A/N: First chapter, takes place early in Act I.

Partners

They were just Lowtown thugs, but they had mabaris and there were more of them than Mal had expected. She waded into the battle, Peregrine snarling at her side. Maybe bringing Anders and Merrill and Fenris along as back up had been a bad idea after all. Merrill had already almost set her on fire, Anders had almost frozen her, and despite that Fenris had told her about being willing to follow along she maybe should have thought about the wisdom of bringing three people she barely knew as back up including one who hated mages. Even Carver would have been a better choice than this lot.

Ah well hindsight was crystal clear as her father had always said. At least Peregrine was on her side.

Another thug ran at her brandishing his sword, but a blur of silvery blue light darted between them, Fenris with his pig sticker. The sword was almost as big as he was. Mallory was impressed.

She threw herself back into the battle, a step behind Fenris, throwing fire and ice and lightning at the thugs surrounding him, destroying anyone that got too close, leaving the few that got past them for Merrill and Anders to deal with. The other mages weren't screaming for help so she assumed they were fine. Or too dead to scream.

Together, she and Fenris effortlessly cut through the thugs. This was nothing like fighting beside Carver or Aveline. This was so much more. So much better. They fought like they had been teammates for years instead of knowing each other for mere days. Where ever she needed Fenris to be he was and he never let any of them get within striking distance of her, even when they leapt out of the shadows from behind. Whenever he had too many on him she threw them back, cutting them down with the blade on her staff when necessary.

It was like fighting with her father again. The same smooth, easy movements. Perfectly in sync. Like a dance.

And when they all lay dead around them she grinned and looked at Fenris. He was watching her without expression.

"We make a pretty good team, don't we?" she said cheerfully, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"I suppose we do."

She stuck out a hand to him. "Partners then? If I promise to be good and keep my mage cooties to myself."

Fenris paused, then with an inscrutable look took her offered hand. "I suppose. For now."

Mal threw him a cocky grin and turned back to Anders and Merrill. "Let's go then you two! Plenty more where these came from I'm sure."

She strode into the night, Fenris at her heels.