Tabris POV:

Each breath in is a struggle and each breath out is likewise a struggle. It's like broken glass is shoved inside of my lungs. Each rattling inhale and exhale causes my torso to throb and ache. Getting to sleep's impossible, so instead I stay awake and try to focus on anything besides the pain. Leliana has her arms wrapped around my waist and her back pressed up against my front. The position would make it impossible for me to fall asleep (even if the pain in my chest and lungs subsided), but my love's already drifted off. Duncan's pressed up against my front and his face is shoved up beside mine. The Mabari's drooling and his ears are twitching in his sleep. Carefully, I bring a hand up and scratch my dog.

However, I'm almost instantly forced to stop when my canine companion kicks out in his sleep and knocks the wind out of me. Now I'm once again lying awake and looking at Duncan. More pain in my lungs, only now it's starting to spread. An ache in my shoulder, stiffness in the base of my spine, and throbbing agony in my guts. I suck in my breath and try to hold it. All I accomplish is to give myself a headache. I finally succumb to the pain and focus solely on acknowledging the pain in my body. Quickly, all aches and pain and little sores begin screaming and making themselves known. Joint pain; sore muscles; random pain; radiating throbs; spasms; stiffness; and even more all reveal themselves.

I can't contain myself any longer. I begin violently twisting, turning, tossing, and attempting to ease the pain. The first to wake up is Duncan when I elbow him in the gut. My scarlet-painted Mabari leaps onto his feet with a rooh and barks as he runs out of the tent. A scream from Wynne tells me where the Mabari went. Leliana mumbles at the noise, but wakes up when I kick her leg in an attempt to work out a stiffness in my knee. By now I'm sweating through my clothes and have tangled myself up in the sleeping bag. I hear Wynne and Duncan coming out of the older mage's tent. Leliana pushes herself up and rubs her leg while looking at me. I close my eyes and feel all of the pain and uncomfortableness will itself to escape.

I just let it happen and hear a loud, low moan slip past my throat. Leliana is instantly upon me. She tears the sleeping bag from me and lifts up my soaked shirt. "WYNNE!". The mage bursts into our tent with Duncan. "What's wrong?!". The mage kneels beside me and hisses. Leliana's voice becomes like steel. "Why didn't you see this earlier?". Wynne scoffs as Duncan begins running around all three of us and barking. "I couldn't have! She didn't give me any time to examine her! I could barely even heal her at the bridge!". Another accusation from my love. "Why didn't you heal her fully?! Why is she like this?!".

Someone pokes my lower stomach and I kick in an attempt to ward them off. My ears are starting to buzz, but I can still make out what Wynne is saying. "I just gave her something for pain to get her up and moving. I'd planned on examining her, but the chance was never given!". I kick out again to let everyone know I'm still dying in agony in between them. Wynne places her hands on my stomach. "Just give me some lyrium and I'll have her healed in a few minutes.". Leliana quickly leaves as Wynne begins casting her spells while apologizing. "I'm so sorry about this. I never even imagined the pain-killing spells would block out that much.". I want to ask questions, but all that comes out is a groan.

Wynne's spells are beginning to ease my stomachache, but everything else is still there. Leliana returns and, thankfully, asks my question. "How long has she been like this? How did it happen?". My hearing is still ringing, so it's a struggle to make out Wynne's answer. "My spells blocked out her pain. I don't think the fall did this; I think she's been like this for a while. The spell leaving her must have just amplified everything and drawn attention to old and new pains alike. I'd guess it's taken her a while to get all of these wounds. Either way, my spell just killed the pain and allowed the wounds to have their way with her.".

My ringing begins to overcome me. I flail about wildly and start kicking again. It's a childish thing to do, but I think I've earned it after this entire expedition. "Hold her!". Leliana slides up beside me and rests my head in her lap. Then, she gently takes my arms and restrains them. "You'll just have to avoid her legs.". I kick once, but the fight is draining out of me. The older mage's spells have stolen the ache in my lungs and hips. Everywhere else (excluding my stomach that's already been treated) still hurts, but I'm exhausted by now. Leliana gently leans down and whispers to me. "It's okay. Focus on something else. Can you feel Alistair?".

I reach out and feel the man closer than before. We've gained ground on him. I nod. "Alright. Focus on reaching out with your taint. Can you feel any Darkspawn?". I shake my head after trying and failing to find any. Leliana starts running her fingers through my dirty, tangled, and soaked hair. Wynne reaches my chest and starts working on that. Leliana continues rubbing my skull. Duncan, meanwhile, is trying to get me to pet him. I, however, focus on breathing in and out now that my lungs are working properly again. "Can you sense anything else with taint?". I shake my head and flicker my eyes around before they roll back into my skull. Finally, unconsciousness claims me.

Morrigan POV:

I'm picking my way past some encamped dwarves when I catch the first clue as to where my fellow companions are. The scent of Tabris is clinging to one of the men doing a routine guard route. I use my ursine nose to take a deep breath before finally knowing for sure it's the elf. The stench doesn't reek of blood, so I assume they had a friendly interaction. It also means she's close by. Alistair sent me to retrieve her (the bossy little bastard), so I don't intend on going back without something to show for it. I follow the dwarf on his route and loosen my jaws a little. The dwarven encampment is in front of a tremendous bridge, but right now the side passage we're in is far enough away that nobody can see me.

I'm about to strike on the dwarf (to wound before interrogating him) when the smell of Tabris begins sliding across my face. I turn my skull and smell the trail leads across the bridge. I shake my head and change from my bear form into my bug form. The dwarven camp comes alive with screams as I fly by, but nobody bothers to come after me. However, I have to change back to my bear form halfway across the bridge in order to follow the trail that Tabris left. The path leads over the bridge and I feel a vein in my neck twitch when I see their camp is set up literally close enough that I didn't need to change shapes twice.

I approach the only tent where movement is coming from and transform back into my mortal skin. I glide into the tent and nearly get my eye taken out. The only reason I'm not killed is because I see Leliana's arm movement before she fires and step to the side. The arrow shoots outside and I have to dodge yet another attack as the elf's Mabari leaps at me. I grab him by the chest and toss him back onto the ground. Wynne is the only one who doesn't attack me. The mage is casting healing spells over the elf. Shit. My chest and throat both tighten and I shove Leliana out of the way to sit beside her companion. Tabris has a large cut on her cheek, her face is swollen, and she's fast asleep despite the pain.

The woman's been a decent friend so far; and, she's a lot better company than Alistair. Her death would ruin my mother's plan along with upsetting me. I knock Wynne's hands away and place my own hands on the elf. I have no idea what the elf's injuries are or what Wynne's done so far, but I know a healing spell powerful enough that it'll heal her up. It'll knock her off her ass for a day or two, but it'll also make sure she won't have any aches or pains for the next few weeks. I quickly cast the deep blue spell that flows over the elf and sinks into her skin. Wynne doesn't look pleased, but holds her tongue as she beats a hasty retreat.

Duncan quickly follows her. I begin to examine the elf and try to figure out what's wrong. Meanwhile, Leliana goes around to her other side and intertwines their fingers together. I hold in my comment, but it's more for the elf's sake than Leliana's. However, the bard doesn't bother being quiet around me. "Why are you here?". I continue examining the elf as I explain. "Alistair has ran into a monster he can't slay. The Qunari and Alistair got into a fight halfway through, so we lost most of our muscle and hence why we can't kill the beast. Some Broodmother monster that blocks the path. Alistair's been debating heading back for the last few days.

Then, he felt your group entering the Dead Trenches. He sent me back to get the muscle required to kill the monster and continue.". I motion at Tabris to show where the muscle is at. The elf's thick arms and tightly muscles stomach show the strength I was talking about. The archer ignores me and continues stroking her elf's hand. I finish my examine and find nothing majorly wrong. I stand and tell Leliana what she'll need to do. "Give her rest and some meaty fare once she awakes.". Leliana grunts and curls herself around the elf's prone body. I watch as the two get into a comfortable position and Tabris unknowingly nuzzles up against Leliana and grumbles. I show myself out.

Note: My apologies for the long wait. Some personal matters have come up and I'm afraid that all of my stories will be suffering time delays. Expect this story to not get updated for a while. Most likely, my other story will finish before this one's picked up again. Sorry.