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OOC: I once posted these stories on the old Petopia forums, and have decided to re-post them here for people to read and enjoy the tale of my Tauren huntress, Rainawa

Part I

His slate-gray fur was bedraggled - much of its healthy sheen had been lost, and patches of it had even fallen out, exposing the oozing flesh beneath. Each step he took was stiff and pained, and stretched the skin and coat so taut that each rib was clearly defined beneath. Rainawa had been tracking this particular wolf for days, from the moment she had seen his pack turn against him and drive him out as the first visible signs of plague emerged. The deterioration from healthy canid to this barely-living husk before her had been quick, and yet...one glance into his eyes spoke of the great inner strength that remained. His body might have weakened, his vision lost in one milked-over eye, but the other deep brown eye remained as indomitable as the spirit within. Plagued or no, Rainawa decided that she must have this wolf, to journey alongside her...companion and friend.

He - Rottie, as Rainawa affectionately referred to him in her mind - was not as easily convinced of this. Even more wary of danger was he now that there were no pack-mates to rush to his aid, and now that the sickness had taken much of his strength. The taming process was slow; at first he even rejected the proffered meat that carried the determined Tauren's scent. Rainawa was undeterred. She enjoyed a difficult tame, and over the course of the next week left the corpse of a small mammal - rabbits, squirrels, and the like - out for Rottie each day, then lay low in a bramble thicket, where her pale fawn-and-white fur were not quite as conspicuous. In the end, stubbornness won out over stubbornness, and Rottie took pieces of dried venison one by one from Rainawa's hand while she gently stroked his head and crooned to him in Taurahe.

In a process even more daunting than the taming of the wolf, Rottie slowly regained his physical strength under Rainawa's care and training. As a team the two would plunge deep into the tainted forest of Felwood, armed with little more than what weapons nature had given them, and would not emerge until the land was cleansed. As efficiently as they worked, however, the plague seemed to continue its spread, undoing their work in mere days. And as much care and as many medicinal herbs as she lavished upon Rottie, he continued to suffer from the same illness. Anxious over the health of her companion and the seemingly unending spread of disease that had overtaken the forest, Rainawa decided to travel north, to Moonglade, and ask for any aid that the Druids could offer.

As they traveled even further into the depths of Felwood, the creatures appeared even more grotesque, twisted into cruel shapes by the plague, and all of the plant-life was wilted and dead. Here even the roads were not safe, for they had fallen into disrepair from lack of use, and there were no guards to defend them. More than once Rainawa found herself cornered by one of the bears, gone mad with plague, and was saved by Rottie, who threw his in-formidable form between and fought with the strength of one equally crazed - driven to madness by his love for the Tauren, and by his fear of losing her.

It was a week's travel before Tauren and wolf arrived at the Timbermaw Hold. Rainawa set up camp outside the mouth of the entrance to the tunnel, and then immediately began to treat Rottie, whose weakness had increased so much as of late that she had been forced, at times, to sling him over the back of her kodo and lead the beast on. Despite his physical frailty, however, Rottie's spirit remained stalwart and untouched, and he still leaped to Rainawa's defense at the slightest stirring of danger. Even when he slept soundly, as he did that night, his ears remained erect and listening for the sound of an approach, at which he would leap up, a growl tickling his throat, and remain on the vigil until the danger had passed.

The plagued beasts did not dare approach the Timbermaw's fortress, however, so it was not until the gentle, warm caress of the sun's rays fell across her face that Rainawa stirred and woke, and prodded her companion into action. She packed the essentials into a rucksack that she carried upon her back, and turned her kodo loose in what little grazing remained in the area - for she could hardly expect to lead so large an animal through the tunnel. Then she turned and, with a whistle to signal Rottie to follow, stepped into the darkness of the furbolg's maze.

Though she carried her bow with her, Rainawa left it slung over her back, for she expected no trouble from the furbolgs. Though they allied themselves with no other race, they were a generally peaceable race and would not deny passage to a lone Tauren - or so she thought. What Rainawa did not know was how far the corruption of the plague had reached. Even the furbolgs were now turned mad, and those who had not been tainted were suspicious of any strangers, and openly hostile against them. The greatest fear of the Timbermaw within the hold was that the plague would slip past the barricade and into their ranks - thus, when their eyes fell upon the Tauren accompanied by the wolf who was clearly infected, they fell upon the pair with a series of angry, deafening roars, warning Rainawa to retreat in a language that she did not comprehend.

Before she had time to nock an arrow, Rottie had sunk his teeth into the nearest furbolg, mistaking the warning for an attack. Wolf and furbolg were then shielded completely from Rainawa's vision as the rest of the Timbermaw rushed into the fray, frenzied in their attacks and even killing their own in the attempt to dispatch the wolf and their now-infected brother. Rainawa, just as frantic in the defense of her friend, nocked arrows as quickly as she could and fired them into the backs of the nearest furbolgs. A glimpse of silver fur became visible and, with little care for her own safety, Rainawa plunged a great arm into the pack and lifted Rottie clear of the marauding furbolgs.

They surrounded her now with spears, roaring their frustration and jabbing any flesh of the Tauren that was within their reach. Streaming blood from a number of wounds, Rainawa summoned the last of her strength to stamp her hooves and cause the ground to tremble. The Timbermaw were momentarily stunned, and Rainawa took advantage of the confusion, running north through the tunnel. She threw a trap over her shoulder, which was triggered by the first of the furbolgs to pursue, and turned the ground into slick ice. Her pursuers were slowed, but underneath the heavy body of Rottie now slung across her shoulders, Rainawa barely held her own, and barely managed to emerge into the safety of Moonglade with her life. The last she remembered was cradling Rottie's unconscious form in her arms, and the fleeting thought of throwing him clear of the tunnel if she were to be overtaken by the furbolgs, before she stumbled out of the tunnel's mouth and into the arms of a Moonglade Warden, her vision blackening and all senses of the mundane world leaving her.

...

...

"Awaken, little Shu'halo. Your companion is in dire straits."

Rainawa stirred at the sound of this melodious voice, and was immediately met with a crescendo of pain from the various wounds of her body. Rolling upon her side, Rainawa's hands came in contact with the coarse fur of her companion Rottie, and memory trickled back into her mind. Her actions overcome by urgency, Rainawa stood up quickly and then kneeled by the wolf's side, her fingers moving across his body, gently prodding for signs of internal injury. The Tauren needn't have looked as far as within - there was barely an inch of Rottie's hide that wasn't bruised or bleeding, and the ragged gasping of his breath led her to believe that a rib or two was broken, and possibly puncturing a lung.

The mysterious voice had been forgotten up until this moment. However, reaching backwards for her pack, Rainawa felt it dropped into her hand by the stranger, who offered no comments but watched in silence. She did not even turn to catch a glimpse of the man or to thank him; Rainawa's attention was focused entirely on the life of her faithful pet. She tore through the contents of her bag, pulling out bandages, bruiseweed, and mageroyal. But even as she pushed her first aid knowledge to the limits, crushing the herbs into a soothing poultice for the wolf's wounds and then wrapping the greatest of his cuts with sturdy runecloth, Rottie's breathing came with greater difficulty, and the light within his one good eye dimmed.

"I'm afraid your efforts will do no good, Shu'halo. The Greatmother has already claimed this one back to her."

Her face contorted with grief, Rainawa turned at last to look upon the owner of the voice, and felt her blood run cold with shock. It was Cenarius, son of the great stag Apa'ro himself!

"You are mistaken in that, Shu'halo. Not Cenarius, I'm afraid, but Remulos...one of his sons."

He took in her expression for a moment, then continued.

"That is of little matter, however. Your soul aches for the passing of your friend, for even now he is leaving this plane to walk the Emerald Dream for eternity. His fate was sealed long before the attack by the Timbermaw."

A long-fingered hand gently brushed one of the oozing sores that the plague had caused. Rottie's flesh instantly mended, and the wound was no longer visible. An expression of renewed hope dawned upon Rainawa, and she looked up at Remulos expectantly, but he gestured back to the wolf. The sore had re-opened within a matter of moments, and his breathing had stopped almost entirely. Rainawa cried out the wolf's name, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his fur. Rottie lifted his head weakly and lapped at her face with his tongue. Then, with a weary sigh, he expelled his final breath and lay still. Rainawa pulled Rottie's corpse close to her, even as the warmth of his body began to fade away, leaving her with only the coldness of an empty heart. A hand fell gently upon the Tauren's shoulder.

"I feel your pain, Rainawa, as do many of the druids. The cleansing of Felwood is something that we have attempted for years, but even our greatest of efforts have proved in vain. The Greatmother herself now weeps for the corruption of the land and its creatures, and for the cruel fate of such a valiant and noble friend as your 'Rottie', who would have, and who did, gladly give his life up for yours."

Rainawa said nothing at first - her head was bowed, tears streaming from her face to patter gently into the wolf's shaggy gray fur. How often she had stroked it as they had sat at the fireside, unmindful of the sores, uncaring of the plague that she may very well be carrying even now. Such a short time their weeks had been now that she looked back upon them in her memories, though at the moment they had been drawn out into an eternity of love and friendship, and the couple had run together as if they had always known each other. Rottie's body may have been plagued, but two parts of him had remained as pure - no, more - his mind, and the heart that had so greatly loved the Tauren who had touched it. A fierce determination not unlike the one that had once burned in the indomitable Rottie's eye now took flame in Rainawa's heart. She lifted her chin to look upon Remulos.

"Take me to Nighthaven. I will learn to become a Druid, and the cleansing of Felwood will be my purpose."

Rainawa buried Rottie in the pure soil of Moonglade, and with it buried her past as a hunter. She would never take another pet - her companionship and love had culminated with Rottie, and her loyalty would remain with him beyond the grave.

Part II

The land below her still bore the scars of the plague that had corrupted it for many years, but the Tauren druidess looked upon it with renewed hope. Rainawa knelt, brushing her palms across the sparse patch of green grass that had pushed its way from the soil - the first fruitation of her years of toil. For more moons than she could count, the Tauren had battled the disease, slowly loosing its hold upon the animals, plants, and the very soil of this place. At last, it seemed Felwood was cleansed.

Rainawa's reverie was broken by the appearance of a strange creature below. Much like a centaur, its upper body was that of a Night Elf - save the magnificent crown of antlers, of course. However, where the torso began, the similarities ended - the lower half of the creature was that of a great stag. The young druid raised a hand in greeting, but Remulos did not see the gesture, or the Tauren, until she called out to him.

"Ho, Grovekeeper! It's not very often that I see you outside of Moonglade."

Remulos returned the greeting with a smile, and changed his course to approach the Tauren. His golden eyes swept over, taking in her disheveled her fawn-and-white fur, and lingering especially long on her eyes. What had once been beautiful emerald eyes that had danced and laughed with the love she had shared with her companion were now gold and listless, transformed by the druidic power unlocked within, and the sorrowful memories that haunted her.

"For a moment, I scarcely realized that I had left Moonglade," Remulos replied serenely. "The long-open wounds of this place have sealed at last, and I can hear the trees singing their joy."

Eyes brimming with emotion, Remulos placed a hand on Rainawa's shoulder.

"You have done us all proud, Daughter. I'm certain the spirit of Rottie smiles upon you from the Dream."

Remulos' eyes seemed to bore into Rainawa's very soul as he awaited her reaction to the long-unspoken name.

"Raksha," she responded softly.

"Hmm?"

"When I entered the Dream for the first time those years ago, and Rottie revealed himself to me as my spirit guide, he spoke that his true name was Raksha."

" 'Protection', in the language of your people, the Shu'halo. No name could be more fitting."

Rainawa turned away, but not before Remulos glimpsed the sheen of tears. He waited until she turned back to speak again.

"Rainawa, as a Druid, you have done much good in the world. Alone you have accomplished what the rest of us, together, could not - the cleansing of this forest. Already the Greatmother is finishing your work, healing the plants, and bringing new life.

"But this path you walk, Rainawa, is not your true destiny. Despite the aptitude you have shown in your years as a Druid, you do not belong among us. You are a Hunter in your very spirit, and all that you have done, including departing from that path, has been for the Wild, as any dedicated Hunter would have done."

The Tauren shook her head vehemently.

"I cannot walk that path again, Remulos. Not without Rot- Raksha."

Remulos sought Rainawa's hand, and clasped it gently within his own. He began to lead her slowly toward Moonglade.

"And that is why the Greatmother has a final gift to one of the greatest of her druids. Follow me, Rainawa, to the Barrow Dens, where you will visit the Emerald Dream one last time."

...

...

The deep slumber of the Dream beckoned with each step Rainawa took into the depths of the Barrow. It fogged the Tauren's senses, lulling her into a meditative state between reality and the Dream - so that while she saw the clear-defined shape of Remulos leading the way through the dark passage with her body's eyes, her mind's eyes gazed upon the primeval forest that had once been.

She became aware of a change in temperature as they descended into the deepest of chambers housed within this Barrow. A chill caressed her spine with icy fingers, like the touch of the spirit-world. In the center of the chamber, a small flame burned in defiance of the dark, its warm invitation warding off the shudder. Remulos lay down beside it, folding his legs beneath him. Rainawa knelt at his side, catching a whiff of dreamfoil incense rising from the fire as she did.

"I see that you've made the necessary preparations," Remulos spoke to a shifting shadow lurking just outside the fire's glow. "Does this mean our guest has consented to join us?"

A deep chuckle sounded from the shadow as it stepped forward to reveal an elderly Tauren bull. In his gold eyes was the wisdom of many generations, and on his bare chest, the mark of the Greatmother was tattooed.

"You'll have to speak with her yourself, Remulos. I'm afraid she has some...misgivings."

He gestured to the furthest corner of the chamber, where Rainawa could barely discern a pale white shape.

"Very well, Hamuul," Remulos sighed.

The Grovekeeper rose and approached the stranger, leaving Rainawa to gape open-mouthed at the male Tauren. Hamuul - the Archdruid? Hamuul winked at her in response, then turned his attention to Remulos. Snatches of the conversation drifted to Rainawa.

"She has been plagued by an illness of the spirit. She grieves..."

Ere Stormtide finally interrupted, her expression impatient.

"But Remulos, the healing of the soul is not a Shaman's forte. You would have been better to call for a priest. In fact, I can recommend one to you, bright Forsaken woman - well, bright as they get, anyway - Cassie is her name..."

"Stormtide, is it within the range of your abilities to bring the spirit of a deceased wolf back to this world?"

The forwardness of Remulos' question floored the shaman, as well as the implications of it. She stammered momentarily, took a deep breath to regain her composure, and then answered in a smooth of a tone as she could muster.

"Remulos, you know as well as I do that Resurrection only works on mortal beings whose souls have not yet departed from this world. You speak of drawing back a soul from the Nether? It is not possible, and anyone who attempted it would themselves become lost to the Nether."

"Actually, Seer, his soul has not departed from this world. It exists on another plane of Azeroth, the Emerald Dream."

Stormtide squared her shoulders and glared stubbornly at the Grovekeeper.

"Very well then, Remulos," she consented at last. "I will participate in your ritual, but I make no promises. After all, I am not even certain I can visit this 'Emerald Dream' of yours."

"Have a seat, Seer, and leave the rest to us," Remulos responded with an enigmatic smile. Stormtide complied, seating herself across from Rainawa, then looked up at the Grovekeeper expectantly.

Remulos sank down between Stormtide and Rainawa, so that the four formed a circle around the miniscule flame. With a significant glance at Hamuul, he cleared his throat and spoke.

"You will first take the hands of those sitting beside you," Remulos said, pausing only to assure they did so. "You must maintain this grip at all times, for this physical contact is all that will tether our spirits together in the Dream. Without it you could become lost within the Nightmare, and cursed to remain in eternal slumber."

His gaze grew distant as Remulos' spirit drew near to the Dream.

"Druids, feel the slumber beckon you," Hamuul intoned in his deep voice. "Make contact with the spirit of Stormtide, and draw her with you. Guide her, walk beside her Between the Worlds, and lead the Seer into the Dream."

Rainawa felt her soul connect to the shaman's - and, as it did, became aware of a multitude of memories and emotions that were not her own. She saw a young white Taureness struck down by a bolt of lightning from the heavens. An elderly Tauren knelt before her, and declared that the spirits of storm, earth, and fire had recognized her great power and marked her to serve them. Kalanee had ceased existing then, and Stormtide had been born.

The gentle, probing touch of Hamuul's spirit was now connected with both, leading shaman and druidess into the Emerald Realm. Rainawa sensed Remulos' soul somewhere ahead, its radiant power a beacon.

She released her spirit-hold of the others, and smelled the deep loam of the primal forest. Rising into a stand, Rainawa saw the others standing beside her, Stormtide trembling with restrained emotion.

"Great Spirits!" The Seer exclaimed, her eyes wide. "I can almost touch the elements...so wild, so powerful...so incorrupt!"
A tear streamed down Stormtide's face as she turned to Remulos.

"I thank you, Grovekeeper, for this experience. It has touched my very core - I shall never be the same."

Remulos smiled.

"I am glad it is so profound for you, Seer, but do not forget the business at hand. I will need you to locate the spirit we discussed, and call it to us."

Stormtide closed her eyes, expression screwed up with concentration. Her aura flared momentarily brighter, but no other effects were observed. Frowning, the white Taureness opened her eyes once more.

"I felt something, momentarily, but it was distant and unresponsive...perhaps..."

She trailed off there, murmuring words in Kalimag. A pair of spirit wolves appeared at her side, and she spoke to them softly in the same language. They departed at a sweeping gesture of Stormtide's arm, leaping swiftly through the timber, their howls resounding off the great trees.

A silence fell over the Dream, and in its spell hours may have passed. The Four stood patiently in their vigil, and were rewarded with the sound of soft footsteps. Rainawa turned to face the being whose arrival they heralded, and fell to her knees.

"Raksha!"

The dark wolf approached Rainawa slowly, as if the emotion expressed only within his eyes weighed his every pawstep. When finally he stopped and gazed deep within the druid's eyes, she wept with abandoned restraint.

Stormtide stepped forward at a meaningful glance from Remulos, placing herself between Rainawa and Raksha. The wolf's spirit laid its ears back, the beginnings of a growl tickling his throat. Stormtide disregarded this threat, and loosed an herb pouch from her belt. From it she removed a wispy, silver tendril of a plant.

"This is preserved Whispervine, a rare herb found only in the untamed continent of Northrend. When it touches a living soul, it will induce a vision. When I sprinkle this upon you, Raksha, you must put your trust in me, and the vision, and follow where it leads you."

The Seer did not wait for an answer. Crushing the Whispervine in her fist, she opened her palm and blew gently. The dust settled upon Raksha's coat.

The wolf turned immediately and trotted off. No backward glance was spared for the Tauren who had once been his master and companion, and whom he served now as spirit-guide. Raksha's soul lost tangibility the further it went, fading from the Dream's reality until it disappeared altogether. Rainawa's expression contorted with pain as she watched him go, and she rose upon one knee as if to follow, but Remulos' hand fell upon her shoulder, and she felt the her soul being drawn back to its physical shell by the Grovekeeper.

...

...

The druidess shook with restrained fury as she awoke to reality. Before Stormtide had little more time than to rise into a stand, Rainawa descended upon her in a godlike wrath.

"How could you?!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "He was my companion, my one true friend, and I already lost him once! How could you kill him for good? The soul that remained in the Dream was all that I had left of Raksha...and now..."

The Seer had remained silent till this point, perturbed by the sudden emotional storm. When she finally opened her mouth to respond to Rainawa's accusations, the druidess had already rounded on Remulos, who had begun to make his unseen way to the exit.

"And you! I trusted you, Remulos. How could you plot such an atrocity?"

The Grovekeeper inclined his head, one brow raised at the furious Taureness. He did not speak to her right away; his first words addressed the Seer whom his eyes came to a rest upon.

"A small amount will be enough, Seer. Make certain you don't overdo it."

He then walked forward to Rainawa, and embraced her despite the spluttered protests.

"All will make sense in time, Rainawa. I'm afraid I cannot explain, for the tendrils of destiny are to determined by you. You must walk your own path, Daughter. Moonglade is your home no longer."

It was too much for the Tauren, who had, in one day, lost her companion, and now the only path she had known for many years. As Remulos removed the druidic amulet from her neck, she sank to the ground in utter despair. The Grovekeeper turned then and continued on his way, grateful that the dim light of the chamber had hidden his tears. Hamuul followed, his silent presence offering a small comfort.

Stormtide watched the pair until the darkness of the tunnel had swallowed them, and then removed a pouch of herbs from her belt. This she dropped into Rainawa's lap.

"Remulos wanted me to do it, but I feel that the choice should ultimately be your own," the Seer spoke in a more gentle voice than she had previously used. Without awaiting an answer, she hurried off after the Grovekeeper and Archdruid.

Alone, the fawn-colored Taureness gave in to her sorrows until her tears ran dry. When finally they stopped, she turned her attention to the discreet pouch, loosing the knot that held it shut and peering at its contents.

The tendrils of destiny...

The familiar sight of the wispy, ice-blue Whispervine plant greeted Rainawa. At the thought that its last use had spelled Raksha's final fate, she almost cast it aside. But then another memory spoke.

When it touches a living soul, it will induce a vision...you must put your trust in me, and the vision, and follow where it leads you...

She plucked a single strand from the pouch, and placed it upon her tongue. Steeling herself for what was to come, Rainawa swallowed.



The plains of Mulgore had been parched by the sun's rays. As far as Rainawa's eyes could see, the grasses stood in vibrant hues of gold, begging the heavens for the nourishing rain that they had been denied for weeks. Squinting into the distance, she signaled to the brilliant pink Tallstrider nearby. Floyd's stilty legs closed the distance between them quickly, and an inquiring beak poked into her pack, searching for food. Rainawa gazed up at Thunder Bluff, shielding her eyes against the brilliant noon light, and then allowed them to wander to a more distant land, a forest slowly healing, a forest with a call as unceasing and insistent as the howl of a wolf. Soon, she would answer.

Rainawa nocked an arrow, and with a nod at her new companion, signaled the hunt.

Part III

The fawn-and-white furred Taureness shuffled uneasily across the bridge, trying to ignore the way it swayed ominously with each gust of the wind, its ropes creaking with strain. She glanced downward for a moment and regretted it immediately - hundreds of feet below her, the plains of Mulgore rippled in the breeze.

"Leave it to Shaman to require faith in order to cross to their Rise," Rainawa grumbled, tearing her eyes off the ground and forcing them to remain focused on their destination.

Though she found it breathtakingly beautiful when viewed from below, Rainawa did not particularly enjoy visiting the Tauren city of Thunder Bluff. Apart from preferring the quiet solitude of the Wild to the bustle and noise of the city, the Tauren cow was very much afraid of heights.

"You can do this," Rainawa reassured herself. "Just walk across and talk to the Seer. It's for Raksha - you have to know for sure."

Speaking the name of her deceased wolf companion strengthened the huntress' resolve. She pressed on across the bridge and soon found herself outside the Shaman's kodo-hide tepee. Rainawa took a moment to compose herself from the strenuous crossing, then pushed the entrance flap aside, and entered.

The interior was nearly black; the structure was lit only by a small flame in its center. The flickering glow of the fire illuminated the faces of the two Shaman seated beside it - a young bull, and an elderly cow. As Rainawa approached them, the heavy perfume of Dreamfoil incense reached her nostrils, and a painful memory surfaced. It had been nearly a year since she had smelled it last - and since she had become acquainted with Seer Stormtide.

The young bull glanced up at Rainawa, and patted the ground in invitation.

"Come, huntress. Bathe in the heat of the cleansing flame, and be purified."

Rainawa stood her ground.

"I'm here on urgent business. I need to speak with Stormtide."

"If it is our Seer you seek, then you have arrived a fortnight too late. Though her spirit lingers here, her earthen form is gone."

Shaman, Rainawa thought to herself annoyedly. Always speaking with spirits on their tongues.

The elderly Taureness, perhaps observing the bemused expression on Rainawa's face, clarified.

"Seer Stormtide departed to Northrend last week with the Mag'har forces. If you are in need of spiritual aid, perhaps I may be of service to you."

Rainawa hesitated. She was certain that none but Stormtide would possess the knowledge of Raksha's fate that she sought. However, as a Shaman, perhaps this woman could clarify the effects of Whispervine on the a soul of the deceased.

"I need to ask about the properties and effects of a spiritual herb, Whispervine-"

Her words were drawn short. Only moments before, the elderly Shaman's face had been open and friendly - now, it was dark and impassive. The Shaman's gray eyes chilled Rainawa's very soul, though they were not nearly as cold as her voice had become.

"I cannot help you, huntress." She turned to the young bull. "Tigor, please see to it that our guest has no issues finding the exit."

The young shaman grasped Rainawa's forearm gently, and she allowed herself to be escorted from the tent. Outside, she mulled over what she had heard - and what she had not.

Though the reason for the elder's sudden coldness was unclear to Rainawa, she was now certain of one thing - only a powerful shaman would be able to aid her in the quest for knowledge about Whispervine - and Raksha. But who among the Horde - with the exception of Stormtide - could claim such greatness?

As she made her way back across the bridge, staring determinedly ahead, it finally occurred to her who might be able to help.

Thrall.



Rainawa urged her Frostwolf through the gates of Orgrimmar, her wide eyes drinking in the wake of destruction that the Lich King's forces had left. Many of the buildings in the Valley of Strength were in shambles. Peons hurried past in either direction, removing rubble from the sites, or bringing in new lumber for the rebuilding and repairs of Orgrimmar. Refugees were grouped around a number of small campfires in the center of the Valley. Orphaned children wept for their parents, and all wept from the remnants of terror left in the wake of the attack.

Choosing her path carefully so as not to trample any of the homeless, Rainawa attempted to close her eyes and ears to the suffering of those around her. There was nothing to be done for it now; that battle had already been fought and lost. Her own still waged within her, the unconquerable truth of death seeking to crush the determination of her spirit. She wanted so badly to believe that Raksha was alive and well, somewhere - that his spirit, at least, remained.

She had lost herself in musings, but Frostbite, Rainawa's mount, had travelled the path to Thrall's chambers under direction of the slightest pressures from the Taureness' thighs, and the tiniest shifts in her seat. With a grateful pat for the Frostwolf, the huntress slid from her back and entered the stronghold, approaching Thrall's throne with some hesitations. The coldness of the elderly shaman cow in Thunder Bluff was fresh in her memory, and she feared what kind of reception she might get from not only a greater Seer, but also the leader of the entire Horde. Would Thrall scoff at her, or simply order her thrown out for wasting his time? For certainly the leader had more important things to worry about in a time of such strife than one lone wolf, and a dead one at that.

Before she could stop herself, Rainawa had approached Thrall, and voiced her quiet, yet direct, question to the orc.

"I am Huntress Rainawa, once a Druid of the Cenarion Circle under the tutelage of Remulos. Thrall, I have come to request...that is....great Warchief, can you aid me?"

Thrall's distant gaze became focused as he studied the fawn-furred Taureness. For an eternity the silence seemed to stretch, and Rainawa was preparing herself to turn and leave when he finally spoke.

"Your deeds for the Horde - and, indeed, for all of the world - have not gone unrecognized, Huntress. If there is a way in which I can aid you, I shall."

"Seer, what can you tell me about Whispervine?"

The color drained from Thrall's face.

"Huntress, I'm afraid I can tell you little. It is a plant of very potent spiritual power, and its use - and even discussion - is forbidden by the Seer's Order."

Rainawa's face fell, and she began to walk away. Thrall's low-spoken words stopped her.

"However - there may be another who can help you, Huntress. The Alliance Seers face no such restrictions, and are far more knowledgeable in the art of spiritual herbs than our own. Nobundo is their leader. You will find him far to the west in the Alliance capital of The Exodar, which crash-landed on a small island called Azuremyst. It is accessible by only one means - an Alliance ship that departs from the port in Auberdine.

"Farewell, Rainawa, and good luck."


...

...

Faced with the hopeless challenge of gaining passage on an Alliance ship, Rainawa began her journey through Ashenvale, heading Northwest to the Night Elf territory of Darkshore. It was a perilous trip, for though the Horde had gained a foothold in the southernmost half of the forest, the night elves defended Ashenvale vehemently against the destruction of the trees that the orcs had carelessly wrought. Having called it their homeland for thousands of years, the elves were far more familiar with the land than the Horde, giving them a significant advantage - furthermore, the forest itself seemed to ally with the elves, concealing them from their enemies and allowing them to make use of brutal surprise tactics, while the Horde relied on force alone.

So Rainawa was wary as she guided Frostbite through the trees, her every sense heightened by anxiety and on the alert for anything out of the ordinary. Though she had encountered nothing but wildlife so far, it did little to put the huntress' mind at ease - every shadow could conceal the enemy.

Swinging south of the path to avoid the heavily-guarded city of Astranaar, the Tauren cow began to recognize the telltale signs of a bear's den. She hesitated, between a rock and a hard place: travelling nearer to the city risked her being sighted, and would no doubt warn the Night Elves of her presence and rally them against her. Entering the domain of an Ashenvale bear was likewise foolish, as they were fiercely territorial. Resigned to the fact that a single bear was easier to take on than an entire city's defenses, Rainawa rode past a tree heavily scarred by the claws of a bear.

The anticipated attack did not come, and the huntress relaxed a little. Perhaps the resident of the den was already hibernating - winter's arrival would come to this land soon, after all. As she guided Frostbite through the thick undergrowth, the air was suddenly rent apart by a crazed roar, and Rainawa knew immediately the error of her thought. Frostbite bolted in terror, weaving through the trees at a breakneck pace, and Rainawa could do little but keep her seat on the fear-stricken wolf. They emerged finally in a clearing, and here her mount slowed, sides heaving from exertion - and there, straight ahead, was the bear.

It was massive. In all her years as both Hunter and Druid, Rainawa had never encountered a bear of such proportions in the Wild. It dwarfed the Ashenvale Bears in comparison, likely accounting for two of them in weight - and each time it growled, it revealed a set of jagged fangs the size of small daggers. Heart thumping in her ears, the fawn Taureness began to back Frostbite up ever so slowly, fearing attack and wondering to herself, distantly, why the bear had not already charged them down. At that moment, her eyes caught the glint of metal, and she understood - the bear was enraged, and with good reason, for its paw was clamped quite tightly within the jaws of a metal bear-trap.

Rainawa was torn. The Hunter in her knew the danger and unpredictability of any predator in such a predicament, but the Druid in her reached out to the wounded animal, longing to help it - to free it, and to tend its injuries. Heart finally won out over head, and the Taureness dismounted. Frostbite backed away uneasily as her rider approached the bear, crooning gentle sounds that were drowned out by the angry grunts and pained roars of the trapped bear.

With only a few yards between her and the crazed bear, the pair's eyes finally met, and with a jolt, Rainawa saw the human within. Her eyes raked the form of the beast, and sure enough, the crescent-moon symbol of Elune stood out among the fur upon the bear's shoulder. This was no beast, but a Druid! The huntress rushed forward, and was nearly disemboweled by the raking sweep of the bear's great paw. Only her reflexes saved Rainawa from a mortal wound; she leapt backwards, and the tips of the bear's claws grazed her stomach, ripping through the leather tunic she wore but scarcely breaking her skin.

"I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU BLOODY IDIOT!" She screamed over the druid's roars. Whether from understanding of her words, or exhaustion from loss of blood, the bear quieted down, allowing Rainawa to approach and get a good look at the metal jaws sunk deep into its ankle.

It was clear, at first glance, that the poor druid had been stuck this way for over a day - dried blood caked the paw, the trap, and the ground, and the wound was beginning to fester. Rainawa spotted the release lever at last, and applied a small pressure. With a spring the trap flew back open, and the bear's paw was free. The wound had opened again from the lack of the trap's pressure, however, and, succumbing to blood lost and physical exhaustion, the druid fell unconscious, nearly crushing Rainawa beneath its great bear-form.



She could not light a fire for fear of its glow or smoke revealing her position to her enemies, but Rainawa made camp an hour later, with many glances at the yet-unconscious creature. She had tended its wounds as best as she could, thinking with a pang of the druidic powers she had once possessed, and how much easier the job would have been if she still had them. The mangled appendage was wrapped now, with a poultice of Mageroyal pressed firmly into the wound, which would hopefully stem the flow of blood.

With a wearied sigh, Rainawa rummaged through her pack and withdrew a supply of dried meat. Frostbite had wandered off into the forest, likely to hunt her own meal. The huntress took a listless bite of the jerky, then put it aside immediately - her anxiety pressed upon her greatly, causing her stomach to churn most unpleasantly, and she could not bear the taste of any food. Her thoughts turned inward, of Raksha and his fate, of how she could hope to infiltrate the Night Elf city and gain passage on the ship to Azuremyst.

The large shadow of the bear stirred, and Rainawa watched the druid rise into a stand with some apprehension, recalling the raking claws that had very nearly removed her intestines. Wavering unsteadily, the druid began to hobble off - not toward the haven of Astranaar, but deeper into the forest, from which the resounding howls of the ghostpaw wolves sounded.

"I'd stick around and rest, if I were you. You won't make it very far on that hurt paw." Rainawa spoke firmly to the bear's backside. It paused, and turned to face the Tauren. She could not discern its expression in the darkness, but heard the grunt that acknowledged her words as it sunk down into a sitting position. Questions swirled through the huntress' mind. Why had the druid not communicated with her? Why did it not shapeshift back to its elven form, and heal itself? Unable to bear the pressing weight of curiosity with her other concerns, Rainawa spoke again to the shadowy figure of the bear.

"How'd you get caught in that trap anyway, and why didn't you just shapeshift out of it? Why don't you shapeshift now, and heal yourself? And how come you don't travel to nearby Astranaar - there's someone there who could aid you, certainly."

The druid only growled.

"Fine, don't talk to me," Rainawa said, annoyed. "I only saved your life."

Another growl.

"You could at least say 'thank you'!" Rainawa shouted, unable to curb her temper any longer.

"Grrr..savage..kin" The bear grunted in response.

It was only Rainawa's vast experience with animals that allowed her to extract the single word from that harsh, guttural sound that the druid had uttered. Savagekin? The word was familiar, and yet the meaning would not come to her. She racked her brains, trying to recall where she had heard it uttered before, and was finally rewarded with a memory of Remulos leading her through Moonglade.

"Shapeshifting is far more dangerous than you would think, Rainawa. I simply cannot allow you to attempt it yet. Too many things could go wrong - you could even become trapped in an animal form permanently, and spend the rest of your days as a savagekin, with the last vestiges of your humanity slowly tickling out of you, until nothing but a beast remains..."

"Is that what you are, a savagekin? Trapped in the form of a bear, and unable to resume a human form?"

Grunt. Rainawa took that as meaning 'yes'.

"Well, I suppose that puts me in quite the predicament then. See, I was hoping that you'd be able to help me when you heal up a bit. I need to get to Azuremyst Isle, and speak with the leader of the Alliance Seers, Nobundo. It is a matter...of utmost importance."

She could not keep the grief out of her voice as her thoughts returned to Raksha and his unknown fate. The bear shuffled closer, and she felt its muzzle press into her shoulder in what she was certain was a consoling way. Fighting the tears back, Rainawa looked up, her eyes gazing steadily into the too-human eyes of the beast before her.

"I don't know what you were talking about, friend, when you said you are a savagekin. I can see the humanity in your eyes, in your soul. The beast has not yet conquered you."

That said, Rainawa lay down and turned over onto her side, closing her eyes. It was close to dawn, however, before the solace of sleep claimed her mind at last.

...

...

The sun had risen to its zenith before Rainawa stirred, and began to pack her belongings so that she could continue her northward journey. Frostbite stood a short distance away, already saddled and ready for travel. Shouldering her rucksack, the huntress gave once last backward glance to the druid she had rescued, before mounting her wolf and urging it into a steady lope.

She tried not to let her thoughts linger long on how the druid would fare alone in the wild in her injured condition - after all, she had pressing matters of her own to attend to, such as finding a way of slipping onto the Azuremyst boat undetected, and discovering Raksha's fate.

And so, over the course of the next few days, the Tauren cow all but forgot her run-in with the night elf "savagekin". She was deep in Alliance territory now, and perhaps a day's travel from the town of Auberdine. Thus far she had managed to remain undetected, catching only glimpses of night elf sentinels through the trees, but Rainawa knew she could not count on her luck holding out indefinitely, and travelled well off the road, and only in the dark of night.

Despite these precautions, the huntress' luck ran out on the final night, as she approached the outskirts of Auberdine. She was circling wide around the town, searching for a place to camp, when Frostbite let out a low warning growl, when an arrow whizzed past Rainawa's ear, and lodged itself with a dull thud into a tree behind her.

"Off the mount, Tauren, and slowly. Hands where I can see them, or the next one won't miss."

Rainawa heard the sound of a bow-string being pulled taught, and knew the business-like tone was no bluff. She slid off Frostbite, keeping her hands visible above her head. The Frostwolf whined anxiously as the night elf sentinel approached, and with a soft whistle Rainawa signaled her mount to flee. Frostbite turned tail and ran off into the darkness. Rainawa turned to watch her mount go, breathing a sigh of relief that was cut off abruptly by a sharp blow to the back of the head.

The Taureness crumpled to the ground in a heap, her vision momentarily fading out, though she managed to keep her tenuous hold on consciousness. Distantly, she could hear the sentinel speaking.

"I said hands where I could see them, Horde filth. Terms of fair treatment don't apply to your kind, as far as I'm concerned."

Rainawa made no effort to rise, but lay where she had fallen, the gears in her mind turning rapidly, seeking to invent some kind of escape plan.

"Get up, Tauren."

Deep within her own mind, she did not hear the sentinel's words. A sharp kick was issued to her abdomen, and she doubled over upon the ground, the world graying out around her.

"I said get up! Now, Tauren, or I shoot!"

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," A new, feminine elven voice spoke out of the shadows. "Our new allies the Draenei wouldn't be too pleased if their prisoner arrived dead."

"What do you mean?" The sentinel spat at a shadow leaning against the same tree into which she had earlier fired an arrow.

"Only that Velen wants to question this one personally, Sentinel Nayisha. I was entrusted with the delivery of this prisoner in one piece, and if I were to slip your name to him for such brutal treatment - why, he might want you in for questioning as well."

"It's only Horde scum," the sentinel said, though there was a definite note of panic in her voice now.

"Then you won't mind if I collect her and get along on my way," the strange voice said smoothly, stepping to Rainawa's side. "As soon as the boat to Azuremyst arrives in port, we'll be out of your hair."

"Very well," the sentinel replied sullenly, letting the arrow in her bow fall to the ground, and spitting at Rainawa's hooves. "But keep a close eye on this one - the Horde dogs can't be trusted."

The stranger waited until the sentinel had gone, then grasped Rainawa's hips and lifted her, by main force, to her feet. As the Tauren's vision came back into focus, she recognized a tattoo on the shoulder of the elf, and almost collapsed again.

"It's you!"

"Yes, the one you saved - and then abandoned," the elf said wryly. "Was hard keeping up with you for the first couple of days, as much as my leg was hurting me. Finally, I managed to shapeshift into my humanoid form, and heal myself up a bit. It was no easy feat, Tauren, whatever you might think - once the beast gets a hold of you, it's not something easily fought."

"But why-"

"My story," the druidess spoke firmly and loudly, over Rainawa's question, "is best saved for less perilous times. We have to get you on that boat, Tauren - this is your only chance. Now, are you willing to do whatever I tell you, no questions asked?"

Rainawa delayed in her response - though she had rescued this druidess from the clutches of the bear-trap, putting her very life in the hands of a racial enemy seemed nothing short of lunacy. However, as the elf had spoken, this was very likely to be the only chance she had. She thought of Raksha, and how he had never hesitated in his defense of his master, even when he had been near death.

"I'll do it if I may be permitted a single question."

"And that question is?" the night elf inquired, raising a brow at the Taureness.

"What is your name?"

"I am Evelynn, huntress. Now, let's go - take this rope, and tie your ankles together, then let me get your wrists. The sun's rising, and we don't have much time to spare."

...

...

Under normal circumstances, Rainawa's dignity would have prevented her from allowing herself to be dragged along like some animal's carcass - but with the memory of Raksha in her heart, she submitted herself wholly to Evelynn's plan.

The druidess herself wasn't enjoying the experience too much either - her snow-white hair was already soaked with perspiration from the effort of hauling the Taureness through the town. A few of Auberdine's residents stopped to watch the procession, but, as Evelynn had hoped, her barbaric treatment of Rainawa was enough to allay any suspicions of the pair, and they let her pass on her way unharassed and unquestioned.

The druid paused outside the inn to catch her breath, and, on the pretense of checking to make sure the ropes were still tight, whispered to Rainawa.

"The boat will be here any minute. And, no offense - but you're pretty damned heavy."

Rainawa couldn't help but chuckle silently to herself at the night elf's joke, humor that quickly died down when she was pulled across the rough stone floor of the inn and then onto the dock's uneven wooden planks. I'm gonna have splinters when this is through, Rainawa thought to herself wryly.

They had reached the end of the dock. The boat to Azuremyst had not yet arrived, and the pair waited in silence, listening to the waves throw themselves against the wooden support-beams. The sea spray was refreshing on Rainawa's chafed skin, which had begun to bleed in some places from being dragged over on the uneven ground. Evelynn glanced down at her companion's superficial wounds, but made no move to heal them - she wouldn't risk breaking their cover, not now, when they were so near to their goal.

A small ship suddenly came into view, gliding quickly silently up to the dock, triangular sails rippling in the breeze. Rainawa watched its approach in awe - she had never seen such a beautiful and finely-crafted vessel. It was smaller than the ships that the goblins used to transport cargo and passengers between Booty Bay and Ratchet, and faster as well. The Taureness was just admiring the name of the ship etched upon the side in brilliant gold letters - The Elune's Blessing - when she felt Evelynn begin to pull her on board.

The crew muttered darkly as they saw the passenger they were expected to transport, but went about their tasks on the captain's shouted orders, and paid Rainawa no further heed. Evelynn cast a nervous glance at the captain of the vessel, but the night elf male did not appear to even notice his passengers as he ordered the anchor lifted and the sails unfurled once more.

Rainawa's heart lightened considerably each moment they drew nearer the Exodar - and, she was certain, the answers she sought. Then it struck her, like the blow she had received to the head from the sentinel last night - even under the guise of a prisoner, it was unlikely she would be able to penetrate the Exodar's defenses and ask Nobundo the questions she sought answers to, assuming that he would agree to aid the huntress.

They had docked on the shore of the small island, and the impressive form of the crash-landed Naaru ship towered above Evelynn and Rainawa. The druid dragged the Tauren off the boat and waved a farewell to the crew as they set sail once more. Once the ship was out of sight, she bent down and untied the ropes wound around Rainawa's ankles and wrists, and helped her companion into a stand.

"There's no way we're getting in there," Rainawa said with an apprehensive glance at the Naaru ship. Evelynn nodded her agreement, but then smiled slyly at the Tauren.

"No way you're getting in there, you mean. That path over there-" Evelynn pointed at a steep incline that began at the base of the Exodar and wound its way up, "will take you to the top of the Exodar, a place only the most respected Shaman are allowed. It is unlikely you will be disturbed or discovered there. I'll go into the city, and fetch Nobundo out for you."

"Evelynn, I-" Rainawa sought to express her gratitude to the druid for all her aid, but could find no words with which to do so. Instead, she pulled the night elf into an embrace, then released her quickly, as if frightened she had gone too far. Evelynn beamed.

"It's nothing, Rainawa. You saved my life, and I would gladly risk my own for you, friend."

She hurried off to the city's entrance, and Rainawa made her slow way to the base of the path. She looked up at the steep climb apprehensively, recalling the bridge to the Spirit Rise in Thunder Bluff. Leave it to Shaman....she thought once more, and then began the climb, the image of Raksha pressing her on, a faint spark of hope that kept her determination burning.

"I've been waiting for you, Huntress."

A cracked voice spoke as she arrived at the top. Rainawa halted in shock.

"Your friend came to get me, but I was already aware that your arrival was impending. Thrall sent me a vision shortly after your departure from Orgrimmar."

Evelynn stood beside the Broken Seer, and it was the sight of her new friend that enabled Rainawa to find her legs once more, and walk forward to bow in front of Nobundo.

"Seer, I - I must know..."

"Whispervine. If used upon a soul of the deceased, it enables them to be reborn. Of course, the soul in question would need to possess tremendous strength in order to withstand the rebirth."

"Raksha could have," Rainawa breathed, her tone faint. "But where...why has he not returned to me..."

"You seek many answers, Huntress, and knowledge does not come freely. Your people and mine - we are enemies through our alliances."

Rainawa turned her gaze to the ground, her face burning with shame. The Taurahe...they had been such peaceable folk before their alliance with the Horde, fighting only with those who struck against them, first.

"And yet," Nobundo continued thoughtfully, "You did not hesitate to aid one of ours. For the trials you have endured, you have earned the right to this knowledge:

"The answers you seek are in Northrend. You must travel there, and fight the evil that your people and mine both fight, the one common foe that unites us all. In time, Huntress, the answers will come to you. In time, you will see your companion again."

Her heart could have burst from the joy of these last words, and Rainawa leapt up, pulling the Broken into an embrace much as she had done on the dock with Evelynn. Nobundo was nonplussed, but smiled at the Taureness as she released him.

"Let us hope this will be a new age, for your people, and for mine. Let us hope that, such as with you and Evelynn, we can put aside our blind hatred, and think with our hearts."


Rainawa waited at the top of the zeppelin tower, one hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun as she awaited the arrival of the airship to the Borean Tundra. Beside her stood a gargantuan bear, drawing many curious glances from her fellow Horde. The Tauren cow smiled wryly to herself, knowing that none would see through Evelynn's ruse, and would imagine her as merely a pet, and not the Alliance druid she truly was.

Somewhere, in Northrend, she would find Raksha. But, until then....she held a dear companion in the night elf Evelynn, and would fight at her side with the same bravery and determination as Raksha had once fought at hers.

Part IV

Rainawa's every sense was at its apex; her spine tingled from the presence of an unseen foe. Kneeling cautiously, the fawn-furred Taureness studied a set of tracks before her - ursine paw prints of gargantuan proportions, that she could have easily fit both hands in, and with room to spare. Her breath caught at the sound of a soft footstep behind her, barely audible above the din of the nearby battle. Leaping up, the huntress nocked an arrow in her bow at the very moment the rogue struck.

"Die, Horde scum!" The human assassin shouted, planting a dagger that dripped with an unknown poison deep into the Taureness' belly. She staggered, and, finding her strength, twisted out of the rogue's grasp and leapt backwards. Bleeding copiously, Rainawa dropped an ice-trap and began to run, calling upon the Aspect of the Cheetah to grant her speed - and that was when the druid struck.

With a mighty roar it sprang from the shadows, its pounce knocking the huntress to the ground. Raking claws found the deep dagger-wound and Rainawa cried out in pain, her voice echoing across the plains. Her Horde brothers, engaged against the forces of the Scourge, did not hear her cries.

The rogue had escaped her trap, and threw dirt at Rainawa's eyes as she sought to escape the druid with another backwards leap. Blind and weak from the loss of blood, the huntress sank to the ground, seeking to stave off the clutching darkness of unconsciousness that had begun to descend upon her. She heard a great snarling as she sought to clear the dust out of her eyes, and prepared for the fangs of the cat-druid to sink into her flesh. Perhaps it would go for the belly, and watch her die a slow death - or maybe, with one quick slash, it would slit her jugular and allow her a painless death.

Her final thoughts were of Raksha - of his snarling, beautiful face as he stood between his master and a certain death. The wolf had never feared danger nor death, yet he had still met the end before his prime. In such a war-torn world, life was a priceless treasure, and Rainawa clung to hers even as she felt it trickling from her like the last grains of sand in an hourglass. Raksha - he was alive. She could not perish now; she had to stand up and fight. She had to rise to her feet and either defeat her opponents or die trying. For Raksha, the companion who had died once already for her, she could do no less.

Blinking rapidly, the pale Taureness managed to clear her vision and observe the scene before her. Her would-be assassin stood helpless, his legs entwined with the roots of the plants that grew nearby. A short distance from him, two beasts, cat and bear, were engaged in savage combat. Their growls and snarls chilled Rainawa's blood - until she recognized the tattoo upon the shoulder of the bear-druid.

"Evelynn!" she gasped, the shock of being reunited with the friend she had lost in the heat of Scourge battle two suns ago momentarily robbing Rainawa of her senses. The rogue, again, had escaped its prison and rushed for the Huntress, the grim certitude of the kill in his expression. Rainawa made a barely-discernable movement, and seconds before he could plant his dagger into her heart, the human found himself encased in solid ice.

Her attention returned to the battle of the druids, and it was immediately clear that her dearest friend Evelynn was in trouble. Bleeding freely from a number of deep wounds, the massive bear wavered on its paws, and it no longer sought to inflict damage upon its foe, but focused all of its energy on attempting to dodge the flurry of incoming attacks. Rainawa did some quick thinking, and lifted a whistle to her lips. A shrill cry rent the air, and a distant, echoing howl responded.

Across the fields of carnage Frostbite raced, striking out at any Scourge who dared stand in her way with four-inch fangs. Rainawa called to her mount again and the Frostwolf halted at her side, snarling her displeasure at the frozen rogue. With a soothing word, Rainawa led her to Evelynn's side as the druid finally gave way to her battle exhaustion, and sank to the ground, unable to fight her feline opponent any longer. The cat-druid's rushed forward, maw gaping wide, clearly intent upon finishing her off - and then dropped to the ground, an arrow clean through its skull.

Rainawa heaved the form of the protesting bear over Frostbite's saddle, who grunted under the great weight, but bore under it as well as she could. Clambering onto the saddle herself, she urged her wolf into a run, leaving the rogue in its icy tomb.

...

...

The pair did not make it far. Weakened by the loss of blood from her belly-wound that still wept profusely, Rainawa’s mind was finally claimed by the shadow of unconsciousness, and she slid sideways from the saddle, hitting the ground with a dull thud. Frostbite halted abruptly, craning her neck to gaze behind, concerned, at her master.

Evelynn had regained a measure of strength, and her wounds were less severe. With a resigned sigh, she slid from the Frostwolf’s back, and strode to the Tauren’s side to observe her wounds. Her golden eyes passed over the minor scratches unconcernedly, and her purple-skinned hands gently pressed and prodded her companion’s body, seeking any signs of internal injury. They passed over the leather tunic that Rainawa wore, and were withdrawn covered in blood. Her face ashen, the druid lifted the bottom of the tunic, and gasped.

It was not so much a hole as a separation of the flesh, a clean-inflicted dagger wound. It oozed not only blood, but also a strange, clear fluid that the druid presumed was some type of foreign poison. As if to confirm the conclusion she had drawn, Rainawa’s breathing became more labored, the risings and fallings of her chest barely perceptible. Uttering incantations in her native Darnassian tongue, Evelynn prodded the wound with her fingertips. The glint of metal caught her eyes immediately, and with nimble fingers she withdrew a thin, four-inch blade from the wound. The rogue must have dislodged it with a twist of his blade, she thought grimly, and left it within its victim to ensure the application of the poison.

This task finished, the night elf leaned back upon her heels, watching Rainawa with apprehension. She was no healer; much of her skill as a druid was in the realm of combat and embracing the Wild within. Nor was she particularly skilled in the art of herbal remedies, as her Tauren companion was. She did, however, have her own array of unique skills, and recalled one of them as she caught sight of her hastily-discarded backpack nearby.

Casting aside her own treasured possessions in her hurry, Evelynn withdrew a strange device that greatly resembled a syringe, filled with a brilliant red liquid. She inserted the needle point into her friend’s skin, just above the dagger-wound, and injected the red liquid into Rainawa. The wound began to seal itself before her eyes, albeit slowly, until it was fully scabbed over and the bleeding staunched. There was still the issue of the poison, however, and Evelynn, with her limited herbal knowledge, could not hope to abolish it. For that task, she would need Rainawa’s extensive knowledge.

As if sensing her companion’s need, Rainawa stirred feebly, her eyelids fluttering open. She attempted to sit up, groaning in pain, but Evelynn’s firm hand held her pinned upon the ground.

“You’ve been poisoned, Rain. I need your help.”

The Tauren was still in a terrible state, severely weakened by blood loss. Her head spun; she could barely concentrate her thoughts, and she felt wretched - no doubt a side effect of the venom now spreading throughout her body.

“Liferoot,” she managed to speak with great effort. “There should be some….in my pack. It must be steeped, and then drunk. Should counter…most poisons.”

She lay her head back as Evelynn raced to Frostbite’s side, digging through the saddlebags until her fingertips brushed the coarse texture of the root. She then withdrew timber from her own pack, and struck a piece of flint over it until it finally ignited. As she worked at the flames, the druid continued to cast apprehensive glances at her Tauren companion, fearful that the venom would claim her before the remedy could be given. But the roots were steeped now, and the mixture nearly cool enough for consumption. The Night Elf raced back to Rainawa’s side, and lifted her head, tilting the bowl against her lips. Rainawa drank slowly, her eyes half-closed, and when she was finished she lay back and allowed the lids to cover them entirely. Soon her breathing became slow and even, and the lines of anguish were smoothed from her face.

Evelynn, too, breathed easier, but she could not sleep. Dusk had snuck up upon her as she had busied herself at the huntress’ side, but the cover of darkness did little to allay the worry that churned both her stomach, and her thoughts. She leaned up against Frostbite’s side - for the wolf, like her master, slept easily, no doubt exhausted from her flight - and inhaled deeply, as if oxygen could extinguish the flames of fear.

Rainawa had shouted her name. As Evelynn had battled her own faction - something she deeply regretted being forced into - the Tauren had made a most unwise and stupid move, and now her ruse was broken. The Alliance would know; she would be cast out as a traitor. As much as she treasured her friendship with the Tauren, Evelynn did not consider herself a Horde sympathizer. She, like others of the Alliance, had lost too much to them to trust easily. Her parents….Evelynn closed her eyes. She had been slumbering within the realm of the Dream then, but she had felt their deaths. When she had awakened, it was too late. The Night Elves who had called southern Ashenvale their home had been slaughtered, slaughtered by a horde of vicious Orcs who had drank the blood of a demon - the very same Orcs who the Tauren before her was allied with.

But that wasn’t fair, Evelynn mused to herself. The Alliance had taken from the Horde as well; had committed their own share of wrongs. And Rainawa was not bloodthirsty or savage; she was kind and understanding, too gentle to hurt even her faction-proclaimed enemies…except…

“Rainawa?” Evelynn called out into the darkness. She could barely make out the form of the Tauren stirring sleepily on the other side of the fire.

“Hmm?” The huntress responded.

“That other druid…how did we escape?”

Rainawa sat up, suddenly wide awake, the pain of her wound ignored under the rush of guilt. She had not told Evelynn, in her haste to escape, about the cat-druid’s fate. The Night Elf had once lied to her faction for the sake of the Tauren’s life. How would she react to knowing that Rainawa had killed one of her own?

“I…Evelynn…I’m sorry. The battle…and the rogue…I was so weak, and he looked ready to finish you off…”

She looked into the eyes of her companion across the campfire, and faltered. Evelynn’s golden eyes were wide in disbelief, the moon reflected in their depths. A single tear trickled down the Druid’s cheek, and in the silence that hung palpable in the air, Rainawa thought she heard it hit the ground.

“I…I didn’t mean to kill him, Evelynn, only to wound him so that he would leave us alone. The arrow…was meant for his flank, but he turned, Evelynn, and it…it killed him.”

The Night Elf leapt up, rage exploding across her vision in obscuring dark patches. She shouldered the hand that Rainawa placed upon her away roughly.

“Don’t touch me, Tauren! Don’t you dare touch me, you…you…”

Rainawa had begun to back away, tears streaming from her own eyes. Though they had known each other but a short time, she had grown rather fond of the Druid, and treasured her companionship as much as she had treasured Raksha’s. Her words were like a stinging slap in the face, though they were not even a fraction so harsh as the word to follow.

“MURDERER!” Evelynn spat, and she turned to see Frostbite, who had risen into a stand at the outcry and gazed curiously between Tauren and Night Elf, a sleepy, bemused expression on her wolfish face. In a sudden, swift motion, Evelynn had mounted the Frostwolf and kicked her heels into her side. Frostbite was not unaccustomed to being ridden by the Elf, and permitted her to guide her at a swift lope away from the Tauren, until the darkness swallowed them whole, leaving Rainawa alone in their wake…still reeling from the impact of the final word, as if it had been a physical blow.

...

...

As the miles unfurled in the wake of the Frostwolf and her rider, the blackness of night slowly gave way to the gray of dawn. Frostbite became more restless as the landscape shifted from tundrid grasslands to a murky bog. Not only was such an obstacle unfamiliar to the wolf, but she was also unaccustomed to being away from the comforting presence of her Tauren mistress for so long. Evelynn kicked her heels impatiently into the sides of the Frostwolf, seeking to urge her forward into the marsh, and Frostwolf’s straining nerves reached their breaking point. With a snarl and a buck, she unseated her rider and fled back the direction from whence they had come, ignoring the Night Elf’s enraged cries.

With a heavy sigh, Evelynn picked herself up off the ground, wincing at the pain returned anew in her battle-wounds from the previous day. Of all the bloody times for that wolf to develop a temper! But she was resigned to her fate - the Night Elf had no mount of her own, as a warhorse of the Alliance would’ve attracted far too much attention of the undesirable sort when she and Rainawa had made the crossing to Northrend via the Undercity airship. Sending a final mental curse to that wretched Frostwolf - wherever she may be - Evelynn attempted to take a step forward - only to find that she could not. The earth had taken hold of her - and it was slowly pulling her in!

It occurred to Evelynn as she floundered about in a panic, seeking to free herself from the sands’ sucking hold, that her efforts would only help her to achieve the same end, but the Night Elf was beyond reason. The battle yesterday, the wound she had sustained, and the night of riding without rest had taken their toll on mind as well as body - so when the sight of a gnomish gyrocopter overhead greeted her, Evelynn did not think - she waved her arms to flag it down, calling out for aid.

Word had spread like wildfire through the Alliance forces of the Druid’s betrayal - the gyrocopter’s passenger cast a careless glance at the Night Elf and did not waver his course. Laughing heartily, the gnome leaned over the side of the vehicle - and spit straight in Evelynn’s face.

“A long, suffering death - a fair fate for a traitor like yourself!”

As the plane continued its flight, Evelynn allowed herself to sink to the sand in utter despair. Her plight was long forgotten in the face of such hatred from the faction she had once served. It had been easy to forget, in her solitude, that she was now an outcast among her own people - well and truly on her own. Who would aid her now, an enemy to the Horde for her race, and an enemy to the Alliance for her treachery? With an agonized cry, Evelynn beat her fists upon the quicksand, wishing only that it would take her faster.

Enveloped as she was in her mental anguish, she did not see the stout pole being extended to her until it poked her in the ribs.

“Take hold, then, you elf! Leave it to one of your witless kind to walk right into one of Nature’s traps!”

A flash of anger took the edge off of Evelynn’s panic, and she glared up at the source of the voice - then gasped, her expression registering only shock.

Her first impression was of a Tauren bull, but this creature’s similarities to the familiar race ended with the two-legged, bovine build. His fur was longer, and shaggy - so much that despite the thin, bead-adorned robe the bull wore, he did not appear to feel the chill in the air. His face too held strikingly different features - rather than the characteristic muzzle of the Tauren, the creature’s nose was flat. And he was massive! Even from her awkward position, Evelynn could guess that the bull would tower above her.

“Well, are you going to grab hold, or were you planning to leave your bones here as a peace offering to the Gorlocs?”

The tone held the bite of impatience, but also an undertone of concern. As she extended a hand to grasp hold of the stout staff, Evelynn was grateful for the gift of language that her druidic powers bestowed upon her. Not only had it made her dealings with the Tauren Druids of the Cenarion Circle easier, but it now enabled her to understand the words of this stranger, and to accept his aid. A brief, alarmed thought came over her - what if she was walking straight out of one trap and into another? - but she pushed it brusquely aside. She was an outcast, a traitor. No one else was going to come to her rescue.

With an upward thrust of his staff, the Tauren-thing managed to wrest Evelynn from the hold of the quicksand - with an unfortunate side-effect. His force had been small, but the strength behind the force was great indeed - the Night Elf was lifted clear of the grasping sands, and flew through the air to land heavily many yards away. As the telltale trickle of blood down her side announced the reopening of one of her gravest wounds from the battle with the cat-druid, she relinquished her tenuous hold on consciousness, and felt herself spiral downward, downward into oblivion…



When Frostbite returned to her camp without a rider, Rainawa felt a surge of concern for the Night Elf - an emotion she was quick to repress with an inward shrug. Evelynn had chosen to make her departure, and a Druid of her skill could certainly survive the wilds well enough on her own. Guilt gnawed at the corners of the Tauren’s conscience, but she chose to drown it with action. Now that her mount had returned, she could continue her journey to the Kor’kron Vanguard in the Dragonblight, the base that Seer Stormtide was rumored to have been deployed to after her landing in Warsong Hold.

As she packed her scant belongings into the Frostwolf’s saddlebags, Rainawa caught sight of the gleam of burnished gold in the ashes of the fire pit. Plunging her hand recklessly into the smoldering remains of the previous night’s fire, she withdrew the amulet of druidic power that usually hung around Evelynn’s neck. The amulet’s tie was severed - no doubt by the claws of the druid with whom the Night Elf had battled - and had likely hung by a thread until Evelynn’s haste to heat the life-saving tea that she had made for Rainawa.

Consumed by remorse at last, the huntress clenched the amulet to her breast. Without it, Evelynn would be unable to call upon the powers of the Wild. Without it, she would likely perish.



The first sensation Evelynn was aware of when she awoke was the steady thrumming of pain within her skull, like the beating of the Horde’s wardrums. Groaning, the Night Elf opened her eyes to stare at the unfamiliar ceiling of the shelter that housed her. It appeared as if she was within a tent made of hides stitched together, and supported by curved beams of wood. The general structure was quite similar to the teepees of the Tauren, only more rugged - and stronger.

At this last thought, the face of the shaggy-haired bovine flashed in Evelynn’s mind’s eye. She recalled suddenly her struggle to free herself of the quicksand, and that the strange creature had rescued her from the earth’s clutches. Where was he now, though - and where had he taken her?

The entrance flap to the tent was pushed aside, and the brown-furred bovine entered.

“Good,” he grunted upon observing that the Night Elf was awake. Without further formalities, he strode to Evelynn’s side and, kneeling over her, began to check the bandages wrapping her wounds. As his ministrations led him closer to some of the Druid’s more personal anatomy, irritation flared up within the Night Elf, and she broke the silence.

“Who are you, anyway? I know you rescued me, but you haven’t introduced yourself - or even explained to me what you are. Are you Shu‘halo?”

The bull leaned back on the heels of his hooves, observing the dark, lean elf through the fringe of forelock that covered his eyes. For a moment Evelynn was certain he had understood none of the words she had spoken, then he responded in slow, hesitant Common.

“My people, the Taunka, do not trust strangers readily. Difficult enough was it for them to accept the help of our distant ancestors the Shu’halo, and their allies - but your elfin kind are strange to us, and you are known enemies of our new allies.”

“If you do not trust me, then why did you aid me?”

The Taunka’s deep brown eyes bored into the Druid’s golden. It felt as if her soul as at his scrutiny.

“Because the spirits led me to you, Night Elf. Our destinies are now intertwined.”

A cold chill ran down Evelynn’s spine, and she fought to repress a shudder. Seeking to diminish the intensity of his gaze, she grasped at a more tangible question.

“If we truly walk the same path, might I at least have a name? I am Evelynn, a Druid of the Cenarion Circle.”

A wry smile crossed the Taunka’s features, and he nodded approvingly. Though they were of two different races and upbringings, he felt drawn to the strange, thin creature. He was not certain where she had come from, or why the spirits had led him to her, but one thing was for certain - her wit was certainly sharp enough to match his own!

“I am Cheveyo, the Seer of the Wintergale tribe. Normally, a feast would be held in honor of a visitor - but my people are understandably upset by your presence, and it was all I could do to convince them to allow you to remain until your wounds are sufficiently healed.”

Evelynn blanched. It was difficult enough facing the animosity of her own faction - she hardly needed the additional burden of another people rejecting her. Casting about for something to steer the conversation away from that topic, she glanced down at her tightly-bound ribs.

“How soon will I be able to depart?”

Cheveyo’s expression became urgent and distressed.

“Evelynn, we must leave as soon as possible. I beheld a vision last night of a daughter of my ancestors struggling through a vast army of the Scourge. We must aid her - I am certain she is the destiny we share!”

The Night Elf’s face turned ashen.

“Rainawa? She’s in trouble?!”

...

...

Rainawa shivered, drawing the mammoth-hide cloak she wore more tightly around her shoulders, and inching closer to the flames. She had kept a good pace through the Borean Tundra, but the terrain of the Dragonblight was more treacherous, and the Scourge forces were a far stronger force to be reckoned with. As an additional hamper to her progress, she had broken an arm yesterday while battling a frost wyrm - the useless limb was now bound tightly to her side. No longer able to draw a bowstring or nock an arrow, the Huntress was forced to skirt around the enemy forces she encountered.

I should’ve stayed with Evelynn, the Taureness thought to herself despairingly. I should have followed her, or taken Frostbite to find her. It’s too late, though - with the wounds she had sustained, she is likely dead by now.

And soon, I will be too…

There was a sudden shuffling of footsteps in snow at the boundaries of the fire’s light, and the hairs rose on Rainawa’s spine as Frostbite’s growl pierced the night. The metallic hiss of her drawing steel was barely perceptible over the din of the Frostwolf’s ongoing battle - and then, as suddenly as it had been shattered, the silence of twilight was restored with the gurgling snarl that announced Frostbite’s demise.

The leering faces of the Scourge pressed in from all sides - zombies and skeletons in numbers Rainawa had seen only in nightmare. She sank to her knees in the snow, knowing that the outcome was hopeless, and with her morale already destroyed by her mount’s passing. Frostbite had been a companion and guide to her since she had acquired the wolf from the Frostwolf Clan five years ago. Her steadfast loyalty and determination was something that Rainawa had always been able to depend upon, and the two had seen many battles to victory together.

The sword slipped from Rainawa’s numb fingers, and she embraced death.



Evelynn’s wings were stiff with cold, and she could see naught but shadows below, but her concern for Rainawa pressed her onward. The form of a bald eagle glided beside the storm crow - the Night Elf had been surprised to learn that Cheveyo was capable of his own form of shape shifting, though he had sought to assure Evelynn that he was not a Druid, and the eagle was simply his “spirit form” - whatever that was supposed to mean.

Though ill-adapted for seeing in the dark, Evelynn’s vastly-improved eyesight was able to pick out the pinpoint of light below that signaled the presence of a campfire. She spiraled downward toward the source - and let out a squawk of alarm when she saw her companion Rainawa surrounded by a vast Scourge army.

Cheveyo plunged past her without hesitation, alighting gently beside the Taureness. He then resumed his Taunka form, and proceeded immediately to chant a spell that would heal Rainawa’s injured limb.

Evelynn landed a second later, her golden eyes anxious as she reverted back to her elven form. Rainawa’s despair was broken by the sight of her friend, and she rose into a stand, her expression registering only astonishment.

“But Evelynn - your amulet! I was certain that without it, you could not call upon your powers - and would perish!”

The Druid chuckled.

“Rainawa, my friend, the necklace is all for show and ceremony! True Druidic powers lie not within some useless trinket, but within the soul of the one who possesses them!”

That said, the Night Elf form of Evelynn gave way to the Bear within, and she lunged forward with a bone-jarring roar, swiping a massive paw at the nearest of the Scourge. Cheveyo rallied at this battle-cry too, channeling the powers of lightning to strike the earth.

For a moment Rainawa was paralyzed by the joy of Evelynn’s return - but at the sight of a zombie leaping upon the bear’s back and sinking its claws deeply into the shaggy brown fur, the emotion was lost within a tide of battle-rage. Hesitating only long enough to stoop and recover her sword from the snow, the Taureness charged forward with a bellow, tackling the undead off the back of her beloved Druid friend and slicing it in half in midair.

The numbers of the Scourge force were vast, however, and they slowly overcame the three companions’ bloodlust. Cheveyo had been driven backward slowly by the wave of oncoming Scourge, and stood with his back to a cliff, fighting on valiantly but dripping blood from a score of wounds. Evelynn charged still through the fray, though her attacks became less calculated and more reckless as the Beast took hold of even her thoughts. Rainawa herself, soaked with perspiration, had found the height-advantage of a slight incline in the terrain, and stood atop the small hill now, picking off as many of the undead as she could with bow and arrow.

As the sun rose to greet another dawn, war-horns blared in the distance, and the low thrumming of wardrums vibrated the very earth on which Cheveyo, Evelynn, and Rainawa stood. An army of Kor’kron Orcs were headed this way - they were saved!

In her elation, Rainawa forgot the battle. Unseen, a skeletal warrior had crept up behind the Huntress, and raised his axe to deal a fatal blow -

The thundering report of a rifle sounded louder than the thrumming of the drums, and Rainawa whirled just in time to see the body of her attacker crumple to the ground - lifeless and free of the Lich King’s will. The Kor’kron had arrived and dispatched the remaining Scourge quickly, but Rainawa’s attention was focused upon the shaggy gray wolf bounding across the landscape - she would recognize that fierce determination anywhere, but certainly it couldn’t be-



“Raksha!” the Draenei huntress cried out with a whistle, signaling again to her companion anxiously. She couldn’t count on the Orcs not slaying a stray wolf, though their main focus was upon the Scourge forces. With a gentle yip the wolf arrived at her side, leaping up to place his forepaws upon her shoulders and lap at her face affectionately with his tongue.

Nirvana turned and strode away. Despite the animosity of the Draenei's new-found allies for the Tauren of the Horde, she could not have left a soul who had fought with such valor to die to her foes. At her heels strode Raksha, his devoted gaze lingering protectively upon her. Only once did he gaze back to meet the eyes of his old companion - and in that moment, his expression held an eternity of sorrow and joy, of grief and of love..



Rainawa, too, turned her back to the battlefield, brushing away the tears in her eyes with an impatient gesture. The bear that was Evelynn gazed up at her imploringly, and the Huntress read the question within her eyes' depths. With a final backward glance, and one last gentle sob, she answered.

"No, Evelynn - I might have been his destiny once, but that was in a life now past. He belongs with that Draenei, as her companion - for I know in my heart of hearts that I could find no better friend than you."

Traitor

For the first time, the sight of the reinforced stone wall, flanked as it always was by the grunts of the Orgrimmar military, failed to fill Rainawa's soul with the uplifting joy of homecoming. The passage leading within felt like the great, gaping maw of some terrible beast as the huntress stepped within, her hooves ringing noisily upon the paved ground. The gargantuan bear that followed her everywhere - and filled many of her own faction with awe, and a certain amount of terror as well - flanked Rainawa closely, her muzzle occasionally bumping the back of the Tauren's calf. As attuned as she was to her mistress' emotions, the fear Rainawa felt held sway over her, as well.

As she emerged into the light of Orgrimmar's Valley of Strength, a deafening roar met Rainawa's ears. Such was the force of the sound that the Tauren even took a step backward in its wake - granting the jeerers a temporary victory that she was quick to revoke. Flattening her tiny ears against her skull, and tilting her chin upward ever-so-slightly in a gesture of defiance, Rainawa continued her determined march through the city, trying to ignore the boos and hisses that surrounded her. In the ominous mutter of those that crowded the Valley, she was clearly able to pick out the word "traitor".

The tumult died down some as she entered the darkness of the Cleft, and Rainawa took advantage of the moment's respite, leaning up against the cool stone walls with trembling legs. A gentle huffing was heard as Evelynn nuzzled her hand, and she caressed the bear's head idly, her mind elsewhere - or rather, else-when.

Rainawa recalled vividly that fateful day that she had fought at the side of the Alliance forces. It had been an easy enough decision then, with the situation so dire that there had been no time to consider the repercussions of her actions. What ill feelings she had harbored for the combined races of the Alliance had long ago been soothed by her companion Evelynn - and the life of Seer Nobundo, the Broken who had aided her in her quest to find her lost companion Raksha, had been at stake. Heedless of reason - and safety - Rainawa had charged heroically into the fray of the Scourge who had sought to ambush the leader of the Alliance shaman on his way to Fordragon Hold.

A Kor'kron Army had arrived shortly thereafter, having heard the commotion from their own nearby base, the Kor'kron Vanguard. When it was observed that it was an Alliance force under siege, however, the orcs had refused to intervene. Tensions had run high ever since King Varian's assault on the Undercity and their leader Thrall - and there had been many mutterings that the death of Young Saurfang was the fault of now-deceased Bolvar Fordragon. If he had intervened, it was argued, Arthas would have spared the orc's life. It was conveniently forgotten, of course, that Grand Apothecary Putress had slaughtered what survivors remained from the battle with Arthas' forces with his plague.

Lacking the bitter hatred and false projections of many others of the Horde, Rainawa had fought to the culmination of her strength for the life of the Broken Seer, and in the end, she and Evelynn together had managed to hold off the Scourge forces long enough for him to make an escape. The Kor'kron forces, their blood heated by the more recent disputes between Horde and Alliance, had taken Rainawa prisoner. It was only under the orders of Thrall himself that they had acceded to release her.

Drawing upon the reservoir of strength that existed within the memory of battling with the Scourge, the sun dancing along the keen edges of her blade like liquid fire, Rainawa pressed on through the Cleft of Shadow to emerge with the Valley of Wisdom. A crowd had gathered here as well, and the sea of bodies that pressed together barred the Tauren's path forward. At the sight of Rainawa, the mob began muttering mutinously, and the hiss of drawn steel was heard from many directions. Only the thunderclap of a familiar voice was enough to hold the anger of the mob in check.

"ENOUGH!" Thrall shouted.

The Horde leader approached the Tauren, and the crowd parted before him. Rainawa quickly fell upon one knee, bowing her head in a respect. She felt Thrall's hand fall upon her shoulder, and gazed into his smiling face.

"Welcome home, hero."

Was what he said, simply - and in an astounding transformation, the muttering, restive crowd erupted into cheers. Barely audible above the din was the indignant growl of the massive bear beside Rainawa.

"-Heroes," Thrall was quick to amend.

This is very very good! Aww Raksha

Uhm gonna do my first bump for a good story

Wow, I really enjoyed reading this. ^^ Wonder if you're planning on writing more?

I had missed the last installment! Thanks for bringing this back from the forum grave!

I remember reading...the first and second bit, a long, long time ago in the old forums. Loved it then, love it now. :3

Golden wrote:Wonder if you're planning on writing more?

I really would like to. I don't play Rain much anymore, but I do wonder to myself often what her adventures in Cata are like Especially with tensions between the two factions rising again.