Apologies for the late update! This chapter didn't want to work at all. I started questioning everything about it and it turned into one big mess of stalling. I hope the next update will be more timely but My laptop broke yesterday so dont really know. It should not be 2 weeks like this one. I'm hopeing for at least weekly until I fix it. Anyways, enjoy :)
"Okay Fenris has been out there on his own for almost twenty-four hours now, and we have searched this entire damn city, how has no one seen him or even heard anything about him?" Hawke paced back and forth animatedly waving his arms around to make his point.
When we arrived the day before with news of Fenris missing, everyone had jumped in to help look for him. We were split into small groups and spend all night searching and asking around for the small grey kitten. Even Aveline joined and told her guard to report any cat sightings. Daddy, who was making a point to avoid all Fenris related conversations, searched Darktown with just me at his side.
By midday the next day everyone had regrouped at the Hanged Man to announce they had no leads at all, now we were all seated around Varric's table, tired and frustrated.
The redhead was the first to speak up, "He is a cat. The number of places he could go has increased tenfold. If he doesn't want to be found I doubt he will be."
"We can't just give up. Is someone at the clinic right now in case he comes back?"
"I've had someone posted there the whole time." Varric always has things covered apparently, "I would have used my contacts to get information around Darktown, but I think Blondie even beats my connections down there."
"I've talked to the people around my clinic and even asked some families that owed me favors to spread the word and have their kids look for him, but no even saw him leave yesterday. It doesn't make sense." Daddy sighed and leaned back in frustration.
"Did you check the crates? Fenris likes crates."
"What about his mansion? Maybe he is in the wine cellar, licking up wine." Merrill seemed to be the only one in the group not tired from the lack of sleep.
"It was one of the first places we looked Daisy."
"Oh. "
"It was a good idea kitten." Isabela pat her head and smiled at her.
"Maybe she is onto something. Instead of looking around aimlessly, think of places he would go. Where would you hide if you were Fenris?" Hawke said hopeful. But from the looks around the table no one had any idea. Even I didn't how to answer that; Fenris wasn't exactly public about his hobbies or favorite places to go.
"Who knows him best from this group? They would be the most helpful in this." Aveline asked
"Well, the simple answer would be Hawke. Or…" Varric trailed off in thought.
"Anders." Varric, Hawke, and Isabela all answered at the same time.
"What?" Daddy sat a bit straighter now that there were three smirks all facing him.
"Oh come on sweet thing. You two spent a month cuddling up to each other. You must know all sorts of things about each other now."
"She's right Blondie."
"For the last time, I didn't know he was Fenris."
"So defensive. Maybe you did know it was Fenris the whole time and just pretended otherwise so he would warm up to you? Then you could slowly make not-so-innocent advances and lure him to your bed so you could have your way with him when he turned back to his elf self." She licked her lips suggestively. "More effort then I've ever put into bedding someone but then again Fenris is quite the elf isn't he?"
"I didn't know it was him!" Daddy groaned and hit his head on the desk. "I am never going to live this down am I?"
Varric laughed, "Okay Rivaini, save it for now. We can write it all down later."
"Fine, spoilsport." Her smile never left.
"Anyways." Hawke interrupted, "You may not have known it but you still spent a solid month with him, which makes you our Fenris expert. So think, where would he be?"
"How am I supposed to know? It's not like he ever talked to me, he was a cat!"
"Think about his behavior then. Anything."
He sighed "The first week or so he was at the clinic he hid under the cupboard that held my medial supplies. When you were going through his mansion, did you happen to look under all the furniture?"
Hawke looked optimistic before Isabela spoke again. "Me and big girl here checked everything in that mansion, I even got a lovely view when she bent over to check under the bed."
"Shut up whore."
Do all of Daddy's friends have weird nicknames for each other? "Well that's out. Any other ideas Blondie?"
"What if you think of him as just Sirnef? Don't think about Fenris only the cat."
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "He was a very untrusting cat. Most cats like that will either become increasingly hostile until they run away, or become attached to one person and hates everyone else—"
"Fenris has a lot of similarities to cats doesn't he? Just a very spiky kitty." Merrill chimed in, interrupting him. "He should grow cat ears, they would be so cute!"
"Hmm they call that role playing kitten, the trick is making him wear only the ears, and maybe a tail. Then making him to mew underneath you. Oh look, Anders is blushing."
"I'm not!" He was.
Aveline sighed, and gave Isabela a warning glare, "You were saying Anders."
"Right." He coughed but there was still a little pink on his cheeks, "The latter is what I was trying for and I thought it was working until he ran away. But then again we aren't just talking about Sirnef, we are talking about Fenris so I don't think any of that helps. Unless…"
"Unless what?" Hawke asked.
"Well you said you had someone watching the clinic right Varric?"
"Yeah, what about it."
"Cats like him will also become very agitated whenever they leave 'home', which in this case would be my clinic." He paused to think, "We have only thoroughly checked around it. I don't think anyone actually searched inside since he went missing and even then we only did a quick look around."
Everyone around the table looked at each other. It would make sense but I saw Fenris leave, and I know why he left unlike them. He wouldn't have come back would he?
"Okay I'm going to go back and check. You all stay here and rest; if he is there we leave for Sundermount by nightfall." Hawke instructed and started heading for the door.
"Sundermount?" Varric asked.
"It's a long story, have Merrill fill you in while I'm gone." Hawke instructed. Daddy started to get up but the other mage put his hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, "You need the rest more then any of us, and I want to talk to Fenris about this whole thing by myself."
"You're so sure he is there?"
"Where else could he possibly be? I'll be right back if he isn't." I wanted to see for myself if Fenris returned so I ran up to Hawke and meowed at him. "And look Pounce is coming with me."
We left after Daddy nodded, me on Hawke's shoulders and listening to Varric ask questions about Sundermount.
"Fenris!" Hawke shouted and started looking under all the cots. I went straight into the room.
As soon as I went in there I spotted him curled up in a small ball on Daddy's favorite pillow. I had to shake my head to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me or something. The little sneak must have gotten past the person Varric had stationed here to get in after we left. The question now was why?
"Fenris!" I yelled and jumped onto the bed. I could hear Hawke still rummaging outside but I ignored it. "Fenris wake up before I make you!"
Nothing. I sighed and stepped on the end of his tail hard enough to hurt. The kitten jumped up and stared at me until he realized who I was. He didn't have anything to say so I started questioning him.
"What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't fit under the cupboard anymore?" I almost laughed at his drowsy not thought out answer. Almost.
"I mean why did you come back to the clinic? Not why are you on the bed." Hawke was getting closer outside, and I wanted an answer before he came in and wanted to talk to Fenris himself.
"I…" Fenris paused once he heard his name being called, but continued. "I came back that night and no one was here. So I waited."
"Everyone has been out there looking for you that's why no one was here. Hawke figured out… He will tell you when he comes in here. Anyways, I thought you made it clear you wanted nothing to do with Daddy anymore?"
"I thought about it and you were right. I made my decisions, I am not a slave." I wanted to role my eyes but refrained and urged him to continue. "So I made another choice."
"What's that?"
"I will stop him."
At that exact moment Hawke appeared in the doorway, "You are here! Do you know how long we have been looking for you?"
He knelt down by the bed to be eye level with us, "We had everyone in groups working to look around the city for you, you know. Anyways, I think I have finally found a way to reverse the spell."
"You have?" Fenris turned his full attention to Hawke.
"It's a bit complicated." He paused in thought. "You've heard Varric talk about my coming to Kirkwall right? About how I was saved by a dragon who turned into an old witch? I'm sure he embellished it a bit, but at least that part is true."
Fenris nodded.
"You weren't a part of our group yet when we met Merrill but basically she led us up the mountain so she could perform a ritual on an amulet given to me from that very witch. It was part of the deal we made in Lothering." He indicated to his hip where an amulet was securely fastened to his armor. I had never seen it there before; apparently neither had Fenris because he gave it a wary look. "Anyways, I have been working with Merrill for awhile to see if we could use this and her magic to send a message of sorts to Flemeth. It took us awhile but she said if we go to that same alter it just might work."
"Flemeth is very possibly the creator of shape shifting magic. If anyone knows how to reverse this, it would be her." He smiled sadly, "I promised I would change you back, I'm sorry it took this long to figure something out. I just hope after this is over you will be able to forgive me for turning you into a cat."
"He would risk summoning a legendary witch just for forgiveness?"
"Don't let him lie; he just wants to be a dragon."
"What?"
"If it helps, we are prepared to leave tonight. That way we can get out of Kirkwall and onto the mountain before setting up camp. It's probably best to leave at night anyways. Wouldn't want Meredith to know I'm gone, who knows what that woman is capable of, and I seem to be the only one opposing her anymore. Well aside from Orsino of course."
I recognized the names only from Daddy's more… livid rants. He seems to hate them both almost equally, which seems strange. Apparently sitting around is just as much an injustice as causing it. "See what happens when you run off? First, captured by lyrium smuggling Templars, and now you almost missed your chance to turn back into an elf."
"It was you that suggested we leave the first time."
"Oh yeah. Well you were the one who hid in the crate." Didn't we already have this argument before?
"I'm not sure if you guys are having a conversation or just looking at each other." Hawke looked amused before turning to Fenris, "Could you just nod or something to tell me you understood what I said and won't try to kill me when you turn back into an elf."
Fenris rolled his eyes and nodded. Hawke beamed and reached his hands out for us to climb onto his shoulders. "Then, we better meet up with the others."
When we got back Varric and Isabela were quietly playing cards. Aveline seems to have left to get back to her post. Merrill was asleep on the chair with her head resting on the pirates lap and getting her hair stroked by her. Then Daddy was asleep on the cot and lightly snoring.
Varric smiled when we came in motioned for us to stay quite for the sleeping mages in the room. Hawke dropped Fenris and me on the table before taking a seat himself and whispering, "I see you finally got him to get some sleep."
"He practically passed out as soon as you left. And I see you found our broody cat. He's gotten bigger since I last saw him."
"Yep, he was on Anders bed of all places. I guess there was some truth in grumpy cats becoming attached after all."
"I am standing right here." Fenris folded is ears back and glared at Hawke. I snickered, which made him turn back to me with the same expression.
"I guess we should wake Anders and tell him his Sirnef is back. It's still light outside, and I want to be out of the city before dark." Hawke's voice returned to its usual volume but he stayed in his seat. I kind of wished he would let him sleep more but then again there was no way for Hawke to know how little sleep Daddy actually got anymore.
Isabela started to rouse the elf in her lap. "Time to get up kitten."
She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Oh I'm sorry Isabela; I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." She looked around the room, "Is everyone going?"
"I think so Daisy. Me and Rivaini wouldn't miss this for anything, and you have the magic for the amulet so I think that means everyone."
"This is exciting. We haven't all gone on a mission together for a long time. We even have Ser Pounce-a-Lot this time."
"Can someone wake up Anders? I have to run by the estate to tell Bodahn we found Fenris, and grab Anubis. He would never forgive me if I left him inside when I got to explore the mountains." He was already headed to the door.
"Does the dog really have to come too?" I scrunched my nose in distaste, "I really don't like dogs. Especially Mabari."
"For once, I agree with you. I am not looking forward to traveling with a dog either."
"At least you never lived in Ferelden. Everything there smells like dog and they are everywhere. It's horrible."
"So who wants to wake up Blondie?"
"I will." Isabela smirked and walked over to him. She leaned down and whispered something in his ear that even we couldn't hear but apparently Daddy did.
His eyes fly open and push her away "Isabela!" He groaned and buried his tired face in his hands.
"Just trying to help with the imagery; I'm sure that would have made for an excellent dream." Her and Varric were laughing, while Merrill innocently smiled. Even Fenris had an almost unnoticeable smirk on his face. In all probability what she said had something to do with him but I was pretty sure the kitten was still under the impression Daddy didn't know who he was. To avoid more tension between them, I hoped it stayed that way until he turned back.