Dragon Age: Awakening

Chapter 10: The Wending Wood

Chapter 10: The Wending Wood

"Really?" Nathaniel's voice echoed down the hallway, I yawned and turned the corner to see Anders and Nathaniel glaring at one another.

"Why do you have to be such an ass!" Nathaniel growled and paced the floor.

"Me? An ass?" Anders laughed.

"Mages are dangerous, you've seen what they can do!" Nathaniel spat back and stepped towards Anders and began to unsheathe a dagger.

"Do you want to find out?" I interrupted, Nathaniel jumped back and Anders smiled at the corner of his mouth. "I wouldn't do that." I warned Nathaniel as I grabbed my bow from beside the couch and set it on my back.

"Anders, Nathaniel and Justice are coming with me to the Wending Wood. I feel like it would be simpler to have only a few of us right now," I said as I walked into the entrance hall.

I walked briskly over to Varel who was watching the rest of my group with a wary eye, he smiled weakly when he saw me walking towards him.

"The Wending Wood?" Anders raised an eyebrow and adjusted his pack, Varel nodded quickly.

"There have been attacks on the road through the area, mostly merchants." He continued, I narrowed my eyes,

"And you think that it's darkspawn?" I asked, Varel shrugged. "There have been reports of the creatures in the area." He said quickly.

I puffed out air and pinched the bridge of my nose, "Right," I said as I turned on my heel, "I'll be back, off to kill some darkspawn." I waved my hand at Varel who rolled his eyes.

"Ready?" I asked as I walked over to Nathaniel, Anders and Justice. Nathaniel was side-eyeing Anders but straightened his back when he noticed me. "Let's get going then," I sighed as I adjusted my pack and headed out the door of the Keep.

"This Wending Wood.." Anders piped up as he walked up beside me, "What's happening?" He arched an eyebrow at me, his smoldering eyes burning into mine, he was obviously sorry about what happened the night before.

"There have been attacks on caravans, darkspawn are suspected.. But I'm not so sure." My voice trailed off as a burning cart came into view.

"Attacks like that?" Anders pointed at the burning carriage, I sighed and absentmindedly rubbed my eyes and turned around to the rest of the group,

"These are caravans, with supplies," I gestured over my shoulder at the crates littering the area.

"There's sure to be scavengers and they aren't going to welcome us, be ready." I said quickly and began creeping through the woods, I paused suddenly when a heard the crack of a twig as if someone, or something, stepped on it accidentally.

"Watch out!" Anders yelled and held his staff high in the air, creating a barrier around us, an arrow ricocheted off the glowing barrier. I grumbled under my breath and pushed past Anders, grabbing an arrow out of my quiver and quickly pulling the string against my lips and releasing it straight into our attackers head, earning a quick groan as the man rolled down the hill, stopping at my feet.

I scoffed and grabbed the arrows out of his quiver, mine were beginning to run low. "We move quickly and silently." I whispered to the others, who nodded. "These are bandits," Nathaniel said as he moved closer to the corpse, "There's definitely more around," He stood up and narrowed his eyes as he peered through the dead and dying trees.

"We stay together." I turned quickly and looked at the group, scolding myself for not bringing the rest with me. "There's darkspawn here too." I bit my lip nervously and continued down the path.