-2-
Gabriel Cousland is hopeful. And little bit jumpy, but mostly tired.
The forest is damp like it was days ago when he came here with Deveth and Ser Jory, which brings back bad memory that he really doesn't want to remember now, and the smell is as disturbing as he remembers as well. The smell of rotten flesh that melts down onto the ground, the swamp animals are all very happy to call out for their mates, too.
Oh, don't forget the sound of those howling wolves.
Romantic place for a walk under the moonlight, as usual.
Gabriel scowls. No one needs to tell him for him to know that walking this much after just waking up from a week coma is a bad, no, horrible idea. And judging from the way Alistair was trying to catch his breath, it could only be assumed that it might be the time for a rest, now.
"Morrigan, I think we need a rest."
"Finally!" Alistair whispers, relieved. Gabriel almost sniggers in amusement if not for the way Morrigan stops short and swirls around to purse her lips at him disapprovingly.
"'Tis no place for a rest, Grey Warden. Darkspawns, wolves, swamp monsters, they will be waiting to kill us." The witch said coldly, she doesn't seem much impressed by the way her two male companions are out of breath already. Still annoyed by how her mother seemed to dismiss her easily, Morrigan has been in a bad mood since hours ago.
"I know." He admits earnestly. He should be offended, but he isn't. He knows where she comes from, but still, "We need rest, though. Alistair and I both have not recovered fully from the coma yet, Morrigan. We can't go on this tired only to be met with monsters in body with little energy."
"Or die in your sleep here." Morrigan said snidely.
"There will be a watchman, in shifts."
"Oh, how thoughtful of you."
He was too tired for this, he decided. So he turns to address Alistair who is already settle himself on the base of a huge tree to his left with a request. "I will rest a bit, can you take the first watch?"
"Right." The man seems content to just be able to rest his legs, and nods tiredly to his words. Gabriel thinks he hears a spiteful snort from his right, from Morrigan, but he doesn't have a mind to care when his whole body aches. His head is throbbing.
"You wake me up later, understand?"
"Right. Man, go to sleep already. You look terrible."
But before he can, a noise rouses him up.
An instinct kicks in, even before Alistair can shout out in alarm and before Morrigan can grab the staff she carries on her back, Gabriel reaches out his hands quickly to grab his two-handed sword, to swipe and cut across whatever dares to come near him in two.
But before he could do that, the sword is knocked out of his hands.
A weight crushes on his chest.
And there, on the top of him, is a woman.
"I Naruto." She said, in broken accent he hasn't heard anywhere before. Her blue eyes are deep and solemn while she continues to say, "I not threat."
He stares, wide eyed. Breathless, not just from the way her weight is crushing on his armor or the way she could have killed him easily but decided not to, but also from the way her bright blonde long hair flows down on her breast, teasingly hid away the little dark nubs, her nipples.
His brain slowed down when he finally registers something important.
She is naked.
She blinks, and whispers. Her eyes glint, and her hoarse voice strangely vulnerable and frustrated.
"I alone. Please, I with you."
He understands.
I am alone. Please, take me with you.