Anders drifted slowly back towards consciousness. He smiled drowsily, snuggled into the blankets; for the first time in days he felt warm - actually, properly warm for once, and deeply rested. He was aware of a dull throbbing in his broken leg, but it was at a tolerable level and once his magic returned, it would be a simple thing to fix. He was wrapped in warm blankets, face snuggled into the silkiest softest warm fur, and -

Wait.

Fur?

His eyes flew open and he shifted his head. All was dark; the fire had died hours ago and he couldn't even see his own hand before his face; but he could hear the sounds of another breathing beside himself, and as he reached out a hand that had begun to tremble it touched fur.

Thick, silky, luxurious fur that covered a very much alive and breathing creature. One that was snuggled right up to him inside the blankets. One of its forelegs was wrapped around him, the fur warm against his bare skin -

Bare skin. It was touching his bare skin. His questing fingers danced over the front of his jacket and found it had been undone, his thin robes pulled apart, and the beast was nuzzled up against his bare torso, its foreleg pinning him down, and he helpless to move away thanks to his broken leg. He could feel the panic rising inside as he ran a tentative hand down the sleeping beast's leg and felt the dew claw at the back of the wrist joint, the rough leather pads of the foot, the sharp claws upon each toe.

Oh sweet Maker. It was a wolf. He was pinned down by a wolf.

He couldn't help himself; he screamed in sheer terror, scrabbling at the blankets, trying to push himself as far away from the creature as he could, heedless of the sudden flare of agony in his leg.

He felt the wolf stir, fur brushing his chest as the beast rolled over to sprawl across him, its breath hot upon his face, and he screamed again, and again, and again until the touch of fur receded and it was warm skin pressed against his; skin lit up in a silver blaze as a glowing hand sealed itself across his mouth, effectively silencing him as fierce green eyes glared down into his face.

He shivered uncontrollably, his amber eyes wide, pupils dilated in fear as he trembled beneath Fenris, helpless and terrified. Fenris stared down at him wordlessly for several moments, his expression unreadable as Anders blinked away tears, his breath coming in shuddering gasps.

"Be silent," whispered Fenris gently. Anders blinked then, hesitantly, nodded. Lifting himself up on one elbow, Fenris slowly and cautiously lifted his hand away from Anders' mouth, pausing until certain the terrified apostate would remain silent. Then he placed that hand on the ground at the other side of Anders' head and stared down at him.

"I will not hurt you," he rumbled quietly. Not trusting himself to speak, Anders merely nodded again, swallowing hard. A tear rolled down his cheek; Fenris lifted a hand to gently wipe it away with his thumb but the mage flinched, turning his face away as he screwed his eyes shut. Fenris huffed almost silently in annoyance, then slid his hand gently into the tousled blond locks.

Anders trembled at his touch, but Fenris ignored it, gently stroking his hand through the apostate's hair. Over and over, he repeated the simple motion, until Anders' eyes opened and he stared sightlessly to one side in confusion, slowly relaxing beneath the elf's hand like a frightened animal. Changing hands, Fenris lightly cupped Anders' cheek with his palm, gently but firmly turning his head until Anders was forced to look up at Fenris.

"I said I will not harm you," repeated the elf firmly.

"Let me go," whispered Anders brokenly. "Please."

Fenris stared down at him silently, then gently stroked away another tear with his thumb, his expression almost tender. "Do not fear me, mage," he said softly. Anders' breath hitched in his throat with a sound very much like a muffled sob, his eyes still wide and panicked.

Fenris frowned. "Mage -" he paused, then went on slowly, "Anders... what makes you fear me so?" He tilted his head to one side, eyeing the apostate anew as a thought occurred to him. "Were you... attacked by a wolf? As a child?"

The use of his name did not pass Anders by unnoticed; his eyebrows lifted a little in surprise, then he nodded a little. Turning his face away from Fenris' hand, he arched his neck a little, and gestured to a point just beneath his stubbled jaw. "There... do you see?"

Fenris peered closer; he lifted his glowing hand closer so as to better see, and Anders closed his eyes as the elf's fingers ghosted lightly over his skin until they paused and Fenris saw what Anders meant.

A fine scar ran along his flesh just beneath the line of the jaw, hidden by the short bristly hairs; had Anders not bared his throat to him, he might never have seen it.

"I was ten," said Anders quietly, eyes still staring off to the side, his voice almost a monotone and so hushed, Fenris had to strain to hear. "It was winter. Food was short; I was supposed to be checking the snares for rabbits. Something had taken them. I went further than I was supposed to. I came across a wolf. I guess it was hungry too." He fell silent, plucking at his thin robe restlessly. Finally he swallowed hard before continuing. "No-one heard my screams until it was almost too late. It had it's jaws about my throat. If my father hadn't arrived just in time..." he closed his eyes and shivered. "I nearly died. I still have nightmares about it sometimes."

Fenris gently stroked along the line of the scar with his fingertips, his touch featherlight. Anders lay still under his hand.

"You could have stayed in Kirkwall," said Fenris quietly. "Hawke would have taken the apostates with Merrill; you were already tired - and yet, despite that - despite knowing what I am - you insisted upon coming." Anders opened his eyes and glanced up at Fenris, curious.

"I could hardly leave Hawke to handle five apostates with just Merrill for help, could I?" he replied.

"Nonetheless, it must have taken courage," replied Fenris.

"I'm not a coward, despite what you may think," replied Anders sullenly.

"No indeed," replied Fenris as he rolled off Anders to lie beside him, leaving his hand resting upon the mage's pale chest. "I am beginning to think I have been mistaken about you, Anders," he continued thoughtfully. "About... perhaps many things about you."

The intimacy of their positions was not lost on Anders, who glanced down at the hand idly stroking his bare skin. A slight flush stole over his face as he felt his body starting to respond to the touch... particularly one certain part of his body.

"Ah... y-you're probably not as mistaken as a-all that," he stammered, trying to roll away from the unwanted hand. Fenris merely chuckled as he laid his hand flat against the pale skin then ran his hand lightly up over the contours of the slender mage's chest, leaving gooseflesh in its wake as he cupped the mage's cheek again and firmly turned Anders' face back towards him. Thus forced to face the elf, Anders' eyes widened as the elf leaned in closer until his breath ghosted warm over Anders' face, their noses almost touching, amber-brown eyes meeting cool jade-green. Anders made a faint whimpering sound in the back of his throat as Fenris pressed his body against the apostate's, and suddenly Anders was acutely aware of the elf's state of complete undress.

"Don't be afraid," murmured Fenris.

And then he kissed him.

At first, Anders was stiff with surprise and made some faint sound of protest or alarm. His hands came up to push against Fenris' chest, but Fenris slipped his hand into the hair at the back of Anders' head, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss; and presently he was rewarded as he felt Anders surrender his mouth to the kiss, no longer fighting to pull away as his eyes fluttered closed and he moaned. Slipping his other arm around Anders' waist, the elf pulled the now-pliant mage against him as he plundered Anders' mouth with his tongue, tasting him even as he claimed him.

Pulling away from Anders briefly and breaking the kiss, Fenris fisted his hand in Anders' hair, forcing the mage to bare his throat once more before nipping and kissing his way along that slender white throat as Anders gasped then pushed harder at Fenris' chest.

"No - not that, please -" Anders' voice trembled as he protested, and Fenris instantly stopped, releasing the blond hair as he returned to kissing the mage gently in mute apology as he ran his hands down Anders' torso, caressing his nipples before dipping lower.

"This is too much, too fast," murmured Anders, swallowing thickly as he felt his body responding to the things Fenris was doing. Fenris nibbled and kissed along the line of his jaw then gently teased an earlobe with his teeth.

"It is cold outside," Fenris murmured. "We have to keep you warm. Skin to skin - best way," he added. He began to kiss slowly down Anders' chest, his hands dipping under the waistband of Anders' trousers. Anders writhed beneath his touch and then cried out as an incautious movement sent pain flaring up his broken leg.

Instantly, Fenris stopped what he was doing, lifting himself back up again.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to cause you pain," he said contritely as Anders bit his lip, holding back tears of pain. "Has your mana been restored yet?"

Anders held out a hand and concentrated, trying to call up the power in his hand; a few small sparks flickered upon his fingers then died. He shook his head, disappointed. "No. Not yet."

The elf gently gathered Anders back into his arms and tugged the blankets back around them both.

"It will return in time. Perhaps we should try and rest a while longer."

Anders nodded. After a little while, he tucked himself a little closer to the elf, resting his head against Fenris' chest as the bright fiery light of the lyrium brands died to a glimmer then faded.

He was drifting in that half-conscious drowsy state just before true sleep when he felt Fenris shift restlessly and stretch, and then the smooth skin beneath his cheek was replaced by soft, silken fur. This time, he was too far gone towards dreams for panic to stir him.

Eyes closed, he slipped away into the Fade.