fandomhigh | How To Avoid Misadventure, Monday

"After you pick your companions," Alistair said, looking dapper and smiling a little and generally trying not to let Morrigan's presence get to him this time, "The next thing you must consider is what you pack. You can't bring everything with you, but if you find yourself in the midst of trouble, you'll need a few things to get out of it again. As it were. Weapons and armor are an obvious must, of course, but those won't make your fire at night. Or keep your feet warm."

"And whatever you chose to take, 'tis you who must carry it," Morrigan pointed out helpfully. "Pack animals can run off, be stolen, or eaten. They also require food, which is more to carry."

"So how much you do take with you should also depend on how tall you are, or how skinny," Alistair provided. "Morrigan here can't carry all that much, for instance. Of course, she's a mage--" Look at him trying to play nice here, Morrigan, "--so she can start her own fires. But that's all the kind of thing you need to keep in mind, or you're going to run into some nasty surprises." Beat. "Like pits. Trust me, you don't want to fall into any of those without having a rope on hand."

"Magic is not a toy," Morrigan reprimanded him, giving Alistair an annoyed glance. "Why waste my energy making fire when a flint will do?"

"Which is something else to keep in mind; if you expend too much energy making fires or walking, you will be ill-equipped to handle an ambush. Rest when needed, and either secure your packs tightly enough they stay on while fighting, or easy to shrug off."

"Oh, I don't know, because it might be more economical?" Alistair shot back. "It's not like we're talking about blood magic." He crossed his arms. "Anyway, so you'll need weapons. You'll need a way to make fire, you'll need rope, you'll need food and water, and of course, a change of clothes. Adventuring gets very smelly after a while, take it from me."

"'Tis your choice," she said mildly. "If I am too drained to electrocute a Darkspawn that wants you for dinner because I had to light all your fires, 'twould be a shame."

"Well, there's another one for the list of supplies on our fake adventure," Alistair said. Seriously, Morrigan? "Plenty of lyrium vials for the witch with no stamina."

"I've heard tales of Grey Warden stamina," she said sweetly. "So far, none of them seem to be true, so be sure to pack any healing or stamina potions as well."

"I don't want to talk to you about my stamina," Alistair concluded.

"A sore-spot, p'haps?" she asked, zeroing in on him like a fox that had spotted a rather delicious - and dumb - chicken.

"Go," she said, waving the children off. "Fill your packs with things from the ~~moddable~~ pile. You'll have to justify your choices to us all."

Then, of course, it was back to needling Alistair while the students worked.

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If you can get them to stop talking to each other first.

Hey, a big part of the time, Alistair was just glaring, not talking! Come on.

Really, this was the third week? Alistair should know by now not to give Morrigan any ammunition.

It had taken a few weeks, but Elphaba finally had decided to come speak to Morrigan.

"May I have a moment of your time?" she asked, trying to be polite but strong as well.

"Of course, child," Morrigan said, turning her attention to the green girl. "Time has us both, 'tis but a moment of time if you would have words with me."

Sometimes Morrigan was more Flemeth's daughter than she liked to admit.

"It seems that you keep strange company," Elphaba said, not wanting to sound too harsh of Alistair. "You are clearly magical of ability, and your fellow instructor has already expressed his... distrust of witches. How did you two come to teach together?"

"An accident, and nothing more," Morrigan replied, shooting her fellow a look of distaste. "My mother sent me here, to see if there were magelings beyond the reach of the Chantry, and to teach them and share magic if it be so. We did not know the Wardens recruit even here, nor that I would share my assignment with one."

"Or perhaps Flemeth knew, and found it more entertaining to withhold that information. Either way, what's done is done."

"You are here to teach magic as well?" Elphaba said, interest piqued. "I only ask because I've received no formal training in it myself, and would be quite interested to do so."

"I can, if you have the talent," Morrigan admitted. "But if you do not have the spark, I could no more convince a cat to sing than teach you to channel the Fade."

How To Avoid Misadventure, Monday

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