I giggled in delight as I skipped forward ahead of the boys. My dalish boots made light work of the mud. "I can't believe you're laughing." Ser Jory said, astounded as he made an effort to walk in the muck.

"This is a lot like home with Mother."

"Oh, that's right, you're a Dalish elf aren't you?"

I stopped and looked over at them, the eye they could see was saddened. "No. Not anymore." I continued forward then, refusing to let this bring my mood down.

-howl- "Wolves?" I asked curiously as we approached the bend. Daveth raised his bow as one of the large beasts ripped through the bushes straight toward me. I stepped in front of his line of sight. "Don't you DARE kill them! Kain, go!" Daveth was furious, trying to get a shot in. The other boys were a bit further behind as they weren't rogues. "If you so much as harm a hair on their heads I will rip you in half and FEED you to them. Do you understand Shem!?" I was enraged, growling with animalistic ferocity.

"And you! Whelp of a pup!" I addressed the wolf directly, it was hunched and growling audibly.
"What do you think you're doing out here? Enough of this. Your kind will die if you keep pressing forward. Is that what you want?"
-growl- Kain was in front of the wolf, which soon had four others behind it. Most of them were an off shade of slate but one was black. I addressed the dark creature and it's yellow eyes bore into me. Alistair and Jory were completely silent, Daveth was becoming aggravated. "Please," I kneeled before them. "I do not wish for you to die." The animals stilled for a moment. I heard Daveth shift slightly. "Daveth if you try it, I swear you won't be able to produce children." With that I heard Alistair smirk and he lowered his bow. The large beast approached me and Kain shifted out of the way. I extended a hand and allowed him to sniff my palm. The others behind me held their breath. A smile reached my lips as he snorted and turned. The pack warily followed suit. Soon they were completely out of sight and I turned to the boys, whos' mouths were gaping open. "What!?" I snapped.

"That was... That was amazing, Mira." It was Daveth who spoke, he seemed astonished.

"Yeah, well. I won't allow a magnificent creature to die by the hands of someone like you." I shrugged and continued moving. I heard him scoff. The terrain went from sticks and mud to dirt and grass. A nice change, but it made it a bit less fun as I could hear the boys having less trouble.

"Please, help me..." Down the road there was a soldier laying on the ground. I could smell the blood on him and my nerves went on alert. Kain's haunches were raised. "Well, he's not as half dead as he looks, is he?" Alistair said to lighten the mood and I responded with a firm kick to his shin yet again. "Hey! That really hurts you know." "I know."

"Are you alright? What happened?" I knelt in front of him. "Dark... Darkspawn. They were everywhere... Please, they killed everyone. I need to get back, help me."
"Do you have any bandages, Alistair? Or maybe we could carry him back?" He nodded and the man protested, "It's alright, if you patch me up I should be fine on my own. It's not far." I stepped back and allowed Alistair to wrap the man's wounds. It set us back another half hour but at least he was going to be alright, hopefully. "Thank you, very much. I would have died without your help." He swallowed hard and began limping away in the opposite direction.

There was a patch of red and white flowers ahead, I picked them and put them under my nose. They had a slightly spicy scent, but it was also aromatic. This must be it. After I had just finished placing them in my small satchel, I heard an odd grunting sound. Alistair had his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Alistair?" I questioned quietly, and he barely glanced my way. "Shh." It was barely audible. "Darkspawn?" I silently moved next to him and he nodded. I moved slightly ahead and he grabbed my shoulder but I shrugged him off. I wanted a closer look.

I gasped when I saw them, they were horrific. There was three tall creatures, one was carrying a staff- I decided he'd be my target, and two smaller ones. The taller ones resembled humans somewhat and it made my stomach churn. They smelled like a desiccated corpse, and looked the part as well. Pale skin, black blood oozing from their eyes and mouths, visible veins, and nearly rotten exteriors. Daveth stepped on a stick behind us and it snapped, the one with the staff turned and looked directly at me. "Shit! Daveth, I thought you were supposed to be a rogue!?" I moved out of the way quickly as the bush I'd been finding cover in was absorbed in a green fog.

"You saw those things! Don't pretend you aren't scared." He retorted as he made the first strike, hitting one in the arm. It only succeeded in enraging the beast. If I had allowed it I'm sure he could have taken the thing out himself but I chose to end it's life more quickly. I took point and hit my mark while jumping to the left to avoid another ball of green crap. Alistair was fighting the other tall one and Ser Jory had the two little ones. "Come on, big boy. Let's dance." I said cockily as the thing screamed at me and fired in another attempt to hit me. He missed again, barely. Lunging for it I plunged my dagger deep into it's throat and let out a primal scream as I tore it clear to the other side, showering myself in it's blood.

"She's ruthless." Ser Jory spoke to Daveth quietly, who nodded his agreement. Daveth had decided to help Jory out and soon the fight was over. "Here, idiots, give me your vials." I sighed and they handed them over without a word. I watched in slight amusement as the blackish liquid oozed into the glass containers, I could almost feel the men gagging behind me.

"Here, don't spill them." I tossed them to dumb and dumber while searching it's corpse for valuables. There was a small some of money, a health poultice and a lyrium potion. Aside from the thing's staff which looked like a gnarled stick, nothing else had any value. I left the staff with him though, if it's not made by a Dale's hands I want nothing to do with it. "Mira, were you always like this?" "Like what?" I questioned Alistair. "You're just... Heh. Never mind." I shrugged my shoulders quietly and decided to press the matter later.

"There's nothing here, the chest is empty." Ser Jory helpfully pointed out. I rolled my eyes and turned to Alistair.

"So what do we do?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and opened his mouth to speak, "I..."

"Well well, what have we here?" I turned casually and found a tall dark haired woman strolling down the old stone of the tower. She had her hair up and wore torn garments. I sensed immense magical power irradiating from her body. "Are you a vulture? I wonder. A scavenger poking a midst a corpse who's bones were long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder, coming into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of easy prey?" I noticed the staff on her back and took a step toward her. "What say you, hm? Scavenger, or intruder?"

"We came to claim what was in this tower."

"T'is a tower no longer, the wilds have claimed what remains of this desiccated corpse. I have watched you for quite some time, 'Where do they go?' I wondered, 'Why are they here?'. And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?"

"Don't answer her, she looks chasind and that means others might be nearby." Alistair was standing on pins and needles, I was intrigued. Why does he fear this woman?

"You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you?" She retorted.

"Yes, swooping is bad..." I giggled a little, and that caught the woman's attention.

Daveth spoke up then, "She's a witch of the wilds, she is. She'll turn us all into toads."

"Witch of the wilds? Such idle fantasies, those legends" She smiled cruelly, "Have you no minds of your own?" She turned her attention to me. "You there, women do not scare like little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."

"I'm Mira, it's a pleasure to meet you."

She eyed me carefully for a moment and her gaze softened. "Now that is a proper greeting, even here in the wilds. You may call me, Morrigan." I could feel Alistair become more agitated. "Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest, something that is here no longer?"

"Here no longer? You stole them, didn't you? You're... Some kind of... Sneaky... Witch thief!"

Morrigan seemed amused, "How very eloquent. How does one steal from dead men?" She mused.

"Quite easily, it seems. Those documents are Gray Warden property, and I suggest you return them." I was glaring at Alistair now, I couldn't help but scoff.

"Morrigan, do you have them?"

"I do not, t'was my mother in fact. I am glad you are not suspicious of my actions."

"Can you take us to her?"

"Heh, there is a sensible request. I like you." I beamed a little, unable to put my finger on it I immediately decided I liked this woman.

Alistair placed a protective hand on my shoulder, which I quickly shrugged off. "I'd be careful, first it's 'I like you' and then ZAP. Frog time."

"She'll put us all in the pot she will, just you watch." I turned and slapped Daveth across the face. "I've had enough of your foolish whining. Shut up. If you don't want to come, then walk back by yourself." They were shocked, and stepped back a little. With that I turned to Morrigan who was smiling cheerfully at me.

"Follow me then, if it pleases you."

And so, we did.

"So, this is a dreaded 'Witch of the wilds'?" Alistair had a bemused tone in his voice and I sighed.

"Hello, A'shabellenar." I bowed and Morrigan's mother smiled at me. "Dalish... I assume you're here for your treaties? I've been protecting these."

"You've be- Oh. You've been protecting them?" It was Alistair that spoke.

"Your precious seal wore off long ago." She handed the treaties to me and I inspected them. They had the king's seal on them and were quite in depth as far as technicalities and loopholes go. I had to admit, I was impressed. "Thank you for protecting these."

"Such manners, always in the last place you look, like stockings."

I stifled a giggle at the old woman. She was weathered and obviously old. I don't think I wanted to know how long she'd been around- I could feel the energy radiating off of her. Although she appeared to be in her mid fifties, she was not from this time in spirit and mind. There was a coldness in her eyes, something I didn't like. It gave me a bitter taste in my mouth and I decided I'd need to be cautious of this woman's power.

"Well then, off you go." Morrigan said flatly.

"Don't be foolish girl, these are your guests." It was the woman who spoke, she called herself 'Flemeth'. Morrigan rolled her eyes. "Oh, very well. Follow me, if you please."
Morrigan lead us out of the wilds and back to camp with ease. I could have found my way back on my own, but it was nice having another woman's company. A strange unease set in my stomach as she left us to our fates. What ever was going to happen next, wasn't going to be good.