They traveled in silence for the beginning of their journey. A part of Aurora wondered if the silence bothered Alistair, as he seemed more of the chatty type. Normally the silence would bother her too, but considering her company, she preferred to keep to herself and not be the one to start the conversation if they even talked at all outside of their current quest.

They traveled with Aurora and Alistair near the front, Alistair only semi leading by indicating to Aurora what direction they needed to go while mostly leaving Aurora to lead, which was odd to her. Jory and Daveth simply followed behind the pair, looking around nervously at the wilds around them. Aurora and Alistair seemed to be the only two at ease.

They'd actually traveled rather far from the camp without any interference, but Aurora didn't expect their luck to run that much longer, especially with her in the group. Lately she hadn't been that lucky.

That thought had just crossed her mind when movement in the bushes off to her left caught her eye, and her hand dropped to her dagger. The movement did not go unnoticed by her trained warrior companions, and Alistair looked ready to ask what was wrong before she suddenly acted, drawing the dagger and tossing it with precision into the bushes the same moment a wolf leapt out from within. The beast dropped dead to the ground, but Aurora was already drawing her sword as a growl sounded from up above, managing to get the sword in the air in time to catch the wolf that tried to jump on her from above, using the beast's momentum to make sure when it's dead body landed it was at her side and not on top of her. The howls of the rest of the pack sounded in front of them as Aurora hurried to retrieve her dagger from the first dead wolf, deciding the other three didn't need an explanation considering the two dead wolves and the other eight or nine that were now bounding towards them.

Alistair drew his sword and shield, charging right into the bulk of the pack without hesitation, bashing one wolf aside with his shield and running through another with his sword. Once Aurora had her weapons once more she joined him in attacking the wolves head on. Jory rushed to join them, though Daveth stayed back, picking the beasts off one by one with his arrows.

Once Jory reached them, they made quick work of the wolves, and soon their furry bodies littered the ground around them. Aurora sheathed her blades, nursing her right arm where a wolf had gotten in a good bite on her forearm and trying to decide if it was a wound that needed attention or one she could ignore until they were finished with their quest.

******************************************

Alistair wiped the blood from his sword, taking a moment to discreetly glance at the elven woman who stood a few paces away from him. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her. He'd caught her fighting a smile at some of his jokes, and was suspicious she'd thrown around a few sarcastic remarks she'd made purposely ambiguous, and yet at the same time she tended to come off as cold and aggressively defensive, not to mention he had not missed the distance she kept between herself and anyone—literally anyone—else. Was it because they were all human? Did she have something against humans? Or was it something else? At least he knew it wasn't just him, as she appeared to treat everyone that way. She hardly spoke to anyone as well, and kept herself aloof in what might have been an attempt to ward off those who wanted to talk—with the way she acted, Alistair almost felt like approaching her with conversation would be a crime against her somehow. Still, she seemed so uncomfortable and on edge, even when they had been in the safety of the camp, and he wanted to do something to try and help her feel a little more at ease.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Alistair sheathed his sword and approached her with an impressed smile on his face. "That went well—I think we work rather well together," he commented, keeping an eye on her reactions so he'd know if he was accidentally ruffling her feathers. "How did you know the wolf was there?"

Aurora sighed, nudging one of the wolves' legs out of her way. "The sun reflected off your armor and caused the wolf's eyes to glint—that kind of stood out in a bunch of bushes, told me something was there. After that all I needed to do was look."

"Well, it was a good thing you saw it—things wouldn't have been so pretty if you hadn't." He noticed she was favoring her arm, then caught sight of the blood dripping free. Concerned, he reached out to grasp the injured limb, keeping in mind to be careful. "You got bit. Here, let me take a look—"

Aurora shied away from his hand, sharply cutting him off as her deep blue eyes flashed dangerously at him. "I'm perfectly capable of dressing a wound. I'll take care of it."

Alistair was taken aback, backing away with hands up to show he'd meant no harm. "I...was just trying to help," he said haltingly. Aurora pulled out her water skin, carefully peeling off her leather gloves so she could treat the wound. He managed to catch a glimpse of a collection of bruises on her wrist that looked like they had been caused by a firm grip, but she'd turned so he couldn't see any more in the next moment.

"No offense, but I don't need your help. I'm not a defenseless little elf woman, I can handle myself," she muttered.

Ah, so this did have something to do with being human. Possibly because he was a man too, considering her comment. Alistair sighed, retreating once it was clear she wanted to be left alone. "I never said you were—I was just trying to be kind."

She didn't say anything in response.

They continued on their way, and Alistair noted that whenever they were near any body of water, Aurora scanned the banks, looking disappointed whenever she didn't find anything. What's she looking for, he wondered.

Suddenly, as they were passing the carnage of a patrol that had obviously been jumped, a weak voice sounded. "Over here!"

Alistair was immediately looking for the source of the voice, but it was Aurora who spotted and quickly moved towards the wounded soldier weakly trying to get up.

"Who...is that? Grey...Wardens?" the wounded man rasped as he dragged himself closer to the group.

"Well, he's not half as dead as he looks, is he?" Alistair couldn't help but say, noticing that Aurora was fighting a smile at the comment. He just couldn't figure her out—did she hate him or not?

"My scouting band was attacked by darkspawn. They came out of the ground...please, help me! I've got to...return to camp..." the man struggled to say. Aurora kneeled down, and for the first time Alistair saw her allow some kind of contact with another living being as she put a hand on the man's shoulder, studying his wounds.

"Let's try to bandage him up, at least," she said. "I don't have enough for his wounds..."

Alistair kneeled beside her, keeping a respectful distance away now that it was painfully clear she didn't like being too close to people. "Let me, I have bandages in my pack," he said. Aurora let her hand drop away immediately, stepping back and letting Alistair bandage the man. It took a few moments, but as soon as Alistair had put away what remained of his bandages and stood up, the man was staggering to his feet.

"Thank you. I...I've got to get out of here," he pushed out through a few pained groans before he stumbled off in the direction the group had come from. Jory was quick to speak up, looking like a panicked nug at the moment.

"Did you hear? An entire patrol of seasoned man killed my darkspawn!" he fretted. Alistair sighed.

"Calm down, Ser Jory. We'll be fine if we're careful," Alistair tried to sooth him. Jory was immediately defensive.

"Those soldiers were careful and they were still overwhelmed! How many darkspawn can the four of us slay? A dozen? A hundred? There's an entire army in these forests!"

"There are darkspawn about, but we're in no danger of walking into the bulk of the hoard," Alistair said patiently.

"How do you know? I'm not a coward, but this is foolish and reckless. We should go back."

"You sound like a coward to me," Aurora muttered under her breath.

"I am simply trying to stay alive! You do not see me fleeing, do you?" Jory retorted.

"A bit of fear isn't unnatural, you know. Few relish meeting darkspawn up close. I know I don't."

Aurora sighed in exasperation. "It appears that I am the only man here," she said in annoyance, arms folded across her chest as she leaned against one of the trees. She was just sitting back there, watching them squabble and judging them.

Alistair couldn't help the glib comment from slipping out. "After how well you handled those wolves, I know I'm relying on you to protect me."

Aurora's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and just for a second her guard was down long enough for Alistair to see the amusement reach her eyes, and a smile flashed across her face, a short laugh escaping her that she quickly cut off and tried to hide, looking away as she controlled her expression again. Ah, so she wasn't all rock and thistles—he'd have to keep up with the jokes, and maybe she'd stop being so standoffish.

Still, right now they still had a panicky group to calm down, and it appeared Aurora was leaving the calming to him while she simply shamed them from the sidelines. "Know this," he said as he turned back to Ser Jory. "All Grey Wardens can sense darkspawn. Whatever their cunning, I guarantee they won't take us by surprise. That's why I'm here."

"You see, ser knight? We might die, but we'll be warned about it first," Daveth said humorously. Oh good, Alistair wasn't the only one.

"That is...reassuring," Jory mumbled.

"That doesn't mean I'm here to make this easy, however, so let's get a move on," Alistair finished firmly. Of course, Aurora was already moving ahead of them, though it wasn't actually in the right direction.

"Aurora, this way," Alistair called, curious growing when she kept moving.

"I know," she called before he could repeat himself. She kneeled down and...wait, was she picking a flower? Whatever it was, she had it tucked away safely in her pack before Alistair could look twice, and she had rejoined them in a matter of moments. "I'm ready."

She had hardly taken a few steps in the right direction when Alistair reached out to grab her shoulder long enough to stop her. "Wait!" he said sharply. He stood there for a moment, the three recruits looking at him curiously before he nodded ahead, drawing his sword and shield, which prompted the others to ready their weapons as well. "There's darkspawn ahead."

The other two men suddenly grew nervous, though Daveth did have a steady enough hand to knock an arrow in place. Alistair now took the lead, guiding them forward until the first darkspawn came into their field of vision.

Aurora was at his side, so Alistair was able to catch her reaction to seeing her first darkspawn. She'd kept a cool and level head, remained calm and casual at the thought of approaching them, and so he was curious to know what she would do when she finally saw darkspawn. The woman lived up to what he'd seen of her so far, and of Duncan's high praise of her.

Aurora paused, if only for a few moments, taking in the sight of the twisted creatures before her. They were like skeletons with rotten flesh stretched tight over their bones, their many razor sharp teeth filling their mouth, and their dark armor and weapons stained with blood just like their skin. Disgust and revulsion flickered across her face, but he didn't see any fear, not any that showed through anyway. In the next moment Aurora had steeled herself, hands firmly gripping her two blades as she charged the creatures with Alistair.

This time their enemy had blades and shields, but Aurora handled the situation as well as she'd handled the wolves, though it wasn't as easy. Alistair ran into a small group of stout rogue darkspawn, taking care of the short creatures before they could retreat and start trying to pepper their small group with arrows. Jory and Daveth dealt with the two Hurlocks, the thick human sized darkspawn with swords and shields, and Aurora...

Somehow the woman ended up toe to toe with a Hurlock Alpha while more darkspawn came at them from the surrounding areas at the sound of a fight echoing through the Wilds. She left a regular Hurlock, an archer, and a few rogues in her wake getting to the Alpha. Daveth picked off the darkspawn that tried to come at her as well, and when a few of the darkspawn broke away to take care of Daveth, Jory intercepted them, allowing Daveth to continue watching Aurora's back. Alistair was worried to see the petit elf fighting such a large and heavily armored creature, but she seemed to be doing all right at the moment, using her smaller stature to slip under the creature's attacks and get close to try to do some damage herself before nimbly dashing out of reach. Still, that was a dance that she couldn't keep up forever—what was she waiting for?

Alistair was already moving to join her in fighting the Alpha when two Hurlocks charged at her from the right. He shifted to intercept the two Hurlocks instead, smashing his shield into the one on his left before it could register it was being charged, deflecting the sword of the other with his own sword. An arrow zipped past Alistair's shoulder, lodging in the eye socket of one of the creatures before another appeared in its throat. It was easy for Alistair to shove his sword through the creature after that, kicking the dead Hurlock off his sword and to the ground so he could focus all his attention on the remaining Hurlock.

Alistair finished off the remaining Hurlock, turning to help Aurora just in time to see her go in for the kill. The elven woman came in close as the Alpha raised its battle-axe high, ready to swing it around to cut the woman in half. As the axe swung low, Aurora did not pull away, putting herself in clear danger to get her kill in a move that would have to be a precise strike. Her longsword swung through the air faster than the battle-axe, and with the one well-aimed swing she severed the Alpha's head from its body, though still took the hit from the battle-axe, which knocked her to the ground. Thankfully, the only part to hit her had been the handle and the Alpha's arms considering how close she had moved in to cut the creature's head off, but it was still a heavy blow. Aurora grunted from the impact, staying on the ground while she worked to catch her breath. Everyone now had quite a bit of blood on them, but the woman seemed to be either oblivious or uncaring about that fact as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Are you all right?" Alistair asked as he approached her. "That was one nasty hit."

Aurora shrugged. "I'll be all right. Nothing I can't walk off." She hesitated, stopping just short of brushing past him. "Thank you...for keeping those other two off me. They would have been too much for me," she admitted quietly before she continued on without another word, rummaging through the darkspawn creatures' stuff for a few moments for anything useful. After she was done scavenging, she pulled out the three vials for the darkspawn blood Duncan had given the recruits, tossing two of them to Jory and Daveth.

"Uhg...right...darkspawn blood," Jory said uncomfortably, eyeing one of the dead bodies with revulsion. Aurora had already cut into one of the darkspawn and almost had a full vial.

"Suck it up and just do it already. I'm not going to do it for you," Aurora stated, standing up and tucking her vial away. She stepped over one of the bodies, approaching Alistair again. "Which way is the tower?" she asked.

Alistair glanced up towards the sun, seeing where in the sky it was so he could point her north. "It should be over there—we'll know when we reach it, we'll have to cross a bridge when we start getting close," he told her.

Aurora nodded. "Got it."

************************************************

Several times while the group traveled further into the Wilds they were jumped by darkspawn, but they managed to fight them back each time. Aurora disappeared every now and then, and Alistair noticed that each time she reappeared her pack seemed to be a little fuller. What was she finding and where, there was nothing out here! That he could see, anyway. After they'd crossed the bridge and Aurora found and disarmed about seven traps he'd come to terms with the fact that the woman was good at finding things.

Now, as the ruins they were searching for finally loomed into view, the sound of darkspawn battle cries, and no small amount, reached them as well.

"There's a lot of them up ahead...this won't be easy," Alistair said quietly. Aurora unsheathed her blades.

"When is it ever?" she asked pointedly, creeping forward to some bushes right before they turned the corner and started up the hill to the ruins. She crouched low, peering through the leaves for a few minutes while the others crouched behind her.

"I count five archers..." she said softly, gesturing for Daveth to take a look to see where they were so he could take care of them. "There's at least five of their stubby rogues running around...four of their sword and shield bearers...is that one a mage of some kind?"

Alarm shot through Alistair, and he shifted to crouch down beside her. "Let me see," he said a little sharply, peering through the bushes. Sure enough, there was an Emissary among them, which made him swear under his breath. "A Darkspawn Emissary...as if the Alpha wasn't bad enough..."

"We'll just have to be sure he doesn't get the chance to cause too much trouble," Aurora said decisively.

"I'll take care of him," Alistair announced. "Just keep the others off me."

"Got it," Aurora agreed. Quietly they all moved into position, Aurora getting as close as she dared to the rogues, Daveth finding a spot where he had a perfect view of all the archers, and Jory eyeing the Hurlocks. Alistair locked his sights on the Emissary, hoping that the recruits would be able to hold the rest at bay long enough to take care of the much larger threat.

They all stayed perfectly still in their spots, waiting for the signal before Aurora nodded to Daveth. Everyone tensed, and then Daveth rose from where he'd been crouched and let loose his first arrow, which easily fell one of the archers. By the time he'd fired at the second archer, Alistair, Jory, and Aurora were all already charging the other darkspawn.

Alistair hurried right for the Emissary, who shot a fiery blast at him as he charged. He ducked behind his shield, the flames scattering against the smooth surface as he continued to race forward. A Hurlock got in his way before he could reach his target, and Alistair caught the creature's sword with his own, smashing his shield into the Hurlock hard enough to throw the creature on the ground. He paused long enough to block another attack from the Emissary before shoving his sword through the Hurlock. Jory had already killed one of the Hurlocks himself and was taking care of the other two, which left Alistair free to charge the Emissary. The creature seemed to realize this and, before Alistair was in range, it put aside it's staff and pulled out a curved blade, snarling at him. It grabbed his shield when he came close enough, catching Alistair's sword and snapping at his neck with its teeth. Alistair lashed out with his foot, getting the creature in the gut so that it stumbled back a few steps. The creature was swift to recover, swiping at Alistair's midsection with its blade as he came close, forcing Alistair to step back as it got to its feet. Alistair didn't waste any time on continuing to press the attack, which led to an almost constant back and forth between him and the Emissary, which seemed to have a talent for staying just out of trouble.

After a few more blows, pain suddenly ripped through Alistair's shoulder, causing him to stagger back and the Emissary to retreat to a safer distance. He looked to his shoulder to see a dagger sticking through his shoulder, though it's owner—one of the archers who had apparently run out of arrows—was quickly felled by Daveth. Still, that little distraction was all that the Emissary needed, as in the next moment Alistair felt a sickening tug quickly followed by the odd sensation of growing steadily weaker. The Emissary chanted its strange spell, and Alistair grit his teeth to try trudging towards the creature as well only to find that the Emissary had also paralyzed him.

Alistair felt a flash of panic rip through him at the realization that he couldn't move while the Emissary came closer, still doing its disturbing chant but now wielding its blade in its other hand. This was how he was going to die—gutted while held immobile before the battle even began while leading these recruits through the Wilds. The Emissary raised its blade, ready to deliver the killing blow when something whizzed through the air and lodged in the side of its head. Alistair blinked in surprise as he was abruptly released from both the paralysis and the strange weakening sensation, stumbling backwards and turning to see Aurora finishing off her rogue adversary with one blade.

Once the short creature was dead, Aurora hurried over to Alistair's side, already pulling out one of her injury kits. She seemed to have a lot of those in her kit, or at least possessed the ability to pull them out of thin air.

"Hold still," she commanded him, placing one hand on his shoulder despite his protests and pulling the blade out. Alistair hissed in pain.

"Do you know what you're doing?" he asked before she put pressure on the wound. Aurora reached a hand forward to show she had the remains of crumpled elfroot in her palm, most likely a quick salve of some sort already applied to the bandage she had pressed to his wound that she was already moving to wrap.

"If I can stick people with sharp objects I should also know how to heal injuries from those sharp objects, no?" Aurora asked pointedly. Alistair was surprised with how gentle she was as she treated him considering her gruff approach to everything else since he'd met her, but he didn't complain. "This is only temporary. I'm sure one of the healers back at camp can get you in fighting condition before the battle in no time."

Alistair cleared his throat, waiting patiently until she'd finished bandaging him up. "Right...thanks."

Aurora nodded, right back to keeping a safe distance from him and acting aloof as he put his sword and shield away. "Let's just get what we came for and get back to the camp."

Alistair sighed, gesturing towards the ruins that now towered before them. "It should be somewhere in there."

Alistair and Aurora led the way into the ruins, scanning for any sign of the documents. All that remained besides the ruins themselves was one broken chest not far from where they stood.

"Well, that looks promising," Aurora sighed, effortlessly pushing off the broken lid of the chest to reveal it was empty. Before anyone could comment or ask what now, a new voice reached them.

"Well, well, what have we here?"

***************************************

Aurora stood from her place by the chest and turned to see a woman standing above them a little deeper in the ruins, raven hair pulled back in a bun messier than the one Aurora had kept her hair in since she left Denerim, and dressed so scantily she wasn't hiding much. A black skirt of leather strips at least covered her below the waist with the black leather boots and black wrappings, but all she had to cover her on the top was a deep purplish red piece of fabric that hooked around her neck and draped down to her navel and wrapped tight around the small of her back. Thin ropes of gold kept the fabric in place, and a plume of feathers spiked off of her left shoulder, attached to a black leather and fabric sleeve that fit snugly on her shoulder. The weathered, twisted staff on the woman's back instantly told Aurora she was a mage. Vibrant, calculating amber eyes watched their groups every move just as intently as Aurora's blue eyes watched her as Aurora moved to the front of the group.

"Are you a vulture, I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones were long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder, come into these darkspawn-filled Wilds of mine in search of easy prey?" the woman inquired, her voice sounding smooth but dangerous as she came to a stop before Aurora, folding her arms over her chest. "What say you, hmm? Scavenger, or intruder?" the woman finished in a voice as sharp as Aurora's blades.

"I'm neither. The Grey Wardens once owned this tower."

"Tis a tower no longer. The Wilds have obviously claimed this desiccated corpse," the woman said in amusement before walking right past them, still talking. "I have watched your progress for some time. Where do they go, I wondered, why are they here? And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?"

As the woman came to a stop where the windows of the hall they were standing in must have once been, turning to face them once more, Alistair approached Aurora, still keeping respectfully away—something she'd started to notice and, well, she appreciated his thoughtfulness and care to respect her clear desire not to be too close to human men—but coming close enough to speak in soft tones to her.

"Don't answer her, she looks Chasind, and that means others may be nearby."

The woman was quick to judge, her voice scathing. "Oo, you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you!"

Alistair pursed his lips, looking at the ground thoughtfully. "Yes, swooping is bad..." he drawled slowly.

"She's a Witch of the Wilds, she is! She'll turn us into toads!" Daveth said in the panicked tone of voice Aurora was starting to reference with the other two recruits. They really were a paranoid cowards once it came to the real world, weren't they?

"Witch of the Wilds? Such idle fantasies, those legends. Have you no minds of your own?" the woman mocked, looking down upon the men like they were imbeciles far beneath her. At least Jory was acting the part. The woman pointed to Aurora, amber eyes now focused on her as she spoke in a strong tone. "You there: women do night frighten like little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."

Aurora inclined her head. She kind of liked this woman, though she wasn't foolish—she could feel a sense of danger about this woman and knew she had to be careful. "You can call me Aurora."

"And you may call me Morrigan, if you wish," the woman—Morrigan—said smoothly. "Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest, something that is here no longer?

"Here no longer?" Alistair echoed, accusation creeping into his tone as he stepped forward, gaze sharp. "You stole them, didn't you? You're...some kind of...sneaky...witch thief!"

"How very eloquent," Morrigan said in amusement while Aurora raised a hand to keep him from charging Morrigan or doing something rash. "How does one steal from dead men?"

"Quite easily, it seems. Those documents are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them!" Alistair returned, and Aurora dropped her hand when it was clear that he wasn't going to do something stupid.

"I will not, for 'twas not I who removed them. Invoke a name that means nothing here any longer, if you wish; I am not threatened," Morrigan mused.

"Then who removed them?" Aurora asked patiently.

"'Twas my mother, in fact."

Aurora's eyebrows rose. Really? Her mother? Aurora shook her head. They wouldn't get anyway just standing about, playing twenty questions with Morrigan. If Morrigan's mother had the documents, then they needed to see Morrigan's mother. Aurora wasn't about to ask too many questions and invoke Morrigan's ire—after all the darkspawn they'd fought on the way here, she was ready to return and get some rest.

"Can you take us to her?" Aurora asked carefully, ignoring the looks she got from the other three.

Morrigan chuckled lightly. "There is a sensible request. I like you."

"I'd be careful," Alistair said slowly. "First its 'I like you,' but then zap...frog time."

"She'll put us all in the pot, she will, just you watch!" Daveth fretted, looking genuinely afraid now.

Aurora was starting to feel like a babysitter. Thankfully, Jory of all people came up with a smart reply that shut Daveth up for the time being.

"If the pot's warmer than this forest, it will be a nice change," Jory griped. Aurora hadn't even realized it was cold...

"Follow me then, if it pleases you," Morrigan said, and with that she turned away to lead the party of four deeper into the Wilds.

******************************************

"Greetings Mother. I bring before you four Grey Wardens who—"

The old woman standing in front of the shack that had just come into view was quick to cut Morrigan off, her vibrant but experienced amber eyes giving credit to the claim that it was Morrigan's mother they were meeting.

"I see them girl. Mm, much as I expected," the old woman hummed as they approached.

"Are we supposed to believe you were expecting us?" Alistair asked skeptically, standing on Aurora's right. Daveth and Jory grouped on her left.

"You are required to do nothing, least of all believe! Shut ones eyes tight or opens ones arms wide...either way, ones a fool!" the old woman stated, eyes narrowing slightly.

"She's a witch, I tell you! We shouldn't be talking to her," Daveth leaned over and hissed at Aurora, who resolutely ignored him and tensed when he got close.

"Quiet, Daveth!" Jory snapped at him. "If she's really a witch, do you want to make her mad?"

"There is a smart lad," the old woman said smoothly. "Sadly irrelevant to the larger scheme of things, but it is not I who decides. Believe what you will."

The old woman turned her attention to Aurora, stepping forward to stand right in front of her. "And what of you? Does your elven mind give you a different viewpoint? What do you believe?" the old woman asked her. Aurora studied her for a moment, still cautious—if she had been getting a sense of danger, even if it wasn't being directed at them at the moment, from Morrigan, then she wasn't about to doubt that the old woman before her was just as dangerous, if not more. Wiser than her riddle filled way of speaking was leading the other three to think, anyway. No doubt they were thinking crazy Witch of the Wilds while Aurora was thinking powerful woman not to be messed with.

"I'm no fool, if that's what you're asking," Aurora said in a measured tone.

The old woman laughed. "If you must protest so quickly, perhaps I need not ask!" Once she stopped laughing, the old woman studied her, long enough Aurora shifted uncomfortably but not long enough for anyone to break the silence with a question. The old woman's gaze did not waver from Aurora as she spoke. "So much about you is uncertain, and yet...I believe. Do I? Why, it seems I do!"

"So this is a dreaded Witch of the Wilds?" Alistair drawled in a snarky tone of voice from beside Aurora, a smirk flickering across his face.

"Witch of the Wilds, eh?" the old woman mused as she appraised Alistair again. "Morrigan must have told you that. She fancies such tails, though she would never admit it. Oh, how she dances under the moon!" the old woman said wistfully before cackling with laughter. Morrigan sighed, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose like she had a sudden onset of a headache.

"They did not come to listen to you wild tales, Mother," Morrigan said in exasperation.

"True—they came for their treaties, yes?" With that, the old woman disappeared into the house for a few moments, still talking, but loud enough for them to hear. "And before you begin barking, your precious seal wore off long ago. I have protected these."

"You—" Alistair began to accuse hotly before her words registered in his mind, watching as the old woman handed the treaties over to Aurora. "Oh...you protected them?"

"And why not? Take them to your Grey Wardens and tell them this Blight's threat is greater than they realize!"

Aurora didn't question the old woman's statement—she'd already had a discussion along those lines with Duncan, and it had become painfully clear as she'd explored the camp that not many were taking the Blight as seriously as they probably should. "Thank you for returning them," Aurora said graciously.

"Such manners!" the old woman mused with a smile. "Always in the last place you look...like stockings."

The woman laughed at the odd looks she received for the comment. "Oh, do not mind me—you have what you came for!"

"Time for you to go, then," Morrigan said simply.

"Do not be ridiculous girl! These are your guests!"

Morrigan sighed. "Oh, very well, I will show you out of the woods—follow me."

****************************************

They arrived as night began to fall, the moon starting to rise high in the sky. Morrigan had left them once they'd made their way back to the Grey Warden tower, and after that they were on their own. Alistair was not sad to see her go, and sincerely hoped he'd never see the witch ever again.

As they passed through the gates, Alistair caught sight of the bonfire where Duncan stood waiting for them, and was just about to start heading that way when Aurora suddenly veered to the left.

"Um...Duncan's that way," Alistair said pointedly, though the woman just kept moving, and Alistair sighed, turning to Jory and Daveth. "You two go on ahead, we'll catch up," Alistair said with a shake of his head, following after Aurora. He was about to call for her attention again when he realized she was talking to the kennel master.

Odd...

"The mabari is stable for now, but not improving. Unless I get that herb I told you about, there's not much hope," the man was telling her. Aurora was already reaching back into her pack, and within a few heartbeats had pulled out the flower Alistair had thought he'd seen her pick earlier.

"Is this the flower you were looking for?" she asked sincerely, handing it over to him.

"Let me see...yes, that's certainly it! Give me a moment and I'll make this into an ointment."

While he did that, Aurora made her way into the pen they were standing beside, where the poor dog whined from within, sounding truly pitiful. She crouched out of sight at that point, but Alistair figured she must have been petting the dog or giving it some kind of comfort. The kennel master entered the pen then, and a quick exchange passed between them.

"Do you have him?"

"Yeah."

A few minutes passed in relative silence with the occasional whimper, but eventually the two stood and left the pen.

"He looks better already. I'm sure he'd thank you himself, if he could," the kennel master told Aurora with a smile. Aurora wasn't looking at him—she was still focused on the mabari.

"What will happen to him now?" she asked quietly.

"Let's give him a day or two to recover," the kennel master said with a shrug, appraising her for a few moments. "Why not come back after the battle? Perhaps we can see about imprinting him on you."

Aurora looked up at the kennel master in surprise. "You think that's possible?"

"Maybe. It's likely he understands you're responsible for curing him. Mabari are at least as smart as the average tax collector. Come back after the battle and we'll take another look."

Aurora nodded, turning to leave before she spotted Alistair, who was leaning against a nearby ruin pillar and smiling. He spared her any comments, however, deciding just to enjoy seeing once again that she wasn't all steel and thorns. "Come on, they're waiting for us by the bonfire—you'll need to start getting ready for the Joining."

******************************************

"So you've returned from the Wilds—have you been successful?" Duncan asked as the pair approached. Aurora nodded.

"Yes, we have," she informed him.

"Good. I've had the circle mages preparing. With the blood you've retrieved, we can begin the Joining immediately," Duncan said with a nod as she handed over her vial, as did Daveth and Jory.

"Maybe we should tell you about Morrigan and her mother..." Aurora said carefully, remembering the old woman's warning even if it was something she'd already discussed with Duncan to a degree.

Alistair spoke up then. "There was a woman at the tower, and her mother had the scrolls. They were both very...odd."

"Were they wilder folk?" Duncan asked.

"I don't think so. They might be apostates, mages hiding from the Chantry," Alistair said with a furrowed brow.

"I know you were once a Templar, Alistair, but Chantry business is not ours. We have the scrolls; let us focus on the Joining."

Aurora was surprised, shooting Alistair a discreet look. He'd been a Templar? She wouldn't have expected that. All the Templars she'd ever come across had been brisk, strict, cold, and aloof. That wasn't exactly what she saw with Alistair.

Still, now was not the time for such questions. Now was the time to focus on the Joining, like Duncan had said. "Now will you tell us what this ritual is about?" Aurora asked curiously.

Duncan and Alistair both grew somber. "I will not lie, we Grey Wardens pay a heavy price to become what we are. Fate may decree that you pay your price now rather than later."

Well...that...was not expected. The way he phrased his words, this ritual could kill them.

Then again, what did she have to lose? She had nothing to go back to—if she went home they'd probably just arrest her, or maybe not even bother and just go right to killing her. She was here all ready, and after all the trouble she'd just gone through to get the stuff for the Joining, she didn't feel like backing out. Not to mention...she did like being able to walk around armed, walk around herself—as much as she could be right now, as she was still coping—without fear of being stoned for it. Well, not as much fear. And a part of her had truly started to want to become a Grey Warden—especially after hearing Duncan had tried to recruit her mother before she'd died.

Aurora stood straight, refusing to back down from cowardice. "I've come this far—I want to see this through."

To her surprise, Jory agreed with her. "I agree—let's have it done."

Duncan nodded. "Then let us begin—Alistair, take them to the old temple."

*******************************************

"The more I hear about this Joining, the less I like it!"

Alistair stood off to the side watching the recruits while Jory, who had just spoken, paced nervously. Daveth rolled his eyes, saying what Aurora was thinking.

"Are you blubbering again?"

Jory scowled. "Why all these damned tests? Have I not earned my place?"

"Maybe it's tradition. Maybe they're just trying to annoy you," Daveth muttered, though Aurora noted that Alistair made no comment, having been uncharacteristically quiet since Duncan had sent them off. And though he watched them...he wasn't quite looking them in the eye. She didn't like that at all, but she wasn't going to complain or bolt, like Jory appeared to be ready to do. She settled for a scowl, honestly tired of the whining these two had been doing ever since she'd arrived.

"I swear, I'm the bravest one here, and I'm a woman."

Jory didn't react to her jab; he continued wringing his hands. "I only know that my wife is in Highever with a child on the way. If they had warned me...It just doesn't seem fair," he despaired.

Shem, don't you dare start complaining about how tough and unfair your life is around me, do not even go there, Aurora thought as her eyes flashed dangerously at It just doesn't seem fair.

"Would you have come if they'd warned you? Maybe that's why they don't. The Wardens do what they must, right?" Daveth stated pointedly.

"Including sacrificing ourselves?" Jory asked incredulously.

"I'd sacrifice a lot more if I knew it would end the Blight," Daveth said firmly. Maybe she'd judged the rogue human too quickly—maybe there was some honor in him yet.

Though she was getting tired of listening to them, so she settled with a sharp rebuke. "Will you both just shut up?" she asked in exasperation, tucking some stray hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, ser knight, try not to wet your trousers until the ritual starts," Daveth mocked him.

"I've just never faced a foe I could not engage with my blade," Jory stated in desperation. At that moment, however, Duncan arrived, and they had to shut up anyway as the Grey Warden began to speak. Alistair straightened, suddenly looking...well, a little tense and on edge. That wasn't a good sign either.

"At last, we come to the joining," Duncan said as he walked past them. "The Grey Wardens were founded during the First Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint."

Aurora made a face of revulsion at the thought—after Denerim's castle, she could stand to see blood, have it on her, but...drink it? That was just...disgusting! Unfortunately, that put her in the same class as Jory as he gave Duncan a horrified look.

"We're...going to drink the blood of those...those creatures?"

"As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you. This is the source of our power and our victory," Duncan replied. Alistair chose that moment to speak up, his tone serious and quiet.

"Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspwan and use it to slay the archdemon."

That's why the ritual was deadly. They had to survive subjecting themselves to the taint of the Blight. Charming. "Let's get on with it, then," Aurora said, looking back to Duncan.

"We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?" Duncan stated. Alistair bowed his head and closed his eyes, his voice coming out...almost soothing in a haunting sort of way. Aurora listened carefully to every word.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be foresworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten, and that one day...we shall join you."

Alistair looked up, and Aurora looked away before he could catch her watching him. Duncan moved to the table where a chalice sat waiting, pouring the three vials of blood into the cup before taking it in both hands and turning to face them. Alistair looked like he was bracing himself, and Aurora looked around at the other two, wondering who would be first.

"Daveth...step forward," Duncan said steadily. Daveth didn't shrink from the chalice, and Aurora had to bite back her revulsion as he took a drink, wondering if she'd be able to stomach swallowing the vile liquid.

Suddenly, Daveth doubled over, screaming in pain in such intensity Aurora actually took a step away from him with Alistair, watching as he started to collapse to the ground.

"Maker's breath!" Jory exclaimed, drawing his sword.

Daveth slowly crumpled, and in a matter of seconds was dead upon the ground.

"I am sorry, Daveth," Duncan said in a frighteningly calm tone before turning to Jory. "Step forward, Jory."

Jory instantly started to back away from the man. "But, I have a wife, a child! Had I known..."

"There is no turning back," Duncan said seriously, gazing intently at the man that was now backed against the stone wall.

"No! You ask too much! There is no glory in this!" Jory explained in a panicked tone of voice, greatsword clutched in trembling hands with white knuckles. As soon as Jory said no, Duncan set aside the chalice, and for a moment Aurora thought Jory might actually be allowed to back out. At least...until Duncan pulled out a deadly looking curved dagger and began to approach the panicked man. Jory swung his blade, which Duncan easily batted aside, grabbing Jory's wrist in a firm grasp before running Jory through the stomach with the dagger.

"I am sorry," Duncan said, though his voice was...emotionless, and sent shivers up Aurora's spine as she stood perfectly still, eyes riveted to the horrifying scene before her. It seemed her brain was trying to process that the two men she'd just spent the past several hours with were now dead on the ground before her, Jory's blood starting to pool and stain the stone around his body. Though...was this worse than the sights she'd seen at Denerim? It was still horrifying, and she found herself momentarily paralyzed—even Alistair beside her was disturbed, it was all over his face, his fidgety and nervous movements, and the fact that he'd taken steps back with her.

Duncan retrieved the chalice, turning to Aurora. Blast it...a part of her had hoped he'd forget she was there. "But the Joining is not yet complete. You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good."

Duncan passed the chalice to her slightly trembling hands, and Aurora didn't resist, gazing down at the chalice and the dark red liquid within for a few moments. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, preparing herself to down it fast enough she wouldn't taste it, hopefully.

What do I have to lose? Besides, isn't it better to take the path that there's at least something of a chance of survival rather than trying to bolt and dying like Jory?

Aurora's jaw set in firm determination, and before she could panic and back out she tipped the chalice back and did her best to choke down some of the blood within. Duncan took the chalice back, and Aurora didn't miss as she started to feel warm all over that Alistair and Duncan were both backing away to a safer distance.

"From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden," Duncan said steadily just before the pain hit, and Aurora leaned forward as it suddenly felt like her head was going to explode, her blood pounded in her ears, and the warm feeling spiked to an unbearable burn. The temple around her was quickly disappearing, giving way to a haze of green, cloying smog, smoke, the thunder of darkspawn howls, roars, and battle cries...and then...right before her, a blood red dragon with harsh, jagged scales and wicked teeth that curved harshly from it's mouth. And the beast was right before her, looking right at her as it roared in her face, the heat and stench of it's breath almost overpowering despite the fact her body already felt ablaze

But the dragon was quickly fading, fading...blurring into darkness...

Aurora swayed dangerously, and as Alistair saw her begin to collapse backwards he darted forward, managing to get his arms securely around the small woman and hold her up before she could hit the ground.

****************************************

Aurora first realized that she was lying upon a cold stone surface as she came to, next realizing with relief that she was not suffering the pain she had been experiencing before she lost consciousness.

After that, the events preceding the darkness she'd just come from came to the front of her mind, and Aurora opened her eyes to see Duncan and Alistair leaning over her, Alistair looking rather concerned. She shifted uncomfortably at their close proximity, and both men backed away.

"It is finished...welcome," Duncan said as she slowly sat up.

"Two more deaths," Alistair said softly. "In my Joining, only one of us died. But it was...horrible. I'm glad at least one of you made it through," he said sincerely, managing to catch Aurora's gaze before she looked away. They gave her a moment to reorient herself, and Duncan waited until she'd managed to get to her feet to speak again.

"How do you feel?"

Aurora fixed her bun, hands still shaking slightly as she tried to stay steady—the room was still spinning a little. "I'm...glad I didn't ask many questions. Nothing you said prepared me for that—nothing you could have said would have either..."

"Such is what it takes to be a Grey Warden," Duncan said pensively.

"Did you have dreams?" Alistair asked, drawing their attention. Aurora allowed him an answer in the form of a small nod. "I had terrible dreams after my Joining..." he admitted.

"Such dreams come when you begin to sense the darkspawn, as we all do," Duncan explained. "That and many other things can be explained in the months to come."

"Before I forget there is one last part to your Joining," Alistair suddenly cut in, and Aurora tensed slightly. More? What more could there be?

She relaxed as Alistair hurried to explain, having noticed her reaction. "We take some of that blood and put it in a pendent. Something to remind us...of those who didn't make it this far."

Aurora had a flash of Nelaros go through her mind as Alistair handed her the already made pendent, holding the leather string a little tighter in her hands as Duncan claimed her attention once more. "Take some time. When you are ready, I'd like you to accompany me to a meeting with the king."

Aurora would have reacted in surprise if she wasn't still reeling—at least he was giving her time to recuperate. "Very well," she said quietly

"The meeting is to the west, down the stairs. Please attend as soon as you're able."

Aurora watched him go, noticing that Alistair lingered for a few moments, like he was debating saying something. She didn't pay him much mind, however, as she was still wrapping her mind around everything. She noticed in the back of her mind that the bodies of Jory and Daveth were gone as she leaned against the closest wall, taking a few deep breaths as she felt Alistair's worried gaze on her back. Looking down at the necklace in her hand, Aurora carefully took the ring she had kept on her since Denerim's castle out of its careful hiding spot, slipping it onto the necklace to rest beside the pendent before she put the necklace on.

If Alistair saw, he didn't comment, but when she didn't turn to face him and talk to him, he quietly made his way out of the room and left her to her thoughts.