Zevran moved silently and swiftly, entering through an open window on the second story. He could hear his targets downstairs, and his focus became razor sharp. He moved with a lilting grace, his steps light as he crossed the room, and cracked the door.

The voices were directly below him, and he stayed in the shadows even as he opened the door wide enough to pass through. He heard talk of others, and smiled to himself as he realized he could potentially receive the information he needed that night.

His eyes tracked the area in front of him, looking for the best possible vantage point, and finally settling for where he already was standing. The shadows were thickest here, and if anyone were to come upstairs, he could easily duck back into the room he came from.

He could attack without them realizing, or leave without them ever knowing he had been there. He did like having options, though he knew he was in the mood for action that night. He had the scent- he was close, so very close.

He leaned back against the wall, his head bowed, as he listened intently.

Cat looked around the room that Leliana had left her in. She moved over to the closet, looking for a disguise. She was not a master in stealth, and could hardly blend in like Leliana could. If she wanted to win this, she knew she would need subterfuge.

Smiling widely at the clothes hanging in the closet, she thanked whoever was looking out for her. There was a full outfit of warden mage armor, which looked like it might actually fit her, if not a little big. She was extremely glad, not only to have a disguise but to be able to change out of Isabela's outfit. Escaping in it hadn't been a problem, but she didn't want to see her friends when she was practically running around in her smalls.

She kept quiet as she changed, hoping she was putting everything on correctly. It was snug in a few places and big in others, but fit well enough, so she smiled. Her plan may not be what Leliana had in mind, but the goal was to reach Duran and surprise him. Having someone lead her there wasn't outside the rules.

She hid her own clothes under the bed, not wanting them to be discovered too early, and moved to the door, opening it, and peeking out. With no one in sight, she started down the hallway, trying to look like she belonged. That was the key. If she looked like she knew where she was going, no one should question her.

Cat wasn't as successful as she wanted to be, mainly because she wanted to look at everything. She had not been to Soldier's Peak before, and was so curious about the decisions that Duran made here. She glanced upward, wondering if Avernus was still in the top floor, experimenting.

She had no doubt that Duran would not let him experiment on wardens, but perhaps he let the mage live to experiment ethically. She'd have to remember to ask him. As she walked, she passed by several individuals and small groups, who looked at her oddly.

Realizing that they would not be able to sense her, because she wasn't tainted like a warden would be, she decided to ask for directions to Duran, before she was interrogated by others. After a few more turns and a flight of stairs, she found herself in what looked like an armory.

She looked around in awe, there were so many armor sets hanging on dress forms, and weapon stands all through the room. She had no idea that the wardens were so well fitted, and wondered if all warden keeps were like this, or if it was because of Duran's leadership.

She was bumped into, as more people entered the room, and she gave an apology as she moved out of the way.

"And this is the armory," she heard a familiar voice say, and she turned toward a rack of weapons, pretending to inspect them. As the new group moved into the room, she turned slightly to peek at who was speaking.

Her eyes widened at seeing Carver Hawke, looking older, competent, and if she had to guess… content. She decided to leave quickly before he noticed her, and she moved out of the room at an unhurried pace, so as not to attract attention.

She reminded herself that Duran wasn't the only one that could recognize her as she continued on down the hallway. Deciding that Duran's office was most likely up higher in the fortress, she started looking for stairs.

"Can I help you?" she heard a voice ask, and turned to it, seeing a young looking man in plain clothes.

"I'm sorry," she replied with a smile. "I have a message for the commander, and I'm afraid I've gotten all turned around."

He smiled back at her in return. "It happens to everyone when they first arrive," he said kindly. "I can take you there, if you'd follow me."

"That's very kind, but I don't want to take you from your work," she answered.

"I am passing near there on my way, it is no trouble," he said. "I'd hate for you to wander somewhere you shouldn't."

Cat's eyebrow raised, but she nodded and started following after him. I wonder what that means? Do they actually have areas that are off limits? Or do they simply say things to keep others away from sensitive materials? Interesting… she mused, reminding herself to ask Duran about it later.

Hawke looked around the room at his crew. He could admit now that things were not only different, but strained because Cat wasn't there. It had been weeks since they were all together like this, and the moment was awkward.

No one was speaking, except when Varric would randomly comment- trying to get a conversation going. Hawke thought they all had to be wondering the same thing that Aveline had asked… are we still your crew? he could practically hear it in his mind.

The guilt was rising up and almost swallowing him. He didn't know what to say to make it better, and he didn't know how to share what he was truly feeling. But if any of them felt like Fenris did… he had to make sure that they knew he didn't blame them.

Hawke cleared his throat, and since no one was talking, they all turned to look at him immediately. He stammered a bit, before steeling himself- and deciding to just speak what was in his mind- and his heart.

"I just wanted to get you all together, and say, I'm sorry," he started. He could tell from their faces that Merrill already forgave him, and the others hadn't passed judgement yet. He didn't know why that eased him, but it did.

"I have gone through most of my life controlling my emotions for fear of what it would unleash from my magic, and it has become a habit. These last few years, I have found that having such strong relationships brings even stronger emotions to the surface, and it is something that I am neither used to, nor quite comfortable with."

He walked over to his chair, grabbing the back of it instead of sitting down in it. He looked around at them as he spoke. "Especially as it deals with Cat. Many of you have asked me before, what I wanted, or what my intentions were and I answered that I didn't know, and to be completely forthright- I still don't. I have had no experience with this, and it unnerves and worries me."

He sighed, looking down at his hands. "The emotions that everything involving her brings are so potent and wild. It scares me most of the time, and I do and say things that I feel instead of what may be best. I've spent the past few weeks trying to get all of that in check, and I am sorry for not just telling you all, as I assumed you would either pity me, or bring those emotions back to the surface."

Hawke stopped there, seeing the others looking to each other. Isabela and Fenris were giving each other a look that the other should say something, and finally Fenris decided he would.

"I am sorry too," he spoke up, and the others turned to him. "I felt that I was to blame for Cat leaving, and causing Hawke so much pain. After speaking with him before you all arrived, I think we have all made assumptions that we shouldn't have."

He turned back to Isabela, seeing her nod slightly.

"This crew is special," Sebastian spoke up. "Cat felt that too, or she wouldn't have left to try to protect us." He could sense the tension that came from his statement, and continued. "I doubt that in the same situation, any of us would have done differently."

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Aveline asked the room, though it was aimed at Hawke. "We are used to fixing problems that come, and we can't this time- she has taken that from us." She looked down. "I admit, I have been a little angry that she just left. I didn't really see it, until Hawke said he felt that way, and I realized that that was what it was."

"Speaking from experience as one who left," Isabela said in a disparaging tone, "it can also be an emotional decision made in a moment, which doesn't mean it is the best idea." She looked around at the faces of the others. "We can yell at her when she gets back, but for now? We should look at this from her perspective. Her past is coming to get her, and we all have been in the crossfire."

She pointed to Hawke. "Can you honestly say that it wasn't affecting us? We were hurt over and over again, every time those Crows came at us. And she thought it was her fault. Could you stand by, watching people you care for getting hurt because of you?" she asked.

"No," Hawke answered, as he moved to fall into his chair. "I never said it made sense! I'm just so angry, and I can't seem to get rid of it!"

"You were angry with me about that relic," Isabela said with a wry smirk. "And look where we are now."

"The point is," Anders interrupted. "That things have changed, and we have to change with them." He looked over at Hawke. "No one is saying you can't or shouldn't be upset, and in fact a lot of us have similar feelings. BUT," he stressed, "we can't just ignore everyone and everything around us either."

"We need each other," Merrill said with a smile. "We're better together than we are apart."

"Kitten, that was almost too sweet," Isabela said. "You know we won't be together forever."

"We won't?" she asked sadly.

"Eventually life will take us in other directions," Varric said to Merrill. "But we can still be friends, still call on each other when we need help." Varric looked to Hawke now too. "AND, we'll remind the little dove of that when we see her again."

A sudden noise had everyone looking up, a cloaked figure jumping over the balcony, landing on the stair railing, and sliding down a bit before jumping again to land in front of the large fireplace.

"Who are you!" Fenris demanded as he rose quickly to, and the stranger merely reached behind himself to pull out twin daggers.

"Another Crow?!" Anders exclaimed in exasperation. "When will they give up?!"

"Where is she?" the stranger asked, his elongated cowl blocking his face from view, his cloak stopping the light from the fire from emanating into the room.

"We don't know!" Sebastian yelled, pulling out his bow to aim it at the man. "And we wouldn't tell you if we did!"

The others were all standing now, weapons out and aimed. Chairs had fallen down in their haste, and yet they could see the wicked smile the stranger was wearing.

Hawke released a spell with a yell, and the man moved, sliding easily behind Fenris as the spell followed him. Fenris gave a grunt as the Petrify spell hit him, not having time to use his tattoos to repel the magic, and he was frozen in place.

Varric aimed as the stranger kept moving, shooting a rhyming triplet, Bianca shifting in his hands as he tried to kill the intruder. He moved right past Aveline and Merrill, Aveline barely getting her shield up before the bolts could strike either of them.

"Varric, watch it!" she yelled at the dwarf.

"Sor-" he called back, even as the man tackled him to the ground, interrupting his apology.

"MY little dove…" the stranger snarled at him, one of his daggers held to Varric's face. "Where is she?!"

"Balls…" Isabela muttered, as she shrouded herself in shadow, moving toward Varric. She stopped suddenly as one of the man's dagger filled hands pointed at her before she could get close, though he hadn't turned his head. How did he know where I was? she thought, as the shadows disappeared from around her. Only one I know of that could do that… "Zev?" she asked.

"You know him Isabela?" Hawke asked, holding back the spirit bolt he was about to fling at the man.

"Isabela?" the armored stranger spoke, now turning slightly to glance at her.

"Zev… I can't believe it," she replied, re-sheathing her daggers, and turning towards Fenris to check on him, everyone holding off on attacking as they watched her. "Shouldn't you be dead by now?" she asked.

Varric breathed a little easier, knowing now who was holding a dagger to his throat. He took a few deep breaths as the assassin moved to stand.

"I could say the same of you, my dear," the assassin replied, sheathing his own daggers, and reaching up to remove his cowl, which Varric could now see resembled a bird's beak. The man, no… elf…Varric could see, gave a smirk, though it seemed forced to Hawke as he looked around at each of them, before zeroing in on Hawke.

"It seems we both have found powerful friends, have we not?" he asked, and his smile grew as Hawke stayed where he was, his arm out and his spell ready.

Zevran didn't even flinch, as Hawke released a spell, and the petrify spell over Fenris vanished in the dispelling magic that was released. The Champion and the assassin stared at each other, neither one willing to step back.

"Maker's Balls," Isabela interrupted, stepping between them. "Men…" she groused as she turned to each of them in turn. "Hawke, this is Zevran Arainai, a former crow, a friend, and the one who brought Kitty into my life, and therefore into all of yours."

She turned the other way, gesturing to Hawke. "Zev, this is Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, a friend, and who leads the crew Kitty and I joined when we were stranded here."

The two continued to stare each other down, though Zevran's smirk grew. "It is so like you to not only change her name to suit yourself, but to surround yourself with beautiful people," Zevran said.

"We've heard much, and yet very little about you," Anders spoke up as he moved behind Hawke. "You helped the Hero of Ferelden end the blight."

"That is true," Zevran said with a little bow. "Though the current scourge on the land of my birth has me more concerned at the present."

"Scourge?" Varric asked, as he stood. Zevran glanced over to him with a frown, and didn't reply.

"A scourge on Antiva?" Hawke asked, noting the snub and Varric's confused expression. "You mean the Crows?" he asked.

"Yes," Zevran replied with a nod. "It started as my own personal vendetta, but now…? There are too many others being dragged into my fight."

Fenris, having finally shaken off the feeling of the magic used on him, though accidentally, joined Anders behind Hawke, and Isabela moved out of the middle, and closer to Zevran. Sebastian, Merrill, Aveline and Varric began picking up chairs, and sitting down as they listened.

Fenris took the moment to speak up. "Cat had mentioned something about the Crows coming after you, because you left?" he asked the shorter elf, who looked up with appraising eyes, and a charming smile.

"The rumors of the Champion being a fine specimen of manhood I understand, by why are your companions not spoken of in the city as well?" he asked flirtatiously, and Hawke, Fenris and Anders all became flustered, causing Isabela to laugh robustly.

"They try not to attract attention, Zev," she explained. "Mages and runaway slaves aren't looked upon with approval here in Kirkwall."

"A shame, for certain," he replied, giving them a wink. "But to answer your question, yes. Once I decided that I no longer would be an assassin for the Crows, they decided that my life was forfeit. I would have left them alone, but they continue to send others after me."

"Not you any more," Hawke said seriously, his eyes narrowing.

"No," Zevran agreed, his smile gone. "They have taken their revenge too far, and will pay- once I find my dove and insure her safety."

"We weren't lying, we don't know where she is," Aveline spoke up, wondering to herself if Hawke was trusting the pretty, yet dangerous elf. She was fairly sure that Isabela vouching for him meant he could be trusted, but she wasn't all the way convinced yet.

"The Crows will not care," he answered her. "They will torture any of you to discover what you know."

"They haven't come back since the Little Dove left," Varric spoke up, and was surprised again at the sneer he received in return.

"I killed two of them outside before I let myself in," Zevran answered him coldly.

"Leave Varric alone Zev," Isabela said with a wry smile. "It isn't his fault that Kitty told him your pet name for her." Zev rolled his eyes as he turned away, even as Varric's widened in understanding.

Zevran turned back to Hawke. "Will you tell me what you can about her leaving?" he asked.

Hawke looked back, uncertain he wanted to share anything about Cat with the elf. He knew so little about him, and yet from what little he knew, he gathered how important he was to Cat.

He had felt simultaneously embarrassed and pleased when Zevran had complimented him and his crew, and he began to wonder what Cat would have been like around the elf. He knew Cat missed signals, missed the interest that other men had- she couldn't have missed this… right? So what did that mean?

"Will you tell me your plan if I do?" Hawke finally replied.

"Certainly," Zevran answered, his smirk back in place. "After I know where she is, I plan to find the one that ordered her taken, and after I kill him, I will kill any that were given orders to take her- down to the last man."

Hawke heard Merrill gasp, but when he looked up, she was smiling. "Then she can come home!" she whispered excitedly to Aveline, who smiled back.

"I wasn't there when she left," Hawke said, turning back to Zevran. "Fenris and Isabela were though," he continued gesturing to Fenris. He turned to look at his friend. "I think it's time we all heard the story," he said.

"Are you certain?" Fenris asked, and Hawke sighed and nodded. Fenris moved over to grab a chair, offering it to Hawke. "Very well," he replied. "Sit down then." He turned to Zevran. "Cat would hurt me if I didn't offer you food, if you need it?" he asked.

"You would feed me, yourself?" Zev asked with a smile, causing Fenris to cough embarrassingly. "I am fine, thank you," he continued, even as he grinned. "I am more interested in your information."

"As you wish," Fenris replied, looking over at Isabela, who gestured for him to go ahead. "We took Cat to a duke's estate for a wyvern hunt for her name day, and we all became separated…" he began.

"Leliana you say?" Zevran asked as he paced in front of the fire. "You are certain?"

"She offered, and Kitty went," Isabela replied. "We've had Crows showing up here for over half a year now, and not getting any closer to finding the source. None of them will talk."

"Perhaps we haven't found the right incentive," Zevran answered, his features flat and his tone cool.

"I'm not one for torture," Hawke explained with a frown. "Besides, with all the men that never return, surely they will stop coming soon."

Zevran looked over at him, incredulous. "You think the Crows are as common mercenaries? They are not. And, it is no longer that simple."

"What do you mean?" Varric asked. Zevran glanced at him, though he no longer gave a sneer, Varric was certain he wasn't forgiven yet.

"One of the guild masters was certainly the one to give the original job. After so many failures, it is now a matter of reputation, not money. The Crows cannot accept failure, it would be admitting a weakness, and would be their end. The esteem granted upon completion is a prize any assassin would want. I can only hope the original master hasn't enlisted others. A former assassin against a guild is one thing… against all the guilds? Suicide."

Hawke could see the strain on the elf's face as he spoke, and he felt a few of his defenses lowering. It was obvious that he was invested, and willing to continue, even if it were suicide.

Isabela cleared her throat. "Do you have any information on the original guild?" she asked.

"Very little," he replied. "I have been finding the members in several areas… it seems they are not sharing information with each other, which works well for me. However, returning to the guild without the prize would mean death, so they will not lead me to the source. And they have been very… loyal in keeping their secrets thus far."

"So your torture hasn't been successful then?" Hawke asked with a smirk of his own.

"No," came the disgruntled reply.

"Do we know what information they have on Cat?" Aveline asked. "If they are in many places, they don't know she is here specifically."

"I am sorry, I do not know," Zevran answered.

"Hawke," Fenris said, causing the others to look to where he stood in front of the fire.

"Fenris?" Hawke asked.

"I want to go with him," Fenris said as he turned around. "I want to hunt these men and destroy this threat to us."

Hawke looked at his friend in surprise. "But what about your own plans, your family?" he asked, knowing Fenris was still trying to gather information on his sister in Tevinter.

"You- this… is my family, and I do not want to simply wait to be attacked again." Hawke smiled, finding it hard not to be touched at the words.

"I can appreciate the thought," Zevran spoke up. "But I work alone."

"Obviously not always," Anders spoke up. "You traveled with Duran for a time, so you know how to work with others. Fenris will be a huge benefit to you." He looked embarrassed as Hawke and several others gaped at him. "I want Cat to come home too," he stressed. "And if I can't go, I can trust Fenris to get the job done."

"That's a little unnerving," Varric muttered.

"It may be strange hearing it from Anders, but he wasn't wrong," Hawke said with a smile to Zevran. "Fenris is an amazing warrior, with keen instincts and fatal talents. And the ability to be quiet enough to travel with an assassin."

Zevran glanced to his left at the sound of a chuckle. The dwarf saw him glance at him, and spoke up. "He means, he can sneak up and rip someone's heart out without any problems."

Zevran glanced back to the taller elf, seeing the determination on his face, and he gave a charming smile. "I could tell immediately that you have stolen many hearts," he said with a wink, causing Fenris to look down, embarrassed at the attention.

"I'll go too," Isabela said, having been silently going back and forth on the subject since before Fenris offered. "I need a good fight, and someone is going to have to keep an eye on Fenris, otherwise Zev may decide to keep him."

Fenris glowered at her words, while Zevran gave a smirk and a helpless shrug.

"Are you sure about this?" Hawke asked.

"Yeah," she replied, coming up to him. "I miss Kitty too, and I'll have fun getting rid of these bastards that are keeping her away."

"I am certain she will enjoy that part as well," Zevran said as he stood up to stretch.

"What?" Hawke asked, standing as well to face the elf.

"My Dove," Zevran said, in explanation. "She will enjoy getting back at the bastards that have caused her such grief."

"We don't know where she is…" Hawke stated slowly. "And if we did, we would be keeping her away from the Crows, not taking her to them."

Zevran eyebrow went up, as he looked at Hawke again. "We do know where she is," he retorted, "it is quite obvious." He copied Hawke's stance, and stood taller, though he knew he couldn't actually compete with the man in height, he could look intimidating. "And we do not keep the Little Dove from anything, she decides what she will do."

Hawke raised himself up a little more, crossing his arms over his chest. "If it were obvious, we would already be where she is," he said with heat. "And she has almost been killed several times!"

Zevran mimicked the pose again. "I see…" he answered, his voice cold. "You do not trust her to watch over herself, nor you or your crew to ensure she stays alive?" he said, more of a statement than a question. "I wonder if she knows how afraid you are."

"Afraid?!" Hawke responded angrily. "There is nothing wrong with trying to prevent my crew from getting killed!"

"No… no there is not…" Zevran answered, relaxing his stance, and contemplating. "Do you stand in front of all of them?" he asked. "Or just her?"

Hawke was startled at the question, and surprised that the others were looking at him, as if they wanted the answer as well.

"My crew are the finest fighters in the free marches," he said proudly. "I don't stand in front of any of them."

"Of course," Zevran said with a slight nod. "My apologies."

"Uh… Do you really know where Cat is?" Merrill said, breaking the awkward silence in the room after a few moments.

Zevran turned to look at her, and smiled. "But of course. Leliana would take her to her friends, for that is where she will feel safest," he said.

"The wardens," Anders said under his breath, and Zevran nodded, having heard him.

"Yes, the wardens."

"Here we are," the man said, pointing to the large solitary door in the hall.

"Thank you very much," Cat replied, her anticipation growing. She walked over, wondering if she should knock, then decided that since she already knew the warden's secrets, and the surprise would be greater if she just walked in.

Reaching for the door handle, she turned it and opened the door. She looked inside, her eyes meeting Duran's as he sat at his desk in front of her, and sensing movement to her left, her eyes went wide as she took in Nate, his bow and knocked arrow pointed straight at her.

"Wait-!" he called, as something on her right came rushing to her.

Nathaniel dropped his bow, and moved quickly for the door, even as Alistair pulled back his shield.

"That was easier than I expected," Alistair said, as he put his shield back on his back.

"Because it wasn't an assassin," Nathaniel growled as he knelt down in front of the fallen woman. "That shield bash was pretty hard," he complained.

"I should go easy on an intruder?" Alistair asked in shock, looking down as Nathaniel rolled the woman over. "Ancestors…" he said as he took in the face. "It's Cat!" he exclaimed, even as Duran reached them.

"What in the world…" Duran said, taking in her face, the fact she was there… alone and unannounced, and that she was in warden attire.

"Surprise!"

The call came from over at the window, as Leliana jumped into the room, her hands up in joy. Everything suddenly made sense, and Duran slapped his palm to his forehead.

"You put her up to this, didn't you?" he asked the redhead, who came over to see what the fuss was.

"Oh my…" she said, her hand over her mouth. She turned to the three males and asked. "What did you do?"

"You know very well that sneaking in is a good way to get yourself killed as an assassin!" Alistair exclaimed hotly.

"So you did it then," Leliana mused, as she bent down over her friend. "Ah, a disguise… how clever. Looks like she won."

Duran hit his forehead again. "Only you, Leliana… only you."

She smiled at him sweetly, leaning over to touch his cheek. "Hello my friend," she said. "I brought you a surprise visitor."

"So I see." Duran looked over at Nathaniel. "Will she be all right?" he asked.

"Yes," he answered, as he reached under her to pick her up off the floor. He stood, taking her over to the small couch on the wall. None of them ever sat in it, it was too small and uncomfortable for him and Alistair, and Duran would only use it when he was alone.

Nathaniel was somewhat surprised she didn't fit on it either, she had always seemed so petite to him. Since that didn't work, he merely picked her up again and turned to sit, with her in his arms. "She'll have a massive headache for certain."

"Alistair, would you head down to find the healer please?" Duran asked, and the warrior nodded, as he left the room.

"So what happened?" Nathaniel asked Leliana, who looked back at him curiously. "We tried to get her to come visit some time ago, but she was very intent on staying with her… friends."

"Not that we aren't delighted to see you," Duran added. "But we all can see there is something else going on."

Leliana shrugged, Cat probably wouldn't give the whole story anyway.. she thought. So she moved over to pull chairs towards the couch, and sat, and began the story.