And it's chapter three :) Yup, I was actually bothered to update ^^

Anyways, I doubt there's many people actually reading soooo... yeah... it won't matter much about me updating until I reach chapter 17 or something and run out of already finished chapters, only to be greeted by more than one person asking me to update... that's how it worked with my other fanfics too... *Sigh*

Anyways, to those of you actually reading, please review :) Tell me you hate it. Tell me you love it. Tell me you have no clue what the frick is going through my mind... Go ahead, review and tell me I'm a fruit loop. I dare you! Or, alternatively, I dare you to comment on the story :P That works too XD

But, you get the idea. So... here's the chapter:

Chapter 3:
The Sneaky Witch-Thief

I frowned as I caught sight of what Alistair had just exclaimed about. Three bodies were handing from the tree, and we were walking under them. Right under them. How creepy and disturbing. The darkspawn were just getting dirtier and more malicious. They were making people suffer even more... and I hated things that brought distress onto others, as much as that might be hard to believe. "Do you know where this old Warden outpost and the treaties are?" I asked as we moved away from the three bodies. I didn't dare look back; it was far too sad.

Alistair nodded, his eyes also trained in front of him. "It's near here... but I sense darkspawn up ahead," he cautioned, "Be on your guard."

It was strange the way he just knew they were there. He just felt it... and once I was a Grey Warden, I'd be able to as well. A... slightly... freaky prospect, I must admit. It'd be uncanny to just know when darkspawn are around, but strange. Quite useful, though. The four of us remained on our guard as we made our way towards a battered bridge. We couldn't see any darkspawn, not yet.

"Ah!" I exclaimed as something collided with my chest, violently knocking me to the ground, taking my breath away. Then, all hell broke loose. As I painfully sat up, still gasping for air, I saw a genlock appear out of nowhere and start fighting Jory, while another was already attacking Daveth as he tossed aside his bow for the dagger he had tucked in his belt. Alistair was fighting two hurlocks just near the beginning of the bridge, while one genlock was on the other side of the bridge, using magic to heal the others. An emissary. Jory and Daveth were both fine, and Alistair had already taken out one of the hurlocks, so I headed for the emissary, deciding that the one with magic needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.

It saw me coming, and I sure wish it didn't. It would've been easier to kill the evil bastard if it kept its attention on the others. Instead, it turned to me, and with something resembling a grin – a grotesque, sickening grin – it started to attack me. I wasn't sure exactly how to dodge bolts of energy. No matter how hard I tried, they still hit me. I managed to block the energy with my arms, but stone those bolts hurt. As I blocked another energy bolt from hitting my chest, I realised that they were coming out of the staff weapon the emissary had. I had to separate it from its weapon. I quickly glanced to my left, where Alistair, Jory and Daveth were still all occupied with darkspawn. Evidently, more had appeared; they spawned out of nowhere! Another energy bolt hit my right shoulder, catching me off-guard. I stumbled forward, which caught the emissary by surprise. My sight was slightly blurry, maybe a side-effect to the weapon, but I managed to grab a hold of the weapon. It wasn't expecting that, and despite its power, it couldn't stop me from ripping the staff away and tossing it to the side. Now I could kill it. Quickly, I stabbed it once, twice and then a third time. It went down fast, faster than I expected. But, not trusting that it was actually dead, I sliced its head off. Better safe than sorry.

Then, before I had a chance to acknowledge I had actually killed the emissary, a hurlock charged into me, sending me flying. Now these I really did not like. The genlocks were slightly taller than me, which was very annoying, but the hurlocks towered above me. They were more than double my height. I got to my feet and studied the creature as it charged at me again. An idea suddenly hit me and I grinned as I slid underneath its legs, suddenly feeling a surge of appreciation for my height. Embarrassing... yes. Helpful... also yes. I quickly got to my feet and before it had a chance to turn around, I violently stabbed it in the back. Then, I decapitated it. I really had a knack for decapitating things. I turned to the right, where the others were, relieved to see that they had finally taken care of the darkspawn and no more where spawning.

"Let's keep going," said Alistair as they walked up to me, all covered in blood. It was hard to tell whether it was theirs or the darkspawns – probably both. "The old Warden outpost should be near here."

"I hope so," I breathed, wincing in pain as my broken ribs finally protested at my movement, "I feel disgusting – all covered in darkspawn blood and such..." I let out a sigh and turned around, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my chest. "Which way?"

"Over the rocks."

I let out another sigh as I walked towards the rock-made bridge – feeling very at home on it – which in turn led to a very clear-cut path. Much better... well, better than seeing three different paths and choosing one at random... one that conveniently seemed to always lead to more darkspawn. Naturally, after moving a few metres, Alistair called out that there were even more darkspawn ahead. Sure enough, as we drew closer, five hurlocks appeared. Hurlocks. Stone, why were they always hurlocks! My eyes darted over the five, they hadn't noticed us yet – which was a blessing. "I'll keep the two at the back occupied," I said, "Daveth can help me with his arrows... Jory, can you take the one on the right and Alistair, the one on the left?"

Daveth made a sound which I guessed was him concurring while Alistair and Jory both gave me a funny look before nodding in agreement. Glad to know humans could approve of a dwarf's plan. We all moved forward, and, with one last scan of the five hurlocks, I charged for the two at the back. My plan actually worked, which was something I was very proud of. Daveth caught one of the hurlocks off-guard and managed to pierce its heart, while I finished it off. Alistair and Jory both took out their targets quickly before we all converged on the final hurlock. This one was tougher than the others, but didn't use magic, so it was evidently an alpha. My blue eyes scanned over its armour as Jory and Alistair charged at it. This hurlock's armour was better than the others; it gave much better protection. But that didn't stop me from noticing the weak point. There was a small gap, just big enough to fit a sword through. Grinning, I shoved my dagger into the weak point, causing a gurgled sound to make its way out of the hurlocks mouth. As I ripped my dagger out, Alistair took off its head. This fight was the easiest by far.

I stepped away from the dead hurlock at glanced upwards at the large, crumbling structure that was towering above me. Stone, human structures were menacingly tall! "Is this the place?" I asked, lowering my eyes from the peak of the tower.

Alistair moved forward. "This is it," he replied.

I followed him as I studied the inside, immediately noticing the broken chest tucked in the corner. "Over there," I said, walking towards it.

"Maker! It's broken! Are the treaties there?" Alistair sounded... desperate.

I shrugged and knelt before it, peeling the bent lid off. "There's nothing here."

"Maker's blood! We can't return to Duncan without them!"

I frowned, turned my head towards him and replied, "What are we meant to do? We don't know where they are. We don't even know how long ago they were taken. We have no leads to know where they are or how to find them."

Alistair's face contorted into distress. He was obviously worried about returning without the treaties. I bit my lip and turned to face the chest again, not finding the treaties wasn't the best way to start my life with the Grey Wardens.

"Well, well, what have we here?" My head shot up as I spun around to catch sight of a raven-haired girl. Her clothes were far from modest, showing quite a bit more skin than I would ever consider. She carried a worn-out staff weapon on her back and her eyes were glaring at us. Her yellow eyes. How weird... "Are you a vulture, I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones have long since been cleaned. Or merely an intruder, adventuring into these darkspawn filled Wilds of mine in search of easy prey? What say you, hmm? Scavenger or intruder?"

The woman started to make her way towards us, her eyes not leaving me. I don't know why she was so focused on me. "I'm just here to get stuff for the Grey Wardens in this tower," I replied defensively. I did not like being called a vulture or an intruder! "I'm not a vulture or an intruder... at least I don't think so... I mean, I could be. I haven't exactly been on the surface that long so I don't really know what a vulture is but I don't think I am one!"

"A vulture is a bird that scavenges off dead things," whispered Alistair, "They only eat things that are dead... like a corpse." Oh. That made sense. She did say that a vulture was a scavenger...

The woman's mouth twitched, as if she wanted to laugh at my reply. She let out a sigh and continued walking, "I have watched your progress for some time. 'Where do they go,' I wondered, 'why are they here?'" She ended up standing on a ledge, in front of bushes once she finished talking, turning to face us, "And now you disturb ashes none have touched in so long. Why is that?"

"She's a Witch of the Wilds, she is!" exclaimed Jory, gaining himself an in-sync snort from me and the woman, "She'll turn us all into toads!"

"Witch of the Wilds? Such idle fancies, those legends, have you no minds of your own?" I couldn't help but agree with her. Who, in their right mind, just believes everything they're told? "You there, dwarf. You have nothing to fear from any witch. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."

I hesitated for a second – I didn't really want some random, barely clothed witch to know my name, who knows what she could do with that! – before resigning and saying, "My name is Kaela."

The woman nodded. "You may call me Morrigan, if you wish," she said, "Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest, something that is here no longer?"

Alistair glowered at Morrigan and repeated, "'Here no longer?' You stole them, didn't you! You're some kind of... sneaky... witch-thief!" Sneaky witch-thief? Now there was an amusing insult.

"How very eloquent," replied Morrigan, her amused smirk returning, "How does one steal from dead men?"

"Quite easily, it seems," replied Alistair, before a demanding tone came into his voice, "Those documents are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them."

"I will not, for `twas not I who removed them," replied Morrigan, "Invoke a name that means nothing here any longer, if you wish; I am not threatened."

"Who removed them?" I asked, easily recognising that Alistair was getting nowhere.

"`Twas my mother, in fact."

"Your mother? Can you take us to her?"

Morrigan nodded, a smile twitching on her lips, and said, "There is a sensible request. I like you."

Alistair frowned and said, "I'd be careful. First it's 'I like you...' but then 'zap.' Frog time." I shook my head at Alistair, trying not to groan. I wasn't sure whether it was just humans or men... maybe both.

"She'll put us all in the pot, she will!" exclaimed Daveth, "Just you watch." I rolled my eyes and let out the groan. This was just sad.

"If the pot's warmer than this forest, it'd be a nice change," said Jory.

That did it; I facepalmed. I looked up at Morrigan after a few seconds of shaking my head in my hand, as I felt her gaze still trained on me. She looked like she was trying desperately not to laugh, I really didn't blame her. Sodding humans... She suddenly shook her head, wiping away the smirk, and said, "Follow me, then. If it pleases you."

We followed Morrigan through the Kocari Wilds, all of us silent, until we saw a small hut a few metres away. I assumed it was where Morrigan's mother was.

"Greetings, Mother," said Morrigan as we approached an elderly lady, "I bring before you four Grey Wardens who-"

"I see them, girl," interrupted the woman, scanning us thoroughly, "Mmm. Much as I expected."

Alistair snorted and said, "Are we supposed to believe you were expecting us?"

"You are required to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide... either way, one's a fool!"

"She's a witch, I tell you!" exclaimed Daveth. Okay, so me and this human had some things in common, but not this. He was just plain annoying with his paranoia of 'The Witch of the Wilds'. Sodding idiot. "We shouldn't be talking to her!"

"Quiet, Daveth. If she's really a witch, do you want to make her mad?" demanded Jory.

"There is a smart lad. Sadly irrelevant to the larger scheme of things, but it is not I who decides. Believe what you will," said the woman before turning to face me, "And what of you? Does your dwarven mind give you a different viewpoint? What do you believe?"

I blinked and shrugged as I replied, "I'm not sure what to believe."

"A statement that possess more wisdom than it implies. Be always aware... or is it oblivious? I can never remember. So much about you is uncertain... and yet I believe. Do I? Why, it seems I do!"

I struggled to hold back my laughter. She was such a nutty old bat!

"So this is the dreaded Witch of the Wilds?" said Alistair, an amused tone in his voice.

"Witch of the Wilds, eh? Morrigan must have told you that. She fancies such tales, though she would never admit it! Oh, how she dances under the moon!" The woman laughed loudly, and, well, slightly manically.

"They did not come here to listen to your wild tales, Mother," said Morrigan, who looked incredibly uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassed. A slight pink flush was actually evident on her face.

"True," agreed Morrigan's mother, "They came for their treaties, yes? And before you begin barking, your precious seal wore off years ago. I have protected these."

"You- oh... you protected them?" repeated Alistair, quite obviously shocked.

"And why not? Take them to your Grey Wardens and tell them this Blight's threat is greater than they realise!"

I took the papers that the woman was holding out and said, "Thank you for returning them."

"Such manners! Always in the last place you look. Like stockings!" Stockings? What were they? I made a mental note to myself to ask someone what stockings were. "Oh, do not mind me. You have what you came for."

"Time for you to go then," said Morrigan, who looked rather eager for us to leave.

"Do not be ridiculous, girl. These are your guests."

Morrigan sighed. "Oh, very well. I will show you out of the Wilds. Follow me."

She manoeuvred around us and started walking off; towards the camp I was hoping. Everything looked the same to me in this place. I glanced at the others, noting their discomfort. Humans! I shook my head and followed Morrigan through the greenery, slightly relieved as I heard the others moving behind me.