I've just become aware that some of my chapter titles have the wrong number on them -face palm-

I will attempt to correct this when I have a spare moment. That's what i get for touch typing and not checking my work.

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Chapter 36 - The signals you send

'Over here!' Aveline shouted. She had found a wolf that seemed to be sleeping, it was very large and had dark brownish fur with black mottling around the back, shoulders and forelegs. She was a little wary, a wolf is still a wolf even if you think it's a friend that's been transformed.

'Do not get too close,' Fenris said as he arrived through the trees, Marethari on his trail. He knelt down a foot or two away from the beast and stretched out with his hand as if waiting. After a moment or two his lyrium began to flicker and he stood up nodding at Aveline. 'Makatza,' he says gently. Aveline let go a heavy sigh of relief and nodded to Marethari who let loose a bolt of green into the sky. It had grown late into the night and they had been searching for hours and hours, they had swapped with Varric's team after about three hours and then Hawke's team returned after a couple hours and Aveline's team went out again. Silvanus hadn't stopped searching despite even Marethari asking him to rest, his fear was understandable. Fenris would swear that they had searched this area before but she definitely wasn't here the first time. He took a step closer and knelt back down again.

'Easy Fenris,' Aveline warned, she wasn't sure how this was going to go.

He nods at her but doesn't hesitate to reach out and gently stroke her fur around the ears. She snuffles and her large paws drag across the brush as she begins to move. Marethari prepared an isolation spell just in case Makatza wasn't feeling herself. The wolf yawns and opens it's eyes; the truth glittered in the light as the companions saw the colour of her irises. With a large heave Makatza gets her feet under her and stands up, towering over Fenris as he was kneeling. She sneezes briefly and paws at her nose before sitting down. 'Katza,' Fenris says quietly. She whines softly and then leans forward resting her head on his shoulder. 'I am glad you are unharmed,' he says quietly as he hugs her gently. He can hear voices and frantic footsteps so with a gentle pat he stands and waits for the rest of them to arrive.

Silvanus was the first to arrive and out of breath he charges over to the wolf and sinks to the floor. 'Lethallan?' He asks as he raises his hands to carefully grip her snout. 'Oh my Lethallan,' he says a sob breaking through. 'I though' I lost you,' he says. Makatza moves closer and licks his face in assurance that she was fine, her large tail wagging from side to side slowly. Silvanus buries his face in her neck, her fur almost causing him to disappear for a moment. She nuzzles him before standing up and forcing him to do the same.

She gently takes his hand in her teeth and begins to pull him towards the treeline. 'I don't think she wants us to linger in the forest,' Aveline laughs lightly. 'Can't blame her,' she says smiling, happy that her friend had been found. They manage to encounter the rest of the group on the way out of the woods and Makatza delays the reunion by simply loping off towards where they had set up camp. 'Come on Hawke, you can talk to her when you're resting,' Aveline says softly as she loops her arm through the apostates.

They found Makatza at camp bouncing around with Bubble and playfully fighting. 'You can understand me!' Makatza said happily as she fought with the Mabari who was wary of her at first until he caught her scent.

'I don't know what happened but yes, you're a canine now! What happened mistress?' Bubble asked as he sat down panting. 'I followed your scent then you simply vanished. We couldn't find you anywhere,' he replies.

Makatza nodded as she sighed, 'I'm afraid it's all rather magical. I've been told it won't last long though it's going to be an inconvenience for sure. Not being able to communicate with any one is going to suck,' she pouted the best a wolf could. Bubble chuckled and she would swear he was sniggering really, she huffed at him and walked over to where the rest of them were waiting. She sat next to the fire and tilted her head as all eyes turned on her. 'What?' She woofed.

'Well this is a turn up for the books, Petal is actually a wolf,' Varric laughed. 'How is it, girl?' He asks getting a growl in return which made him laugh more. 'So as I was saying it would probably be best to just bunk here for the night and travel back in the morning,' he suggested.

'I brought ma books! All that I 'ave on transformation, thought we could try an' find a way to help,' Merrill added as she walked over to one of the horse's saddlebags. 'If that's okay?' She asks Hawke who nodded.

'Yeah it would probably be best to try and find something to explain this,' he said as he made himself comfortable. Merrill handed out a book to everyone apart from Fenris who simply glared at the young elf as she came past. Makatza tilted her head, she would have thought that he would have tried to at least look, for her. He instead went back to polishing his sword and avoiding the rest of them in conversation. She got up and walked over to him sitting very bluntly in his way.

'Watch yourself, this is sharp,' he scolded as her tail flicked towards the blade. Makatza huffed at him and he had the decency to look embarrassed, it was almost like he could tell that she was accusing him of not helping. He put his sword down and began to stroke her under her jaw. 'I will help any way I am able,' he said quietly. Like an arrow Makatza realised why he hadn't taken a book from Merrill, her heart ached and she pushed her snout into his fingers making him smile a little.

'I'm sorry,' she whined a little as she laid down rather heavily across his lap.

Anders scowled, 'at least you're making yourself helpful in one way,' he mutters. Fenris furrowed his brow and felt the deep growl from Makatza, quickly he patted her head to calm her down and stop the others from hearing. Surprisingly it felt good to hear Makatza respond in such a way to Anders barb. Her mana was still pulsing like usual but it was making her fur sway like waves as it travelled over her body, he sighed and sat back against the wagon's wheel that he had leaned against. Sebastian soon returned with a few rabbits and they started to make food, Makatza started to drool as she sat up her feet doing a little happy dance in the grass.

'Do we have enough to feed a wolf?' Isabela teased as she came over to Makatza and ruffled her fur around her neck and smushed her face in her hands. 'Do we have enough? Do we? Do we have enough for you?' She laughs as Makatza licks her face happily. 'Oh look you're finally getting me wet,' Isabela teases making Makatza shake her head and bat her around the head with a large paw. 'Ow you bitch, literally in this case,' Izzy laughs as she brushes her hair back down into place. Fenris gets up and looks into the wagon where his armour and belt were left now that they were back in camp. He grabbed his belt and looked at it thoughtfully. If Makatza was to go back into the city she needed a collar, she would be stopped or even shot otherwise. He grabbed his dagger and sat back down carefully undoing the stitching around each pouch. The belt itself was a wide, black leather, if he was careful he could easily make a serviceable collar. Food was passed around and Makatza was even given some tea in a bowl from Sebastian who spent a while talking and stroking her, she was wagging her tail fondly while he spoke making a sour taste appear in Fenris' mouth.

He finally removed all the pouches and loose threads and got up to measure it around Makatza's neck. 'What are you doing?' Sebastian asked simply as Fenris came near.

'She will need a disguise,' Fenris states motioning for her to sit up, she does so and holds up her head so he can easily wrap it around her neck.

'She cannot be mistaken for a dog,' Sebastian said rolling his eyes.

'Do you have a better idea?' Fenris snapped as he gently wound it around her fur and marked off the length.

Sebastian ignored the elf and turned to Makatza, 'do you mind wearing a collar?' He asked, Katza shook her head and did the canine version of shrugging her shoulders which turns out is very difficult to do for a dog. Fenris bit down on the nasty comment he wanted to shove down the prince's throat and instead walked over to where Hawke was reading a book while eating.

'May I have your signet ring?' He asks.

'Sure?' Hawke says sliding it off his finger. 'Why?' He asked.

'A brand,' he replies as he lit up his lyrium on his fingers and tightly gripped the sigil. Garrett watched in interest as the elf concentrated his powers, the ring began to glitter a deep blue and when Fenris pressed it against the leather it smouldered for a moment. He held it there for a second or two before removing it and what was left was a perfect impression of the Hawke crest that glittered as if lit within. Fenris blew on the ring till it cooled and gave it back to Hawke wincing as his fingers began to smart.

'That is fascinating, will it always glow?' Garrett asks. 'Did that hurt?' He adds noticing the discomfort on Fenris' expression.

'A little and yes, it will dull but it will be noticeable enough against the leather,' he says simply as he scrutinises his work, his silver buckle will work keeping the collar together though it meant he would have to make a new belt. 'If people think she belongs to a lord they will not touch her unless she literally harms someone.'

'That's a good thought, well done,' Hawke nodded. 'I've not found anything yet,' he says raising the book. 'I'm sure I will soon though. If mother asks about her whereabouts we'll say that she's staying with Silvanus for a while,' he says with a sigh. 'I'm hoping this is all temporary,' he mutters.

'If it isn't, Varric can ride her into battle,' Isabela grinned as she turned her page.

'Hey you laugh about it but I think it's a damn good idea,' Varric laughs. 'Imagine the stories, the dwarf and dire wolf!' He says projecting his imagination forward, 'a magical wolf nonetheless,' he smirks. 'It's got the smell of a best seller.' Fenris chuckles as he gets back up and moves back over to where Sebastian was still talking to Makatza.

'Here,' Fenris says softly. 'Let me know if it is too tight,' he says as he gently buckles it around her throat. She stands up and vigorously shakes her head from side to side and then tries to paw the collar over her head, she's able to slide it off but not shake it off. With a triumphant woof she nods, 'very well, if you are satisfied,' he says slipping it back on over her head. He strokes her ears fondly before moving back to his camping spot, there wasn't much more that he could do till morning.

Bubble trotted past him to Makatza. 'What?' Makatza asked her fellow canine who seemed to be grinning.

'You can smell the pheromones a mile off, two legged mating customs are so strange. He wants to mate, you want to mate, yet you dance around each other,' he laughs as he lies next to her. Makatza was thankful that a wolf was literally unable to blush.

'What in the living land of fuck do you mean ''Mating customs''? There's no mating going on over here, buddy! No way!' She said in a panic her mix of barking and whining making everyone look at them curiously. Bubble just laughs at her and ignores her threatening presence and pose, not worrying about his safety.

'Even the Prince wishes to mate with you, you would have quite a litter of pups-' Bubble began but couldn't finish as Makatza snapped at him with a growl before chasing him around the campsite making him howl until she made him take it back.

'What on earth is going on there?' Aveline asked Hawke who shrugged his shoulders.

'From what I've gathered Bubble was saying things Makatza didn't like,' he chuckles. 'Serves him right to be honest,' he smirks. 'I'll find out the story later, or at least the base context.'


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