"Oh, my friend," she said, looking over at him. "You're no Fereldan. You don't know our hounds so well." But it was a jest clearly made in the face of grim circumstances as they walked, one she didn't linger on for very long. She couldn't even manage a smile.

Her steps slowed but did not stop, even as he told her about Fiona. She couldn't begin to imagine it, fighting such a close friend and having to kill them. She could only assume he did so; Duncan would never let someone else kill a friend, even one trying to hurt him. It made her heart ache for him, though she didn't dare draw attention to what he may be feeling. There would be time for that later, after the battle was over.

But her thoughts went back to Alistair and Cailan, that they might be caught in all of this, and that they might turn into one of those... Her pace quickened. "Let's just make certain we don't lose anyone else today."