Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or Dragon Age: Inquisitions.

Dine

The raven flared its wings, beak stabbing the air as it cawed, puffed out its chest, and shuffled along the gnarled branch. Levy eyed it warily and fingered the note in her hand. She needed to let Mirajane, and the Inquisition, know about the creature they'd found in the Wild Lands – Levy had even included a hastily drawn sketch (though art was not her forte) and a rough description of the area – but the raven messengers that the Spymistress insisted on using could be temperamental.

Above them the sky was darkening, the silver clouds swirling as a gentle breeze kicked up from the small lough that bordered the camp's east side. The sun was setting in the west, casting long, gangly shadows from the slender silver fraxinus trees that grew between the rocky boulders.

"Juvia does not like those birds."

Levy glanced over to where Juvia knelt by the fire in the middle of the camp, blowing on the kindling, causing the embers to glow brightly as a small flame began to lick tentatively at the dry grass and twigs.

As Levy's fingers tingled in anticipation of the pain the bird would likely inflict with its obnoxious pecking, she was in complete accord with Juvia's sentiment. "They… serve a purpose."

Rising, Juvia brushed her hands down over her black cotton breeches, and stepped past the fire to grab a bucket. "Oh they're clever but Juvia thinks they're terrifying and mean. Very mean spirited birds."

"I have to send this message to Mirajane," she told the bird as much as she told Juvia, who headed to the lough to get water, "so we have to put our differences aside."

She tentatively reached for the bird's leg only to jerk it back when the bird stabbed at it. All right, no. She was not going to be bullied by a bird. The bird preened and shook itself, let loose a few more barking caws before it finally settled enough for Levy to firmly lift it and attach her note to the iron ring around its foot.

Releasing it, she shifted back and allowed it to fly off, watching as it merged seamlessly with a flock of black birds, becoming impossible to identify – much like its master, Levy supposed. Mirajane's birds were as scarily well trained as her scouts.

She pulled her map out from her satchel. If the creature Gajeel fought was from the Spirit Realm, then it either escaped a rift closure or there was an open rift nearby. But her map was empty of the rift symbols – until Cana and her party were kitted out properly, some rifts (portals if you will to the Spirit world) had to be avoided. Those rifts were always marked on the map so that any traveller for the Inquisition could bypass the danger safely.

Biting her lip, Levy finally scribbled an 'x' onto her map and, rolling it up, she slipped it back into the satchel beside her bag of runes and her spyglass. She'd have to get going soon too, if she wanted to reach the Inquisition camp before nightfall.

Something tickled the back of her hand and she hissed, swiping at the green beetle that had used it as a landing pad. It flew off and she rubbed the strange ticklish sensation away, wondering if it was the bug or the scar that caused it.

"Did the bird scratch you?" Juvia called out as she knelt down to secure the pot of water over the fire.

"Hmm? Oh, no, it didn't hurt me at all. Actually, I rather think that was a success."

"Juvia agrees."

With a faint smile, Levy clasped her hands behind her back and looked around the sparse camp. There were no tents, just two neat bedrolls at opposite ends, both with the cliff walls on one side, angled towards the opening. It was nothing like the busy Inquisition camps, no tents or desks set up for missions, nor were there any guards, scouts or caged ravens for messages. And there were no sacks of herbs or salves. It was sparse and yet it suited Gajeel and Juvia perfectly. Levy liked it. It was peaceful and safe.

By the water that gently lapped at the shore, Droy cheerfully munched on a lush patch of grass, tail swishing, while Jet sniffed around the camp and – "JET!"

Dropping his hind leg, Jet sent her a petulant look and scampered off to the water to urinate, instead of on, what Levy assumed, was Gajeel's bedroll.

"Phew. Jet really doesn't like the Boss, does he?"

Levy pouted and slumped onto one of the rocks ringing the fire – not too close though – dropping her chin into her palm. "I thought Gajeel scared him but now I think Jet needs a class in manners. I'll try talking to Elfman about it. I know he specialises in horses, but maybe he knows something about dogs too."

"Juvia would imagine so," Juvia mused, taking a seat on the other side of the fire and began to shred strips of some root vegetables, dropping it into the pot before adding herbs and allowing the stew to bubble.

Somewhere in the trees, a bird trilled and a branch cracked – further still something howled. Levy shivered and rubbed her arms, and as if sensing her discomfort, Jet came over and flopped upon her lap, huffing out a sigh. She smiled and scratched the top of his head, wondering if she had any spare snacks for them both. They deserved a treat after their incident – though maybe half a treat for Jet. His wriggling hadn't helped her when she ran away. If Gajeel and Juvia hadn't been in the vicinity, well she wouldn't allow herself to think of the outcome.

"Juvia, why are you two here?"

"Hmm? Oh. The Boss suspects there's a dragon nearby. Says he's heard some rumours – you know how people like to talk in taverns – and the farmers were claiming that their stock is disappearing. There's no evidence of bears or wolves or even men stealing them for food. They're just there one minute, gone the next. So the Boss thinks it's a dragon."

Levy frowned, twisting Jet's coarse fur through her fingers. "But I thought Zeref controlled all the dragons."

Juvia shook her head, eyes thoughtful as she stirred the food, sending fragrant steam into the air. "Not all of them, just a certain kind. The Boss says this one is more like a wyvern and that it's probably nesting somewhere close to the farmers but not too close. And since the Inquisition is busy with other things, it only makes sense that we hunt them down, take on that little task."

That made sense. The Inquisition was moving through the land, ousting the bandits and closing the rifts and trying to form alliances. Cana didn't have time for detours and side quests, though Levy knew from the rumour mill around the Heartfilia Manor, which had become the new Headquarters, that Cana often did deviate from the set path to lend aide where she could.

Whatever Levy planned to say died on her tongue as Gajeel crested the hill, boots strung over his shoulder, a trio of dead nugs in his fist, and – oh… His hair was damp and pushed back from his sharply chiselled face, and his shirt fell open over his equally damp, quite defined chest, the drops of water trickling down his abs to the dusting of hair that disappeared…

Levy breathed in sharply and felt a liquid heat settle in her stomach. She forced her gaze to the ground, and then jolted when something landed in front of her with a squelch – something grisly and hairy and covered in blood. Her stomach pitched for a different reason and she aimed a murderous look at the dark haired man.

"Boss!" Juvia snapped.

"Hair, meat and bone," Gajeel said with a shrug, stalking over to his saddle pack to pull out a dry shirt. Jet growled at him. "Cana said that girl, Lisanna or something, needs stuff like this to help her identify weaknesses, right? To help the forces of the Inquisition defend and equip themselves better, so here you go."

Juvia groaned and grabbed for an empty sack, scurrying over to help Levy put the meat and stuff inside. "Boss, your methods need work."

Immediately Jet came over to investigate and that was something Levy did not need — to spend an hour cleaning blood and gunk off her dog. She shoved his face away and helped Juvia tie the sack tightly, wrinkling her nose at the strong stench of copper and decay.

"Right." Gajeel dried his face with his old shirt and then briskly rubbed down his chest and stomach before casting the shirt onto a rock and shrugging on the new one. "Is the grub ready? You staying for food, Shrimp? You might as well, can't have you going off and getting eaten by something else."

Levy's expression darkened, her shoulders tightening as fury bubbled — never mind the fact he'd ruined her appetite but then he had the nerve to insinuate she was weak. How absolutely obnoxious! "I can take care of myself."

She had Jet, Droy, her daggers and her runes. She was especially proud of her runes, even if it had been a point of contention between her clan and herself. Elves did not use such things. Runes and enchantments were dwarfish creations, false magic.

"Ha." He laughed loudly, from the belly up but then he sobered, hands on his hips. "Oh, you weren't joking."

Juvia sighed, dropping her head to her knees but Levy couldn't comfort her, not now. Now she was angry with Gajeel. She stood up to her full height, which when compared to Gajeel wasn't much and suddenly she felt much smaller. Jet showed his teeth and tried to step around her but she trapped his head between her knees so he couldn't get to Gajeel. She was annoyed at the Dragon Slayer but she didn't want Jet to hurt him.

"You shouldn't have dropped it on me. It was a surprise."

Gajeel rubbed the back of his neck and jerked a shoulder, eyes averting to the side as his mouth twitched in some semblance of a grimace. "Right. Sorry about that, Shrimp."

Shrimp, Shrimp, Shrimp. She was not a child. "The reason that I am out here looking for information is because Mirajane and Freed both agree that I am more than capable of protecting myself."

"Sure, but," — he folded his arms — "we don't know what's out there now. Could be another one of those things. You barely outran that one."

Juvia jolted to her feet. "Levy, please, join us for some food and perhaps you could camp with us. Just for tonight and then you can go on your way. Juvia has made more than enough food. Perhaps you could tell Juvia about your task. Juvia is most interested."

Levy frowned, her foot digging into the ground as Jet trailed over to Juvia and gave Gajeel a suspicious look before he conned a piece of meat from Juvia's proffered fingers.

"Well, I guess I could share your meal. Thank you." Not that she had a choice. Juvia was trying to be nice and Levy couldn't throw the gesture back at her. Even if Gajeel was being a big stupid thing.

"Boss, go deal with those rabbit things you brought while I serve the food. And then can we treat your head?"

Levy snorted, then catching Juvia's expression, realised it wasn't a dig at his stubbornness. She glanced sharply at Gajeel, scanning him for injury but she saw no blood, not even the hint of swelling or bruising from his battle with the creature. "What happened to his head?"

Gajeel grumbled something under his breath and stalked off. "Juvia, y've got a big fucking mouth."

Juvia motioned for Levy to fetch the wooden bowls and then taking one, she began to fill it with steaming stew. "We had a run in with a bear shortly before we set up camp. We were hunting some ram and so was the bear. Gajeel took a paw to the head but, apart from letting me ascertain that he did not have a concussion, he refused to let me put a poultice on it."

"Only because you're the worst fucking nurse I've ever come across. You're too damn rough, Juvia."

"Juvia needs to be rough with the boss because you do not listen to Juvia when Juvia is always correct." Her voice rose as she shouted over his grumbling.

Covering her smile, Levy accepted the bowl of stew Juvia handed her, and sat down on her rock once more, breathing in the lovely warmth and goodness of wholesome cooking – trying to stir up her hunger again. "So Gajeel has a bump to the head?"

"The Boss is always getting injured in some way."

"Not this time." Smug, Gajeel dropped onto the rock across the fire from Levy and cradled his bowl of stew in his large palm, scooping up a spoonful and shoving it into his mouth. Levy averted her eyes from his lips, heat stinging her cheeks. What was wrong with her?

"Mm good. I fought that creature and he didn't even get one hit past me."

Juvia raised a brow, obviously impressed. "Oh Boss! There is a first time for everything." She chuckled; then slid a sly look in Levy's direction. "Juvia thinks maybe Levy is your good luck charm."

Levy smiled and ducked her head to hide her blush — because no, she was no good luck charm. There were too many people who could attest to that, most especially Hibiki and Porlyusica. No, a good luck charm and her had little in common.

But even distracted by her morose thoughts and memories, she still heard Gajeel softly murmur, "You could be right."

And Mavis help her, but she, too, wanted to believe Juvia could be right.

TBC

Oh wow guys the amount of follows for this story was amazing! Thank you so much. I'm really trying to blend all these elements and failing miserably to keep them in character, but I hope you enjoyed this! Also big thanks to MakeItHayle and Maya for the reviews last chapter. Credit also to cheshireSorrows for the help with the summary - meant to say that last chapter and forgot in my rush.