"Olivia, I need you to stop crying now." Cat rubbed her temples with her index fingers, wondering how long one person could cry continuously. "I'm telling you, we'll all be fine."

Feynriel watched the two of them with wide eyes, and Cat could see the hope in his face, before despair took it over again. "I wish that were true, but how could we possibly get free of them?" he asked quietly.

"My friends are coming for me, and they don't like slavers." Cat said with conviction, nodding to him.

"Your friends?" He asked her, sounding wistful. She could see the loneliness etched on his features, and knowing they would be left here until they were going to get moved again, she decided to talk to them about Hawke and his group. Perhaps doing so, would help distract Olivia from her tears as well.

"Yeah, they are quite the rag-tag group, but together, they are amazing!" Cat said,leaning back against the cave wall. "First there is Hawke… uh, how do I describe him?" She laughed a little, picturing her group of friends. "Well, he's a mage, leaning more towards the elemental and primal schools." She smiled as Olivia's head came up, and Feynriel leaned closer. "He likes to be in control all the time, and has a schedule for all the jobs he takes, and gets upset when something interrupts or changes his schedule."

"Sounds like my father," Olivia said with a smile, and Cat beamed back at her.

"Well, for how strict he can be with that, he's fairly light-hearted, and cracks jokes pretty often, mostly at the expense of his younger brother, Carver." Cat took in the expressions of both of the younger mages, happy that her distraction was working so well. She went on to describe each of her friends, wondering to herself when she had become so attached to them all.

It all happened so fast, similarly with Zev and the wardens. She had assumed it was because they were travelling together, alone, that whole time, but here with these people… why was she attached, so quickly?

Cat continued to speak, relaxing as she told of Varric, Aveline, Carver, Fenris, and Isabela, and finally Anders. Just as with Hawke, the two young mages became rapt when she spoke of Anders, telling them about his clinic, and his desire to get more freedom for mages.

Afterwards, they sat in silence for a little while, until Feynriel posed the question. "What will happen to us? Even if your friends do come?"

Cat thought for a moment before answering. "Well, the way I see it, both of you have three options." They looked at her in surprise.

"We would?" Olivia asked tentatively.

"Yup," Cat answered, "And we're going to let you decide which one you want. Though they are slightly different for each of you." Cat sat up straight, and looked between the two of them. "First option, we could take you to the circle. The first enchanter will help ensure your safety, and while it would be difficult, what with the templars cracking down on the rules and such… but, you'd be with other mages, get a foundation for your powers , and that is something."

Both Feynriel and Olivia looked less than thrilled at the option. "The second option, we'd let you go, and you'd find your own path. You'd be free, but it would be difficult." She watched as both of them shook their heads, fear written on their faces. "Yeah, I wouldn't want that either, but it is an option. The third option, is where things would differ."

Cat turned to Feynriel, "Feynriel, if you don't want to go to the circle, your other option would be… the dalish."

"Pfft," Feynriel scoffed. "I'm not dalish, Cat. They have already rejected my mother, simply because she wouldn't give me up. Why would they accept me now?"

"Although I don't agree with it, the main reason would be because you are a mage. This particular option isn't necessarily better, but it is an option. Being with the dalish will keep you safe from the templars, and the keeper will help you just as the circle would to control your magic. The dalish clan here has hardly any mages, so they need to accept you, even if they didn't want to."

"That's hardly any better," he groused. "Although, it had crossed my mind in the beginning, I will admit."

"I will tell you now however, that it would only be temporary." Cat responded. "Your powers, from what you've told us, are different than what mages here have dealt with. Eventually, you'd have to seek out help in other places, if you want to be able to master them."

"Hmm…" Feynriel replied, deep in thought. Cat nodded at him, and turned her attention to Olivia, who smiled sadly back at her.

"My father is a templar, Cat, I really have no other option. Look what trying to run away got me. Captured by slavers and…" she cut herself off, the tears starting in her eyes again. "Cat… I'm… afraid."

"We're all afraid Olivia, but we have to help each other stay strong."

"You don't understand!" she shouted suddenly, taking both Feynriel and Cat aback. They watched the door warily, expecting for a guard to stride in and demand to know what was going on.

"I can't understand unless you tell me," Cat replied gently.

"Back there… back at the docks. I was so afraid, so desperate… I… I … I heard it," her voice had dropped so low, that Cat and Feynriel leaned forward so they could hear her.

"Heard what?" Feynriel asked.

Olivia looked ashamed, and tears once again made their way down her cheeks. "A demon's voice," she answered. "It offered to help me, to save me. And.. I honestly thought, that I had no other choice. And if I was going to die, I wanted to take some of those evil men with me. I… I was ready to give in, and accept it's offer."

Cat lowered her head, taking a deep breath, and wondering what she could possibly say to her to ease some of the guilt she was feeling. There was nothing like looking back with regret.

"I understand, more than you might know," Cat finally said. "True, I am not a mage, and haven't been tempted by a demon, however there are many decisions that I have made, that looking back on, make me feel ashamed, or guilty."

"All I can say to you, is that no matter what happened, you didn't give in. Whether it was because of someone or something else, that doesn't matter." Cat finally raised her head, looking Olivia in the eyes. "Now, it means that you have a chance to make better decisions, to learn from that experience and become stronger. And perhaps next time, you will be the one that keeps someone else from making that huge mistake."

"Do you… really mean that?" Olivia asked in awe.

"Of course I do. Everyone makes mistakes, and some are more disastrous than others, but that doesn't mean we don't keep trying." Cat smiled, "Would you like to hear about that third option?"

Olivia let out a small laugh. "More than anything," she said.

"Well, I'd have to run the idea by Anders, but… I was thinking he could really use some help in that clinic of his…"

Cat went on to detail her idea, explaining how there would be some freedoms, and yet the necessity to hide would make life rather difficult. There wasn't a sure solution for these two, but Cat was glad that they had enough hope now to be seriously considering what they would do once they were rescued.

During this time of contemplation, they started hearing a loud commotion outside their room, though it was hard to make out what was going on. The door slammed open, and men rushed in, tying their hands, and pulling them to their feet.

"Let's go! Move it!" One of them shouted from outside the door, and Cat was practically dragged out of the room, followed by Feynriel and Olivia. The large man who had purchased them stood in front of them his expression thunderous. "We're taking them further in. Take care of the intruders!" and with that he stormed off away from the entrance and the other men followed, dragging Cat, Olivia and Feynriel with them.

"ISSY!" Cat screamed, unsure of who all had come, but knowing they must be her friends. "HAW-" Cat was silenced with a hand over her face, and she found it difficult to breathe. Her heart was pounding, with the suddenness of their movement, and she wished she had one of her daggers to make these gorillas pay for man handling them.

"Scream again, and I'll gut you," the man holding her spit in her ear, and she flinched away as she was roughly pushed forward. "Get moving," he said to her, and she strode forward, taking moments here and there to make deep grooves in the ground with the heels of her shoes.

"You'll regret this," she muttered, as he pushed her forward again.

"Did you hear that?"

"Who didn't hear that?" Carver replied. "That scream probably echoed through the entire cave."

"Well, at least we know we're in the right place," Isabela smirked as she ducked back behind a wall to dodge an arrow, then flung a dagger out, and retreated again. She smiled when she heard the cry of the man she threw it at. "Though this is taking longer than I would have thought."

"Hawke? You okay?"

Garrett looked over at Anders, and realized he was scowling. I really don't want to explain that I'm upset that Cat yelled for Isabela and not me. It would make me sound like a petulant child that wasn't chosen first in a game, or worse. Oh Maker, I sound like Carver… That thought made him straighten up, and he finally answered, "Yes, I'm fine."

"All right, if you are sure…" Anders replied, unconvinced.

"I am simply tired. Let's kill all these slavers, and go home to bed."

"Best idea I have heard all night," Fenris replied, a wicked light in his eyes. His tattoos flared to life and he re-gripped his sword while striding out from his cover. He made quick work of the men blocking them, and the rest of his companions joined him.

"Which way did they go?" Anders asked, as he looked down several tunnels. Each of them were equally dark, and he was amused to note that Fenris' tattoos were the source of light for their group.

Isabela and Carver immediately started looking around, for any indication of which route to take.

Cat was pushed up against a wall, the man's disgusting hand placed over her mouth again. She was really getting sick of having to breathe in his stench. Did slavers not believe in bathing, like ever? she thought. She could hear the sounds of battle go silent, and then the soft murmurs of voices. The man holding her was so intent on the hallway leading to the room where they had some from, and Cat found herself peering down the tunnel as well.

She wondered where the soft blue light was coming from, it made her think of veilfire, but she knew both Anders and Hawke were not aware of…

Fenris! She smiled as she realized that the glow was from his tattoos, she had seen them a few times now to be relatively certain. The man in the front indicated for several of those following to stay and kill the intruders, and Cat was pleased to see that the man that had threatened her was one of them. Another man grabbed her arm and began to cart her away, and she acted cowed, until she was past the group of men staying there.

"FENRIS!" she screamed, and smiled as the odorific man turned to glare at her. He would get exactly what was coming to him.

"Aaah!" Cat whirled around, to see that another man had pulled Olivia's arm tightly at a bad angle, and another had Feynriel at sword point.

"Get moving, and quietly, or I'll kill you all," the lead man said, then he turned and rushed forward, the rest of them coming behind him. Cat did her best to stay quiet… for now. She was certain the others would catch up to them soon.

"FENRIS!"

All at once, their heads popped up, and as a group they made their way down the darkened tunnel.

"Aaah!"

They paused momentarily, but continued in pursuit. Due to the darkness, they couldn't move quickly. That, combined with the second scream, put Isabela on edge.

"That didn't sound good," Isabela said. "She should not be pushing her luck."

"But it is helping us find her more quickly," Anders muttered, obviously upset.

"Certainly," Fenris responded sarcastically. "Until they kill her and leave her body in order to escape. The pirate is right, she is being reckless."

Fenris rounded the corner, and dodged an incoming arrow, then surged forward in a powerful scythe move, cutting two men in half with his swing. The momentum sprayed blood everywhere, and had the rest of his group stopping. Fenris killed the remaining men quickly, then turning said, "Come, we must hurry."

"Impressive," Isabela murmured, as the four of them made their way gingerly around the gore.

"More like savage," Anders muttered in reply.

"Don't say that like it's a bad thing," Isabela said. "Women like a bit of savagery in their men."

Isabela smirked as the three men with her practically tripped over their own feet in their shock at her words.

"What?!"

"Really?!"

"No!"

Now she was laughing, as Anders and Carver glared daggers at Fenris' back, and Hawke looked like someone stole his favorite treat. It amused her greatly that Fenris either didn't notice, or didn't care the ire he was receiving, and best of all, that Cat had no idea all of the drama she inspired.

"AAAHH!"

"ANDERS! HELP!"

The group immediately forgot everything else, and rushed forward into a large room. At their feet, a young girl lay bleeding, and at the top of a staircase, a boy and Cat were held at knife point.

"Please… please help… her!" Cat struggled to get out, while keeping the dagger away from her throat. Anders went quickly to the girl, and began to heal her, while Carver stood nearby to keep him safe.

"That's far enough," a man stepped in front of Cat and her captor. "Come any closer, and they both die."

"I'm sure we can work something out," Hawke said as he took another step closer.

"NO!" both the man and Fenris shouted at once, and then glared at each other.

"You won't be getting away with them, I'd cut my losses if I were you." Hawke added much more sternly.

"So you can kill me? Not likely."

Hawke continued to speak with the man, though he was watching Cat's face. It seemed she and Isabela were having another silent conversation, but he knew he should do his part and keep the man busy, although he could feel the frustration pouring off of Isabela in waves.

"Well, it seems then, that we are at an impasse…" Hawke began, and at that moment, Isabela threw a dagger, and a moment later it was embedded in the man that was holding onto the boy.

Cat used the distraction and threw her head back, into the face of the man holding her. She pulled her hands up, gripping the dagger in front of her to keep herself from being skewered. The man was stronger then she was, but she put all her strength into it.

Suddenly the resistance was gone, and she pushed the arm forward with a resounding, "crack!" She fell forward on her knees, looking at the now severed and frozen arm in front of her.

"Ugh!" Cat reeled back, looking up when her back hit something solid. The man, minus an

arm was frozen solid behind her. Isabela grabbed her arm, and helped her up. Cat shivered, "I'll never be able to forget that sound… I broke that guy's arm off!"

Isabela smiled, and put her arm around Cat. "You've done much worse in the past," she said.

"I know, but…" Cat shivered. "that sound… gives me the chills."

"That's just your proximity to the freezing spell," she said brushing off frost from Cat's back.

"No, but I appreciate what you're doing," Cat replied with a smile.

"Anytime!" Isabela smirked back.

"CAT!" Anders came running up, grabbing Cat's shoulders and looking her over. "Are you wounded?"

"No, I'm okay. But, how's Olivia?"

"The girl?" Anders asked, looking over his shoulder. "A little worn out, but she'll be fine."

"Oh! I was so worried! Thank you so much!" Cat exclaimed, pulling Anders into a hug. It shocked him at first, and then he wrapped his arms around her as well.

"It's no problem, I'm just glad you're okay." Anders responded quietly, squeezing her tightly.