The new threat

[Nereid]

The once mighty night elves were the worlds' greatest people until after a war that changed them for all eternity. The most catastrophic thing that happened was that they lost their immortality but they still lived longer then anyone else.
The elves got used to that after some time, though many couldn’t get past that and lost their lives eventually. Those who survived continued with their lives and fought off their enemies from their capital, Darnassus. Though there were few of the night elves they were still strong with the magic still by their side and their enemies started to leave them alone.

Not until now, several ages later have the night elves started to get trouble again. Their oldest enemy, the orcs, have come back and there is something more threatening that now lurks in the world, something not even the oldest night elves have seen before.


The soft sunlight found itself a way through the big, old trees and it hit the ground, waking up the life there and the inhabitants of the forest. A slight wind blew through the trees, leaving after a soft sound of moving leaves but it also carried a warning with it. Somewhere deep inside the mystic and beautiful forest the light had hit something living; lying next to a tree, when it had broke itself through the tree crowns. Two silver coloured eyes opened to glare up against the light and the living being raised up, revealing a black cat’s body. The cat looked like a panther with a white marking on its right shoulder and two long eye brows above its eyes, that reached out from its head and its ears were longer that on normal cat's.

With soft steps with its paws it walked out to the glade next to the tree. It sniffed on the grass that slowly waved back and forth in the wind, before it looked up, with narrowing eyes.

Dust quickly surrounded the cat’s body, with the colours of purple and blue and when the dust fell to the ground again it stood a tall female night elf where the cat had been;she was looking around with worried eyes. Her long and dark blue hair got caught by the wind until she walked out from the glade, followed by some restless spirits of the forest.

She quickly climbed up on one of the hills and looked around, seeing nothing but trees and animals. Still she had an uneasy feeling of that something wasn’t right. The more she listened on the wind and the spirits within the forest, the more worried she got. Something was indeed wrong here. A sudden voice next to her, made her look to her left and she ran down the hill and in among the trees.

She had to stop after only some metres since there was a huge ravine in front of her. She walked over to some purple bushes there and looked down, protected by any curious eyes. She gasped when she saw a whole group of orcs. There where at least 20 of them. They had made a fire and where talking excitedly with each other on their own tongue, something she couldn’t understand. But she could see that they had their war clothes on them, a sure sign of an attack soon. It was a long time ago they had been bothered by the orcs and some had almost thought that they had disappeared from the world but so wasn’t the fact.

The female elf knew that Darnassus had to be warned about the orcs, since they were their greatest enemy and she got on her feet and started to run away from the ravine while she silently thanked the spirits for the warnings. They were only happy to be able to help and they thanked her in return for listening on them, before they left her alone.

“We know you will help your people in time, Shara” their last words were and she wondered for herself how they could know her name. But she knew better then to question such old and wise spirits that had helped create the forest and nature itself.

Shara moved along the trees, jumping over anything that got in her way and she started to see where she was heading; some waterfalls and cliffs ahead of her that should have stop her from running. It was a long jump over the ravine but she kept on running with a determined face. Right before the edge she transformed back to the cat and jumped easily over the ravine. When she got over to the other side she started to run again, faster since she had a cat’s body and she quickly disappeared among the trees, heading to Darnassus.

Darnassus was a very big and beautiful city, surrounded by giant trees and guarded by both Night elves and some living Ancient Trees that walked around the city, prepared to defend it at any costs. The city had been build into a lake and nature had, after time, made the city one with the forest, with both waterfalls and giant trees between the white structures on the ground that served at the more important places while the usual homes were up in the big trees. Where there wasn’t water in the city there were lush grass and plants or colourful leaves from the trees, creating a perfect and calm place for the night elves. There were some smaller Ancient Trees too, more outside the city. They weren’t even bigger then the night elves themselves but they were just as respected as the bigger and older ones.

Shara had no time to bow for the small Ancient Tree she jumped out next to and she even scared it, making it flinch and give out a low grump of irritation as it looked after her, running into the city still in cat form. Night elves in cat forms wasn’t a strange thing to see there but one running so fast as she, did get some attention. Some even asked her what was going on but she had no time to explain.

She hurried up over the stairs to the most important building in Darnassus, the temple of the Council, where their leader was. The leader was a great warrior who knew magic as well and his name was Calminor. Many come to him, even with the smallest problems but he just smiled to things like that and helped them gladly.

Luckily there were no one there except him and the council members right now and Shara ran quickly inside there and became herself, while walking over to him. The council members, all dressed in white, long cloaks stopped and looked at her, feeling that she had urgent news.
Calminor didn’t look like her, his skin was light green and his hair had a darker variant of green and his eyes weren’t silver like hers, they were golden. He had the common clothes of night elves, some strong leather clothes with eagle feathers hanging down from them.
Shara's quick approach made him turn around from the female council member he was speaking to, to look at Shara. She walked over to him and bowed with her head just to keep on the formalities before she looked up again.
“I have some urgent news regarding our safety,” she said and tried to calm her lungs down, since they didn’t really wanted to obey her and let her speak quickly.
Calminor saw that she was catching up her breath and waited a little anxious for her to continue. He hadn’t liked the start of her report and he had a bad feeling that something was wrong.
“I saw about 20 orcs near the Waterfall village,” she said at last. “I don’t know if they are planning to attack but orcs hardly wander around our lands without a reason.”
“That’s true,” he said. “It is disturbing news and I’m glad that you come so quickly.” He looked seriously at her, fully aware of the council that had their eyes fixed on him. He got a bitter voice next time he spoke;
“Of course those cowardly orcs are aiming for our smaller villages. They know that they aren’t guarded so fully as Darnassus itself. The people there must be warned! Run over there and tell them to be prepared, I will send over some of the Ancient Trees.”
He added with a cold smile. ”They are good to teach enemies a lesson about what happens when they are attacking us.”
Shara didn’t answer his last comment; she just nodded quickly and hurried out from the building, transforming to the cat already over the stairs and she run along the road out from the city. Calminor looked after her before he noticed that the people she had passed looked at him now instead, probably waiting for an explanation. And he would give them one as soon as he had commanded the Ancient Trees to get to Waterfall village.

[Nereid]

Shara reached Waterfall village faster then the wind had carried the news, and she stormed into the village. This time she didn’t get out of her cat form while she stopped in the middle of the village, looking around.
“Where is your leader?” she asked, talking through the cat and looking at the passing elves with her piercing silver eyes.
“Telin is in there.” one male said and pointed at one of the bigger buildings behind her.
Shara ran inside there and became herself at the door. It looked like this building was the place for meetings. Perfect, she thought and looked after Telin. She saw him, sitting down and working with something with his hands but he looked up from his work when she walked over to him.
He rose up from the chair and bowed with his head and she did the same for him, while she looked at him. He didn’t look so different from Calminor; it was just his clothes that were different. He had a grey cloak instead.
“What have happened to bring one of Darnassus's scouts here?” he asked.
“I’m here to warn you,” she said seriously. “I spotted about 20 orcs not so long ago and not so far from this village. The forest has warned me about it and I think, as well as Calminor thinks, that they might attack here any moment. Calminor has already sent some of the Ancient Trees to help you, if an attack would accrue.” Telin looked at her with a shadow in his bright blue eyes.
“So the orcs are here again. And they have chosen Waterfall village as their target?” he said almost sad. Shara remembered now that this village had a very sensitive leader. Nothing wrong with that, she added quickly in her mind but those elves had a habit of being slow when speaking of something so serious like this and that could be tiresome for someone who was pretty quick in the mind.
“I’m afraid so,” she said. “You should tell the inhabitants about this and place those who can’t fight in a safer place. Orcs do not see the difference about killing a child or a warrior.” Her voice was bitter and her face only showed the warrior within herself. Telin nodded though and was quickly outside, getting the villagers' attention. Shara decided to look after the Ancient Trees and she transformed back to the cat and rushed past Telin outside the building and out on the road. It was barley anyone who noticed that, they listened highly on Telin who told them about the situation.
Shara run halfway to Darnassus but stopped there and looked around, her eyes trying to catch something she could only sense. She wasn’t alone there. She heard something not far from the road and started to prowl over there but the sudden noise of the Ancient Trees made her look up and lose track of whatever had been watching her.
Calminor had sent one of the biggest Trees and three smaller ones who slowly made their way through the forest. The Ancient Trees weren’t fast and they could do nothing about it but when it came to battle they were strong and deadly, so they made it up there.
Shara respectfully moved out of their way and let them pass her on the road while she suspiciously looked around. She still had that feeling of being watched. But she had to ignore it and follow the Ancients to help the village.

[Nereid]

She walked more outside the road but she could see the Ancients all the time. And hear them clearly. She just hoped the orcs didn’t hear them as well as her. She was lost in her own thoughts until they reached the village. A more worrying sound come to her ears. The sound of swords clashing with each other. She ran past the Ancients and yelled at them to hurry up before she quickly ran into the village, striking down one orc that she passed with her right paw.
The orc surprised landed on the ground before it got killed by one of the night elves. Shara turned around to see how the situation had gone and she saw that the orcs were fighting against the night elves. The night elves were very skilled fighters, trained or not and the orcs looked like they were starting to regret the attack. Especially now when the Ancient Trees had got there. Seeing their orc companions get kicked away by the Trees, slowed down the others attack.
Shara became herself and almost got shocked by the sudden reaction with the orcs. Their leader, a particularly ugly one yelled out something on orcish and pointed at her. The other orcs quickly surrendered their fight and started to run towards her, yelling at each other.
“What the…?!” Shara said low and confused but she woke up from her stunned condition and transformed to the cat, jumping over an orc that had tried to capture her with his hands. She landed on his back before she quickly jumped of and started to run away from the other orcs. Running from them was now not so easy, since all of them tried to get her and someone even pulled her tail, in a desperate way to capture her.

The other night elves and the Ancient Trees used the orcs' sudden stupidity and they quickly started to get rid of them.
Shara looked back when she had come outside the village and she stopped when she couldn’t see anyone after her.
Suddenly a smaller orc, probably a scout, jumped right at her from some bushes, knocking her to the ground. She quickly hit him in the head with her claws, making him release her to place his hands in his bleeding face. She backed off, growling at him and he looked coldly at her with new scars in his face.
He had to give her up since two night elves started to get after him, with their deadly swords in their hands. The scout ran off into the forest and left the elves standing, looking after him.
“What was that about?” one of the elves asked Shara.
“I don’t know,” she said. “But I will find out soon. Keep your eyes open for any more orcs.” She had noticed that the orc leader had been able to get away and she wanted to find him and the survivors. Most of all she wanted to find out why they were so interested in her. But the orcs wouldn’t give her the answer.
She slowly left the village, making sure to blend in, in the shadows of the forest. Only the most sharp-eyed orc would see her now.

[Nereid]

Finding the tracks of the orcs wasn’t so hard. The forest itself revealed them since it didn’t wanted them there. That’s why many orcs had been found killed by the forest animals or even the plants. They could have got strangled to death by tree roots or poisoned by some plants.
With the help of a tree spirit she found one of the orcs tracks pretty quick and she slowly moved along it. She didn’t really know what to do when she found the orcs again, she couldn’t understand them but she couldn’t kill them either. She had also tried to find out if it was the scout she was following but she couldn’t recognise the smell from the tracks.
She quickly stopped when she heard the orcs' voices. With soft steps she walked on until she could see them. There were six of them all and the orcs looked at their leader, waiting for orders. The leader seemed pretty empty of ideas though by the look of his worried face.
Shara planned to get closer when something near her got her intention. She got the feeling of being watched again and looked to her right. There was something in the bushes only some metres away and when she looked over there it suddenly got on the move; she could hear it running away.
She thought that it could be an orc and she quickly ran after, rushing through the bushes. She stopped and looked around and spotted something quickly moving into the bushes ahead of her. A bit tired of this, Shara followed and before she knew it she had lost the orc tracks and the location of the orcs. And that strange feeling she had got was gone again.
Irritated and tired she sat down on the ground, breathing heavily while she looked around. She decided to tell the Ancient Trees about the orcs' hideout and she got up again running to the village.
The people there had started to clean up and she walked over to the biggest of the Trees and became herself. She bowed quickly before she started to tell him where the orcs could be. She also said she wasn’t sure since something had lead her of the track.
“Finding them is not hard,” he said. “The forest itself will lead us to them.” Shara knew what he meant. The old Trees knew better then anyone how to listen more deeply to the spirits. The night elves hadn’t got so far in that yet. For some seconds she wondered how the night elves had learnt it in the first place, not even the oldest one knew that and many doubted that they would ever get to know that. Some of their history had got lost when the War came and changed their lives.
Shara got interrupted in her thoughts when the big Trees started to move again, making the ground shake under their feet. The orcs would be taken care of now, she thought satisfied. Now she was going to take care of her stalker.

[Nereid]

Shara started to walk back to Darnassus, she wanted to speak with Calminor on how the battle had gone and that the orcs seemed very interested in her. Normally she would have run to tell something that important but she wanted to see if her follower would show up. If that would happen she would start to chase the person and catch it.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice the movement next to her and she let out a surprised roar when something grabbed her one back foot and she turned around, facing the same orc scout as before. This time he seemed angrier and the determination in his eyes were not to underestimate.
Shara felt him throw her to the ground and he did it so hard that she got completely stunned for some seconds, feeling nothing but the pain in her shoulder that had got the worst hit. The orc laughed before he pulled out some rope from a small bag, hanging from his belt. She wouldn’t allow him to get so far and she jumped up, hitting him with her massive paw right on his chest and he fall backwards. Suddenly she heard more orcs behind her; she looked back and saw two orcs on their way to her and they both had something that looked like swords.

She quickly became herself, to be able to use her magic against them, something she was sure they didn’t know about. She pulled out a staff from a belt that was on her back and chest and she grabbed it steadily with one hand and muttered something. Around her free hand a soft green light appeared for some seconds before it disappeared and one of the charging orcs stopped, feeling something climb up next to its feet and legs. Some strong roots had appeared in the ground holding the orc in one place. The other orc stopped and looked surprised at his companion.
When he looked to back at Shara, a blue light hit him on his chest, pushing him to the ground. Shara turned around and merely avoided the scout's attack; she placed her staff in front of his feet and made him fall too. The situation could be amusing if her life hadn’t depended on it. Though she doubted they wanted to kill her.
The orcs wouldn’t give up it seems, because when the roots finally let the orc go he charged again. Shara jumped away from him, a little surprised of his speed and she accidentally jumped right at the orc she had used the blue magic on. He was quick with grabbing her leg and she was to hit him in the head when the scout grabbed her arm, holding her back. His grip was very strong and painful as she struggled to get lose from him. When it came to raw strength orcs were much better than night elves.
The other two orcs had got on their feet, looking at her with creepy smiles as they started to talk with each other. The scout held both her arms now behind her back looking at the other two and answering them it seemed.
Shara sensed something they didn’t, they weren’t alone here anymore. She quickly looked back before she both felt and heard by his grunt that the scout got hit in the head by someone. The scout released her and turned around to face his opponent when he suddenly got knocked to the ground after another deadly hit in his head.

With a quick jump she got away from him, seeing a night elf run past her with two long knives in his hands and he avoided the slow strike from one of the orcs before he pushed one of the knives through his chest and turned directly to the other one who stared at him, complety surprised over what just happened. The night elf looked back with narrowed eyes until the orc decided to get away from him. Shara looked surprised at the night elf when he followed the orc with his eyes but he didn’t seem to want to follow him or kill him. The night elf pulled away his knives before turning around looking at her with his piercing silver eyes.
Shara held back a gasp when she recognised the elf, which looked like her, with a soft, light purple skin and dark blue hair.
The elf was a known as the Shapeshifter, a mysterious man who none knew anything about, except that he guarded the forests and had done so for a long time. Some people even thought that he was some kind of spirit. Though he seemed very alive, she thought.
“I have noticed that the orcs seem very fond of you,” he said, raising one eyebrow, looking curiously at her. Shara narrowed her eyes. How did he know by one simple attack? She looked a bit questioningly at him and he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You have spotted me several times,” he said a smile playing on his lips. Shara looked surprised at him, finally knowing who her stalker was. But she hadn’t expected to get such a famous elf after her and it worried her a little.

[Nereid]

They looked at each other with the orcs lying dead between them. Shara had totally forgotten that he just had saved her; she just looked suspiciously at him while he looked back at her.
“Why would you follow me?” she asked with a sharp voice, placing her staff on her back again. It was a common staff among her kind; it wasn’t sharp in any way and it was made of wood and some feathers were hanging down from its top.
The Shapeshifter shrugged before he looked in among the trees where he had heard an animal go through; apparently he was still keeping an eye out for any orcs.
“Just a feeling,” he said calm, turning to her again. “You should be happy that I did follow you,” he added in a more serious voice. She frowned a little, wondering why he even cared and took time to help an ordinary scout. According to the rumours, he wasn’t the friendliest soul around.

Shara remembered what she was doing before the orcs had attacked her but now she had company and she didn’t know how to get rid of it. She didn’t trust strangers so easily, even if they happened to save her.
“Well, I thank you then for helping me,” she said bowing with her head. He was after all no usual night elf but she noticed that he seemed bothered by her gesture.
“I’m not leaving you now,” he said like it was the clearest thing in the world. “There are more orcs out there and I’m sure they are just as interested as these three were.”
“I can actually take care of myself. I just wasn’t prepared for these when they attacked.” She looked a little offended.
“So there is no need for you to follow me,” she added. He shook his head before looking up with a teasing smile.
“You can’t stop me,” he said. “I will follow you, so get going already. I’m sure Calminor wants to know what is happening around here.” Shara felt for rolling her eyes since the situation was starting to get strange. It wasn’t the fact that he practically ordered her to move; it was that he didn’t behave like the Shapeshifter she had heard about. Her sigh of giving up made him chuckle and she frowned once again.
“Alright,” she said. “Just don’t blame me if you can't catch up with me.” She made a quick gesture with her hands before she turned into the dark blue cat, looking coldly at him with. His action did surprise her, though it shouldn’t; he transformed into a cat as well. A bigger one with a black mane and he looked even more respectable.
“So that’s how you managed to follow me, without getting seen so easily,” she said not without irritation.
“If you had mastered the cat’s abilities, I wouldn’t just have been seen but been caught, too. Lucky for me, you haven’t.”
He started to walk past her, to Darnassus at the south. Shara stared after him when he had offended her once again and her cat shape sure showed what she thought of him.
The night elf looked back when he noticed that she hadn’t moved yet and he could read her body language easily.
“Oh, don’t take it so hard,” he said with pretending sadness. “You’ll get better some day.”

Shara had had enough of his insults and she quickly started to walk before she ran past him, disappearing into the bushes in front of them.
The Shapeshifter looked after her, before he followed, catching up with her. He hadn’t met many other druids in his life. The night elves called the ones with the ability to change forms druids, which both he and the strange woman were. While his thoughts were focused on what had happened, his cat mind looked for any possible dangers around them.

[Nereid]

The druids ran quickly through the forest, Shara a little ahead since she was smaller and faster. After a few minutes they could see the tops of Darnassus’ highest buildings and Shara stopped at the edge of the trees, catching her breath, while waiting for the druid. When he walked up next to her, he looked around inhaling the scents from the old city.
Shara looked at him with a puzzled expression in her face, which he noticed since he looked back.
“It was a long time I was here,” he said and looked out over the city again. The inhabitants, unaware of the two cats, walked around on the roads, heading to different errands and all the people made the Shapeshifter hesitate.
“You can take the city way to Calminor,” he said while turning around towards her. “I’m taking the safer way.”
“The safer way?” she said frowning, making him stop in his movement to look at her.
“People don’t really like seeing me here.” His tone was neutral but his eyes told something else; they looked bitter and almost sad.
“Now hurry. I’ll be with Calminor when you get there.” Shara nodded quickly and looked after him as he ran away, among the bushes. Not until now she wondered how he could be there faster than her. The way from the forest was probably longer, since there were a lot of trees and bushes to get past.

Well, she didn’t have time to think of that and she jumped down from the little hill they had been standing on. She saw to her right, the small Ancient Tree she had startled before and this time she took time to bow for him so he wouldn’t have any hard feelings. She didn’t know that deep inside the Tree couldn’t care less if people didn’t bow for him. He just nodded as the others did and looked after her when she started to run again. Something was probably happening in the forest since it was a lot running to Calminor now. He shrugged, how that now was possible as the tree creature he was, before he started to patrol again.
When Shara entered the temple of Council she found it empty and she stopped in the middle of the big room that was the hall. She stood next a small but long tree that had golden flowers and silver leaves. The tree had been planted by the city’s creators, the oldest night elves that were dead now. And the tree was being carefully taken care of by the council members.

Shara looked startled up and saw Calminor look out from one of the open wooden doors; his eyes searched around before they stopped at her and he made a gesture for her to come in there. Swiftly she ran inside there, still in cat form and Calminor closed the door after her. The Shapeshifter was there too, looking at her when she entered and she became herself since he was himself too. She gave Calminor a strange look when he locked the door. He saw it and made a gesture towards the Shapeshifter.
“It’s for his sake,” he said, stopping in front of Shara. She looked quickly at the mysterious druid.
“I have already told you,” he said. “People don’t like to see me.”
“Illsu has some rumours, yes,” Calminor smiled towards him, getting a smile back in return. Shara looked at both of them, her eyes utterly confused. And she started to wonder about those rumours’.
“You two know each other?” she asked. She didn’t have to think twice about what Calminor had called the man. It was probably he’s real name. And an unusual name too, she thought. Of course that strange man had to have a strange name too. Calminor turned around to face her.
“We have met sometimes,” he said;”Under some dangerous circumstances. But it has been a while now.” Shara saw a trace of sadness in Calminor’s eyes, which surprised her. There were something more behind his words, but she wouldn’t ask him more about that. It wasn’t any of her business. After all, she didn’t even know him well enough to ask him questions about his life. They more worked together and she felt honoured about that. Nothing more.
“Well, it hasn’t changed,” Illsu said. “Your young scout here seems to be the reason why the orcs are here.”
Shara’s eyes were annoyed when she looked at him. He didn’t have to say it like it was entirely her fault, which he had. And his tone was very serious, too serious for her taste.

[Nereid]

Calminor looked at Shara and she nodded to confirm it.
“They have already attacked me twice,” she said. “First time when I was in the village and then outside. It was there Illsu helped me.”
“Saved you,” Illsu said while coughing the same time. Shara glanced quickly at him and Calminor held back a smile.
“But what is it they want with you?” Illsu asked, looking at her.
“If I would have known, I would have told you,” she replied sharply.
“So you haven’t done anything particular?” he asked, ignoring her irritated voice.
“Not what I am aware of. I’m just a scout, who keeps an eye on the forest outside Darnassus.” She couldn’t understand why the orcs were so interested in her. She hadn’t done anything special in her life, except protecting the night elves. And there were many who did that.
“Well, whatever the reason is, it can’t be something good,” Calminor said worried. “Orcs are never up to anything good with us.” Shara started to get worried too now.
“They don’t want me dead, though,” she said. “Otherwise they would have killed me directly and not trying to tie me up.”
“That’s even worse,” Illsu said, almost rolling his eyes. Someone knocked at the door and all three flinched, mostly Illsu. The night elf looked at the window before he ran over there, transforming to the cat while jumping through the open window. Shara thought that he was exaggerating but Calminor looked a little panic like too. Though he calmly opened the door and Shara spotted one of the council members outside it.
“The Ancient Trees has returned from Waterfall village, my lord,” the young man said. “They have got rid of all the orcs they could find but they warned that there might be more lurking out there.”
Prepared to jump over me any moment, Shara thought bitter.
“How much is the damage on the village and the people there?” Calminor asked.
“No one got killed but several were injured. We have already sent over help to them.”
“Good. I will talk with the Ancients for more details later.” The man nodded and Calminor closed the door but he waited for the man to leave before he locked it again.
Illsu looked up from the lower part of the window when he heard the door get closed. Right afterward he jumped in again, transforming back right next to Shara so she jumped away of surprise when the taller elf appeared by her side. He gave her a quick look before Calminor's voice made them both look at him.

“If there are more orcs out there,” he said thoughtfully. “Then you will be in danger if you go out there, Shara.”
“I can take care of myself,” she said. He smiled at her.
“I know that. But you can’t fight against a whole pack of orcs. You will have to stay in Darnassus. It’s for your own safety.” Shara knew that when Calminor had decided something it was too late to change. She knew that from personal experience. But still she always tried to make him change his mind.
“Some orcs can’t stop me from leaving the city,” she said. “I can track the last ones down and then let you know so someone can kill them.”
“What if they find you first?” Shara stopped herself from saying anything more, since she couldn't actually. She looked at Calminor with angry eyes but he ignored it. Illsu looked at both of them, a thoughtful expression on his face when he saw Shara's face. It told him that she wasn’t to give up so easily.
“Calminor,” he said taking some steps closer the leader. “I can search up the orcs. I have my ways of going undetected through the forest.” He didn’t really have any talents like that, except that he was much more skilled than the younger druid behind him. But he didn’t want to say that loud to her. Calminor looked at him, knowing what his ways were and he had to admit that Illsu was better to search for the orcs.
“You do so,” he said, getting a both surprised and angry look from Shara.
She crossed her arms, thinking no good thoughts about both of them. They would see; she didn’t have any intend on staying in the city. Was it something she didn’t like so was it to be treated like a child, while the ‘older’ ones did the job.

[Nereid]

Illsu looked at Shara when she, with an offended face, opened the door and walked out, leaving them alone. Calminor rolled his eyes when she had done so, before he turned around to face Illsu. By the look of Calminor her reaction wasn’t something new.
“She’ll get over it,” he said with a smile. “You have no idea how many times she has walked out like that.”
“Are you sure she will even stay in the city?” Illsu asked, with a small worried voice.
“No.” Calminor's answer made Illsu frown.
“It’s impossible to keep her in the city for a longer time. So I need you to find the orcs as fast as possible, before she gets herself in more then she can handle.”
“The orcs are very spread out. I’ll need several days to track all of them down.”
“They should all be dead by now. There were only 20 of them and it sounds like they have all been killed.”
Illsu shook his head.
“I have seen more of them. The forest seems to be overrun by orcs, but they are just scouting around. Why some of them attacked, I do not know.” Illsu didn’t look so happy about having orcs running around in the forest. The forest was his home and the orcs wasn’t so friendly to it either.
“They are probably scouting after Shara. They seem to know that she is alone in the forest a lot . It worries me. Why are they after her? Are we even fully sure on that they are that?” Illsu thought of the woman’s name. Shara. It was a beautiful name. He quickly ignored what he thought of her name and thought about her life instead, that now was in danger.
“Well, if she goes out there alone again, then we will. Maybe not in a good way, though,” Illsu said bitterly. “I will go out now and search for the orcs, before she has got too many ideas of her own.” There was a small irony in his voice.
“I will keep Shara away for as long as possible, by speaking with her. Maybe I can talk her out of it.”
“Would be easier if you just locked her in a room.” Illsu smiled teasingly; Calminor was about to laugh. Illsu couldn’t keep serious for any longer time and that could be both a bad side and a good side. He knew that the druid cared deep inside. He was just happy that Shara wasn’t here to hear it.
“Locking someone in a room isn’t our way, Illsu, and you know that,” Calminor said raising one eye brown.
“I know.” Though Illsu still looked a little amused by the thought.
“Get going now,” Calminor said and Illsu nodded and transformed himself to the cat, giving Calminor a calm look before he jumped out through the window, heading to the forest. Calminor looked after him before he hurried outside looking for Shara. But there were no trace after her and no one had seen her leave the temple. He cussed low; she had already disappeared somewhere in the city. At least he hoped so, so she wasn’t in the forest already.

Shara was actually still in the city. She sat on one of the fallen trunks outside the entrance to Darnassus but had maked sure no one who entered the city could see her. Her anger about Calminor’s decision had slowly got to her mind and she had calmed herself down. He was right after all. She couldn’t fight against several orcs but she didn’t want to be only trouble for them. It was her the orcs were after and the small village had suffered for that already.
How much could happen if she stayed just outside the city? She would be able to keep an eye out for orcs and it wasn’t so far to the safe city. She just wondered how Calminor would react to her actions. Illsu, she didn’t think much of. She was still a little annoyed with his comments about her skills. Her muttering voice was low while she tried to decide what to do.

[Nereid]

Illsu stopped outside the city and looked around. But he knew that if Shara would think of getting out on her own, then she would sneak out, although he didn’t know her so well. Not at all, he corrected himself. He felt for stretching out his body and did so, yawning widely and showing sharp teeth. When druids were in their different forms, they shared the mind of the form. In that case, the cat. But the druid was the controlling one and the cat’s mind was just a shadow.
It wouldn’t have been druids if the form had suffered since druid belonged to the keepers of nature and all its living things.
But Illsu didn’t have time to rest like his cat would like to. He started to walk fast into the forest, sensing the warnings among the trees and in the winds. He looked up at the sky that was covered by the tree crowns. It was not often you could see the bare sky in this forest. The trees here were extremely high and old. And they were beautiful too.
Their leaves didn’t have the colour of normal trees; they were often purple, orange or blue. But there were actually some trees that had green leaves.

Shara had finally made up her mind and she jumped of the trunk and walked into the forest with her staff in one hand. But she wouldn’t go too far inside the forest. She owed Calminor to at least obey him a little. Though he probably wanted her to obey completely and stay in the city.
She stayed away from the entrance and continued her walk when she heard a very upset spirit nearby. It almost flied right at her but stopped just before, looking at her. The spirits were just blue lights with the size as a human head, but if you looked carefully you could see the shape of them inside all that blue light.
“There are still orcs here,” the spirit said when Shara had asked what was wrong. “Dreadful orcs that steals from the trees to be able to make their fire!”
“Where?” Shara asked. She knew that the spirit probably overreacted, though she didn’t like it when the trees got hurt either. The night elves had no use of tree and fire since they had light in a magic way instead.
“Just east of here, about one hours walk to them,” the spirit answered before it moved on behind her, leaving her alone.
Shara wondered how the orcs could have escaped the Ancients and how they could already be so far to the east. Maybe there were more of them than what she had seen. She had to think a little about the orcs, so she sat down, leaning against a small tree.

[Nereid]

Shara hadn’t been sitting for long when she started to feel that something was wrong. She quickly looked up when she heard a movement on the other side of the bushes in front of her. An orc showed up through the branches and she was about to take her staff in a safer grip when she felt a hand over her mouth. She stifled a scream and lifted her hand to fight off whoever was behind her but she calmed down when she saw it was Illsu. He made a gesture for her to be quiet before he put his hand away.

She now noticed there were three orcs. She would have been dead, or captured she added bitterly, if she had attacked the first one. Illsu had kneeled next to her, keeping his eyes on the orcs' every movement which was few. But pretty soon they started to walk away from them, talking in their own language. Shara looked after them before she turned around to face Illsu. He had already got on his feet and helped her up.
“I saw Calminor was right,” Illsu said.
“About what?”
“About the fact that you are very hard to keep inside the city.” His tone made her feel guilty, strangely enough.
“Well, I’m quite stubborn,” she said coldly.
“Too stubborn for your own good.”
“What do you know of that, really?” She looked irritated at him but he only smiled at her.
“Being too stubborn for your own good is my last name,” he said with a light tone. “So you are not alone.”
And you think I want company, Shara thought ironically.
A sudden roar behind the bushes made them both look there as an orc pushed the bushes away, staring at them. They stared back before Illsu woke up and pulled Shara away, just in time before the orc lifted a giant axe and hit it in the tree.

Illsu turned around and lifted his suddenly glowing hand towards the orc. The orc shouted and dropped the axe and Shara could see a light burning mark on the orc’s hand from the handle. Illsu looked coldly at him before he looked over his shoulder, seeing the two other orcs. Shara had seen them too and looked at Illsu, taking a firm grip on her staff once more. He hesitated before he made a gesture to the orc with the axe and Shara turned around, facing the orc who was picking up the axe again.
She formed a blue fireball with her one hand before she threw it at him, hitting him on the chest. He got immediately hit by her staff when he tried to get up, before she jumped at him in her cat shape. With sharp claws and teeth she attacked him, pushing him away from the fight that was going on behind them.
Illsu had quickly knocked the right orc to the ground before he had pulled out his knives, attacking the left one with a speed the orc couldn’t match. After less than a minute, the orc started to get too many deep cuts to be able to stand up properly and Illsu struck one last time at him, seeing him fall dead to the ground.
Shara had meanwhile given her attacker a deadly bite in the throat and turned away from him while his life was slowly drained out of his body. She saw the last orc sneak up behind Illsu before it grabbed his shoulders and threw him to the ground. Illsu was quick with avoiding the orc’s fist and rolled away, getting up on his feet again. He barely got time to jump away when the orc suddenly fell to the ground, towards him. Shara had jumped up on the orc’s back and used her weight to make him fall before she jumped of again and let Illsu end his life.

Illsu looked at the orcs, then at her before he nodded.
“You are quite good after all,” he said almost surprised. Shara wondered how he could think of that now of all moments. She shook her head and sighed amused. They looked up when they both heard the roars from more orcs further away.
“Hm, we should get moving,” Illsu said and joined her in the cat shape. They quickly left the place and disappeared in the shadows of the forest. By the time the orcs got to their dead friends, the night elves were far away.

[Nereid]

“You think there are more orcs?” Shara asked after that Illsu had told her what he thought about the orcs in the forest. They were in normal shapes now so they could keep better watch after any stalkers.
“Yes; I have seen traces of them and this path seems very interesting for them. And they are all here for one reason.” He gave her a look to say what reason he thought about.
“I know it’s me,” she said dryly. “But why? What is it with me that is so interesting?”
“Maybe something in your past. Or something your ancestors did?”
“My family story isn’t so different from any other's. No special heroes or something like that. And I’m the only one alive; my parents are dead and I don’t have any other relatives alive.” Illsu stopped at the path they were walking at and he looked back at her. His eyes narrowed as if he was inspecting her.
“Are you sure of that?” he asked.

Shara had stopped as well and frowned at his words. She knew her history very well since she had read the family books and there was nothing of importance in them. Unless they had forgotten to mention someone. She didn’t thought of any in her closer family since they were dead.
“I know all my ancestors and if there had existed a famous one, then that must have been a long, long time ago since I do not know of it.”
Illsu didn’t look like he was satisfied with that explanation but he turned around, continued to walk again. He wasn’t so sure of what she was saying. Illsu reminded her more and more of someone he had met once for a long time ago. A night elf that didn’t have any quarrel with killing his friends if it could save him. Illsu had directly hated the man when he first saw him; a colder and more evil night elf was hard to find.

He looked over his shoulder at Shara who had fixed her eyes on the ground to not fall over the roots that covered the small path. Her hair had the same colour as the night elf and her face looked almost the same just more feminine. The most important difference was that she had warmer eyes that spoke of kindness, which the other elf had no trace of.
Illsu hoped he was wrong about his suspicions. He hadn’t noticed it at all until after the fight and he wondered how he could have missed something so important. He got worried thinking of that Shara might have missed someone in her family. A closer and still alive relative.
Illsu looked around getting a strange feeling of danger.
“Keep your eyes open,” he said to her hiding his worry from his voice before he looked forward again. "I think we are getting close to one of the orcs' camps."

[Nereid]

Shara had noticed that Illsu was worried about her. Or maybe it was just something else he was worried about. She wasn’t sure but his question had made her doubt her own knowledge about her family. She did remember that her parents always acted so strange when she asked too much about that subject but she had just left it alone then. Now she was starting to regret that she had.

Her thoughts got interrupted by Illsu, whom she walked right into since he had stopped. He gaved her a quick look and she apologised, backing away from him.
“Orcs?” she asked looking around.
“Strangely enough no,” Illsu said. “Their camp is only about 20 metres ahead of us but it’s… empty here.”
Shara didn’t like that and she wasn’t alone about it either.
“We shouldn’t be here,” Illsu said. “The orcs might return any moment and I surely don’t want them to see us here, almost in their camp.” He gave her a quick look.
“At least you shouldn’t be here,” he said, preparing for a huge protest. Which he was about to get too. But he was quicker and raised his hands towards her in a friendly gesture, to calm her down.
“Alright,” he said giving her a sharp look though. “Forget what I said. But none of us should be here really. Calminor should know of this place and… I got my own business in Darnassus now.” She frowned of his suddenly serious voice. If she remembered right he was not so welcome in Darnassus.
Illsu ignored her frown as he left the dangerous area and became the cat, to be able to run away quick and undiscovered. Shara followed him in the same shape. She noticed that Illsu seemed to be in a hurry now suddenly but she kept up with him, jumping over the long trunks and rocks in the forest.

The ground was sweeping under them but they kept running like they hadn’t done anything else in their life. Illsu stopped now and then and looked back after Shara though he didn’t had to, since she was almost right after him. She got a little frustrated by his constant stops but she didn’t say anything.
At last, after more then one hour, they were back at Darnassus. Once again they decided to meet up at Calminor’s office and Illsu took the more hidden way, while Shara used the normal way in. Calminor wasn’t surprised to see them. He was more happy about that they had got back alive. Not even Shara’s disobeying had surprised him; he just shrugged with a small smile when she told him.
Illsu stood up in the same room as before while Shara had sat down in one of the wooden chairs. The running had made her more tired then she wanted to admit.
“So you found an orc camp in the forest?” Calminor said. “That’s good. Now we maybe can get rid of them.”
“I wouldn’t say so. Orcs are very stubborn,” Illsu said tired. “But you should send someone over there. Destroying their camp would make them confused for awhile.” Calminor was smart enough to not argue with Illsu when he gaved him advices like this. Illsu were probably more experienced then Calminor. Illsu suddenly shrugged and looked like he wanted to get out of the room.
“I must really go,” he said. “I have got some news about the orcs and I have to find out what it is exactly about. And there is only one place in Darnassus I can do that.” Calminor raised one eyebrown.
“I guess it’s also the only place you can show yourself in?” he asked.
“You… could say that. But of course I’m not going there without a disguise. I do value my life, you know.” Calminor looked like he wanted to protest but he didn’t; he just nodded instead.

Illsu saw that Shara was going to say something about his new idea but he looked calm at her.
“You are not coming with me,” he said. “You should rest. I know you aren’t so used to running around like this and fight orcs.” Mabye that wasn’t so true but he didn’t want her to come with him. Shara was in enough danger as it was already.
“He’s right,” Calminor said. “Get some rest. Orcs wouldn’t even think of trying to get you in Darnassus.” Shara sighed before she nodded. They were right. It was starting to get late and she was tired. Too tired to even argue about it.
“Make sure she gets some rest,” Illsu said to Calminor before he hurried outside the door this time. Shara looked after him, feeling a strange feeling of being deserted, if only for the rest of the day.

[Nereid]

Illsu avoided to be seen in the temple while he searched for a good disguise but he had to settle with a long robe with a hood on. He also pulled up the collar so only his eyes were visible on his face. Now, not even his old friends could have recognised him. But that didn’t mean that his new ones did not recognise him.

He could hear footsteps behind him and he turned around meeting Shara’s rather surprised face.
“Where are you going if you need that kind of disguise?” she asked looking up and down at him. Illsu looked down at himself.
“A place I doubt you know about,” he said as he looked at her again. “And you shouldn’t either, so put that curious expression in our sweet face away.” Shara frowned with an amused look in her eyes. She couldn’t see much of his face but she knew he smiled, since his eyes smiled as well. Calminor walked up behind them and he gave Illsu a quick look that told him that his disguise was good enough.
“I’m going to walk Shara home,” he said giving her a sharp but still caring look. “Mostly to make sure she doesn’t follow you.”
“I don’t think she had in mind to do that,” Illsu said, looking at Shara.
“Well, you never know.” Calminor laughed a little.

Illsu looked out over the city. It would be evening soon and the small blue lights in the city started to show up along the roads and on the buildings.
“Take it careful, Illsu,” Calminor said. Illsu nodded before he started to follow one of the smaller roads.
The place he was heading to was a place that the night elves weren’t so fond of. It was the place where travellers gathered. And most of them weren’t night elves but humans. The environment was rougher and humans had a way of getting drunk easily and create problems. Illsu wasn’t so fond of them either but he had no choice but to enter this, for night elves, scary place.
The inn lay a bid outside the road, with some horses standing outside it. Illsu patted the closest one, a black one, wondering what owner it had and how the owner treated it. The horse nuzzled at him before he had to go inside. The horse snorted after him and followed him with his eyes. Illsu wasn’t surprised; animals always got fond of him for a reason he couldn’t understand.

The inn was suprisingly enough calm this evening. But there were no night elves there, only humans and some dwarves as well. Most of them looked over to him when he walked inside but he ignored it and walked past them, over to the inn keeper. The inn keeper was a big man with sharp eyes and Illsu could bet he had calmed down many fights in here. At least if they were only with humans.
“What do you want in here, night elf?” the keeper asked, looking suspiciously at him.
“I’m just looking for someone,” Illsu answered calm. “And since you humans travel a lot I thought I might ask you. Do you know of the name Kardun?”
The inn keeper looked coldly at him but Illsu had caught the glimmer of recognition in his eyes just the second before.
“I need to know where he is.”
“Kardun is hardly mentioned, even among us humans. That night elf is too smart and too cruel. Those who have tried to kill him have ended up dead themselves.”
“I don’t need information about him; I got that already. Where is he?”
“Well, not here. The last thing I heard of him was in Dolonnar. And that was two days ago.”
“Could I just ask if you are sure of that?”
“If you’re smart you’ll keep an eye with him. And I got my ways of doing that.” The inn keeper’s eyes narrowed. “But what is your business with him?”
“Talking. Gather information.” Illsu had noticed that their conversation had started to catch the interest among the other humans behind him. Kardun wasn’t so popular among the humans since he hated them. And every night elf that was interested in speaking with Kardun was seen as his friend.

The inn keeper looked like he didn’t care if the others thought of Illsu as an enemy. He just walked of and started to clean some of the glasses that were in the end of the disk. Illsu looked over his shoulder before he sighed.
“Leave it alone,” he said. “It will only go worse for you.”
“Are you sure your business with Kardun is only ‘talking’?” one man asked.
“I can’t understand why that is your concern.” Illsu walked past them, pushing away those who were in his way. Most of them didn’t even reach his shoulders and some of them forgot to argue with him when he pushed them away like feathers. Illsu started to get annoyed. Kardun had already given him trouble and he hadn’t even known his hiding place for more than a minute.
The humans were too drunk to not want to fight and someone was stupid enough to hurl a knife at him. It missed his head and hit the wall instead. Illsu stopped, looking at the knife before looking over his shoulder. With a swift movement he had pulled the knife out and thrown it at the guilty one. Seeing who was the guilty one wasn’t hard since he had tried to escape through the backdoor.

With a surprised shriek the man got the knife right in front of his head and he stopped quickly looking at Illsu. Illsu realised it was a bad move on his side and he hurried outside, getting another knife over his head. He needed a fast way of getting to Dolonnar and he jumped up on the black horse, which neighed surprised before it obeyed his command and started to gallop away from the inn, following the road. The humans hadn’t even got out of the inn, since the first ones tripped and caused the other to do the same. After a lot of cussing and pulling they were finally outside and heard an angry comment from the black horse's owner. But the night elf was gone in the dark.

[Nereid]

Illsu left Darnassus, heading for Dolonnar, a small city just at the edge of the forest. The horse was much faster then the cat shape and he patted the stallion thankfully on its neck. That he just had stolen the horse didn’t cross his mind at all. He had seen strange marks on the horse’s legs and back and understood that his owner didn’t deserve to have this fine horse. Though he surely would miss it now, Illsu thought with a small grin on his face.

After several hours of riding, Illsu started to see the lights from Dolonnar, through the trees and giant plants. He slowed the horse down when entering the city and jumped of it. He couldn’t keep the horse and leaving it to someone could create trouble for the one who took it. Illsu was sure on that the human wouldn’t accept the loss of his horse so easy.
So he searched up the leader of the city, the only one who could keep an angry human on distance without getting problems. But it was in the middle of the night so walking up to the door and knocking wouldn’t be so popular.
Illsu tied up the horse just outside and wrote a quick note, explaining the situation and asking the leader to take good care of the horse. Last, he gave the stallion a thankful pat on its head before leaving it alone.

Illsu already knew were Kardun would be. Somewhere in the inn of Dolonnar. And he walked over there, happy about only seeing friendly night elves in it and some humans that weren’t drunk. Friendly with other words. Illsu sighed. He really had to start to see humans as something else besides drunken beings all the time.

No one noticed him as he entered which he was happy about. But to his surprise he couldn’t see any shadowy figure in the inn, as he had expected. Worried he walked over to the inn keeper that had started to follow him with his eyes. This time Illsu had to say his real reason with Kardun. It would be the only right thing.
“I’ll go straight to the point,” Illsu said after he had greeted the keeper. “I seek Kardun. Is he here?”
“Who’s asking?” Illsu looked bothered before he pulled the hood of seeing the night elf’s expression get surprised, if not even shocked. But he was smart enough to not judge a man just because of his rumours. He made a quick gesture towards a small room that was next to the disk; it looked like the storage room.
Illsu walked in there, followed by the inn keeper.
“You shouldn’t show yourself in our cities, Shapeshifter,” the man said warning. “Not that I have anything against you but not all are like me.”
“I know. But I need to speak with Kardun. It is quite important.”
“What do you want with him?”
“Thanks to him, another’s life is in danger. And my job is right now to save that person.” Illsu stretched out the truth now. It wasn’t exactly his job to help Shara with her orc problem. He did it for her sake without someone having asked him to do it.
“I thought you had gone lost in the wild,” the keeper said, apparently worried and seeking to delay telling Illsu where Kardun where.
“I’m one with the forest,” Illsu smiled feeling his patience wearing thin. “I wouldn’t hurt it and in return it wouldn’t hurt me. You could say… that the forest and I have made a deal, about not killing each other.” The inn keeper decided not to ask more about that since he wouldn’t understand those spiritual things Illsu talked about.
“Say me, where does this person live that you are trying to save?”
“Darnassus.” The man grown pale in his face and Illsu frowned, getting worried himself now.
“What?” he asked making an impatient gesture with his hands that could be seen as threatening.
“Kardun was last seen on his way to Darnassus. Several hours ago.” Illsu stared at the man, trying to stay calm.
“On foot?” he asked.
“Yes. But you can’t catch up with him now. He is too far away.”
“Not for me.” Illsu's voice was cold as ice and he bowed quickly with his head, a gesture of gratitude for night elves before he walked outside the inn.
“Why can’t that stupid idiot stay on one place instead of running around?” he muttered while he walked out of the city. He had a way to get to Darnassus before Kardun would. Someone owed him a favour and he was to use that favour now. There was a deep ravine just outside Dolonnar and the clear edge was just what he needed to call his friend.

He stopped at the edge looking out over the ocean of trees below him that could be spotted thanks to the moon light. The forest was ageless and seemed to continue forever on this side while it stopped abruptly at the other side of Dolonnar. Illsu pulled out a blue crystal from one of his many pouches in his belts and held it with a firm grip. He sat down, closing his eyes and felt the wind blow at him while he focused on the creature. The sky’s ruler and an old helper of night elves.

It hadn’t gone more then ten minutes before he saw that his call had been answered. The crystal in his hand had started to glow faintly, pulsating even. Illsu smiled grateful when he heard it as well; a strange sound was heard in front of him in the darkness; a mixed scream of a horse and an eagle.

[Nereid]

The creature that was closing up on Illsu was big; bigger then a horse and with the colours of the forest, mostly blue and purple. Long feathers covered its body and some even longer ones covered the horse tail while long wings were lying along its sides.
Illsu greeted the hippogryph with deep respect, bowing with his head and with a tender smile on his lips. The hippogryphs had done so much for the night elves under the war. And as thanks, the night elves set all the hippogryphs free and let them live their own life. But still, some night elves had contact with these great creatures and the hippogryphs didn’t mind helping them if they still needed it.
Illsu himself had helped this hippogryph once when it was newly hatched and he had helped it get to its real family, protecting and nursing it on the way. He remembered the journey as if it was yesterday when it was in fact a long time ago.

The hippogryph that he called Crystal, still remembered him and when she had landed in front of him, she rushed over to him and knocked him to the ground. Nuzzling at him, he got up on his feet again with a small laugh. It was hard to think of the reality when a creature like this was around but he hadn’t forgotten the rush and the reason he had called her.
Crystal seemed to notice his worries and she pushed gently at him before lying down on her knees, looking at him.
“You already know what I want, don’t you, girl?” he said, patting her on the head. He had been up on her back before so he knew she could handle it. But flying with him? He really hoped she would agree, since it was that his plan was all about.
He swiftly climbed up at her back and felt her get up on her feet again, standing a little unsteady until she made a small jump to get right. She looked back at him with curious eyes.
“You know the way to Darnassus, I guess? Well, its there I want to go,” Illsu said unsure if she understood him. By the look of her face, she both knew and understood. The hippogryph neighed before she jumped right out of the edge, to Illsu’s terrify and he quickly grabbed the long feathers sticking out of her mane to prevent him from falling of.
Crystal let her fall for some seconds along the cliff before she spread out her wings, stopping in the air but only for some time before she turned left and flied over the trees, next to Darnassus. Illsu was on his way to point her right when she dived down under the tree crowns and he could see the same road he had followed with the horse. He told her to take it carefully since he didn’t want Kardun to see them and she nodded calm, flying quickly through the trees and after lesser then an hour Illsu spotted Darnassus through the trees in front of them.

“Don’t fly in yet,” he said quickly and she stopped, flying in the air. Illsu looked around before he pointed to the right, looking over the city while Crystal slowly flied by its side. He suddenly realised that he didn’t know where Shara’s home was. And he hoped Kardun didn’t either.
He asked Crystal to land outside the city which she did nicely and he jumped off giving her a thankful hug.
“Do you think you can stay here in the forest for a while?” he asked with a worried voice. “I might need your help again.” Crystal nodded and pushed him playfully before she jumped up in the air and flied off, towards some protecting cliffs close to the city.
Illsu looked after her before he transformed to the cat and started to run to the city. If he had estimated right, Kardun wouldn’t be here yet but he wasn’t sure either and his heart grew dark by the thought of Kardun already in the city.

[Nereid]

Calminor got very surprised when the huge blue cat jumped through his window that nowadays always was open. He had been sleeping but had woken up when he had heard Illsu jump through it loudly for once, probably to wake him up.
“Sorry for jumping in like this, but where is Shara’s home?” Illsu asked, his voice without any patience and his yellow eyes looked straight at Calminor, who quickly told him even when he could barely think, newly awaken as he was. Illsu disappeared just as quickly as he had come and Calminor got up from the chair he had been sleeping in, intending to wake up properly and quick too, to check on Shara.
Meanwhile Illsu ran as fast as possible to Shara’s home, a nervous feeling struggling with his senses that said everything was normal.

Shara had gone directly to sleep when Calminor had left her at her house. He had told her to be very careful and that she shouldn’t get any ideas of running away alone in some kind of heroic deed. Shara promised him that and he knew she wouldn’t. She was too tired and since she hadn’t even commented his request so did he doubt she would do something like that. So he left her alone with the thought that no orc would get to her. What he hadn’t thought of was that it wasn’t only orcs that threatened her now.

Shara slept very lightly and she opened her eyes when she heard a strange sound at her door. Prepared for anything as she was, she had her staff right next to her bed and she didn’t hesitate about grabbing it. Carefully she got up from the bed looking at the door. She had been so tired that she had not changed her scouting clothes which she was happy about now.
She couldn’t see who or even what that tried to open the door. Just that the person was starting to get the locked door open which she didn’t like. She prepared another frost bolt with her right hand, the same one she had used at one orc earlier while the door slowly opened.

However, a frost bolt was not something the perosn at the door had in mind to be greeted with. The frost bolt was fired from her hand with the power that knocked the stranger several meters back. Through the wide open door Shara could see a druid come running and she thought it could only be Illsu. The intruder started to get up on his feet, Shara had seen it was a night elf male by now which she was surprised over, but she didn’t like that he was starting to get up again while pulling out a long knife from his waist.

A huge roar behind him made him turn around and Illsu leaped the last part and knocked him to the ground again, growling with his sharp teeth close to the night elf’s face. But part from Shara, Illsu had missed the knife and when he finally saw it, it was already stroked into his one back leg, causing him to tip off from the man he had searched for long now.

Kardun had not intended to get this much attention from so many and at least not to wake up the owner of the house. Now all his plans were destroyed because of the druid and the too quickly awakening woman. He glared at her with his almost entire black eyes before he started to walk over to her.
“I don’t want to hurt you, he said with a rough voice. “Just give me what I want so.” Shara looked at him with cold eyes; her staff had started to glow suspiciously at the top. Kardun’s eyes narrowed and he intended to warn her when another voice was heard behind him.
“You think you can get rid of me so easily, Kardun?” Illsu asked. Illsu was himself now but had still a deep bleeding wound in his leg and he leaned visibly on his healthy one, glaring at Kardun though that wasn’t visible in the weak moonlight. He had already pulled out the knife and thrown it away. Shara suddenly released the spell that had been around her staff, straight at Kardun who got knocked again to the ground.

Illsu was quick with casting the rooting spell at him, locking him to the ground. Kardun cussed loudly while Illsu walked over to Shara.
“He won’t get out of that for a while,” he said giving her a reassuring smile, ignoring Kardun's less good words after him. Shara looked at him before she looked at the night elf, lying on the ground in front of her, three giant roots covering his body.
“Who is he?” she asked frowning at Illsu who gaved her a doubting look. He sighted before answering:
“I don’t know exactly who he is but… somehow I think you two are related.” Shara stared at him and even Kardun had shut up looking angrier at Illsu than ever.

[Nereid]

Illsu immediately regretted what he had said. He wasn’t even sure of it, though Shara and Kardun did look like each other. But he had been a little carried away by the pain and the situation and just wanted to get it said before Shara would ask too much. Though he doubted she would not ask anything about this either. He looked over to Kardun who looked like he knew what Illsu was speaking of which make him frown.
“I thought I told you I don’t have any relatives left,” Shara said sharply. She didn’t like what he had said. She would be related to this… evil night elf? Shara had already sensed that this man weren’t like any other night elves.

Illsu just nodded before he turned around to face Kardun. He looked coldly at the elf before he made a swift gesture with his hand and the roots disappeared from his body, allowing him to get up on his feet. Which he did; slowly and with his eyes at them both.

“Why were you trying to break into my house?” Shara asked crossing her arms. If she had been tired before there was no trace left of that. The intruder had woken up all her senses.
“I… am searching for something,” Kardun said, looking away from them both. He couldn’t understand how he could have gotten into this situation. Everything had been perfectly planned and now this? Being guarded by two fools, one of them calling him and the women relatives. He sighed, not so sure about that himself. Right now, he only wanted to get what he wanted and get out of this city.

[Nereid]

“And what would that be?” Illsu intervened walking over to him, pulling out on of his knives. Kardun coldly followed his every move.
“Something I need to be able to get rid of all the orcs that are in these lands,” Kardun answered. Illsu laughted ironically.
“As far as I know, you wouldn’t care about such a thing unless it threatened yourself.”
“You don’t know that, druid.” Kardun turned around to Shara; looking at her in the soft moonlight.
“Please, I need it,” he said, a begging tone in his voice causing Illsu to frown.
“It is an old necklace. A common thin silver chain with a green stone hanging from it.” Kardun continued ignoring the dangerous look Illsu gave him. Illsu was not so easily fooled and he doubted that Kardun was after the trinket only. Shara knew what the elf spoke of. But she couldn’t understand why he wanted it. It was a necklace she had got from her mother, something she had hadn't mentionat to any one else. And she didn't like that he actually did knew about it.
“The necklace isn’t magical,” she said coldly. “So you can’t possible have any use of it against the orcs.” Kardun cussed inwardly; the woman was too stubborn and he didn’t have any other good reason. Illsu had for some seconds looked at Shara and Kardun used the situation to his advantage by pulling up a small bag from his belt, opened it and threw what was in it at Illsu.
Illsu didn’t even have time to react when the powder was thrown at him and he felt it knock all his senses out, even his body and he fell lifeless to the ground, aware of that Kardun had moved forward against Shara while he had collapsed on the cold ground.

Next time he opened his eyes he found himself laying in a bed. He was to get up when he felt a painful sting all over his body trying to do so, grimacing of pain. He had to settle with looking around in the small room. Startled by the memories he forced himself up even though he was to faint of the pain but someone entered and pushed him down again. Illsu looked up, being blinded by the sun light first now. After some seconds he saw taht it was Calminor who looked down at him with calm eyes.
“Relax, Illsu,” he said pulling back his hand. Illsu couldn’t possible relax; Karduns movement towards Shara was all he had in his mind at the moment.
“She’s alright,” Calminor suddenly said as if he could read his mind. “She got only knocked out by a common spell unlike you who got a more deadly variant on yourself.”
“Kardun?” Illsu asked frowning; trying to hide how revealed he was about that the night elf hadn’t killed her.
“I guess you speak of the night elf that was here. Shara told me about him just some minutes ago. I got here just in time to see the stranger rush out of the house with you and her lying on the ground, both unconscious. Luckily I had one of the guards with me and I sent him after… Kardun. But I don’t know if he have catch him yet and I’m starting to give up about that.
Illsu didn’t like that Kardun had escaped but at the moment he didn’t really cared. Kardun was a man who couldn’t hide that easily as he was known everywhere just like Illsu himself. Still he was good at hiding, Illsu thought bitter.

Calminor gave him a bottle with some kind of blue fluid in it.
“It will lift away the curse the powder caused,” he said. “Since you haven’t been awake, I haven’t been able to cure it yet.” Illsu took the bottle without question and drank it quickly, feeling the pain go away only seconds after. He sighted revealed before he sat up without any problem just as Shara walked into the room, looking at him.
“You’re awake,” she revealed. “First I thought he had killed you.”
“Takes more then a nasty powder to do that;” Illsu said giving her a smile. “I was more worried about you.”
“He didn’t attack me if that’s what you’re worried about. Right after you had been knocked out he muttered something before everything turned black. Next time I opened my eyes Calminor was here and the elf were gone.”
“And the necklace?”
“It’s gone too.” Illsu cursed inwardly again; glad that none could hear him. If now Kardun had used this very rare and valuable powder on him and knocked Shara, then the necklace have to be more important then he first thought. And if it had anything to do with the orcs… then it was his job to take it back. He seriously doubted that Kardun would use it for any good.
“What do you know of the necklace, Shara?” he asked her.
“Only that it is a family trinket. My mother gave it to me. But I’ve never heard it to have any special powers.”

Illsu was to replay on that when a night elf guard ran into the room; dressed in light grey, thick clothes and with a normal sword at his side. The guard looked directly at Calminor who got a tense look.
“My Lord, we have found him, unconscious.”

[Nereid]

Illsu looked at the guard, surprised as the others did too.
“What?” he said with an almost confused look at the guard. “Someone who attacked him?”
“Nothing human then,” the guard said worried. “It looks like he had burning marks on his one hand.” Illsu looked at Calminor who looked worried at the thought of any unnatural enemies in his city. Calminor turned around to face Illsu.

“Are you strong enough to come with us?” he asked. Illsu was already standing up while Calminor asked him and the leader rolled his eyes at his stubbornness. Shara took one step forward looking at them with eyes that wouldn’t take a no.
“Of course you’re coming with us, Shara,” Calminor said smiling. “It is your necklace we’re talking about.”
Illsu felt revealed about that; leaving Shara alone would only have made him worried. He felt like he was responsible for her now days.
Illsu had already started to walk outside thinking of this, followed by Calminor who was talking with the guard about more details. Shara caught up with Illsu, looking curius at him.
“I think I remember something about the necklace, she said carefully. “I’m not sure though.” Illsu glanced at her while stretching out his body. It felt like someone had pushed him into a stone wall for one hour.
“What?” he asked.
“There might have been something special about it. I think I heard my parents talk about it once when they thought I wasn’t hearing. But I don’t remember anything about it; I only see flashes from it.”
She looked a little disappointed and Illsu wished he could do something for her.
“Don’t worry,” he said smiling warmly at her. “We will find out what is going on here.”
“I hope so.” Shara smiled back. They had stopped to wait for Calminor outside the house and he and the guard took the lead, leading them to the edge of the city. Some guards were surrounding a small empty area with grass and one of them was holding up Kardun. It looked like he couldn’t stand up on his own. Shara noticed that the necklace were lying on the grass below them and bent down to pick it up.
“My lady, be careful!” one of the guards said suddenly and she pulled back her hand, looking at him. Kardun looked up and flinched of pain while doing so.
“Something is up with that necklace,” he said low, looking straight at her. “I… when I touched the crystal it was someone had pulled the hand down in a burning fire of not something worse.” Kardun held up his hand showing a big black mark at his hand.

“You mean the necklace did that to you?” Shara asked not looking so kindly at him. Kardun looked coldly back, meeting her light eyes. Shara gasped silent when she noticed the exactly same look that she had seen once when she was younger in her father and mothers eyes. And she knew she had the very same look.
Kardun had also looked a little startled and turned his face away, looking down at the necklace. Illsu had heard it all but had not noticed the exchange of glances between her and Kardun. Shara bent down again, picking up the necklace without getting any pains from it.
“I’ve been touching this necklace for years without having something happen to me,” she said holding it in a strong grip. Kardun looked a little surprised as did the guards.
“Maybe it’s just you,” Calminor said glancing at the wounded elf. Illsu looked at the necklace before he asked if he could have it. Doubting Shara put in his hand and Illsu could feel his hand almost getting stunned with pain and he dropped it quickly, keeping away a grimace of great pain in his face.

“Looks like I’m not the only one,” Kardun said, glaring at Illsu who glared back, holding his hand in the other. Shara picked up the necklace again before turning towards Kardun. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“I think you know something about this,” she said. “Don’t you… brother?”
How much as she didn’t want to believe it she had to. She remembered now, after have seeing his eyes; they were alike and there were more things that were speaking the truth in her head. Her parents had said it once that she had a banned brother, hiding somewhere and that this happnd before she was born. Shara had always wanted to find her lost brother but she would never have expected that he would have been evil. And it made her lesser happy about seeing him.
All of them looked surprised at her while Kardun was showing other feelings. Painful ones. She could hear him curse before he looked up again; trying to stand on his own and the guard let him do it.

“I should have known I could not hide anymore,” he said grimly. “I know allot about that necklace and the orcs. I will tell you if you agree with helping me out if this mess.”
Calminor frowned while Illsu looked at both Shara and Kardun. He could see it clearly now that they were releated. And he felt sorry for Sharia being related with that evil night elf.
“What mess?” Calminor asked suspicious getting a quick glance from Kardun.
“This orc mess,” he said smiling coldly.

[Nereid]

“So you are the one to blame for all this?” Illsu said, his voice growing angry. Kardun looked at him, meeting his eyes with his own; Illsu could only see wickedness in them.
“I wouldn’t say it like that,” Kardun answered. ”I don’t have another choice, since if I don’t get the orcs of my back they’ll kill me.”
“I’m tempted to let that happen.” Kardun narrowed his eyes at Illsu’s threat and it looked like them both were going to jump at each other.
“Please,” Shara said walking in between them. “We don’t have time for any childish fights.” Illsu looked a little offended at her but back of glaring at Kardun.
“Shara is right,” Calminor said. “If Kardun can help us get rid with the orcs then we need to listen on him. For Sharas sake.” Illsu sighted; he did not like this and defiantly not the satisfying smile in Karduns face.

“Kardun, you’re coming with us to the temple. We need to hear more of this problem.” Calminors voice wasn’t asking, it was an order and even Kardun was smart enough to obey him. Shara looked at Kardun and Illsu wished he could read her thoughts. No emotions were showed in her face but he could just imagine how confused she must feel. Kardun did not even bother to look at her; he only had his eyes focused on Calminor and the guards that were standing beside him.

Shara had all her thoughts at Kardun while she followed the others to the temple; Illsu were walking next to her behind the others. Kardun was clearly her brother but he wasn’t like she had hoped for. Her parents had only said something that was close enough to her brother once but she had never truly believed it. Now she suddenly had a brother, someone she imagine would look after her and take care of her. Kardun didn’t have any of those thoughts in his head and it made her sad. More then she wanted to admit for herself even and it broke apart the picture she had of having an older brother.

[Nereid]

Everyone were quiet while they entered the temple and Calminor, Kardun, Illsu and Shara were the only one who was allowed to go in to Calminors room. The guards were placed outside the door in case they would be needed.
Illsu kept his eyes at Kardun all the time but it was pointless; Kardun had no intend on leaving as he sat down in one of the chairs. Calminor and Shara already sat down.

“Now, Kardun,” Calminor said coldly. “Give us the whole story why you first have the orcs after you, since that is the impression I’ve gotten from what you have been telling so far.”
“Of course you’re right,” Kardun said neutral. “And I will tell you. Maybe after this you will understand why I need the necklace. It’s a shame though that our parents didn’t tell her anything about it.”
Shara’s hand around the necklace hardened and Illsu noticed it.
“I’m sure they had a good reason for it,” she said coldly.
“Yes. They wanted to keep me from you and making sure you didn’t knew of either me or the necklaces true power.” Shara shook her head. She didn’t believe him.
“Stop bothering Shara already and come to the orcs, Kardun,” Illsu said.
“As you wish.” Illsu ignored the irony in those words.
“These orcs are here because of me but now also because of you, Shara. Long time ago I swore an oath to these creatures when my life was depending on it. That I would help calling some kind of leader or even god of theirs. They trusted that I had the power to do this since they have heard of the trinket a night elf family have carried and when I said I belonged to that family… they suddenly got all friendly. Now, I knew that I had a sister and that my parents had not said anything about me, since they were afraid that I would create a bad influence on their more beloved child. And i knew she had gotten the necklace.”

Shara looked at him unsure if she would believe him or not. It all felt so strange familiar thought. Her parents secretive reactions when she asked to personal questions or overheard them talking was only one of the suspecions.
“Why didn’t you just ignore them and look after Shara yourself?” Calminor asked frowning.
“Who said that I was interested in seeing my sister?” Kardun said coldly. “Our parents sure have ruined every feeling she might have for me anyway,” he added looking at Shara who couldn’t help feeling like someone had just stabbed her heart. Illsu looked more worried at her then he wanted to admit and turned around to face Kardun.
“Enough of your personal problems,” he said. “So you want the necklace to help our worst enemy bring forth their leader?” Illsu made it clear on the voice that such a thing would never happen. Kardun glared at him before smiling almost wickedly.

“If I don’t give them the necklace and help them, they’ll kill me and they will do that now since I can’t do as they ask. The only one who can is Shara and since I seriously doubt she want the help them… they just have to force her to it. And we all know that orcs can be very stubborn.”

[Nereid]

Shara gave Illsu a worried look; only a quick one but it was enough for Illsu to be even more certain on that nothing would happened to that woman.
“That doesn’t explain why they have wanted her all the time,” Calminor said calmly, his eyes remind
“You mean that they already have been trying to take her away from here?” Kardun asked. Calminor nodded and the other night elf actually looked surpised.
"Did you say that it was your sister that had the necklace in her care?" Illsu asked. Kardun looked at him, unsure actually.
"No, only that someone in my family had it," he said.
"Clearly, that was enough." Illsu looked hard at the night elf who glared back.
"It's not my fault that the orcs are too impatient to wait for me to get the necklace," he said annyoed.
"But it sure is your fault they know it!"
Caliminor sighted, laying his head in his hands. "Calm down, you two!" he shouted suddenly, which made Shara flinch. "The problem isn't who started this mess, it's how we're gonna solve it." Kardun laughted for the first time; a cold, wicked laugh that made Shara shiver while looking at him.
"That's not my problem," he said." Illsu narrowed his eyes. "I really wish it wasn't," he started with a tense voice. "I wouldn't like having you near Shara at all but... this is all your fault and neitehr you like it or not... you are gonna help us solve it!" Illsu did not look like he would accept a no but Kardun didn't looked like he was going to give a yes either.

[Nereid]

Shara sighted while the others argued what to do. And none asked her what she thought about it. She walked over to the window and looked out; it was slowly getting to late day. She held the necklace still in her one hand and she looked at it before putting it on for safekeeping.

A weird feeling passed her like the necklace was a part of her heart. She leaned against the wall for some secondss feeling slightly dizzy but none noticed it. Shara shook her head, going back to reality wondering what just had happend. She put her hand to the necklace once again and felt that it was glowing weakly and was warm, like it had been glowing a lot before.

She frowned, picking on the necklace just when someone almost bashed the door open. It was one of the guards looking around with a paniclike face.
"There are reports of orc activity outside the city, my Lord," he said fast looking at Calminor. The male night elves stopped argueing and looked at the guard.
"Looks like we're gonna have some problems," Illsu said. Shara looked at him but he couldn't see her determent face; she was not going to let the orcs get to her.

[Nereid]

Calminor followed the guard outside. Kardun was actually pulled out by Illsu and Shara walked after those two, her eyes alert. The news about the orcs had reached everyones ears in the city but there were no panic. The inhabitants trusted the guards and ancient trees of Darnassus to protect them. Shara wasn't sure she liked this behavior.
"The people depend on the guards to defend them," she said slowly knowing the others heard her. Calminor looked at her before he nodded. He saw that she didn't like it and neither did he. It had been different before, when all night elves were prepared for battle. They always had something to fight for.

The sound of drums reached their ears and they stopped inside the main gate to Darnassus. It was so typical orcs to make a battle more dramatic then necessary.
"Great Kardun," Illsu said. "I hope for your sake this is not a huge army heading towards Darnassus." Kardun glared at him not without a worried glance in his eyes though. "I know nothing about the orcs army, idiot," he said low. "But I seriously doubt they would attack with more then 10 orcs just to get the necklace."
"You said they need it to summon their great god or something, right?" Shara asked. Kardun nodded avoiding looking at her.
"I think they might be desperate then..." she continued not finishing the sentance. The others looked at her.
"Warn the troops," Calminor said to the closest guard, who nodded and ran of.
"I think you're getting too worried," Kardun said dry. "Unlike you, I wont take any chances," Calminor said.

Illsu had been keeping his eyes at the trees outside the gate and Shara noticed it before she walked over to him.
"Calminor, I can go out there and see how many orcs we are about to face," he said giving Shara a quick look before he turned around to the other night elf. "I'm going with you," Shara said fast.
"No, it is to dang..." Shara interrupted Illsu. "You already know I wont obey you. I'll follow you either you want it or not. So it is best that you are aware of it then instead."
Calminor quickly hide a smile of the womans stubbornes, even though he didn't like the idea of her going out there. ~At least she will be at Illsu's side~he thought.
Illsu looked like he tried to protest but Calminor shook his head. "No use, Illsu," he said. "Just be carefull you two when out there." Shara nodded, ignoring Illsu irritated grimace.

[Nereid]

Illsu looked at Shara who looked back quite calm even though she knew she had annoyed him. "Lets go," he said coldly. Shara hardly noticed how Calminor, with the guards, took Kardun back to were he could be watched properbly.
Illsu transformed to the cat as expected and Shara was quick with following him, when he started to run through the gate, out among the trees.

The sound of drums were easy to follow as well as the shouts from the orcs.
"They sure do not try to hide their presence," Illsu said ironicly.
He and Shara hadn't taken long time to track up the orcs and now they sat not so far away from their camp, using the cats colours to melt into the background. This stealth was hard to detect and they could even move around as long as they didn't do any hasty movements.
The orcs didn't do anything at the moment, they had stopped in small area empty of trees.
Almost everyone of them wore a torch and those who didn't had the small drums that they just couldn't stop hitting at. The noises from their temporaly camp almost gave Shara a headache.
"How long are they just gonna stand there?" she asked irritaded. Illsu gave her a quick look, clearly she didn't have the patience to sit here. Himself were used to this long waiting and scouting. After all that was the thing he had been doing before he meet her. He got lost in thoughts, thinking of how it had been before. It had only been him, none else. Now he had Shara to take care of... even thought he wouldn't say that to her straight out.

He woke up by Shara who nudged his shoulder with her head. She made a quick gesture towards the orcs that started moving again and once again the druids started following the orcs, that headed to Darnassus.

[Nereid]

The orcs didn't notice the druids that were after them. Instead they kept marching towards Darnassus lead by a unusal big and strong orc, with lots of scares on his body to prove that he had been in many wars.
Shara was hardly impressed by him thought, there he walked ahead of the others shouting something on orchish. She could at least tell that it was the same thing he kept saying.

Once again the orcs stopped, this time closer to Darnassus itself. Their leader roared something and all who had torches ran foward and passed the leader.
"What are they doing..." Illsu said more to himself. "I better go and warn Calminor. Stay here!" Illsu ran of among the bushes before Shara could say anything about it. But she did understand that Calminor needed to be warned and that someone should keep an eye on the orcs as well.
Shara had sat down while waiting for Illsu untill she heard all the orcs give out a battlecry. Instantly she flew up, almost braking her stealth while doing so.
The orcs that weild the torches suddely threw them away into the forest that was between them and Darnassus. Shara couldn't believe it; had they planned to burn the city down? She felt a slow breese in her fur and noticed that the wind wasn't blowing towards the city even. ~How stupid could the orcs be really,~she thought rolling her eyes.

She could hear that the orcs has realised their mistake, they started to scream at each other and at their leader. Suddenly a creepy silence reached them as the smoke from fire started to move among them. Shara could smell the smoke herself now and gasped when she realised the fire would come right at them, clearly the orcs noticed that too.
A sudden wind brushed through her fur as the fire grew quickly, charging towards the orcs like a hungry beast. The fleeing orcs ran of passed Shara who knew she couldn't stand there anymore. With each passing wind, the fire came closer, dangerous fast.
Kicking up leaves and dirt, Shara darted away from the spott she stood on, feeling the wind at her back as well as the heat from the fire.

[Nereid]

Illsu had been quick about reaching Darnassus. Calminor had been easy to find as well. He stood at the gates, waiting worried for the others. Kardun has been locked into a room with guards and he had protested very loudly about that treatment.
Illsu landed swiftly next to Calminor after he jumped out from the bushes and transformed back to himself.
"The orcs are heading straight to Darnassus," he said breathing fast. He interrupted himself when he could hear something only few night elves could. A sad wailing was heard from the forest. Illsu turned around towards the trees, walking through the gates. ~What the...~he thought frowning. The forest were in pain; it was screaming.
"Is that smoke?" Calminors voice woke up Illsu and he looked at the direction the other man looked at. Black smoke could be seen in between the trees. Screams from ocs could be heard now as well.

"They have put the forest on fire!" he said loud, looking back at Calminor. "And Shara is still out there."
"What?" Calminor said suddenly turning to Illsu. Illsu whisteld sharply, before a eagle's scream could be heard. Calminor stared at the hippogryph that flied down to Illsu, landing infront of him and kneeling instantly; she had sensed the rush in Illsus call.
"Illsu, there are still things about you that surprises me," Calminor said looking at Crystal. Illsu chuckled quickly before he told Crystal to fly up again. They flied up above the trees where the smoke just had gotten up. It sneaked past the trees easily, showing where the fire were.

Meanhwile Calminor hurried back to the building where Kardun had been placed. To his shock he found out that the guards were lying down on the ground outside the now open door. He cussed under his breath before he pulled out the two swords he had. Suddenly he could hear rushing footsteps behind him before he felt something hit in his head, causing everything to turn into a black shadow.

[Nereid]

Shara kept running, chased by the fire. She had no idea where she was running and she couldn't stop to check it either; the winds were blowing hard, driving the fire fast after her.
~Have I done the winds something since they seem to drive the fire so hard,~she thought quickly, dodging branches on her way. She had a feeling of that she ran in the very wrong direction and the spirits of the forest even warned her about the way she was heading.
But listening half to the cat inside her that shouted about running, made it hard for her to hear other things. Its fear filled her own mind with fear blocking all sense.

The spirits disappeard by her side, their wailing could be heard even through Sharas catmind. But then it was too late, there was no way for her to turn around now.
Jumping over a big log took her to the end of the forest and aswell to the end of the island. Breathing heavily she stopped at the edge and looked down. The sight of the ocean with its waves beating up the cliffs furtherst down made her let out a shocked growl.
She looked behind her, seeing the fire almost crawl up the tall trees behind her. Their cracking sounds got louder before they suddenly turned around, falling right towards Shara. Her eyes reflected the burning tree before she jumped of the edge down into the water, losing conscious when she hit the surface.

Meanwhile Illsu had reached the fires end and flied over the burned area. He couldn't see any sign of anything living down there but thankfully not the whole forest had burned down. But it was still too big for him to see what direction the fire had gone. Shara could have headed anywhere in all four directions.
He had a bad feeling about the east part of the island where the fire had reached the edge; he hoped she hadn't run that way since there was just an end there, no where to go.
"How will I ever explain this to Calminor," he whispered, pain in his voice. He had swore to protect that woman and now she was gone. He could only hope she was down somewhere in the forest, still alive.

[Nereid]

Shara opend her eyes slowly, feeling every muscle in her body hurt. She could feel the cold water from time to time over the feeling of sand under her and in her fur. She finally lifted her head, feeling rather numb in her neck even, before she shook the sand of the fur from the head.
Unsteady she got up on her feet, looking around with her harp cat eyes since she still was in that form. She didn't recognise the place at all. Big sandbanks at the start of a dark spruce forest.

The druid turned around and looked out over the occean seeing a small island further away. She could see smoke come up from it and realised she was on the mainland! The memories came over her and she sat down, not beliving her eyes. She had no idea where to go.
~There has to be people around here,~she thought quickly, hoping as she raised up again and started to run along the beach, limping a little.

[Nereid]

Illsu had made half the forest's spirits to search after Shara and got more and more worried as all of them came back with the same answer; that they had not found her.
"Oh Shara, where are you?" he sighted leaning back towards one of the trees. The last spirit had left him alone and Illsu thought he could feel the forest mourn the loss of the druid. "It's not sure she's dead," he said quietly as he headed back to the hippogryph that waited for him further away among the huge trees. She quirped when he got close and he patted her neck slowly. "I can feel she's not dead," he said more intense. "And I'll find her."
Crystal neighted and side stepped wildly, urging him to get up.

[Nereid]

Shara had found herself running for quite some time; and being so long in the same form started to wear out on her. Besides, she was both hungry and tired. She stopped at the edge of the dark forest along the beach and turned into herself.
She noticed it was chilly there and rubber her upper arms in the cold. Being used to the protective island of the Night elves, this was something new for her. The sent of the occean, the cold winds and beaches was all so... frightening she had to admit. This whole place seemed abandon and she didn't knew the spirits here; she could sense them behind her, watching her like evil creatures.
~Oh cheer up~ Shara told herself as she went into the forest to try and find soemthing to eat. Just because it looked dark didn't mean there wasn't something living in there. At least she hoped so. Thinking of being lost in a forest with hostile spirits only wasn't so nice.