Chapter 13: Day of the Wolves
Leliana watched Alim and Bellethiel from the warden camp. She hated to admit it, but she was a little bit jealous. The Dalish it seemed, had welcomed the elven mage with little resistance.
Sadly the rest of their party was not so lucky.
The elves watched the humans and the Qunari like hawks; Leliana even suspected that Zathrian may have had some of the few hunters he had left surround their little camp.
Leliana sighed heavily, how could they defeat the Blight if no one trusted one another?
If you cannot achieve trust my pretty thing, then other means will have to be used. All weapons must be considered in achieving your goals, even your sex can be a powerful weapon. Never be afraid to use attraction against your enemies.
Those had all been Marjolaine's words, Leliana suspected that her old master would have approved of Alim's tactics, winning the girl's trust would go a long way to achieving their goals, and, unless Leliana was mistaken, she thought she could see the glimmer of attraction in the elf girl's movements.
Leliana sighed; there had been a time when she had been a hopeless romantic that she had believed that she would find the perfect love, that at her lover's side she would see the world in ways that people only dreamed of.
She had thought that she had found that…right up until she had been betrayed.
Leliana understood what it was like to use someone, to take their heart into her hand and to discard it when she had what she needed, but she now understood what it was like to be used as well, the pain for her was a dagger in the side, both figuratively, and literally.
Was Alim using the elven girl? It was hard to say, they needed to do what was necessary to stop the Blight.
"Out of my way fool!"
"I wasn't in your way; it is not my fault you tripped."
"I did not trip; you stuck out your fool's feet too far!"
Leliana turned to see Alistair and Morrigan bickering again. The dark haired witch and the ex-Templar turned warden did that quite a bit. Leliana suspected that the witch enjoyed tormenting Alistair; perhaps it was a kind of vengeance for his association with the chantry? Maker knew that the witch treated her little better.
Of course…it could also be something else entirely.
Leliana could not help but smile.
It was an interesting tale being woven around her. She went into her pack looking for quill and ink, she wanted to start setting down her thoughts and observations, one day someone might want to know about the group that stopped the Blight.
The journey was by no means over, but she had faith that they would succeed.
The Maker would watch over them in this endeavor.
IOI
"I apologize for Cammen sorcerer."
Alim turned to Bellethiel; it was not her fault that the boy had asked for his help. If anything he understood the boy's reasons better than most. He had lost count of all the stupid things he had done to please girls in the tower. Not that he had benefitted one wit from those mistakes, besides the knowledge that he had been a fool anyway.
Cammen a hunter apprentice was trying to gain a pelt to prove himself to Gheyna, a girl of his tribe. Cammen had almost talked Alim into helping in his quest when Bellethiel finally stepped in. It was not Alim's role to interfere in Cammen's rite of passage. She advised the apprentice to have patience, Gheyna cared for him, and she would wait until he was ready to take his place as a full hunter.
She care too much for him to do less,
"So…will she wait?" Alim asked her.
"Who?" Bellethiel asked.
"That girl Cammen likes, Gheyna, will she wait for him?"
"I don't see her running off with anyone else," the huntress shrugged with a wry smile, we Dalish have old customs and ideals, patience is key. Besides…something's are worth the wait."
Something in the girl's voice made Alim turn, her violet eyes shone in a way he had never seen before. His ears reddened, he pulled his hat down farther.
She…she could not be attracted to him?
Could she?
IOI
Belle had introduced him to the rest of the clan, helping him find the people necessary to get the clan on his side. The clan's craft master Varathorn needed iron bark from the forest, Alim agreed to get him some. A hunter named Athras had lost his wife to the curse, he feared that she had become a werewolf, Alim offered to look for her when he went searching for Witherfang.
It was busy work sure, but necessary work, the Dalish saw him as an outsider, unworthy of their respect. He needed that if he expected them to honor the treaty, and if he looked good in front of Belle…well…so much the better.
It was strange. They had only just met and he felt like he knew her. That he wasn't just some flat-ear city elf who was too short, with too big ears. She looked at him like he was a man…a man that she wished to get to know better.
It was a new experience for the mage.
Once they had dealt with this Witherfang, he hoped that there would be time to speak privately with the beautiful huntress.
He found himself looking forward to that.
IOI
The next morning the wardens and their companions gathered at the edge of the forest. With luck they would be able to return in a few days with Witherfang's heart.
Zathrian, Lanaya, and the rest of the still healthy clan members saw them off. Alim searched the crowd for Bellethiel, but did not see her.
That saddened him a bit; they had spent most of yesterday talking. He had even invited her to dine with them in the warden camp.
Alistair did not embarrass himself much, and when he did speak out of turn it amused Bellethiel more often than not. The sister was respectful enough he supposed; still he did not like her asking Belle all those annoying questions. Bellethiel was a guest after all, not some oddity to be studied. Sten was silent for the most part, and Morrigan acted like she could care less.
Despite his companions, Alim had enjoyed last night, he hated to admit it, but he found himself wishing that Belle could join them, but Zathrian had been quite clear about that, too many of his people had been effected by this curse…he would risk no more.
Bellethiel had wished them the best of luck, saying that she would pray to Andruil the goddess of the hunt for their success. Alim was grateful for the hunter's help, but it would have been better if she had come to see them off as well.
He had wanted to look into those lovely violet colored eyes again… if only for a moment.
Alim sighed, so another beautiful woman had decided that he was not worth her time…so what else was new.
Steeling himself, he led his companions into the Brecilian Forest.
They needed to find Witherfang; the cursed hunters were not getting any better.
It was time to change that.
IOI
It felt like they had been wandering for hours.
The paths of the forest almost seemed to be changing as they moved across them an endless labyrinth of greens and browns. Alim shuddered…he…he could feel the magic in this place, it did not welcome the wardens and their companions, and it felt like someone was watching them.
"Are we lost?" Sten asked.
"No," Alim replied, "We simply have not found Witherfang yet."
Morrigan rolled her eyes.
"Tis a waste of our time Alim," she snorted, "How do the elves expect us to find one single wolf in this forest?"
"It isn't like there are signs," Alistair quipped, "This way to Witherfang, of cursed demon wolves here."
Alim silenced both with a cold glare, Andraste preserve him, he did not need this right now. Whatever was here was calling to him. He was trying to resist, focusing on the mission at hand, but the pull remained.
Leliana came up beside him, a concerned look on her face.
"Are you okay Alim…you look…"
"I'm fine sister," he snapped, making her step back, "I…I am fine, please keep an eye out, something is not right in this…
That is when they realized that they were surrounded.
Twelve werewolves emerged from the woods; they were ugly beasts to, matted fur, long red jaws, dripping with saliva, and the yellow eyes burning with pain and madness.
The companions stood back to back, weapons at the ready.
A large tan furred creature stepped before the others, his shaggy body was scarred and cover with leaves and twigs from moving through the forest too quickly.
The wolf glared hatefully at Alim, and then he did something that no one would have expected…
He spoke.
"The watch-wolves spoke truly my brothers and sisters," the beast growled, its baleful gaze pinning Alim, "Another of the treacherous Dalish has come to put us in our place, to make us pay for our attack."
The elf said nothing, it was clear that there was more to these werewolves than met the eye.
This would not be as easy as they had hoped.
IOI
Leliana kept her bow ready; the large werewolf spoke back and forth with Alim, neither willing to back down nor to let the other off easily.
The werewolves snarled menacingly, Sten and Alistair brandished their weapons while flame licked at Morrigan's fingers. Bandit stayed close to his master, his eyes never leaving the large werewolf leader, the one who referred to himself as Swiftrunner.
From what she could gather these werewolves hated the Dalish a great deal, Zathrian most of all. As Leliana listened it seemed more and more that this was more than just some territorial dispute between the elves and the werewolves.
For the werewolves this seemed more than personal.
Swiftrunner became angry when Alim mentioned looking for Witherfang. The werewolf practically accused the elf of coming here for the purpose of committing murder.
Alim confronted him, demanding to know what had started this, why did the werewolves hate the Dalish so much.
Swiftrunner was no longer in the mood for talking, with a feral howl, the creature gave the word.
His brethren attacked.
Leliana put an arrow in one of them trying to reach Alim. While Bandit grabbed Swiftrunner's leg, the beast howled and tried to free itself from the Mabari's iron grip. Morrigan set two of the wolves on fire, but a third managed to knock the witch down, it tried to sink its teeth into her throat.
Alistair cracked it with his shield, knocking the creature off of her; he ran it through before it had a chance to recover. Sten flew at the other wolves like a terror, his great sword flashing; the Qunari crushed one of the werewolf's muzzles with a large Qunari fist.
Swiftrunner managed to free himself from Bandit's grip, he lunged at Alim trying to either kill or infect the young warden with the curse.
An arrow struck Swiftrunner in the shoulder, the beast howled in fury.
Leliana looked up in shock, that wasn't one of her arrows!
A lone Dalish hunter bounded out of nowhere. Bellethiel drew her darmisu daggers, she glared at the creature.
Her violet eyes blazed with hate.
"TOUCH HIM AND DIE MONGREL!" the elf woman spat.
Swiftrunner looked around, only a few of his brethren remained, if they did not retreat now, they would all be lost.
The werewolf leader gave the order, like ghosts the surviving werewolves melted back into the forest.
Everything fell silent after that.
IOI
Morrigan glared at Alistair, what did the fool man think he was doing?
"I was trying to save your life," Alistair said hotly.
"I did not need your help!" she retorted, "I had everything under control!"
"I'll remember that next time," Alistair replied, "Next time I will let some beast use you as a chew toy!"
"Tis not the point! I…"
"Enough!" Alim shouted, he moved from companion to companion, checking for bites. They had been lucky this time, he found none.
He finally turned to Bellethiel.
"What are you doing out here? Your keeper forbade any of you from joining us."
"The Keeper has been mad at me before," she informed him, "it is nothing new, and you need my help, you have been wandering in circles for hours."
Alim did not dignify that with an answer. When he did reply it was with a wry smile, the one only Bellethiel had been able to get him to use.
"I hope I'm not turning into Alistair," he informed her, "leading us in circles is his job."
Heeeey!" the other warden complained.
Despite the dangers that they had just faced, Leliana could not help but giggle.
At least now they would not be wandering around aimlessly.
At least now…they had a guide.