Thea cursed herself for not noticing the dead silence of the woods earlier. She supposed it was difficult while listening to the templar debate with the Tranquil. It seemed that even cold, emotionless logic had its usefulness at times. Kaitlyn's aversion to her use of magic wasn't the problem now. There was only one reason that would render the forest completely silent of all life.

[i]Darkspawn[/i]

Thea narrowed her eyes and called on her training. If a life growing up among the Dalish had taught her anything, it was to see through the dense vegetation and spot even the tiniest hare observing them. A darkspawn and the corruption that seeped off them like a cloud was much more blatant. "They're coming from our left." She offered to the templar immediately. She wasn't petty enough to wish the woman dead, nor did she wish to fight off the darkspawn alone. Her robes offered no protection from darkspawn blades or arrows at all.

"If they've driven off the wildlife, there are at least ten of them." She added quietly, unsure if the templar wished to reconsider her plan of action. There was no way they could outrun the monsters, not with two mages - one of them an inexperienced rider - in tow. Their alternative was to fight, and win. Thea loathed drawing too much attention to the kind of magic she could do, but it wasn't worth her sacrificing her life over a matter of pride. "Don't panic." Those were the last words she spoke to the templar before she started chanted and ushering the magic of the forest into her hands. Waving them about in an intricate movement, she directed the magic towards the nearest sapling, large enough to rival even an ogre in height but small enough that it didn't strain her abilities if she had to fight.

"That's the best I can do with the amount of time we have to prepare." She offered helpfully. "Unless you give your permission to do more, [i]mistress[/i]." She had been raised smarter than to pick a fight with the only swordsman in their party with darkspawn bearing down on them, but she couldn't care less at the moment. The silhouette of the first darkspawn appeared shortly after she finished speaking and only by throwing a shield around herself on instinct did she survive the first arrow that bounced harmlessly off it. Whatever stories about how mindless the darkspawn were, they certainly knew how to use a bow; Thea would have been shot in the heart had it not been for her quick action. She grudgingly threw it up around Kaitlyn as well. "It'll be less effective the closer you are to the archers. Shall I take care of them for you? If you're not too afraid of me turning into an abomination before then, that is."