The healer's tent did not see much activity. The Dalish were used to the nomadic life and had grown accustomed to nature. Healer Even was not glad about Lea's new assignment in his tent. He did not care for the extra pair of hands, but did not speak loudly of it. Parthon had told Lea to use the area behind the tent as a practice range for archery and helped Lea with it. Such was his boredom that Parthon had come to his rescue.
Soon Lea learned that not even the Dalish were safe from the hazards in nature. The lack of wildlife had slackened their care in the forest. A young Dalish hunter apprentice was brought into the tent with large claw wounds across his chest. A bear had shown out of nowhere when the elf had gone out to collect Elfroots. A part of Lea feared that soon Isa would be brought in as well. Even ordered Lea to fetch him bandages and to fill a wooden bowl with water. Lea took too long with his task. Even hurried out of the tent, cursing under his breath as he went to fetch clean cloths to wash the wounds clean. No cloth would be enough to wash the three gaping flesh wounds and have them healed. The elf lay shaking, pale as a sheet, eyes rolling back into his head. The stench of blood was nauseating and Lea nearly vomited into the bowl of water.
"I don't want to die…" muttered the elf through sobs. He prayed to an elven god, pleaded for his life.
Weeks had gone by since Lea had used any magic. If he ever were to use it again, it would be to help ease the pain of those around him. Roxas had been of the idea of using magic for good, to the benefit of the common people, not the Chantry. Lea wanted to follow that path. He placed his hand above the wounds. A shimmer of green light had the wounds close slowly. The elf cried out in pain. Lea pulled his hand away and hurried to the back of the tent to pretend to be searching for cloth when Even ran back in to comfort the injured elf. He stared in awe.
"Shemlen!" he barked.
"A second! I still can't find the cloth. You will have to use something else or he will bleed out."
"By Mythal's grace, it is a miracle. A miracle."
Lea's deed had gone by unnoticed. Word spread through camp of the miraculous recovery. The Keeper came by to visit the young elf. Their conversations left Lea wondering what the Keeper would make of the event. Even informed him soon enough. They suspected the Elfroots to be the cause of it. The young elf drew a map of where he had found these particular Elfroots. The hunters were said to be too busy to be sent on errands to gather herbs. Lea was instead bestowed with the task. Even had called it a chance to prove himself to the Keeper. Lea only cared for getting away from his company. As a human, he had no deeming qualities in the eyes of the Keeper.
The trees stood far apart in the forest Lea entered. He walked alongside a creek and picked all the Elfroots he came across. He had brought his bow to fend against the bear, should he encounter it. A bear could feed the whole camp, yet Lea did not feel inclined to kill again. The poor bear had surely been feasting on these berries when the elf came along and frightened it. All the time in leisure had allowed Lea to restore and reinforce his shoes. He had not walked in high grass since his last hunt and his test showed that his shoes still needed to be improved. They absorbed the moisture and soon his feet would be soaked.
An odd patter against the bedrock surrounding the creek had Lea freeze where he was squatted by a plant. Lea looked ahead, frightened to see the monstrous bear that had nearly clawed that elf's heart out. Feasting or not, Lea had no intention of falling victim for it. He was met by another sight altogether. Isa sat by the creek. He had put his weapons aside and undressed. Lea held his breath. Isa was here to wash clean. He stepped into the creek. The water came to his waist. He tensed his shoulders at the coldness of it, shuddered and breathed a curse. A double countdown from three to one had him soon dip all the way to his neck. Do you miss me? Lea's mouth hung open as he watched Isa play in the water. Soft sunlight revealed the faint pattern of Dalish tattoos on his body. Lea had seen similar patterns on the other hunters. A burning yearning tugged in the pit of Lea's stomach as his eyes ran down Isa's body, caught every muscle flex when Isa shivered in the cold water. Lea's legs folded to his side as Isa rose from the water to lay down on the bedrock and bask in the sunlight.
Time ceased to pass as Lea watched him. Only the shouts of the other huntsmen broke his trance. He saw Isa take cover as three elves emerged from the forest and jumped into the creek, splashing the bedrock with water. Lea hurried to take his leave, clutching at his bag full of Elfroots to steady himself all the way back.