"Blasted damnation, whoever 'twas that decided that trees were meant to be climbed obviously never spent much time in trees," Morrigan muttered as the witch found herself next to Leliana up in a tree. She was not enjoying it. It had been the warden's idea and Morrigan had to agree that it was better for them to wait up in a tree and watch the demons underneath them pass rather than face the hundreds of darkspawn that they had encountered in the valley. They were good, almost ridiculously so, but even they had their limitations. But that was before it started raining. And hailing. And before the sunset. Morrigan was wet, tired, hungry and miserable. But the horde of darkspawn they had encountered trudged on underneath with no end of them in sight.

It was good that they hadn't brought Shale or Sten, the useless lump of rocks and the soulless qunari were even less built for trees. Morrigan wasn't happy about it, but at least the branch held for both her and the bard. The warden and Alistair who had climbed up in the other tree had seemingly fallen asleep once the rain had stopped. Morrigan didn't understand it. She had never understood the ability to fall asleep anywhere. Especially not when the exasperating attention seeker of a bard was pressed up against her. The bard in question were sitting way too close for Morrigan's liking and breathing calmly. If Morrigan didn't know better she would have thought that Leliana was actually more at peace in this damned tree than she had been on the ground.

"How many darkspawn do you think are down there?" Leliana whispered.

"There is no reason to make such futile guesses," the mage answered, "why don't you try to pray to that maker of yours? Maybe he can even strike the archdemon down for us, huh? Save us the trouble."

"Talk is cheap," Leliana said, "don't you think I notice how white your face is? You don't like trees."

"Trees are just trees, they just are what they are. There is nothing to like or dislike."

"Perhaps not," Leliana agreed, "but you don't like being up here. Is it the height I wonder? Or maybe…"

"Or maybe it would be wise for you to shut up now?" Morrigan snapped.

Leliana turned quiet and they resumed to just watching the darkspawn.

"I'm wet and miserable," Morrigan said after a little while, "don't take me being uncomfortable for fear, bard."

"Of course," Leliana said in a soft voice, "because you fear nothing."

Morrigan looked up in time to see a teasing smile and a pair of twinkling grey eyes. The bard was ridiculing her.

"Are you implying something?"

Leliana giggled softly.

"Oh nothing," she said, "I've just been observing you and…"

"The only thing I fear is that we will not get out of this tree before I snap your neck in half," Morrigan snapped. But to her surprise, Leliana started giggling.

"You are so sweet," she said, "so incredibly sweet."

"I am not sweet!" Morrigan snapped again, "'tis foolishness to suggest such a thing, I…" Morrigan didn't manage to say anything else, before Leliana had turned around and pressed a quick kiss to Morrigan's lips. When she withdrew she continued laughing and Morrigan guessed it was because of her angry and shocked face. The bard was taunting her.

"Morrigan! Leliana!" It was the warden. Leliana and Morrigan had been so focused on each other that they hadn't noticed how the darkspawn had become fewer and fewer. Now they were gone.

"Oh, we can leave!" Leliana said happily and jumped down, landing on her feet in an agile fashion. Morrigan jumped down after her but wouldn't look at the bard. She still couldn't believe that Leliana had just kissed her. In a tree nonetheless. They had been kissing in a tree. No, Morrigan told herself, they had not been kissing in a tree. Morrigan hadn't done anything. Not really. It had been Leliana.

Morrigan began to plan her revenge as the witch, the bard and the two wardens began their way back to the camp.