The Grey Wardens' Leader

0.1 - Hunt

Outcast by I Prevail

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Avril slowly trudged through the forest with a bow in her hand and her friend, Tamlen, by her side. As he went on ahead, the young elven girl hung behind to take in her surroundings. The Brecilian Forest was certainly a beautiful sight to see, but something felt wrong...Almost as if all was not at peace like it ordinarily is.

"Mahariel, come quick!"

The light blonde haired girl rushed quickly to her friend's side, only to see three human men standing in front of them, cowering and holding their hands up defensively,"They say that they were exploring a cave in the forest and--"

"We were!", one of the men exclaimed.

"What do you think...?", Tamlen asked without lowering his bow.

Avril narrowed her eyes and pulled back the string on her bow, aiming her arrow at one of the men,"Where's the proof?"

The group of men dropped to their knees, trembling with fear,"We don't have any, there were...creatures...inside the cave, guarding it in a way, and once they attacked us we dropped the treasures and ran. That's why we're here now!"

The male elf spoke through gritted teeth,"Liars! We have lived here our entire lives and have not seen such a thing. You think that we wouldn't have found it by now?"

"But it's the truth, we can even show you!"

Avril pulled the bowstring back more and snapped at the group of humans,"So your people can boss us around some more? How do we know there aren't more of you camped out further along the trail?"

"Precisely...", Tamlen scoffed,"What do you say we just kill them, Mahariel?"

"Then we would be just like those who killed our ancestors years ago, let them free."

Her childhood friend shot her a rather angry look,"Pardon my words, but have you gone mad? They will surely come back armed and kill our entire clan."

Before she got the chance to answer, he spoke up again,"I say we put them down like the ratty animals that they are!"

"Tamlen, no!", Avril yelped and lowered her bow, gripping onto his arm.

The elven man ignored her pleas and shot one of the men right in the heart, the other two men scurrying to their feet. The woman looked away in horror and disgust as he effortlessly killed the last two men.

"If I hadn't killed them, they would have surely killed us..."

She looked back at him and spat her words laced with venom,"Dirthara-ma, Tamlen...You cannot take your anger out on those men simply because you are still angry about how the humans wanted to keep us prisoner years ago. We are of the Dalish, we are the free ones. Perhaps if we were not Dalish then I would understand where you are coming from, but we are who we are and we have the same freedom of the humans, maybe even more...That was a vicious thing that you did...May Fen'Harel never hear your steps..."

As she began walking away, he called after her,"I have nothing to learn concerning this, Mahariel, and you know that. Not to mention the fact that if we weren't so independent then we would be like the City Elves, slaves to the human man! And don't you dare throw the Dread Wolf in my face, I haven't got a thing to worry about involving him. I'm astonished that you would even try to say that I would have to be more careful or else he will take me. Perhaps you are not the same young girl that I grew up with..."

"As you grow, your opinions change; you stop believing what others tell you is true and you start to form your own thoughts and ideas. Maybe I'm just more mature than you."

"Fine, be that way...Aren't you supposed to meet with the Keeper anyways?"

Laughing lightheartedly, Avril made her way back over to her friend,"I wanted to hunt with you instead, but then we turned this into an argument and--"

"Then come, Avril, we shall hunt!"

A wide smile stretched across her face as she heard him use her actual name as it was the first time he had done such a thing,"As you wish..."

Word count: 922

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Okay so this is book 2 in my Dragon Age series and I hope that you guys enjoy it. Don't forget to like and comment because I love getting you guys' feedback!