"So tell me something, Morrigan. Did you live there in that forest your entire life?"

"I left on occasion but I always returned. Why? Is that so strange? It was my home."

Jimmy scratched her head absently. It had been three days and they were still walking in the blasted forest. Morrigan was guiding them through a quicker path but it still felt like they were walking forever. Besides staring at the same scenery, the next most interesting thing was eavesdropping on everyone. Duncan and Cailan were boring, they only talked about what happened during the battle and such. Alistair and Morrigan, however, were quite interesting to listen to.

So far Alistair was making an ass out of himself with stupid questions. It made her chuckle when he did something stupid or fumbled over some words. She paused mid step and quickly resumed walking. Maybe she could teach him some more interesting games they could play while moving.

"But it was just you and your mother there? No one else?"

"Mother occasionally had... company."

That made Alistair stare slack jawed at the witch. It was quite funny.

"What? Company? Do I even want to ask?"

"No. You really don't."

Morrigan snickered at Alistair, who was blushing fiercely. Jimmy also chuckled to herself at the poor man's embarrassment. Laughing at someone else's expense wasn't the nicest thing to do but it was still funny. He was always fumbling over certain topics, especially when being teased. Morrigan had an especially good talent at teasing him.

"Morrigan be nice to the poor boy," Jimmy chuckled. "If he blushes anymore I'm afraid his head will pop. We don't want that. It will cause a mess."

"Fine," the witch sniffed. "Then let's look into your mysterious past. Are you a runaway slave, a city elf escaping the toils of a hard life? Perhaps you are a young Dalish, banished from her clan."

"Sorry to burst your bubble but I'm not any of those."

Duncan joined the conversation, much to Jimmy unhappiness. "She has a point. We know nothing about you and you evade all questions with false tales and jokes. It is time to be honest."

"Honest huh?" Jimmy sniffed, tucking her hands behind her back. "Well, you might as well know. Not like it will change anything. I am a scout for a group of elves that live far from here. I don't really know what direction because my ship was caught in a storm. It seemed like eternity we battle that storm, trying to stay alive and on course. Finally the ship was smashed into pieces and I woke up on some shore with Fen at my side. We wandered around for days until we unfortunately stumbled on the battle you were waging against those monster darkspawn. Now here we are, working to save the world. Yay. Go us. Woo."

This story seemed to be accepted by Duncan but he frowned again. "If you are a scout then why is your weapon skills so bad? Shouldn't a scout be able to defend themselves?"

Quickly Jimmy thought of a good excuse. She wasn't good at coming up with excuses on the spot but she was able to spin up something that felt like it would be believable. Living on the streets always taught her it was best to not be seen and escape alive than confronting danger and possibly dying.

"As a scout I was trained to be stealthy. All my training was based on sneaking and staying hidden than confronting danger head on. Worse comes to worse, I was taught how to defend myself with anything available. Fen is with me to keep me safe if I can't do it so I never really worried about being good with weapons."

This appeased Duncan for the time being. He gave a grunt and headed back towards the front of the group. Jimmy eyed him and Cailan, disappointed with the new look Flemeth and Morrigan gave them. Gone was Duncan's ponytail replaced with a shorter hair cut. Instead of a beard he now had a simple goatee with a thing mustache. She and Flemeth agreed he would look funny with no facial hair. Against her protests his earring was taken out. She was disappointed he no longer looked like a pirate and set out to find a new nickname for him.

Cailan had the most dramatic of changes. Gone was his long flowing blonde locks replaced with a mid ear length hair cut. Carefully they had dyed his hair a muddy brown, a common color that would help him blend in. The stubble that had grown while he was recovering had been trimmed into a mustache, also a muddy brown. Flemeth had used some of her magic to enhance the growth speed so he had a natural looking mustache now. He had a almost constant sulking look now after Duncan had forced him to think for once.

Jimmy chuckled softly at the memory of Duncan setting the young man straight. Almost soon after they had left Flemeth's hut he demanded they go straight to Denerim so he could gather his forces. Wise and cool headed Duncan told him to wait and think about it. The hot headed man didn't want to listen. After they stood in the middle of the path and argued, Jimmy stepped in.

"Instead of using your ego to do the thinking maybe you should use your head for once. Maybe its a first for you to consider such a thing but have you thought about why Loghain didn't enter the battle? From where I had been watching he tucked tail and ran off like a damn coward. Left you to die and why would that be? The only real reason I can think of is to take over your throne. He's had more time than you to get back to your capitol and tell everyone you are dead." She glared up at the childish man. He glared back until the knowledge sank in. Duncan pulled his aside, further strengthening her reason until the man gave up and agreed. Since then he had been having a constant tantrum.

"Hey Lad," she drawled, resting her arm on his shoulders. "Why don't you quit being a stick in the mud and have a little more cheerfulness? Just because you can't run back to your fancy throne and wear your fancy crown doesn't mean you can't have fun. Look on the bright side! You can see how normal people feel! Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Cailan simply scowled at her and stormed off, grumbling something about insolence. She shrugged and looked over at Duncan, who was sighing at his behavior. With a raise of her eyebrow the older man sighed again.

"He's upset about what we said earlier," he explained as if she didn't know. "Just give him some time and he will be fine. This is all a very large shock to him. We didn't help any scolding him as if he were a child either."

"Well if he wants to throw a tantrum like a child I'll treat him like on," Jimmy drawled, linking her hands behind her head. "I learned early in life to never trust anyone unless they understood what you went through. Being relaxed and lazy can cost you your life."

"Are you speaking of your scout training? Did they start you at a young age or did you just have a hard life before becoming a scout?"

Jimmy stared off into the trees, worrying at her lower lip. In truth she had a hard life, all her life, and everything she had done to survive could have been considered training. She didn't like to dwell on her hard life, it made her eel like a cry baby and a weakling. Besides, if she never had lived the way she had, she would have most likely died already or fell into despair of losing her previous life. Finally she shrugged.

"My whole life has been training to survive in one way or another," she finally said. ""If you wanted to eat, you found food for yourself and those you lived with. There were many times we had to chose between sleeping comfortably or sleeping safely, never both at the same time. There were people who tried to find us and get rid of us, any way possible. We had rival groups fighting wit us for territory. So yea, we were started very young and forced to live in hard conditions to survive what our life entailed us."

This made Duncan slow his pace. She could almost see him repeating her words in his head in an attempt to get a grasp on the words. A shocked look slowly filled his eyes as her words sank in. Finally he looked down at her, nodding slowly.

"I think I now understand why you kept telling us lies and false tales. You did what you needed to to survive. I apologize for being so forward."

They nodded at each other and Duncan headed back to the head of the group to walk with Cailan. Jimmy watched him talk to the younger man, a hand on his shoulder. With a shrug she slowed her pace so she could walk next to Alistair. The man was chewing on a wedge of cheese, his eyes half closed with ppleasure. He opened them when she started walking next to him so he could look over at her.

"Tasty cheese?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. He gave a sigh of pleasure, nodding. "That's what I thought. Got anymore ol buddy ol pal?"

"Only if you have something interesting to do while we are walking," he teased, tossing her a wedge. "Besides talking to Morrigan and being ignored by Duncan and Cailan I've got nothing to do."

She munched on the cheese, studying the man next to her. He was an attractive sort, tall, strong, easy on the eyes, but she was a little wary around him. For one she didn't truly trust him. No one could be as thick headed as he acted. Perhaps he really was and if that was true, she'd walk on her hands for a day. Secondly he accepted her far too easily, no questions asked. He was nice though so maybe it was his nature to be far too trusting.

"Before anymore games I have a question for you," she said much to his obvious disappointment. "Everyone else, besides Fen, doesn't trust me. Why do you trust me? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad someone besides a talking wolf trusts me but it seems stupid to just trust someone you know nothing about."

Alistair looked hurt and she winced inside, feeling like a horrible person. "Well that's simple," he said. "You saved Duncan and Cailan instead of leaving them to die. You stayed with us while we healed instead of running off. This isn't even your home but you still are here with us, preparing to fight a Blight. If those things don't point to a good person, at least somewhat trustworthy, then who do we trust? You already have Duncan trusting you and Morrigan doesn't back talk you when you tell her something. There is something about you that people trust and want to follow."

Jimmy stared at him, mouth agape and eyebrows raised in surprise. She stared at the man until he blushed and looked at his feet, muttering about being too forward. Slowly a bubble of laughter filled her throat. She tried to push it back but it forced itself out. Finally she stood there and laughed like a crazy person, getting looks from the others while Alistair blushed even more.

"I'm sorry," she gasped between laughs, hurrying her steps to keep up. "Its just, that's the first time anyone said that. I'm sorry for doubting you and if I was rude." He really is an idiot, she thought to herself as she controlled her laughter. The poor man was truly thick headed and innocent but it was sweet in its own way.

"Now how about some games?" she asked, grinning at her new found friend who grinned back. "My friend, have you ever played I Spy?"

Teaching Alistair how to play I Spy was fun. Teaching him the crazy songs she had heard in her world was even more fun. By the time they made camp for the night she had taught him every annoying song she could think of. Mr Booze had been Alistair's favorite and they had proceeded to annoy their companions by singing it over and over and over. When Duncan groaned that they sing new song she taught her friend the Chicken Dance. Laughing she promised him she would teach him the dance to it.

Everyone had their own jobs when they stopped to set up camp. Duncan started the fire and prepared dinner, Alistair gathered wood for the night, Cailan set up a few tents, Morrigan sulked away from the group, and Jimmy gathered water. She and Alistair walked through the woods, trying to find a decent pool of water as she taught him one of her favorite songs, Wayward Son. She had finally taught him the first verse and the chorus when a silvery body ran into her.

"Geez Fen," she yelped, trying hard to keep her balance. "You disappear for the whole day and then decide to try and knock me when you finally show up for the night! What the hell have you been doing anyways?"

"Exploring," he sniffed, following the two as they continued their search for good water and some more firewood. "You always want to know the area around you. Besides I've been keeping an eye on some certain things. So far nothing is following that would wish us harm."

"Well that's lovely. Go off an explore some more if you want. Alistair and I have more important things to do, like find water and harass our companions with crazy songs."

"Don't forget you promise to teach me that Wayward song," Alistair joked, picking up some pieces of wood.

Jimmy wandered a head of the two and finally found a clean pool of water. Eagerly she filled all the water skins she had, glad they finally found some water that didn't have nasty looking scum in it. She paused for a second, staring off into the trees. The hair on the back of her neck rose slightly and the strange humming she heard before during and after the battle came back. Glancing around she quickly went back to her two friends who were preparing to leave.

She shuddered softly as they headed back, glancing back again into the trees. Whatever she felt wasn't going away but it was slowly fading. Fen looked up at her, nudging her hand until she smiled and patted his head. Alistair was strangely quiet until they reached the camp. Even stranger was that Duncan had been staring in the direction they came from, a frown wrinkling his brow.

"We got water," she said cheerfully, pushing away the rest of the strange feeling she had. "And it's clean, no pond scum. Look who came back with us, the lazy ass."

"I'm not lazy," Fen sniffed as Alistair chuckled and Duncan nodded at the wolf. "I was merely scouting the area around us as you all were following Morrigan path. You can never be too careful."

Jimmy snorted and wandered off, handing everyone their water skins before going to her pack. She sat down with it by the fire, pulling out all the plants she had picked. In the beginning Morrigan had shown her the various healing plants they could use if she picked them. Since Jimmy was always looking for things out of habit she used her skills to find things that would better everyone.

"Morrigan I have more healing plants if you want them," she called across the small camp. "I found some new plants. Are they any good for anything?"

The witch walked over, crouching next to her to look at the plants she had laid out. "These plants can be used in food to give it a better flavor. This flower is used for a basic dye. The rest aren't good for anything. I'll take these plants and make some potions."

"Thanks," she said as the witch walked away. Morrigan raised a hand in acknowledgement and continued to walk. Jimmy sighed, shaking her head. Even though she tried to talk to her and help her the witch still had an icy demeanor to everyone. Sometimes she wondered how she could stand being next to the fire. What if she melted?

Dinner was finally done and Duncan called them all over to get their food. Eagerly Jimmy filled her small bowl she had been given when they first had set out. It was a normal wooden bowl with no spoon but it didn't bother her. If anything had to be stabbed she had her knife and she could drink the coup out of the bowl.

As they ate Duncan began to speak. "Based on our speed we should be in Lothering tomorrow mid afternoon, as long as nothing interrupts us. I've sensed some darkspawn following us. Alistair have you sensed them?"

"Yes I have," the young man replied with a nod. "They aren't close but still near enough to raise a mild alarm."

"You can sense darkspawn?" Jimmy asked curiously. "How do you do that?"

"Being a Grey Warden allows us to sense them," Duncan explained. "We can also sense other Grey Wardens the same way but it's not as worrying as when we sense darkspawn."

"What does it feel like? Does it feel weird or painful?"

"Not really," Alistair said with a shrug. "It's hard to explain. We just feel them. Whenever they are within range we know."

Jimmy glanced at Fen, frowning at the wolf. Fen merely shrugged at her, curling up in a ball to go to sleep. The feeling she had earlier worried her and he wasn't going to help. What if the weird feeling she had earlier was related to the darkspawn? As far as she knew she wasn't a Grey Warden.

"How does one become a Grey Warden?" she asked, blinking up at them innocently.

"There is a ceremony you go through," Duncan said. "That is all I can really say about it. The rest are secrets only Grey Wardens know. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to get some rest. Jimmy, will Fen be able to keep watch again tonight?"

"I'm not deaf," said a muffled voice. Fen lifted his head to stare at the older man. "I can handle watch, just like every other night. Now get your rest, all of you. Tomorrow will be an eventful day for all of us."

At his words everyone prepared for bed. Cailan entered one of the tents as did Morrigan. Duncan and Alistair laid around the fire with Jimmy. Both men fell asleep quickly leaving Jimmy alone and awake with her thoughts. She stared at the sky, her head resting on Fen's side. As far as she could remember she hadn't been in any ceremony or anything so she couldn't be a Grey Warden.

She hummed softly, it was an old song she knew since before she could remember. The words had worn a path through her memory like a well worn street. Softly she sang, "Where are we? What the hell is going on? The dust has only just begun to fall, crop circles in the carpet. Sinking feeling."

Slowly she fell asleep, singing the song under her breathe. As she sank into the darkness of sleep the final words crept into her mind, Blood and tears, they were here first.

All too soon she was woken up. Fen shoved his nose into her ear, causing her to leap up with a yelp. She glared at the wolf who merely snickered before trotting off into the forest. Grumbling about wolves and how snobby they were she gathered up the few things she had unpacked before putting on her pack. Morrigan was no where in sight when they stepped off, Duncan in the lead.

"Where did Morrigan run off to?" she asked Alistair who was still trying to wake up.

"Probably off to go turn someone into a toad," he yawned, scratching his head. "Witches do that you know. Turn innocent people into toads and then eat them."

"Yea yea toad boy. You sure are afraid of them aren't you?"

"I am not! Its just, if I turn into a toad I will no longer be able to eat cheese and something will eat me."

Jimmy laughed, patting the man on the back. "If you ever get turned into a toad, I promise I will put you in my pocket and find a cure. How about that?"

"Alright but no trying to feed me flies," he grumbled with a slight grin on his face.

They soon filled the hours with songs and jokes. Finally she was able to teach him the whole song Wayward Son and they kept singing it, swaggering around. Occasionally Duncan would look back and smile softly at them. Cailan finally got out of his rut for the first time and asked to be taught the song. Between Alistair and Jimmy, the king learned the song so all three could sing it.

After awhile Duncan politely told them all to shut up. Jimmy protested but the older man simply looked at her until she grudgingly gave in. Their fun ruined she walked along silently, staring at the path. About two hours ago they had finally left the forest and walked towards a very large looking wall. It reminded her of the Great Wall, only smaller and more crappy looking.

"I'm sorry about my behavior," Cailan said suddenly, startling Jimmy. "It was rude and improper for me to act like a child. I apologize."

"Apology accepted Lad," Jimmy said cheerfully. Finally some noise besides Duncan's occasional mutterings. "It's not your fault a snake slithered into your ranks and caused a great fuss."

"I guess you are right," Cailan said slowly. "And looking like this isn't very helpful for one's attitude. Why did they chose brown of all colors?"

"Hey now Lad, no dissing the color brown. It is a very good color."

"Sorry, I forgot you have brown hair. It's just so dark it looks black."

For a few minutes they talked about hair and colors. Cailan was very adamant that blonde was the way to go. In turn Jimmy made blonde jokes, causing the man to laugh. Alistair joined in, claiming he had the best of both colors. This caused Cailan and Jimmy to pick on him until he finally surrendered, laughing.

"Behave," Duncan said sternly. "We are almost to Lothering and there is trouble ahead of us. Alistair do you feel them?"

"I do," Alistair said solemnly. "Darkspawn ahead. Feels like a group of six, maybe more."

"Everyone get ready. We are going to have a fight on our hands."

Jimmy looked at them nervously, whistling for Fen. Morrigan suddenly appeared out of a bush, her staff in her hands. Everyone looked ready and able to face the monsters except for Jimmy. She nervously drew her sword, wondering if it hurt to die. For all her luck she'd be taken down by the first darkspawn. When Fen finally returned to the group the darkspawn attacked, screaming and howling.

It was all a giant chaotic swarm. Duncan had two swords and was slicing through the darkspawn while Alistair and Cailan charged into the group. Morrigan was throwing spells at the monsters, taking a few out. She felt like she was frozen, staring at the darkspawn until one broke free of the group and charged her. Instinct and the training Duncan and Fen gave her kicked in. Quickly she slashed at the darkspawn as she jumped away, giving her room to hack at it. Fen lept at another that broke free of the group, snarling as he tore at it's throat.

Her darkspawn was more spunky than the others. It charged at her then retreated, growling and grunting. She made a face at it, stabbing in different directions at it. She managed to hit it a few times before she finally stabbed into it's throat. Gurgling the darkspawn collapsed, twitching as death finally took it. Making a face she stepped back, looking at the black blood that stained her sword.

"That was gross," she muttered, looking away from the carnage. "Oh Fen look at you. You are all dirty now."

"It's alright," the wolf said. "At least I won't stand out in Lothering. A little color never hurt anybody."

"Is anyone hurt?" Duncan called, wiping his swords clean before slipping them back into their sheaths. "Jimmy are you ok?"

"I'm fine I'm fine," she muttered, wiping her sword on the darkspawn to get most of the goo off. "What is with this goo? It won't come off."

"Darkspawn blood is like that," Alistair said, handing her a rag. "You didn't get any on you or in any wounds did you?"

"No, like I said before I am fine. No wounds, no nasty blood on me, didn't even puke, yet. Why would I worry about getting blood on me anyways?"

"The taint," Duncan said, appearing at Jimmy's side and almost giving her a heart attack. Ignoring her glare he continued. "If you get the taint the only way to save you is to become a Grey Warden and even that is trustworthy cure. Are you sure you didn't get any in your body? Being this close to you I feel something strange about you."

"I said I'm fine," she huffed, putting her sword away. "Quit treating me like a baby. I might be the youngest here but I'm not a child."

She didn't notice the frown Duncan gave Alistair nor did she see the worried look he gave back to the other man. Instead she focused on Fen, trying to get the worst of the blood off of him. She used some dirt, trying to rub it away but it only made the wolf more filthy looking. With a sigh she gave up, finally noticing the heavy air between Duncan and Alistair.

"Will you guys quit acting like someone died?" she asked with a huff, crossing her arms angrily. "Is there something so serious you two are acting like this?"

"Have you gotten any darkspawn blood on you?" Duncan asked again. "I'm not talking about now but anytime before, like during the battle. This is very important."

She thought for a second, getting irritated with the two men who looked at her with worry. "No," she said. "Not a drop or a speck. Didn't even fight any of the darkspawn or touch their bodies. Now will you ask me why you are so convinced I have been tainted or whatever? I think I would know."

"It's not like pure taint Duncan," Alistair muttered. "I've noticed it but I thought it was only you. Now that we are all close, I can tell it's not only us now."

"Indeed," Duncan said, stroking his goatee. "Jimmy, you said you were from a land far from here correct? Do you have Grey Wardens there?"

"No," she sighed. They weren't going to tell her anytime soon what was going on.

"Strange," he muttered, still stroking his beard. "You have had no contact with darkspawn blood to enter your body and you say there are no Grey Wardens in your land. It is impossible yet the proof is here." Jimmy stared at him, waiting for him to quit babbling and tell her why he was acting this way.

"There is only one explanation," he continued. "It is not possible yet it is fully possible. Jimmy, are you aware you are a Grey Warden?"

Jimmy stared at him, dumbfounded. She heard a slight cough and whipped around to stare down at Fen, who stared up at her sheepishly. She was at a loss for words, shocked at what the man said. Finger shaking she pointed angrily at Fen, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. The wolf winced and took a step back.

"I didn't realize you two would notice so quickly," Fen said sheepishly, glancing at the two men. "I thought I would have time to break it to her instead of her finding out this way. Jimmy, what they say is true. You are indeed a Grey Warden. Now before you start screaming, I will explain everything, in private and later. You've had a very rough time and-"

"YOU BASTARD," she finally shrieked, staring at the wolf who sighed. "You knew all along there was something different about me and somehow it wasn't important enough to tell me? You lying coward! Go to hell you little prick!"

"Jimmy calm down," he urged, walking towards her. She quickly stepped away from him and he stopped. "You are scared and shocked. I understand, they understand, but you need to calm down."

"I won't calm down," she snarled, stepping back again. "I refuse. I will not listen to your lies anymore you prick! I hope a darkspawn eats you! I'm leaving! Find someone else to-"

A sharp pain flared at the back of her head, causing her vision to darken and swim. It felt like her whole world was swirling around, spinning in circles until she felt something grab her. Growling she fell unconscious, still cursing until her mind went blank. Someone was going to pay for that.

Notes:

Well someone got the shock of the lifetime! How do you guys think you would react? I think I would simply sit down and hyperventilate. Fen is in deep trouble huh? Finally Cailan is talking yay! Jimmy and Alistair are becoming great friends with their silly ways and does it seem like Morrigan is softening to the spunky little elf girl? In case everyone forgot, Jimmy is indeed the youngest out of all of them, being the spunky age of seventeen! As always, thank you all for the love and reviews!

Mendi: I'm glad you love it love it!

draupadi: Thank you for the love :)

Now quiz time!: Ho do you guys Jimmy became a Grey Warden? The truth will shock you!

Like always, Jimmy, Fen, and their antics belong to me, everyone else, things, places belong to Bioware!

FOOL OF A TOOK!