The Long Road Ahead

Abraxas lifted his large bony head, a bone of a rabbit sticking out the side of his maw, and with a flick of his tongue, he sucked it in, and swallowed.

With a loud BURP, the Mabari sized lizard stretched, and got up to greet the new arrival, looking at Kraven for approval.

With the calm and inviting words that Kraven spoke to the stranger signaled to Abraxas, that all was well. So without a second thought for the remainder of the bones, he trotted playfully over to the elf, and sniffed him, and looked at the Halla, and sniffed her too.

He began bouncing up and down like a playful little puppy, his tail wagging.

Without realizing it he knocked over the stew that was still over the fire, spraying it all over Lobo.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! It BURNS IT BURNS!!" Lobo cried, jumping up, spilling his own dinner, and running around in circles.

After a moment he just stopped, wiped the stew from his face, and tasted it.

"Hmmm..More salt maybe?" Lobo shrugged, and went about cleaning up the mess, humming a catchy tune to himself.

It was nice being alone and far from the city. Calliara breathed deeply, pleased with the forest sounds and the quiet.

No humans yelling at the market, no pots clinging in the kitchens, no stalkers, no memories and no duties at all in that moment. Just plain and beautiful Nature.

Fenrir kept sniffing the grass, waving his short tail and trotting here and there, excited and happy that his Mommy had taken him for a walk outside the big big walls that were their shelter now. Mommy looked calm and she didn't smell like stress or sadness, and he was happy for that.

The Dalish looked at the puppy with a smile and then kneeled to cut some herbs. Maybe it could be a good excuse, going out to get some herbs for Jezarine. Of course the Warden's quarters had a garden full of different herbs, but the wild ones were the best, right? Anyway, she needed an excuse to go out, and that one was fitting enough.

She had seen Iauron leaving as well, and she was sure he saw her, or just noticed her leaving as well, but she respected everyone's privacy and didn't pretend to follow him. It was clear for her that the other Dalish was going to visit his halla, and even if she wanted so badly to pet the halla and feel like Dalish again, she hadn't followed him. Privacy was a good, good thing.

The Wolf breathed again. The pain was still there, and the recent scar on her right shoulder hurt a bit as well, but she felt good there instead than inside the city.

Fenrir barked and ran excitedly in circles around her, trying to get her attention, and then rushed in the bushes, looking for someone to play with.

Kraven sighed, as the noise that Lobo was creating was just unacceptable, and even his long, and seemingly unending patience was wearing thin.

"Lobo, I need you to deliver this to the Warden Commander", he stated, taking out a quill and parchement, and placing it on the rock that he had once hovered over.

He took out his wine flask, and dipped the end of the quill into whatever liquid was inside. As he pulled the end of the sharp quill out of the flask, it dripped with a dark red liquid, with a hint of glowing blue lines throughout.

With a quick, and experience hand, he began to scroll out a message, after just a few moments, the entire parchment was filled. He blew on the writing to quicken the drying of the liquid he had used to write out his message. He dug into the inside of his cloak, and produced what looked like a red waxed candle. His hand suddenly flared for a second, and moments later wax dripped on to the bottom of the parchment. He set the wax down, took of one of his leather gloves, showing off pale white skin underneath, he placed a ring into the wax, and embedded the symbol into it. He quickly rolled up the parchment, and did the same thing to seal it closed.

After he pull his writing supplies away, he waved his hand over the parchment, and murmured a few words, and the seal on the parchment flared up, and a glowing rune hovered over it for a moment, before fading into nothingness.

Lobo quickly wiped the stew from his face, threw the rag to the ground, and skipped over to Kraven, with a wide grin on his dark green face.

"Lobo take paper now master?" he said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Lobo like city, go explore." he said with a mischievous chuckle, while rubbing his hands together playfully.

Kraven handed the short funny creature the parchment, and without another sound, Lobo seemed to fade into the shadows, and vanished from sight, without even moving.

With a sigh of relief Kraven sat down, took a long swig from his flask, before putting it away under his cloak again.

With a sweep of his hand, he flung his cloak behind him, bring to light his armor for the first time. Upon the breastplate, which could only have been made from the finest of Silverite, were 10 symbols. 1 in the center, 5 on the left side, and 4 on the right side.

Any elf would easily recognize these. The center symbol was that of Elvhenan, the ancient nation of a once powerful Elven empire. The 5 symbols on the left side, were that of the 5 gods that were once worshiped by the Elven people, and the last 4 on the right, were that of the 4 goddess; this was the pantheon of old, the gods of the Elves themselves, those that were once worshiped, and were now almost forgotten.

These symbols almost seemed to glow with a light of their own, sparkling in time with the runes that seemed to adorn the edges of this figures cloak.

He gestured to the Elven visitor, his blue pupil-less eyes, glowed brighter, as a wicked grin spread across his face. With purpose, he pulled his cloak once again tight around him, knowing he had shown just enough to this young Dalish, to get his attention.

As Abraxas sniffed over the new arrival, and gently licked the coat of the Halla, his head came up suddenly, and his body stiffened.

He tilted his head as if to listen, then jumped up, spun around, and with such fluid motion, and carefulness as to not hit he Halla with his tail, he took off into the tall grass and the forest beyond.

He began sniffing long the ground, and every few feet, he would make a dash, and then get really low to the ground, as if hunting something.

With a played slither of his tail, he jumped over some bushes, and into the next clearing, only to come face to face with a Mabari pup.

Abraxas tilted his head, left, then right, trying to figure out what this small creature was. He had seen, and sized up many full grown Mabari before, but had yet to see one in its infancy. He side stepped to the left, the front of his body low to the ground, and his bottom high in the air; his tail wagged playfully, as his tongue hung out lazily, a tooth filled smile on his face.

Abraxas hoped he had found a new friend to play with, because he could only have so much fun teasing the funny looking creature that chose to travel with him and his pet who called himself Kraven.

Fenrir panted happily and rolled over himself on the grass. A new friend! And it wanted to play! Aww, life was wonderful. The puppy waved his little tail and jumped on the lizard creature with a happy bark, excited. He was growing fast for his almost five months, but he was still tiny enough to roll, fall, stand up again and jump here and there, playing with his new friend.

Calliara had followed him when she heard the happy barks and panting, and wondered what the hell Fenrir could find at that hour. The Wolf carefully cut another herb and then followed her pet, just to find him rolling over and over again on the grass with a lizard-like creature, that looked as happy as Fenrir.

She smiled and crouched so she could see better the creature, speaking calmly in the animal's language, like all rangers.

''Well, well, well, I wonder what you are, little friend...''

Abraxas looked up from the Mabari pup, and saw the crouching elf, and looked at her with curiosity.

''Well, well, well, I wonder what you are, little friend...''

He then jumped over the pup, and circled the elf a few times, sniffing intensely at her. Then without warning, he bounded over to the pup, wagged its tail with excitement, took one more look at the Elven female, and disappeared into the brush from whence it came.

((Nygozy says I can bunny Dartmoor until back))

Kassina and Dartmoor woke early to go to the forest and see the wolves. After having breakfast they left the palace. Kassina chose to go in owl form, still uncomfortable with being in elf form around so many people. She flew lazy circles overhead while Dartmoor walked along the streets below.

As soon as they were past the city walls Kassina flew down into a clump of trees and emerged in wolf form to trot along happily at Dartmoor's side. She reveled in the openess of the prairie after a few days in the cramped city. The wind and the smells quickly soothed away the stresses of the last few days.

Soon her sensitive nose picked up some familiar smells. Somewhere ahead was the tattooed elf and her mabari puppy friend. She wagged her tail excited and started to trot faster to make Dartmoor speed up. As they drew nearer she picked up unfamiliar smells as well. A dry lizard like smell, a halla, another elf, and some smells she couldn't identify.

Kassina and Dartmoor came through the bush and spotted the tattooed elf and the puppy just as the lizard bounded away. Anxious for a run Kassina left Dartmoor with the tattooed elf and ran off to join the game of chase.

Just as Abraxas bounded into the brush, he caught the scent of another animal that entered the area. This one had a strange smell to it, it was a wolfish dog smell, but it was masking something he couldn't quite make out.

This didn't stop him, and went into a full out run, weaving in and out of the trees and brush, stomping through the grass, and throwing up dirt as his hind legs dug into the ground to propel him forward.

Some birds were disturbed and annoyed at this intrusion as some lizard creature came stomping by their nest, which threw them into a panic, as they leaped up and tried to fly away.

Out of the corner of his eye Abraxas saw the birds take flight, and in mid stride twisted around, and took a jump at them, his maw open, and ready for a tasty bird snack. His jaws snapped shut on nothing but air, and he landed on the ground with a loud thud, his head skidding across the dirt, leaving a shallow trench behind him.

With wounded pride, he slowly got up, and shook himself, sending clumps of dirt in all directions. He looked up into the sky, trying to find a trace of what could have been a very tasty snack indeed. He sighed with disappointment as there was no sign of the startled birds anywhere.

He sat down, trying to catch his breath, his tail slithering back and forth behind him. Something suddenly tried to bite into his hard scaled hide, he responded in kind with a sudden flurry of his hind leg scratching where the annoyance once was.

Kassina was so happy to be running free again; she had felt so cramped while trapped in the city. Buildings were not something she enjoyed and she didn't think she would ever get used to them. Now she had the wind in her fur and the grass and dirt under her feat.

She happily lopped after the lizard, not really trying to catch him, just enjoying the chase. She watched and laughed to herself as he missed the flying birds. When she saw the look of dissapointment on his face she felt bad for laughing, even if he coudln't hear her.

She took a quick look around her to make sure no one was looking and then transformed into an eagle and gracefully took off after the fleeing birds. She soared a few lazy circles to check on Dartmoor before taking off after the birds. The freedom of flight was even greater than the run on the ground, and she took great pleasure in the hunt. She snatched two of the helpless little birds from the sky with her talons before they knew what hit them.

She let out a triumphant shriek and then headed back to the lizard in the grass, dropping one of the slightly crushed birds infront of his nose. She dropped the other bird a short way off and landed beside it. She made the shift back to wolf and laid down to eat her prize. There wasn't enough unburnt meat in the city. Silly humans wanting to ruin perfectly good meat!

Calliara smiled seeing the lizard playing with her puppy, and she let it sniff her without moving. Then, when it jumped and ran away the puppy ran after him, barking.

The Dalish stood and followed them as well calmly, letting them play. That was when she saw Kassina in her wolf form and smiled fondly at the Dalish cub, as she secretely had named her.

''Ah, I was wondering when would you escape from the city. Just as me it seems'' She said, and sat down again to watch them play and then eat, but she called Fenrir to give him some food she had, not letting him to eat raw meat.

Abraxas looked down at the bird, and over at the wolf that was chomping down on its own juicy meal. And with a slurp, he gobbled it all up, chewed it a few times, and it was gone, bones, feathers and all.

After his succulent snack, he rolled around in the grass for a few minutes, enjoying how the soft ground, and grass felt against his hard leathery skin.

His head popped up, and tilted to the side, and with a wiggle of his body he rolled onto his feet, and took off again.

Soft voices could be heard not to far away in the direction that Abraxas was running, along with the fading aroma of what could have only been a very tasty meal.

Abraxas poked his head back through the brush, looking at the wolf, pup, and smiling elf, gave them all a soft growling roar, something that you would hear from an infant animal. Then with the rustling of branches, and the parting of grass, he took off, hoping that his new friends would follow.

Kassina was glad when the lizard accepted her gift. She felt bad about not getting one for Fenrir, but then the tattooed elf fed him and she felt better. Food you caught yourself just seemed to taste so much better. Birds weren't her normal diet in this form, but after a few days of human food she was willing to eat just about anything fresh.

Then they were done their snack and the lizard was off again. Kassina jumped up and dashed after him. Then the lizard let out a baby roar and she realized he was just a pup. Now she had two pups to run around with and Dartmoor was nearby. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. She responded to the lizard's growl with a soft howl and then chased after him through the brush, heading toward the smells of the halla and another elf, as well as the smell of smoke, food, and a lingering scent she couldn't identify.

She pulled up short when she entered the clearing. There was the halla and the elf as expected, but there was also another figure she hadn't antisipated. She stood completely still except her nose, sniffing deeply, but she simply could not smell this other figure. He was like a hole in the olfactory world. She sneezed and rubbed her nose with her paw, and then sniffed again. Still nothing. She could smell the normal camp smells on his clothes, but nothing underneath. She dropped to a crouch and growled low in her throat, unsure of what to make of the situation. She wanted to go back and warn Dartmoor and the tattooed elf, but she also didn't want to let this anomoly out of her sight. For now she held her ground, ready to fight or flee as needed, baring her fangs slightly and continuing to growl.

''Alright, alright... I follow you''

Calliara followed the lizard, realizing it was just a baby, and had the irresistible urge to hug it and pet it. It was just cute, but that didn't mean a thing though, she liked all kind of animals. But it was cute. She wondered if it would be a 'he' or a 'she'.

Listening to Kassina's growling, she knew something was wrong. Maybe not wrong, but... well, that. It was a growl of warning, so when Calliara finally saw what the young shapeshifter was seeing, she was aware of it.

The Wolf stopped, a bag with herbs in one hand, her skinning knife in the other, and a very happy puppy panting right by her side. She lifted an eyebrow seeing the scene, but said nothing.

As Abraxas bounded back into camp, he playfully went up to Kraven, and tugged on his cloak, as if he wanted to show him something.

Kraven tried to brush him off, until suddenly a wolf entered the clearing, and instantly went into a growling crouch.

He patted the lizard creature on the head, and Abraxas sat down, tongue hanging out, all proud of himself that he brought a new friend to play with everyone.

Kraven looked at the new arrival, the glow of his pupil-less eyes brightened for a bit, before cooling off. Kraven smiled, as he saw the energy of the fade flowing around this wolf casting a shimmering shadow of an Elven girl.

"For some reason, it seems the elves in the area are being drawn to me like a magnet," he thought to himself.

"Come and join us little cub. Lay by the fire, and rest yourself. No one here will harm you," he whispered ever so gently as to not alarm the obviously frightened animal.

"Maybe we should wait and see who else will arrive to join us. More Elves I hope, this talk is not for the quickling humans," Kraven said to the now growing party before him.

He took out his leather flask, opened it, and took a long drink from it, a drop of it dripped from the corner of his mouth, and fell upon a flower below.

As soon as the liquid hit the flower, it started to twist and grow a bit. It's stem grew vicious looking thorns, and the once colorful petals seemed to fade, twist and change.

After a mere few seconds, the flower had grown several inches, and the petals had become tooth like and sharp. Then without warning, it snapped shut, and seemed to make a low snarl at those around them, hissing, and snapping and anyone within reach.

Kraven looked down, and without a second though, grabbed the mutated flower with his gloved hand, and tossed it into the fire. Small screams of pain and agony came next, and then were soon silenced by the crackling, and hissing of the flames.

''In fact, it's bigger than this'' Calliara smiled fondly and ruffled Dartmoor's hair, then looked at the strange fellow with the cloak.

There was something odd about him, and she couldn't put a finger on it... ah, yes. No scent. And that thing with the flower...

''Cub. come here'' She told Kassina in her animal language, ordering the same to Fenrir and being sure that Dartmoor was behind her. She noticed Iauron and the hall there, and made a sweet sound for Fa'hallen before bowing her head to Iauron.

Finally, her icy blue eyes looked at the stranger, unblinking like a wolf. The little lizard was with him or so it seemed. ''Andaran atish'an, traveler''

Kassina was glad when the tattooed elf came into the clearing and took charge. At her command Kassina slunk behind her and next to Dartmoor. She had brought him out here and she didn't want anything to happen to him. This was his first experiance outside the city and she didn't want it to be his last.
She sat down at Dartmoors side, but never took her eyes off the stranger, and she couldn't quite make herself stop growling, though she did tone it down a bit now that the others had been warned.

The stranger said he meant them no harm, but his lack of scent just didn't seem like it could come from something natural. Everything living had a scent. The thing with the flower had really thrown her off as well. Despite being a mage she had practically no knowledge of magic other than her shifting, which she didn't truly understand. It was something that just came to her naturally. She hadn't even been aware she was a mage until a few years ago when she'd heard some of the people she was helping whispering about her.

She was curious as to why the lizard and the halla were not upset by his prescence, so she sat and waited to see how things would work out. She would fight to protect herself and her new pack if she had to, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Kraven smiled, as two more elves entered the clearing, a happiness that he had not felt in such a long time. It soon faded as he knew these were Shemlen (quickling) elves, and have been torn from their true nature a long time ago.

"Andaran atish’an, Aneth ara" ("I dwell in this place, a place of peace, My safe place ) Kraven said, an ancient Dalish tone in his voice.

" I am Kraven, of Arlathan (captial of Elvhenan) in Elvhenan ( kingdom of elves)" gesturing for them to be seated around the fire.

"I have journeyed a long ways to find more Elvhen (elves), too many are housed in stone walls of these Shemlen (quickling) cities, and have become one such as them. I feel great sorrow for that, for my people have fallen so far from where they have come from."

He rose as he spoke, his cloak billowing open, as he greeted them with open weaponless arms. All the elves in the clearing could clearly see the symbols of Elvhenan, surround by the 5 gods and 4 goddesses of the ancient Elven pantheon; Elgar'nan, Mytha, Falon'Din, Dirthamen, Andruil, Sylaise, June, Ghilan'nain, and Fen'Harel. All seemingly connected by various ancient Elven runes, all glowing, and shimmering with their own magics.

As he gestured for them to seat again, he himself took his own seat, his back stood tall, and his gloved hands on his knees, waiting for the others, his pupil-less eyes shimmered with what some might even persevere as happiness.

The eagle soared up high in the sky keeping an eye out for the one he searched for. He had meant to talk to Calliara about the night before but got caught up in an altercation between two idiots then it was well too late to do anything. Now he was looking for her as Nygozy said she went out somewhere outside the city. Wasn't that just luck?

He could see Calliara and was going to fly down to her when he noticed her going towards something strange. He hovered, watching this stranger and his minion, as well as some lizard creature, meeting with Fa'hallen and Iauron. This was something strange that he needed to keep an eye on.

Then Kassina and Dartmoor showed up as well and he decided that it was his turn to come along so he flew into some dense woods, changed back to his humanoid form and walked directly over to Calliara. He mouthed an "I'm sorry, emma fen lath (my wolf love)." to her in the elven tongue then turned to this new person.

He stood to his woman's side, just a foot back from her, leaving this matter to her as he tended to watch, disseminate and judge what to do. He may have looked human but he was not. Changelings were not well known in these lands but his family had certainly come there and he was nothing like others in scent or connection to the fade as he was connected in unusual slivers of power.

Kraven cocked his head to the side at the arrival of what appeared to be a human. His eyes darkened as his sight was adjusted, and he squinted at the new figure before him.

"Ah, If you were human, I would have told you to leave. For they are not welcome in my circle. Yet you are more than what you seem. I can not quite tell yet, but those things that are hidden, shall not stay that way to me for long." Kraven said with absolute seriousness in his voice.

"You cling to that elf female as if she is your own. This I do not approve of, as the elven line is already diluted by the Shemlan's (quicklings) that took this land from my people. But it is not my place to say what she can or can not do."

"Speak your names, so that I might know you." he gestured to everyone within the camp, his voice more relaxed, as a smile crept upon his face.

Cold eyes returned Kraven's look, his wary nature coming to fold around himself almost like a cloak of it's own, "Thank you for the announcement of my 'not human' status." He stated coldly with dark sarcasm, not appreciating the utterance of what he was not to all about. He'd kept that fact hidden for much of his life and the only three who knew any different were Calliara, Nygozy and Garoll. Others could guess he was different but were not sure so left it be for the most part. Now, within less than a year since the arch demon's death people were starting to find out.

"My countenance with my wolf is not of concern for one such as yourself, fade sworn." Drake said then looked to Dartmoor as the youth said his name.

He snorted slightly, "Drake yet I have at times been called 'Colddrake.' The little wolf there is Kassina."

Kraven rose to his feet, his imposing 6'5 height, and broad shoulders made any man, or elf seem small against him.

"It is only this fact that I let you stay, child." he sneered. "If you were truly human, I would have slain you where you stood for taking an Elf for a mate."

"I can see the connection between you all, this is why I said what I said. If these were strangers, I would not have let on what I knew so easily, little one."

"Fade sworn?" Kraven laughed at this statement. "You have no idea of what you talk of." He continued to laugh for a moment, before his face become as serious as stone.

"We should not squabble amongst ourselves, I mean you no harm, nor harm to your friends either. There are bigger enemies out there that must be fought. If you still have an issue with me, then we can settle it afterward. Deal?"

Kassina leaned into Dartmoor and nuzzled his hand with her nose to reassure him. She could smell his fear and feel him shaking. This day has started out so well and now the world had gone insane yet again.

She was at least glad that she wasn't the only one reacting to his prescence. She listened very carefully as the others spoke and caught the jist of things even if she didn't understand all of it. It was good to know the name of the good smelling girl that wasn't really a girl at all. Drake suited him she thought, since he could become a dragon. And he was mated to the tattooed elf. If nothing else she was learning much today. A stray thought crossed her mind then and she wondered if Drake could teach her to be a dragon like him.

She was greatful when Drake introduced her so she didn't have to shift. She really did not want to shift in the prescense of this stranger. Not only did she not know how he would react, but it would leave her and Dartmoor more vulnerable to attack. Her fangs and claws were much more deadly than her daggers, although she wasn't really sure she wanted to bite this stranger. The thought struck her the same way it had when she had battled darkspawn in the forest. She had happily ripped them to shreads with claws or talons, but never touched them with her teeth or beak.

Slowly she quit growling as she guessed it was probably only upsetting Dartmoor even more. She gave his hand a lick, and his leg another nuzzle, but still never took her eyes off the stranger by the fire. He said something about humans not mating with elves, and it made her fear for Dartmoor's safety even more. Could the stranger sense the human in him the way he could sense the lack of human in drake? She would sit still another minute, but if things got any worse she was going to get Dartmoor out of her and make sure he was safe, and then she'd come back to help the others.

"Pleased to meet you Dartmoor, Drake, and you too little Kassina." He smiled at the wolf, and gave her a little knowing wink.

"I know about you, so it is only polite that you know something of me." Kraven began. "To you elves, I would be known as a Uth. To simply translate, I am eternal."

"And Drake, you were partially right. However, the correct term is Setheneran walker. Loosely translated, Veil Walker, or Fade Walker. I was also a Hahren, and 2nd to the Keeper, before a blight claimed my people."

"So there, we now know each other. And now, we must sit, and discuss the coming darkness that your Wardens have thought to have vanquished."

He swept up his cloak into the crook of his arm, and again, gestured politely for them to sit.

"You could try." One simple, dark grin crossed his features before his face became impassive, "Even though strangers these are not it does not mean they know the real me, or even close to it." He said simply before leaving it at that, eyes trained on the other man but no emotion showing within the depths or his features, let alone his body stance. He was like a cold statue.

A slight twitch of his lips when Kraven laughed about the "fade sworn" indicated minimal amusement or a sight he was not willing to share with others. Maybe both.

"It seems you may know of our leader then." He guessed that the man was after the same as the rest and likely came this way due to most people knowing of Nygozy coming here, "Looking for the hero? I hope for your sake that you are not interested in human removal or you may find an issue from our leader."

Kraven smiled wickedly, "You have too much human in you to hide things from ones you call friends. Unlike true elves, they have nothing to hide amongst their people. For they should fear not ones who are family, only those who choose to do them harm."

"Yes I could try, and what a battle it would be. Cities would fall, and lands would die, however, eventually we would grow weary of such things," Kraven playfully smirked.

"Yes, I am looking for the one you call the "Hero of Fereldan". Kraven replied. " I have already sent Lobo to find her. A message only the true Commander of the Wardens can read, and one who has slain the Archdemon."

"You do not have to worry about "human removal", from me. They are beneath my attention, nothing but mere insects scurrying around, seeming to be important, but are no more than the sludge I wash from my boots," Kraven spat with disgust.