Uugghh....

My sister has been sick for the last week or so, and now I'm catching it too. Good thing is I'm on my vacation now, so I don't have to go to work. Bad thing is that I'll probably be spending the entire week sick.



Taurros is 77 now and I plan on playing him more today, if I can. He's in Sholazar, so finishing up in there, then doing the Har'koa/Hodir chains ought to get him at least another level, maybe two with his heirlooms. He also got his dual-spec, so he is officially a kitty/tank now. He's broke now too, but I don't really need any more money except for training; he and Zuuluu both have their Cold Weather Flying and epic flying so I don't really have anything left to spend on.

I've been slacking off on Arvoss, he hasn't been in a heroic for a couple days now. I might try to pick it up again in a day or two but it really depends on how I'm feeling. Pitch has been getting restless the last couple days, so Arvoss might come back to Stormwind for some time off so that Pitch can go do stuff, without feeling guilty about leaving Shaur all alone.

Speaking of Shaur, she's been enjoying the holiday despite not really understanding it, and has even made presents for a few of her favorite people. Apparently she's a good whittler.

Pitch has formed a friendship with Skyborne, a druid that may be even more weird than he is. She's taken to bringing him "presents" of the fresh-killed variety, which he's happy with. Means he doesn't have to go hunting himself, hehe. He really does like her, though, even though she makes him go (O.o) a lot.



I'm pretty sure there was more I wanted to put up here, but my brain feels kinda scrambled right now. If I remember I'll edit it in or something. Happy Hunting!

Edit: You know, it's kinda hard to believe that Spirit Bond is over a year old now. And has over 6000 pageviews to boot. Never thought when I started it that it would get much attention, since there are a lot of other, "better" blogs out there. But it's been quite a ride so far, and I'm looking forward to what this year might bring.

Twas the night before Winter Veil...

What have your characters been doing tonight? >.>
________________

Alanon gave Arien a hand up onto the crenelation overlooking Stormwind's harbor. "I like the view from up here," he explained as they sat down, making themselves comfortable. Arien snuggled close, leaning her head on his shoulder, and he put an arm around her. "Mhmm," she answered. "It's quieter up here, too." They sat and watched the boat for a while, as it ferried people to and from Northrend. There were a fair number of people, even for the late hour and the fact that Winter Veil was the next day.

They had been sitting for several minutes when Alanon broke the silence. "They say it will be months still before we face Arthas," he said thoughtfully. "I wonder what he could get up to in that time." Arien looked at him, eyebrow quirked. "Would, uh, it be bad of me to say I'm glad?" she asked, and he chuckled, then admitted, "I think Barraccus is more eager than I am." She frowned slightly; she had heard the death knight's story, or enough of it. "He would be, he has enough reasons." "Yes, he does," Alanon replied. "Although I think he is waiting until Quae is strong enough to join him. She's pushing herself hard." Arien nodded. "Good, she'll watch his back and keep him from getting in over his head." He gave a half-grin. "Usually seems to be the other way around, but we can hope." She snickered, cuddling closer as he gently squeezed her.

After a moment he continued. "It's both encouraging and sad to see everyone rushing to get on the boats, ready to get to Northrend. I think we'll have the numbers when it's time to assault Icecrown, but at the same time I wonder how many of them will be coming back." Arien said nothing. Alanon idly pulled something from his pocket and began playing with it in his hand. Arien tried to see what it was, but he kept it from view, so casually that she knew he did it on purpose.

"How about some happier thoughts?" he said suddenly. "Anything in particular you're hoping to get for Winter's Veil?" "Hmm...," Arien thought out loud. "Honestly, I'll just be happy to get some free time. I haven't gotten to do much with Kal for a while." Alanon nodded. "Funny thing, my family has never put much thought into the holiday," he told her. "It's, no offense, too much of a human thing." Arien shrugged slightly. "It's the truth." He glanced at her sidelong and went on, "But there are a few parts that I'm growing to like." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Like what?" He gave her a small, mischievous grin. "Like this." He held up what he had in his hand. It was a sprig of mistletoe, which he proceeded to hold up above her head. Arien barely had time to recognize what it was before she was quite thoroughly distracted by a kiss.

She finally pulled back, grinning, and flicked his nose gently with a finger. "That was cheating," she said, not sounding convincing at all. He grinned back. "I checked the rules. Surprise is fair play." "Hmmph," was her only response, and he chuckled as he pulled her closer. They went back to cuddling, while the boat below sounded it's horn as it pulled away from the docks.
____________________

Shaurria sat on the Ironforge bank steps with one arm around Pitch's neck, trying to avoid getting stepped on as people crowded by. "So that's the tree that everyone's so excited about?" she asked him, and he nodded. "In the morning that fellow there will allow us to pick out presents, and we'll get to open them," he explained, nodding toward the odd-looking dwarf sitting next to the tree. "People usually give gifts to each other as well. It's a very... active holiday." Shaur just stared at the gaily-decorated tree. "I don't get it," she finally said, and he chuckled. "Neither do I," he admitted. "I don't always come to town during the holiday because it's so crowded. People are too busy rushing around to notice a cat underfoot, even one as big as me. Easy to get stepped on." "Hmmph." She eyed him, then started scratching through his ruff, grinning when he started purring. After a bit a rather large dwarf almost tripped over them, cursing as he caught himself and moved on. Shaur frowned. "Can we go someplace else now?" she asked. "Yeah," he said. "Let's head back to Stormwind."

They were soon back in the Park, where Pitch sat next to the moonwell and watched as Shaur poked among the trees. "What are you doing?" he called to her, but she just waved a hand at him. She suddenly bent, picking up a fallen branch, and made her way back to him. He eyed it, then her. "What's that for?" Shaur frowned a little as she studied the branch. "M'gonna make somethin' for Arvoss," she said, then fumbled her little knife out of her belt pouch and started carving at it. Pitch watched in fascination for awhile, but soon grew bored and curled up at her feet, falling asleep to the sound of her whittling.
________________

Was going to do bits for more characters, but it's abominably late and I need sleep. Merry Christmas everyone!

Pitch and Shaurria: Stars

Random ficlet is random.
____________________



Shaurria stared upward in awe. "I never thought they looked like that," she whispered, and heard Pitch chuckle beside her. "It's hard to really see them in Stormwind," he said. "Too many lights, they hide them." Shaur didn't answer, too captivated by the vast night sky above.

The two druids lay on their backs, side-by-side, in an open field. Faint lights could be seen from the scattered Westfall farms in the distance; other than that, they could have been the only people in existence. The stars shone above them, their light undimmed even by the moon, which was hiding this night.

For a long while the only sound to be heard was the chirping of crickets, until Pitch broke the silence between them. "Shaur?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper. "Have you ever thought about what you want to do with your life?" She turned her head to look at him, but he was still staring up at the stars. "Is this another trade-off?" she asked him, and he chuckled. "It can be. You give your answer first, then I'll tell you mine." She looked back at the sky, thinking.

The silence stretched out between them until finally Pitch looked over. "Well?" Shaur frowned. "Well, it's hard," she said. "I never thought about it before." She thought for another minute or two before answering. "I- I guess I'd like to help out up North if I can," she said slowly. "I want to learn more about healing. I... I'm happy right now livin' with Arvoss, but I guess someday I'd like t' settle with someone and have a family." She glanced over at him shyly. "That's about it. How about you?"

Pitch had been watching her with a half-amused expression while she spoke. Now he gave her a broad grin. "That's a good answer. Most of those are what I used to want as well," he told her. She blushed, then peered at him curiously. "Used to?" she asked. "Y'mean you don't anymore?" He shrugged without speaking; after a moment he sat up. Shaur mimicked him as he wrapped his arms around his knees.

"Hyjal changed a lot of things," he said. "The loss of the World Tree, the demonic taint spreading through the land, not to mention the fact that we're not immortal anymore. It... changes how you think." He looked over, grinning again when he saw how she had copied his pose. "Now I'm no longer sure of what I want. I suppose I'd still like to find a mate, have kids and all that, but really? If I can just do something to help make the world a little better than it was before, I'll be happy."


Shaurria sat still for several minutes, digesting what he had said. Finally she looked up and smiled shyly, then scooted a little closer. "That's a good answer too," she said quietly, and he gave her an answering grin. "You're a good kid," he told her, and she blushed again. Pitch then started chatting about little, unimportant things, and they sat and talked while the stars shone down overhead.
___________________

I've been working on this for a while now and finally finished it. Now I'm off to do holiday-type stuff with my folks, see ya all later.

Merry Christmas!

Pitch really wanted to get on the boat...

And look! He made it!

(Silly post is silly. >.>)

So What's Going On Now?

Yea, yea, I know. Bad blogger is bad.

Okay, non-RP stuff first! Arvoss has been busy farming badgers from heroics. I'm thinking of starting to upgrade his dps set soon, as his tank gear is looking pretty good (3 pieces tier 9, whoo! 4th coming soon!). I'm kind of saving up for his epic flying too. I really ought to just go do some serious questing, then he'd have it in no time, but eh. And I love death knight tanking about as much as bear tanking. :)

I'm going to start seriously leveling Pitch soon, too. Don't know when, but soon. Shaurria's turn will come next, though I'm still planning on pushing Taurros to 80 over my vacation. Which is next week! /happy. Maybe I'll work on all 3 of them then.

I am still unhappy with Durotan. While I had my guild I was fine, but Off the Team has broken up and my Hordies are now guildless. I have absolutely no desire to find another guild for them, either. The few random PUGs I've gotten Boogga into have been disappointments as well- he has yet to get into a random at the start of the instance, usually the group is at or near the last boss. I think I'm giving up on it all. Taurros and Taurron will be transferring back to Gilneas so I can play with my friends there, and Boogga and Zuuluu will probably just sit until Cataclysm. I'm tentatively planning on making Boogga a human hunter, and maybe worgen rogue for Zuuluu. Then perhaps I'll feel like playing them again. Oh, and they'll probably be coming to Feathermoon, too.

The rest of my baby alts are uncertain. What can I do, when the server just kills any fun out of playing them? I may be cutting back on my toons soon. Although, that will make things easier on me in the long run, so maybe it's a good thing?

Kaledain and Khaotic have become uncertain as well. Feathermoon Horde-side has been a disappointment so far, although I'll admit I have yet to get them to a Barrens campfire-RP night, so it's partly my fault. I've been having Very Serious Thoughts about them, and you know what? I think I could actually close their story and be happy with it. They can have a Happily Ever After, with just the two of them and their new baby, and I think I could live with that. This is mostly because I've never RP'ed with them socially, so there's no one who would miss them. But if I do that, then what do I do with them? Server/faction transfers get expensive, and I don't want to delete them. I just don't know at this point. I'm continuing to level them when I can pull myself away from A-side, and maybe something will happen later that will perk my interest again. I can hope.

Now for the fun RP stuff. Pitch is getting better, he has a couple friends now. And since Takani has seemingly given up on learning about demons, Pitch has taken a kind of casual big-brother interest in the younger druid. Windstar still doesn't like him much, but he can live with that. And Aely likes him, so all is well as far as Shaurria is concerned. Speaking of which, she does have a kind-of crush on him, but since she has absolutely no experience with guys whatsoever, I don't think she even realizes it yet. This could be interesting. Pitch has also officially met Arvoss now. It was more of a "Hi, I'm Pitch, I'm going to sleep now" thing than an actual meeting (it was late at night), but Arvoss didn't get mad at him and didn't tell Shaur to keep away from him, so she counts it a success.

We had some interesting RP last night, in which Stormwind U's resident lecherous dwarf Theo surprised Shaur out of her kitty form, and proceeded to make moves on her until Pitch came to her defense, which somehow convinced Theo that Shaur was Pitch's "girl." Pitch has decided that if it keeps the dwarf away from Shaur, he might as well keep thinking it. It will be interesting if that gets spread around as a rumor though...

Shaurria is much happier lately, which is what I wanted so all is good. Having Pitch around to occupy her, and knowing that Arvoss and her other friends in Northrend are just a hearthstone away, has really helped her. And no, she hasn't forgotten Star, Tak and co. just because she has Pitch to hang out with; she tries to spend some time at least with all of them.

Can't think of anything else, so I guess that's it for now. I have a short story in the works, but it's kind of stalled while I try to get inside Pitch's head (O.o). Will post it soon as it's done. In the meantime, have some snow pics:

Shaurria and Arvoss: Eastern Plaguelands

Arvoss pulled Shade up, looking around, then swung down from his saddle. "'Ere we are, lass," he said as Shaurria rode up on Finnall. She slipped off her saber and peered around at the ruined buildings. "Is this it?" "Aye, lass," he told her, then spit on the ground. "Filthy Scourge." Shaur only half-listened to him, changing to cat and sniffing around the remains of the farmhouse. Arvoss kept his gaze half on her and half on their surroundings, watching for any approaching Scourge. "Ye can go explore, kitten, but dinnae go out o' sight." She murred an answer and padded off.



She grew bored and returned shortly, and Arvoss led her and their mounts off to a comparatively clear, grassy area. Dropping Shade's reins, he found a spot and sat. Shaur tethered Finn before joining him; the saber wasn't as well-trained as the deathcharger, and would probably find trouble if left to himself. Finished, the druid sat next to the death knight, watching him curiously.

Arvoss suddenly chuckled, which brought a raised eyebrow from Shaur. "Ye ken, Ah 'ad a righ' pretty speech planned out, an' naow Ah cannae remember anneh o' it," he said, still chuckling. Shaur just became more confused. "A speech?" she asked him. Arvoss looked over at her, sobering. "Lass, d'ye still nae wan' t' go back t' yer auld 'ome?" She looked down at her hands in her lap. "Not really," she replied. Arvoss nodded to himself, then looked back to the remains of the farm. "Ah didnae wan' t' come back 'ere either, th' first tahm," he said after a pause. Shaur looked at him, surprised. "You didn't? But why did you, then?" Arvoss glanced at her. "Was mos'ly 'cause o' ye, lass," he said, and she looked at him with surprise. "Me?" Arvoss nodded.

"Ah dinnae ken if ye can undehstand it, lass, but Ah realized even back then tha' if Ah was goin' t' take care o' ye, well, Ah needed t' fix mahself first," he told her. "Ah spent too much tahm in th' past, thinkin' oan wha' Ah'd lost. Ah couldnae care fer ye proper like tha'." Shaur rested her chin on her hand, elbow propped on her knee as she looked at him. "I don't really understand, Arvoss," she confessed. He patted her on the shoulder. "Ah'm tryin' t' explain, lass. Jes'... tryin' t' find th' words." He stared into space, thinking. "Ah didnae ken wha' it was Ah wanted t' find 'ere lass," he continued hesitantly. "No' at first, annehroad." He paused, struggling to find the right words. Finally he gave a helpless chuckle. "Bloody Laigh', they willnae come," he said, voice tinged with frustration. "Lemme start ovah, lass." Shaur said nothing, just raising an eyebrow as she waited for him to finish.


He was silent for a bit longer, then finally spoke again. "Ah ken tha' yer 'urtin', lass," he said. "Even afteh all this tahm. An' there's nothin' wrong wi' tha', but ye'll 'ave t' let it go sometahm. Comin' back 'ere, it 'elped me." He paused and looked at her searchingly. "D'ye ken why?" Shaurria shook her head no. "Cause Ah could let it go finally," he told her gently. "It's nae 'ard t' come back 'ere naow, cause it's nae mah 'ome annehmore. Mah 'ome's wi' th' livin', wi' ye an' Star an' Tad. Ye undehstand tha', kitten?" "I... I think so," she answered, and he patted her shoulder again. "Ah will nae force ye t' go back if ye dinnae wan' t'," he said. "Jes', dinnae say ye willnae go wi'out thinkin' it ovah, eh? May'ap, one day, ye'll wan' t'." His eyes crinkled a bit at the corners as he grinned at her.

Shaur shrugged. "I dunno," she said as they both stood. "Aely said kinda the same thing," she added as they walked back to their mounts. Arvoss looked at her, surprised. "Ye spoke t' 'er about it?" Shaur nodded. "She used to live around here too, said her place is called Terrordale now." "Ahhh," he replied, as they reached their mounts. He paused before swinging up into Shade's saddle. "Ye ready t' 'ead back?" he asked her. "Or did ye wan' t' see more?" "Let's go home," was Shaur's quick reply. "A'righ'," Arvoss chuckled, pulling himself up to Shade's back. Shaur was already on Finn, and together they headed back to Light's Hope.

Arvoss needs an IC Culling of Strat run...

Cause it would ROCK. Fo shizzle.

Arvoss is level 80 at last! I immediately got his tanking gear gemmed/enchanted, so he's at the defense cap. He really needs more stamina, tho; he's sitting at around 21k health unbuffed in frost presence. I've been running the random heroic queue, and he's got a tanking sigil already, plus a few badges saved toward his next piece of gear. I'm not sure what to start with, but I imagine if I run enough, he'll have badges coming out of his ears, so it shouldn't be a problem. He's doing heroics as dps, but I've been tanking instances as he levels, and I think I've got the hang of DK tanking. I like it alot, possibly more than bear tanking.

He's a valiant at the Argent tournament too, I've been busy. The rep changes also mean he will be getting his head enchants very quickly- he's nearly revered with Argent Crusade, and Ebon Blade will be next. I love the human's racial bonus.

And now I have 4 max-level toons. O.o Plus I'll be leveling Taurros and Pitchblack, hopefully they'll both be at max soon. Taurros only has 4 levels to go, plus the heirloom chest and shoulders, so he ought to fly through it. Pitch has further to go, but his shoulders will help.

I have another story in the works, gonna try and finish it tomorrow. Shaurria got to go to Dalaran, so she will hopefully be a lot happier now that she can be around her friends more. She's been doing a lot of thinking lately, some of which will be disclosed in the story. And Pitch has still been around for her to talk to/distract herself with, so she hasn't been so lonely. I'll be happy to get to focus on her again soon, too. I've been on Arvoss so much lately, I'm beginning to think in his accent. :P

Can't think of anything else, and it's bedtime. I have to work a late shift tomorrow, so I'll be late for RP night. /sulk. Oh well. Goodnight and Happy Hunting!

Feeling Musically Inclined

Bored, working on another story but haven't really started it yet, and it occurred to me that while I've mentioned some of my characters' "theme songs," I haven't listed them all together yet. So, random musical post today.

Obviously this requires some thought, so I haven't found songs for all my toons. But here's what I do have so far. (Tried to get videos with lyrics whenever I could.)

For Shaurria- Field of Innocence, by Evanescence. Yes, I know it's a sad song, but it fits her early life really well. So well, in fact, that I had goosebumps when I found it. But I am looking for something a little happier for her current situation, just haven't found anything yet.

For Arvoss- Micah, by Russian Circles. I had this song on my random playlist when I was first playing him, and I immediately thought, "That's him!" It's instrumental, so no lyrics. I'm not really sure why it fits him, it's more of just a feeling that I can't really put into words.

For Kaledain and Khaotic- Forever, by Fireflight. This is more a theme for their relationship than anything else. Kaled and Khaotic are very close; if you've ever read any of Mercedes Lackey's books, you know what a lifebond is, and that's the closest way to describe them. This is why I try to do everything with the two of them together, whether it's leveling, RP or if I just take them out farming.

For Alanon- Never-ending Story, by Within Temptation. I honestly wouldn't really call this his theme, but I think of him every time I hear this song, so, eh. Figured I'd throw it up here. I think it's mostly because Alanon is my "been everywhere, seen everything" character. He was born at the end of the First War, so he pretty much has seen everything after all. I don't know, maybe it is his theme.

That's all I've figured out so far, except for Pitch. He has a song, but the only video of it I could find on Youtube was someone doing a cover, and it doesn't do the song justice at all. If you're curious, the song is Everybody's Gotta Grow Up Sometime, by Sons of the Desert.

And I totally blame this blogger for starting me even thinking about this. The playlists for his toons are a lot bigger than mine, but hey, I'm just starting (and I don't really listen to that much different music, to be honest).



Arvoss is up to level 78 and a half now, I've been blazing along with him the past few days. He'll be 80 soon, and then the wonderful heroic grind begins. I've been keeping his tanking set up-to-date, and from AH blues and quest rewards, he's almost defense-capped already! /boggle. I'll be instancing with him as a tank mostly, because with the awesome new LFG UI, I've always been able to get in a group within a few minutes as a tank. DPS, I've heard, isn't always so lucky, so tanking it is. And that's all I can think of for now. Happy Hunting!

Alanon and Arien: Ashenvale

Been meaning to write this up for ages, but my sister and I just never got around to it. We finally started on it a few weeks ago, but it was further delayed by writer's blocks, other posts, and just playing the game instead of writing. But it's finally finished!

This is a collaboration between myself and my sister, with my druid and her pally who have been "together" for a few months now. Alanon had asked her to come see his home in Ashenvale ages ago, but they've been kept busy. With the lull before the Horde and Alliance hit Icecrown, they finally found time to slip off. Enjoy!

(Also- PG warning >.>)
__________________________

Alanon met Arien in Darnassus, and together they flew down to Astranaar. They rode down to the house from there, talking some but mostly just enjoying the other's company. They arrived and stabled their mounts, then Alanon led her inside. "I'll start supper," he said. "Feel free to look around. I'll give you the full tour later." He grinned at her, and she returned it before heading into the main room. She perused the books on the shelves, then turned to the various knick-knacks.

Arien's attention was drawn to a small portrait on the side table. Picking it up, she studied it. It showed two Night elf females, both in Sentinel armor. The older one looked sober and reserved, but the younger's expression was cheerful, mischievous even. Arien peered closer. The younger one actually bore a strong resemblance to...

Alanon cleared his throat next to her. She hadn't even heard him come up. "I see you found them already," he said, laying a steadying hand on her shoulder as she jumped. "Sorry," he added, chuckling, and she smiled at him briefly before returning to the portrait. "Who are they?" she asked him.

He didn't answer for a long time, until she finally looked at him. He was staring at the picture, his expression a mixture of affection and sadness. "The older is Jaryla," he said at last. "She was my best friend; we grew up together. We were... together, off and on ever since, but never got serious; neither of us wanted anything more. The other..." He trailed off, then gently took the picture from her, studying it intently. "The other is Indria," he finished. "My daughter." He handed it back.

Arien blinked as she took it. "Daughter? B-but you never mentioned having any kids." He smiled faintly. "You never asked." Arien opened her mouth, then closed it, conceding the point. She looked at the picture again, then carefully set it back on the table. "Where are they now?" she asked as she followed him to the couch and sat. He paused before sitting down beside her. "What do you know of the battle for Hyjal? At the end of the Third War." Arien thought hard for a few seconds. "Um, not much, I'm afraid. The Cathedral mostly just taught us more recent things, and all of it centered around the Church's viewpoint. I believe a lot of records and things from Hyjal were lost, soon after the battle. At least, the humans' copies were." "I was there," he told her. She looked up at him, eyes going wide. "So were the others. Quae and I worked with the healers, Pitch, Jahira and Kel were scouts." He paused and sniffed the air. "One second, need to rescue our supper."

Once they had their food and were settled back on the couch, Alanon picked up his tale. "The Burning Legion was making for Mount Hyjal, the site of Nordrassil, the World Tree. And the Well of Eternity." Arien blinked. "But they didn't reach it, obviously." "No, we fought them off," he said. "It was quite a sight. The Night Elves together with the human's Alliance, and the orcs of the Horde. You should have seen it." He paused. "Jaryla thought the alliance wouldn't last more than a week after the battle. Turned out she was right, though-" He stopped himself, shaking his head. "I'm getting ahead of myself. We got there in time to set up base at the foot of the Tree, then the demons were on us." His face darkened. "They brought Scourge with them too."

"We fought them off while Malfurion Stormrage attempted to summon the wisps. Their leader, Archimonde, did manage to reach Nordrassil and attempted to take its power for his own, but Malfurion blew the Horn of Cenarius before he did, and the wisps destroyed him." Arien just listened as he spoke, eyes wide. When he finished, she quickly asked, "But what about Ja-.. Jaryla and your daughter?" He looked off into space for a minute before he answered. "They were part of a scout squad defending our eastern flank, keeping watch for any surprise attacks. While they were on patrol, a massive group of the Legion came upon them, in the exact maneuver that they were trying to prevent. There were too many demons, however, and the whole squad was lost." Arien simply looked at him for a moment, then reached for his hand. "I'm sorry," she said softly. He shrugged slightly. "When you live as long as we do, you learn to live with loss. It hurt for a while, a long while actually, but it's passed." She just sat still after that, looking sadly thoughtful, gently stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. Alanon suddenly stood, pulling her up with him. "I didn't ask you to come here just to listen to old, sad stories," he said. "How about that tour?" He released her hand to pick up their empty plates, holding them up with a grin. "Starting with the kitchen?"

Arien helped him clean up their supper dishes, then he showed her around outside first, while there was still some light. He showed her the herb beds, then pointed out Pitch's favorite den, under a massive tree root nearby. It quickly grew too dark to see, and they returned inside where he continued the tour. He waited patiently while she examined Quae's bookshelves, then finally led her upstairs. "It's not much," he told her as she looked around. "But it's a place to sleep, and there's usually not many of us here anyway. With Quae and Barraccus gone and Pitch in Northrend, it's been empty for a while now."

Arien looked around the large, open upper floor. There were four beds spread along three walls, interspersed with small bedside tables and a pair of dressers. The fourth wall was a balcony left open to the outside, allowing the cool night breeze to blow in. Alanon cleared his throat, and she turned to look at him. "I, uh, probably should have said something before now," he said, looking a bit... embarrassed? "But, I was hoping you would spend the night here tonight." She blinked at him- was he asking what she thought he was?- then felt herself blush slightly as she realized that yes, he was. Alanon took her hand. "Arien, I love you," he told her softly. "I've been in love with you for weeks now. And while I would like to go further than where we are now, nothing is going to happen tonight if you don't want it to." He squeezed her hand gently.

She just looked at him for a minute or two, blushing faintly, indecision warring on her face. Then she took a deep breath, offering a small smile, and stepped closer. Reaching up with her free hand, she pulled his head down and kissed him soundly. Their arms went around each other, and she didn't protest when he lifted her up and moved toward the nearest bed.

* * * * *

Alanon woke shivering in the pale pre-dawn light. It took him a moment to remember why he was lying in bed at home, with no covers and a very warm body pressed close against him. He looked down at his side and stifled a chuckle. Arien was cuddled up at his side, her head on his chest, and was also half-uncovered; the blankets were twisted around and trapped underneath her. He tried pulling them loose, to no avail, then he looked at her again and forgot what he was doing. She looked so beautiful in the faint gray light. Helpless too, but he knew that wasn't true. He reached over and gently brushed some stray hair off her forehead, then suddenly frowned as she shivered. The winter morning was cold, and a chilly breeze was blowing in from the balcony. He gave the blankets one more tug, then gave up. Gently easing away from her, he got enough distance to change without waking her, though she reached for him with an unhappy sound when he moved away. He quickly turned cat, then lay back down, curling up around her. She snuggled in close again, her fingers burrowing into his thick coat, and gave a contented sigh. Smiling to himself, Alanon went back to sleep.
_________________________

Collaborating with this was fun. Hopefully we'll get to do some more with these guys soon. And it seems there's quite a bit of romance going around; to see what I mean, check here. >.>

What to do....

Having some confusing/maybe frustrating stuff going on right now. First off I should probably mention the patch, since that's most likely what everyone else is talking about. Frankly? I'm. Not. Ready. I wanted to get at least Arvoss up to 80 before Icecrown hit so I could do some heroic farming for badges and gear him up. That can be blamed mostly on the amount of time I've spent either on one of my druids or just RPing, but it still rankles that I didn't get it done. And I'm starting to doubt whether I'm going to be getting into Icecrown on the 80s I do have. Reason why- I was looking at the new LFG/LFR stuff they put in on Barraccus, who I think is better geared now than Alanon. But it wouldn't even let him join the queue for the raid dungeon, because "he needs to obtain better gear." My problem with this should be obvious; people cause enough grief over looking for the best geared players and ignoring the ones that actually need the stuff that drops. Now it seems that Blizzard is agreeing with this mindset. And I don't mean to say that undergeared toons should be carried through raids they aren't geared for, but to set the standard so high seems ridiculous. Since my guild on Gilneas hasn't even cleared Northrend beasts in TOC, how long do you think it'll be before we'll see Icecrown, going by that standard? Considering that the guild seems to be fracturing, and 2 of my friends there have transferred to Horde, Cataclysm will probably be out by then. So really, what's the point?

Second issue is with some of the RP I've been going through. This actually covers several different points, so bear with me. First off is I love having Pitch on Feathermoon, but I also miss Alanon. My sis wants to transfer her warrior and pally to FM, and if she does then I'll be bringing Alanon over too, because right now he and her pally are together, and I hate breaking up couples. That will leave me with 3 druids, on one server. I'm sure I'll be hearing about that, though that doesn't honestly bother me. But I'm not sure how much I want to leave Gilneas. Some of my oldest friends are there, and while a few of them are not on A-side much anymore, they're still on the server. So I don't know what I want to do about that.

Next is Pitch, and this isn't so much of a rant as just musing. RP-wise he's been doing fine around one or 2 people most of the time, but it seems like if there's a larger group around, he manages to make somebody mad at some point, and that just makes it awkward to have him there. I really want him to find his niche and be sociable soon.

Saving Shaurria for last because she's getting complicated, next up is Kaled and Khaotic. I would like to find an RP guild for them. Also they are having their baby later this month, either Christmas or the day after. They still don't know anyone on the server. My few experiences on Horde-side has been that most people are like on any other server- they want to raid/instance or they want to pvp. I had a devil of a time getting Shaur's achievement for the Pilgrim's Bounty stuff, especially at TB and Undercity. Both of those places were being camped by pvp'ers, which was to be expected, but no one was the least interested in any kind of roleplay. I really didn't feel like I was on an RP server at all, and I know it will get better when they get up more? But I'm wondering just how much better it will really be. I almost want to just switch them to Alliance and give up on Horde completely. (Well, okay not really, but close.)

Now for Shaurria. When I say she's getting complicated, I mean it. Shaur is having a few issues that she really doesn't know how to talk about. For one, she is lonely again. With Arvoss out in Northrend again, Windstar being kind of all over the place, Takani's acceptance into Stormwind U, Feliche being MIA (he's been leveling an alt), and Aely usually hanging out with Arrens, she has no one to turn to. And she is a cuddlekitty. She wants to be petted and fussed over on occasion, but she doesn't want to intrude. So when Aely and Arrens go off by themselves (like what happened tonight), she figures they want to be alone and doesn't even try to follow.

This has left her turning to probably the most unlikely person ever- Pitch. Pitch is curious about her, and has been pestering her a lot, trying to get her to talk about things she'd rather leave alone. Then he had an argument with Takani one night, when he discovered Tak had been studying demons at the school. Shaur thinks he's weird (and has told him so many, many times) and rude, and he keeps irritating her or one of her friends. But when she gets lonely, he's often been the only one around. She's starting to like him despite all his quirks. And it hit me earlier today that she might, just maybe, be developing a crush on him. This could be a bit awkward, since she's still very young and Pitch wouldn't want to start a romance with a "cub." Right now he only wants to learn about her, and maybe mentor her a bit. But tonight she was a sad, lonely kitty and Pitch was trying to cheer her up and, well....

Good idea? Bad idea? I really don't know right now. Maybe it'll look clearer after some sleep. Which I really need to get more of.

Goodnight!

Pitch makes up with Shaurria

Shaurria padded out into the Park, then stopped when she saw the now-familiar black shape. She started to turn back, but then she saw his ear twitch, and knew it was too late. "I see you," Pitch sang out. Shaur rolled her eyes and sauntered over, passing by the other druid to sit in her favorite sunny spot. As she expected, Pitch followed her and sat nearby.

"How are you today?" he asked politely. Shaur thought about ignoring him, but knew now that it wouldn't work; he would keep pestering until she answered. With a sigh she shifted out. "Why are you always so cheerful?" she asked him irritably. He shrugged. "We're both alive and well, and this is a perfectly gorgeous day for winter," he replied. "What is there to be grumpy about?" She stared at him. "You're weird," she said finally. "I think you established that as fact yesterday," he immediately countered, and she couldn't help giggling a little. "D'ya always use big words like that?" He cocked his head to the side. "Sometimes. If I want to get a point across, people usually listen to big words. As if the words mean that I actually know what I'm saying." He smirked, and she laughed again.

Three ran up to her at that moment, meowing loudly. She picked him up and started petting, then glanced back at Pitch. He had unshifted when she looked away, and was now sitting cross-legged, watching her. "You really don't like me much, do you?" he asked suddenly. She blinked at him, then started to say, "No." She stopped herself though, and thought for a second. Finally she shrugged. "Not much." "Why?" he responded. "Well... you act funny. People think you're rude. I don't even know what you're talking about half the time." "Mmhmmm," was all he said.

Shaur looked down at her kitten, who was rolling in her lap and batting at her hands. "Why do ya act like that?" she asked without looking up. "All... weird 'n stuff?" He didn't answer for a bit; she guessed he was thinking it through. "You're a cat most of the time," he finally said, and she looked up in surprise. "Why is that?" She narrowed her eyes. "Don't want t' tell you," she said. "S'private." "But it's a part of you, right? It's who you are." "I s'pose so," she said, more thoughtful now. Pitch nodded. "This is who I am," he said simply. "I couldn't be any different and still be true to myself, any more than you could give up your catshape." Shaur blinked at him, considering, then nodded back. "S'pose that makes enough sense," she said, and he beamed at her.

Shaur looked down at Three again, then hesitantly she asked, "That stuff you were talking bout last night, was it all true?" Now he blinked at her. "Uh, what part?" "Y'know, about the demons 'n stuff." "Hyjal?" he asked. "That was all true, yes." "But did the demons really mess everything up?" she pressed. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Yes, the fel taint spread out and caused a lot of the damage. Some of the damage is caused by the creatures corrupted by the taint, though." Shaur gripped Three a little too tightly at his words, and the orange cat mrewed and struggled free, dashing across the grass and into a bush. Both druids watched him go, then Pitch looked back at Shaurria, his gaze sharpening for an instant. Shaur didn't notice, still watching after her cat. "What... what was it like?" she asked softly. Pitch didn't answer, and she finally looked over. He was studying her intently. She frowned. "What?"

Finally he spoke. "You weren't at the battle, correct?" She shook her head. "Was too little. M-my mom took me off safe, and... and my d-dad stayed and helped with th' healin'." "So you've never seen a real battle." She shook her head again, and he nodded slightly. "You're still young, little cub, and some things can wait til you're a bit older, yea? Suffice to say that it was a horrible experience, and one I'd like to not see repeated." She frowned at him, but let it drop.

Pitch abruptly changed back to his cat form and stood, stretching. He padded over and flopped at her side. "Now if you're done asking questions, perhaps you'd like to scratch my back again? You do a good job." She tried to keep a grin off her face, only partly succeeding. "I ought to, I get enough of it," she quipped, then started scratching down his spine. "Ooooooh, that's the spot," Pitch practically purred. His hind leg started twitching. Shaur grinned and scratched harder, fingers digging through his thick coat.

She scratched for a minute or two, then stopped, giggling to herself. Pitch looked back at her, faintly disappointed, then stood up and shook himself. "Okay, my turn," he announced, and she peered at him, suddenly wary. He stepped away, then turned back and dropped to a crouch, tail lashing. "Better look out," he said mischievously, then charged at her. Shaur yelped, changing to cat in an eyeblink and racing away. Her yowls and his laughter echoed through the Park.

Shaurria and Aely

Posting this mostly for my sis, who missed it all. Shaur tracked down Aely today and they had a nice, long talk together, which Shaur has been itching to do ever since Aely had come back from her "vacation". Just posting the chatlog with some minor edits because I'm really tired and feeling lazy.
__________________


Shaurria says: mreow?
Aelflaed peers.
Aelflaed says: 'lo Kitters.
You lick Aelflaed.
Aelflaed says: Ye a'right?
Shaurria says: mrew
Shaurria says: yea
Aelflaed peers out at the lake.
Shaurria says: whatcha doin'?
Aelflaed says: Thinkin'.
Aelflaed says: 's... been a longer few days'n I wis planned on.
Aelflaed hugs her knees.
Shaurria says: S'a nice spot here
Aelflaed says: Havers wi' ye? An' Arvoss?
Shaurria says: we're good
Shaurria frowns slightly.
Aelflaed hrm?
Shaurria says: he... he asked me if I wanted t'...
Shaurria says: well, go back
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: Did ye?
Shaurria says: say a proper g'bye, he said
Shaurria says: no
Shaurria scowls.
Shaurria says: don't want to
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: Did ye e'er meet Phileas? Air was he gone 'fore ye started bein' 'round?
Shaurria says: never met him
Aelflaed nods.
Shaurria says: ya told me bout him once, that was it
Aelflaed says: 's a Darrowman.
Aelflaed says: Ye been t' wha's left ay Darrowshire?
Shaurria says: Darrow....
Shaurria says: oh, Darrowshire
Shaurria says: no, but Arvoss did
Shaurria says: little bit after I met him
Shaurria says: he never told me what he did there
Aelflaed says: Back when... well, when things wir good wi' us? He asked me t' take 'im.
Aelflaed says: So he'd get t' see wha' wis left, an' say proper farewell.
Shaurria says: I... -think-... that's what Arvoss did
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: It helped 'im.
Aelflaed says: Lots.
Shaurria says: but he never told me, like i said
Shaurria says: Arvoss seemed happier, when he came back too
Shaurria says: wait
Shaurria says: are ya saying I should go back?
Aelflaed says: No.
Aelflaed says: I've nae gone.
Aelflaed says: I will someday.
Aelflaed says: I dinna ken 'f i c'n face down knowin' my family ended up scourge.
Shaurria shudders.
Shaurria says: least I don' have t' worry bout that
Aelflaed says: 'm jus' sayin' wha' ye dinna ha' to go now. An' ye dinna ha' t' go e'er, really.
Aelflaed says: But dinna shudder off oan principle, yeh?
Shaurria says: okay
Shaurria brightens.
Shaurria says: did I tell ya what Tad and I did?
Aelflaed says: Ye dinnae
Aelflaed looks curious.
Shaurria says: we were bored stiff at the tables one day
Shaurria says: an' this weird-lookin' guy comes and starts talkin' t' Tad
Shaurria says: an' he got chased off 'r something, but before he did he said the Horde had tables too
Shaurria says: sooo, we went an' visited them!
Aelflaed laughs.
Shaurria says: .... Horde guards are mean
Aelflaed says: Did they have anythin' weird?
Shaurria says: same stuff as us
Shaurria says: 'cept the Undercity stuff tasted funny
Shaurria says: we didn't really eat any of that
Shaurria makes a face. Blech
Aelflaed grins.
Aelflaed says: Yeh
Aelflaed says: Dinna ken how long's been 'ere.
Shaurria says: Thunder Bluff had the best, but they spice it different
Aelflaed nods.
Shaurria says: and there was another hunter at each place, think she was followin' us
Shaurria says: she was real nice
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: Folk're usually nice 'round th' feast days.
Shaurria says: was an elf, a... blood elf?
Aelflaed says: Ayeh - wi' th' wee sticky-up ears?
Shaurria says: yea
Shaurria says: she petted me
Aelflaed says: E'er seen a slick ear get all sad an' upset?
Shaurria says: hrm, no
Aelflaed says: Ears go all droopy like
Aelflaed says: 's th' silliest, mos' pathetic lookin' thing.
You laugh.
Aelflaed makes floppy ear motions with her hands.
Shaurria says: don't think anything else happened while you were gone
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: Dinna much happen wi' me either.
Shaurria says: 'cept that one night Tif brought a bomb t' the Pig
Aelflaed says: Jus' stood 'round, bein' ... what?
Aelflaed mrrrrph.
Shaurria frowns and shivers at the same time.
Shaurria says: ... a bomb
Shaurria says: little walking bomb
Shaurria obviously thinks that makes it worse.
Aelflaed snerk.
Aelflaed says: He's fair dense sommat.
Shaurria says: Arvoss told him t' put it away, he didn't
Shaurria says: think Arvoss was gettin' mad
Shaurria says: i dunno, tho, i left
Aelflaed says: Tif's a good sort, jus'... well. Th' only person wha' c'n figure out Tif's brain? 's Tif.
Aelflaed says: ... an' sommat I dinna e'en think that.
Shaurria snorts.
Aelflaed sighs slightly
You peer at Aelflaed searchingly.
Aelflaed says: Jus'... mrrph.
Aelflaed says: I ken's nae sommat ye've much t' think oan, lass, but ... well. Sommat folks're complicated.
Shaurria says: I know
Aelflaed half-smiles.
Aelflaed says: Things wen' frae "bloody wonderful" t' "all hell complicated" wi' Arrens yesterday.
You raise your eyebrow inquisitively at Aelflaed.
Aelflaed says: He's... well
Aelflaed says: Bein' an idiot.
Shaurria says: ..... huh
Aelflaed says: Actin' like he dinna trust me, an' like he dinna believe I c'n take care ay my own if needs be.
Aelflaed says: An' threatenin' my kinfolk.
Shaurria says: kinfolk?
Shaurria says: th' Riders?
Shaurria says: or d'ya got family?
Aelflaed says: Tarquin, specific.
Shaurria says: oh
Aelflaed says: Dinna - Riders air my kin
Shaurria nods
Shaurria sidles.
Aelflaed says: An'... an' I dinna wan' t' be mad at 'im?
Aelflaed says: But I kin'a am.
Aelflaed says: An' I told 'im why an' he dinna understand.
Shaurria frowns.
Aelflaed says: He's a good man? I jus'... well. Now 'm worrit.
Shaurria sighs.
Shaurria says: nothing's simple, is it?
Aelflaed says: No... dinna seem so.
Aelflaed says: Wish it were though.
Shaurria says: S'easier just bein' a cat
Aelflaed laughs.
Aelflaed says: Mayhap so, bu' well... sommat th' complicated turns out wonderful after.
Aelflaed says: 'm... kind ay hopin' f'r tha'.
Shaurria reaches over and pats Aely's shoulder.
Shaurria says: I hope so too
Aelflaed smiles.
Aelflaed says: I am fon' ay 'im.
Aelflaed pinks around the ears slightly.
Shaurria grins.
Aelflaed grins impishly.
Aelflaed says: Ye ken when I firs' met Arvoss, I thought ye an' he w'r muir like 'at.
You blink at Aelflaed.
Shaurria says: like what?
Aelflaed says: Lovers, 'stead ay family.
Aelflaed says: I'd ne'er seen ye in elf form, min'.
Shaurria blinks again, then starts blushing.
Aelflaed says: So I thowt ye w'r older.
Aelflaed smiles warmly.
Aelflaed says: 's hard t' tell wi' cats!
Shaurria snickers.
Shaurria says: s'pose so
Shaurria says: Arvoss.... he takes care o' me
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: He's th' family ye chose, yeh?
Shaurria says: sounds kinda sad, but I never really ate regular til I met him
Shaurria says: um, yea
Aelflaed says: 's like Tarq, an' Bricu an' Threnny, an'... well. An' Jolly.
Shaurria says: first time I saw him, he looked sad
Aelflaed says: Yeh?
Shaurria says: like he, I dunno, lost something
Shaurria says: something important
Aelflaed says: W's he an Ebon Knight, 'en?
Shaurria says: yea
Shaurria says: he drank alot
Shaurria frowns slightly.
Shaurria says: but then he took his trip, ya know, back to his home?
Shaurria says: after that he was better
Shaurria says: he... he told me he used t' be a paladin
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: 's common wi' Ebons.
Aelflaed says: 'cause ... well.
Shaurria says: didn't like t' speak of it much
Aelflaed says: 'cause back when th' Third war started?
Shaurria says: yea?
Aelflaed says: Paladins could'na get th' Plague.
Aelflaed says: Could'na save folk either? Bu' dinna get sick.
Shaurria says: that's what he said once
Aelflaed says: So when they ended up captive? 's often they'd be turned t' Ebons.
Shaurria says: said "Paladins dinnae become death knights"
Shaurria does a fair imitation of Arvoss' accent.
Aelflaed says: I've ken muir an' one, lass.
Aelflaed says: Either way, 's like he /had/ los' sommat.
Aelflaed says: When... when ye swear oan an' take vows t' be a Paladin? Part ay doin' so is... well, is learnin' t' work wi' Light, yeh?
Shaurria says: yea
Aelflaed says: I dinna ken if Arvoss e'en can /feel/ Ligh' anymuir - nae like a Paladin can, like... breathin'.
Aelflaed says: An' if he can?
Shaurria ohs.
Aelflaed says: He cannae use it.
Aelflaed says: 's like..
Aelflaed says: Ye c'n feel the spirits in th' earth, yeh?
Shaurria says: kind of
Aelflaed says: If ye need to, ye c'n call oan 'em, an' they answer?
Shaurria says: yea
Aelflaed says: How'd ye feel if one morn, ye woke an' they jus'... were'na there.
Shaurria says: ......
Shaurria is lost in thought.
Shaurria says: like I couldn't turn kitty anymore?
Aelflaed says: Yeh.
Shaurria says: golly, I dunno what I'd do
Aelflaed nods.
Aelflaed says: 's like t' be why he w's feelin' lost.
Aelflaed says: An'... well, an' likely 'is family an' 'is King an' Kingdom w's eyther dead air shamblin' bout lookin' f'r brains t' nom.
Shaurria says: i think i get it now
Shaurria says: his family?
Shaurria frowns, thinking.
Aelflaed says: He'd prob'ly had one, yeh.
Shaurria says: he did say his wife died, but that was before
Shaurria says: he told me once he had a son, but doesn't know where he is
Aelflaed nods.
Shaurria says: might be alive tho
Aelflaed says: 's anither reason f'r feelin lost.
Shaurria says: guess he mighta needed me more'n I needed him
Aelflaed smiles.
Aelflaed says: Often works like'at.
Aelflaed says: Ye needed 'im - an' in doin' so? Ye gave 'im sommat t' be needed for.
Shaurria hugs her knees, looking a little overwhelmed.
Aelflaed gently patrubs Shaur's shoulders.
Shaurria rubs her head on Aelflaed.
___________

And that's when Shaur left. It's almost scary how Aely seemed to know Arvoss; she hit it dead on describing all that stuff to Shaur. And now Shaur has a whole new outlook on her relationship with Arvoss. *warm fuzzies*

Shaurria: Grief and Healing

This starts up right after this part, and covers the couple weeks from there.
_________________________

Arvoss followed Shaurria as she wandered out to the Park. She stopped next to the Moonwell and hopped up onto the wall, then sat and stared down at the water. Arvoss took a seat next to her. He was trying to find words to ask what had happened the night before, when she suddenly shifted out of her cat form.

"Do you think they'd be proud of me?" she asked quietly, still watching the water. Arvoss blinked, then his brain caught up and he realized who she must be talking about. "Aye, Ah think they would," he replied. She sniffled a bit, then looked over at him, eyes bright with unshed tears. "M'dad was a druid, you know," she said, her voice trembling a little but calm. "He wasn't very strong, so he didn't do much, but... S'why I wanted to be a druid." She sniffed again, wiping her nose against her sleeve. "Th- they were so proud when I got picked for training. Even had a party t' celebrate. Wasn't much of a party with just us three, b-but they tried." She gave him a small, teary grin.

Arvoss didn't know what to say. He had never heard her talk about her parents before. After a few uncertain minutes, he simply scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her. She cuddled against his side, sniffling, and they sat like that for several minutes. "Lass," he said finally. "None o' it were yer fault. There wasnae annehthin' ye could do t' change things. Stuff like tha' 'appens, ye ken?" He tilted her chin up with his other hand so he could see her tear-streaked face. "They loved ye, lass. Ah can tell it jes' fra th' way ye act. They raised ye righ' while they 'ad ye. S'no shame in grievin' fer them." With that he put his other arm around her and held her tight while she shook with silent sobs.

* * * * * *

"Ye feel up t' goin' t' th' Pig t'nigh'?" Arvoss asked her. Shaurria nodded, then trotted out the door, tail twitching. She waited for him to catch up, and they were on their way.

The evening was blissfully uneventful; Shaur didn't even remember much of it afterward. Aely had come too, and Shaur stuck close to either her or Arvoss the whole night. The normal routine-ness of the night helped as well, and she was feeling almost like her old self by the time they left the Pig.

Once outside, Shaur was surprised when Aely asked her if she wanted to stay with her that night. She looked from the paladin to Arvoss, obviously torn. Sensing her struggle, Arvoss offered, "It dinnae matter t' me where ye go, kitten. Ye'll nae be 'urtin' mah feelin's if ye wan' t' go wi' 'er." Shaurria looked back at him, then at Aely one more time. Then with a small sigh, she went to Aely and rubbed against her leg, then padded over to Arvoss and flopped at his side. She gave the paladin a rumbly purr to show no hard feelings, and Aely didn't seem to mind at all. With a final goodnight, she headed to her apartment, and the death knight and druids set off for the Rose.

* * * * * *

Little Timmy's cat had had kittens again. Shaurria was following Tadrith around the Canals when they passed the little boy. "Oh hey," he said when he saw Tad. "I just have one left, d'you want him?" Tad stopped to think about it, but Shaur went straight up to the tiny scrap of white fluff trailing behind the boy. She gently touched noses with it, then the kitten mewed and tried to climb onto her head. Shaur licked it a couple times, then looked up at Tad. He grinned at Timmy. "Yep, we'll take him."

* * * * * *

Shaur watched absently as her orange kitten, whom Feliche had dubbed "Three", crept up on Weebit while the smaller cat was distracted. He pounced, and the two went rolling through the grass as Arvoss chuckled. Three had the obvious advantage- he was half-grown and couldn't really be called a kitten any longer- and he quickly had the tiny white kitten pinned underneath, then began chewing at his ears.

When Weebit's squeaks started sounding like actual distress, Shaurria got up and walked over to the tussling cats, then gently swatted the bigger cat, sending Three tumbling off. She picked up little Weebit and carried him to Arvoss, then flopped down and began grooming him. Arvoss' hand snuck down and began rubbing at her ears, making her purr get much louder. Neither of them noticed when Three got up and began stalking Shaur's tail.

* * * * * *

Shaurria blinked at Arvoss in surprise. "No." He blinked back. "But why, kitten? Ah think it'd 'elp ye." "I'm never going back there," she said fiercely. "I don't want to, and that's all." Arvoss looked at her helplessly. "D'ye mean t' say ye dinnae wan' t' tell 'em goodbye?" Shaur's eyes suddenly filled with tears, and without another word she turned cat and ran off. Arvoss was left wondering how he had bungled things up so badly.

She returned eventually, and behaved as if nothing had happened. Arvoss went along with it, but he spent the rest of the day thinking. The next morning he asked her as they left the inn," Lass, would ye wan' t' see what's left o' mah farm? We could make it a day trip, if ye're interested." She looked at him, ears pricked, and after a bit she nodded.

* * * * * *

Shaurria followed Arvoss out of the Pig, trying not to yawn. The last two days, spent almost entirely in Outland, had worn her out even more than she realized. As she curled up at the foot of the bed, back at the Rose, Arvoss told her, "Lass, Ah cannae even begin t' say 'ow proud Ah am o' ye. May'ap ye can stay out o' yer kitty shape more often, eh?" Shaur managed a sleepy rumble, before she dropped her head on her paws and was asleep.
___________________________

So that's about where she's at in-game. She's almost back to normal, and is getting more comfortable around people finally. Aely's been gone for a few days, so Shaur has some stories to tell (Aely you've been warned! :)).

Also delayed post is delayed. Having a half-dozen things running around in your head is almost as bad as the writer's block. >.>

Pitch: Change of Scenery

Pitch wandered out of the Barrow dens, his mind still muddled. The fresh air soon started clearing out the cobwebs left by the Emerald Dream, and he was able to recognize where he was. With a little effort, he made it to the flight masters, then back to Auberdine. From there he took the boat to Stormwind- not really with any plan in mind, just because he felt he should be doing something. By the time the boat docked he was feeling almost normal, and he remembered the tavern he used to go to occasionally- the Pig & Whistle.
___________________________________

I finally transferred Pitchblàck over to Feathermoon, where he promptly sent the Cold Weather Flying book I had nabbed to Arvoss, killed a few giants in Hellfire Peninsula for Shaur, then tanked an Azjol-Nerub run. Whew! His debut at the Pig for RP night didn't quite go as I had hoped, simply because he didn't know anyone, he was still ICly a little confused from returning from the Dream, and about halfway through the night, he succeeded in upsetting Shaurria by taking her "spot" next to Aely. In her defense, she was a little clingier than she should have been, because Arvoss wasn't there. That alone would have been enough, but besides that he "met" Skyborne, was ogled by Skulley, and tried to help another druid that had been lost in the Dream. Pitch isn't much of a healer, and not being able to help a fellow druid, beyond taking her to the Moonglade to recover, irked him. And most of the night was spent just sitting around the edges of the "social circle" and watching everyone else.

That being said, I'm fairly pleased. It's nearly always hard to break into established RP groups, whether it's a new player or a new alt. Heck, Shaur herself lurked around the edges for a long time before she was accepted. My poor little dude just needs time.

And I'm so happy to have him there. I've missed playing him a lot. Now maybe he can finally get to level 80 and start doing things.

* * * * * *

In other news, Shaur is up to 61 but still hasn't gotten her Ramps/Blood Furnace run. We're shooting for that tomorrow after I get off work. Arvoss is up to 75!! He's nearly there, and I'm getting excited. I'm still planning on getting Taurros the cow-druid up when I go on my vacation at the end of the month, which will be a lot easier if I can focus on Arvoss and get him finished before then.

My sis finished a story she'd been working on about Shaurria and Tadrith's Pilgrim's Bounty hijinks, you can read it here.

I'm still itching to write stuff, but my current main project is a collaboration with my sister, for a story of Alanon and Arien. The problem? I'm not having any writer's block, but she is. I hope we'll get it done before my kick goes away, and it'll be posted here once it's finished.

I do have a little something I'll work on soon. Arrens was kind enough to go for a little impromptu RP with Arvoss, but I'm not going to say anything more. You'll see it when I get it done. /evilgrin

That's it for now. I really gotta stop staying up so late, but wanted to get all this down before I forgot any of it. Til next time, Happy Hunting!

Alanon: Hyjal

I've been wanting to write something about Alanon for days now, but couldn't think of any ideas. Then yesterday at work, Inspiration Struck. So here you go, a story from Alanon's past. Enjoy!

(Massive Wall of Text Warning!!)
_________________

Alanon was watching for them to come, but the horn calls still surprised him. He quickly moved through the healers' camp, to the edge where he could see. The Second Unit of the Night Elves' elite scouts rode past at a fast walk, mounts still dancing despite the hard journey. Alanon scanned faces as they went by, finally finding the two he sought. Jaryla kept her face forward, posture ramrod straight, though she did smile briefly at him as she went by. Indria, on the other hand, broke into a huge grin and waved when she saw him. He hid his own grin, waving back quickly before she was reprimanded by the squad's commander. Jaryla rolled her eyes at her daughter, then they were past and out of sight. He returned to the healers' tents.

They found him there shortly before dusk. His only warning was a whoop of delight, then Indria had him wrapped in an exuberant hug. He hugged her back, chuckling, as Jaryla came up. "Alright, Ria. I'm an old man, don't break me." She snorted at him. "You're not that old, Father," she teased back. "Is Quae around here somewhere?" "Yes," he answered. "And Pitch and Jahira are with the local scouts. Kel is.... well, I don't know. Probably wherever Dracoth is." "I'm gonna go find Quae then," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before she ran off. Alanon chuckled again, then turned to his lifelong best friend. "Ryla," he said in greeting. "How have you been?" "Same as usual," she replied. "You're looking good. Are you seeing anyone currently? I can never remember." His face clouded briefly. "No, no one since..." "Yes, her," she said darkly. He grabbed her arm. "Ryla, it's past. Don't start up again, please." She regarded him for a moment. "If that's what you want, Alanon. Hey, if you don't have plans, why don't you stop by for supper?" She looked him up and down, then winked. "And maybe for the night?" He laughed. "I'd be happy to."

* * * * * *

Jaryla's cooking was infinitely preferable to anything to be found in the healers' camp. After supper Indria excused herself, leaving her parents alone. The two Elves sat on a hillside, looking at the bustle all around. "Look at that," Alanon said softly. "Who'd have thought we would be allied with humans, let alone the races of the Horde?" Jaryla snorted. "It's necessary to defeat the Legion. I don't believe it will last one week past the end of this battle, whether we win or lose." He looked at her sharply, but let it drop, saying instead, "It's good to see you again. I've missed both of you." She smiled at him. "We've been busy, otherwise we'd visit more often. Ria misses her father a lot." "You wouldn't know it from the way she keeps running off," he chuckled. "I've seen her for all of an hour total so far." Jaryla grinned at him. "She'll settle down. You'll probably be tired of her by tomorrow's end." "Not likely," he answered softly. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes, then Jaryla took his hand and tugged. "It's getting late, and I'd like some sleep before daybreak," she said. He let her pull him to his feet, then followed her back to her tent.

They were both gone by the time he woke the next morning. Probably receiving their assignments. He dressed quickly, then returned to the healers' camp. Quae met him at his own tent, eyebrow arched and a knowing grin on her face. He ignored her and ducked inside, then looked around the tent. His cot was against one wall, with his travel chest at the foot. The rest of the tent was crowded with rolls of bandages, pots filled with salves or steeping herbs, crates packed with bottles or jars, and the like. Bunches of herbs, both dried and fresh, hung from the ceiling poles, giving the tent an interesting fragrance. Quae had followed him in, and stood looking around as well. "Do you think you have enough supplies here, brother?" she asked. He paid no attention to the sarcasm, and she sighed in frustration. "I have my things ready," she told him. "Elune will give me most of what I need, anyway." He glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "And what if someone needs an elixir or ointment you don't have?" She grinned cheekily at him. "Then I'll just send them to you." He rolled his eyes and gave up.

Indria did find him later that morning. She followed him around for a good while, chattering constantly, and he tried to hide his grin at her enthusiasm. Finally Jaryla came to collect her daughter. "We need to go start our patrol, so we're familiar with it before the demons get here. Go get your gear together and your saber saddled." As Indria rushed off, Jaryla stood beside Alanon for a bit, taking in all the healers' preparations. "The demons have been sighted," she told him. "They're no more than two or three days off. Elune send that we won't need all this, though my gut tells me different." Alanon paused to look at her. "Where will you be patrolling?" he asked. "The back side of the mountain," she replied. "East. Not a terribly difficult route, but seems the most likely for a flanking attempt. If the demons think that far ahead." "Don't underestimate them," Alanon warned. "They can be tricky enough. Just look at what they did back in the First War." She shook her head. "I won't, Alanon. It just makes it... easier." She watched him for awhile as he packed up boxes of bandages, ready to be taken out to the field. "We should just make it back by dark," she finally said. "Want to swing by for supper again?" He nodded without stopping his work, and she left him, heading to her duty.

The following two days passed in a blur of activity, as all aspects of the army prepared for the coming demons. By the end of the second day, Alanon had run out of things to do. Pitch stopped by at sundown, the younger druid having grown bored sitting about the camp, and Alanon started a wrestling match with him just for something to do. The other healers stopped and watched the two cats, one jet-black, the other a dark smoky gray, as they tumbled around the tents. Their play was interrupted by horn calls, and the entire camp seemed to go on alert, staring as a whole at the hill where the call originated. "Demons in view!" called the sentry. "The Legion's coming!" The camp burst into motion all at once. The two druids looked at each other, then both went to their respective posts.

Alanon hardly slept that night. He kept getting up to make sure all was ready: splints and bandages, potions and elixirs, the dried herbs ready to be made into teas. And the potions of dreamfoil, for when nothing else could be done. He tried not to look at them any more than necessary. At last he fell into an uneasy sleep, filled with dreams he couldn't remember.

* * * * * *

The demons attacked just before dawn. The sounds woke Alanon, and he tumbled from his cot in a rush, dressing as quickly as he could and heading outside. The first wounded arrived shortly after, and he set to work with the others. He tried to use his healing spells as little as possible to save his energy, knowing it would be a long day. The most lightly wounded, however, he did heal with magic, so they could get back into the fray quickly. The day stretched on forever, and he wound up working far into the night, until at last he collapsed into his cot. He briefly wondered how his siblings were faring before he fell into exhausted sleep.

The next day was a repeat of the first, at least until Jaryla found him. He finished with the soldier he was treating, then turned and gave her a long hug before pulling back and looking at her. She looked as exhausted as he felt, her armor dusty and dinged in places. "How are things going out there?" he asked her quietly. "We're holding them, but barely," she replied. "Alanon... it's not just demons. They have undead, Scourge, in their ranks as well. And their cursed necromancers are raising our own dead against us, Elune blast them." She sighed and shook her head. "All we have to do is hold them back until Malfurion does whatever he's supposed to do, but I'm starting to wonder how long we'll last." He frowned worriedly. "Have you seen the others anywhere?" "I saw Kel at one point, sniping away with her pet bear." "Bear?... Oh, Dracoth. Any of the rest?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Alanon, but I'm sure they're okay," she said comfortingly. "I need to get back now, Indria and the others need me." He nodded, then with a final hug he let her go, watching her move off through the bustle. Soon he was distracted by another wave of wounded arriving, and he set back to work.

Pitch came in later that afternoon, to get a large cut on his arm looked at. As Alanon mended the bloody gash, then wrapped a bandage around it for protection, the younger druid told him what he knew. "They're pressing us from all sides. I don't think we can hold them much longer, but we can fall back if we have to- regroup on the slopes. Jahira's been with me, she's fine, and I've seen Kel a few times." Alanon nodded as he finished with his brother's arm. "Be careful, little brother. We don't know what they are planning." Pitch nodded absently, then headed back to the front.

The demons did break through soon after that, and the allied armies fell back to their second point of defense. More wounded came pouring in, a few of them requiring Alanon's dreamfoil potions. He tried to distance himself as he gave the potions, watching them fall into a sleep they would never wake from. But often he would imagine the soldier was someone he knew.

The third day was even bloodier than the previous two. The Legion pushed through again, and the Alliance and Horde armies fell back to the third point. Now they were almost at Nordrassil's base. Alanon could hear the fighting, could see it if he went to the edge of the camp, but he tried to push it from his mind. Then the runner came.

"They attacked from the east side, behind us," he told the others gathered around him quickly. "Big group. We're holding them off best we can, but Light send Malfurion is ready soon." With that the human clapped his helmet back on and continued on to the general's camps. Alanon stared after him, then looked toward the far eastern mountain slopes. Jaryla, Indria, how are you faring? he wondered. But duty soon called again, and he was left with no time for worry.

Another runner came in the early afternoon, and called them together. "We need volunteers to go to the front lines," he said. "Our numbers are growing too thin. If we don't hold them off here, we'll have no need for healers anyway." Alanon looked around as people started shuffling forward. He spotted Quae near the back, and she caught his eye, then slowly nodded. He nodded back, then stepped forward himself.

* * * * * *

The battle was hectic. Demons of all types, with Scourge filling in the gaps, were pressing forward relentlessly. Alanon, in his bear form, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the others, supporting and holding the line. He shifted out and cast his healing spells whenever he could, to aid the others as much as possible. Soon he was joined by a smaller white bear and a black panther. He spared a brief nod to his brother and sister, then focused back on the fray.

The horn sounded just before sundown. The battle paused, and Alanon watched with the rest as Hyjal's wisps all descended on Archimonde, then detonated. The explosion shook the entire mountain. Then, at last, it was over. He looked to Pitch and Jahira, then the three druids started moving among the nearby fallen, to give what aid they could. Jahira and Alanon cast their healing spells, while Pitch helped to move some of the bodies. They worked until it was too dark to see, then gave it over to the healer squads that began moving through with torches.

The druids all returned to Alanon's tent. Kel and Dracoth stopped by to check on them, and Alanon was relieved to see his older sister and his friend were okay. They sat around a small campfire, talking together wearily. "Alanon," Quae asked him, "have you heard from Jaryla or Indria yet?" "No," he said softly, worry creasing his forehead. His younger sister reached over and took his hand. "They're tough," she said comfortingly. "I'm sure they made it all right." But doubt showed on her face, mirrored on his own.

A runner came the next morning. Alanon's siblings had stayed to help the healers; even Kel wrapped bandages with them. Alanon paused what he was doing and called the Night Elf over. "Have you heard anything from the Second Unit scouts?" The Elf looked at him carefully. "The attack from the eastern side," he finally answered, "almost overwhelmed us. We're not completely sure yet, but it doesn't look good." After the man left, Alanon went out to the edge of the camp and just stood, staring out toward the eastern slopes. Quae came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't give up hope yet. Maybe they'll turn up tomorrow," she told him. Alanon replied softly, "Ryla never did like it when I worried. She knew I wouldn't rest until I knew they were safe." Quae couldn't think of an answer to that. She just stood by him, offering what comfort she could. At last Alanon turned back to the camp and returned to his work.

It was confirmed the following day. Groups had been dispatched to clean up any remaining enemies and look for survivors. The group sent to the eastern side came upon where the Second Unit had made their stand. It looked like they had given an excellent account for themselves, but the demons had proved too much. There were no survivors.

When Alanon heard the news, he left the camp, walking toward Nordrassil. He stopped at the base of the great Tree and stood there, shoulders shaking. Jahira, Quae and Pitch found him there. Jahira and Quae looked at each other helplessly, but Pitch went to his brother and sat next to him, sticking his nose into Alanon's hand. After a moment, the hand moved to his back, gripping the longer fur there tightly as the druid-cat whined softly.

* * * * * *

Quae found Alanon the next morning at daybreak, sitting on a fallen log. The morning was quiet, most of the army having left long before. Only the wounded were left, and they were setting out too, as soon as they were well enough to travel. Quae sat down next to her brother, glancing up at him. He stared straight ahead, not moving, but she knew he was aware of her. His face still looked haggard, though his eyes were clear. She cleared her throat.

"Alanon, are you alright?" He didn't answer at first. She waited patiently. Finally he broke the silence. "I still see them, when I close my eyes. It's hard to believe that they're gone," he said softly, his voice just above a whisper. Quae took his hand. "We all miss them, Alanon. But it'll be okay." "I know," he replied. "It's just... I've known her forever, you know. We grew up together. I never thought that she would be gone." He cleared his own throat roughly. "And Indria, oh gods. Her life was still just beginning." He stopped, swallowing hard.

Quae squeezed his hand gently, then sat quietly, looking around. The damage from the battle was apparent even here, but several groups were staying behind, to clear up and see what help they could give the World Tree. After several minutes she spoke again. "I'm coming home with you guys," she said. "To Ashenvale." He eyed her. "I can't imagine our parents would agree to that, to say nothing of the Temple." "Oh, they didn't like it. But I'm old enough to start making my own decisions. As to the Temple, well, they don't control me whatever they might think. It's not like I'm moving too far away to continue my training; if anything, you all are closer." Alanon grunted.

They sat together until the sun was well up, then returned to his tent. Kel and Dracoth were saying their goodbyes as they arrived, and after they left the others began packing up. Alanon left most of his herbal supplies for the healers staying behind; he could always replace them. Soon enough they were ready to go, and the druids and priestess all headed toward home.
_________________________

I'm working on another for Alanon, and have a Shaurria story almost finished. Love it when my writer's block goes away. Til next time, Happy Hunting!

How do you get a level 60 through a level 70 dungeon?

Very carefully, of course. >.>

Aely and her hubby ran Shaurria and Tadrith thru Sethekk Halls so they could finish off their Pilgrim achievements and get their titles/turkeys. Shaur was only level 60, so all I really did was hide well back while they all cleared. (Tad died lolz.) Since I wasn't doing much of anything, I started up Fraps, and here's the result!




Yes, apparently I like funky music. Well, actually I couldn't find the song I wanted on my PC, so I improvised. >.>

Shaurria went from 58 to 60 in no time flat, and after Windstar runs her thru Ramparts, I'm hoping she'll hit 61. Then I can log off happily. (Edit: got to be too late, so she didn't get her Ramps run. We're gonna hit it tomorrow night, hopefully.)

She adores flying (and heck, so do I >.>). Kinda stinks that she won't be able to get Cold Weather Flying when she reaches Northrend. It's hard to believe now that she's almost there.

I wanted to throw in some funny RP chat, since I've started using WowScribe, but I can't find the chat. >.> So for now, goodnight!

Updates 'n Stuff

First off, Shaurria has all her stuff back! Blizzard restored everything, as far as I know, so she's good to go. Same deal with the rest of my toons on that account, although the second account hasn't been fixed yet. I sent a ticket on Arvoss, probably should have done that at the same time as the other, but oh well. I did find he still had his beginner blue DK gear still in the bank, so at least he's dressed now.The rest I'm sure I'll get back eventually.

After getting her stuff back I went back to leveling with Shaur. Despite an interruption when our internet conked out for a bit, she did hit 58 pretty quick and I took her straight to Outland. I'm hoping she'll be pretty close to 60 by tomorrow, since she's (hopefully) getting a Sethekk Halls run-thru to finish off her holiday achievements then. I'd like her to be as little of an aggro-magnet as possible. >.>

Tonight was raid night on Gilneas and I wound up taking Barraccus, since he still had his dps gear. We ran through VOA and then Sartherion (with no drakes up, just a quick run), so he's a little closer to his Champion of the Frozen Wastes title. Honestly the only part of that I'm worried about is Malygos, he's already cleared Naxx and about half the heroic bosses. Just a matter of time now.

Haven't had any problems with the hacker, though I'm still pretty paranoid. I still can't figure out where I might have picked up the keylogger. I have let my cousin use it a couple times before, though, so I'm kinda wondering about that.

I've been itching to write stuff for a couple days now, but I don't have any story ideas. Ugh. I still have one of Shaur in the works, maybe I'll get inspired and finish it off soon. Which reminds me, if I'm going to move Pitch to Feathermoon, I'll need to think up a story for that, hmmm.

Ummm, can't think of anything else, though I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Til next time Happy Hunting!

Quae and Barraccus: Hopes

I know this has been long-delayed. Shaurria has been taking up most of my story-writing time lately. For a refresher, this happens right after this.

Also I'm borrowing the ideas for herb uses from the Wildfire Riders & Co., they have a thread about it here for reference.
____________________

The next day Quae ran through everything the Honor Hold commanders told her to do quickly. With Barraccus' help, none of it took long. She was dismissed after turning in her last report, then she and Barraccus went back outside to their mounts. He turned to her before getting on Krallormu. "I'm presuming you have a spot picked out?" he asked with a grin, and she grinned back. "Follow me," she said, then urged Thoribas up and away. He scrambled into the saddle quickly and chased after her.

Quae found an outcropping of rock and waited for Barraccus to catch up to her before nudging Thoribas down. She dismissed the gryphon, knowing he wouldn't go far, and turned to see Barraccus already off Kral's back, looking around. They were as alone as they could be; even the orcs of Zeth'gor nearby were no bigger than ants in the distance. He turned to face her, grinning. "Nice spot," he said. "So what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Quae looked at him appraisingly, until his grin turned mischievous, then she abruptly dismissed her shadows. "First, love, take off your shirt." His eyebrows went up, but he complied without comment, having grown used to this routine. Quae helped him with his armor, then he pulled his shirt off and sat. Quae knelt next to him, her hands already starting to glow with holy energy. Placing one hand on his chest, she let the power flow into him and closed her eyes, following it with her senses. It filtered through muscles and blood vessels, then deeper to bones and organs. She felt it when it came upon anything out of order, guiding it as it healed cuts and scratches, then a pulled muscle she hadn't even realized he had.

He flexed his arm when she finished, testing the now-healed shoulder muscle, and grinned at her. "Thanks." She still just studied him, a slight frown her only expression. "You're sure it doesn't hurt anything?" she asked him. Arien's words echoed through her head- "It's not a good way to test, since healing works on the Forsaken just like it does on us"- but she pushed them away.

Barraccus caught her hand in his own and pulled it away, breaking the contact and the healing spell. "Quae," he began, his expression now as serious as hers. "You've been doing this every day we've had together for the last couple months. What is it?"

She closed her eyes briefly, opening them again to look into his. "Tell me again how you died," she said softly, just above a whisper. He raised an eyebrow, and she smiled slightly. "I'm not changing the subject. Trust me." Now he closed his eyes for a moment, then looked out into the distance. "I don't remember. All I can recall is his eyes digging into mine, then blackness. When I woke I was in Acherus, and my training began. What does it have to do with anything?"

Quae took a deep breath. Elune, she prayed silently, give me the right words. "I've been thinking about it the last few months. Don't you think death would have been a bit more... memorable?" He shrugged. "I don't know, Quae. But what does it have to do with whatever you've been doing?" "Barraccus," she began, then paused, suddenly uncertain. Finally she blurted, "What if you didn't die?"

He blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?" "What if you never died, love? I've been researching this in Stormwind's library, and nothing I've found says you have to die to become a death knight. Light, Arthas was a death knight before he became the Lich King, and he never died; there are all sorts of accounts of it. And I found a strange book, that says if you agree to it, you simply receive the powers." She hoped no one from the Temple found out she had read that book. Creepy and mysterious didn't even begin to describe it; it had probably belonged to a cultist once.

Barraccus stared at her as she spoke, the skepticism in his eyes slowly being replaced by uncertainty. He mouthed the words agree to it after her, then as she finished he looked at her sharply. "Why are you so sure of this, Quae? I mean, it'd be wonderful, but still..."

"Think about it, love," she told him. "If you're not undead, the Temple can't touch you. The charges against me would be dropped, we could make our vows official, and... when we're ready, we could start a family." At the word family, his expression changed, a look of pain and longing flashing briefly across his face. "But Quae," he said. "That should prove it if nothing else does. I mean, shouldn't something have, you know, happened by now?"

Quae had been expecting him to ask that, but she still dropped her gaze. "Umm, about that," she said hesitantly. "I'm afraid I haven't been totally honest with you, Barraccus." She glanced up at him; he had gone completely still, his expression unreadable. "Quae," he said quietly. "Are you...?" She gave him a small, sad smile. "No," she replied, and his face showed disappointment for a moment, before he regained control. "Then what do you mean?" "You know the tea I make every morning?" she asked, and he nodded. She took a deep breath. "It's earthroot." She watched his face carefully.

He was silent, staring at nothing for a long while. Finally he looked up at her. "Earthroot?" She nodded, still watching him. "You really think I'm not an undead?" "Yes, I'm getting sure of it," she replied, and he nodded. She studied him as they sat in silence for several more minutes. "Barraccus," she said hesitantly. "If you want me to stop taking the tea..." He shook his head. "No, you might as well stay on it. At least I can get it for you from now on. I'm guessing Alanon was providing it before?" "Yes," she replied. "Love... are you all right?"

He didn't answer right away, instead looking off into space, his expression still unreadable. Finally he looked at her, and after a moment he cracked a grin. "Yea, I think I'm more than all right." Quae smiled back, fighting back the worry that came when she saw the hope slowly growing in his eyes.

_______________

P. S. - Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!