Gathering Away

"You, Orlesian warden will be with Sinjan and Torture to pick greens. Do not allow him to get lost and if you can catch a few large foul for tomorrow it would be appreciated. First, I would like to hear your real name then everyone can get to their work."

Sinjan chuckled then frowned a bit at the joke about not letting him get lost. Ok, it wasn't quite a joke but he figured he could be fairly good at being in the woods. Some day. Maybe ... ok well probably never. He did not have the knack of it.

He stood tall and waited for Lithawen to answer Nygozy's question as Torture stood and walked over to his side, knowing his part in everything.

Lithawen let out a dry chuckle as she moved over to Sinjan. "Well then. At least I got a handsome idiot." she taunted, clicking her tongue. "Keep up, and don't eat any poison berries.". Without waiting to hear what ever ridiculous retort the idiot could come up with, she moved towards the forest. Leaving Elendil in the ground, content and feeling safe enough with the short blade around her waist.

As Lithawen called him "handsome" he smiled, "Well, I get ..." He blinked as he realized she'd called him an idiot besides, "Wait one moment there. Nygozy taught me what berries I can pick so don't start that." He moved along behind her as Torture trotted beside him, "She will want quite a bit of greens and those are actually this way." He pointed in another direction.

Lithawen looked back at him and cocked an eyebrow. "Yes. Greens. There are leaves over there, but as it stands leaves have no nutritional value. Besides, there are birds in this direction. And we're more likely to find a foul this way. Now I'm going this way. If you don't want to get lost and come back empty handed looking just like the fool you are then you can follow me. If not then by all means go right a head." her smirk was condescending to go along with her mockery of him. "Now there is also a farm this way. We can get some lettuce from there as well as whatever other vegetables they grow."

"No there is some spinach over there and ... uh ... leaf lettuce from a previous farm." He frowned at her remarks, "You really believe you are quite the cat's meow don't you?" The knight ducked some branches that flapped back at him from her movement through the brush, "She asked for stuff for salads and such first though."

"Yes. I am your dear Maker's gift to you. Intelligence far beyond your tiny human mind's. A sassy attitude to keep it lively in camp. And a drop dead sexy body to package it all." Lithawen laughed sticking out her tongue at him. "And this isn't about where to go now. It's about me apologizing for offending your 'manly ego'. Unfortunately for you, you are not worth that oversized thing. And I do not apologize." she looked to Torture, petting the dog behind ears. "Who do you think is right?"

He laughed, "The Maker's gift to me? You would have to do a lot more to prove that to me, pretty one. But ... well, you could if you like." Sinjan smirked then looked at Torture as she spoke of him, "Torture is not mine. He belongs to Nygozy and she's his person. I wouldn't dare try to even consider him being my dog. The animal is too ... single minded."

Torture made a sound that seemed almost like a chuckle as he cocked his head to the side and barked an affirmative about Nygozy. He let Lithawen pet him for the moment.

"He sounds like all men." Lithawen chuckled as she paid attention to the hound. "And why would I sleep with a human like you?" she said looking up at him with a smirk. He was handsome, though he was young. Probably close in age to herself. A downside as her tastes were usually a little older. Not a Warden as well, means he wouldn't have her stamina. And she has always wondered, would a full grown human man crush her? After all she was very small, even smaller than normal elves. And she didn't even want to think about a Qunari. That was just a scary thought.

"The Durgen’len would be confused if we came back empty handed because we were romping around in the forest all night." Turning to Torture again she scratched under his chin. "I think you would scare the Mabari as well. He might get violant and bite something off."

"Why would you?" He shrugged and grinned, "That's a good question but I won't answer it because I would seem as opinionated in myself as you do in yourself? You may want to rub around that spot. He likes it more around the jaw here." He showed her and Torture panted happily.

"Ny? She would be upset if we don't bring any tubers and greens back for supper. She's very touchy about making sure her people are fed properly." He shrugged, "And he's never bitten those off without being told to by Ny."

"Well then if your little one is so keen on the food, then we should get to that farm." Lithawen said walking again. "Keep up, human."

It was only a five minute walk to the farm. Though there was a giant rock hill(/mountain thing) that laid in their way. Lithawen climbed to the top and hid herself just out of sight, looking down at the farm. She considered the commandeering very carefully. They could just go running in, swords ablaze. Or she could trap them in tree roots. There weren't that many of them down there. Two fully grown men, one older and one probably his son. A young girl no older than nine. And there was noise coming from the small house, two people probably. If they needed to this farm would be easy to overtake. The humans posed no threats. And could be taken out easily. "Leave them alive?" she asked to Sinjan softly. "Or just get in there and get the food as quickly as possible?"

Sinjan followed quietly but when they got to the farm he looked down watching the family calmly until Lithawen spoke.

"Leave them alive? Or just get in there and get the food as quickly as possible?"

Torture turned his gaze to the Elf and growled, threateningly.

"What?" He looked down then back at Lithawen, "Are you daft? Why in the world would you want to go down and kill people just because you want food? That's a family down there that never did anything to you! Not to mention, Nygozy would take our hides!" He snapped and started off the other way, "WE are NOT going to steal from others and we are NOT going to kill innocents! We will go the other way and acquire food the proper way."

Lithawen rolled her eyes. "Fine then. They're just some stupid humans. But we'll do it the hard way, for you dog-hearted windbag." she said jumping down the rock, casting Mind Blast as she came up to the house. "Help me out here. Don't be so useless." she called, a bit breathless. She wasn't use to using the Spirit branch of magic, and it drained her mana more so than even the Primal branch.

Lithawen got down on her hands and knees, digging out carrots, potatoes, and lettuce. "It doesn't seem they have any animals. I think there are some deer around here though." she said looking around at the different plants.

"It does not matter what they are. They are not bandits, Darkspawn or anything else like that and if you didn't notice before I am kind of human too." Sinjan glared at her and followed but did not help her digging, "No. That is stealing. If you do not leave that alone then I will have to inform Nygozy of it." He turned and started off with a stomp.

Torture growled at her then trotted off behind Sinjan as he walked away.

"Then I won't lead you back to camp." Lithawen said standing up with a basket full of the farm's different foods. "It's not stealing. It's commandeering. The Grey Warden's are military, and thus we can enlist the help of villagers." she shrugged a bit as she walked around, looking to the forest. "You see this as stealing, do you? But these people are not innocent. They have sinned all of their lives, just as you and I have. We could have gone to look through the wilds, and get just enough to perhaps season a rather bland stew, but your logic fails to see that you are stealing from the earth. You steal from nature without a moment's hesitation, but when it comes to stealing from a family- who easily grow more than enough to survive- you call it criminal. The animals, the forest- they can barely manage enough to keep on living. Say to the dying wolf mother that you deserved the rabbit meat more than her pups. Say to the birds that the berries you take aren't necessary for them to live through the winter. Then say to that family back there that their Hero needs some food- the Hero who made sure they lived in the first place- and see what they say. See then, if they're willing to give up a few potatoes."

She fixed her challenging glare on Sinjan, uneven eyes narrowed, before she turned, stalking away from him with the basket full on her arm. She stepped over the little girl, then stopped to stand before the farmer's son's fallen body, crumpled on the ground as if he'd spontaneously fallen asleep. "They overwork the land," she continued, sounding bitter. "They tear down the homes of the animals so that they can farm just a little more. Just a little more, so he can afford to buy his daughter that new dress she's been wanting. Well, the last time I checked, you didn't need a fancy little dress to survive. The last time I checked," she turned her head back to glare at Sinjan, "just because the life was human," she bit the word out like a curse, "that didn't make it any more important. And when you start deciding who its alright to allow to die because you had moral issues to deal with, well then, you're no better than a common murderer."

With that, she turned, and stepped over the farmer's son's body, 'accidentally' stepping on three of his fingers, and continued back towards the forest. She didn't even bother to look back at Sinjan as she spoke to him again. "There's a deer. Surely you aren't opposed to killing it and stealing its meat to feed your hungry belly."

Sinjan listened to her rant and glared as she took the food but when she stepped on the boy's hand Torture rushed her, his head lowered to hit her in the gut. The knight went to the boy and lifted him, looking at the youth's hand to make sure he was alright, looking to the side to see if Torture hit her. He noticed the deer a little way off but was not interested in going after it. Not yet.

Lithawen, not expecting the dog to attack her, went down like a sack of potatoes. The contents of her basket flying all over. Her hands instinctively lighting up on fire on her way down. She glared and growled at Torture. "Get off of me upi stupid mutt." she growled up at the animal.

Torture snarled at her but kept his paws on her chest, not obeying her at all. He didn't seem at all worried about her powers which may have been due to the kadis that was on him and the collar which was definitely magical.

Sinjan made sure the boy was fine then walked over to the other two and gave Lithawen an unhappy stare, "I should have warned you that he has a mind of his own and that he knows how Nygozy would react to ... certain things. Please do remember that this is HER mabari and that it would be a very, very bad thing if you hurt him. The woman takes that personally." He shrugged, "Well, if you did hurt him you'd have to do a good, fast job of it because his mouth is close to your throat and he's known to be generous with saliva."

He went about picking up the food, putting it into a basket then setting it beside the parents with some coinage, "Now if you behave we can go see about that deer but if you do any of this again," The knight looked to her again, "Torture will not be so kind and I won't either."

Lithawen snarled, ignoring the mabari on her chest a moment to glare at Sinjan. "Doing this, you're only proving my point! Even the dog is a traitor to his kind, siding with the humans who have only ever destroyed everything they touch. You cry because I break a human boy's finger, but you and your kind don't even think twice about killing a fox, just because it stole some chicken or lamb, and don't even consider the fact that far more than her are counting on that food. What animal, what tree or plant or elf, hasn't felt the breaking of their body? And yet you defend a grown man, and his fingers, and his rotten potatoes, which he doesn't even bother eating." It was an insult- a travesty- and so very typically human that he would see it this way. How could they understand how much they'd ruined, how many lives they'd ended, whether directly or indirectly, because they never thought anything through.

"Life isn't fair. Because we do need to kill animals, and we do have to pick berries in winter, even when the birds need them. But you humans forget that. You humans think that you always deserve to come out on top. I'd rather die than mindlessly sacrifice the life around me."

Sinjan's eyes narrowed as Lithawen ranted, "Look here, Lithawen, life isn't fair! Get the sodding hells used to it! All people do stupid things no matter the race. Human, Elf, Dwarf ... everyone is guilty of hurting each other and the wild so don't give me your high manner crap." He snapped at her as he glared, "You just give excuses so you can blame humans for everything. I don't accept that. If you want to be treated right you have to treat others right as well. I'm not saying to allow people to abuse you but not to abuse them if they have not done anything to you. Your hate is a pitiful excuse for vengeance."

He stood back and put his arms over his chest, "So if you are done spouting off your steam we can get going. Forget the damn deer. We go back to camp."

Torture snorted.

Lithawen scowled, glaring at Sinjan. Her face red with rage. "There you go again. Just like every other human you act like you are so high and mighty. You are like a child, you understand nothing." She said summoning her arcane strength and pushing Torture off of her.

Standing she stomped over to Sinjan and grabbed his coller roughly and pulling him down to her level. "I just said that life isn't fair. What you've said only proves my point further. I have never been treated right by you filthy humans. Yelled at. Beaten. Tortured. And you say I do not have the right to blame them? It is because of humans that I am now their servant! Forced to protect them because of their damn order. Forced to save the lives of the worthless, the trash and criminals. When you've had your body broken time and time again by a human, just because of your race. Then you can tell me if you still care about the lowly existence of some idiot farmers." she kissed his lips quickly, a taunt, not out of affection. But rather with the feeling a kiss a teacher would give to their students after they have learned a hard lesson. "Now keep your damn domestic rat off of me." turning on her heels, she walked over to the basket of food. "And we are getting that deer. You can either shoot it with an arrow or I can burn the whole forest down around it. Your choice."

The latest round of aggression just frustrated him and he pushed her away as she kissed him then got between her and the basket standing in her way, "Ah yes, it gives you all the right in the world to rip down a race because of what some had done to you. NO. Get moving. We are leaving that here and if anyone wants the deer it will likely be Torture. And he is not MY dog."

Torture got between her and the basket, baring his teeth and growling with menace, ready to pounce if she did not listen.

"Leave the fucking coins for all I care!" Lithawen yelled, pulling out her short sword. "But I am taking the food. I was given a task to get some. And so I will NOT return empty handed." Her muscles tensed as she rested on the balls of her feet, ready to rush forwards should they force her to it. Fade Shroud and Shimmering Shield resting on the tips of her fingers, waiting to be cast.

"Nygozy will not accept that food." Sinjan said calmly with an even tone. He didn't flinch as she took out her sword or use her magic. His eyes kept level with hers and she could see there was something different in them than what she was used to with most humans. It was not pity but somehow a feel that he at least somewhat understood yet would not let that sway him, "If you took that to her she would react badly to it."

Torture tensed, his eyes suddenly focusing directly on Lithawen but he did not move, standing his ground with ease.

"I am through arguing with you moron." Lithawen sighed as she put her sword away. "Do what ever you wish. I do not care." She said turning her back to them and crossing her arms over her chest. "You nor these orders are worth the effort." she cocked her hips to the side as she looked around the forest again. "Go back to your camp with empty hands. Tell your Hero whatever you want. I do not care." she spat hatefully.

The stupid Mind Blast spell before depleted enough mana that she would only be able to fend the two off for long enough to fell one. And without her Shimmering Shield she would be taken down easily. Stupid humans! Stupid giant rat of a dog! If she had wanted this sort of bullshit she would have stayed in Orlais. At least there an elf (even a servant elf) could command the respect they deserved, even have their own servants. Here she had to fight with fools and rats just to be able to fulfill the simplest of assignments.

"Start walking then. You first." Sinjan no longer trusted her and was not about to let her get behind him or leave the family to her possible flare up of anger. He was not a moron as she suggested he was, even if he did play a good one to give others the view that he was, "We will see if we can pick up the scent of the deer. Torture has a good nose."

The knight continued to stand between the family and Lithawen just to make sure.