Cat wandered through the endless-seeming rooms and tunnels, trying to find a way out. There was hardly any light, and she had seen several traps that had already been sprung. She moved slowly, trying to remain silent as she crept along, trying not to tremble.

She couldn't stop the feeling of dread, it settled on her like a cloak, and she couldn't shake it no matter what she told herself. Coming out of the corridor, the room opened into a large single space, slightly lighter than where she had been. She stopped and looked around, noting several pieces of furniture- a bed, an armoire, a small table and bookshelf placed in the middle of the space, as if someone had made this place their home.

As she continued to look around, she saw another hallway on the left side of the room, so she moved over to the staircase on her right, slowly making her way down. She skirted around the furniture, not wanting to disturb any traps that may still be in place. As she passed the bookshelf, she noticed a picture frame on top of it, and glanced at it. She took another step, then paused, stepping back to look again. It couldn't have been…

But it was. She remembered when it was taken. She and Steven had gone to the neighborhood park, and played with her nieces- swinging, sliding, monkey bars… And she had jumped out of a swing, landing right in Steven's arms, and looked up at him so completely in love and her sister had snapped the picture. It had always been one of Steven's favorites.

Cat was trembling now, as her mind tried to understand what was happening. Why would this picture be here? And where was here?

She looked ahead, and putting the picture down walked slowly towards the doorway carved into the wall. She tried to calm herself, counting to herself as she took deep breaths, holding her breath longer each time before letting it back out. She slowly made her way into the tunnel. Step by step she inched forward, sticking close to the wall and pausing every now and then to listen. She could hear her heartbeat, pounding as if it was trying to escape her chest.

She came to another room, though it was much dimmer than the last, and she couldn't make out what was in it. She went to the staircase, easing down them slowly and stopping when she heard something. It sounded like someone was speaking, though it was too soft to make out.

Cat decided to keep going, wishing she had some type of weapon, feeling utterly helpless. She didn't like being scared, and she hated feeling helpless! She continued on, her steps so slow that it seemed to take hours to finally make it across the room.

She could hear the voice better now, though still could not understand what the man was saying. She stopped where she was, looking around and covering her mouth as she gasped. She finally recognized this place, the room where the necromancer was trying to recreate his dead wife!

"Your friends were so loyal, but they were wrong to try to keep us apart my love."

Cat listened intently, confused at the change of dialogue, inching closer to try to understand.

"You'll never leave me again. We will be together always."

Cat's mind was reeling. That voice sounded so familiar… She stopped as her foot hit something, and she looked down.

Her hand rushed to cover her mouth again, this time to keep from screaming, tears pooling in her eyes as she looked at Isabela's pale face, her eyes open and unseeing. Cat looked away, trying to stay quiet as she sobbed, and gasped again and again as she saw each of the others. She closed her eyes as she swayed on her feet, and when she opened them, she saw Steven, dressed in robes looking like a maniac holding onto Hawke's hair. Hawke was on his knees, his face bloody, obviously injured and unable to move. Cat realized she was suddenly sitting, and she looked around in terror, her hand flying to her chest, trying to breathe.

Her eyes widened as she felt something on her neck, and using both hands, she could feel the stitches all around her neck. Hawke coughed, his breathing labored as he choked on his own blood, and Cat threw her hands out, though she couldn't get up. She noticed the manacles on her wrists, and saw the stitches in her skin around her wrists and up her arms. Her face contorted in horror as she looked at Hawke, then up to Steven, seeing his evil grin and the large knife he brought around to Hawke's neck.

"They will not bother us again."

Cat's eyes flew open, and she struggled as something held her down. There was something over her mouth, and her screams were muffled. She bucked as hard as she could, but she could barely move.

"Catarina, wake up!"

The voice was a growl, and she could feel the breath of it on her face. As the words sunk in however, she paused in her struggle, and tried to focus on the face above her though it was difficult.

"Let me go Hawke! Fenris, I swear I'll kill you if you hurt her!" A voice yelled from her left.

Cat turned her face as best she could, seeing Isabela struggling against Hawke's hold, and that did more to calm her than anything else could. Her eyes stung as tears welled, and her body shook as she sobbed.

Seeing that Cat had stopped struggling, Fenris released her, and picked her up about to pass her off to the mage who was waiting for her. Cat wouldn't go however, holding tightly to him as she trembled, crying into his chest. He looked helplessly up at Hawke, who released Isabela, and Fenris braced for her wrath.

Isabela paused as she got to Cat, reaching out gently and stroking her head.

"Kitty?" She asked quietly, and the men all sank back to the ground. Fenris gestured for her to take Cat from him, but she merely smirked at him, and he settled back against the wall, letting his arms fall beside him. Cat stayed where she was, holding onto his armor, though her tears are starting to dry. She finally looks up at Isabela, and reaches out to hug her, leaving Fenris' lap.

Fenris glanced down at his wet armor, and gave Hawke a rueful look. Hawke, though still shaken, tried to help. "Cat, uh, you okay?"

Cat looked up, and saw each of them looking at her in concern. "I'm so sorry everyone, it was terrible. I was so scared."

"What was it?" Varric asks, and Isabela glared at him.

"No, I should probably tell it. It'll help make it feel less real." Cat started at the beginning, trying to convey the feelings of terror and dread, though she doubted anything could really describe it. She told it all, only omitting Steven from her story.

"Whoa, this one guy killed us all?" Varric asked. "You've got quite the imagination there Cat."

"He wasn't a guy Varric, he was a necromancer who was also a blood mage," Cat replied testily. "He used his blood, then each of your lives to power his spells against the rest."

"That's a scary thought," Carver said.

"Yet it is only the beginning of what mages are capable of," Fenris replied. After seeing a glare from Hawke he added, "if they do not control themselves."

"And you were following us the whole time, but then were actually his creation?" Hawke asked, trying to understand. "And we were there to rescue you?" Cat nodded.

"What I don't understand is why we couldn't wake her," Isabela said looking over at Anders, who looked guilty.

"What?" Cat asked, looking between them.

"I'm sorry Cat, really. You were tossing and turning, so I was using my magic to put you more deeply asleep. That was right when you started screaming."

"So you just continued to scream and scream, but no matter what we did, we couldn't wake you." Isabela looked accusingly at Anders, and he looked so depressed, Cat couldn't help but soothe him.

"It's okay Anders, you couldn't know I was having a nightmare," Cat said gently. "Thank you for trying to help."

He just stared at the ground, and Cat knew she wouldn't be able to simply wipe away his feelings. She went over and gave him a small hug, and whispered, "It's okay, I'm fine." then stood back and said to everyone, "Should we get going? I could use some sunshine."

Isabela could tell that Cat was not fine, in fact, Cat was the only one who believed that she was. Everyone else could see the way she kept looking over her shoulder, flinching or jumping at every sound. But it was more than that, that had Isabela concerned. She couldn't decipher the look in Cat's eyes, and that was the bigger concern.

While Cat had her own share of secrets, she was somehow at the same time very open. She didn't hide her expressions well, and it was easy to see when she was happy, sad, annoyed, frustrated, or pissed off. The fact that Isabela could see fear wasn't troubling, it was that she could see something else that she couldn't read.

Isabela shared a look with Varric, both of them seeing the concern in the others eyes. She looked forward again, noting that Hawke and Ketojan were getting further ahead. Her eyes narrowed in frustration. She knew Hawke could tell that Cat was having problems, but once she said she was fine, he acted as though nothing had happened. The man was a constant frustration- his attention to detail and awareness of what went on around him was an enviable skill, yet he could be so willfully obtuse.

As Isabela looked back at Cat again, she decided that her friend needed her, and she came to a stop, ignoring the looks from Varric and Anders, and gesturing Carver and Fenris forward past her. "Keep going, I'm going to talk to Kitty for a moment. We'll catch up."

Cat seemed to be in her own little world, and when Isabela put a hand on her shoulder, she flinched. "Oh! Sorry Issy. Guess I'm a little jumpy."

"More than a little. Kitty, what is going on? This is not just a bad dream."

Cat sighed, rubbing at her neck trying to get rid of the stiffness she was still feeling. She looked around, noting that they were alone.

"I sent them ahead," Isabela said, "now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Issy, there are things… that I haven't told you, because honestly, it's complicated. I'm not sure that you'd actually want to know."

Isabela crossed her arms, and looked intently at Cat. "Does this have something to do with how you know things you shouldn't?"

Cat's mouth fell open. "Uh… yeah, I guess?"

"Okay, you're right, I don't really want to know, I want to keep things simple." Isabela sighed hugely, then squeezing Cat's shoulder, gave a smirk. "But, you're my friend, so if it'll help, then I'll listen."

Cat smiled back, glad to have such a friend. "I appreciate it, but I'd rather not get into all of that." She laughed a little under her breath. "But, whenever you decide you want to know, I'll tell you."

"I'll keep that in mind," Isabela replied.

"For now, it's just disconcerting. The necromancer is real enough, but my mind twisted it, and in my dream… he was my husband."

"You were married to him?"

Cat shook her head. "No, it was my husband from my home, Steven. I think I told you about him once.

Isabela thought back, vaguely remembering the man she heard about, but remembering clearly how sloshed she had been at the time. "Okay… and he's a mage?"

Cat rolled her eyes, "You obviously don't remember. Long story short, no, there are no mages where I come from. No templars, no magic, no chantry…"

Isabela let out a low whistle. "You weren't kidding when you said it was far away."

Cat smirked, figuring that was about enough she could say, without Isabela getting freaked out. "And so seeing him, as a mage, killing my friends… to save me… and how I felt when I saw him… ugh! But I wasn't saved! I was chained up, I had cuts all over that were stitched back up… pieces of my skin that weren't mine!" Cat gave an involuntary shudder at the memory.

While Isabela comforted her friend, trying to help her through the revulsion she was feeling, several feet ahead, Fenris silently backed away. He had come to retrieve them for Hawke, since they had arrived at the opening of the tunnel, though when he heard Cat talk about her home, he had instinctively stopped and listened. The thought that there was a place in Thedas that had not only no chantry was not far-fetched, but no magic? Such a place could not exist. And yet, the way Cat acted whenever she saw magic…

Fenris came forward again, purposefully making noise so that they would hear him coming. When he stepped from the shadows, Isabela was looking at him, so he gestured for them to come. She gave a nod, so he turned to return to Hawke.

He continued forward, past the others in the group, making his way to the tunnel entrance where Hawke stood.

"They coming?" Hake asked him quietly.

"Yes, though it will be a few moments."

Hawke nodded, peering out in the early morning light. "Someone is out there," he said. "We may find ourselves having to fight to get Ketojan free." Hawke turned his head to look at Fenris. "Will that be a problem?"

Fenris' expression didn't change, but inside he was reeling. It still surprised him every time Hawke asked for his opinion, or showed concern for him. He was a slave… a former slave, but still, he had made his stance on magic very clear, and here this mage not only didn't hold a grudge, but treated him as an equal… as a friend.

"No. No problem." Fenris paused, then continued. "Although, Catarina may be correct. This mage may not want to be free."

Hawke's eyes widened. "But he's followed us this whole time…"

"I do not claim to know the mage's intentions, I merely wanted to prepare you for the possibility."

Hawke's face went blank, his mouth in a firm line. "I am prepared. I'll save him, even from himself."

Fenris didn't respond and the men stood there for several minutes looking out at the beach and cliffs surrounding them. "What could possibly be taking so long?" Hawke grumbled quietly. "It's a bad dream, just shake it off."

Fenris simply grunted in reply, though he didn't agree. Some mornings it took him much longer than he liked to shake the dreams that plagued him, and he was a seasoned warrior, used to having magic used against him. This had been a first for Cat, so he easily understood why she was having such trouble. Hopefully this will serve as a warning about the dangers of magic, he thought to himself.

Once the ladies returned, Hawke set about giving instructions. As the group made their way out of the cave, Cat brought up the rear with Fenris, as Isabela had gone to stand behind Hawke.

"Uh, Fenris?" Cat asked quietly. He didn't respond, but she felt his gaze, so she continued. "Please tell me Hawke knows he's walking right towards a group of Qunari."

"He knows someone is out there, but I do not believe he knows who it is." There was a great pause before he asked, "How do you?"

Cat just smirked. Distraction is the key here, she thought. "You just want to know all my secrets, don't you Fenris?"

"Yes."

Cat had been hoping to throw him off guard with the flirty tone of her voice, but he merely answered straightforwardly, and she had no reply. He was really starting to worry her, he saw far too much, and unlike Isabela, he was curious. She was under no illusions, eventually she figured they would need to know about her, but they were not isolated here in the city like she had been with her friends in Ferelden. If anyone didn't believe her, things could get out of hand very quickly, and she worried about what could happen if other people found out. Leliana and Zevran had been quite clear that she should not share her secret with anyone that she didn't trust completely.

She glanced over at Fenris again, her thoughts running. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, it was more that she didn't know him, or any of them really, well enough yet.

The group came to a stop, and Hawke began speaking, Cat realized that she had no idea what was going on. They were more than likely about to fight, but she had hardly paid attention up to now. She focused in, hearing Hawke getting more and more angry.

"He followed us out of the city, he wants to be free!"

"Bas, you know nothing. He followed because he wants to be led, he knows no other purpose. Saarebas must be contained. Even your templars don't understand how dangerous they are." One thing Cat could never remember was the titles under the Qun. This guy, was something like Aardvark…. Arvaard? Arvaarad?

"I know EXACTLY how dangerous WE saarebas are." Cat stared wide eyed at Hawke, his eyes were narrowed and glittered venomously. It was fascinating, as she had always been around people whose anger ran cold. Even she, herself would become closed off and icy when she was angry. Hawke was like a wildfire, growing bigger and more threatening the angrier he got, and she found it hard to look away. She noticed that several of the Qunari were shifting, and her gaze went over to them. They all looked uneasy.

"You are saarebas? Bas saarebas?" Cat watched as each of them steeled themselves, the uneasiness disappearing as they thought of their duty. "Your vile words have spilled on us, and our only course is to cleanse the world of your corruption." They pulled their weapons free, and got into fighting stance. "You will ALL die for this deception."

Cat went for her weapons, pulling her daggers free, and was stopped by a huge roar, coming from Hawke. His arms came above his head, his staff spinning while he shouted up at the sky. Cat heard Anders shout, and watched as Isabela disappeared in a puff of smoke, while Varric did a startling backflip to get out of the front lines.

Fenris immediately took his place, with Carver placing himself in front of Hawke, both of them slashing their swords in an effort to keep the Qunari back. A Qunari at the back of their group fell over with a yell, and Isabela was seen momentarily before disappearing again. She appeared behind Hawke as he yelled out, "Anders! Now!"

At that moment, Fenris and Carver retreated, and Varric ran forward. The group was suddenly within a large barrier, and Cat could see the effort that it was taking Anders to keep such a barrier up. She noticed the horror on Isabela's face and the satisfaction on Hawke's as he punched his hands up again. She followed his gaze, realizing that she should have paid attention while they were discussing strategy. Hawke had called down a firestorm, and she was not inside the barrier.

"KITTY!" Cat looked over at Isabela, who was pounding on the barrier, but could not escape it. She started to back away, as the fireballs started coming. At first it was just one, but within seconds she could see dozens falling around them, and she knew she had no escape. She curled up as small as she could, hoping that she could somehow avoid the attack. She could feel something above her, but she didn't dare move.

Cat stayed that way for several minutes, listening to the screams of the dying Qunari, hearing the impacts of the fire as it came streaming down from the sky. One impact came close and she could hear the sound of something shattering, which caused her to move her head, and look up, worried that the barrier around the others had given out.

Cat heard a thump next to her, and was startled to see Ketojan, his shoulder burned and bleeding, and looking like he was passed out. She quickly understood that the barrier that had broken had been his, that he had for some reason protected her, and that now, he needed her to protect him. She glanced up, noting that while the fires rages around them, it seemed that there were not anymore falling, so she stood, and hooked her hands under Ketojan's arms, and started pulling him away.

She had no sooner done so, when another ball of fire crashed into the dirt where they had previously been, spurring her on faster, though they were making slow progress. She didn't have the strength to pull him much farther, and eventually she had to stop.

Cat sat there, panting, before she went around to face Ketojan, looking over his wounds. She was surprised to find it much worse than she originally thought, as it looked as though he had taken a fireball directly to his side. From his shoulder to his waist on his right side was completely burned, black in places, bleeding and blistering in others.

Cat realized she could not see his chest moving, and she reached up to feel his neck, searching for his pulse. The smoke in the area had already caused tears, but she felt them well up anew, for this Qunari who had saved her, giving his life for hers.

She felt the others come up behind her, and someone crouch down and put a hand on her shoulder. Assuming it was Isabela, she turned into her friend, throwing her arms around her and crying into her neck. She realized immediately that it was not Isabela, but Hawke, but when his hand started rubbing her back, she couldn't pull away.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He murmured to her, "It's all my fault."

"I don't think I will ever understand Qunari," Varric stated. "He shielded her with his own body… why?"

"Varric…" Isabela warned him, gesturing towards Cat.

"The Qun demanded his death," Fenris said quietly. "He chose the means."

Cat pulled away from Hawke, embarrassed, and asked, "Can we please go home?" The others nodded, seeing that their job was done, though it felt far from complete.

"None of this would have happened, if they weren't taught to hate and fear mages," Hawke said bitterly as the group walked away.

"After that show, can you blame them?" Carver sniped back. "One spell wiped them all out."

"Magic is a plague, and everyone feels it's effects." Fenris added.

"That only happens when you back a mage into a corner! We had to protect ourselves, they wanted to kill us!" Anders replied hotly.

Cat turned to Isabela, rolling her eyes. It was a never ending debate with this group, and she and Isabela had taken to either keeping silent, or leaving whenever the topic arose.

"You have a thought you want to share, Cat?" She turned back to see Anders giving her a glare. "You haven't told us which side you are on."

"I really don't want to get into it," she replied.

"No, you never do. But I want to know. How can I know how to help those that are not mages understand, if I don't know what the problem is? Please?"

"She obviously doesn't want to hurt your pride by telling you that you are wrong," Fenris said, and Cat gave him a dry look.

"More that this debate is circular, and will never end," she said.

"I admit, I am curious," Hawke added. "We know where our friends stand, except for you."

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Oh, but we do!" Anders said quickly, feeling hopeful. After all, she was his friend, she'd have to understand.

"Just remember, you asked for it." Cat gave a big sigh, then continued. "I think you are all wrong."

It was met with silence, as if each side had been prepared to crow, and then couldn't. "Cat, there are only two sides to this, how can we ALL be wrong?"

"Well," she replied, "it's not like I have the solution or anything."

"But?"

"But, from my point of view, you cannot group everyone together. You cannot say, mages should be free, because not all mages should."

"Wha-?"

"Don't interrupt. You asked for my opinion and I'm giving it."

"But Cat-" Anders stopped again, realizing that Cat wouldn't budge on this, so he kept quiet.

"The same for templars, and for all people, really. There are some who enjoy the suffering of others, regardless of what power they may have, and they should not be free to inflict their will on others. The templars, and those in power, should also not group everyone together, saying that all mages should be caged because of a danger that might happen."

"So what is the solution?" Fenris asked, and Cat was surprised that he seemed interested, instead of angry, though she still smirked.

"I already said I didn't have it," she replied with a chuckle. "However, I will make one more point. A great man once said, 'with great power, comes great responsibility' and I believe that couldn't be more true here in Thedas." Thanks Spiderman Comics for the quote... "Just as a King loses freedoms because of the duties placed before him, or grey wardens with their duties, or even children with their duty to their families… So do mages, lose some freedoms because of the power they receive as a mage. It may not be fair, but when is life ever fair?"

The group continued to walk towards the city in silence, and although Cat wondered if she had offended someone, she didn't regret the things that she had said. The situation between the mages and the templars, or the chantry, or even the local leaders… was something that needed to change. Cat didn't believe that there was an optimal solution, just that each group needed to be willing to bend, and so far, no one was.

They made their way back to Lowtown, and Cat and Isabela veered off towards home, as Hawke and the others went to confront Sister Petrice. Cat didn't like the sister, and would happily avoid all interactions with her.

"Get what you need, and meet us at the Hanged Man," Hawke called. "We'll head to the foundry as soon as you are ready."

Isabela waved in answer, and Cat headed into their small home. They gathered supplies, and changed clothes before heading toward the Hanged Man in search of food.

"Issy?"

"Yeah?"

"I need a favor." Isabela looked over, intrigued, as they walked. "I won't explain how, but I know that necromancer is in that foundry. I need you to promise me, that we won't leave until we find him."

"Kitty, if he's in there, we'll find him."

"It may not be simple, he's killed several women already without gaining any notice. I'm thinking he may be underneath the foundry, maybe have a secret passage or something…"

"This means that much to you?"

"Yes."

"All right, but if I do, I want that blue shirt of yours."

"Issy, it's too small, you came busting out of it last time."

"That's the point Kitty," she replied with a wink.

"You drive a hard bargain, but if your promise not to wear it around me, it's a deal." Cat held out her hand with her pinkie extended. She tried not to share too many things from back home with the others, but Isabela was a different story. They linked pinkies, in a pinkie promise, and Cat felt much better about going to the foundry. That necromancer had no idea what was coming for him.