw on top of her hand to show her gratitude and nuzzles Elisa as she once again begins to face plant into the bed after Leliana pulls her hand away. It didn't take much for Josephine and Cullen to come to the same conclusion that Leliana did and the Antivan Ambassador giggles.
"You make quite the handsome cat Lord Pavus."
Cullen sighs. "I want to know why Lady Umbra is a kitten. As far as I know, she is not a child."
"Admit it. You think she is cute."
The ex-Templar blushes bright red and leaves the room without another word, and the two women follow him to continue their verbal assault. Dorian had to remember to send them gifts for teasing the Commander when he could not. He rather missed doing so. Nolan stands from his desk and after changing into loose sleeping clothes, slips under the covers, and gently scratches Dorian's head. The elder cat purrs and briefly thinks about the fennec that was probably waiting patiently in the mage's room for one or both of them to come back, and now knowing how Kit felt when he scratched the furball's head. It was more pleasant than he thought.
Dorian falls asleep to Nolan's gentle ministrations, and the next morning was pleased to find out that the spell had worn off overnight. He woke to find Nolan and Elisa still sleeping, the youngest dozing between the two men, and noting that he and his sister were back to their human selves before closing his eyes when his lover unconsciously begins to scratch his head again.
Far be it from him to stop the man.