Who is half trying to hide behind Raeli.

"And I'm invoking vir sulevanan, for the arulin'holm." 

The Keeper turned tired, sad eyes on Merrill. "Merrill, please. Give up this foolishness. Come back to the clan. Let Tamlen and Mahariel go." 

"You might've given up on regaining our past, Keeper. But I have not."

"We've lost so much," Raeli says quietly. "We should take any chance we have to regain some."

"Merrill put the whole clan at risk to bring back something that killed our People. I will not be lectured by either of you, on this."

Sigh.

"But there is a task I would have you perform."

"A favour for a favour. The best kind of deal."

"A varterral has taken up in a nearby cave. Three of my hunters have already been killed. I need you to-"

"Who?" Merrill's voice is stricken.

Raeli curses quietly.

"Of course we'll help."

"Who, Keeper?!"

The Keeper sighs, sadly. "Radha, Chandan and Harshal. Pol went missing yesterday, and we fear the worst."

Merrill presses a hand to her mouth, eyes filling with tears. 

"Where is the cave, Keeper?" Raeli asks. "Time is of the essence."

"Follow the path towards the mountain, but take the left road."

She reaches out for Merrill. "Merrill, da'len-"

Merrill pulls away from her, eyes glittering with angry tears. 

She marches off up the path.

Raeli's hot on her heels, with the others following behind her.

Merrill is uncharacteristically quiet, and when skeletons rise near the entrance of the cave, she fights with an aggression they haven't seen before, going as far to strike a wound on her hand and summon the strength of her spirit to shake the skeletons apart.

Ilska's dived into the fight as well, no more aggressive than usual, but eager for the chance to get rid of some of her pent up energy.

Once the skeletons are dealt with, Merrill leads the way into the cave. 

They aren't far into it when she lets out an anguished cry. "Radha!"

There, so close to the exit, is the body of a Dalish hunter, blood surrounding him. He had been gravely wounded, but had still tried to leave. 

He died, so close to the exit.

Henri reaches out to squeeze Merrill's shoulder. "We will avenge him."

"This shouldn't have happened. Varterral usually let the Dalish pass. What happened here?"

She kneels next to the corpse, and collects a small amulet. "Radha. I'm so sorry."

Raeli crouches down. "We'll figure it out."