Morrigan's eyes followed the four men as they made their way through her wilds. Many had passed through already, but these ones were different; they were more than simple scouts.

The man in front caught her attention; he was similar in appearance to another man that had passed through earlier, but was visibly younger. His dark hair swept about his face, framing deep blue eyes and tanned skin.The man was tall and muscular, wearing extravagant silver armour that sported the same heraldry as his shield - twining green laurel leaves. He carried himself with pride, as though it was a privilege for his companions to be in his presence, let alone fight beside him. He was certainly attractive, no doubt about that.

Morrigan's eyes drifted to the blonde beside him; he was dressed in the armour of the Grey Wardens, and that could only mean one thing - these men were Grey Warden recruits.

The other two companions held no interest for her; they were just simple men, nothing spectacular. They'd be lucky if they even survived the joining, if the process which her mother spoke of was correct.

Morrigan sighed. Her mother would just love to meet these four...

She took the form of a crow so as to keep the advantage of surprise and not alert the attention of the men - she couldn't know what their reaction to her would be.

Morrigan continued watching as they progressed ever forward, darkspawn and wild creatures falling easily to their blades. On occasion they would stoop down beside a darkspawn corpse, catching its thick, black blood in a vial. It seemed her mother was telling the truth afterall; Warden recruits drank the darkspawn blood. What other reason would they have for collecting it?

The old Tevinter ruins came into view, and suddenly their quest was apparent; they were seeking to obtain their old treaties.

The men encountered a few more darkspawn, but nothing more than they couldn't handle on their own; no reason for Morrigan to intervene.

Cautiously they entered the crumbling structure, eyes scanning the rubble - for something that could house the treaties, no doubt. On the far side of the building sat a caved - in chest, just visible beneath a pile of stones and wood..

Morrigan remembered her mother taking her there as a child, pulling the treaties from the chest. "There will come a time when the Darkspawn crawl from the depths, their taint poisoning everything near," Flemeth had said. "When this day comes, the Grey Warden's will come searching for these treaties, and thus will begin your destiny."

The leading male crossed to the chest, and he called the others over to help him clear away the rubble.

Atop the stairs Morrigan transformed back into her original form; 'twas time to make herself known.

"Well, well. What have we here?" Her words flowed like liquid as she descended the cracked stairs. The men turned to face her, shock in their eyes. In an instant their weapons were drawn, ready to strike if need be. "Are you a vulture, I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a body, whose bones were long since cleaned. Or merely an intruder, come into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine, in search of easy prey?"

She met their eyes with a piercing glare, showing them that she feared them not. "What say you, hmm? Scavenger or intruder?"

They shared a look with one another before they decided to sheath their weapons. The brunette stepped forward, back stiff, "Intruder? And just how are these your wilds?" His voice was deep and unwavering. If only he knew how much power Morrigan possessed.

Morrigan sniggered, "Because I know them as only one who owns them could. Can you claim the same?" She walked past the four men, till she was standing on the edge of the ruin. The wilds set out before her eyes, never ending, the trees so thick hardly any light filtered through. A death trap for those that did not know where it was they were headed; without the sun as a guide, 'twas easy to be lost.

"I have watched your progress for some time. Where do they go? I wondered. Why are they here? And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long," She turned back to the men, and they had gathered around her in an arc. Morrigan crossed her arms over her chest. "Why is that?"

The blonde Warden gripped the brunette's arm, "Don't answer her," he said with a whisper, just loud enough for Morrigan to hear. "She appears Chasind, and that may mean others are nearby." He looked up to the ruins of the rooftop. How dare he think of her as a Chasind!

"Ooh! You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you?" she snapped. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Yes... swooping is bad." He mumbled, as though he did not have an answer. Their eyes locked and Morrigan felt a twist of hate snake through her.

"She's a witch of the wild she is! She'll turn us into toads!" The small black haired man at the back spoke up, drawing her attention from the blond fool.

"Witch of the Wilds? Such idle fancies, those legends; have you no minds of your own?" She raised an eyebrow at the man, his face a mask of fright. She shook her head; men.

She turned back to the brunette recruit, "You there, handsome lad, tell me your name and I shall tell you mine. Let us be civil." The brunette recruit raked her with his eyes before he bowed deeply, a smile gracing his lips.

"I am Aedan Cousland, fair lady. It is a pleasure to meet you." His eyes met hers with a wink. The blonde Warden made a gagging sound in the back of his throat, earning a poisonous glare from Morrigan.

"Now that is a proper civil greeting, even here in the wilds. You may call me Morrigan." She cared not to know the others' names; they were fools, even the balding redhead whom hadn't said a single word. Even in her current human form, she could smell the fear that rose from him in shivering waves.

"Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest, something that is here no longer?" Morrigan purred, honey eyes moving to the empty chest.

The blonde Warden sputtered. "Here no longer? You stole them didn't you? You're some kind of... sneaky-witch-thief!" He pointed an accusing finger at her.

"How very eloquent," she mocked. "How does one steal from dead men?" She did not even know the fool's name, yet he was driving her insane. How could one man be so stupid?

"Quite easily it seems..." He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Those treaties are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them," he demanded, as though uttering those words made him strong and tough.

"I will not! For 'twas not I who removed them!" she snapped, her anger getting the better of her. "Invoke a name that means nothing here if you wish. I am not threatened." She'd had it with these inane men, 'twas time to leave. She cared not if it angered her mother. Morrigan began walking away. If her mother wanted to help these men, then she could. Morrigan was having no part in it.

"Wait!" She heard Aedan call from behind her. "Tell us who removed them, then we shall take our leave." She turned around, eyebrows drawn in a scowl darkening her features.

"'Twas my mother in fact," she said with a sigh.

"Can you take us to her, fair lady?" Aedan asked, "I would like to leave here soon, and with the treaties would be a bonus." He smiled at her, bowing once more.

Morrigan laughed, "I like you." She smiled back at him, something she hadn't genuinely done in some time. It felt... odd.

"I'd be careful," the blonde whispered to Aedan once more. "First it's 'I like you'." He feigned a woman's voice. "But then it's, Zap, frog time."

Morrigan chose to ignore the fool's statement, rolling her eyes in disbelief at his idiocy.

"She'll put us all in the pot she will! Just you watch." The black-haired man stepped forward, halting Aedan's movement. Aedan's expression darkened, and the balding redhead stepped forward, his hand falling on the black-haired man's shoulder.

"If the pot is warmer than this forest, it will be a nice change." His eyes pleaded with the black-haired man not to do anything he'd regret.

Morrigan sighed.She was already sick of them, and 'twas about an hour's walk to the hut. "Follow me then; if it pleases you." She turned from them once more.As she moved into the trees, the noise of clumsy footwork alerted her of their following.

'Twould seem her so called 'destiny' was about to begin.