Leric PoV

He watched as Fayne turned her back to him and put her armour back on, the light wool under shirt clung to her damp skin showing most of her form as she lifted her arms and adorned the cured leather. It was as if his eyes had a mind of their own as they traveled across her shoulders and down to her lower back. He quickly realized that he was looking at her inappropriately so he turned away.

"Let us go, I will take the elf with me." Stated Leric as he walked over to the unconscious man. It was easy for Leric to lift him, for he weighed no more than the wild dear he used to hunt in a forest not so different then the one they were currently in.

He hefted the man up along his shoulder to balance out and then he started back to camp, as he did this Fayne caught up to him and looked over at him. Her face had some of its colour back, but her lips were more purple than red at the moment. She turned to look at him as he made his way through the bush, not saying anything. After several minutes of her studious appraisal, Leric finally stopped and turned to her lifting a brow, "Is there something you wanted, Fayne?"

Her lips were pulled tight, but one corner was raised ever so slightly, "I just wanted to say thank you...for earlier. I know you did not have to do what you did since I made myself a target by wandering off like that."

"You're right you were stupid to leave" cut Leric sharply as he frowned continuing his way back to camp. You were not only stupid but blind, how on earth did the other man sneak up on her in water….arghhh!

His brooding thoughts were yet again interrupted by Fayne's light voice, "It won't happen again." She sounded so passive and brow beaten that Leric turned to her and placed a hand on her upper arm.

"You made a mistake, it's done, just remember it as a lesson learned" he didn't know what possessed him to reach out to her both physically and emotionally, but he retracted just as fast. The fact that the human's mental state was important to him really made Leric question his sanity. Maybe the taint was to blame for this, after all both he and Fayne, along with Alistair were connected by the blood of a monster. Though Leric had to admit that he never cared or even considered the feelings of Alistair.

It was late and the sky had turned an inky deep blue by the time the trio made it back to camp, back to people who seemed especially on edge. Alistair was the first to come up to Leric, "Where in the Maker have you been, I can't believe that you just up and lef-,"he stopped dead at the sight of the elf dropped on Leric's shoulder, the unconscious mans' blond hair waving in the breeze.

Aware of everyone's eyes on him, Leric walked over to a near by oak and not so gently dropped the elf into a sitting position which he secured with rope. After making sure that the knots were strong enough, he stood up and popped the bones in his back

"What is that man doing here Leric? You do know he tried to kill us, or did you miss the whole, 'the grey wardens die here' speech" Alistair half yelled.

"He is well aware of this elf's actions, Alistair." Fayne was standing right behind the blond warrior, she turned to capture the eyes of Lilianna and Morrigan as well, "The men who attacked us obviously knew our location and our identity, it would be prudent for us to interrogate him," Leric watched as Fayne tiredly waved over to the man he had just tied to the tree, "and find out what he knows and who sent him."

"Fayne is right, from what I have seen, they look like more than ordinary mercenaries," said Lilianna in her Orliasian accent. She smiled at Fayne and Fayne dipped her head in gratitude, fatigue making it hard for her to lift it back up. The attempted drowning must have taken a lot out of her, thought Leric as he sat next to his pack.

"Fayne" Leric waited until she looked over to him, "you should go rest." He said shortly and looked away from her, unable to see her head shake in agreement.

Leric watched as all the other human left to their prospective tents, it seemed he would have the first watch, which he wanted anyway. He wanted to be the first to talk to the stranger, to be the one to slit his throat if necessary. Ever since thinking that the man could have been Dalish, a sudden and powerful anger had gripped him, it reminded him of his lack of choice in becoming a grey warden. This elf represented everything Leric wanted to forget, but couldn't.

Once everyone had settled in, Leric walked over to the blond man and kicked him lightly in the ribs. Once, twice and then finally a third time until the stranger had started to stir. Bright golden eyes met Leric's face in shock, which was quickly replaced by a sly smile, one the made Leric flex his wrist, aching to hit the stranger.

"Ahh, it seems I am alive, something I did not think would occur" purred the stranger in a smooth and alluring way. Leric recognized the accent, he had dealt with the Antivan Dalish during the harsher seasons when trading was necessary.

Leric sat down and picked up a twig, peeling off the leaves with his nails, "Your alive for now, the information you provide me may or may not lead to your death, but I promise you if you hold your tongue than you will receive death swiftly." Said Leric without care as he continued to pick away at the scrawny branch.

"Ahh this is to be an interrogation the, very well, let me spare your time. My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends. I am an Antivan Crow, or shall I say was."

Leric looked up, "Ahh friend I can tell you are confused, a crow is an assass-"

"I am aware what a crow is, who hired you?"

"A rather taciturn fellow, Loghain, I believe his name was"

The twig in Leric's hand was snapped in two by his grip; Loghain again, doesn't the man ever stop?Leric took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He looked at the assassin, and was struck for the first time how much the other elf reminded him of Tamlin. They did not have the same facial features, but they shared the same eye shape, and most noticeably, the same fire the lay behind them.

Leric quickly looked down as a sea of shame and sadness overtook him. How could he compare his best friend to a flat ears who killed for a living? However he could not deny the fact that every time he looked at the man, he saw a bit of Tamlin, and was reminded of his friend's demise. It made Leric angry.

"What will you do with me now, Warden, now that you have gained the information that you were looking for?" Leric was amazed that Zevran manage to stay so calm, almost condescending in his mannerisms.

"Most likely kill you" Leric reached into his boot and pulled out his crude hunting knife, he would tell the others later on what he had heard from this man.

"Oh that is quiet acceptable really, but I should warn you that the crows do not stop, failure is not tolerated. I could be helpful, keep murders away, and find traps.

"That is rich; you think I believe you, what of your loyalties to the crows."

"Ahh loyalty, a sticky subject for one such as my self. See since I failed to kill you, my life is forfeit. If you will take me I shall be your man without reserve."

He looked at Zevran, realizing that even if he wanted to he would not be able to kill the man; he was too much like his friend. He would think about the assassin's offer and let the others decide in the morning.

"We shall see" was all Leric said as he turned his back to the man and watched the forest through the dark night. What lay before him was just as unknown to him as it had been from the second he left his people.

Will Zevran survive, or will he die?