Judy: Thankyou, sorry about the late update.

A/N: I've not had a chance to spell/grammar check, apologies

Chapter 8

They didn't have to worry about Mena's curiosity causing her to run off while they travelled to the docks, she stuck to Merrill's side like her life depended on it. She hissed at anyone who came too close as she hung off Merrill's arm. It was only once they had reached the docks and the diversity palette became a little more human orientated did they realise the extent of her distrust towards them. Fenris would say that he had an understanding when it came to Mena, their relationship had some trust and some natural wariness. He could tell that she was anxious with the way she chittered and her hand had taken hold of his gauntlet. She gripped the metal carefully, having hooked her fingers in-between the joints at the wrist. Keeping him close while she clenched Merrill's arm.

'Ah, I see Isabela!' Merrill said as she spots the pirate talking to a couple of sailors. Without thinking Merrill ran off, she pulling her arm free from Mena's grip as she did so. Mena squeaks and tries to grab hold of her but Merrill had gone too far in her excitement. Fenris looks at Mena as he hears a high-pitched whining noise, Mena's face had paled more than usual and she had frozen in place.

He pats her on the shoulder, making her jump but knocking sense into her. Merrill was chatting happily to Isabela, excited to tell her that they had found Mena. Fenris felt Mena clamp onto him and a sharp spike of pain ran through his arm and over his shoulder. He wore a strained smile as she tightened her grip. Moving forward he caught Isabela's attention. 'We should take her back, she is becoming... this,' he said unable to think of a word that described her situation.

Isabela looked at Mena who had tears in her eyes, 'oh, sweetling, come here,' she says holding out her arms. To Fenris' relief the pirate had a good rapport with the cave elf and Mena happily let him go and embraced Isabela, burying her head into Isabela's ample bosom. 'No more running off, okay?' Isabela says as she strokes Mena's hair. The young woman had become the adopted child of the group and they were all quite fond of her.

'We should find Hawke an' tell him what's goin' on,' Merrill says as she catches Fenris rolling his shoulder out the corner of her eyes. His attitude towards Mena always surprised her but she knew better than to mention it.

'Good plan, he said he was going to talk to Anders so I think we had better start there and maybe have Anders look at Mena for her... anxiety,' Isabela said to Merrill as she felt Mena tighten her grip around her waist. 'Okay sweetie?' She looks at Mena and wipes a tear from her cheek. 'We're gonna go see Anders, y'know Anders?'

'Anders, falon?' Mena smile weakly with a sniff.

'Yeah, you'd like that?' Isabela smiles in reply.

Mena nods, 'Anders, falon with miaow, miaow,' she mimics a cat at the end making Merrill giggle. Even Fenris couldn't deny the smirk that lifted the corner of his mouth. Mena's smile becomes more genuine as she grins at their reaction. Isabela wraps her arm around her shoulders and begins to lead her towards Dark town. She was a little reluctant to keep going but Isabela didn't really give her the choice of staying behind.

They hit a little bump when further down the street Mena stood on some discarded squid and squealed in such a pitch it made Fenris and Merrill wince in pain. Mena flicks her foot causing the mollusc to go flying past Fenris who quickly moves out the way. Some tentacles were still stuck in between Mena's toes and she wasn't taking it well. She hisses and clicks as she hangs off Isabela's arm trying to dislodge the rotten squid without touching it. Merrill and Isabela were trying desperately to calm her down while Fenris had the unfortunate task of removing the offensive material. 'Hold her still,' Fenris says bluntly as he grabs her calf.

'Mena, hamin, relax, Fenris is going to help you, halani, Fenris,' Merrill says as she speaks in a mixture of Dalish and common. Mena whimpers and smooshes her face against Isabela's arm as Merrill strokes her hair comfortingly. Fenris pulls a face of disgust as he grabs hold of the squidgy tentacle and feels the suction cups on one of the longer limbs stick to his finger. He pulls them from between her toes and flicks it back into the water before grabbing his water skin and pouring a little over her foot to remove the mucus that clung to her skin. Fenris got a little giggle from Mena as he rubbed the sensitive skin on her sole and toes.

'There,' he says simply as he stands up and wipes his hand on his leggings. 'Shall we try to avoid any further incidents?' He asks almost sarcastically.

'Hmm, that's going to be tricky, this shit is only going to get worse the more into Dark town,' Isabela points out. Fenris and Merrill had to agree, it was a learning curve that they had both discovered.

Fenris sighs and rubs his eyes, 'very well. I see only one solution,' he said as he began to undo the buckle on his sheath. 'I will have to carry her,' he says simply as he removes his sword. 'Isabela, if you would not mind,' he adds holding out his weapon.

'Fenris, ya dinnae have ta-' Merrill began.

'All I wish to do is go home and sleep. The sooner this whole debacle is over the sooner I get to do that,' he says bluntly. 'Mena, up,' Fenris says as he ignores Merrill. Mena knew what he was asking her to do, ever since being carried back to the city it was one of her favourite things to do. She would often ask Hawke or Sebastian to carry her when they visited. A large smile appears on her face and she claps her hands happily as she scrabbles onto his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning her head on her arm.

'Ma serannas, Fennis,' Mena says happily as she plays with his hair.

He wears an expression of neutrality but only because Isabela and Merrill were grinning at him. 'Let us not linger,' Fenris states simply as he continues to walk. Mena's mood had increased greatly now that she was being carried. Isabela winks at Merrill as she straps Fenris' blade across her back.

'Sweet aren't they?' The pirate teases to the Dalish elf who covers her mouth as she giggles. 'Shame she's got the maturity of a five-year-old, I reckon-'

'Enough. She is a child, there is little more to say on the matter,' Fenris says as he looks at Isabela with a warning glance.

'Hey, I'm just saying. She's really cute. Her personality is sweet as well, it's just a shame that she doesn't understand things,' Isabela replies not caring that he looked annoyed. 'Honestly Fenris, there's nothing wrong with speculation,' she points out as she walks past with Merrill in tow. 'Besides, you seem almost gentle with her. It's nice to see,' she teases. Fenris bares his teeth a little and rolls his eyes.

Mena tilts her head and looks between the pirate and Tevinter elf. 'Fennis, halani?' She asks.

Fenris clears his throat and shakes his head, 'no, banal, thank you, Mena. I am fine. Ma serannas,' he replies making her settle back down again. Why were all the women in his social circle so frustrating? Even Aveline, who was a good friend managed to rub him up the wrong way at times. With a heavy mental sigh, he continues to follow Isabela and Merrill towards Dark town.

Their arrival at the clinic was uneventful, thankfully. Mena's weight was bearable but the way that she was playing with his hair and generally fussing over him was not. As they were waiting for Anders to come to the door Fenris put Mena down. Merrill looks over and a smirk plays over her lips as she notices the braid that Mena had woven into Fenris' hair. It was small and delicate and had a tiny flower in the end, when Fenris tried to remove said flower, Mena got quite upset. Tensing his jaw Fenris was content to leave the blasted addition alone for the moment and keep her calm.

Anders opened the door to his clinic and let them all in, Hawke was already inside and neither of them looked happy. Mena squeals as she runs inside and hugs Anders tightly, her mood having drastically improved since being pandered to by Fenris. Anders has the air knocked out of him as she collides and holds him tightly. 'Anders, miaow miaow?' She asks as she looks up at him.

'Oh, uh, they're around somewhere. Isabela, you know where the food is? Want to help Mena?' He suggests as he gently but tactfully pries Mena's arms away from around him.

Merrill leaves the others to whatever they were doing and walks over to Garrett who was rubbing his eyes and looked worn. 'Hawke?' She inquires as she comes closer. 'Everythin' okay? We found Mena; she be up the tree in the Alienage- … are ya okay?' Merrill asks.

He looks over at her and wears a weak smile, 'um, yeah, it's okay. Just... Anders wants me to help out with some supposed Templar plot and I just don't feel comfortable with it,' he admits in a low voice.

Merrill tilts her head as he explains the situation. 'Well, meybbe you should help him. I mean, he helps ya a lot an' even if he be wrong at least ya ken he willnae be getting' inta trouble without ya,' she points out.

Hawke laughs a little and nods, 'yeah that's true. Maker, what would I do without you?' He teases lightly making her face flush red. They share a brief, chaste hug before Hawke clears his throat and moves the subject on. 'So, you found Mena, up the tree?'

'Aye, an' Fenris suggested that we bring her with us as she need ta see some of the city but she got really anxious an' Isabela suggested we come here an' have Anders look at her,' Merrill explains.

Alright, you go chat to Anders, I'll talk to Fenris and Isabela,' he said as he looks over at where Isabela was stopping Mena from grabbing one of the cats that had turned up for free food. Merrill nods and squeezes his arm fondly before leaving. Garrett walks over to Isabela and asks her to talk to Varric to let him know that Mena had been found before turning his attention to Fenris who was leaning against a wall and watching the cats with calculating eyes. 'Fenris, thank you for everything.'

'It was nothing,' he replies as he looks at his fellow warrior.

'No, it was. I know that your relationship with Merrill is... tense and that you don't particularly like babysitting Mena, I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate it- is that a braid in your hair? With a flower?' He asks getting distracted.

Fenris' expression hardens a little and he rolls his eyes. 'Yes, Mena found it amusing and she gets upset if I try to remove it. I will take it out at home,' he shrugs.

'Uh huh, suits you,' Garrett smirks playfully. 'Anyway, go home. Grab some rest, can you just do me one more favour? Ask Bodahn to go to the Chantry and get Sebastian to stand down now that she's been found. I'll walk Merrill and Mena home, go get some sleep.'

Fenris nods and feels very grateful that his day was ending. He walks over to Isabela to get his weapon back and Mena looks at him. 'Fennis, ven vhenas? Home?'

'Yes, Mena. I am going home. I need to rest. Hamin,' he nods as he waits for the pirate to undo the buckle over her chest.

Mena looks upset and stands from where she was watching a cat and hugs him tightly, ignoring the way his body seized up and simply tightens her grip. 'Dareth shiral,' she whispers. Fenris pats her awkwardly on the shoulder and simply has to wait for her to let him go. That moment comes sooner than later as a cat rubs its side against her leg and she gets distracted, letting him go as she tries to pick up the creature. She ran off chasing the poor cat as it desperately tried to get away from her, her miaows making everyone smile as she mercilessly kept on its tail.

Fenris shakes his head amused as he does up the buckle across his chest, thanking Isabela for his weapon. 'I shall see you later tonight I assume,' he says to Garrett who had wandered over.

'Yeah, no rush. Get some decent sleep.'