Beacons in the Cold Night: A WoW Story (Closed for SinisterSpiders)

[SinisterSpiders]

"No."
The word quaked through Senira as she looked up at the Night Elf. His own head loomed above her, but this was the first time that she truly felt smaller than him. There was something in his tone, a firmness, a rigidity that she hadn't expected. She listened to his reasoning, to the fact that he would stay with her.

Senira had to stop herself from telling him he was ridiculous. They'd known each other for less than half a day and already he was saying he would die beside her. She gritted her teeth and her black brows knitted together in frustration. She could hear their enemies shuffling about in the nearby cave. She knew it was only a matter of time before they would have no choice as to fight or flee.

But he had used the only argument that would be able to dissuade her. If he refused to leave she could not go into danger knowing he would follow her. It would be his choice, yes, but she would not be responsible for his death. She was smart enough to know that there was only one possible outcome to going into that cave.

In any other situation, Senira would have argued with him, told him to leave, explained that she had very little left to live for when so much of her world had been destroyed. But they didn't have the time.

So, instead of giving into the rage, she stepped back. Her hands balled into fists at her side as her eyes raked up and down his powerful body before settling on his face.

"Full vengeance it is," She said, voice firm as she swallowed her rage and despair, those were emotions for another time. "Which means I need to get some supplies and make a new camp. I may have lost my comrades but my purpose will remain the same."

Senira watched the Night Elf, knowing that this may be where he chose to leave her. That would be fine, and she would not go back on her word. But she would need to make it across the frozen wastes of Icecrown and through the eerie violet world of the Crystalsong Forest. A difficult feat for a lone traveller. She could get more supplies in Dalaran, and would just have to hope that no-one noticed the fel-green flecks in her eyes that spoke of her schism from the High Elves, her former people.

 

[Armphid]

For a moment or two, he wondered if she would still choose valiant suicide. Or come at him. But her fair features contorted in frustration and then pushed her feelings down. They would have to come out. His own certainly needed to. But not now. It was also a moment of decision for him as well, though he had been making his way to it since their meeting in the supply room. "You have made a hard choice but I think it a wise one, little comfort though that is, I am sure."

Jasreath nodded as she spoke of supplies and continuing her purpose here. His elders had always accused him of making over quick decisions but he trusted his instincts and knew what they told him to do now. "I will accompany you. By your leave, of course. Two will make the journey you need to make easier than one; unless there is a Horde stronghold near than I am unaware of." He shook his head slightly, ears and hair bouncing a little as his head moved. "Even if there is I would accompany you to safety before we part. I do this not from debt or obligation, though I owe both, but because I do not want to cause further risk to you." He sighed; the sound full of grief. "I have seen enough beauty die this day that I wish to increase both of our chances as much as possible."

He moved his eyes from her to the wreckage of the camp. His height difference allowed him to see without needing to stoop and peer through the rocks. "The decision must be made soon. What say you?"

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira looked up at Jasreath, blinking at his offer to accompany her on her quest. It stirred something deep within her, a sense of connection with this male borne of their loss and their desperate flight for their lives. She looked up at him, her emerald-flecked sapphire eyes catching onto his, her face setting with decisiveness.

Senira reached out her arm for the forearm shake that was the customary gesture of agreement for the Night Elves.

"Then let us leave, there is nothing here for either of us right now," Senira said in a low voice as she waited for Jasreath to return the gesture and seal the deal. It took every ounce of restraint she had to not turn around, to not run into that cave. She and Kelthras had left their packs in there, and even though she hadn't yet processed his loss she knew that not retrieving his items would haunt her later.

 

[Armphid]

Her loss was deep, perhaps more so than his own. But while the hurt was great, she had taken ownership of it. The feeling was hers, not the other way around. That was impressive and bided well.

He clasped her offered forearm and nodded. "Yes, let us go. I will follow your lead. I know there is wisdom in deferring to a hunter in the wild." As they started to move away, he shivered, "I hope you know of another spot where we may camp. I fear our wet garments will become a great danger before much longer. But whether or no, the journey will help to keep our blood pumping in our veins. Lead on, Senira."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

"I don't, but we'll find something," Senira said, stepping back from Jasreath and noticing the shiver that ran over his body. She looked at his clothing and could already see muddy ice crystals crushing the outer parts of it. She knew her own would be doing the same. Until she noticed this she didn’t realize how cold she was, hadn't felt how frigid his hand was as it clasped her forearm. The world around them almost felt warm compared to her shopping mess of a body.

Jasreath was right. They had to move. Now. Before they froze to death.

Elariel took her bow off her back and an arrow in her other hand, preparing to shoot at a moments notice if need be. She looked around, figuring that their best option would be to hug the base of the span and hope like hell that they didn’t run into trouble. Once they were on the other side she knew of a disused trail up the cliffs, and from there it would be a short journey to the Crystalsong Forest. She knew the forest would have a hot spring somewhere and decided to look for clues of thermal environs once they were on the other side.

"Let us leave this forsaken place," she said with a slight nod to Jasreath before heading out back into the flurry of white.

The snowfall increased as they moved. It was a blessing and a curse. It shielded them from view, but it also made it harder for them to spot their foes. If it weren't for Senira's hunter senses they would have run into half a dozen patrols. As it was they barely skirted around them.

Finally Senira and Jasreath made it to the far cliff face and she led them to the path she knew. Scaling it meant she had to put her bow over her back, but she could risk losing her footing and falling. It would mean certain death. As they picked their way up the side of the cliff, half climbing half hiking, she was alarmed to feel a prickling numbness in her extremities. A sure sign that the frost was nipping at her tired body. She was extremely concerned when they reached the top of the cliff. They only had a little further to travel before they reached the forest, and she was yet to sense any enemies on this side of the span. Good. They were due for some luck at least.

"We need to get ourselves warm, fast," she whispered to Jasreath as they made for the line of eerily purple trees. She was already dreaming about a hot spring, or even a safe cave or outcrop somewhere.

 

[Armphid]

Jasreath nodded at her declaration to go and followed in step behind her. "Lead on," he said in his warm, deep tones. The snow was truly beginning to fall now and he was thankful for it. It meant another shield from the sight of their foes and it also actually meant a slight increase in temperature. For here in bitterly cold Icecrown, it was warmer air coming in that caused any more snowfall than the usual light dappling.

It did mean some risk. They also couldn't see their enemies either. But Senira guided them well and without fail. Her keen hunter's awareness pinpointed their enemies and let them evade a number of roaming and patrolling foes. He shifted into his cat form again for the journey; the cat's fur a welcome boost or warmth though the cold mud caked on it's legs did much to reduce it's effect.

He had to return to his true form when they scaled the cliff path. It was hard going and his hands and feet were cold almost to numbness by the time they reached the top of the slope. Jasreath smiled at her, "We will be. You've led us right. And now perhaps I will be of some use to you." As a Night Elf, he knew forests.

They crossed the last bare span and broke through the tree line. The difference in temperature was stark; almost like hitting a wall of warmer air. But he knew that how warm it was had more to do with perception than reality. The fact that it felt this warm under the trees was just a testament to how cold they were. His eyes swept the area; while he'd like to get more distance covered, they couldn't go far now. They had to get warm.

There. His silver eyes seemed to brighten. "I think...there, Senira. That grouping of trees." He strode towards it and grew more sure. The ground dipped between the trees were, forming a shallow hollow that was sheltered from the wind by the ground and the trees. There was a layer of leaves on the ground that would provide some insulation from it's chill as well. "You are the hunter here. Will this do or should we seek on?"

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira heard Jasreath's voice and turned, nodding and gesturing for him to take the lead. He would have a better sense of this area than she would, and with the way her teeth were chattering and her body shivering, it was good to absolve herself of some responsibility.

Sure enough, Jasreath led them through the area, finding a dipped clearing within a ring of trees. The floor was covered with crushed and glittering amethyst leaf litter. Senira stumbled into the clearing, her toes truly numb now, and looked around. There were a few more qualities she would like in a camp; somewhere near a stream, perhaps with a food source nearby... But she knew she wouldn't make it much further. If they did not get warm now they would not be camping anywhere.

"This will be good," Senira confirmed, immediately making her way to a part of the clearing where a crystallised tree trunk had fallen and created a crooked place for them to rest against. Her entire body was shaking as she cleared a wide circle in the leaf litter a few feet away from the log. "We need to make a fire." A fire may draw enemies towards them, but if they didn't have one they would not be able to warm themselves. Either option presented a possible danger, but anything would be better than the bone-deep cold she felt now.

After a bit of work, there was a ring of rocks and crystals around the cleared circle, and a pile of logs and a splattering of leaves. Senira gestured for Jasreath to stand back, and she took one of her arrows out. With an altered spell, she shot the arrow into the center of the ring. The thud of the arrow was accompanied by a soft roar as the arrow and the surrounding bits and pieces caught fire. Senira let out a low groan of appreciation at the sight of the growing flames. She took her water flask off the belt at her hip and set it right by the fire to warm. She was feeling terribly dehydrated, but she knew that drinking the icy water from her flask would only put them at further risk.

"I don’t think I've ever been happier to see fire," Senira said with a small hint of a smile, looking over at Jasreath and gesturing for him to come closer. She settled onto the layer of leaves they piled up before the log and removed her boots and socks. Her socks were already frozen in places, and she gritted her teeth as she caught sight of her feet, how the tips of her reddened toes had started to turn pale and waxy. She stretched out her aching legs and put her feet closer to the fire. She didn't feel warmth at first, only a painful ache as the heat started to thaw them out. She then pulled her poncho off and laid it before the fire to dry before reaching back and plucking the pins from her bun and letting it unwind. She pulled her long black braid over her shoulders, her nimble fingers working to unplait it and let it loose to warm her neck and shoulders.

 

[Armphid]

"I understand the feeling. It's beautiful," he answered in response to her comment about the fire. Jasreath sat down a few feet from Senira by the fire. Part of him said that he should sit opposite her to give them maximum visual coverage in case anything hostile drew near but right now, he didn't really have it in him to go that far. Which was quite telling.

The heat of the fire was almost a euphoric thing as it beat upon his face. He closed his eyes and just felt it for a few seconds, breathing in the increasingly warming air. They were far from safe, even from the cold, but he felt a real hope now that they would survive to make it to Dalaran.

The Night Elf followed her example, his fingers clumsily undoing his boots and pulling them and his socks free, arranging them around the fire. He then did the same with his gauntlets, as he had been in cat from when he'd gotten muddy, his hands and forearms were as bad as his feet and calves. He spread his bare hands towards the fire and sighed, "Even the pain of feeling returning feels good."

He watched his companion as she undid her braid. With the poncho off and her hair down, he had the most clear sight of her now than he had yet. Truly, she was lovely. Her face was artful and beautiful; her features fine and yet her lips full. Her hair was disheveled and dirty but it was still vibrant and healthy and the way if framed and contrasted her fair skin was elegant. She might think it odd if she noticed but at the moment, he didn't care, he simply wanted to enjoy seeing something beautiful after all of the day's horrors. So he watched her for a few minutes in silence.

Then he turned to rubbing his legs, starting with his thighs and working down to his ankles, then back up again and back down. "Once I am a bit warm, I can try to venture a bit further out as the cat and see if there is water nearby or food. I have a skin of moonberry juice but it is likely frozen now and I do not carry any food on my person."

He sighed again, this time it was heavy, "Assuming I am strong enough to do so. I fear that now that we are at rest and the risk is gone, the strain of our toils will fall hard upon us."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira started to wiggle her toes as they thawed out, the pain of it making her grit her teeth. When she saw Jasreath removing his gauntlets she realised just how cold the fabric beneath her bracers had become. So she picked at the laces on them and slid the mud-crusted leather off to warm the sleeves of her undyed undershirt. As she leaned forward, warming her fingers by the fire, she looked over at the Night Elf beside her, taking in his graceful form properly. Now she could see past the lethal grace of him and admire the artful hue of his lavender skin. She could see the strong width of his shoulders. His chiseled face was framed by dark blue sideburns, his hair framing him perfectly and emphasizing his disarmingly beautiful silver eyes. There was something in the way that his mercurial orbs observed her that made her look away.
Though Jareath's comment about food reminded her of something. Senira regretfully pulled her hands away from the fire and fumbled at a small pouch drawstring pouch attached to her belt. She opened it up and poured a small mound of dried fruit, seeds and nuts into her hand before offering the pouch to Jasreath. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. She began to pick at the snacks as she thought about what their next move should be.

"We will need to let the fire die down before night properly sets in. We had no choice for the moment, but once we are warmer it is too much to risk," Senira said heavily before pulling her sleeves down to cover her hand and reaching for her tin canteen. It was hot, even through the damp fabric of her shirt, and when she opened it she found that the water was already steaming. She took a sip of it, groaning as the hot water ran down her throat to warm her from within. She offered that to Jasreath as well.

"If we can't find food before nightfall, then perhaps we can rest instead and wake in the morning for food," Senira suggested.

 

[Armphid]

The druid took the offered pouch with a nod, "My thanks." He took a modest pinch of the foodstuffs and returned it. It was simple fare, trail food and no mistake about it, but he poured it into his mouth and chewed with the same relish as if it were the richest delicacy. Like the pain from his feet and the tingling in his fingers, arms, and legs, it was a reminder of life. They had lived. So far, at least.

He considered her words as he took a drink from the canteen before handing that back as well. Good to restore fluids and get something in their bellies but they would need more.

"I shall follow your guidance on the fire, though I fear we will lose any heat we have gotten back without it once the sun sets, such as it is here." Jasreath could think of a way they could keep some heat but...it would be unwise to mention unless necessary. The two of them together under their joined cloaks could share their body heat quite comfortably. But they were all but strangers, enemies politically, and the difference in gender may make it an uncomfortable thought. Though he couldn't deny that with what he had seen of her, from a purely physical perspective, a night close to such a body would be a fine thing indeed. "Perhaps we can build up some coals to last a few hours at the least."

Jasreath set the leather skin that held the moonberry juice near the fire also. It would provide not only liquids but some nourishment and energy as well from the sweetness of it. He extended his hands again. His larger body was a disadvantage in situations like this; it took more to maintain and more time to warm up again and cooled faster due to the distance from his heart to the ends of his body. But he wanted to get warm enough to venture out again; Senira had been the one to get them this far. He had contributed nothing and he did not like that fact.

His silver eyes regarded the hunter for a long few seconds again. It was easy to do so. All the more dangerous that made her. He liked that too. Jasreath sighed and shook his head; foolish thoughts. But to be expected when escaping such danger. All of one's instincts were brought to the fore, including those.

He licked his lips and then slowly rose, stretching his weary limbs. "I will range out a bit and see what I might find. With luck, we will be able to restore a bit more of our strength if I can find something nearby." Water would be good, food better. He did not know much of Crystalsong but it was clearly not a normal forest. Would there be any game? "Regardless, I will return with the hour."

The Night Elf, feet and hands bare, strode to the edge of the firelight and then his shape poured and compacted down into the black furred panther. He looked back at the Blood Elf beauty and then stalked out into the eerily glowing woodland.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Jasreath was right about the loss of heat. Once night hit it would get cool again. All Senira could hope was that they didn't have a wind coming in from the North-West. She watched as Jasreath seemed to stop talking even though he was still clearly still tossing some thought around in his mind.

"The coals sound good," Senira said when Jasreath finished that line of thought.

There was a flicker in Jasreath's eyes as he regarded her, and this time Senira didn't look away. Regardless of what had transpired before this moment, there was a bond between them now. Then Jasreath got to his feet, saying that he would go ranging. It was a good idea. They'd need food and water. But as she watched him head to the edge of the clearing a pang of worry. Her heart started pounding in her chest, and she watched as he promised to return within the hour and then his form melted into that of the cat. Her eyes caught his as he gave her one last look, his feline eyes as silver as his Night-Elf ones.

Senira felt terribly alone as Jasreath left the clearing. For a moment all she could hear was the eerie whistling of the wind through the crystalline forest, and her head spun. She thought of her fallen comrades, her fallen lover, and her breathing came harder and faster.

No... She couldn't do this. Not now. She couldn't afford to break down.

So Senira did the only thing she knew to do when things went to shit. She worked. She got to her feet, looking around the clearing and assessing her surroundings. As far as campsites went it was good. The fallen trunk that they were resting against was the perfect place for her to prop up a long log that she had found. From there it was a simple, ritualistic task for her to go about setting up a shelter. The biggest challenge was making it big enough for the both of them, being unused to creating for someone Jareath's height. It ended up being a fine structure though, stable enough to last the night, and covered with a beautiful and insulating layer of purple crystal leaves and twigs. The opening was close enough to the campfire to be warmed by it. Even when they let the flames die to coals it would radiate into their space, and with the two of them in there they would be warm enough to survive the night.

It wasn't until Senira was pushing leaves into the shelter to make a comfortable place to lay that it hit her. Her mind flashed back to her first mission with Kelthras. A trek through the Eversong Woods. They'd been tracking undead all day and were too exhausted to make it to town. He said that she couldn't make a shelter good enough to keep out the rain that had started to fall. She had proven that she could, and that she also knew how to keep them warm through the long, dark night.

A low, keening sound filled the clearing, It was quiet, eerily so, but filled with such pain that Senira's heart ached with empathy. For a moment, Senira didn't recognise the sound. Then she fell to her hands and knees- her breath finally running out. The keening stopped, and her loss hit her with all the force of a raging bull. The tears burst forth from her eyes like a water from a broken dam, hard, heaving sobs wracked her body. Kelthras was gone. Even Peshos, her faithful white tiger companion had been torn from her. There wasnt a single day that had passed since she became a hunter that Peshos wasn't with her. Memories of days spent with Kelthras, Anesta,Tristain, Elo'mei and Drakon flooded her mind. Their team was formed when all else seemed lost and they wanted retribution for their kind. The last bastion of hope against the turn of the Blood Elves to slow fel poison that was feeding them. They were her everything, and now they were gone. They were gone, and the ache of their loss was gnawing at her insides, twisting with her unsated magic addiction, filling her with a pain that stole her breath and made her wish for the sweet darkness of eternal sleep.

 

[Armphid]

Crystalsong was unlike any forest he had been in before. It was quiet, so very quiet. There were the call and faint songs of birds but none of the other sounds that his practiced ears were used to hearing. He shouldn't be surprised; so much of it was transformed by wild magic so long ago that few animals lived here. The many crystalline spires and trees and the unnatural ground kept many things away. The silence was good; it would help him to hear any sound of moving water or possible prey.

The silence was terrible too. It let his thoughts echo in his mind. His friends, all dead now. Every one of them slain on that span high above the glacier. Their mission a failure. Was it his fault somehow? Could he have saved even one of them?

Elde's smiling face danced in his mind's eyes, her hearty laugh was a ghostly ringing in his hears. The buxom dwarf woman had been so lively, so energetic. And a flirt when she was drunk. Teasing him about whether or not it would fit...he'd been tempted but never found out. Edhrahil had though; the man emerging from an inn room they'd shared with the most triumphantly dazed expression he'd ever seen on anyone's face. How they'd all teased him! And Telya, so sensual and msyterious...that night...

The panther shook his head. Thinking of this now would serve nothing. He had come here with a purpose. He should pursue it or return to the fire, otherwise he was wasting the energy the food Senira had shared gave him. The druid wanted to shout out his grief. To become the bear and tear apart anything nearby in anguished fury. But grief can come after survival. And it wasn't just his survival but hers. He would not let Senira die.

Refocused, his ears flicked as he caught the faint sound of falling water. He crept carefully along and came out of the brush. Before him sloped a bit of cleared ground that fell into a small, slow running stream that came from a pool perhaps a hundred yards northwest, towards Icecrown. A dam reared up there and the water that came from it formed a shallow pool and then the stream. Jasreath sniffed the water and then licked it. Cold! Gah! But clean. Elune, be praised, fresh water and not very far from where they had camped.

Food would be harder to find. But there were birds. He probably couldn't catch any of them but birds meant nests and nests meant eggs. A bit of sneaking about and climbing and he found a nest with eggs that smelled fresh. The nesting couple chirped and swooped at him but Jasreath refused to be chased off; grabbing the nest whole in his jaws and sliding down the tree trunk before setting off at a run. The little creatures left off after he managed to lose them in underbrush, slinking into stealth.

His mission accomplished, Jasreath slunk back towards the makeshift camp. He was close to the hour, if not over it, and he did not want to cause any more strife to his unlikely companion. As he drew near, he felt a sudden unease. Something was wrong. He could hear...something. Jasreath abandoned stealth to lope forward and as he got close enough, he recognized what he heard.

Senira wept.

She wept with a deep sorrow and loss that shook him, threatening to shake his own loose from where he held it deep within his heart. Jasreath padded into the depression where they were set up; seeing her hunched over before a well made crude shelter and their slowing dying fire. He shifted back to his true self, the bird's nest now in one large hand. The Night Elf set it down beside the fire ring and then sank to his knees beside her.

What could he possibly say? Knowing it was a risk, he reached out to put his arms about her, embracing her but not tightly; it would be easy for her to pull away from him if she wished. "I share your grief in my own," he murmured. His voice nearly broke; his control wavering. He bowed his head and he felt his eyes sting as tears welled and began to slide down his cheeks. "I wish I could heal our hearts with words, but I cannot; accept them my sorrow with yours."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira felt Jasreath's presence as he stepped back into the clearing. She felt it somewhere deep down in the depths of her awareness. The part that was drowning in pain and sorrow. She heard his footsteps coming across the newly cleared earth before he set something down beside the fire. She should stop now, she should take a deep breath and pretend to be okay....

She knew what she should do, but she couldn't actually bring herself to do it.

Senira's lungs were burning, her throat felt as though a pride of wild lions had savaged it with their claws. Every part of her body was shaking, and it felt as if her loss was in every part of her.

But then Senira felt a pair of strong, warm arms around her. Each place that his light embrace settled on her was one less place that felt alone, one less place that ached with sorrow. She looked up at him as he spoke, as his eyes like mercurial pools of emotions. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy from crying, but she didn't care. His words were music to the swirling storm in her mind, and she knew he meant them. Tentatively she pressed one hand against his chest, feeling it heaving beneath her touch. She pressed the other one against him too, and rested her head against his shoulder, letting the tears fall as freely once more. They may have lost their friends, but they were not alone.

 

[Armphid]

Jasreath closed his eyes briefly at that first tentative touch of her hand. Even through his leathers the contact was a warm shock. A connection. His eyes looked down at her then, not with pity or sympathy but understanding and an answering sorrow. His chest heaved under her touch as her other hand touched him and she rested her head on his shoulder.

His resolve did not break but it cracked. A tremor ran through him, not from the cold but surging emotion. His chest rose and fell rapidly. His shoulders shook. A single line sob slipped from his lips. Shame roiled in him along with grief, sorrow, and regret then; it was a slip of self control that may be understandable but that made him feel weak. More tears slid silently down his strong face bit there was no further sound of weeping. The Night Elf's strong arms tightened around her, embracing her more fully now, seeking comfort as much as he wished to provide it.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira had thought she couldn't be any more broken, but when she heard Jasreath's single stoic sob she knew she was wrong. The sound of that pain, the sheer force of it bursting through the Night Elf's restraint... It resounded with something deep within Senira and it made her tears fall anew.

But she wasn't alone.

The way that Jasreath's strong arms held her tighter, seeking comfort from her as well as reassuring her.... It was more of a balm to her soul than she would have guessed. She had lost a lot, and it would hurt for a long, long, time, but there was still good in this world. Riding on the coattails of such pain, death and darkness were a symbol of hope, a stranger reaching out to another to ensure they both survived.

Senira wasn't sure how long it was before she gently extricated herself from Jasreath's arms, but the crystalline world around her was starting to glow with the pink and orange hues of twilight. She had run out of tears to cry. Her eyes were burning and swollen, her throat raw, her lungs aching from the exertion of her sorrow. She looked up at him, taking one of his large hands in her two smaller ones.

"Thankyou," Senira said, eyes sparkling with respect as she inclined her head. She used the sleeve of her shirt to dash away the last of the dampness on her cheeks and she got to her feet, offering the Druid her hand. "Come, let's see to our continued survival."

They still had much to do before night fell if they were to survive.

 

[Armphid]

When she pushed away from him, he blinked and looked around. The colors in the sky spoke of the passage of time but it seemed to him as if it had been mere moments. It was as if he were waking from an ugly dream. Jasreath was grateful. Their situation may be grim but he would take it over the shameful display of his sorrow that had just ended. But it was not shameful to her; Senira's eyes were bright as she thanked him. Her voice said more in tone and warmth. Perhaps it had been good for his resolve to crack so. If it had allowed them both to grieve some and to clear their minds, then...yes, that was good. It it had helped to establish son bond between him and this remarkable woman, even better.

He took her hand and stood. "Yes, you have the right of it." There was much to do. "I have good news and less than good news." The lavender skinned man pointed, "About 300 yards in that direction is a pool and a stream that comes down out of the glacier. The water is fresh and clean but very cold; we should warm it before drinking if we can." That was the good news; potentially all the water they could want.

Now for the less good news. "I did not range too far but this forest is...unusual. There is little that lives here beyond the crystalline trees and some plants; I know not if any are edible. There are birds but they are too small and swift for me to catch save by blasting them with magic, which would likely leave nothing to eat." He shook his head, "I do not know if you have any fowling arrows but we may be able to make something that works. I fear the birds may be all the game we will see."

"But!" He strode to the dying fire, "I did take a nest that has eggs. They are fresh, I think, and so hold just yolk and not a forming hatchling yet. So that will be some small bit of nutrition we have to us."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

This was the first true chance Senira had to hear Jasreath talking. Up until this point it had all been hushed whispers or briskly breathed comments. She hadn't noticed that resonating, sonorous quality to his voice. Now he was speaking more she certainly noticed it, and she found it hard to concentrate on his words when his the sheer sound of his voice was so mesmerising.

The news of water was welcome. It wasn't that far away, and heating anything they gathered wouldn't be difficult with the campfire or the coals. Even just taking it from the stream and keeping it in the canteen would probably warm it a bit. Senira was pleased, that was one necessity taken care of.

Then Jasreath mentioned the birds and the eggs. Senira looked over to the quiver she had taken off when she had made their shelter. A quick look at the arrow fletching immediately told her that she hadn't brought a fowling arrow. She knew there would be a few back at the camp with her other belongings, but that would not do them any good now. Instead of sharing those woes she looked up at him with a grateful nod and a bare crack of a smile.

"That is good news overall. The eggs will be perfect, thank you," she said, making for the fire and taking out her dagger. She picked a place where the flames had died down but the coals were still hot and used her blade to carve out some hollows to place the eggs in. "If we have no more luck when we travel on the morrow I will make a trap of some form," she offered, standing up and brushing some ash onto her pants. "I made us a shelter-" then Senira stopped herself, realising that in making the shelter she had also made some assumptions. "I only made the one- will it be a problem to share it with me? I thought it best, in the interest conserving warmth." She looked up at the tall male, sizing him up and realising that she had indeed made the shelter to a respectable size for his height.

 

[Armphid]

Jasreath nodded, "Making only one shelter was wise. I'm not sure there are the materials for two, let you having the energy for more than one. And...lying together is the best way for us to stay warm through the night." Well. The best way would be to do something else and then lie together but he was not about to suggest it. He couldn't be comfortable with it himself, for one thing.

Though he was unsure if he would still feel that way when they actually were close together in the dark. Elune knew that the thought was a...a pleasant and tempting one.

"I have no issue, nor would any man I think, in sharing the shelter. Thank you for making it." Was it appropriate to say what he had just said? He meant it. No point in trying to take it back now. "I shall be respectful, I assure you."

The druid bent to pick up her canteen, still quite warm from the fire. He held it out to her, "Drink up. We should drain it and then I can go refill it. We should take counsel on whether we wish to attempt more tonight or if we should rest once we have refreshed our water."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

"You have been nothing but respectful thus far, I believe you," Senira said to Jasreath with a nod as she noticed that momentary look of concern about how she would take his comment. Despite her current mood, there was the slightest hint of a pretty pink blush on the apples of her cheeks.

Senira took the canteen with a word of thanks and drank half of the remaining water. She held out the other half for Jasreath, and while he finished it off she spoke.

"I think we should probably rest up after the water is refilled," Senira said, feeling the ache of exhaustion deep in her bones. It had been a long, hard day, and with the eggs, moonberry juice, water and trail mix, they should be able to make it through the night without issue.

When Jasreath finished drinking Senira reached out for her canteen, looking out past him in the direction he claimed the water to be. With the canteen in hand she bent down and retrieved her bow and quiver.

"I'll refill the water. I could do with the walk, I'll be back shortly," Senira said, buckling the empty canteen to her belt and making for the woods. Her head was aching with the exertion and fluid loss of her crying. She knew she would only dredge it back up if she remained in that clearing, and getting an idea of the lay of the land would be useful. As she walked she decided to take out her bow and arrow, preparing it in case she came upon any foe or food.

 

[Armphid]

"Of course. I'm only a call away," Jasreath said with a nod. He was concerned slightly; any extra exertion might be too much at this point. But it wasn't that far and she had apparently had become overwhelmed in part due to being alone; having a task would be all to the good. He watched her go until she was out of sight due to the odd flora of the forest and then sighed.

A task would be a good thing for himself as well. He had already had one shameful lapse...though it may have been a good thing, in the end. The druid pulled his boots back on, wincing a little at how they felt; oddly too cold and too warm in different places. They were going to let the fire die down but he liked the idea of having a thick log in there to keep slowly burning through the night; not enough for much in the way of flames but for the coals to slowly cover it and give off more heat than light. He moved out from the little camp, though he stayed within a hundred yard and kept it in his sight the entire time. Just to be sure.

Unfortunately there was nothing that would really serve his purpose that was not a trunk of a fallen tree. He had no axe and his spear would not cut it; nor would the bear or cat be able to break it. Instead he broke off some more branches and went back to their little camp. He broke them down further and laid them down on the sinking fire. It would flare up with them and burn bright again for a bit but then it would settle and give more material to become the coals he hoped would help to give them some extra heat through the night.

His eyes strayed to the shelter at that thought. Even with the fatigue deep in his bones, the chill still in his muscles and skin, the thought of being within with Senira was one that made him wonder if he truly was being proper towards her. True, she had invited him. True, she had said herself that she trusted him to be respectful. But still...

He shook his head. That was thinking for civilization. For a place where you knew where your bed was, where you would find a meal, and if you would see the sun rise again. Here, sleeping together was simply the best choice for survival. The only one, really. And neither of them had nearly the energy for any, ahem, anything even if they had an inclination to. Especially with what had happened to them both, the thought was tempting but seemed crass, almost profane.

The druid pulled his boots off again and set them to continue drying. He sat by the fire and waited for the lithe hunter's return. How strange. He had never felt...lonely in a forest before. But now he found himself hoping to see her coming back at any moment. He was troubled by that but could not deny it. Jasreath did not want to be alone now. "Do not tarry, Senira," he murmured.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

It was, in all truth, quite a short walk. Even through the melodic maze of crystallised tree trunks. Senira was used to moving through the woods, so the uneven ground and litter cover did little to slow her. It was good to move again, she thought. There was something about the pain and fear of their escape that had made her forget, that kept her mind busy and off her loss. Then, she had collapsed. Jasreath had left her alone for what had to be no more than an hour, and she had fallen to pieces.

But, despite Senira's show of agony, he had been there for her. He had felt it too. Part of her knew she should be embarrassed that Jasreath found her like that, but what she had felt was raw and honest and necessary. She couldn't take it back if she tried, and if she was still holding it in she wasn't sure how she would function.

When Senira reached the stream she looked around to check it was clear and then squatted down along the gritty banks. She dipped the canteen into the water and let it fill before taking a mouthful. It was cold, terribly cold, but she held it in her mouth and let it arm for a few moments before swallowing and filling the part she had drained. As she got up she looked around, noticing a scurrying in the trees and she smiled. They may not have fowling arrows, but she could make traps from the nature around her, and she could spare some nuts and seeds for bait if it meant squirrel or bird meat.

Senira rose, her tired muscles protesting, as she buckled her canteen back to her belt and turned back towards camp. She took her time walking back, thinking over her strange new acquaintance and the fact that they would now be travelling together, at least until Dalaran. He seemed like a good fellow, if stoic and formal. Kelthras is... was... more of a joker, a charmer. He had a way with words and a dashing smile that was designed purely to disarm her. God, Senira missed him so much already. They had spent over a year travelling together, each day he tried to win her heart. But she had remained cold, scarred by the loss of their people to risk having her soul broken again. She had thought that by trying to keep detached, by not saying how she felt, she would be protecting herself from more pain.

But she was wrong.

As Senira walked back to camp she realised her folly, that even her stubborn refusal to admit the depths of her feelings for Kelthras had not been enough to save her. To save him. The world, it seemed, didn't care for such paltry measures of protection. She had refused to tell him that she loved him, and he had still been torn away. And even worse; he went not knowing just how much she cared for him.

Despite the way that Senira's body ached, how her mind roiled, how her heart resounded with stark, worrying emptiness, she vowed never to make that mistake again. She had been foolish. It didn't matter whether she loved or hated, whether she yelled her plans from the rooftops or whispered them from fearful trembling lips... They would be taken from her regardless. So now her decision was whether she would live in fear or if she would seize each day as it came.

When Senira returned to the clearing she seemed different. She was standing a little taller, her head held higher, her eyes a little brighter. She still ached, and by the Sun Well she felt emptier than she had ever felt before... but she could feel it starting, that slow awakening.

"There was a squirrel out there I think," Senira announced to Jasreath as she stepped into the clearing. She took her canteen off and set it in the coals by the eggs. She used a stick to prod the eggs, determining that they still needed a bit of time before they were ready. "I can use some twigs and vines to make a trap. Use some nuts as bait. If the squirrel doesn't take it the birds might," she said. She rounded the fire to be closer to Jasreath. Her eyes settled on him as she lowered herself to the ground, removing her boots as he had, and set them by the fire to dry.

 

[Armphid]

The Night Elf's long ears twitched as he heard her approaching. He half-rose to be ready to shift, just in case, only to visibly relax and slowly sit as she approached. "It is good to see you." He was almost embarrassed by how good it was to see her. He let his eyes watch her as she set down the canteen and tested the eggs. Something was...different. Her bearing had changed. It was more sure, more confident. What had happened?

He nodded as she sat down. "It sounds like a worthwhile gamble. We can also ho further afield tomorrow; there may be more life the greater the distance from Icecrown." He mouth felt a bit sour as he said the name of the place. He looked northwest to where it lay and frowned, then shook his head. "Well." He picked up the skin of Moonberry juice, which was warm to the touch and sloshed softly, thawed at least. "I think...it would be more prudent to eat and drink what we have rather than try to ration. As close to full strength as we can get is better than keeping ourselves week."

He offered her the skin, "It may still be cool. This comes from near my home in Ashenvale." Why was he telling her this? "They make a wine as well but I have always preferred the juice. It...is something of a comfort to share a piece of home with a lovely, ah, with an ally."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira gratefully took the offered juice. She took a modest sip of it, letting out a sigh as the lukewarm liquid trickled down her throat.

"This is delicious, thank you," she said, handing the skin back to him. She didn't miss his slip as he spoke to her. How he had called her lovely before quickly changing his line to that of ally. Kelthras had never been so reluctant, he had always been a shameless flirt. It was good. Senira always new where she stood with him. Yet there was something alluring in Jasreath's cautious and tentative interactions. Of course it could be because of what she was, a High Elf- or Blood Elf- as many of her kin from Silvermoon were now referring to themselves. There was a long and complicated history between her people and his, to the point where hers were almost unrecognizable compared to their ancestors. She looked over at Jasreath as she turned, reaching behind her to gather some small twigs and a coiled pile of vines from just inside their shelter. His skin was a lovely dusky hue and his dark hair framed his strong, stoic face.

Senira had never really paid much attention to the attractiveness of the Night Elves. It was taboo, even back when she was younger. But now... here.... After the events of the day and the sense of trust she felt towards him, Senira felt that he was a fine creature indeed.

Senira's nimble fingers worked deftly to bend and bind twigs, creating a small cage that would form her trap.

"I've been to Ashenvale before," she said slowly, by way of making conversation. The keening undertones of the forest's song seemed to speak to that part of her that was aching with loss. She had to drown it out. "I didn't have much of a chance to enjoy it though, with the tension between our peoples. But what I did see of it was lovely. It felt so much older than the Eversong Woods. Everything was on a much grander scale..." Senira trailed off, thinking of her own home now and wondering when she would return. If she would return.

 

[Armphid]

He took the skin back and took a drink. The juice was neither warm nor cold but pleasant either way. He closed his eyes after swallowing, savoring the feel of the sweet liquid sliding down to his stomach. It might be a trick of the mind, but it made him feel more energetic already. Not enough to do much but it helped. He took another drink and then capped the skin, setting it between them.

His silver eyes watched as she worked on the trap. It certainly was looking hood. Trapping was never a very reliable way to get animals but it was another chance. It also was a way to keep active. "Your fingers are as clever as your mind," he commented. "That speaks well of our chances."

Jasreath was savvy enough to take up the offered thread of conversation. "Ashenvale is old indeed, even by our reckoning. I am glad you have seen it. Unlike many of my kind, I like to know others have seen our lands. It can be eye opening to hear the insights of others."

He smiled at her, "But there is no forest like the one that is home, is there? I have heard descriptions and tales of Eversong. Perhaps I will see it someday. I would like to see the various forests of the world while they yet endure."

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Senira nodded at Jasreath’s words about others seeing his homeland.

“There is enough beauty in this world to share it with others. To close your lands is to close your mind,” Senira said as she worked on the cage. It was good, something to keep her restless hands busy while she talked. “The Eversong woods are beautiful. They lack the age and scale of Ashenvale, but there is something hopeful beneath the canopy. Like the earth is holdings its breath, or like those first days of spring, you know? The forest is still young and tentative enough that no one quite knows what it will be in a hundred years. It is inspiring, that capacity for growth and change…” Senira trailed off as she rested the trap on her thighs and reached back for more twigs.

When she had a few more sticks and a bit more vine she curled her legs up under her and shifted so that she was facing Jasreath rather than he fire. Even seated he towered over her. She looked up into his silver eyes and held the trap up. She had the skeleton of the thing, now she had to do the more precarious work of coaxing the twins over the arch to form part of the rigger. She held the trap up for him.

“Would you mind holding this while I tie on the trigger please?” She asked.