Shifting Gears

Kassina began to chuckle to herself as she listened to his explanations. He obviously knew as much of the forest as she did of this strange place. When he finished she considered for a moment before answering.
"Humans bad, mean." She began. She had caught the bitterness and the change in his scent when he talked about it. It was the same way she felt. So he was part human, but she wouldn't hold that against him since he didn't seem to act like one, and smelled more elf anyway.
"Humans come. Kill Kassina's mom and dad. Burn everything. No like. But you smell elf. You elf." With this statement she nodded to show she meant it.
"King is like alpha male. People talk of king before. When darkness came to forest. Bad time. Kassina meet many people then. Hear things. People think Kassina not know what people say, but Kassina know. Good smell not dragon. Just trick. Like Kassia wolf and owl."
With this she paused to consider what to ask next. "So what now? What little alpha female want Kassina and Dartmoor for?"

Kassina played with the grass at her feet as she thought of all she'd been told. She wasn't used to this much talking and was finding the experience exhausting. But for some reason she felt safe with this elf and felt compelled to talk to him.
"How long us stay here? Dartmoor live here? Loud and wierd smell here. Food wierd. Want forest. Want sleep."

Kassina was slightly taken aback by his question. No one had ever asked her anything of the sort. Most people she met either treated her like a child, or were uncomfortable around her. Especially those that had seen her shift. She wasn't sure what had made her shift beside Dartmoor in the first place. It wasn't something she normally did.
She turned and considered him for a moment, trying to see if he was sincere or just "messing with her" as she had heard people say. But he seemed sincere.

"Home? Like wolf Den? Those boxes?" She asked, miming a building with her hands. She remembered people she had helped talking about the homes they missed and wished to return to. They sounded like Dens full of useless stuff. "Kassina sleep in forest. Move with pack. Find den in wet and cold time."

She still wasn't sure about his question, but she was growing chilly as well and fur was much warmer than skin.
"Be good or Kassina bite!" She warned, and with that she shifted and layed down beside him. She doubted she would sleep, but at least she could be warm and comfortable.

Jezarine, the real Jezarine, walked into the garden, slowly moving towards her favorite bench. It was cooling off outside and she had not brought a jacket but that was not what was making it chilly for her.

After speaking to Nygozy and being walked to her room by Kai, she left said room and went directly to the gardens. She was not ready to go back. What was needed was a walk in the garden where she could smell the night blooms and just wander. This was something the healer enjoyed doing when she could and the thought of being kidnapped had now escaped her mind for a bit as said kidnappers were caught or dead.

She had no clue that anyone was in the garden so she just went to the bench and noticed some food on a table, "Huh. I guess someone was here earlier and the maids didn't get this yet." Her light voice carried on the wind as she took a strawberry from a tray.

Kassina has almost dozed off when something jolted her awake. She could hear a soft voice and smell someone who smelled strongly of herbs and flowers. Dartmoor seemed to be asleep. She slowly wiggled herself away from him and got to her feet. Cautiously she followed her nose toward the smell. She saw what looked like the good smell girl sitting on a bench near the table, but the smell was all wrong. She didn't want to scare the girl, so she circled around to come at her from the front. She approached teh girl slowly but tried to make noise so she would be noticed. When she was about 2 armlength's away she sat down and let out a soft woof.

The stawberry tasted good so Jezarine ate another, relishing the flavour and taking time to relax instead of worry for at least a little while. It was nice to nibble on such fresh fruit and take in the feel of the night. Her love of the night was a reason that her brother tended to call her Night Herb, not to mention that she loved night plants as well.

It was calm and quiet until there was a woof and she looked across from herself to see the most striking wolf she had ever seen, "Oh hello wolf. You shouldn't be in the city. I won't lie, it is dangerous around these parts for a wolf. People don't take care of their dogs properly and they would attack you or hunters may try for your pelt. You belong in the woods not here. I bet you are hungry but all there is here is cooked meats. You'd probably prefer a nice, raw bunny or something like that, now wouldn't you?"

Kassina wasn't quite sure what to make of this one that looked like the good smell but was not. She smelled good in her own way, but it had been a long crazy day and Kassina wasn't sure whether to continue to trust her instincts anymore. She was so far out of her comfort zone she may as well have been on the moon.

She had already revealed her shifting to too many people today, and didn't feel like doing so again. She decided to go fetch Dartmoor. She gave the plant girl a stay here stare and another soft woof, and then trotted back into the darkness. She sat beside Dartmoor and contemplated how best to wake him. She didn't want to scare him. If he was a lone wolf like he said he may lash out before he woke up.
She began by nudging his foot with her nose. When this didn't work she trotted to his head and nudged his forhead with her wet nose, and darted away when he rolled over. She gave a few low woofs to make sure he was awake.

When the wolf went over to Dartmoor and nudged him awake Jezarine watched in shock. This was not something she had been expecting but then again this last little while was full of unexpected shocks. Maybe she should get used to it with the wardens.

"Pretty owl? Why do you call her an owl? She's a wolf?" Jezarine asked then shook her head, "Oh no! I don't change into a dragon. What ... I'm a healer, not a shape changer!"

Jez blinked at the two completely confused now, "Concerned? I don't know what you are talking about. Where are you from? Why ... does this have something to do with the mission to catch the Tevinter mage? I didn't go on that I mean it was way too scary. It was bad enough being kidnapped once but to pretend that I was still kidnapped? Uh uh I couldn't handle that I really couldn't handle that it would have been just too much I'm sure I would have snapped if I was even asked to do that but I knew it was happening and to keep out of sight while it was going on so that the mission was not screwed up but there is no way I would have been able to go on that mission because I'm sure I would have peed myself being so scared it was bad enough almost dying the first time from getting sick with that sack over my head and all and I know I'm a good healer but I can't heal myself when I'm unconscious and oh boy did that fireball hurt when I had to use it in that trunk but it was just so scary I didn't know how else to get out of that situation it was not something I liked but at least they didn't try to hurt me yet I'm sure the Tevinter mage would have hurt me and hurt me bad to think one wanted me to do some kind of experiments that is just horrible I can't even think about it without getting chilling fearful sweats and oh my stars I am rambling my head off and just can't stop but it's so hard because that scares me and I ramble when I worry it isn't enough that those two will be wardens because they helped but I can't stop myself from still being scared I mean it just happened yesterday and it isn't easy to stop being so worried so much and ... you must think I'm an idiot ..."

((OOC: After I wrote this all I could think was: "I'm a doctor not a mechanic." "I'm a doctor not an accountant." "I'm a doctor not a ..." *rolls eyes at self*))

Kassina was just as confused at the flow of words as Dartmoor. Though she understood much less of it than he did. She had an even harder time with speach while shifted. She could smell the rolling emotions of the elf girl though, and knew she was upset and scared. She hadn't meant to scare her. She wanted to explain to Dartmoor but didn't want to scare the female any further by shifting infront of her.

She grabbed the hem of Dartmoors tunic and tugged gently, and then trotted into the shadows.

Kassina was glad Dartmoor had understood and was following her. When she was sure they were out of sight of the elf girl she shifted back into elf form and motioned him closer so she could speak softly.

"Looks like good smell girl, but not smell right. That girl smell elf and garden. Think good smell girl shift to look like garden girl? Garden girl smell scared. Kassina not wanna scare. What do?"

Kassina looked very confused. She felt very confused. "People confusing! Kassina miss forest" she said with a furrowed brow.

Kassina considered what he said and nodded slowly. She would have to rely on his assesment. He had far more experience with people than she did. She was still tempted to just shift back to owl form and fly off into the night. She wasn't quite sure what was keeping her here. Curiosity maybe... or something else?

"Ok, Kassina follow you. Dartmoor know elfs more. Maybe garden elf know what little alpha female want with Kassina and Dartmoor." She nodded again, this time proud of herself for such a long sentence. Maybe more time here would help her learn to communicate better. It could be extremely frustrating not being able to understand and speak the way the others did.

The two had walked away and Jezarine did not mind so much except she figured they thought she was crazy and was just going away to leave her be and get out of the way of the nutty one. She shrugged, not worrying so much and went back to nibbling on berries but then the male came back with a young female elf.

She smiled as Dartmoor spoke and looked at Kassina excitedly, "You are a shape changer? Oh, my I'm glad you weren't just a wolf. I was so afraid someone would hurt you being in the city like that!"

Jezarine glance towards the palace then back to them, "No you did not frighten me. I'm sorry, it's just ... well, I was kidnapped and that is why the wardens went after the Tevinter mage. If Nygozy brought you here then she must wish for you to be rewarded for what you tried to do."

The healer nodded, "Or she might ask if you want to join the wardens, either as a warden or as helpers to the wardens. Wait. I guess I shouldn't say that but if she is willing to accept the guys who originally kidnapped me as wardens then why not? Oh. I'm rambling a bit, aren't I? I'm sorry I tend to do that."

Kassina listened to the conversation intently, trying to sort the information in her head.
"Glad Kassina not fright you. Warden Commander? Little alpha female is warden commander?"
Kassina had heard many things over the last few years about the wardens but they were so mixed she had no idea what to really believe. The name the garden smell elf had used sounded familiar but she couldn't remember why. She wasn't very good with names most of the time. She remembered their smells more than anything. What could someone as important as the warden commander want with her. No one had ever wanted to reward her for helping someone else before. She helped out of curosity or bordem or lonelyness, not for a reward.

"Glad we not mistake. But someone come soon? Kassina miss forest." Then she turned to Dartmoor. "Kassina confused what doing here. Help please!"

Sleeping was nice. Sleeping was very good. In fact, Ianto woke up with a smile for the first time in a very long time that afternoon. But it didn't stay for long. Like a dream fades soon after waking, Ianto came to the sudden realization, about twenty seconds after he opened his eyes, that he had to be somewhere else. Five seconds later brought the details to mind. Jez. Maker! He hadn't left her out of his sight for days, and now he's off sleeping while she was Maker-knew where in the castle. She could be -

No, his mind rationalized, catching up with the overly-emotional sleep-haze of his brain. No, she was fine. Of course she was. He might have been blind to pretty much everything except her these last few days, but everyone else was watching out for her, too. No one would let her get hurt, even if he wasn't there. He should stop being so paranoid.

He sat up, finally, and for a moment he just watched the blankets pool in his lap. They were soft, he thought with a little amusement. He hadn't slept in a soft bed since he'd still lived with his family. Denerim seemed to give him no small amount of comfort, though it gave him much more discomfort, so maybe it evened out. He sighed heavily and let his shoulders slump, and he sat there like that for a minute, and then sat up straight and swung his legs around the side of the bed. His arms felt heavy for the first rest he'd gotten in days, and he stretched them above his head, then back, and then let them flop back down at his sides.

Getting dressed only took him a minute. He shrugged on a shirt and open vest, and didn't bother with any leathers or armors, though he took a dagger with him for good measure. No need to ever be without a weapon. For a moment, he stood there, and wondered if he should be putting on "nicer" clothes - several days in Denerim, and his father was sure to know he was back. No, he decided, it didn't matter. He wasn't going to go out of his way to track down daddy-dearest, no matter how long he was in Denerim.

After that, he was ready to go out back into the world, most likely to find Jez. He wasn't hungry, and he didn't feel like training, and no matter how much Jez deserved some free time, he needed to see her, for his own sanity. But where would she be?

Wandering around the temporary keep was not as interesting as one might suspect. It had been rebuilt more quickly than anything Ianto had ever seen, but it lacked all of the character that the last building had had (or, at least, that's what he'd heard from Bowen, who'd been here before), and unless he went in search of breakfast/lunch/dinner, it didn't hold much appeal. Still, wander he must, if he wanted to find Jez. He wandered a little but more than he'd expected, and finally, he came to the last place he expected the dark elf to be.

Ianto hadn't expected Jez to go back to the gardens so quickly. He knew she'd loved them but, well, the memories were too fresh for him - he could only imagine how she might feel. but then, maybe it was good that she was there. Maybe that meant she was starting to get over it. Good. He wasn't, though.

He was more nervous than he would have liked to admit when he stepped into the lush, plant-filled clearing, but some of those nerves were eased when he heard the familiar voice of the second-best ranter he knew (himself occupying top position). A small smile returned to his face as he steered himself in the direction of Jez's rapid-fire words, and he only slowed when he saw that she was speaking with someone else. Oh. Maybe she didn't need him hovering around, if she was talking to someone? But . . . he didn't recognize either of her companions, and that instantly put his mind on high alert.

He cleared his throat, loud enough to signal his presence, and stepped closer, eyes flicking between Jez and the man and woman with her. As he came up, he smiled at Jez, and offered a lesser smile, more cautious than anything, to the other two, not sure if he should be worried or not.

"Yes. Nygozy killed the arch demon. That's such a cute name for her. 'Little alpha female.'" Jezarine giggled, "Oh. I am Jezarine."

She rubbed her arm and sighed, "Well, I guess I can bring you to Nyggy. She was talking to Griffinhart when I left her at the office she's been using for official business. I ..."

The sound of a throat being cleared made Jez turn as she knew who it was instinctively but immediately felt guilty for not going to Ianto in the first place. The toes of her one foot brushed across the ground as she gave him a shy, nervous smile, feeling almost like a youth caught at not doing their chores or some such. Dartmoor spoke to Ianto but she paid it little mind as she saw the smile for her then the cautious one he gave the other two.

"They saw the mission going down with catching the Tevinter mage and thought I was in trouble so tried to help. I think Nygozy is still caught up with work or she probably would have come to see them by now."

Wait. Did Ianto know about the mission to get the Tevinter mage who had commissioned her capture? Oh. No that had been information that was not released to everyone. He would not have known about it and now she'd just said these two thought she had been in trouble. Jezarine tried to come up with how to tell him she had never been in danger and had not gone on the mission. Who knew any different? Ianto had been asleep for a long time.

Ianto was distracted from watching the man and woman when Jez spoke. Wait. What? He could almost hear his neck cracking from the speed with which he turned to look back at the dark elf. Catching the man who'd tried to steal Jez away from them? And he hadn't gone to do it himself.

"What?" He asked flatly, not sure if he should sound angry or confused or surprised. Jez's companions were forgotten for the moment as he turned a little to look more fully at the healer, his eyes searching her face. She looked nervous suddenly, like she hadn't meant to say anything. Then, it hadn't been an accident - they'd simply not told him. But why? "When did this happen?" He demanded, and winced immediately at the heavy tone of his voice. He wasn't angry at Jez! He quickly gave her an apologetic look, and started over, trying to sound less demanding. "I mean, when was this?"

Kassina was starting to become overwhelmed by all the people and smells and emotions swirling around the garden. With her weaker elf nose she was having trouble telling what emotions belonged to what person. This new comer, the human male was clearly upset, and was making Dartmoor nervous. He was moving to protect her like a male pack mate would.
She wasn't sure whether to try to explain or to remain quiet and keep the attention off of her and Dartmoor.
When his voice became louder and demanding it scared her, so that she almost shifted and ran. But he wasn't focused on her, and she didn't want to leave Dartmoor here alone. A low growl involuntarily escaped her throat, and she dropped into a crouch before she could stop herself. She poised herself ready to fight or flee and waited to see what would happen next.

One hand rubbed an arm as she nibbled her lower lip nervously. She didn't want Ianto to be upset but she was also unsure as to why the mission concerned him so much. It wasn't like she was in any danger, or anyone else of the group were.

He demanded to know and she sunk in on herself for a moment then remembered this was Ianto. He wouldn't hurt her. He would never hurt her. But she didn't want to hurt him by making him upset either.

"Earlier today. Griffinhart and Drake went and got the Tevinter mage with two of the human kidnappers. They just got back a while ago and Nygozy had me come see her to see what I thought if the two who you guys caught were made into ..." She bit down on her lower lip, almost making it bleed as she realized that her tongue wagged before she could stop it once more, "Uh ... there are strawberries here. They are quite tasty."

Kassina was immensly greatful when Dartmoor indicated they could get away from the others. She was so grateful she barely even noticed he touched her shoulder. She had no idea what was going on. This was not the day she had planned on. She had simply wanted to scout the edges of town and see if there was anything useful she could scavange. And then she had spotted Dartmoor and things had gone... insane. Still it wasn't all bad.
When Dartmoor layed down on the grass she sat down near him and watched him as he stared up at the sky. She was still too nervous and unsettled to lay in such a vulnerable position.
"Kassina confused also. Garden elf ... Jez? she ok? Human her mate? Animals easier. Not so much emotions. No ..." she trailed off lacking the word she needed, and trying to think of how to describe what she was thinking. "No no, hiding what doing? No say one thing do other thing?" She looked down at Dartmoor to see if he understood what she was trying to say.

Kassina looked at Dartmoor in total shock, completely speechless for a moment. "Never been in woods?" She began. "How not? Forest is life. Dartmoor live always here, in loud, smelly, ugly place?" She halted again, so shocked by the thought of never having been in a forest. Today was the longest time she had ever spent outside of the forest.
"Dartmoor want come forest when small alpha female let us go?"
She was so shocked by what she'd just heard herself say that she looked away from him and down at the grass at her feet. What was wrong with her today? She really needed to get back to the safety of the forest and get some sleep!

[OOC: If I'm interrupting I'll bring Calli out]

''Loudy, smell, ugly place. I couldn't have described it better, lethallan''

Calliara had been wandering again through the gardens, feeling the nature beneath her bare feet. She wasn't wearing her usual armor but a traditional Dalish one, exposing more skin than usual and letting her tattoos on her skin be seen. Bow in hand, quiver on her hip, she looked like going to or coming from training.

There were odd smells in that garden, smells that she didn't know yet, and curiosity got the best from the Wolf. She had seen from some distance Jezarine talking with two young elves, one of them a girl looking so animal that she immediately felt more curiosity. Then Ianto appeared and Calliara had smiled for herself seeing their awkwardness around each other.

It was lucky for them that she was no couple maker, but Creators kept an eye on them if Bowen and Caterina decided to try pairing them up. So she just followed calmly the two young elves. She had heard about their soon to be meeting with Nygozy, and she had been told earlier that they tried to 'rescue' the false Jez from the 'mercenaries' and the Tevinter mages. She still regretted not being there.

"I . . . oh . . . ," Ianto said smartly, for all the world completely at all loss for what to say. He just kind of reached forward to take one of the berries Jez offered automatically as his mind started and stopped and started again, trying to make sense of what she'd told him. They'd gone to get the guy who'd tried to take Jez away. That much was clear, from what she'd said. He felt a strange, bubbling sort of anger in his stomach to think that he'd missed that, because there was no one he'd like to stick a sword through more than that person. That would have been justice.

But more than that. What did Jez mean, "if the two who you guys caught were made into"? "Into" what? Surely not . . . his eyes widened as he stared at Jez. Surely not . . .

"Jez, what is Nygozy planning on doing with the men who kidnapped you?" He tried to say it as calmly as he could, but it just kind of came out tight-lipped and tense. The last thing in the world he wanted was to scare Jez but . . . but . . . how could he be calm, when she'd as much as said he thought she said?

"Well. . . uh she wanted to know if I was ok with them becoming wardens." She watched him nervously, "But not right away. They would have to train and work for a noble for at least six months to prove they are reliable and so I can heal and. . . Ianto?"

Jezarine shook, concerned by how he was seeming so shocked and even lost. Oh please don't let him blow his stack.

Kassina just about jumped out of her skin when she heard the stranger's voice. She was on her feet with her dagger in her hand and a growl in her throat before she could even think. She really needed to sleep!! She had barely even noticed the approach of the other elf. She had been vaguely aware of a new smell and the sound of footsteps, but had been too distracted by Dartmoor to pay it much attention. What was wrong with her today?
She glanced down and saw that Dartmoor did not seem concerned by the new arrival, and slowly resheathed her dagger. She didn't relax out of her fighting stance though. The new arrival had strange markings on her skin like an animal, which she found very curious.
She decided to wait and see how things played out. She was so off balance she didn't know how else to react.

The Wolf showed them her bare hands once the bow was placed again on her back.

''I mean no harm for you. I am Calliara, a Grey Warden, once from the Dalish Clan Mahariel. Some call me White Wolf''

She saw the girl had almost jumped out her skin, meaning she was so tired to had noticed her approaching. ''It's still cold out here at this hour. Maybe you two could have some food and heath inside, by the fireplace. If you may come with me...''