A/N: I know I mentioned last chapter would be the final one... but then I had a slight inspiration to fill it in a bit more so that it transitions to the Origins story a bit more fluidly.

Chapter XVII: Chasing after Wolves

The pirate watched, easily amused by the mage's antics. Hawke had downed a barrel of wine in order to win Merrill some odd trinket at the bottom of it, and while the dainty elf was slightly worried about Hawke's health, she could not deny her happiness at receiving the small, glowing orb. Hawke hiccuped as she handed the orb to Merrill, and would have fallen over if it hadn't been for a pair of arms lacing around her and pulling her safely back.

Hawke smiled sheepishly as she thanked Isabela for catching her, swore that someone had cast some kind of gravity altering spell on her, and eyed Merrill with suspicion. Merrill's green eyes opened wide at the accusation and quickly shook her head to plead not guilty.

"No sweet thing this you have done to yourself." Isabela murmured in her ear. "Are you sure you can handle the rest of the festival?"

Hawke grinned, it had been forever since she felt this light hearted and headed at the same time; of course she was prepared to handle the rest of the night. She turned around and quickly planted a kiss on the pirate's lips. Merrill blushed, but smiled; she was glad that Hawke and Isabela had finally come to terms with their emotions. Isabela chuckled as her mage broke free from her embrace only to run to the next stall. She followed her mage past the various stalls, and wondered where the stumbling woman was going. Hawke pushed forward towards the sounds of drums and when she reached a fire pit, her eyes lit up.

People, dressed as wolves, were dancing around the flames to the beat of the drums. She jumped in and joined the raucous celebration, and the wolf people did not mind her eagerness. Isabela pushed through the crowd and chuckled once she saw her mage howling and dancing. She had never seen Hawke act so wild before, and the pirate wouldn't deny that it slightly aroused her. Hawke watched a black wolf dance in front of her and felt her head reel back as images from ages past flashed by and the sound of the drums faded in the distance. A black wolf with eyes as yellow as a full moon sat, waiting for her to approach. Hawke looked to her sides but saw that no one else was by her; only the wolf remained. She took a few steps forward; her eyes completely locked onto the wolf's. Just as she thought she would be in arm's length of the wolf, it sprinted off towards the pier. Hawke pursued and felt her heart race as the wolf pulled further and further away.

"No, wait…." Hawke pushed with all her might, "please." She whimpered as her muscles began to ache. She saw the wolf stop ahead and thought this was her chance to catch up, so she charged at full speed.

"Hawke!" A voice shouted and before Hawke could reach the wolf, she felt a violent tug pull her back.

The wolf disappeared and Hawke shouted after it. She fought with whatever it was that was holding her back, but her clumsy limbs would not respond fast enough to break free.

"Hawke stop, you'll run straight off the pier!" Isabela grappled with the mage and furrowed her brows as the mage kept insisting to be let loose. "Andraste's tits Hawke! What's gotten into you?"

"My wolf!" Hawke pointed ahead, but all the pirate saw was a bright, full, yellow moon hanging above the ocean waters.

"There's nothing there," Isabela managed to cup Hawke's face and pulled her in for a kiss.

The mage felt the urge to pull away, but the warmth coursing through her melted the anxiety she had been feeling. Her limbs loosened as she gave up her struggle, and when she opened her eyes, honey-colored eyes were there to greet her.

"Are you alright?" Isabela asked; Hawke looked sad even though she had given up her frantic behavior.

"My wolf…" Hawke looked out towards the sea and felt her eyes tear up as the yellow moon poured on to the pier. "Maybe she went back to the woods we used to play in," Hawke mumbled.

"I'm going to have to ask that wine vendor what he put in that barrel." Isabela sighed as she pulled Hawke closer to her so she wouldn't stumble backwards and potentially drown in the waters. "I suppose we should head back to your estate."

"But I loved her," Hawke's tears were more apparent now and Isabela found herself caught off guard by her mage's sudden breakdown.

Isabela held the crying mage, and set her down on the pier so that she could cradle her while sitting. Had she been talking about Arya earlier? Isabela had never heard Hawke call her a wolf before.

"You loved a wolf?" Isabela asked as she brushed Hawke's hair out of her face.

"I love a witch with yellow eyes." Hawke murmured as a sad smile graced her features.

"A witch?" Isabela wondered if Hawke had another lover that she hadn't been aware of. It was plausible, seeing as she had been gone for a few years, but she figured Aveline, Merrill or Varric would have filled her in by now.

"She's gone now… just a childhood memory."

"Childhood?" Isabela wasn't sure what Hawke was going on about, but the fact that it seemed to be something from way back then, eased her mind. She had just opened her heart to Hawke, the last thing she needed was another problematic situation with another lover. "Well sweet thing, those things come and go, but right now you're in my arms and in love with a pirate; though I can be a witch at times." She winked and gave Hawke a tender squeeze.

Hawke smiled, this sun-kissed woman with honey eyes was her pirate. When she looked into the pirate's eyes she felt happy and warm, yet flashes of those yellow eyes kept her in a strange, liminal state. She felt the need to find her wolf… her witch in disguise, but her heart bade her to stay. She finally had the love she had always wanted; finally felt capable of loving without fear. The wolf had run and disappeared, Isabela was holding her and real, Hawke knew these things but felt like her emotions were uncontrollable. She looked towards the moon once more and sighed.

"Isabela… I have a story to tell you, but maybe…" Hawke felt her head begin to spin and she knew her next words would slish and slosh like the waves of the tide.

"What is it?" Isabela pressed her for more.

The mage couldn't tell if it was the alcohol or the effects of that strange tome Isabela had found, but her mind was filled with pictures and visions of things that were at once new and old to her. Her wolf girl she had only seen snippets of her, running around with her as a child, but still her name eluded her. Were these memories or had some strange magic infiltrated her mind? Hawke pushed the thought of being bewitched away from her mind and returned her attention to her worried pirate.

Hawke shook her head, "let's go home first, and wait for Merrill to stop casting gravity spells on me." Hawke hiccuped as she smiled at Isabela.

Isabela chuckled at the mage's stupor, but couldn't help but think she was hiding behind the folly of her drunkenness to avoid the topic she had just brought up. For being one well acquainted with liquid courage, Isabela wasn't sure if Hawke's words now meant more than they would if she were sober, but she did know one thing-she wouldn't be getting away from her this time. The pirate scooped up her dozing mage and carried her safely in her arms. Years ago she would have never imagined herself caring so much for another, and yet here she was carrying her drunken mage back to her estate without a bit of bitterness in her heart.