"We better go to an inn in those peasants' village, or I'll throttle you Talon!" Katarina fumed.

"I didn't ask you to come." Talon snapped back.

"Have you seen how you treat your dear sister? My back hurts like I'm 80!"

Talon spun around with fury in his eyes. His retort sounded more like a wolf's growl than a sentence:

"This is my last warning, Kat. Shut. The fuck. Up."

The anger was making Talon detach his words from each other, and his jaw hurt from the constant gritting of his teeth. The journey had been hellish, and reminded him the few other times when he had been forced to travel with his "family". During these sorry occasions, Katarina never failed to show how much of a spoiled brat she had never ceased to be. Talon sighed: this last warning was the first of a long series.

"And why must we sleep on the fucking ground each night instead of renting a room like any civilized traveler?"

The redhead had always been hard-headed, and never let it go if her pride was attacked. Talon's head was going to explode.

"Were you so busy bragging that you learned nothing from father's lessons?" Talon bit out his words. This one hurt, and he knew it.

Katarina reacted to his jab even more quickly than he had thought. Without a warning, she threw herself at him in rage. They both tumbled to the ground, grappling with each other. Katarina's sharp fingernails dug into Talon's clothes and almost pierced his skin.

"I don't understand what she likes about you!" Katarina spat out. "Or is she as fucked up as you?"

A reflex almost made Talon reach for his blade, but his hand met with her neck instead. The anger she had ignited in him made it hard not to strangle her. Talon pinned her in place, gaining the upper hand. His sister squirmed on the ground while she vociferated.

"I'll kill you!"

"Yeah, sure..." Talon replied. He had heard that line so many times before.

After a moment of inaudible insults and grumbles, Talon dropped Katarina's throat. His hand was bleeding from the multiple cuts that her nails had inflicted. While they both panted, they looked at each other from the corner of their eye. The exhaustion from the walk had helped in making the tension fall quickly.

Talon held out his hand to the redhead. She scrunched up her nose, but still took it. After getting back up on her feet, she huffed and rose her chin.

"Let's not do that when we get there." Talon mumbled.

"Why, you think that'll scare the little bird away? I thought she knew everything about you." Katarina snickered.

"She does..." Talon's voice was low. Kat couldn't imagine how well Quinn knew him now... Even he wondered if she had seen more of his memories than he knew. "Let's not blow up our cover."

"The cover that I made up. Do you think I'm stupid, Talon?"

The anger hadn't died out yet, and was still vivid. Talon had to do his best not to lose control again. Yes, Kat had invented the cover they would use in Uwendale: a couple on their way to visit their Freljordian relatives. He didn't answer at all and focused on the path in front of him. Wasting time in such a stupid way was simply digging the gap that still separated him from Quinn.

At some point, the path became larger and clearer. The first houses started appearing and the trees started lessening. The abodes were mostly built of stone and wood, and blended in the earthy colours of their alpine surroundings.

A rider and his horse passed them by in silence, not paying any attention to them. The horse was almost as short as a pony, had thick hair and a bushy mane. It trotted away in the direction of the village.

Talon and Katarina exchanged a silent look, and moved forward too.

Talon couldn't tell if Uwendale was a town or a village. It was larger than the Noxian villages that the assassin had visited, but the modesty of its architecture made it appear less sprawled and populated than it actually was.

Talon slowly breathed in, filling his nostrils with the smells of smoke, leather and pine sap. Quinn always carried these scents with her, and Talon instantly felt closer to her now. The wild, quiet but confident identity of this small town reminded him of the ex-ranger in every way.

He hoped with all his heart that she was there. But even if she wasn't, he felt her in every step he took, and saw her in every distant mountain summit.

I wish I could have grown up there with her...

Talon was pulled out of his thoughts when Katarina snapped her fingers before his eyes.

"Hello? I said, come to the inn with me! I need a warm bath and a comfortable bed!"

Talon had a deep sigh. He was about to refuse, when he took another look around him. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to stay in the small town... Their comings and goings would look much less suspicious if they stayed there. But Talon was eager to explore the woods and mountains around Uwendale, for he knew he would never find Quinn in the village itself. Even if she was safe from harm, she was still a traitor and couldn't openly show herself to the other inhabitants.

"Alright." He mumbled, still lost in thought.

"Hah! About damn time. I craaave that bath, you have no idea..."

At least Kat was now enjoying the trip. If her comfort was satisfied, Talon had no doubt she would be a great ally in his search... And if her impulses were controlled.

He followed the redhead to the inn, a large charming house made of dark wood. Inviting swirls of smoke escaped from its chimney, the promise of a comforting fire waiting inside.

Talon's sore muscles relaxed at the thought of sleeping in a bed.

After all, staying there won't be so bad...

The Marisk Caps were not the easiest mushrooms to find. Their dark purple caps made them blend almost too perfectly in the dark forest soil. They were especially well camouflaged after the rain, when they turned a dark grey colour and glistened like tiny rocks.

Quinn kneeled by a large patch of wet moss, and tore it from the ground with her fingers. She found what she was searching for: the slimy texture of the little pebble-like hats wasn't lying.

"Valor, are those Marisk?"

The eagle was standing right next to her, and examined his human friend's discovery. Though eagles didn't have a good sense of smell, their excellent eyesight more than made up for it. Valor cooed, indicating Quinn that the mushrooms were the right ones. Quinn plucked them from the ground, and tucked them in her wicker basket.

In the last weeks, Quinn had trained Valor to recognize the Marisk Caps, and her loyal partner had never made a single mistake. Dismas had been impressed by Valor's infallibility, but had been quickly deterred by Valor's apparent dislike for him.

Quinn had of course apologized, and had tried to convince Valor to be more favourable to the Freljordian, but nothing had worked. Valor was always overly protective of the purple-haired woman when he was there, and kept his piercing eyes fixed on him.

Quinn stood up again and called her Freljordian companion.

"Dismas! I found a batch!"

The pale-haired man was a few meters away, hunched under a large pine. He hastily walked to Quinn, an admirative smile on his lips.

"Again? Wow, that's crazy! You and your bird look like you've done that all your lives."

Dismas eyed the mushrooms with envy.

"Haha, that's all Valor! I'm just the collector."

"But you trained him, right? That's amazing. Back home we used to train wild boars but they weren't as..."

Valor shot a death glare at Dismas, who stopped dead in his sentence and soundly swallowed.

"... Efficient."

"Valor, that's just mean!" Quinn scolded.

Valor acted like he hadn't heard her, and kept on staring at Dismas. The young man was clearly uncomfortable, and passed a hand in his back.

"I don't know what I have done to vex him..."

"Me neither Dismas, I'm really sorry!"

"Have you ever thought... He was jealous?"

Dismas was blushing. Oh no, thought Quinn. She had expertly rejected those attempts at this particular conversation in the past weeks, but couldn't run from it forever... Quinn started sweating.

"J... Jealous? What do you mean by that?" And now she was blushing too... She hoped Dismas wouldn't mistake that for something else.

"Well... We're spending a lot of time together. Maybe he's used to be on his own with you."

"No, I don't think so!" Quinn hated where this was going.

"But isn't he... Like a dog you know? Sometimes they get jealous."

"No. Valor is very independent... Really Dismas, I don't know what his problem might be with you. I don't think he dislikes the time we're spending together and..."

"Do you?"

Quinn couldn't finish her sentence. She hadn't expected him to be so blunt. But the determinate look in his eyes was too much for her to bear. She couldn't afford to lose the opportunity of getting money he was giving her, plus Quinn sincerely enjoyed his company. He would never replace Talon in any way, but he was a nice distraction from her complicated situation. Was it wrong not to reject him straight away?

"N... No, I don't."

"Because I really enjoy spending time with you... You're so unique, Quinn."

"Thanks. You're great company too."

Dismas hesitated to speak for a moment. Quinn felt sorry for the poor guy. She had tried many times to be as clear as she could while maintaining a friendly relationship with him, but he took none of the hints she was giving.

"I... I know what you're thinking Quinn. And you're right. I'd like us to know each other more..."

"Wait, wait..." Quinn squinted her eyes.

"But you have someone else. Right?"

When Quinn opened her eyes, the sight of Dismas almost broke her. His crystal blue eyes were filled with a conflict of hope and despair, and she hated to be the object of both feelings. Why couldn't things ever be simple?

"I did, Dismas. I did... It's a bit too soon for me, you understand?"

Quinn was somehow telling the truth. She had cleverly avoided most of the personal questions Dismas had asked her in the past weeks, and she obviously didn't tell him about Talon at all. She also didn't want Dismas to spread information about her in town. She had remained discreet, and most inhabitants didn't know of her presence here at all, and were busy with the simplicity of their lives. And she intended it to stay that way.

Dismas nodded, and looked away.

They awkwardly took the way out of the forest, in silence. Quinn pondered Dismas' words: maybe he wasn't totally wrong about Valor, and that the eagle didn't let him approach her for that reason. After being reunited with her trusted partner, Quinn had noticed a small shift in the eagle's personality.

She suddenly realized that Valor had rarely met Talon... Would he react the same way when she would find him again?

If ... mumured a poisonous little voice in her mind.

The Demacian woman's hand instinctively touched her stomach. She fought this thought with all her might. Whether in weeks, months, or even years, they would be together.

She wouldn't let her future be stolen again.

Talon roughly dried his hair with a towel before dropping it on the bed. He stretched his arms shamelessly while releasing a deep sigh. Kat had been right about this: a warm bath did wonders after weeks of sleeping in the wild. The redhead had already taken hers an hour ago, and was waiting for Talon in the dining hall.

He casually threw his shirt over his head, put his shoes back on, hid a small blade in his belt, and walked down the stairs. Before entering the room, he shook his head to get rid of the remaining wetness, an old habit of his.

Katarina had chosen to sit at a dimly lit table in the corner of the dining hall. A wise choice, thought Talon. It was the perfect spot to listen to the other tables' conversations without drawing attention to their own.

The Noxian assassin sat in silence, exchanging a glance with Kat. The bath had done wonders to her mood. She was relaxed, and focused. Her clever eyes were scanning the entirety of the room in this sharp manner of hers. A bowl filled with stew was waiting for Talon.

Talon didn't start eating right away, even though hunger gnawed at him. He had caught sight of Kat's eyes... They had made a single back and forth movement as a silent message directed at him. He followed with his own eyes the direction they were indicating, and he saw a group of three men seated not far from them.

They were almost in his back, but Talon now knew which voices he had to listen to. He slowly started eating and soundlessly chewed the delicious food. Though he would've liked to relish it, his entire focus was on the conversation he was hearing. And Kat had been right... It was interesting.

"... How many did you say, little brother?"

"At least thirty... In one day!" The younger man's voice was ecstatic.

"And this girl... How does she do that?" Asked a deeper voice.

"Her eagle helps her."

The Noxian assassin stopped breathing for a second.

"An eagle detecting shrooms? That's the first time I hear that..."

"Well, it works."

"Well done, little brother."

"Yeah, we're proud of you."

"Can we come next time? I want to see this animal at work!"

"Uh... I don't know if she'd like it..."

"Why? We'll simply watch, no worries!"

"I'll... I'll ask her first. She's shy."

Though his demeanor didn't betray his true emotional state, Talon's heart was heavily pounding against his ribcage. He had no doubt who the woman the men were speaking about was... The mention of the eagle was enough for him. Of all the conversations he had been spying on since he arrived in town, this one had been the most interesting.

He thoroughly listened to the rest of the conversation, but there was no further mention of Quinn apart from the area they had been in. He mentally noted it, knowing he would perfectly remember it when needed.

Talon didn't like the way the man called Dismas had spoken about his woman. The conversation hadn't given much clue about the nature of their relationship, but he could tell that he craved to see her again. And that made him seethe.

The Noxian couldn't believe for a single second that Quinn was engaged whatsoever with this man... But the mere thought of it made him tremble with rage, making it hard for him to contain it. Talon had only one urge in mind: grab his blade and slice open the throat of this young man.

Katarina had noticed that something was wrong with her brother, and eyed him as a warning and as an anchor. Talon knew what she was telling him mutely: stay in the role.

She was right. It was for the best.

His trembling fingers forced him to take a mouthful of stew, but even the delicious food was tasteless when his mind was obsessed with a single thought. Talon calmly rose from his chair, not looking at Katarina for a second. His steps led him in the direction of the three men's table, but he walked past it like a ghost.

He went out in the cold alpine night, letting his instinct and new knowledge of the town guide him.

He had to see her.

None of his victims had ever managed to hide from Talon. His razor-sharp mind was too adept in putting together the pieces of information leading to them, leaving them with nowhere to hide. Finding Quinn's childhood home hadn't been less easy.

After roaming around the abode for a moment, searching for eventual hiding spots or unwanted guardians, Talon had hidden behind a mound by the forest path. It wasn't the perfect observation spot, but it allowed him to spy on a window. The warm light coming from inside had to be produced by a large fireplace.

A man who was probably in his fifties was sitting at a large wooden table. He looked tired. A woman with a mass of bushy hair sat with her back turned towards him... He had seen his hair somewhere...Vianna ! The old hag ! Talon couldn't see her face, but his heart skipped a beat at the certainty. If she was there, it had to be where Quinn stayed too.

Another woman carrying a dish arrived in the room. She put it in the center of the table, and sat next to the man, warmly smiling at him. The features of this woman, especially the smile and hair, reminded Talon of Quinn.

He waited. Though his body was accustomed to harsh conditions, the Uwendalian night was too much for him to bear. His limbs were painful from the attacks of the cold, and his fingers hurt him badly. But all the pain in the world wouldn't dislodge him from his hiding spot.

And then, she came.

Quinn was even more beautiful than he remembered. She walked into the room and sat at the end of the table, where he could barely see her.

Even from afar, he could tell she didn't sleep well. Her eyes were underlined by dark circles, and her messy hair looked even more windswept than usual. While her parents apparently attempted to make conversation with her, she gave them timid smiles and didn't speak much, focusing on her food instead. She knit her brows together, and blushed.

Talon wanted to claim her.

All his body was urging him to burst into the room and take her away, with him. He felt like an egoistic piece of shit, but he didn't care. He trembled with the need to hold her firmly against him. To feel the warmth of her lips on his. To make love to her.

Quinn's mother looked angered about something Quinn had said... The ex-ranger stood from her chair, biting her quivering lip. Talon understood she wanted to cry. Quinn exited the room without a look back, depriving him from the only thing he wanted to see. Her mother rose too with the intention to follow her, but her father took her arm and convinced her to stay.

A firm hand landed on Talon's shoulder. He had not seen her follow him.

"Come, Talon. You can't stay there all night."

Kat's voice was soft. And sorry.

"I know." Talon whispered.

He was cold.

[A/N: I love them so much T_T]