Thank you to every single person who takes the time to read this! I apprecaite it dearly and hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it! Just as a side note, I have played awakening and I found it rather... lacking at the end, BUT my point with this is that I do know the 'real' sequel to the marvelous Origins story, I just thought this would be an interesting alternative.

THAT and I like writing this junk, so it's staying! :P ;)

Thanks for reading and I really do hope you guys enjoy! This chapter is a little slow and it doesn't really give much, but it's unfortunately one of those 'have to get it in there' chapters. Hope it's not THAT stupid.

... I am liking my ALL CAPPS today :)!

YOURS INSANELY

GoLuMfRyInGeGgS!

Memories in BloodMabari ran.

His powerful legs carried him quickly across the landscapes of Ferelden. Snow fields turned to snow peaks, which turned to white dusted forests. But still he ran. Following the wind and the scent as it dangled in front of his nose like a carrot on a stick.

His paws burnt.

His muscles ached.

But still he ran.

Darkness turned to day as the sun skimmed over the horizon, arising from her slumber. He slowed to a trot as the forest became thicker and thicker, the trees growing denser and darker the deeper he ventured.

Finally he stopped, tilted his mighty head to the skies and sniffed the quiet winds.

Ash, blood, fire, trees…

All these he forced to the sides, away from his nose, he filtered them through and breathed again, smelling the quiet morning air.

She was gone.

He whined softly. He was so sure she would be here. This was a place she called home, he knew this, he'd heard as much. But right now, Mabari's paws burnt and his throat was dry.

He limped to a nearby creek, the broken ice drifting downwards and placed his aching paws in the freezing water. The coolness of the icy water was soothing, but painful at the same time; he closed his eyes and tried to calm his tired body. Leaning his head down he lapped up some of the water.

Maker he was thirsty.

The water hit his stomach like a sledgehammer, knocking the wind out of him, but he was grateful. His thirst quenched he carefully removed his tired paws from the creek and quietly limped to a nearby tree. The hounds were strong and resilient against harsh cold, a good tree would be ideal and right now he needed rest.

The great dog colapsed next to a beautifil pine and curled his heavy muscled body into a small ball, his wet nose pressing against his tail. He closed his eyes and tried to rest. But his ears constantly flicked to the small sounds the forest emitted. Owls flapping their wings, hooting softly into the night as they searched for prey with still eyes. The crunch of ice as a fox trots back to its den, the sweeping sound of the snow as the dead rabbit between its jaws was dragged along.

But the wind...

It howled....

It whsipered....

It spoke....

He listened...

... and listened....

The he awoke.

Mabari stood up, his body barely rested, but new energy seeped into his soul. He sniffed, then sprang off into the trees, his jaw set and eyes ablaze. He ran as fast as he could, the trees becoming a white and brown blur. He never stopped the path clear in his eyes and nose. Once more he turned, around an oak, stepped lightly and leapt.

He crashed right into the fire.

Mabari yelped in pain as boiling water and burning flames licked and splashed onto his cold fur. A long pitiful howl echoed through the trees and then he colapsed painfully on the white snow shivering and tired.

The witch stormed out of her tent. Her golden eyes ablaze and through his pain and exhaustion he barked and wagged his tail happily.

Witch! He barked happily in hs mind!

"Rabbit!" Morrigan screamed, practicly baring her teeth. The mabari yapped and shakily got to his feet.

"No!," she growled, pushing the wounded animal down, "Don't get up you stupid mutt! You're wounded," her long hands delicately brushed at his fur and Rabbit slowly slid back to the ground, his tail still wagging happily. He was safe, he had found her, he had someone his mistress trusted and now they could help her! He shook with excitement, his jaw quivered with delight and if he could he would be running and barking and baying to the moon!

"Stop struggling mutt!" Morrigan growled, careful not to touch the angry burn wounds, "Daemon," she suddenly called, "Get the elfroot and some healing fire balm,"

"Yes mother," he replied from inside the tent. Rabbit looked up, starring at the small figure strangely, he tilted his mighty head curiously at the witch and he whined softly.

"Don't you start," she said, with a glare, but stroked him once on the head, to which he responded with a small lick.

Daemon soon appeared with the medicines. He placed them next to the dog and Rabbit sniffed at him with interest, eyes wide and ears pricked. He could smell witch in the boy, forming in his blood and mixed, almost knitted in with this was the distinct scent of a king, of royal blood. He recognised both and he was happy for the young one two of his companions had bred. But deeper, deeper and darker in the blood he could smell something that made his hair stand up and his teeth bare.

Demon! he growled softly at the boy, teeth slowly barring.

"You take my child's hand off," she said preparing the ointment, "I will take something far more precious," and swatted his rear.

He yelped, dropped his head and remained silent, but his intelegent eyes remained focused on the child a few feet away from him.

"Do you know the dog, mother?" Daemon asked and his jaws stiffened instinctively.

"Yes," she said, but did not elaborate. It was not for him to know, that was part of her life she was trying to break away from not trying to ressurect. Morrigan stared at the burns, her eyes focused on the task at hand, but her mind was running a mile a minute. He smelled of death, of ash and smoke. How quickly had he found her? Had anyone followed him? She bloody hoped not. The ingredients were ground into a paste, it smelled like wet grass and was warm to the touch. Morrigan scooped up some with her fingers and reaching forwards she delicately placed it on the burn wounds.

"This might hurt-" she started, but froze the moment her hand touched the burnt skin and blooded fur.

Memories flooded through her, a raging river ran rampant through her mind as the blood sang and whispered through her in a thousand screaming voices. She stared through mabari eyes as his mistress, Elissa screamed for him to get to safety. The city burned as he ran the walls colapsing, the people running rampant and through it all more fire balls lit up the sky. Armoured giants charged through the ruined gates, their faces hidden and their blades shining in burning fire light.

He leapt at them, fighting them as best he could, his powerful jaws tearing through armor and his deafening howl breaking their defences and even knocking them back. He stood fast and fought like any noble warrior from the dwarven class, but he wavered when he sniffed the air, when he realised whom he was fighting and in his mind the memories flooded. The smell of darkspawn blood, cats, cookies and fire lingered in his nose and heart. Fond memories, kind memories and a memory of kinship in an unlikely soul. A powerful warrior stood before him, his spirit died...

And he fled the battlefield.

"Mother!"

Morrigan's eyes snapped open, her breath hitching and shaking through gasps and heaves, snow fell from the late afternoon sky, covering her in a blanket of white.

Daemon stared at her with cool eyes, he'd knelt beside her, a surprising compassin to witness in the boy. Rabbit hadn't even moved, she was sure he was sleeping, but upon closer inspection she could see that all his wounds had been treated with the paste. She stared curiously at her son, but he answered her before she could speak.

"You colapsed," he shrugged, but did not offer further explanation. He stared at her for a moment, bit his lip in a moment of uncertainty and then continued, "What happened?"

She stood up from the snow, her legs and back cold and freezing. How long had she been out for? "I shared memories with him," she stared at slumbering Rabbit, the small sleeping draught she'd worked into the medicine taking effect quite nicely it seemed "We are being attacked by the damned ashen skinned Qunari!"

Her voice clapped in the shadowed forest. Her breathing stilled as Rabbit whimpered softly in his sleep.

"What are they, mother?"

"A proud and powerful race," she said, her breath puffed white in the cold air, "But with a distinct weakness," Daemon stared at her, his golden eyes piercing hers with a fierce inteligence. If she knew the Qunari, then the possibility of any other escapes would be naught. They are nothing if not thorough. Her mind reeled in many different directions, she knew what she needed to do, the icy winds, burning skies and haunted blood told her so.

But she'd always been stubborn and besides it would not be easy for her to warn the neigbouring cities what was about to happen.

She was still and Apostate. A famous one to boot.

Still, as much as it ached her to say it, she needed to do something.

"Take Rabbit inside when he wakes, keep him warm and keep him safe," she flipped around and stormed into the tent in a flurry of snow and cloak. Daemon frowned softly and followed her inside.

"You're leaving," he stated.

"Yes," she said, "I will try to be back within a few days," she grabbed her staff and a few food pieces with an extra piece of clothing. "You will be safe here, but if anything does happen..." she sighed closing her pack, "you know what to do."

The boy stared at her, "Take me with you," he snapped like giving an order.

Morrigan raised a dissaproving eyebrow at the boy, but did not press the matter now, the tension was building all across the land, she did not have time for small nonsenses. "You are a liability Daemon, you will slow me down and I will not take care of you on the road," she stared at the boy with such fiercness that he reluctantly backed down. But the anger and determination still shone brightly in those small eyes.

"Rabbit will be fine in but an hour," she knelt before him as she tightened her cloak, "Stay in the camp, it is hidden from humans and elves and the ward will keep you safe from them,"

"Accept for dogs,"

She stood suddenly, "Rabbit is not a dog, he's a warhound and an old... " she hesitated, "...companion," stepping out into the cold she flung her pack over her shoulders and strapped her staff securely to her back. She walked over to a medium sized black horse, its ebony coat almost pure white with snow. The huge black animal nickered softly at her approach before continuing its meal of some hay they'd found the day before. Morrigan saddled her, the mare snorted softly, but did not protest. She grabbed the reins and mounted quickly.

"If something happens," she said, starring down at him "do what I taught you, then summon me,"

Daemon went and stood next to the horse, he patted the long curling mane quietly, "Is it wise to leave a child in a forest in the midst of a war?" he asked.

She sighed, "Is it wise to take the child directly to the war?" she retorted.

He said nothing, but smiled still. Gecco, her mare snorted impatiently, Morrigan tightened the reins nodded at Daemon and with a quick kick she sped off into the darkened forest, heading straight for the circle of magi and praying that an old friend would still be there.

LIL NOTE: I couldn't really decide on a name for the mabari, my initial idea was to stick with just 'mabari' through the story, but it became a little redundant, so when I played 'Ostagar' I got a brilliant name for my poochy whoochy!

Hey it was either that or Barkspawn!

yours insanely

golumfryingeggs