They ran through the halls, Jennifer winced when they came to an abrupt halt. She ground her teeth and furrowed her brow. Chevaliers were blocking the exit into the caverns beneath the fortress. The guardsmen gave no warning as they attacked with sword and spear, and they others ran forward. A harlequin appeared to Jennifer's right, Fenris shouldered her aside, causing her to fall and jar her shoulder. She screamed out, clutching at her arm. Sweat broke out along her brow as she slowly crawled into a corner, she huffed loudly as she avoided the combat. As the last of the chevaliers fell, Fenris ran to Jennifer falling to his knees before her. "Jennifer! I'm sorry. I didn't-"

Jennifer smirked and shook her head. "I'm fine. My own fault for not paying attention." She cringed as she moved to stand. "Maker! Is it supposed to hurt this bad?" She huffed again, leaning against the wall. "Teach me to not bring my weapons, I should have knocked that chevalier right out of his steal clad boots!" She chuckled softly as Fenris came forward braced her gently in his hands. Jennifer blinked, looking at Fenris and found his bangs hiding his eyes.

"We should go." Tallis exclaimed. Jennifer nodded and they made their way through the too small crack in stone wall. Jennifer made it through without fainting, thankfully, but was close to it. She leaned against the other side waiting for Fenris to come through.

As they hurried through the tunnels, Fenris cleared his throat. "You… frightened me."

Jennifer looked up at him, "Me?"

"Before we found you…" He looked at her and his hand tightened slightly. "There was a moment when I-" He turned away, "Don't do that again."

Jennifer smirked, leaning her head momentarily on his shoulder. "I didn't plan on it."

-ooo-

When they came upon a fork in the tunnel, Tallis turned to Hawke, "That's the way out. The left tunnel will lead you safely away from Chateau Haine, but- the left leads to the hunting grounds. I was hoping you would continue to help me, though I understand if your help ends here."

Hawke smirked. "After all we've been through together?"

Tallis laughed, "Wyvern hunts, sneaking through a fortress, being imprisoned?"

"You're right, I feel so close to you right now." Hawke placed his heart on his chest.

"So I guess it's true what they say about you." Tallis placed her hands on her hips and smiled.

"Oh, definitely." Isabela quipped.

They left through the right tunnel, leading to the hunting grounds. Fenris began to argue but Jennifer smiled at him and he sighed. They exited the hunting grounds and found a group of ghasts waiting on the other side. "I'm getting very sick and tired of these buggers." Jennifer grumbled as she readied an ice spell, freezing a few that had ventured too close to her. Fenris ran to her side, cleaving those before her with a hefty swipe of his sword. When the last of the ghasts fell she placed her hand on her bandaged shoulder, her hand glowing a light green.

Fenris stepped up to her, dark blood splattered across him from the battle. "Is it your shoulder?" He shifted nervously as if he wanted to help but didn't know how. He watched Jennifer work, but left her shoulder bandaged.

"You're so adorable when you care." She looked up with a smirk. "And when you have ghast juices on you." She said as she flicked away some entrails that hung heavily from the feathers on his armor. "I can't heal it fully, I'm not that practiced yet. I'm mostly trying to fight against the pain and swelling. Nothing to worry about." She healed the shoulder once again and Fenris flinched, turning away.

Jennifer sighed before following the others.

They made their way through the grounds, they marched up a worn set of stony steps and a group of Qunari awaited the bend of the path. Hawke cursed loudly and Tallis readied her blades. "Take the leader alive!" Hawke gave her a sound glare as she smirked. "Information, Hawke!" And the battle began.

The far hunting grounds were littered with Tal Vashoth. Party after party attacking the group and Jennifer tried to take out as many as possible. Her mana was waning. Hawke charged forth, calling to the Tal Vashoth , a decent distraction. Fenris and he dodged and parried their pole-arms. They carved a path through towards they leader but he kept fleeing to the next party. Their energy wavered. With no rest the group began to feel the effects of a hard battle, and Hawke potions were running low.

Without a staff, Jennifer was unable to perform the simple attacks channeled through a staff to help thwart the Tal Vashoth, the relied too much upon her spells and fought hard not to drain herself completely, but slowly she was failing. When they finally followed the leader to a large alcove on the grounds, a near platoon of Tal Vashoth met them, brandishing, spears, swords and a Saerebaas. Jennifer looked at the creature in pity as it did the leaders bidding, casting force spells and knocking Jennifer as well as the others to the ground.

Fenris was knocked back the farthest and hit the side of an earthen wall with such force he staggered to the ground. He used his sword to hold him steady as he caught his breath and Jennifer sent an ice spell at a nearing enemy, freezing him in place, but it didn't hold. Seconds passed and he broke free from the spell, he readied his spear and swiped it cleanly across Fenris' chest, cutting through flesh from his left collarbone to his right armpit. Fenris staggered back again, bringing his clawed hand to his chest to stop the bleeding. Hawke came to his side as Jennifer moved closer, defending the elven warrior. Fenris fell to his knees as blood dripped freely onto the ground. Uncaring for her arm, Jennifer weaved through the enemies, running as fast as her feet would carry her to Fenris. She fell to the ground, her emerald dress tearing on the gravelly path.

Fenris slumped forward, paleness creeping along his usually tanned skin, the bright white of his lyrium veins disappearing into his flesh. Jennifer tore her dress the rest of the way, leaving the edges frayed and jagged. She pressed the thin cloth firmly to Fenris' chest as she looked at his drooping eyes. "Fenris? Fenris, love. I need you to talk to me."

Fenris winced but looked at Jennifer. She smiled back but it quivered as she found her hands wholly red with his blood. "Fenris, I need you to answer me. Can I heal you?" She didn't bother to wait for an answer, only needing for him to keep talking, keep awake. Her hands glowed green as she pressed firmly to his wound and began to heal him. Her mana was low, but she would heal him.

Fenris groaned in response, his hand gripping tightly to Jennifer's wrist as she worked him over. "Hawke I need a potion, hurry!"

"A little busy here!" Hawke called out as he slashed at another Tal Vashoth, it fell to the ground in a lifeless lump.

"Fenris is dying, you prick!" Jennifer screamed as she continued to heal what she could. Her body shook with the effort, the last of her reserves draining quickly as she fought against the bleeding. Fenris' eyes began to close and Jennifer pushed herself completely, her mana completely spent. She looked along her persons for a lyrium flask and her heart nearly shattered when she found none. Tallis appeared at her side with a healing potion and Jennifer lifted Fenris onto her shoulder and coaxed it down his throat. Slowly he swallowed it, though swallowing may be the wrong term, there was no muscle use, no automatic reflex, it simply slid down his throat.

Tears welled in her eyes and she felt his pulse. Was it there? She couldn't tell, the tears spilled over her lashes and fell gently onto his face, his eyes fluttered slightly and Jennifer could have cheered, but he took a raspy breath and she tried to continue healing, but her mana was still recuperating. She closed her eyes and she could feel the thrum of his lyrium and she tightened her jaw and looked down at him. She lowered her head to his, their foreheads brushing momentarily. "Forgive me, mi alma." She drew mana from his lyrium and he groaned loudly, his breath catching. She lifted her head and pressed firmly once again on his wound. Her hands glowed brightly as she began healing his chest. Slowly the opening knitted itself back together, she continued on, pumping his body with much needed blood. She pulled until she felt him shiver, felt his breath come evenly, and she sobbed openly and happily when his eyes snapped open and he caught her wrists in his.

She withdrew from the connection with the lyrium and looked at him evenly, knowing. He threw her hands away and stood, before walking away.