Dolain fidgeted with the hem of his bloodied shirt, staring at the other elf with wide eyes. A couple of elves ran past between them, shouting out for someone else. Dolain continued to stare at the other. After a moment, he spoke, his voice cracked not forming any words at first. He swallowed, wetting his mouth to try again. It was difficult, but he was able to force his dry tongue to make words, "Are you alright?"
Darrian stared back at him for a moment in silence, before turning slowly around to check that he wasn't talking to anyone else. But no, it had to be him, there was no one behind him except the remains of a mutilated dog, an unlucky creature that had gotten in the way of a rampaging darkspawn. "I'm...fine?" he said, voice sounding hoarse, his throat painful at the exertion. He lifted a hand to his head, pausing in surprise when he realised his hair was trapped in bandages that were rapidly becoming soaked right through. Bandages?
Darrian ran a hand experimentally over the soft material wrapped around his head, looking confused, before glancing once more down at his chest. It itched, but the pain had subsided. He could see a scar that had been more defined barely a moment ago fading slowly as the unguent that had been rubbed into it continued taking effect. Who had taken care of him like this?
The boy raised his eyes to meet that of the other orphan boy. "Are you alright?" he asked in return. Dolain looked dirty and bloody, but he didn't seem badly hurt. Barely five paces away a woman cradled a child in her arms, crying in relief, as the child held on to her tightly. Darrian watched her dispassionately for a moment. She carried the little girl away with barely a glance for the two boys who were not much older than the child in her arms. No one had time to care about orphans when they had their own to care for.
Dolain continued to fidget, staring at the other boy before walking closer, "I think so." He looked up at the sky before looking back at Darrian. The elf looked around, he was unsure of what to do, where to go. The battle was clearly not finished elsewhere in Denerim, but the alienage was in chaos. Dolain just wanted to run to the river and wash off all the blood but he feared that more darkspawn were everywhere else. After a moment, he spoke up again, "What... what are we supposed to do?" Maybe the other boy would know.
Darrian looked at Dolain, mystified. He had no idea what they were supposed to do...this wasn't a situation he'd ever thought to find himself in. Even the adults didn't seem to know what to do with themselves, let alone them. He shook his head, feeling lost and abandoned. "Hide?" he asked, jumping as a rat darted past him, gasping slightly in fear. He turned even paler, eyes darting from side to side, almost as if expecting more darkspawn to jump out at any minute.
It was far from over. The roars in the background and faint humming still broke through the cries and fading screams of the alienage. No one had given any direction in the chaos to those that didn’t already have something to attend to. Blood upon the walls and ground were still drying.
Dolain felt a faint illness rise in him, but he pushed it away. He looked towards the younger boy. Dolain would stay strong for him. Back in the orphanage, Dolain understood the importance of older boys looking strong for the younger children. Trying not to let the fear he felt inside show upon his face, Dolain reached out. His hand wrapped around Darrian’s free hand. He squeezed it gently before speaking up, “Let’s find somewhere safe.”