The closer they got to the alienage, the faster Dolain's steps became. He kept his hood up for the time being, afraid that he might be recognized by someone. While recognition wasn't terrible, he didn't want to be approached until this whole slaver thing was figured out. The last thing he needed was people coming up to him with problems or asking for money, which happened almost every time he traveled through the alienage. While he was sure word had already traveled through the gossip chain, spurred on by the dock workers who had seen him earlier that morning, he imagined he could get away with a day before returning to his gang. All seemed the same, so he was not worried that anything was out of place. He walked into the alienage first, looking around with a fondness. Dolain took a deep breath, having missed the familiar smell of the alienage while gone. While the atmosphere of the alienage hardly seemed pleasant, it was familiar and Dolain appreciated that it was the exact same as he had left it.
They had just stepped into the alienage, and Darrian looked around, for first time pausing to have a look around that wasn't simply searching for signs of slavers. It was still exactly the same as he always remembered, ugly hovels having replaced the almost identical ugly hovels that had been destroyed during the Siege, and piles of refuse. It was home, and yet, not quite. Ever since he'd left for the Pearl he'd considered himself somewhat apart from the other elves - and yet, he knew that where it really mattered he would always remain an alienage elf. They were his people after all, whether he liked it or not. Whether they liked it or not.
"Hey, wait up," he said, reaching out to stop Dolain in his tracks. He surveyed the other elf, suddenly hit by a thought that almost made him groan. He had been so intent on searching the alienage that he hadn't paused to consider things fully. There was little point in going over the alienage with a fine comb when Dolain - being the gang leader - probably knew all that happened inside the place. "You should have noticed something amiss here, if there are slavers - hasn't anyone of your gang remarked on newcomers or anything strange recently?" The elf had no idea that Dolain had been out of Denerim at all recently. Most elves never left the large city, not unless they were to be married to elves of other alienages and were leaving Denerim for good. And he knew no one and nothing would ever be able to convince Dolain to settle down (not from what Maeve had always said about him) so there was no way he could imagine that Dolain had actually left to escort his best friend to Amaranthine.
Dolain continued along, but was suddenly stopped by a hand upon his wrist. Swiftly turning around, his hood fell off. The elf gave Darrian a look of agitation. He glanced at the hand at his wrist. Unlike the many times in the last hours that Darrian had led him, this time Dolain wrenched himself away from the other's touch. They were in the alienage now. Such touches on the gang leader were poor form. If someone recognized them both and saw, it would only lead to questions. Questions he'd rather not have to worry about answering. In the alienage, it was imperative to Dolain (and his pride) that he appear alpha. This was his turf and there was no reason he wouldn't be in control. He looked around, hoping there were no witnesses to the subtle exchange. Sniffing, Dolain fixed his cloak, leaving his hood down for the moment.
Dolain pulling sharply away from him was very much like a slap to the face. More than the hovels and the familiar surroundings, the little gesture reminded Darrian that he was definitely back in the alienage, where Dolain was somebody, and he was...somebody best avoided. His eyes narrowed, feeling a familiar rush of frustration and anger which he stamped down quickly. There really was no one better than Dolain for getting under his skin, and he should be used to it by now.
"Maybe." Dolain muttered a response to Darrian's question, "I've been out of town." He explained, "I was returning, but then I ran into you being a fool." The snap sounded as if he was going to add more to the words, but a shout caused him to stop.