Fayne POV

She thought the leaves that rushed past her face were laughing at her.

Their cruel remarks forced her to replay the events of her parents death in her head. So she ran with abandon, not knowing were she was or where she was going, but she new she had to get away. Eventually, she thought, eventually I will find a village and thus a way home. But even she knew that running like a mad woman through a pitch black forest would most likely end up with her death, but was that really so bad? Her feet silently pounded on the moss covered ground as she ran through bumble bush and around ancient forests whose trees were larger than a house. Anger and fear drove her, and it pushed her injured body beyond its limits. Fayne could feel hot liquid oozing from different places in her body however she did not care, she had to have avenge and bury the bodies of her parents.

The bodies that Renden Howe destroyed.

Rustling noises came from her left and she stopped dead in her tracks. This far into the woods bears and wolves thrived, and being eaten before she had answers was not in her plan. After only a seconds worth of hesitation she was back on the run again. She had left the camp when both men were asleep and she knew that her light footfalls were not enough to wake them, and she planned to be at least six hours away from them before they even realized that she was gone. The noise came again this time from in front of her and about a half a mile away. Fayne paused considering what lay ahead, for she had no weapons, and no armour. A flickering shadow moved in her range of sight and she crouched down and stilled her body. It was in the shape of a large man. She stilled her rushed breathing and relaxed her tense muscles, the only thing she was capable of doing at the moment was hiding, and hiding was what she was going to do.

The dirt gave way under her working fingers as she kneeded the ground in anticipation. Had the person seen her? Laugherter almost came out of her, her situation brough on flash backs from when she would play hide and seek with Fergus. The laughter, though, was quickly extinguished when she realized that she now carried the burden of telling her brother that his family, her family was dead.

When the shadow started to move further away, Fayne let out a relieved breath of air which was abruptly cancelled by a rough hand covering her mouth. She jerked her head forward to evade the opposing limb that came from behind, but it tightened its grip on her, crushing and brusing her mouth. Fayne could hear the tell tail sound of breathing from behind her, but could not feel any body heat that should have been emanating from a person standing that close to her.

With a jerk the hand pulled her back and twisted her body around giving a hard push at the last second. She stumbled and looked behind her, somewhat relieved and angered to find the stern face of Leric looking back at her. The man said nothing but pointed past her and as she followed his hand she could see Duncan standing near a large oak with weapons at the ready. He blended perfectly with the shadows and even in the moonlight she had a hard time seeing him. Unceremoniously, she was pushed again in the back and with what dignity she had left she marchd toward Duncan. When she reached the man he caught her arm in a vice like grip.

"Planning on leaving?" his words were said in whispered tones but the harshness of them frightened her, especially scence he had one of his long daggers in his other hand. After a quick scan of the area he pulled Fayne along side himself as he practically ran with her back towards camp.

"I do not think we were seen Duncan." Came Leric's response to the Warden as Duncan looked over his shoulder for the tenth time in the last couple of strides.

"It pays to be cautious especially given how close we came to detection" at those words the grip on her arm tightened and his thick fingers started to dig painfully into her flesh.

"Yes... well we wouldn't have to worry about that if we just….disposed of unsuited cargo." Fayne didn't need to see Leric's face to know that he wore a smirk that was directed at her.

"You are as much to blame for their sudden appearance as she is at almost getting caught. Or had you forgotten your reason for being here?" at that Duncan turned his head to regard the young man instead of his surroundings, but still kept the same frantic steps. Silence was the only answer Duncan received and it was the end to the heated whispers as they made their way back to camp.

The fire that was but embers when Fayne had left was now a cold pit of smudge covered with leaves. And as they made their way into the impromto clearing, Leric rushed to pack up the belongings while Duncan threw her a shirt.

"What is going on ?" she had meant it in more ways than one, how had she really ended up in the clearing, and why were the running. Leric provided her with few answers which in turn created more questions that needed answering.

Duncan raised his head from folding the sleeping bags, "Darkspawn are in the vicinity, farther north than anticipated. Even though I am sure that it is just a scout, it could still prove dangerous to be found. Enough talk though quickly we must move, and it seems you are capable of running." With that he unceremoniously threw her a pack stuffed to the brim which she donned with a cringed face. It pulled at her torn muscles and stitched wounds.

"Duncan will we be followed" Leric was tuning his bow as he posed the question to the Warden, "You said earlier that—well do they have incentive to follow us?" at the last part of the question the elves's eyes started to scan the forest.

Duncan was not quick to answer and she could practically hear the working of his brain, "I do not thick the darkspawn understand what drew them to this area, let alone be able to pinpoint the source. Never the less you are acting like a magnet and the quicker we get away from them the better."

Fayne watched as Leric gave Duncan a sharp look and then picked up his bow with more force than necessary. Something was going on between the two of them.

"From now on I will tolerate no more disruptions." Duncan pointedly looked at Fayne, "We will be making a hard pase to Ostagard so steel yourselves, we have no time to waste." And then he was gone walking into the forest as he lead them towards Ostagard, towards her fate as a Grey Warden.