In A Manner of My Choosing
By Pyreite
Warning: This chapter contains coarse language, copious amounts of wolf-slobber, and awkward references to canine behaviour. Discretion is advised.
Touché
Ellana pushed away the broad snout nosing her clothes and armour. The spirit of Fen'Harel whined, but relented when she frowned. He knew that look. Ellana wasn't in the mood for play. The scent of her annoyance smelt lemon-sour in his nostrils.
"Stop trying to stick your nose in my crotch", she told him. "I know you can smell Solas on me without getting into my smalls".
"Ew!"
Ellana rolled her eyes.
"Sera. You've seen mabari dogs sniff arses. A giant wolf sniffing a crotch isn't that far out of the realm of possibility. He's a dog too even if he has more eyes, bigger teeth, and claws instead of nails. The only difference is that he's a spirit and not a stinky flea-farm that rolled in a pile of druffalo shit".
Sera jabbed a finger at the spectre looming over them.
The wolf spirit had planted his hindquarters in front of the Eluvian. He cast a long shadow as he panted in the afternoon sun. His ears were pricked in alertness. His myriad glaring red eyes were half-lidded as he rested. His jaws were open exposing two rows of jagged teeth longer than her arm.
"That beastie is a lot bigger than a mabari!"
The Iron Bull grimaced when it glanced his way. He shivered when those enormous spider-like eyes focused on him. It was too damned creepy. Bull hated demons. He was revolted when its tongue lolled.
"Vashedan! Why the hell isn't it acting like a wolf? It should be snarling and snapping and trying to tear us limb from limb! But it's just sitting there panting and snooping and sniffing like a dog! I can't kill something that harmless even if it has sixteen eyes and a mouth full of fangs!"
Dorian lacked his lover's anxiety. He was surprised they hadn't been eaten on sight. Demons were notorious for attacking anything and everything that moved. Dorian had experienced more violence at the hands of a band of marauding bandits. This creature was not a filthy unwashed brigand or a rabid half-starved beast.
"You're not a demon at all despite your fearsome looks".
A huge black ear turned towards him.
Dorian couldn't believe his luck.
"Amatus! Did you see that? He's listening to me! This is a marvellous opportunity! Oh, Sir Wolf, please excuse my terrible manners".
Ellana smiled when her friend bowed at the waist.
"I am Dorian Pavus of House Pavus. A magister of Tevinter. It is a pleasure to meet you".
Bull was unimpressed by his posturing.
"Kadan! What are you doing?"
"I am being courteous and introducing myself to our guest".
Bull jabbed a thumb at Ellana's newest friend. "That thing is not our guest. It's a demon. It's evil. It's going back to the Fade where it belongs".
The wolf bared its teeth and growled.
Dorian grinned.
"Am I right in thinking you're not going anywhere without Ellana?"
The wolf gave the mage a self-assuring woof.
Dorian laughed.
"Aw! Aren't you adorable!"
"Kadan!" snarled the Iron Bull. "Stop talking to it like its a person!"
"Amatus", Dorian explained with the patience of a saint. "It is a person albeit a wolf-shaped spirit of a person. Besides I've always wanted a dog, but my mother forbid me from having one. She had allergies to dust, hair, peasants, bad manners, and anything horribly unfashionable. I asked her for a puppy when I was five and instead of a warm wriggling ball of fuzz she gave me a fennec-fur robe. When I found out that it was made from the fur of forty fox-cubs I cried for a week".
"What a bitch", concluded Sera.
Dorian smirked. "I had to inherit my charming personality from someone".
"She's even more of a bitch".
"I hope you meant that in jest".
"Sorry", apologised Sera. "I get snarky when I'm nervous".
She nodded to the wolf eyeing them as if they were tasty treats.
"That thing keeps watching me".
Dorian pulled a face.
"It's a pity that he has terrible taste. You dress in rags stained with mustard. I suppose smelling like a leg of ham is more appetising than stinking like an Orlesian sow soaked in perfume. You'd go down a treat, but I think he'd choke on a wrinkled dowager dripping in diamonds".
"Hey! I'm not going to be some spirit's breakfast! If he tries to eat me I'll stick him with the pointy end of an arrow! I have a whole quiver full! We'll see if he likes chewing on prickles!"
Sera froze, eyes going wide, when a warm gust of wind ruffled her hair. She blanched when something large, furry, and oddly pleasant smelling blotted out the sun. She was cast in shadow as Ellana's gigantic wolf gave her a cursory sniff. Sera was too afraid to move. She was rooted like a tree as she wailed over and over again.
"It's looking at me! It's looking at me! It's looking at me!"
Dorian gave Ellana an amused wink.
"I think he likes her".
"Ma elgar'falon", reproved Ellana. "You're scaring her".
The spirit of Fen'Harel opened its mouth in response. Dorian gasped when it leaned towards Sera. The mage thought it might snap her up and swallow her whole. He appealed to the Iron Bull with a panicked glance. Perhaps trying to befriend the beast had been a terrible idea.
"Amatus!"
"I told you it was a demon!"
Ellana didn't intervene when Bull, with great-sword in hand, ran towards her spirit-friend. She yawned when he bellowed a Qunari battle-cry. She shook her head when Dorian gestured to their friends whom he thought were in imminent danger. Ellana flapped her hand at him in dismissal. She seemed unconcerned for their welfare.
"That thing is going to chomp on our comrades!"
"You worry too much, Dorian. They'll be fine".
"Are you mad?"
Ellana gave him a bored look.
"Just wait".
"What?"
Ellana held up one finger, then a second, and a third.
She snapped her fingers right on cue.
"Yuck!" cried Sera. "Ew! Ew! It licked me! Now I'm covered in wolf-spirit spit!"
Dorian snickered when he saw Sera saturated from head to toe in glistening strings of saliva. He doubled-over, nose to kneecap, when his lover received the same enthusiastic greeting. The Iron Bull dropped his great-sword when a large pink tongue swept towards him. His first introduction to Ellana's new friend was a firm and friendly tongue-lashing. Bull roared when he was licked from the top of his horns to the pointed tips of his boots.
"PARSHAARA!"
The spirit of Fen'Harel ceased to accost the Tal Vashoth warrior.
"I guess he understands Qunlat. Hmm. He must be multilingual", said Ellana. "I never saw that coming. He probably understands the elven language and the common-tongue too".
The wolf inclined his head, black ears perked in readiness, and barked a greeting. Bull scowled when the beast's black tail wagged back and forth. It was happy. Bull was not. He wiped a hand down his face to remove the generous helping of slime from his one good eye.
"Disgusting!" complained Bull. "Why couldn't you just eat me like a proper demon?"
The wolf stuck his broad black nose in Bull's chest.
He whined like a puppy begging for forgiveness.
Bull gazed into its glowing red eyes. He was unsettled when he saw sincere contrition reflected there. This beast was no demon. It was intelligent and sorry for what it had done. Bull grimaced and gave the spirit an awkward pat on the snout.
"Yeah. I suppose I can accept your apology. Just don't try to lick me again. I don't have that many changes of clothes. It's really weird that your breath doesn't smell like ass. It's kind of fruity like spiced apple cider".
Dorian hooted like an owl as he sprawled in the grass.
He laughed till he was blue in the face.
Ellana smirked.
"I told you there was nothing to worry about".
"I b-believe y-you!" stammered Dorian as he cackled like a loon.
Ellana looked at Solas. He had kept a respectful distance since her wolf-spirit had emerged from the Eluvian. He could not escape through the mirror. A large furry behind with a matching black tail blocked his way. He was trapped inside the meadow.
He could only go back the way Ellana had originally come.
"So", she said casually. "Will you be joining us at the Exalted Council? I hear Val Royeaux is beautiful this time of year".
Solas scowled.
"This is not over".
Ellana grinned. "You bet it's not, Fen'Harel". She tapped her chin with a calloused forefinger. "Or should I call you, Solas? My elgar'falon does resemble that name better than you do. I think I'll call him Fen'Harel instead".
Solas swore in elvish.
Ellana laughed. "I believe there's an Orlesian word that says it best".
"Touché, vhenan. Touché".
"Good", affirmed Ellana. "I'm glad you're not too proud to admit that this round is mine".
Elvish, Qunlat, and Tevene Translations: Courtesy of the Dragon Age Wiki
Vhenan – Heart.
Fen'Harel – The Dread Wolf – The elven god of Rebellion, Betrayal, and Trickery.
Solas – Pride.
Ma elgar'falon – My spirit-friend.
Kadan – Where the heart lies – Used by Qunari for someone they care about.
Vashedan – Shit.
Parshaara – Enough.
Amatus – A term of endearment used for one's spouse or lover. Likely means 'Beloved'.