Isabela smiled widely. She was meaning to smirk, since that was her go-to, but her lips just weren't listening to her mind. Obviously her mouth just couldn't contain the glee she was feeling at seeing Zevran and Fenris fighting together.

She stood back, though a part of her wanted to join in, but the view was just too spectacular to miss. Her thoughts trailed back to their time traveling to Antiva, and back to the present. The two elves had found their rhythm with each other, and it showed.

Fenris was quick to discover that Zevran would never stop flirting- with him specifically, and in general. And so he did what he did with all things in his life that he didn't quite understand. He either questioned, or ignored it. And after the first few answers he received from Zevran didn't satisfy, he would now ignore it.

Isabela however, knew better. If Fenris didn't like Zevran's flirting, he would have put a stop to it. So while he did nothing to encourage the smaller elf, she was certain he was flattered at the attention.

Now that they seemingly understood each other, they did what Isabela thought of as the go-to for most men… showing off their own prowess. Both elves were determined to end the threat to Cat personally, and so they pushed themselves harder each day to do so.

It had started as an actual competition, to prove that each was the rightful one to take down this threat to their friend. However, as the time went on, and they built a friendship themselves, the battles evolved into a friendly competition between them- each determined to win.

And yet… Isabela grinned as she watched the elves slaughter the Crows around them, here I am- the one that's reaping the benefits.

Once there was only a single man left alive, Isabela stepped forward to join the other two in interrogation. Not once had any of the Crows been willing to spill secrets, but the three of them continued to try.

Zevran held the man, as Fenris' tattoos lit, and he reached into the man. The prisoner gasped in pain, but said nothing.

"You may be thinking that we will kill you anyway, so why tell us?" Isabela said as she came closer. "And while that is true, I can only point out that telling us would be a good way to get revenge on the man that placed you here to die in his place."

"You'll get nothing from me," the man wheezed. "You and your dogs can go to hell."

"My dogs?" she questioned even as she laughed. "No, they aren't mine. They let me tag along to watch." She gave the man a wicked smile, and he looked at her uncertainly.

"Now you've gotten him thinking that you get off on death," Zevran said with a smirk to her.

"Who says I don't?" she shot back. "As long as it isn't my own."

"Must you always sidetrack?" Fenris muttered.

"If you can't have fun while you're working, then life isn't worth living," Isabela said sweetly.

"And that would be a shame for the rest of us," Zevran quipped, turning his smile to Fenris, who cleared his throat, and turned back to the captured man with a scowl.

"Five seconds to decide," he said with finality.

"Besides, we already know your base is in the northern district," Zevran added quickly. Seeing the man's eyes light even though he tried to school his expression had the assassin giving him a smile.

"Ah, just as I thought," he said, giving a nod to Fenris, who squeezed his hand into a fist and releasing the dead man to drop to the floor.

"Seems we've narrowed it to the Eastern District," Isabela said thoughtfully. She turned to Zevran, who had pulled out a cloth to clean his daggers. "How big an area are we speaking of?" she asked.

"It is large, but for our purposes we've narrowed it down much more. The Eastern district consists of the nobles' homes, as well as it's own marketplace and school. It is not a place one would expect to find an underbelly," he said, as he wiped the blood from his weapons.

"I see, so there are less places that we will actually have to search," Fenris said as he too cleaned his sword.

"Indeed, my handsome friend," Zevran answered, smiling as Fenris rolled his eyes at the compliment. "And most of those will be ruled out with simply a glance."

Fenris looked confused, so Isabela spoke up. "If it is truly a base for a guild of Crows, they will have guards," she said. "Hidden perhaps, but still guarded." She looked between the other two, the excitement of the hunt showing on her face. "We're getting close," she added with a curve of her lips.

"Good," Fenris replied, as he stood upright and sheathed his sword. He turned to his companions. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way," Zevran said with a sultry smile. "I enjoy following you."

Isabela laughed at Fenris' baffled expression, as he turned away and started out of the building. She turned to her friend. "Just going to wear him down, are you?" she asked.

"If that happens, I will not complain," Zevran replied with a grin as he set off. "His reactions are part of the fun though."

"Blondie, I know we're doing this for the Little Dove, but a part of me is still wondering why I am in the Deep Roads, again. I swore to myself I never would."

"We are in agreement there Varric," Anders replied weakly. "I absolutely hate the Deep Roads."

"I thought Hawke said it was a job to find a Grey Warden," Merrill spoke up. "And finding Cat was just part of it."

The man and dwarf turned to give skeptical looks to their leader, who had the good sense to at least look embarrassed.

"Well, we each have our own reasons for going on jobs, don't we Daisy?" Varric replied after a few moments. "For some it is helping people, for others it may be making the city a safer place to live, or even the justice of catching a criminal. For me, it is usually the pay," he continued, as Aveline had been nodding along, and now glared down at him.

"Oh I see," Merrill answered. "But… Hawke? Don't you want to get Cat back?" she asked, confused again.

"Of course," Hawke replied smoothly. "She's part of the crew." He ignored the looks he received from not only Anders and Varric, but Aveline and Sebastian that time, and strode forward.

Varric and Anders hung back, even as Sebastian and Merrill kept pace with Hawke.

"I thought he would have let his anger go by now," Aveline said quietly, as the three of them walked together. "He's mentioned a few times now how he's put it behind him."

"It, or her?" Varric asked shrewdly, glancing at Hawke's back.

"It's like he's punishing her, but hurting himself at the same time," Anders said in confusion. "Why do that to himself?"

"Maybe he's afraid it won't be the same?" Varric asked. "That she won't want him?"

"No," Anders said definitively. "She said she loved him, and to her, that means she can't stop. A part of her loves her first husband still, though she won't admit it."

"Back up…" Varric said, looking up at Anders. "She was married?" he asked, trying to hide the eagerness of his voice.

Anders looked down, disappointed that he had let that slip, but knowing he now had to say something. Varric wasn't one to simply let it go.

"Yes, before she came to Ferelden," he replied. "Her husband left her, though she says they were both unhappy for some time before that." He considered, but decided it wouldn't hurt for Varric to understand Cat's point of view. "She didn't trust her own instincts and feelings after that, when it came to relationships."

"That… actually," he paused, and started again with his thought, "a lot of things make perfect sense now," Varric replied. "And why she was so reluctant to have a relationship in the first place."

"Exactly," Anders said quietly, looking over at Aveline, wondering if she had any other additional insights. While she was good friends with Cat, she had consistently kept herself firmly in Hawke's camp when it came to supporting their friend's tumultuous courtship. He thought it was perhaps to offset the fact that he and Fenris were both just as firmly on Cat's side.

"Better to still have something than nothing at all," Aveline murmured, though she didn't elaborate when the other two looked at her.

"Come on, keep up you three!" Hawke called back to them, and they quickened their pace, letting the conversation drop.

Cat continued to follow the trail. It could have been wishful thinking, but it seemed that the trail was more fresh, and pushed her more quickly onward. She needed to catch up to Nathaniel before any darkspawn found him… or her.

She walked rapidly, knowing it was louder, but also necessary if she was going to find him. Keeping her crossbow in her hands was a precaution that kept her from worrying about herself too badly.

Hearing a noise had her stopping mid-step and focusing on the sounds around her. Cat started moving again at the faint noises, thinking that perhaps it was just shifting rock… but it could have been footsteps, she thought.

Moving more cautiously this time, Cat kept close to the wall of the cavern. As she came toward a small corner, she situated herself , and moved to glance around the rock. After a few short glances, she let her eyes linger longer, taking in the wide expanse of rock. Looking down, she saw the tracks she was following continued, and she moved into the open to view them more carefully.

"Cat?!"

The voice she recognized, but her arms automatically lifted her weapon up at being startled. Seeing Nathaniel move out from behind a large rock formation had her smiling in relief.

"Nate! Finally! I thought I would never catch up to you!" she said, moving forward to him.

She must have only have been thinking of her own relief at finding him, because she didn't see how upset he was until he reached her, and taking her shoulders, gave her a good shake.

"What in blazes are you doing here?!" he demanded.

"What?" she asked, perplexed. "I came to help you," she said slowly, as if he needed her to clarify.

"I left without you for a reason!" he countered. He looked behind her, and grabbed her again as he realized she was alone. "You walked through the Deep Roads ALONE?! ARE YOU MAD?!"

"No," she said, pushing back from him, insulted.

"Without a Grey Warden, you would have no way to avoid the darkspawn!" he growled.

"Why do you think I was trying to catch up to you?!" she replied, her own voice getting louder. "You honestly thought you could just leave me with your sister in Amaranthine? Duran told us to stay together."

Nathaniel rubbed the bridge of his nose. "These are exceptional circumstances Cat! You would have been safer in Amaranthine!"

"I disagree," she said, giving him a disapproving look. "Why go through all this training if you think I cannot protect myself?" she asked pointedly.

"I know you can protect yourself," he groused. "But you and I could not protect ourselves or each other if the darkspawn swarm us!"

"Let me get this straight," she said as she took the bolt from her crossbow and stored it away. "You think there is a chance that the darkspawn would come upon you, so your absolutely brilliant plan was to come alone?"

He glowered at her, but she stood her ground. There was very little he could do about it at this point, unless he was willing to take her back to the surface. After a minute of staring at each other, he sighed, and turned.

"I need to get you out of here," he said quietly. He turned back around, and looked grimly at her. "I want you to promise me," he stated. "Promise that you will follow my orders, even if I tell you to run and leave me behind."

"Of course I won't," she replied, appalled. "I would never be able to live myself if I did something like that."

He seemed unsurprised by her reply, and didn't push it. I honestly didn't even imagine she would follow me… he thought. She isn't one to go to the Deep Roads, especially with only one person. He looked at her in consideration this time. Perhaps this was part of her knowledge? He gathered his pack, and items that he had left on the ground, his mind whirling with the possibilities. "We must leave. The shouting was sure to draw attention."

"Oh," she said, not thinking at the time, and uneasy now. "Let's go."

He led the way, and they walked on in silence.

Cat wasn't certain how long it had been, whether one hour or two, but she didn't question Nathaniel as to where they were going. She knew he was worried, but had complete faith that they would be able to make it back to the surface. Two people could evade the darkspawn more easily than a group after all.

"Cat?"

She looked up, surprised to hear his voice. "Yes?" she answered, as quietly as he had.

"I need you to tell me what you can of this."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What, the Deep Roads? Or the thaig itself?" she asked.

He glanced over his shoulder for a moment as they walked. "Is this where I died?" he asked. "Or was there a way out that you know?"

"What… what exactly are you saying Nate?" she asked, upset.

"I'm saying that I need to get you out of here, and you obviously know how to make that happen, you wouldn't have followed me otherwise."

"Are you saying I only came after you because I knew what would happen?" she asked, aghast.

"Didn't you?" he countered.

"No, I didn't. Whether you believe it or not, I don't use my so called knowledge to decide my actions. I try to live without using it, in fact."

"That's not what I remember when you told us of the events in Kirkwall," he grumbled.

"Kirkwall is a cesspit of tragedy for Hawke and his friends, so excuse me for trying to make that a little better," she spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'm not complaining," he replied, still not looking back as they spoke. "I'm saying you should do the same here."

"I thought you didn't care about my knowledge," she retorted. "Weren't you the one that said I'd be a pain if I knew everything?"

"Yes," he responded. "But as I said, these are extraordinary circumstances."

She stayed quiet, wondering why she was so unhappy that he asked. He was obviously really worried if he did.

"Cat?" he asked, pressing her.

"I don't know," she replied. "You came here with a group of wardens, and were gone so long that Delilah went to ask the Champion of Kirkwall for help, since he knew where the thaig was. The Champion went back to the thaig and found you fighting darkspawn, and helped you to kill them. He offered to have you come back to the surface with them, but you refused, wanting to find your group that was separated."

Nathaniel was quiet, taking in the information. "That is nothing like this situation."

"I know. Things keep changing. But that also means that perhaps we won't encounter darkspawn at all."

"No," he replied. "That is not likely."

His tone gave her the chills. "Likely? Or not possible?"

He turned to glance back at her again.

"Not possible," he replied, quickening his pace. "We need to find a defensive spot before they are upon us."

"Can you tell how many?" she asked, preparing herself mentally.

"Many," he answered. "If you keep yourself in stealth, they will not be able to sense you, and will come after me. If the fight turns for the worst, I want you to stealth and get away."

She didn't reply, as she had already given her answer previously. But what he said was giving her ideas. If they were focused on him, she could get behind them, and take out any emissaries before they could do damage, and hopefully leave just minions to finish off.

"Not that way, darkspawn up ahead," Anders warned, and Hawke stopped.

"This is the way to the thaig, Blondie," Varric said quietly.

"I realize that, but I doubt we want to fight them if we can avoid them," Anders replied.

"Won't they have sensed you already as well?" Hawke asked. "If we turn away, will they know that we aren't darkspawn, and come after us?"

"They aren't exactly tacticians," Anders said ruefully. "We should be fine."

"What if it is Cat and Nathaniel?" Merrill asked.

"I can sense more than one," Anders explained. "Delilah said that Nathaniel went alone."

"I'll go look," Sebastian offered, and he started moving forward. Anders wouldn't admit to being jealous at how silent the rogue prince was, but he thought it.

He was back after a minute, and explained what he saw. "There is a small group of darkspawn, and it looks like they are searching the room for something," he said. "It may be they are not sensing Anders because they are focused on something else."

"Like I said, not smart," Anders said. "If we can get them unawares, we can get them all before they can fight. It may be worth it, rather than finding another path."

"All right, let's go, but quietly. I want to get into position so that we can all attack at the same time," Hawke murmured. The others nodded at him, and followed Sebastian down the corridor.

He had been right, there was a small amount of darkspawn- relatively anyway. Only about twenty or so, but nothing that their group couldn't handle, especially since there didn't seem to be anything besides hurlocks.

They moved silently until they were all in view, and could attack. Aveline adjusted herself to the front of the group, and Hawke was ready to signal the attack when Varric got his attention, pointing to the ground.

Looking ahead, Hawke could see several bodies of darkspawn on the ground, dead. The thing that had him pausing, was that the bodies didn't look like hurlocks.

"They're attacking something," Anders whispered in his ear, and Hawke looked closer, seeing that while a few hurlocks were looking around themselves, the main part of the group were firing arrows or moving closer to the far side of the cavern.

The crew stilled as an arrow came from somewhere they couldn't see, and struck a hurlock in the face, felling it instantly. A horrific scream sounded from the other side of the group as another hurlock fell.

The attack was swift, and seemingly random, that Hawke worried about his people getting caught in the crossfire, or even hurting the unseen fighters with their spells.

"Can you sense them? Hawke leaned over and asked Anders quietly. "Are they wardens?"

"It's hard to differentiate," Anders said, as he focused. "I'm just sensing the taint. I'm not used to trying to separate the feeling between darkspawn and wardens."

"All right," Hawke replied. He put his hand out to have his team continue to hold, but stay ready. Once they knew what the situation was, they could join in.

"More," Anders said, and Hawke looked around, sensing something, but his eyes weren't able to pinpoint it.

He kept looking however, hearing noises, and wondering what it was. Something he would have called a shadow suddenly disappeared, and two shrieks began slashing at the air. He began to think Anders gave them too much credit when he said they were not smart, when another shadow dissipated, and he saw an armored rouge fighting them off with daggers.

He could tell it was a woman, as the armor was skin tight, and covered her skin from neck to toe, in the blue and silver colors the wardens were so fond of.

"Look at her go," he heard Varric say quietly. "I can't get a shot off."

Hawke nodded as he watched, the woman and the darkspawn were moving too quickly for them to be of any help to her at this point. Her daggers were flying, blocking the clawed strikes from the shrieks.

After blocking, she would move, sliding around on the ground, rolling away or back towards them, and even stepping twice up the wall of the cavern to flip over one, grabbing it's skin with her dagger behind herself as she landed.

The crew were mesmerized as they watched, impressed by the warden's skill.

Hawke was surprised at movement near him, and Aveline stepped out to slice a hurlock that had spotted them and come after them with its sword raised.

"Do you hear that?" Hawke heard from Merrill, and he looked to her.

"What?"

"It sounds big," she replied nervously.

That was the only warning they all had, as the archway the hurlocks had used to enter the room crashed to pieces- a huge, horned ogre smashing its way into the room with a roar.

Hawke glanced back at the warden, seeing the shrieks on the ground, and seeing her focus on the beast in front of her. He could see her chest moving as she panted to get her breath back.

"NO! CAT, RUN!"

Hawke and his crew heard the voice echo around the cavern, and turned almost as one to the rogue, seeing her now in a terrible new light, as they realized who she was.

Again, and almost as one, they surged forward, joining the fray. They shouted, gaining attention from the few hurlocks that remained, but were unable to get the ogre to turn.

Hawke watched as it roared and moved toward her, and his attention was taken as a hurlock reached him. He pulled his staff up to block its attack, and used a telekinetic burst to send it flying away, followed by an arcane bolt, and some lightning for good measure. It stayed still on the ground, so he looked around to find the ogre.

"The ogre! As soon as you can!" he yelled to the others, aiming for its eyes. A blind ogre would do serious damage, but at least it wouldn't be able to target anyone specifically. After a moment, he decided the wiser course would be to slow it down.

A little more mana… he thought, readying his force spell. Just a few more seconds…

The ogre swung out moments before Hawke released his spell. And he watched in dismay as its hand connected with the armored body. He didn't watch as his spell hit the ogre, instead watching as the woman soared through the room, hitting the wall with a loud crash, and falling to the ground.

He started to move, hearing her name being screamed, and unsure if it was his own voice or anothers'. Could another voice convey the wrenching pain that I am feeling?

"Hawke! The ogre!"

He turned, seeing his crew running to the ogre that was moving so slow it almost seemed stationary. He turned back to the woman, seeing a dark haired warden holding her torso in his arms, checking her over.

"Anders!" the hoarse voice called, and Hawke could see the indecision on his friend's face.

"Go," he said, giving Anders a push. "We've got this!"

Anders didn't hesitate longer, running for the wardens, and Hawke turned to the ogre. He suddenly had a rage burning within him that he needed to purge.

Anders worked frantically, trying to repair the damage inside Cat's slim frame before it was too late. He trusted his friends, and gave not another thought to the darkspawn and ogre that were still alive. They had their job, and he had his.

Nathaniel continued to hold onto Cat, worried that if he let her go she would slip away. He could hear the sound her body had made as it crashed, and the sound repeated again and again in his mind. He focused in turn on both Cat and Anders, praying silently that his healing would be enough. It always had been before…

He heard and felt as the darkspawn were killed, now only able to sense the taint in the man working furiously beside him.

"What can I do?"

Nathaniel and Anders looked up, seeing Hawke kneeling beside them, down by Cat's feet.

Anders looked to be wrestling with something before he finally answered.

"Just… stay here, and help keep me grounded. I'm going to use spirit healing," he said.

"Wait, since when are you able…" Nathaniel stopped himself. "Of course, Justice," he answered before Anders could. He looked up at the blonde mage. "Is that truly necessary?"

"I know what you're thinking, Nathaniel, but this is what needs to be done," Anders replied firmly. "She had several broken bones, including her spine, and a few of her organs took damage as well." Anders looked down at his friend as he spoke. "This is what must be done."

"We'll give you our mana," Merrill said, as she stepped closer. "You shouldn't do this alone."

"Agreed," Hawke said.

"Very well," Anders said with a small smile. "Nathaniel," he said, turning to the warden. "Lie her down now, and move back. We'll need to make a circle first."

Nathaniel did as he was told, knowing that Anders was always deadly serious about healing. He didn't go far, needing to make sure that he would watch over Cat, as he had mistakenly failed to do before.

He was taken aback by the feeling of power as the mages combined their power together, and let the healer use it. He felt a jolt as he saw the blue lines on his former companion's face, the unearthly pools of glimmering blue that were now his eyes, and the deep voice that reminded him of another companion from his past.

Nathaniel had been holding on to his anger, upset that the man that he had trusted, and finally accepted- though he could be such an annoyance- had run off, betrayed all that he had sworn. When Nathaniel had seen Anders again, he had seen a run down and weary version of the man he had known, and had felt somewhat vindicated- that Anders had gotten what he deserved.

He watched the same man now, as he surrendered his own will to that of the spirit that was inside him, and felt that he may never truly understand the man.

Long before, when they had traveled together, Anders had told them of spirit healers, and what that meant. The were few and far between, not only because of how difficult it was to find mages that truly embodied the characteristics that spirits would seek out, but also because of the inherent dangers it posed to the mages, by having a limited access to a higher form of power.

And here was Anders, Nathaniel thought, not simply touched by a spirit, but possessed by one. There were so many unknowns… so many risks… to both of them. Nathaniel glanced back and forth, and continued to pray, not only for Cat, but for Anders as well.

Varric watched the scene before him with a cynic's eye. He didn't doubt that the Little Dove would be fine, Blondie was the best healer he'd ever heard of. But, he knew there were some things that you couldn't come back from, and the smash of the Little Dove's body against the rock face was something he wouldn't soon forget.

Varric looked to Hawke, still uncertain of what his friend wanted. He was certain the two of them belonged together, and he would do anything to make that happen, but he would only push so far. If Hawke was determined to be alone, who was he to say differently? He wasn't exactly what his friends would call successful with relationships, even if they had known about his past.

But Hawke? Hawke wasn't like he was, Varric was certain. Hawke needed family, a life beyond all the fighting and intrigue and politics. He'd drive himself mad otherwise. Hadn't they all seen that happen before their very eyes over the past year?

His eyes moved to the warden, Nathaniel. On his face was the expression Varric would hope to see on Hawke's. The idea gave him a bad taste in his mouth, and he suddenly wanted a drink. If the Little Dove wanted the warden, well… Varric could play nice, he supposed.

But he would do his damnedest change her mind first.

Looks like I'll need to have a talk with Blondie before long, he thought.