Author's Notes: I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who read the first chapter. I'm glad there were so many positive comments. I hope the next chapters are just as enjoyable for you as the first.
The Dalish
The thick foliage of the forest blocked out most of the sun on an already overcast day. Winter was giving way into spring and Bianca was grateful. She never liked winter, even in the Circle it was drafty and the Keep was no better. At least now while they were spending so much time on the road, in the woods searching for the Dalish all the snow had melted. For weeks she felt like she just couldn't ever warm up. It was just the damp air and occasional rain they had to contend with. With any luck they would be able to take care of the problem the Dalish had contacted them about and be back at the keep before the rainy season started. It was a shame she had left Barkspawn, her mabari war dog back at the keep. He loved the forest, unfortunately he usually had to catch up to the group on account that he constantly stopped to mark his territory. Barkspawn had gotten his name when she, Alistair, and Morrigan were traveling from the wilds to Lothering after the slaughter at Ostagar. He had escaped the fight and found the mage he had imprinted on when she saved him from illness by getting a flower from the wilds. The long walk made for enough time for the three companions to figure out a name for the mabari. Only after the fifth time that Alistair suggested Barkspawn, she agreed to it. With all that was on their mind, thinking of a name for a dog was not something that she could figure out. She even recalled his voice in the back of her mind. Comeon, it'sperfect. WeareWardens, wefightdarkspawn. AndIdon'tseethisdogleavingyouanytimesoon. Barkspawnisperfect! Whatelsewouldyounamehim...Spot? Rover? Both Bianca and Morrigan were tired of his insentient prattling and finally agreed to get him to shut up.
Trees were getting thicker as they entered the deepest part of the Brecilian Forest. The smell of the damp moss was unreal. It was practically suffocating if you weren't used to the smell of fresh moss over some of the dank rotting trees. Bianca jumped up on one of the dead logs that lay flat across their path. Squinting, she could see a figure not far from them, maybe another half mile down the path.
"That has to be a Dalish hunter. Can you see him?" Bianca looked to Sonya who stood on her right side.
"Looks like it. At least he hasn't started shooting at us yet." Sonya didn't remove her eyes off the figure.
"Well stand close. If I get an arrow in my direction, I'm using you as a shield." Bianca said deadpan.
"Aw that's sweet. This is why we are friends." Sonya put her hand on Bianca's back and pushed her off the log, both the womens' boots lost traction from the wet moss and landed on their bums. Bianca was grateful she landed on the soft grass while her compatriot fell threw the log.
"Ah ha, serves you right." Bianca laughed mirthlessly as she stood up and dusted her skirt off. Sonya eyed her vengefully as she wiggled trying to get her self unstuck from the dead log. Shaking her head and still laughing, Bianca grabbed her friend's arms, pulling her from the grips of the log.
"You might want to check your panties for bugs." Anders joked stepping over the downed log.
"One should talk." Bianca said wryly and winked at the mage as he passed.
"You know, it's a good thing you never became a court jester at the castle." Anders tutted. "No one would laugh at your unfunny jokes."
"Let's just go." Bianca smiled, pushing them along the flattened grass that made a path way.
"Andaran atish'an, Grey Wardens." A male hunter welcomed as the group approached the Dalish camp. Bianca waved thinking that she was grateful they recognized the group. Most likely it was because of the armor that both Alistair and Oghren wore with the Griffon on the breastplate. "Our keeper Tal'isha has been expecting you." As he had seen the humans do when they go into the cities on rare occasion to trade, he stuck his arm out in greeting.
"We would have been here sooner, but you were hard to find." Bianca watched his eyes darting between herself and her companions. "I couldn't even find tracks of your land ships."
"We try our best to be unseen." His facial tattoo that covered his right eye creased when he smiled as he allowed them to enter the camp.
After they reached a fair distance from the hunter, Alistair spoke.
"Don't you find it odd how friendly he was to us?" He sounded suspicious. "Considering the last time we had met up with any tribe, or whatever you call them?"
"It is a little suspicious." Bianca pushed her hood off of her head and onto her back. "Of course that was before the blight when we needed to elicit their help. Maybe this is how they are once familiar with a faction?"
"It's just that last time they didn't exactly welcome us with open arms." Alistair gazed through the canopy and spotted several more hunters. He was a bit curious whether or not they were actually watching them specifically or they were always watching.
"We will just have to see." She hurried them along, catching sight of the archers.
As they approached the keeper in the midst of all the aravels, their land ships that they hauled with them all over Thedas, She waved them over. Even for an elf she was svelte. Her long gray hair was brought into a large bun that sat nestled in the crook of her neck. The tattoo on her face now sagged in the lines and valleys of her aged face. Bianca wondered just how old the Keeper of this tribe really was. Considering the last Dalish tribe they had ran into, Zathrian's tribe, he was hundreds of years old. At one time Elves were immortal, but lost the ability long ago. Bianca vaguely remembered reading about it back when she was in the Circle, but had quickly dismissed the information because she never thought that she would ever come in contact with the Dalish.
"Grey Wardens, I am glad you made your way to us." Tal'sha's voice was calm and inviting. "I hope you didn't have any difficulties finding us."
"Only three days of searching." Bianca adjusted her pack on her shoulder. "It's been worse."
"Well you understand our reasons for being inconspicuous. My hunters have been watching you since you stepped foot into the forest. They wanted to make sure you wouldn't be a threat to us." Tal'sha said undoubtedly, watching her new guests. The Dalish were always cautious of humans. It took getting used to the idea that they Grey Wardens accepted people from all walks of life and when ventured near the camp of the Dalish that it wasn't out of malice. The Keeper motioned them to sit on a few logs arranged around her Aravel.
"What I don't understand is our group being welcomed into your camp with open arms. The last Dalish group we met up with wasn't exactly happy to see us." Bianca crossed her legs and placed her hands on top of her knees.
"Times have changed my dear Warden. I'm sure had you not defeated the blight, as you set out to do, my archers would have brought you to the camp, bound and gagged. We still have to be concerned about Shemlen wandering in our woods." Tal'isha gave an old lady smile that seemed out of place. She sat across from Bianca on a log and cleared her throat. "You'll have to forgive me, but I called you here for a pressing matter."
"The Darkspawn." Anders confirmed.
"Yes. There is a set of Ruins we passed a few weeks back to the south, near Gwaren..."
"That's nearly two weeks travel at best. Why not send us a messenger telling us to go south to Gwaren?" Alistair ask incredulously adjusted himself on the log.
"I didn't want you investigating until I showed you this." Tal'isha pull a small object from her pocket and handed it to Bianca.
"What is it?" Bianca asked eying the small stone statuette.
"I'm not sure, but when my hunters chased after the darkspawn, they dropped this."
"A darkspawn idol? That doesn't sound like anything I've never heard of." Alistair took the statuette from Bianca.
"Are you sure they were Darkspawn?" Bianca asked the Keeper. She thought perhaps in the dark they could have been drunk patrons from the town. But elves had impeccable sight in the dark of night, even without light from the moon.
"I never saw..."
Oghren interrupted the keeper. "That's no Darkspawn Idol, that's a Paragon statuette." Alistair handed Oghren the small stone Paragon. He eyed it carefully before speaking "Ortan, It's from the Ortan Thaig."
"It's possible they could have stole it from the thiag?" Anders leaned in closer.
"Why would darkspawn want some stone statuette?" Bianca took the statuette back from Oghren.
"Because its a sodding work of art." Oghren remarked dryly. "Maybe it was one of those damn scavengers."
"Why would they be in a ruin anyway?" Alistair asked
"Well, I'll suppose we will be finding out won't we?" Anders said sarcastically.
"I read once that there was a connection to the deep roads from Orzammar that led all the way out there. In fact they run all over Ferelden, even under the waking sea to the Free Marches. Like an underground passage. Back when King Maric was leading the charge with the rebel army, he made it from West Hill back to Gwaren using the deep roads." Bianca remembered her studies from the tower. Alistair cringed at the thought of going to Gwaren. He had heard, even to this day they still worshiped the old King Maric for being the first town freed from Orlesian rule.