AN: Many events in DAO will be glossed over as this is more on Saeris' journey and she will not go everywhere. That said this is probably one of the longest canon quest parts that will happen.
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Surana was not pleased when it came time to gather the rest of them as he had apparently found the dalish. His lips were pressed thin and tight, reminding Saeris of when they'd be listening to a more dull instructor in the tower drone on. He wouldn't even explain why they were moving camp to stay within the one of the Dalish, just gritting his teeth tightly. "It's easier to show."
Werewolves.
Much of the interaction between their party and the Dalish Saeris kept out of. Her tongue almost bleeding from how sharply she bit it, out of habit when hearing the traditional greetings. When hearing lilting voices call.
She was not Lavellan anymore.
The distance had never hurt like this before. These dalish looked at her and only knew her as one of the shemlen, sneering at her and belittling Surana, who came to them a Gray warden asking for aid that had been pledged and calling him a flat ear. The next turn insisting he aid them. Something ignited in her gut at it, dark and molten fire.
"If you glare at them any fiercer, they're going to melt." Morrigan said idly from at her side. "With how sticky sweet they all are, flickering as useless as little butterflies.."
In her own way Morrigan was inquiring as to her well being. She could not, would not, tell her. Not when her determination to never be found by her phylactery was so strong but the words burned in her mouth.
"Judgmental fools, as bad as those they condemn. Like maggots snug in the the rotting flesh around them and unaware of how putrid they're surroundings are."
Morrigan's golden eyes locked onto her gaze. "Caution, Twiceblooded. The trading of one skin for another does have an impact on your nature." A reminder. A warning. Also, a question. "Spiders sense naught here, nor do insects...and those are my primary."
"My hackles are up."
"Clearly. Indeed one could guess the school of magic you are truly drawn to if they glanced correctly and saw the little sparks along your fingers, the frizzing of your hair." Morrigan smirked then. "Pretty enough, if pointless as a display. Cover your powers, bitch. Best to wait unseen."
Saeris opened her jaw and stretched it as if she was in her canine form, shaking her body visibly. It helped. "Something foul is in the air, the soil."
"The werewolves."
"it's here."
Morrigan inclined her head then, frowning. "Something we are not privy to then. Though I wonder how you sense it?"
Da'halla stretching her fingers over the earth, coaching Saeris to do the same. "We are elves, da'len and our nature is a part of this world. The earth is our roots as much as the stars are our leaves. The dalish remember how to read the land and are sensitive to it, but my father taught me to ken it far greater. I'll teach you now but be aware you'll always be tied to the earth for it."
"Is that a bad thing, mamae?"
"No, but called to the green and growing means sometimes it demands aid. It is why so many of the ancestors from the dales chased down humans who burned great swathes of land to plant their fields, hearing the distress call out."
Something had twisted the forest and it was itching at her. Making her on edge, demanding protection. Saeris sighed. "I think Alistair and Surana are about to volunteer us to find a cure."
"Of course they are. Bleeding hearts." Morrigan sneered but there was a resigned air to her as well. "If they take me you are coming. I will not hear otherwise."
"Need someone else to talk to not determined to reunite lovers or rescue little kittens?"
"...I think I'll be sick."
Morrigan moved away, not wishing to listen to the elder's tales any longer and knowing they would not set out until afternoon Saeris let her feet lead her to a place that had been a comfort no matter where the clan had rested. The halla pens. Her eyes danced in amusement seeing them sniff in her direction, wary, cautious before deciding she was not the dangerous sort and moving towards her open palm and the bit of apple she offered.
So, they could sense the other form of her now permanently a part of her magic. Twiceblooded were hounds, guards, while they could fight and be a predator just as much. The mabari -Barkspawn of all things. Who had let Alistair name the dog?- had likewise given her a lingering look before seeming content to share space with the new hound in human guise. The basics of her nature, had not changed after all.
"/Yes little ones, I mean no harm../" She whispered in Elvhen, seeing their ears prick and more come to nip at her clothes. The familiar scent was soothing in a place where the gear and vallaslin pricked at her memories. She worked her jaw open again, knowing the kohl pattern would stretch with her skin but not smear thanks to the substance she mixed it with. She was painted in a symbol with more personal meaning to her than abasing herself to a god that may not exist.
It was discomforting though, being so close to a reminder of her path. At least it was not clan Lavellan they had sought out. Instead prodding at the open wound in her heart it made Saeris decide if they ventured near Redcliffe soon as proposed, she would try to track down her mother. Let the darkspawn come, the Chasind would never go overly far. Draw closer to Flemeth's hut perhaps, but they would not give up the land they guarded unless no other choice remained. She could not afford to let such past hurts chain her down and the best way to move forward was to confront them.
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"I think I hate this forest." Surana groaned as he sat down, shaking from exertion. These werewolves were so damned hard to fight. "They just keep coming and..ugh.."
Saeris agreed with him silently, leaning heavily on the bark of a nearby tree, her forehead resting against it as sweat trailed along her forehead. Her limbs felt weak, tired. Too much mana used. It was probably why she had no warning, dazed as she was, until the werewolf was upon them. She felt the bite as it snapped her staff in two, claws striking at her side and reflecting off the shield she summoned in place. The bite then, grazing her arm as it had shattered the wood she held was unnoticed as she took a deep breath and reached within her. She did not have enough mana for much but this? Anger and determination fueled her, the roaring of blood in her ears as she did not hear the cries and rushing forms of her companions.
Recklessly she reached through herself to the connection she had with the fade and bore down upon the werewolf with that same molten dark energy she'd felt crawling along her gut since they came to this forest. The explosion of the air as it burst into streams of fire, held within tight circles only by her will surrounded Saeris. The air was super heated, the ground turning to ash and stone liquifying under the massive firestorm. Hand outstretched she glared, and then fell to her knees. Bleeding.
Surana hissed a cold spell to cool the earth and rushed towards her, pouring an elfroot potion and then a lyrium one down her lips, berating her. It was strange though. How much she hurt. She shouldn't hurt that badly..
"You were bitten." Came the voice of Alistair. "You're going to become like them. A monster."
Saeris groaned, already feeling the tainted curse seeking her out, wishing to spread. Gnawing on her veins from her arm. "I have time."
"But at what cost?" Surana fussed. "You hurt? Of course you hurt you're making that face.."
Her eyes looked up and locked onto Morrigan. Right now she needed her clear thoughts. Sharp and biting as Morrigan was she was always direct. "Werewolves..are they contagious to animals?"
Clarity fell on the dark haired woman's face and she shook her head. "It took hold as a human but it would buy time. We'd need another to take your place as we explore though.."
They could figure that out, instead Saeris shrugged off Surana's hands and breathed in. A twist of power and she was now looking at them from four legs, the burning of her arm -now foreleg- subsiding to a dull ache. Easily forgettable.
"I still think you should stay back now, heal." Surana fussed, once he and Alistair stopped freaking out about the fact she had learned to change her shape. Alistair was highly disproving but he also had a weakness for dogs and Morrigan was far too entertained about how he kept trying to pet Saeris on the head.
"What good would that do her?" Morrigan asked, and then shook her head. "No. We've no time for that. Not even to get one of the others. Let us go on. If she cannot handle it I have little doubt we'll know."
She couldn't cast spells like this, but honestly despite the lyrium potion Saeris didn't want to until she felt like she'd replaced what was lost naturally. Lyrium made her mind buzz and she didn't like it. At all. It tasted off. Every chance she had when Surana would be examining more clues on yet another distraction in the forest -she had to remind herself he had grown up in the circle and things like this were still novel to him- to flop down and rest.
She still burned a bit on her arm. It felt like something itched. When they next came upon more werewolves she lunged for them with her teeth and snapping powerful jaws to crush legs and arms alike, leaving Alistair time to strike a blow with Surana and Morrigan flinging about the spells. A particularly nasty werewolf loomed up behind Morrigan and Saeris didn't think, just lunged for the throat and tore it out. The first kill in this form. The blood was thick and vile as it filled her mouth but she was not being squeamish.
While the boys looted the corpses, Morrigan looked down at her. "Well done. You've blooded your other skin truly now.." And Chasind they were from their fathers. Morrigan silently knelt and began to strike away fangs and claws, cutting into the admittedly luxuriously thick hide. They may be ugly beasts but the fur was deep and inviting.
"Uh is this the time?" Alistair started, and Morrigan spared no courtesy for him.
Instead she huffed. "Go and listen to that tree talk in the glade with Surana already." Fortunately Alistair did so and with effort Saeris shifted back, crouched and snarling at the sudden pain that raced up her arm. She beat it back with a healing spell for a time, the potions a potent cocktail swirling inside of her form. It hurt, made her eyes water but it still hurt less than a smite. Gasping for a bit of air she nodded and Morrigan traced the pattern onto her face's left side, to match the paint on her right. This time in blood. While Morrigan may not have followed the path's of the Chasind much, she knew that some of the strange old ways had always appealed to Saeris. Felt like stitches holding together her heritage though she never told Morrigan what the other half was.
"We'll have to hang the hide, retrieve it later but the rest we can take with us."
"My thanks." Saeris rasped out, almost shaking in exhaustion.
"Change back already fool. It's not that surprising, you killed it when it may have bitten me as well before I could act the least I can do is dress your kill for you since you're helpless out of your bitch form."
Surana did make the decision they would go back to the camp and rest, and resupply. That only made things easier and Morrigan bundled up the hide for her. They were at least, not troubled on the trip back.
News of her affliction was not well received, but that she could stay in her canine form and only have pain but keep her mind stayed any more serious recourse. Saeris stayed huddled by Barkspawn, resting. After a few words exchanged with Wynne, who was fussing over her and the healing magic felt marvelous to soothe her fever, the older enchantress had apparently talked to a few of the Dalish and they were going to clean and prepare the hide and fangs and teeth for her. They did not look pleased about it but Wynne just had this way about her. It was a pity she was too out of it, hiding in her canine senses as it were, to have witnessed the conversation between Wynne and Morrigan that must have occurred.
Morning came and they set off. Barkspawn was following permission or no and frankly it was nice. She may have known how to move in her new form but learning better to fight in it? Well she'd not turn down being taught by a Mabari. Even if Morrigan was far too entertained calling her a little puppy as she tried to mimic the bites and dread howls. She wasn't there yet. Closer to dread squeaks, Wynne had stayed behind to heal, and they had Zevran with the rest of the party for the purpose of picking locks and taps. Alistair and the two dogs were providing most the forward muscle and it was a very strange feeling being the first to charge in battle. Saeris..kind of liked it..
They were provided with more humor when after marking a tree Barkspawn looked at her as if to encourage her to help out. Saeris promptly sat down, ears back and the group cracked up. Yeah. She wasn't doing that in public, thanks. The Mabari puppy eyes had no effect on her. Her nose demanding she do something about the dominant scent? That was different but she was still herself darn it, she would not give in. Instead she focused once more on the burning in her leg as they wandered. It became a series of tasks that Saeris found of less interest than mapping the forest by scent. Not something she would have thought of before.
The revenant? Oh she could have done without that. Or that now Surana was determined to track down this stupid armor.
A chill crept along her bones and she whined, the sound pained and small. Barkspawn nudged her with his head, to keep going. The burning got no worse but the unease she felt as they entered the ruins? Did.
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"Stay still." Came a voice that was soft, lilting. It sounded like it came through the wind, a rustling of tree leaves and faint echos. It permeated the haze of pain in her mind and Saeris let out a whine, but relaxed. The sensation of someone stroking her head and rubbing her ears softly, very gently because of sharp nails, was peaceful. How had she gotten there?
"You have questions of course. It was very clever of you to take on your other shape to stave off the curse. Unfortunately I can feel the magic that has this form to you is new and young and shall be permanently affected for it. You'll always fight off your instincts even in that other form now." Continued the woman. It was not a regretful tone, just a calm stating of fact. Feeling entirely secure, Saeris drifted back off because the voice made her feel safe and helped distract from the burning of her leg, and this utter scalding sensation along her side.
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When she woke it was in the Fade. Calmly she settled in, observing history play out. She watched as werewolves came in carrying her body, despite her size being that of an ordinary hound she seemed so tiny in their hold. Watched as they lay her, bleeding, large claw marks no..talons..along her side.
"The intruders fought the dragon."
"And you brought one to me?" Came that same female voice as a woman made of the dappled shadows beneath the trees, garbed in bark and glimmering lights stepped forth. Hair that was the richest of greens flowed down her and clad in naught but her power she seemed more regal then, than scores of nobility could ever hope to compete with in all their trappings. "I sense the curse has settled in but held back."
"She tore out the throat of one of our own." Growled a blackened werewolf, bent low to the ground. It was not anger and malice so much as it was knowing. "Claimed a place in doing so. And she's already furred."
"We shall see." The lady said as she knelt, drawing Saeris's head on her lap and stroking the fur. "She is not so far from survival. One of you used a poultice on her?"
"You taught us to show mercy, Lady."
"And you have done well. Perhaps, this little cub can be a bridge. When the intruders come, see if they shall parley. I will speak to this one when she wakens."
"They would side with the elves!"
"Perhaps." The lady's long nails were so close to Saeri's throat then. A single move and she would bleed out, never knowing. "Or if they hear the truth, maybe there's hope in them yet."
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The conversations when Saeris awakened were entirely one sided, except it seemed with the werewolves all around them, the spirit of the forest had long since learned to read muzzles and ears. The sheer wrongness of what Zarathian had done pulled a whine from her throat and every wolf there relaxed. The sounds, the actions of being a canine could not be faked. There was no falsehood when furred.
"I sensed your presence as you slept. You're mixed in more ways than one are you not?" The Lady said, the werewolves having all gone ahead to meet her party. Saeris dipped her head, an ear flickering in acknowledgment.
"I see. As I said, this curse has changed you. Changed your form deeply as if it had twisted your human one. Instead it's been held back and brewing so you may not notice the changes for a while yet but it is there. You'll be wilder, stronger, larger..when like this. As I am caught between two dualities, I can teach you how to make it work as I have. A gift, if you promise to protect me should your companions not listen to reason. Though it isn't a nice gift to receive there are other..benefits."
With what she had learned? She could do nothing else. The answer writ along her body language, the Lady shifted and plunged her elongated fingers into Saeris heart. An answering power surged then, against the curse, with it, and it was so achingly wrong to have her heart clutched in the hand of another. Even as it withdrew, healing her, Saeris could not help the howl. Pawing at her head and feeling something licking at her fur as if she was on fire, drowning. Starved from too much instead of too little air.
A sudden urge rendered her helpless and Saeris threw her head back in a howl, barely aware of the white wolf at her side doing the same.
Lightning and ice crackled around her and built up, the fade so near as to be like another wind ruffling her fur.
*Like this, you have some magics available to you. You are still only a hybrid, but you can draw on the fade and become more. How far you will go is up to you.*
The words echoed in her thoughts and she shook her fur. Feeling..alive. More. She knew now, knew she could have weapons in her fangs and claws, could alter the fade in ways most primal and wild despite being in her canine form. As the Lady said, it would take time, but the knowledge sat in the back of her thoughts. She rolled over to Witherfang, showing her throat and belly, in submission. In thanks.
()()()()()()()()()
Losing the Lady, thankfully with the death of the twisted elf who had started the entire mess out of his grief, had teartracks coursing down her face. The werewolves were human once more, some elves, all confused. While her own party talked over what to do next, Saeris faced them. It was only for a short time that she'd felt the Lady, remembered the hand around her heart, the rush of power, the voice in her thoughts...
"Find the Chasind." Saeris spoke, a growl to her voice out of habit and twitched her muscles. A few wry grins met her, too much teeth in the action. They'd all take time to adjust.
"Will they take us in?"
"If you're willing to work and fight they will. They were in the Kocari Wilds, but with the Blight I cannot tell you where they've headed."
"Who do we say sent us?" Swiftrunner asked and Saeris snorted.
"Use your wolf names, they're use names. Honored by the Chasind. If you say Twiceblooded sent you, they'll know me."
"Just that?"
"We're not a flowery and talkative group. Besides, the humor of former werewolves going to the Dog Tribe? That's right up there with the actions of the gods. That you've met one..the Lady..were succored by her? Among them it won't do more than get you questions and understanding."
"Will you join us?" The black haired man stood and crossed his arms beside Swiftrunner, the one whom had vouched for her since she tore the throat out of another. He was half crazed looking. The Chasind would love him.
"In time. For now I follow the Warden's."
"A lot of the ..memories..may still come. The instincts. You find us if you need to talk to someone." Swiftrunner warned. She understood, it was far more transmitted in the bite's curse than just a form. The Lady had been woven in and through it all to keep it alive, there were things already scratching at her thoughts she would need to meditate and put to rights.
"Good hunting." Agreed the black haired male and Saeris grinned, feral, wild, she could feel it in her muscles as she saw the same wolfish grin returned to her. It would take adjusting to. She'd need Morrigan's help to tame this new ferocity in her, the wildness that had gone from enough to fill her cupped hands to a bathtub over just a few days being cursed.
"Good hunting."