Alrighty then. So I know I've been kind of trudging along on this but I'm working as fast as I can. Especially since they just gave me more hours at work (yay!), I'm a little busy lately. So really that is all I'm going to ramble on about. So without further ado I give you the next chapter (5 or 6?) so that you may enjoy it. MOVING ON...

Quick Shout Out: SpiritWarrior22: Thank you so freakin much for the BETA...ing I just put you through 8 pages if blabbering. That had to be like pulling teeth and know it is appreciated. You Cant See Me: I may not be able to see you but I can see your review. I'm glad you find the story to your liking so far. And yes I love Dragon Age and Fable too... as I'm sure is obvious.

Disclaimer: Well me and Sparrow got into a fight over Alistair. I lost and she said I didn't own either of them in a legal sense. When I looked up what she meant I found she was, in fact, correct. Legally, they are the property of their creators and that is not me. So... poo poo ca-ca pee pee! ... That was my protest.

The Favorite...

Alistair and Sparrow walked hardly a breath's distance away from each other. Sparrow, trying to keep her eyes forward, couldn't help but steal glances to see if his big problem... erm... that is his pressing issue... or um... to see if his issue wasn't as hard to deal with. Sparrow inwardly cursed herself, trying to quit looking down at his crotch. He didn't seem to notice, but she didn't want to chance being caught and laughed at. Neither mentioned what happened after their encounter with the troll. In fact they tried to avoid conversation altogether, looking around conspicuously. Hammer left with a speed greater than Sparrow had ever seen, though she could hardly blame the poor girl being cooped up in the dark Guild with Theresa.

They arrived just before the Bandit Road in Brightwood. Hammer stood there impatiently with her large arms crossed. At least she wasn't singing that awful song that never got out of Sparrow's head. She raised an eyebrow at the pair as she pushed herself from the large remains of the wall she was leaning against. She looked from Sparrow, to Alistair, and back. Both were quietly trying to avoid eye contact with each other. "What? Did you two get jobs?" Asked Hammer with her large powerful arms now on her equally large hips. "Buy a house? Start a family together?" They both turned a shade of red darker than Sparrow's shirt as their cheeks burned with blood. "I've been here for ages!"

"Sorry," apologized Sparrow. "We must have been walking slower than I had thought." Roofus ran around Hammer's leg for attention. She bent down enthusiastically to give the golden dog a pat as she complimented how cute he was. Alistair looked up at the sky, as though he was trying to force the blood from his face to fall back down into the rest of his body. Hammer continued to coo and pet Roofus while Sparrow cleared her throat to get her parties undivided attention. "We should get moving now before we get stuck out there in the dark."

"Right," Hammer stood up straight and Alistair gestured his arm for Sparrow to lead. "Let's go."

They continued onward together. Hammer wouldn't keep quiet for five minutes, and it was only made worse when Sparrow quickly realized that the only person in the world who could talk as much as Hammer did was Alistair. They spent one hour talking, another hour bickering, and the third hour was talking and then quickly turned into bickering as they argued fighting styles. Alistair's attack method was to force forward but to make sure he had plenty of defense before doing something irrational. Hammer's, on the other hand, was simply to crush any ones face who moved in too closely.

"You can't just wait for an opportune moment," argued Hammer. Sparrow and Roofus were on the verge of tearing out their hair and running off screaming wildly and joining the Temple of Shadows. "That could take too long and by the time you can attack, it might be over!"

"Well you can't very well go off and expect an army to fight you one at a time," countered Alistair hotly. "If you and everyone else have died you're not very much help that way. It's better to make sure you're covered before running off madly into battle!"

"But what about-"

"Oh will you two SHUT UP," Sparrow's sudden outburst made Alistair and Hammer suddenly glance at their leader in surprise. She stared them both down, wide blue eyes wildly going back and forth between Alistair and Hammer. "You both have different tactic which have gotten you this far. That's what matters, not how, but that you did. Now will you two please shut up?" They hung their heads like two children being chided by their mother. Sparrow sighed; this was going to be a long trip.

"So how far is Westcliff anyways?" Asked Alistair. Sparrow's eyes once again widen at the realization that he was talking again.

"Alistair," warned Sparrow. "If you spend half of this journey saying 'are we there yet' I swear I'll turn us around and throw you back in that stream I found you in!"

Alistair was taken back at her words and held up her hands defensively. "Hey now," he said trying to calm her. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Remember I was good for conversation."

"Oh and I'm not good enough to talk to," Hammer started all over again.

"Well that depends if you'd actually talk," Alistair wasn't backing down either. Sparrow felt like punching herself in the head and hopefully knocking herself unconscious. "Or if you'd just prefer to swing your hammer until her head falls off."

"Ugh," moaned Sparrow as they once again began their heated debate. "Are we there yet?"

Bandit Coast took far too many hours for Sparrow's liking. She had finally managed to quiet her party, but a full days journey on foot was making everyone tired and irritable. When they arrived they didn't miss the large log gates with a large pointy tip in the distance. Sparrow moved to take a step forward before she soon found herself drenched in rain. "Lucien's writings are fascinating," Theresa's voice startled everyone. 'Perhaps Alistair was right,' thought Sparrow. 'That does get a little annoying sometimes.' "There is much in there that may interest you, when you have the time. For now, press on to Westcliff."

"Sounds like a good bit of light reading," said Hammer thoughtfully. Alistair opened his mouth to say something sarcastic but the look Sparrow gave him made him quickly shut his mouth and keep his eyes on the ground. "Me. I prefer the idea of a little action..."

Finally it slipped out before Sparrow or Hammer could stop him, Alistair picked his head up quickly, and before they knew it. "Would you prefer if you were dumb as the rock you use to smash things with then?"

"Hey I'll have you know I was raised in a temple! I studied...," Hammer's hands went to her hips. Sparrow suddenly realized Alistair and Hammer's hostility towards each other. Hammer, like Alistair, was raised in a place where religion (and not a religion they particularly believed in) governed their every move and they knew they were destined for so much more. Then suddenly someone rips them away from this place, that they've always hated and never wanted to be a part of in the first place, and forces them into their faction otherwise they would be stuck serving the Maker or the Light or whatever the newest fad of a deity. With their backs against the wall, they do whatever they are told to do and for that they resent themselves. Which in turn, as they are just alike, makes them resent each other. Sparrow shook her head, that endless strain of logic carried on far too long. "... And just because I like a little bit of action it doesn't make me a mindless brute! And what about you, then? You were trained in combat differently than I was so it makes you smarter?"

Alistair almost started speaking again but Sparrow clapped her hand over his mouth. His breath was warm on her hand, making her wonder about his breath on other parts of her skin. 'Not the time Lily,' She mentally smacked herself in the face. "Are you both stupid?" She asked in a hushed, hostile tone. "There are bandits here, hence the name Bandit Coast. I don't know about the two of you, but I'd like to get through as much of this, without getting killed, as possible. Now shut it!"

"Speaking of which..." Hammer said in as hushed a tone as Sparrow's. Sparrow almost clapped her other hand over the large woman, but stopped when she realized it was more of an observation than it was carrying on against Alistair, who still had her hand over his mouth. "I thought this area was completely overrun by bandits?" She made a point as they passed the entrance of the gates. There was no one to be found. Just pointed logs. "Charming architecture, looks like sharp pointy logs are all the rage around here."

"Mummy iz do warf ff pirvs," Alistair tried to speak over Sparrow's hand. She gave him a hard look in warning. But it was his eyes, like a wide puppy's eyes, that did her in. She took a wary step back and let him speak. "Maybe it's to ward off birds." Hammer actually considered the thought for a moment, but then, who would be afraid of birds? As it was, she didn't know Shale and her unnatural hatred for the winged animals, almost throwing up (if golemns could actually throw up) when Alistair spoke of eating them.

They took only a few steps inside the gate before bandits began dropping out of the trees. "Here we go," excitedly cried Hammer. Her mighty hammer swinging left and right like a wild animal suddenly uncaged and set loose upon the world. Alistair and Sparrow couldn't help but be relieved that they had the energetic woman running and swinging as they were still trying to fully recover from their previous battles with the troll and with Lucien's men. He remained closer to Sparrow until he was ordered to back up Hammer.

Hammer protested Alistair's help as they advanced on, leaving Sparrow to trail behind. But it was when Alistair mentioned that he wasn't there because he wanted to be that Hammer seemed to take his offer. Sparrow and Hammer had been friends as soon as they had met, save for that song that was always stuck in Sparrow's head, and so if Sparrow said to take Alistair with her to ensure her safety, she'd do as was asked of her. Even if she wanted to strangle him to death for saying she was stupid! Alistair proved quite useful when Hammer found herself surrounded though. Instead of leaving her to fend for herself for their constant bickering, he had taken some of the load off her shoulders. The bandits were quick to underestimate Alistair because, in comparison with Hammer, he looked quite small.

Alistair, now standing at Hammer's side, was quick to dispose of the extra bandits out of range for Sparrow, but too close for Hammer to take on by herself. He felt tired, the last time he had slept was when he had met Sparrow, and that had been the better part of three days ago. His moves were sluggish, but still more than capable as he dodged and parried enemy swords. Hammer seemed to notice Alistair's exhausting body and stepped in, swinging her giant hammer with great force and knocking out three bandits before turning back to her own problems. Alistair gave Hammer a greatful look before he continued on with the fight.

Sparrow, back with Roofus, was beginning to wish she didn't send Alistair away. Bandits were falling out of the trees around her and her reaction time, like Alistair's were becoming sluggish. She had taken to sitting down while she fired and if it hadn't been for the loud BANG the rifle had made, Sparrow would have fallen asleep.

When finally bandits stopped falling out of the trees, Alistair and Hammer hauled Sparrow to her feet. They continued on the muddy path until they were stopped once more by large logs with pointed tops as a barricade. Sparrow's eyes widened in anger and Alistair's head hung in defeat. Had they come all that way out there for nothing? To be stopped short of the finish line once more? Hammer tilted her head as she approached the large wall.

"This must be the infamous barricade," She noted. She observed the wall for a moment and brought up her Hammer. "Doesn't look that tough." Alistair and Sparrow watched hopefully as Hammer swung her mighty hammer with a loud cry. The barricade fell to peices in a few hard swings.

"Okay," spoke Alistair excitedly. "I take back everything bad I said about you earlier. You're a wonderful, fantastic person who breaks barricades into little pieces so we can keep going. Did I mention that I love you? Because I think I do!"

"Everything he just said," Sparrow cocked a thumb back at Alistair. "I double that and you have now become my new favorite person in the whole wide world!"

"Who was your favorite before me," asked Hammer glancing at Alistair who was too tired to notice or care about the innuendo.

Sparrow and Roofus didn't miss the hidden meaning; he jumped up and barked happily behind Alistair. "I was," she said innocently.

"You were your own favorite?"

"I never said I was a modest person," shrugged Sparrow. "I mean have you seen me I'd-"

"Boss," cried one bandit. He watched wide-eyed as their barricade had been pushed down so easily."We can't stop 'em. They're still coming!" Their leader, the only man not standing around half naked with his face covered in a mask, studied his opponents. Sparrow and Roofus stood behind Alistair and Hammer, readying her weapon while Roofus covered her side.

"Stand and fight," barked the highwayman to the bandit who was still in fear for his life. "You cowardly knaves!" He leapt high into the trees and the bandits began charging. Hammer was the first to split up the party as she swung her hammer this way and that, fighting off bandit after sweaty bandit. Alistair glanced at Sparrow; he took a deep breath before nodding and following after their large friend. Sparrow started aiming for the highwayman, who leapt and dodged the sword and hammer. His speed was nothing like his bandit minions, he leapt from tree to tree, trying to find a place to strike at Alistair or Hammer. He had made his decision and decided to leap out, sword first at the blonde man killing his men easily. Alistair was able to catch him and parry the sword, the highwayman cried-out in frustration as he realized Alistair was much stronger than he was. The leader struck out with his foot in Alistair's stomach, causing him to double over at the impact and sudden loss of breath.

As Alistair took in a sharp gasp for air, the highwayman raised his sword over his head to make the killing strike. Hammer had caught him this time though, her hammer connecting with his chest and flinging him across the grounds like a ragdoll. As soon as she was in the clear, Sparrow silenced the wheezing group leader with a single shot. Sparrow, still holding her rifle as though she was going to shoot, scanned the grounds as well as the trees for any more bandits. When finally all was quiet, she raced over to Alistair. He didn't seem badly injured; as he was standing straight and even gave Hammer a goofy smile.

"Thanks for that," said Alistair as he rubbed over the area the highway man had kicked. Sparrow found herself wishing she were rubbing that spot for him, but quickly shook her head at the wishful thinking. Besides, she... rubbed enough of him for a lifetime. Hammer had given Alistair a firm pat on the back, sending him forward into Sparrow and coughing once more gasping for air. "Easy, woman!"

"Sorry," giggled Hammer. Sparrow caught Alistair from tripping over his feet and helped him stand up right. They paused a little while longer than they should have. Hammer raised an amused eyebrow at the two before clearing her throat. "Ahem, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Alistair took a step back out of Sparrow's reach. "Right then, Westcliff here we come!"

By the time they had reached Westcliff, it was well past midnight. The moon shone brightly overhead, looking down on them with a face of awe, the wind brush gently against their faces, as though trying to lure them back the way they had come in.

"I've heard a lot of stories about Westcliff," informed Hammer as they walked closely with Roofus bringing up the rear. "Place is suppose to be infested with balverines."

"What's a balverine?" Asked Alistair. Hammer and Sparrow looked at him as though he had grown a second head. Had he truly never heard of a balverine?

"A large dog," explained Sparrow quietly. "About the size of two men, very mean, and fast. Some say they were once humans infected by the bite of one balverine that made them into beasts."

"Like a werewolf," realized Alistair. He remembered the Dalish Elves, or what was once the Dalish Elves, before Audrea had taken hold of their homeland and destroyed everything. Alistair told himself it was for the best as Zathrian, their leader, would no longer listen to reason.

"Yes exactly," nodded Sparrow.

"I heard this one story about these traders who got attacked," Hammer rubbed her arms, trying to blame her shivering to the cold. "Balverines killed both parents, but the kids survived. A slaver found the poor things, took them back to his camp, and locked them up in a cage."

"How lovely," Sparrow felt a tight twisting in her stomach. She felt uneasy as they stepped on dead twigs and leaves. Was nothing alive around these parts?

"That night the kids turned," continued Hammer. Both Sparrow and Alistair's eyes widened at the story as Hammer kept speaking. "Broke out of the cage, and ripped every slaver in the camp to shreds."

"Ah good," nervously laughed Alistair. "A happy ending."

"It makes you think, doesn't it?"

"It makes me think we need to walk a little faster," Sparrow tried to hide the panic in her voice. She didn't hide her fear well at all, but to her fortune, Alistair took a step closer to her almost protectively.

Alistair fought the urge to put an arm around her, for protection purposes only (if he could fool anyone, more specifically his self). They walked faster at Sparrow's request, down a slope until further down the road, high on an arched bit of ruins, sat a large creature crouched down and watching as they moved. Sparrow stopped dead in her tracks.

"There's one of the bloody things right there," whispered Hammer. Sparrow swallowed a lump in her throat but slowly reached behind her for her rifle, maybe if it would just sit there and allow her to shoot it, the balverine's screech broke the silence in the night air before jumping away in a mass of brown fur. The three were left with their mouths gaping for a second before Alistair and Hammer had also reached for their weapons and stood ready. "Bugger, it ran off. Maybe it was afraid of us"

"Are you joking?" asked Sparrow incredulously. "That thing could eat just me and Alistair for an appetizer."

"Why am I an appetizer," complained Alistair. "What's Roofus?"

"Okay fine Roofus is an appetizer," relented Sparrow. Hammer was looking between the two, once more amused, but this time also in fear. "What do you want to be?"

"I like the idea of being dessert," smirked Alistair. "You know, saving the b-." Two balverines quickly ended Alistair's unfinished sentence as they fell just short of the party. The first one on the left knocked Sparrow off her feet, barely giving her time before it began to attack. She quickly rolled out of the way as its' long claws reached down to swipe. Sparrow scrambled back until she was stopped at the feet of the second balverine. It looked down at her with calculating eyes before realizing she was a great substance for food. It screeched at her and, like the first, swung its' claw.

Alistair, letting instinct take over, lunged at the tall creature knocking it back to the ground. It threw Alistair, who landed with a low grunt before continuing towards Sparrow. Hammer swung her weapon on the first balverine who attacked first. The hammer made contact with the beasts head, it fell to the ground, giving Hammer the advancement to keep swinging until it stopped moving.

Sparrow tried to quickly load her weapon in time to avoid becoming a meal for the animal. Alistair jumped back on his feet and once more began running towards the last remaining balverine. Sparrow, knowing that she would not be ready in time to avoid death, closed her eyes hoping for a quick and painless end. There was a slicing sound and she felt something warm and sticky, like blood touch her face. For death, she reasoned, this wasn't so bad. She couldn't fell a thing, just hear the cries of a pained balverine, which was growing weaker and weaker until with one last pant, it stopped. Sparrow opened one eye to see Alistair using his foot the push the balverine from his sword.

"That was something wasn't it," breathed Hammer excitedly. Sparrow and Alistair shot her a look before he extended a hand and hauled her to her feet. "I've spent my whole life praying, and meanwhile, the world was just as dangerous as ever. But now, this stretch of road is a little bit safer because of us." Sparrow hadn't really thought about it before, between all the battles, the seemingly never-ending battles with bandits, with beetles, the hobbes; how many more would have been around it if wasn't for her deeds? The roads began to look more and more perilous at they traveled on. The roads, grass, and trees were streaked in blood from the balverine's previous meals. "Well this is an inviting little corner of the forest. Cosy."

More balverines attacked, and this time, Sparrow was ready. She already loaded her weapon for the known attack and was the first to fire. The balverine cried angrily, but otherwise, met the same fate as his brothers who lay dead in the road. They continued down at a sprint at this point, hoping to get out of these roads as quickly as possible. The sound of a ladies scream broke the sound of footsteps and running.

"Someone's in trouble," gasped Hammer. "We've got to help her, come on!" Hammer's powerful legs allowed her to run fastest, much to Alistair's surprise. Standing out in the open was a woman, she didn't look too conspicuous, aside from the fact that she was standing out in the open defenseless and the balverines had not been picking their teeth with her bones. "Are you all right?"

"Balverines attacked us," cried the woman, who revealed her name to be Lilith. "They killed my husband!" She wiped her eyes as she wept. "They killed my Frederick."

"It's all right," consoled Hammer. "You're safe with us."

"Not if we stand out here in the open," warned Sparrow. "Come on, must get out of here before anymore of those balverines can smell us."

Lilith grabbed her shirt pleadingly. "They took my son," she told. Sparrow bit her lip, unsure if this was a very good idea, the boy was probably dead by now anyways. Sparrow did not want to be running in a lair of balverines for a corpse.

"Can you show us where they took your son," Hammer volunteered for them.

"I...," she hesitated, but then nodded firmly. "I think so." She lead the way, slowly, wiping tears from her cheeks. "My poor Robert. What if they've already…?"

"I'm sure your son is alright," silenced Hammer. "We'll find him."

'We'll find what's left of him,' thought Sparrow. She didn't say it out loud though, it would upset Lilith, and more so it would upset Hammer. They passed by an old settlement, long since abandon. Three wooden buildings remained.

"Does this seem odd to you," whispered Alistair to Sparrow. She quickly faced him and raised an eyebrow. "Why would she be out in the middle of Westcliff, with her family I should add, and this is where she comes to. There's no body of her husband and no bones either. Doesn't it seem strange, even a little?"

"Never question a panicking mother," answered Sparrow. Lilith kept glancing back at the two with dark eyes. She was hiding something, but the question was what?

Balverines attacked again, but Hammer and Alistair seemed to make short work out of the pair while Sparrow stayed and guarded Lilith. It struck Alistair odd once more that the balverines didn't even attempt to pass Alistair and Hammer to get to the grieving mother. Something wasn't right about this woman, and Alistair knew it.

"Come on," ordered Lilith. "We're almost there I can feel it!" She took off into a run towards a bridge where another pair of balverines waited. Sparrow finally noticed what Alistair was talking about when he said something was off about Lilith. As she ran past the beasts, they took no interest in the worried mom.

They crossed the bridge where a large structure awaited them. Three balverines looked down at the group, but strangely enough, none made a move to attack. They simply sat and watched.

"Why aren't they attacking us?" asked Hammer.

"This is where they took him," urged Lilith. They were lead down a staircase into the Howling Halls, a dark cave balverines made into their habitat. "You won't let anything happen to him will you? You'll save him?" She pushed past Alistair and Sparrow, who both looked at her darkly before following.

"Just don't get too far ahead," warned Hammer as though she were talking to a child. "You need to stay with us."

"Oh but my poor little Robert," milked Lilith. Alistair noted the shadow of a balverine in the high left corner, eating something before jumping and disappearing.

"I know," said Hammer. "But you won't be able to help him if you get eaten, will you? Who knows what's waiting for us down here? You've got to be careful." Sparrow nudged Alistair, who hadn't removed his eyes from the far wall. She cast him one more look questioningly, earning her a concerned face saying that he didn't like where this was leading to. Faintly they could hear Hammer's voice echoing through the cavern. "Why the road has to go through a place like this is beyond me. Couldn't they have cut down a few trees instead?"

They were lead into a wide open room, tall pillars standing in support with a large pit in the far end. Alistair's gut suddenly turned, he hated being right. "What is this place? It's nothing good, we can be sure of that." Alistair and Sparrow stared at her with wide eyes. Nothing good was apparent, what wasn't apparent was how to make not good into staying alive.

"Children," hissed what was formerly Lilith. "I bring you flesh." She voice sank into a deep tone before she leapt out of sight.

"Okay," warned Sparrow. "Next one that keeps jumping, I'm... Well nothing I'm going to kill them anyways." A pack of balverines attacked. Many kept lunging, scratching, biting, and leaping. Sparrow, using every bit of her skills, tried to fend off as many jumping balverine as possible. They made their way around the room; a large pit awaited them with large spikes at the bottom.

"We've got to find a way out of here or we're dead," cried Hammer. Sparrow took a moment to study the room. Alistair fended off any balverine that stood to close.

"She's right," spoke Theresa. Where was she when she was needed? Theresa should have known Lilith was going to betray them. "Show no mercy and get out of that place quickly."

"We have to leave so soon?" sarcastically replied Alistair. "I was so hoping to stick around for a little while longer. Take in the sights."

"Alistair," cried Sparrow. "Now is not the time! We need to get out of here now!"

"But I can't see any way across that pit!" complained Hammer. "There must be something we can do!" Sparrow found herself backed against the pillars. When her back hit the tall, cold stone an idea formed in her head. She glanced up. It was certainly tall enough to reach the other side; all she would need is some extra strength.

"What are you looking at? Oh, I see it!" Alistair joined the women with a questioning glance. Hammer pointed excitedly at the large stone structure. "That pillar looks weak."

"Thank the Maker," Alistair said under his breath. "But I don't think sitting here staring at it is going to make it fall." Sparrow scowled at Alistair. "Then again I've been wrong before."

"Right," Hammer prepared to swing. "One bridge coming up. Keep those buggars off me."

"You killed my children," slowly stalked what was, up until just a moment ago, Lilith. "And you will suffer." Lilith shot out after Sparrow, but Alistair intervened, Lilith grabbed him and threw him as hard as she could, almost landing him in the pit. Sparrow took three slow steps back, raising her rifle to her eye. Lilith jumped in the air and disappeared. Sparrow made a circle, slowly, until she was facing the same direction she was before.

"She's gone," asked Sparrow. "Just like that?" As if on cue a large shadow overcastted her own. Sparrow spun around where Lilith stood intimidating tall and, wasting no time, struck Sparrow with her claws against Sparrow's ribs. Sparrow cried out painfully and, instinctively, fell to her right side leaving her back exposed and defenseless. Alistair was already running in her direction, but Lilith wasn't going to chance a missed opening. Her claws struck faster and faster, tearing the flesh as Sparrow screamed out of sheer agony.

"Sparrow!" cried Alistair as she fell over unconscious. His body felt as though he had been inflamed by his own rage as his friend fell to the ground, perhaps dead. Roofus barked and growled, but as Sparrow was, he was knocked out of the way with a whine. When she realized that Alistair was unsure what to do, she made the first move and swiped with her razor-like claws. Alistair managed to dodge them with a mind more focused than he could have ever remembered. She did the same thing and swiped at Alistair's face. This time, instead of Alistair dodging, he brought up his sword and with all his might he struck the limb leaving it useless on the floor. Lilith howled in pain and quickly tried to trip Alistair. He sidestepped her and dragged his sword across her side. Lilith was losing focus by the loss of blood. Alistair advanced on her as she didn't get back up on her legs; he brought the sword overhead and stabbed the beast through the heart. She cried out only once before letting out a sighing final breath.

Alistair rushed to Sparrow's side. He dropped to his knees so he could feel her neck for a pulse, to which he silently praised the Maker that he found one. He turned her over so she was no longer face down on the concrete and lifted her bridal style. Sparrow whimpered and pleaded for Alistair to put her down as the pain was too much. He tried to tune out the sound and was only so lucky that he found something else to cover her. The sounds of more balverines filled the halls. Alistair wanted to panic but knew so much relied on his self and Hammer. Hammer strained with the pillar, but it was slowly cracking and giving in to the stress. The howling of balverines began to grow louder and louder. "Hurry Hammer," demanded Alistair. He didn't want to drop Sparrow, but it seemed as though it would be his only option if he wanted to fight for their lives.

With one last great push, and a few encouraging barks from Roofus, the pillar crumbled leaving a makeshift bridge. "Let's go, we're leaving," ordered Hammer. Alistair ignored the use of a witty comeback; instead he focused on Sparrow, who was drifting in and out of conscious. He walked along the crumbled path and rushed out the door with Hammer and Roofus closely behind. He lead them up a twisting path of stairs, luckily without balverines, and finally to a door. Alistair waited for Hammer to push the door open as his hands were completely full, she did so but hesitantly. Neither knew where this door would lead, neither knew who, or what was waiting on the other side.

To their relief it lead to the soft light of dawn. The chilly morning breeze blew by causing Alistair to tighten his grip on Sparrow as she shivered. Though they were safe from the balverines, it would be useless if Sparrow died from a loss of blood.

"We made it! I don't think they'll follow us into the light."

Alistair let out a breath as well. It did take off some of the stress not having to worry about balverines as well as whether or not Sparrow would live. Roofus called him back to attention when he nudged Alistair's legs to continue. He stepped to the side allowing Hammer, who may have just turned into Alistair's new favorite person, to lead the way.

(A/N: WOW THAT TOOK WAY LONGER THAN I THOUGHT. Sorry guys I've been busy like a bee lately. But here it is just as promised. So you all know the deal, read, review, and remember: I love you!)