Chapter 2: Nikoya
My dream did not take me into the fade as it usually did. Instead, I could feel the weiin the world and see only the darkness behind my eyelids as I slept. A loud sound, much like a storm's wind, kept ringing through my ears, but I couldn't seem to wake myself to find out where the sound was coming from. After so long, the sound became a wave of voices, mingled and echoing together so I couldn't quite make them out. Just before I opened my eyes, I heard one name rise from the sea, clear as glass.
Fen' Harel
The sun rising up over the treetops came into view a little after my wolves awoken me. They stalked over from tent to tent, rousing the others in the pack and awakening the other clansmen and women for morning. I grabbed my bow and made my way towards the small group of hunter-gatherers at the edge of the camp.
"Aneth ara, Nikoya," One of the gatherers greeted, shuffling her shoulder basket up to balance on her hip.
"Good morning," I smiled kindly back, only to be interrupted by a hunter who was hoisting his sword on his back as if it weighed as much as he did.
"Are you sure it's wise to go out today? The Inquisition might get a little testy if you left," his scowl matched his tone and I tapped his lip with my nail.
"Tel garas solasan. The Inquisition is here in peace, and you shall treat them as such. We do not follow the customs of closed doors."
"Ma nuvenin, Nikoya. I forget myself sometimes I suppose."
"Mind if I tag along?" I whirled around to see the stocky dwarf from the inquisition spinning an arrow around his fingers. His crossbow dangled gently from a hooked holster on his back, crossed on one side by a small quiver of arrows.
"I see no reason for you not to," I smiled at him, trying to tap my brain for his name, "I have no quarrels in allowing someone to help catch their meal."
"Fen'Harel ma ghilana," The hunter murmured under his breath, and Fen nipped his calf in response, causing the man to yelp and curse.
"Melana en athim las enaste" I smiled, ruffling Fen's fur to tell him he did well.
"We are ready to depart," Another from the group hollered, and I whistled low for Tiranas to join me. A breed of howls echoed through the camp before I smirked over at the dwarf, Varric! That was his name.
"Try to keep up," I laughed, just before launching myself up into a tree and using the momentum to swing from branch to branch. The warriors took to the shrub line to check our traps, while the gatherers made a hook formation to head to the field of vegetable plants and herbs, and the rogues sunk into the treetops with me to hunt wild game. Birds took off from small bushes filled with berries as gatherers drew near and dropped from the sky to be fetched and collected by the wolves below, followed here and there by a deer or two before I shot a small ball of flame up into the sky to signal enough food was collected. Adrenaline scoured my system like liquid metal and I nearly jumped onto Varric's head when I descended from the treetops and down into the shadows below.
"You guys sure do get things done around here," he laughed, flinging his crossbow onto his back and picking leaves from his hair.
"Come on, let's head back to the camp," I smiled, "I'll race you."
"Challenge accepted," He chuckled, vanishing without another word, making me have to really book it to catch up to his head start. Fen came trotting over in a run beside me, tongue hanging from his mouth in excitement and blood splattered against his snout. I was still laughing when I broke through the encampment surroundings, only to have to stride to the side and roll to avoid smacking into the back of a really big and obviously tired Qunari.
"I should have made a bet on that race," Varric laughed, doubled over to catch his breath, "Kinda nice to run for fun for a change."
A chill made it's way up my spine and made me shiver, causing me to nearly knock into The Iron Bull anyways. It was a familiar feeling that made my body relax and tense up over and over, almost as if it were forcing me to be calm and breathe. I couldn't quite place the familiarity of the feeling, and was shocked when a hand came down on my arm lightly.
"Ir abelas, I did not mean to frighten you," I looked over to see Solas, "I was wondering if you were in need of assistance?"
"No, that's not necessary," I smiled kindly, "The women are very particular on our meal preparation. They'll want to have all the food prepped and ready for our departure tomorrow, and strangers tend to make them irritable in a timed manner such as this. Although-" I stepped over to Naria, who was nursing her pups, "If you would be so inclined, would you mind fetching a small container of water for Naria? She needs to stay hydrated."
When he left, Naria inclined her head and I reached out to let her settle it in my hands. She whimpered ever so slightly and I hushed her, smoothing the fur around her nuzzle to calm her.
"I know mamae," I smiled, "They'll be weined before you know it and you can run with the pack again." She whimpered again against my palm and huffed as if in defeat.
"She seems saddened by her lack of freedom," Solas spoke, handing me a small dish with water.
"Two litters back to back can do that to you," I smiled, tilting her head so she could lap up the water without disturbing the pups too much.
"Really? This is her second?" he asked, sitting down in front of me and studying Naria almost as if he was a father protecting his child. The thought made me jump and want to growl all at the same time. I shook the thoughts from my mind at once and smoothed the poor girl's fur until the pups unlatched themselves from her and piled in a mass of squeaking and half-growls. Only then did she shakily lift herself onto her feet and trott to a dish of stew one of the women had set out for her.
"They seem very healthy," Solas spoke, shocking me from my daze once again. That familiar shiver ran through me once more, stronger this time.
"I beg your pardon?"
"The pups," he said, slower this time, "they look very healthy, very strong." It was then that I noticed he was holding the same pup as the day before, cradling it in his arm and rubbing the fur of it's neck with his finger.
"Naria is a good mother," I smiled, despite his mannerisms making me quite nervous, "She almost never leaves them. She won't even eat unless her food is brought near her pups."
"Protective instinct is a mother's greatest asset," he nodded.
"You seem very fond of wolves, Solas," I clenched my teeth, "it's not often anyone outside my clan to take to them so easily, let alone anyone but I to be allowed to hold a pup around the mother." He seemed to pause at my comment, as if he was debating on his response before tilting the pup to join its siblings and walking off without a word.
Odd.
"Nikki!" I heard just before one of the children came barreling towards me. Naria nearly knocked her food dish across the encampment dashing towards her pups in defence and I scooped up the child before she could come too close to a very irritable and protective mama wolf.
"Mamae says I need to eat vegetables so I can be strong like you," she pouted, "Do you eat vegetables Nikki?"
"I sure do," I laughed, "come on, I'll join you guys for dinner tonight."
"Really," she beamed, "you're not gonna eat with the puppies tonight?"
"No, I'll come to the fire and eat with everyone else tonight little one." The little girl practically burst with excitement, hopping down over to the fire where her mother was, never ceasing to talk the entire time.
After a long over-night process of cooking, smoking and storing all of the day's catch, The tents were uprooted and stored for transfer. I gave orders to the warriors to ensure the encampment was well taken care of and the Inquisitor exchanged trail details with Kikana, my second in command of sorts, as to how to get to skyhold on detour roads that would allow our caravans.
"Are you sure about this Nikoya? I don't like the idea of you heading off with them ahead of us." Kikana whispered to me as I readied a small pack to take with me.
"I will have Akia, Fen and Tiranas with me. You know at the first sight of trouble Fen will find you." I sighed, smoothing my clothes where they had begun to ruffle.
"I worry about you, Nikoya. Your trust in this Inquisition-"
"They came to help us when we were hurting, and never gave a bit of trouble to us when things started to fall apart," I cut her off, "And not one of them has been branded by the wolves."
"What if they're manipulating them somehow? That elf that came with them-"
"Enough. I will hear no more of this from you. In exchange for the help of the Inquisition, we agreed on unanimous vote that we would offer our aid and resources. They held their end of the bargain well enough." I threw my pack onto my shoulders and yanked the straps of my weapons over top of it, tightening the belts so they wouldn't make noise when I walk.
"i suppose old habits die hard, Praedor," she sighed, "I'm sorry, we will follow as close behind you as the roads will allow."
"I will see you at Skyhold then," I nodded, taking a second to ensure my stuff was well secured and the wolves were assured their duty to the caravan, before heading to where the Inquisitor and her band were grouped. They were all situated on war horses, Inquisition symbols smeared as far as the eye could see on their belongings. I felt a sense of pride as I hitched onto the back of my simple horse, only a saddle and a hook for a pack adorning this old brute.
"Are you ready to depart?" The inquisitor asked, adjusting herself on her saddle.
"Ready whenever you are, Inquisitor."
Okay, so I really hope this is all making sense, because I've had a lot of editing done on this chapter to try to make it read smoother from one scene to the next.
I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far! I know my upload scheduals on my stories are getting a bit hectic, but I hope to find some sort of consistant scedual in the near future for my stories.
Thank you guys for all your support, and don't forget to R&R! I love reading reviews and getting to know other people's veiws on what's happening.
Much love,
Yulie