A number of scenes involving Sabhya and Blossom have been in my mind ever since they first appeared in 'Manners' & 'Recreation,' and I finally decided to go ahead and write them up as a collection of drabbles & vignettes. In the highly unlikely event I ever settle in to write an actual story with, you know, Chapters and Length I can always patch these in at that time. Meanwhile this keeps the Muse fed.
Dragon Age belongs to BioWare. [kowtows to the overlords]
1. First Impressions
.o0o
Teagan rubbed his face as he watched the people of Redcliffe drift away from the Chantry steps, feeling the weight of the long night dragging at every muscle.
"How is it with you, Ser?" The Warden Sabhya spoke quietly. Teagan dropped his hand and smiled down at the little mage.
"Better than in many a night, and I thank you." He looked out across the village square, breathing deeply despite the pall of smoke and carnage. "We owe you and your companions more than we can ever repay."
As he waved off the Warden's deprecating protest, his gaze fell upon a massive shape enthusiastically worrying the remains of one of their late demonic undead adversaries.
"That must be your war-dog, yes? I've overheard numerous awestruck comments from the militia about the Warden's Mabari." The mage's face lit up.
"How very kind. Would you like to meet him?" When the Bann assented, Sabhya turned with a murmured, "Mind your ears, please," and, tightening his lips, whistled an astonishingly piercing blast.
The dog's head shot up in response, ripping off the corpse's leg in the process. He trotted toward the Chantry steps where his master and Teagan stood, absently bringing his prize along with the foot bouncing in the dust as though kicking in protest at the undignified treatment. The noble's eyes widened as the animal approached to sit alertly before them.
In a breed famous for size and power, this dog was simply monstrous. Next to the Warden, who barely topped 5', he looked like a pony. Assuming ponies would ever be gripping dismembered body parts in their jaws.
Moreover, despite Teagan's Mabari-mad Ferelden noble's bias, this was frankly the ugliest dog he had ever seen in his life. The coat, a muddy brindle overlaid with a network of white scars, grew randomly in every direction, the resulting patchy grain having the appearance of an overused, moth-eaten doormat. The tail was easily double the standard length, and actually seemed to be thicker at the tip than the base: a club rather than the proper stub. The jaw was under slung, the upper lip rubbed bald where a fang customarily protruded. Either from birth or from injury one ear was deformed so that it was half the size of the other, and it was difficult to discern between wrinkles and scars on the face. Indeed, it was a testament to the dog's toughness that he had survived what were clearly some horrendous injuries, but still...he looked like a fist with eyes and teeth. And those eyes...One was a baleful yellow; the other blue. Not the stylish china blue Teagan had seen in some wolf hybrids, but a milky grey-blue that put one in mind of cataracts and corpses.
"My friend," Sabhya was addressing his dog, "this is Bann Teagan Guerrin." The Mabari glanced at him and back at the mage. "Ser, this is my dear friend Blossom." Teagan's eyebrows shot up and he turned with incredulous amusement to the Warden.
"Blossom?"
"Blossom," Sabhya confirmed, stroking the animal's head and smiling affectionately at his friend. The undead's boot, accompanied by a significant amount of decomposed flesh, slid off the leg with a slurping noise.
Shaking his head with a grin, Teagan turned back to meet the dog's unblinking stare. His grin froze.
Blossom held his gaze and, with no apparent effort, slowly bit completely through the leather clad femur in his mouth. The ends dropped with a thump and a splat, respectively.
Teagan swallowed.
So did Blossom.
Then he broke into a big, doggie grin and made a dart at Sabhya's face, thumping his clubbed tail and uttering a noise somewhere between a sneeze and a smoker's cough.
"Er. Take-" Teagan paused and cleared his throat to ensure he would not sound quite so much like a six year old girl. "Take some time." Much better. "When you're ready, meet me at the windmill. We have much to discuss."
Acknowledging the Warden's thanks and courteous farewell, Teagan strode up the hill, musing as he went.
"And whatever is in the castle thinks it commands demons..."
