Disclaimer: None of the recognized characters are mine. I simply borrow them for my amusement.

Author's note: Sorry for the long delay in updating this story. I promise it hasn't been abandoned! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me!

Chapter 44

"Holy shit." CJ muttered, staring at the scene before her. They had reached the forward camp. Though there was no active fighting going on in sight, she could hear signs of it coming from the trees.

"That's one way to describe it." Bull commented and ruffled her hair. He'd been doing that a lot more frequently as her hair slowly grew out. He seemed to enjoy how it felt. "Stay by my side. I'll keep you safe."

CJ snorted. "And while you're doing that, I'll be keeping your ass safe too."

"What about me?" Talon pouted.

"That's Dorian's job," Bull retorted.

CJ laughed as Talon flared red. "You're being paged, Talon." Josephine was waving at him. He sighed.

"Be ready to move out soon."

"Yes sir!" Both CJ and Bull snapped off sharp salutes.

"You two deserve each other." He sighed and walked off. CJ laughed again.

"I bet we can get him to go redder." Bull commented.

"Sure," CJ grinned. "I'll take you up on that bet."

"First one to get him to blush so bad his ears turn red gets one request that the other cannot deny."

"Agreed." They shook hands.

Talon called them all together. "Corypheus and his troops are here. Morrigan knows where the temple is, so she'll be leading us."

"We have to move quickly." Was all the briefing that Morrigan gave, though not much was needed. They all nodded.

"Let's go."

They had just passed through a tunnel and came upon a group of red templars fighting with chevaliers. CJ took one down with a dagger to the back of the neck. The others were dispatched easily. They continued moving forward. If they weren't in such danger, CJ really would have been enjoying the scenery. It was lush forest, bright and vibrant greens and browns. She'd never seen trees like these.

"Sera, Varric, take out those archers!" Talon called as they came upon a lake. The archers nodded and focused their arrows up towards the palisades. The rest of them rushed the red templars along the lakeside. CJ and Cole fell into a familiar rhythm, fighting back to back as the warriors hacked at the enemies.

"Watch it, Dorian!" CJ exclaimed as a bolt of fire slammed into the ground mere inches from her. "They're the enemy, not me!"

"Sorry Fighter!"

"Sorry." She muttered, dodging another swing. "He almost burns me and he says sorry!"

"It won't hurt. It's friendly fire." Cole said and CJ blinked.

"It . . . . it doesn't work like that, Cole." But the young man simply shrugged.

They continued pressing forward steadily. Morrigan seemed to know exactly where she was going, leading them north west, along the river.

"Mages, barrier spells!" Talon cried as they came upon a group of Inquisition soldiers. The mages nodded and raised their staffs. The red templars were quickly overwhelmed, but one managed to get CJ in the gut with the butt of his sword before he fell. The air had been forced out of her lungs and she doubled over, gasping.

"You all right, Kadan?" CJ looked up at Bull.

"I'm fine." She flashed him a smile and forced herself upright. "Just winded me a bit."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

He nodded. "Gotta watch out for both ends of the sword, Kadan. Not just the pointy bit."

"Oh stuff it." She retorted and he laughed.

"Make me."

"Come on you two!" Varric called. "Save your flirting for when the enemy is dead!"

"Picky picky." Iron Bull sighed. CJ just grinned.

"Let's go, Bull."

"After you, Kadan."

They were now following a path between the trees.

"Red templar camp ahead." Cole said to Talon softly, as they paused.

"How many?"

"Eight archers on a stone battlement. Maybe thirty soldiers in the camp itself." He answered.

Talon nodded. "All right, let's split up and try to surprise them. Solas, Vivienne, can you whip up fog to provide cover? Dorian, you pelt them with ice. Sera, Varric, stay in the trees and take out the archers. Once that battlement is clear, take up positions there. CJ, Cole, you guys guard the stairs and make sure no one can get up behind them. Bull, you're with me going right. Cassandra, Blackwall, you two go left."

CJ raised an eyebrow at that, pairing Blackwall with Cassandra?

"Is that going to be an issue?" Talon demanded, seeing Cassandra's sour look.

"No." She said shortly.

"Move out!" They all nodded. CJ took up position by the archers, prepared to take out anyone who tried stopping the arrows. The fog seemed to disorient the red templars, which gave them the element of surprise. Dorian was able to confuse the enemies, sending ice from different directions while Sera and Varric took out the archers in short order. As soon as the battlement was empty, the two archers took up position and laid down cover fire. CJ and Cole defended the stairs, killing three red templars who tried taking back the battlement.

"Behind you!" Cole called, and CJ whipped around, coming face to face with a new attacker. She paused for a moment, startled. This wasn't a red templar. He was an elf, dressed in an unfamiliar outfit. That was all she had time to observe before she had to parry the blow of his sword.

"Where the hell did you come from?" CJ exclaimed. "Are you with the Red Templars?"

The elf made no answer. Just swung again. Fine. CJ would defend her post.

"Enjoying yourself?" She called to Bull, who was hacking limbs off.

"I bet I can get three in one stroke!" He answered, grinning.

"Show-off!"

"Always!" CJ grinned and met the blade of a Red Templar with her own.

It was a furious fight, but they defeated the Red Templars.

"Hold this camp." Talon instructed the Inquisition soldiers. "Look for supplies the Inquisition can use. And information. Solas, Sera, stay here to help." They both nodded.

"Yes sir!" Scout Harding snapped off a salute and then turned away.

"They didn't start that until you did it." He muttered to CJ. She simply clicked her heels together and snapped a salute as well. As Talon turned away, his red face wasn't all due to the exertion of the fight.

"Good effort, but not good enough." Bull commented, and CJ grinned at him.

"The day is young, Bull."

"Come on!" They followed Talon along the path through the trees. Morrigan didn't hesitate in her steps, leading them confidently. They veered right once they were clear of the trees, going down a riverbank. There was a fight, Inquisition soldiers, Red Templars, and more of the elves CJ had seen before were locked in battle. Talon had the mages cast barrier spells over their allies, and CJ launched herself into the middle of the fray.

"Kadan, duck!" CJ dropped down an instant before Bull's sword swung over her, successfully cutting an enemy in half.

"If you would have hesitated, he would have cut you instead!" Blackwall exclaimed as he used his shield to push a templar back.

"Nah, he wouldn't do that." CJ replied with a laugh. "I'd haunt his ass for the rest of time if he did!" She sunk her dagger into the neck of an attacking elf.

"Good to know, Kadan!"

The river was secured, and Blackwall looked down at the bodies.

"These aren't members of Corypheus' army." He commented indicating to an elf. "They attacked both sides."

"They are part of the ones who guard the temple." Morrigan said.

"Temple guardians? Why haven't you mentioned that before?" Cassandra exclaimed.

"What does it matter, if there are a couple more enemies to fight?" Was the quick retort.

"But if they're guardians, what are they guarding?"

CJ didn't get an answer. They just continued, crossing the river and going past ruined pillars.

"Oh this is going to be awesome." Bull let out a low whistle as they saw what lay in the valley below them. CJ recognized Fiona and several of the circle mages raining spells down on the huge creatures there. "Behemoths." Red Templars that had been completely corrupted by red lyrium.

"Varric, Vivienne, Dorian, you three stay up here. The rest of you come on!" Talon led the close range fighters in a charge down to the valley floor.

"Boss, you're the best!" Bull exclaimed gleefully. "The only thing that could make this day better is dragons!"

"No!" CJ shouted. "No dragons!" She dodged to the side, avoiding a line of red lyrium that spiked up out of the ground.

"Spoilsport!"

"Until you've fought a dragon, you don't get a vote!" She retorted. She threw a dagger but the behemoth knocked it aside. "Damn it!"

The mages were doing more damage than the close range fighters were, so Talon quickly arranged it for them to be distractions, holding the behemoths in place long enough for the mages above to pelt them with fire, ice, lightning, and many other spells.

This was a harder fight, but they let out a cheer of victory when the last behemoth fell. As the red lyrium crumbled away, they could see the outline of the man the creature used to be for an instant. Had he volunteered to be turned into a monster? Or had he been forced?

CJ shook her head. Thoughts like that would do little good.

"Vivienne, you stay here with Fiona." Talon instructed. "Help hold the lines."

"Understood, darling."

"Oh that's just wonderful." Dorian groaned as they came upon a Venatori banner.

"Well, everyone else is getting in the fight. Why not them?" Varric questioned, and Dorian gave him a sour look.

"Not helping, Varric."

They came to a clearing now, where they could hear fighting coming from two different directions.

"We'll split up." Talon decided. He sent Varric, Blackwall, Iron Bull, and Dorian to the left while he, CJ, Cassandra, and Cole went to the right. Morrigan had sighed in annoyance at the delay but agreed to go with Varric and the others to the left.

Talon led the way, and it wasn't more than three minutes before they came on the fighting. Inquisition soldiers were fighting one of the temple guardian and Red Templar. It was not looking well for the soldiers. CJ threw a dagger and jumped into the fray. With the added assistance, the Inquisition soldiers were able to win the fight easily.

"Fall back," Talon instructed the two soldiers. "We've taken a camp not far back. Get some healing there and help defend it."

"Sir." They saluted, and Talon waited until they disappeared to let loose a long-suffering sigh.

"You've poisoned all of my soldiers." He accused CJ, who grinned.

"I thought they were Cullen's soldiers?"

He sighed again, and Cassandra made a disgusted noise.

"Are we done here?" She demanded.

Talon looked around the clearing. "Yeah, we're done here. Let's go."

The other group was coming into the clearing from the other side. Dorian had a hand pressed against his side, blood on his robes.

"Vhenan!" Talon gasped and rushed forward.

"Peace, Amatus." Dorian smiled. "I'm all right."

"He tried stopping a sword with his side. Didn't work." Iron Bull said, not very helpfully.

"It's just a scratch." Dorian said, trying to stop Talon from disrobing him.

"I'll be the judge of that." Talon retorted. With a brief but decisive struggle, Talon had yanked down Dorian's robes, revealing the wound.

"Amatus, this is unnecessary." Dorian protested as Talon gently touched the skin that was already beginning to bruise. "It's really not that bad."

"You sure about that, Dorian?" CJ asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No comments from you," Dorian exclaimed. "I see you're bleeding too."

"No I'm not." CJ protested, looking down at herself. There were no injuries.

"Uh, Kadan," Bull swiped a hand across the back of her head causing CJ to hiss in pain. "This is why helmets were invented." He showed her the blood on his palm.

"Huh." She exclaimed. "Well, it doesn't hurt."

"Really?" He challenged and swiped his hand again.

"Stop touching it!" CJ swatted his hand.

"It needs to be cleaned." He frowned at her.

"Your grubby hands aren't clean."

"My hands aren't grubby!" He protested.

"They are too!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

This cycle continued for another five minutes before Cassandra got upset and swore at them. Once Talon was done treating Dorian's wound, he tried convincing the man to fall back. CJ watched them argue as Bull cleaned the cut on her head. It wasn't serious, he announced.

"Next time, try to avoid blades to the head, Kadan." He said, carefully ruffling her hair.

"Oh shove it," She stuck her tongue out at him. "I didn't even feel the cut to begin with."

Bull caught her chin. "Not nice, Kadan." He frowned at her.

"And?" She grinned a challenge at him.

He growled low in his throat and ducked down. His lips were a hairs width from hers. "Keep pushing me and see what happens." She ignored the threat and closed the distance between them.

"Thank you for cleaning the cut, Kadan." She murmured against his lips.

"You are very welcome." He kissed her again.

"Yuck." Morrigan's voice cut in, and CJ took a step back. She scowled at the mage.

"What's yuck?" She demanded.

"All this lovey-dovey goo." Morrigan waved a hand at CJ, Bull, Talon, and Dorian. "It makes me wish for the blight again. Then I wouldn't be subjected to this disgusting sight."

"That's not what Leliana said." CJ said. "Apparently the Hero of Ferelden and his partner," She had to pause to think. "Zevran? Could be quite public with their affection."

Morrigan pulled a sour face. "Thank you for reminding me of that CJ."

"You're welcome!"

"Amatus," Dorian's voice rose in anger. "I am not leaving you, so let's move on!"

"You're injured!" Talon shot back, just as angry.

"I am fine." Dorian said stiffly. "This little scratch is not going to keep me away from your side."

"Boss, he's not going to back down." Bull cut in. Talon turned his glare on him.

"What about Fighter?" He demanded, pointing at CJ. "You're not going to try and stop her?"

Now CJ was scowling at Talon as well. "Don't make me take you down to prove that I'm fine, Talon."

"No one's falling back." Varric cut in before another argument could evolve. "Now can we move on? The enemy's not going to wait."

"Fine." Talon huffed. He turned on his heel and stomped away.

"Anger doesn't count, Kadan." Bull commented, and CJ laughed. They followed Morrigan and Talon, on guard for any sneak attacks out of the forest. Leliana was fighting along side Inquisition archers, pushing back Red Templars and Sentinels. They helped defeat them and then continued. Talon was pushing hard, still angry at Dorian. He was using his anger as a weapon, running into battles without hesitation.

"Talon, you've gotta think before you act!" CJ yelled, grabbing the elf and hauling him backwards, just missing getting sliced by a behemoth. "You're going to get your head taken off!"

"Shut up!" Talon retorted. He swung at a sentinel.

"Just because you're angry doesn't mean you can lose your focus, you idiot!" They were fighting back to back, yelling at each other.

"Why won't he fall back?"

"Because he loves you, you idiot!" She dodged a blow and sliced her daggers across a sentinel's arm. The elf hissed and jumped back. "No way would he leave you! Would you leave him?!"

Talon didn't answer, just continued fighting. CJ focused on the battle, Talon was too upset to be reasoned with at the moment.

When the last enemy fell, Bull was breathing hard.

"Tired, Bull?" CJ grinned at the qunari.

"I'm over here swinging a sword that's longer than you are tall, Kadan. You have two letter openers!" Bull retorted. "Who do you think works harder?"

"Hmm." CJ wasn't convinced.

"Maybe your age is catching up to you." Varric commented, and Iron Bull glared at the dwarf.

"Maybe I should use you as a battering ram next time."

"You are as spry as a young spring chicken." Varric said hastily.

"Coward." CJ exclaimed and Varric shrugged.

"I'm not his beloved Kadan. He probably would use me as a battering ram."

"Projectile would be more likely. Throw you up and over the enemy lines. How well do you aim?"

"In flight? Never been tested."

"I can help with that," Bull offered.

"No."

Talon was speaking with Cullen and Morrigan.

"The temple's just ahead." Talon said, motioning north of them. "Everyone ready?" He looked around at the group. He was met with eight stoic faces. "Let's go."