"Well this is embarassing..."

They were in the Kocari Wilds, Daveth, Jory, Alistair and herself.

...And she needed to pee.

Travelling with Duncan she had been able to hide behind a try, using some rough linen to finish up, in the camp they had built a sort of hole in the ground Latrine thing.

But out here...

There was nowhere to go that they wouldn't be able to see or hear her, the swamp wasn't exactly the best place to go to the bathroom. Each time a Darkspawn popped up it was nearly an involuntary function, but her stubborness to not die of embarrassment overcame the need, even though she felt her kidneys would explode.

~**~

Collecting Darkspawn blood was not fun either, the first time they appeared she screamed like a little girl. To be fair, Jory had too, Daveth had not been able to stop laughing for nearly ten minutes at the fact that a grown man's squeal was more high pitched then her own.

The creatures were so disgustingly ugly and smelled so vile that her gag reflex was in overdrive. She was glad for the fact that she seemed to have a strong stomach. It wasn't until one had managed to creep up behind her and slice her armour close to the skin that her stomach couldn't take it any more.

Just the thought of being touched by and having to touch those things had her heaving and wretching all over again.

"I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did," came Alistair's comforting voice as he patted her back in sympathy, "The first time I even smelled a Darkspawn I lost my breakfast, and let me tell you- those blue veiny cheeses that they make do not taste as good the second time around."

This managed to produce a somewhat strangled bark from her as she took a deep breath and bent to examine the monster.

She was very glad that there was nothing left in her stomach as the stench that met her nostrils made her eyes water. As she collected some blood in her vial the dead, soulless black eyes stared up at her, sending a chill down her spine. It's lizard like skin was grey and bloody and the razor sharp teeth, much like a shark's, had bits of flesh stuck between them. She hadn't even noticed that it was her sword had caused the killing blow, she must have turned and slashed at it in her panic.

"Are you ok?" Asked Daveth, "You look a little green."

"Oh no I'm fine, absolutely peachy..."

"Except for the fact that I just killed a living creature..."

She didn't think they would be very sympathetic to her panic and disgust. She took a deep breath and stood.

"It's just a game, it's just a game..."

But as she looked down at her blood and grime covered hands and felt the aches and pains of overextending her body...

It seemed more real now then anything ever had.

~**~

Flemeth was looking at her strangely and it made her uncomfortable, it was eerie how close the look came to the one Wynne had given her at their first meeting.

"Well that was creepy..." Observed Alistair as they headed back to Ostagar.

The witches handed over the Warden treaties just as she knew they would, but she couldn't get Flemeth's piercing hawk like gaze out of her head.

"Did you see the way she was looking at young Ash?" the Rogue put in, "Looked like she wanted to eat her or something."

Ash's ears went red as they talked but said nothing, at least her bladder was now empty. It also occurred to her she had nothing to use when it came to a certain time of the month, but for the time being she had bigger things to worry about.

Drinking the blood of those foul creatures was not going to be pleasant.