Beginning of Freedom. (Open.)

Shade laughed waving to Nygozy as she walked off and turned as another woman walked up he smiled and took her hand gently than let go. "I'm Shade I guess you would say I am a recruit I'm from the Circle in a way. I don't mind at all Jezarine I don't want to take you from your work and the last thing I need is a angry Boyfriend banging on my door so if Tatsoo can lead me I would gladly accept her company. Shade looked between the two than turned back half wishing Nygozy hadn't left him in a new place alone but it was better than paperwork.

Shade looked around the garden and leaned down stroking them softly. "These are beautiful I sometimes wish I had the skill to create sadly my only power is in destruction. This is art in it's most truest form for it is nature and nothing is more beautiful than nature incarnate." Shade stood up looking at the pair and waited for them to decide.

"Jez is one of da best when it comes to da plants. Ah neva seen someone able ta do what she can." Tatsoo said while giving Jezarine a smile.

"I'm not that good." Jezarine blushed, the flower tattoos brightening when she did.

"Yes you are." Came a voice from beside a tree. A human stood there watching the three but not moving.

Tatsoo chuckled, "Listen ta Ianto. He knows what yer good at, Jez. Lets be goin, Shade. Ahm glad there be another nature lover here. Some do na app.. appre seeate what is in tha wild." Her words were a bit clipped and she was noticeably trying to say the language properly but it definitely was not her first language. The golden haired female seemed a bit concerned with her abilities in that area but did not show it much.

Shade only smiled liking her accent as he stepped up beside her and smiled. "I am glad also Tatsoo please lead the way and I shall follow. By the way i like your accent I never heard anything like it. Maybe you can tell me about yourself and where your from you know if you want too?" Shade stood straight as a arrow as he waited for Tatsoo to decide if she was ready to go now or if she wanted to stay in the garden a little longer.

Shade noticed her ears were pointy but her Accent gave him pause he had never heard a elf talk like that before. His eyes flicked over to the human and his eyes blazed for a second than went back to normal as he turned away from the human.

Tatsoo smiled back until she noticed the glint in Shade's eyes when he looked at Ianto. She started to walk and then smiled again, "Ah guess yer na so happy wif da humans. Lotsa elves an humans na ged along. Tha be Ianto an he's Jez's love so tha na a person ta be thinkin a doin anythin to. He na do anythin ta others unless they hurt Jez then he be mad."

She blushed a slight bit at the comment about her accent, "Na a lotta people think tha but thank ye. Ah be from beyond da Kokari Wilds, south a Ostaga. Some called us da Wilders. Ma tribe was hit bafore da rest a Fereldan. Ah might be da last, ahm na sure. Afta tha ah went ta Loth...ering an was dere until da Darkspawn hit there as well. It was na a good thing ta keep running so when ah got ta Denerim ah helped fight and get people aut."

She walked around the palace the same as Nygozy but not towards where they had come from. She smelled the air and smiled as the wind blew around her.

Shade looked a little out of place as he laid a hand on Tatsoo's shoulder trying to comfort her. "I'm sorry about your tribe and your family. The Darkspawn take so much from us but it is the way of the world for without Darkness we would not be here." Shade walked next to her and felt a simmer of anger. "Let's just say me and the Human race don't get along mainly because my people are slaves and treated worse than animals. We were a proud race once, Strong, Wise, Magnificent in our ways. The forest was our home and it was forests for as long as the eye could see but when Humans came they soon became Jealous and as one attacked our people and we lost I don't know how but we did. Everything that made us who we are we lost even our gods.".

Shade looked around the castle and began to feel twitchy not having been inside a real stone building since he escaped the Circle. "I don't do stone walls they bother me which I guess may be a problem because I doubt a Warden Captain would be happy to get a report outside but it's something they will have to adjust too. I hate these places brings back bad memories. However enough of the doom and gloom Tatsoo I want to hear more about you and your tribe and where you grew up. Maybe one day will get lucky and sent on a mission out there and if you tell me what you really liked out there I may be able to find something and bring it back so you will always have a piece of home." Shade looked at the woman and smiled a real smile something Shade hadn't done in so many years it felt awkward and looking away the smile vanished.

Tatsoo smiled back at him for trying to comfort her, "Thank ye. It is hard ta lose a whole tribe. Ah've been wantin anodder tribe an da wardens dey are good. Most care abawt odders even if dere not de same race. Ah ken see how ye be hatin da hoomans. Many are na dat good but we be lucky some are. Like Ianto, he be fair an kind to elves as is udders like Drake." For a moment she looked confused, "No da na right. Drake look hooman but he not."

"Ah heard Nygozy talkin of dat. She knows de history of de races, learned it from a bard, Leliana. Dere is so much to da elf history an I wanted to know more but ah don know da bard even do she be here someair. Ah have seen trees, so many trees but dey say it is na like it used ta be."

The wilder woman chuckled when he said about not liking stone and Nygozy not wanting to get a report from outside, "Oh ya mat be suprize at dat. Lotsa da wardens like outside more den in de walls. Nygozy talks to de animals so likes it outside. Ya know, she be geddin stir crazy like de rest of us."

She hopped over a stump then looked ahead at a wooden building, "Dat be de old barracks. Ye not like stone at all? Ye musta been in de Towa. I heard of dat place." She shivered at the thought, "Ye wanna know of me people? It be said that we be wild an untamable which be true fer most a da wilders. Cha ... chazin ... chasind some say. Like de Dalish we move about an live where it be best at de time. We defend our land an our people, warning off strangers who are a danger an killing dose dat do not heed an try ta hurt us."

Tatsoo walked around the wooden building and opened the door, taking a quick look inside before going in. She was careful as you never knew what could be about. Her hand went up as she surveyed the hallway then she nodded to him, "Sorry. Ah not lose de carefulness."

Shade watched her enter the wooden building and laughed following her in. "I feel safer already knowing a warrior maid like yourself is patrolling none would get by you I wager." He walked past her looking around the building and nodded liking how it was built. "Ten years I lived in the Circle since I was seven years old it was all I knew except memories from home I wish i could forget. As for humans I guess some of them or nice but I don't like taking chances so I see them all as enemies.".

He opened a bare room and walked inside laying his staff down and motioned for Tatsoo to come in and sit. "If you would like to know more I can tell you though I am not a Bard however while in the circle my teacher spoke to me about our heritage and the land of old and how it use to be but sadly I don't have all the information just pieces.". Shade was interested in her life finding it to be a larger version of how he lived. "Must have been nice to know you could rely on someone and them on you a bond like that is worth more than a thousand armies and a million swords. I spent my time in the circle studying for my Harrowing and when I escaped I spent time destroying Templar's. I never had time for friends in fact I think this is the longest I have spoken to someone in eleven years. The last one was a dog I believe, He didn't say much but he was a good listener."

Shade looked at the woman from the corner of his eye feeling his ear tips grow warm as he realized he was babbling. "I'm sorry Tatsoo you showed me the Barracks and here I am holding you up you probably have duties to perform and none of them involving babysitting me." Shade gave her a soft smile and looked around the room his hands tightening on his staff.

Tatsoo smirked, "Takin chances iz na good fer a lotta thins. Ah am very careful aroun odders as dey ken be dangerous but dat for me means most races an na just hoomans. Dey don know wha ah am so sometimes act very mean an na helpful at all. Ahm lucky dat ah found Maadox an Marcus cuz they helped me an we joined de wardens tagether. But ah don put me guard down a lot."

"Ah would love to know more about elf history. It is like mah background in a way ah hear. We'ze both been treated badly by da peoples due to prejidese an all." She sat down, "A tribe is good an y'all help each odder but ah neva really bonded with anyone past da knowing dem. Bein a female ah was more lookin to find a tribe where dere were does na related. Kinda primal an all ah guess. But da Darkspawn came an took dat away an even so ah find dis to be good."

The honey haired woman looked down at the floor, her honey eyes softening at the comment about a dog, "Da dogs are wondarful. Dey listen when odders give ye nothin ta go on an it be nice to just curl up with. Ahm glad you at least had a dog ta speak to."

When Shade mentioned chores she looked up and out the window, "Aw no. Ah have ta go train." She jumped up and smiled at him, "Ah like talking to ya, Shade. It be nice. Dere is a washing room at de end of de hallway an outhouse at de back. Der will be a maid come along so ye ken ask fer food when she comes. Ah'll try ta come back after training ta see how ye be."

Shade stepped forward laying a hand on hers than pulled back smiling. "Sorry old habit, I would like to see you train maybe I could pick a few things up myself other than magic and a little staff work I'm defenseless be nice to pick up some melee action from one so talented as yourself not to mention i bet your a beauty when you fight. My master use to say the best way to know a person is to either fight beside them or against them for only then do you understand what there true nature is. If you give me a minute to wash up I will come with you and we can talk of Elven Heritage and I can learn more about you.".

It didn't bother Tatsoo that he touched her hand. In fact she found it rather nice especially since he didn't like humans and she certainly looked like any other human just with ears which were a bit pointy, "It's ok. Touching is fine. Mah culchur is a touchy one, where it is normal fer friends to touch and curl up with one anodder for warmth. Den again de land ah come from is radder cold much of de time so body heat is welcome."

She smiled and put out a hand to him, "Come den. Ahm sure Pendra would na mind anodder to learn as she is naw de warden instractor an you is a warden ta be, yes?"

He took her hand and smiled standing up next to her. "Well if it gets cold in here I know who to call since you have experience in keeping a body warm. Yes I am too be a Warden and I guess we can't have someone going in who isn't trained so lead the way Tatsoo and I will follow you anywhere." Shade felt a odd stirring inside for some reason he was able to actually talk to this girl maybe because she was like him alone in a world that didn't understand them.

Shade picked up his staff setting it in it's leather grip and waited for Tatsoo to lead the way for if he tried he get lost the moment he turned the corner and that made him only happier that Tatsoo was with him.

She giggled at his joking, "Yes ye know who ta call. It be a good thing ta learn. Ah hear dat even de ones who been out in de fighting fer a long time still do training ta keep in shape and ta learn more from each odder. Ah seen a couple ov de ones who work darectly wit Nygozy workin out an even her wif her assassin bawday guard. It be interesting."

Tatsoo started off, moving at a speed that seemed to fit for Shade as she didn't want to lose him in the maze of hallways. Out of the barracks and across to the palace and within, "Pendra be happy dat she not have ta search for ya. De weapons master, she be a dwarf like de warden commander but bigger. Ah've never thought dat a dwarf could be as small as de commander unless dey were a teen or such. Ah! Here we are."

The door opened quietly into a room that was almost like an auditorium. There were stairs leading down to the center and benches around on each level. One could see dummies around the center ring with people fighting them or shooting some with arrows. Then there was the dwarf, her foot upon this man's side as she held his wrist keeping his arm up in the air.

"Ah she be mad at someone." Tatsoo said just before hearing a bone crack and the woman let the man's arm fall, "Ah." She stopped just before the weapons master, "Ah don thin that be part of de training."

Pendra glared at the corpse on the ground then looked up to see Tatsoo there with a young man. She rolled her shoulders, "He's another of the sect which tried to take over. Here's what to look for." The dwarf knelt and turned the man's head to show a black tattoo of a bird design under one ear and a red under the other, "How this one thought he could trick his way through is beyond me. He certainly should not have come to my class thinking he could trick anyone here."

The woman stood up and waved a couple men over to take the body away, "So you've brought a friend, Tatsoo. Let's see." She smiled as she looked at the young man, "Well, quite the fellow here. Mage and elven. Your style would probably be best as quick and tricky. I am Pendra the weapons master for the wardens of the grey. And your name would be?"

Shade listened to Tatsoo talk loving her accent and the way she said words which made him smile and almost wish he had been born amongst her tribe. Oh well he had met her and to him that was all that mattered of course he just wasn't ready to say it out loud yet. "I kept myself trained when I could a lot of magic and staff work I even beat a Templar in Melee combat once he stumbled and I crushed his wind pipe but it was a lucky moment bastard almost had me.". Shade looked at the man and heard the crunch and smirked having made a few of those noises from others in his life.

He followed Tatsoo over to the dwarf and listened as she spoke before bowing at the waist. "Shade is my name and you will be surprised what my style is. i spend a lot of time shape-shifting in combat so I actually fight close range often. As for outside I try to keep distance but I learned a few spells to block blades and arrows and to handle myself pretty well with the staff." Shade examined the Dwarf woman and decided she would be a dangerous opponent to have. Shade looked around making sure he was out of ear shot and leaned down to the Dwarf. "I spend a lot of time in the air using fire if you understand what I mean." Shade stood back up looking at Tatsoo than back to Padra.

Tatsoo smiled at him, "That's impressive." She said to Shade.

She looked at the tattoos on the man and nodded as she made note of it in her mind, "Oh. Dat is wha Drake meant about stya ... styalized birds. Ah will rememba dat."

Pendra grinned, "Like I said, quick and tricky. It is good to meet you Shade." She bowed at her waist as well, giving him the same respect, "You are a well mannered fellow. I like that in my trainees. Too many people have no manners whatsoever but believe they should receive respect where they give none. So you are a shape changer and like to change out your attacks as you go." She smiled, "Well that is a useful ploy. Let's do a test run to see what you can do. Tatsoo?"

Tatsoo nodded at the trainer, "Dat be fine, Ser Dragoncoal."

The dwarven woman walked to a weapons stand and took a staff for herself, "Move the dummies out and get your rumps out to wash up. You've been training long enough today anyway. Set the circle for testing." She walked back to Shade as the dummies and everything were removed from the ring then a couple of students started putting down wooden weapons, chairs to the sides and benches. They took off quickly seeming to want to go and do whatever they were interested in, except a few who kind of trundled off in pain.

"The rules are simple. One of us has to knock the other off their feet with whatever tools are available and whatever skills we have available to us. That means that you can use your shape changing." She held her staff loosely as if she wasn't even aware it was there but one could see she knew exactly what she was doing, "Take a look around and see what there is then we can start."

Shade drew his own staff and twirled it in his hand with expert ease before taking a stance he muttered something and his body changed in a flash of light a large Donkey sized wolf stood on the other side of the training ground it's fur as red as blood and yellow eyes that gleamed with almost gold color. It opened it's jaws revealing a row of wicked sharp teeth and laid it's head back loosing a hunting howl. It's powerful muscles pushed off the ground as it closed the distance in four easy strides it's long powerful legs shoving into the ground as the power house wolf leaped aiming it's jaws for the staff.

Her smile grew as the mage changed as she was impressed at the size he could attain for that form yet she did not move until the last moment at which time she pulled her staff down and aimed it between his legs, not to hit any vulnerable areas but to lift up and try to fling him over onto the ground. If it worked he would likely fall on his side or partially on his feet and she'd already be twisting away from him for the next attack.

He was caught and pushed up but as he turned his head lashed out grabbing the staff between his teeth and landed shaking his head trying to rip the staff from her hands and if he did he would toss it. Once that was done he would lunge at her throwing his full weight behind the lunge and trying to catch her with his paws and knock her down.

The staff was grabbed so Pendra let go, ducking to keep from being hit by it then angled to the side, waiting for the pounce as she knew it would come then grabbed a bench to throw up between the two of them and braced herself so that she would not be thrown over.

Shade slammed into the bench with his full weight behind it slamming it backwards as he leaned around it snapping at her face as he tried to get his jaws set against her flesh and rip it his large jaws snapping inches from her body hot foam and saliva flecked from his slavering jaws the dagger sharp teeth snapping open and close as he pushed on the bench trying to snap it with his weight his massive paws pushing as the wood cracked under his paws and he pushed harder throwing his full weight down to break it in half.

The weight did cause the bench to break and Pendra kept her face away from the snapping jaws. Fortunately for her she was wearing heavy leather armor which took the brunt of the biting attack but she would have more bruises later. She only smiled, her eyes crinkling with amusement as she waited for the bench to break in half then she took the legs to the top half and pulled back, jumping out of the way hoping that he would fall over the bottom section and give her at least a few moments to scramble out of the way.

Shade leaped his body shifting in the air as Pendra rolled his body grew scales as red as deep blood his furry tail pushed further out growing sharp spines and spikes and covered with scaly leather armor. His head stretched out further and filled with hard corded muscle as armor scales went up the throat and under the jaw to form two spikes. The top of the head pushed up the bone shifting as two more rows of teeth sharp as sword tips grew inside his mouth each as white as a pearl. His eyes slitted more turning yellow like a hawk as his tongue grew forked and armor scales slid down over the head to the nose form a small spike on the tip making getting jabbed by it dangerous and lethal. The paws grew longer and became scaled as the paws turned into claws with five bony extensions. Great leathery wings grew from his back each one twenty feet wide and filled with bone breaking power.

Shade opened his mouth as he flew over her his wings keeping beat with his body as he released a torrent of red liquid fire scorching the area in front and to both sides of Pendra with the flaming torrent of super heated fire produced from his belly before he flew into the air and circled keeping a eye on the dwarven warrior as he screeched a deafening screech hoping to stun or unbalance his prey.

As soon as the scales started to show Pendra took a potion then backed up, taking care for the fires and took another potion. She smiled up at Shade as he screeched and put her hands over her ears but other than that she did not seem to be affected too much. The woman took something out of her pouch and waited.

Even though Pendra hardly reacted to Shade's changing act, Tatsoo did when he screeched. She flung herself to the ground, hands clasped over her ears and rolled under the bench she had been sitting on. Tatsoo yowled, even though she was drowned out by the roar of the young dragon and stayed under the bench.

Shade ceased his screeching looking down at Tatsoo and cursed himself not having thought of what it would do to others since he usually went at it alone. He tilted on wing and shot down towards Pendra his wings tucked against his body as he dropped his neck outstretched like a giant monster arrow. He moved closer before the last ten feet he snapped his right wing open shooting around quickly and ended up right above/behind Pendra where he released a jet of flame right towards her body as his wings slammed down shooting him up out of range once again.

She waited for the attack then rolled out of the way when she heard the flap of a wing behind but above her. Pendra went through the flames he'd already set up and rolled a bit further away, brushing off the flames but she didn't seem too badly affected either way. The woman walked about and covered her mouth as she yawned.