Khlar: Blood and Honor

Blood and honor; it's a common phrase among the orcs. They say it in greeting, use it as a battle cry, and swear by it as part of their oaths. But it has much more meaning than that. When my sister Gwyn came to me and asked for my help in starting a guild of adventurers, there was no doubt as to what we would call it. "Shano nor Balah" means Blood and Honor in our own Thalassian. The blending of the orcish phrase and elven tongue symbolizes the relationship between Gwyn and Treng, and the words themselves are our creed.

Blood is for our family bond. Gwynifar and Treng have gone through the orcs' blood-brotherhood ritual, so she is recognized as an orc by his entire clan. We are siblings by birth, despite my... current state, and I have sworn to myself to protect her. We have met a few others that have agreed to join us, ones that have fought at our side at one time or another, and so are bonded by the blood we spilled. The troll death knight Vestaki is one, and a tauren death knight I met just recently, who calls himself Beefalo.

Honor is for our code. Watch out for each other. Harm no innocents. And always work for the betterment of the Horde and the world around us. The Alliance may look down their noses and call us a lawless pack of beasts, but we will show them better. Not by violence, but by our honorable actions.

Shano nor balah anu terro- blood and honor til death.

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Got tired of getting invited into guilds on Moon Guard, and then having the guild go dead or something, so I made my own with my sister and my friend Crison. Feel free to /wave at us if you play on Moon Guard!! :)

Patch 3.0.8- Khlar's Intro

Gwynifar's hands shook slightly as she re-read the note from her parents. Treng entered her room and sat next to her on the bed. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her pale face. Wordlessly, she handed the note to him. He read it over, glanced at her in confusion, and read it again, out loud, "Gwyn, please come home at your earliest convenience. We've had some troubling news. It's about your brother, Khlar. Love, Mum & Dad." He looked at her, still confused. "What is it? And why are they asking you to come home? I thought their council said you weren't exactly welcome back." Gwyn looked at him with anguished eyes. "My brother, Treng. Didn't I ever tell you? Khlar was killed by the Scourge a year before I was born! Why would they have news about him now?!" Treng was silent a minute, digesting this. "I think we should leave right away," he finally said. Gwyn was surprised. "You're coming with me?" she asked. He replied, "Of course, you're my sister. I guess this makes Khlar my brother, too." Gwyn said nothing more, just hugged him gratefully.

Their trainers were a little disturbed at the news as well, and gave their permission without argument. They set off the very next day, their pets roaming around them but staying within sight. Authir seemed upset by his mistress' distress, and spent most of the journey riding on her backpack, sending little mental messages of comfort. Gwyn's ability to communicate with her pets this way had startled the orcs at first, although they had said it was not unheard of, just very rare. Haiden too would run over to her periodically, pacing at her side for a bit or licking her hands.

When they arrived at Silvermoon City, Gwyn almost ran right back out of the gates. The way the elves had decided to kick her out those years ago, combined with the disturbing message, made it very difficult for her to walk through the gates and down the main street. Arriving at her parents front door, she took a deep breath and knocked loudly. The door was opened by a maid, who told her kindly that her parents were not there but at their home outside Silvermoon, near the Farstrider Retreat. Gwyn and Treng thanked her and left the city.

They reached the small cottage where Gwyn had spent the first 5 years of her life. Looking at it now, it seemed smaller than she remembered. Gwyn stepped up to the door, then looked at Treng, who gave her an encouraging nod. She took another deep breath, and knocked, then opened the door. As they entered, her mother came bustling up to greet them. She wrapped Gwyn in a comforting hug, then turned and looked Treng up and down. "This must be Treng," she said. "Gwyn's told us so much about you in her letters. Be welcome." Then she turned and led them to the sitting room.

Before they entered the next room, her mother stopped them. "Gwyn, we've had quite a shock, and I don't know how to explain it, so your father and I decided it was best to show you. Don't be alarmed, honey, it's not quite as bad as it seems." And with those rather cryptic words, she went into the sitting room, leaving Gwyn and Treng to follow.

Treng gave Gwyn an encouraging pat, then gestured for her to lead the way. She stepped through the doorway, her heart pounding. Her father was sitting on the couch in the center of the room's far wall, her mother just now sitting down next to him. And in her favorite chair nearby was a tall, pale blood elf, who saw her and abruptly stood up.

He had her family's reddish-brown hair, and his features were familiar, but she was sure she had never seen him before. Then she noticed his pale, almost bloodless features, and the eery glow of his eyes, completely unlike the typical glow of their race. Suddenly it all fit together, and as she realized who, and what, he was, she stopped breathing.

Her brother, lost all those years ago, fighting the Scourge..... what she had heard of the Lich King's abilities to create undead soldiers.... the not-quite-stranger's appearance and almost-familiar features..... Gwyn felt her whole body grow cold.

Her brother, Khlar'rissan, the family's hero she had heard so much about growing up, was a Death Knight.

Gwyn started shaking as Khlar turned to face her. "Sister..." she heard him say, his voice strange, as if he had to force the breath into his lungs. "No," she whispered, then louder, as he stepped closer to her, "NO!!" Then suddenly her vision blacked out as her consciousness fled.

Much later, Gwyn and Treng sat outside in a patch of sunlight. Gwyn watched as Khlar sat down next to Haiden nearby and began petting him. The big wolf looked wary, but his tail was wagging. Authir sat next to Gwyn on the grass, rustling his wings softly, and Arthoas was perched in the tree above their heads. All three had accepted the Death Knight, and Gwyn, after a long talk with her parents, was prepared to do the same.

Khlar was no longer a minion of the Lich King. He had broken free some time ago, and tracked down his family, hoping to rejoin them. He could do nothing about his appreance or his undead state, and he was haunted by memories of what he had done under the Lich King's control, but now he wanted a fresh start, to try and make up for the evil he had done.

After sitting in silent thought for some time, Treng finally spoke up. "What is he going to do now, does he know?" Gwyn's reply was quiet enough he had to lean closer to hear it. "No, he has no idea. I thought maybe he could stay with us for a bit. You know, when we go back to Kalimdor." Treng blinked at her. "What are we going to do with a Death Knight?" he asked. "Well," replied Gwyn, more confidently now. "I thought maybe we could keep him out of trouble."

Treng managed to keep from laughing, though just barely. Gwyn hit him anyway.

Gwyn Part 4: A Glimpse of Northrend

Gwynifar sat in the dying grass outside Undercity and watched as the new Zeppelin took off and flew out of sight. Her newest pet, Silhana, was browsing through the nearby bushes. Growing bored, the young windserpent fluttered back to her mistress and poked in Gwyn's pack for some bread. Gwyn gently pushed her away and got out a piece. She tossed it in the air and Silhana caught it, downing it in one gulp, then hissed happily as little bits of lightning danced down her wings.

Treng came up and sat down beside Gwyn, Derk at his heels. "All you ever do now is watch that Zepp," he said. "What's so fascinating about it? It flies, it makes noise, and it spits out oil and smoke, just like the other Zeppelins." Gwyn sighed. "Don't you want to see what's on the other side, Treng? Ever since the blasted Lich King came and attacked Orgrimmar, that's all everyone has talked about. I just feel like we're missing out," she replied. Treng grunted. "They'll let us go when we're ready," he said. "You mean when They think we're ready," she retorted, then sighed again.

Derk grew bored and got up to go sniff at Silhana, who crackled at him and took off, starting a game of tag. Watching them play, Gwyn felt another twinge of unhappiness. "She's getting restless. I don't think she'll stay with me much longer," she told Treng. "Well, you knew it would only be temporary when you tamed her," he reminded her. "I know, but still I'll miss her," she said softly.

Treng didn't like seeing his new sister so depressed. They had undergone the blood-brother ceremony just a few weeks ago, with the blessings of all their trainers and friends. But right after that had come the attack on Orgrimmar, with frostwyrms dive-bombing the city while ghouls and zombies rampaged in the streets. Thrall himself had come out to drive off the Scourge, and peace had returned pretty quickly, but ever since then Gwyn had gotten more and more quiet and now spent all her free time watching the Zeppelin take soldiers and adventurers to Northrend, to battle the Lich King and his armies. Treng didn't know how to cheer her up, so he just sat and kept her company.

A few days later, Silhana left to go back to the wild. Gwyn took her back to the Barrens where she had come from, and watched, with tears starting in her eyes, while the little windserpent flew off and disappeared into the Wailing Caverns. Haiden sat with his mistress while she stood there, waiting to see if Silhana changed her mind and came back. But she was still gone by dark, and Gwyn returned to the Crossroads with a heavy heart.

The next week found her back at the Undercity, staring at the Zepp again. When Treng found her she was standing near the tower, and she turned excited eyes to her brother. "Let's just go," she said, almost feverishly. "We can get on board and be gone before they even realize we're missing. Come on, don't you want to see what's there?" Treng was shocked, despite being used to her impulsiveness. "But, we have chores to do, and training exercises, and all kinds of stuff. We can't just take off!" Gwyn's excitement died, to be replaced by determination. "OK, stay here if you want, but I'm going. I can't wait any more. Come on, Haiden." And with that, she headed to the tower, disappearing inside. Treng sighed, then exchanged a look with Derk and followed.

When he reached the top of the tower, Gwyn flashed one of her winning grins at him, then stood and waited as the Zepp pulled up to the dock. The goblin nearby gave them a funny look, but didn't stop them as they went aboard and hid down below deck. In short order the idling engine roared to life, and they felt the airship start moving.

They waited until the Zepp had stopped at the Northrend tower and all was quiet before creeping out from hiding, then dashing for the tower and down the stairs. Once on the ground, they stopped to look around. The place had the look of a busy port, with a dock leading down to the ocean nearby, several large buildings, and people everywhere, mostly Forsaken but with several adventurers mixed in. They found a stable keeper to watch their wolves while they explored, then headed to the edge of the town.

They soon found themselves at the base of a high cliff, but further exploration found a lift to the top. They continued onward cautiously, watching for any signs of danger. The town was far behind them when they discovered another village, and peered in carefully from behind some bushes.

This village was very different from the Horde outpost they had just left. The buildings were all of rough planks and stone, with several large smoky fires scattered throughout. And the people...! The people inhabiting the village looked mostly like humans but were tall enough to make a tauren seem short, with brutish faces and muscular frames. Treng and Gwyn made sure they were well-hidden, then just observed them for awhile.

It was Gwyn who first noticed the birds, gray-feathered crow types that appeared to be hunting rats and squirrels in between the buildings. As they watched the birds hunt, they both suddenly noticed one large male humanoid with a hand axe focusing on one of the birds. As he drew the axe back to throw, Gwyn stood up and shouted, "Look out! Shoo!" All the birds nearby immediately took flight, and the huge man started so badly that he dropped his axe. He quickly recovered, though, and grabbed it again with an angry roar. Gwyn was frozen in panic, so Treng grabbed her and yanked her along as he started running back the way they had come. The strange man gave chase as they tore through the bushes and onto the road, then raced back toward the lift. It was farther than they thought, and both were completely winded by the time they reached it and realized that their pursuer had given up. As they caught their breath, they were startled by a rough "Caw!" from above them. They looked up.

The bird that Gwyn had saved from the villager sat on the lift above them. It had its head cocked to one side, studying them curiously. Then it flapped down to the ground and hopped closer. Gwyn held her breath as it hopped up to her, then it abruptly went right on past and went up to Treng, who looked up to Gwyn with one eyebrow raised. Then he knelt down and began petting the bird, who started a happy trill.

Gwyn was a bit at a loss as she watched her brother and his new friend. She was as surprised as he was, since she was usually better with animals than him. Treng looked up at her again, then his eyes widened at something behind her. She turned and looked, and there was a second bird! It was a close match to the first, except its feathers were a little sleeker than the other's. Gwyn looked back at Treng. "Brothers?" she guessed, and he shrugged. She turned back to the bird only to jump as it came up behind her and pecked at her leggings, obviously demanding food. She laughed at it, then dug some jerky out of her pockets.

They headed back to Vengeance Landing, and Treng had no problem talking Gwyn into boarding the Zeppelin for the trip back home. Their new pets, Nikoro and Arthoas, sat near them on the railing as Derk and Haiden sat at their feet. As Gwyn stroked Arthoas' back, she felt at peace for the first time since the Lich King's attack. Treng glanced over and noticed her expression, and knew his sister was back to her normal, irrepressible self.
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(I did NOT name Arthoas after Arthas, the Lich King. It is Thalassian for 'flight'. Just wanted to make that clear. ;))

Gwyn Part 3: Authir

Blogspot failed at uploading pictures, but there is a pic of Gwyn and Authir at the beginning of her first post, if you want to see him. :)
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Gwynifar trotted along the faint path, sweating in the heat. She wondered if any rain ever fell in this desert called the Barrens. She glanced at Haiden to see how he was doing, then scanned her surroundings for any sign of the harpies she was supposed to be hunting. Spotting the distinctive ball-like nests in the trees to the north, she adjusted her course and plugged on.

After finishing her task, Gwyn collected the insignia rings the harpy leaders had worn as proof of their demise, then dropped them in her belt pouch and whistled for Haiden. The big wolf had taken only a few cuts and scratches from the vicious but rather frail harpies, and was ready for the long trip back to the Crossroads. Together they set off across the desert again.

Gwyn chose to cut straight east this time and reach the road coming from Ashenvale for easier traveling. When they neared the road, however, Haiden's sharp woof alerted her that they were not alone. Trotting down the road out of Ashenvale's edges was the strangest-looking person Gwyn had ever seen. The female humanoid had blue skin, horns, and a tail! And her legs bent all the wrong way. She had a bow in hand and quiver strapped to her back, and Gwyn realized she must be another hunter. Gwyn looked around for her pet, just in time to spot it as it left Ashenvale's shadows. She stopped and stared.

It was a moth! Instantly Gwyn was smitten. As she stood and watched the tawny-colored insect fluttering after its mistress, she suddenly decided she had to know where it came from. So she started running after the huntress, yelling for her to stop.

The draenei heard her shouts and stopped, looking around for the disturbance. Spotting Gwyn pelting up to her, she crouched into a defensive stance and swiftly nocked an arrow. Gwyn quickly slowed and held her hands out, away from her weapons. She stopped a few yards away and pointed at the moth, breaking into a huge grin. The draenei cautiously relaxed her bow and stood straight. Looking from Gwyn to the moth, she abruptly seemed to understand, and also grinned, then held out her hand and called to her pet in a strange, musical language. The little bug fluttered over and lit down on the ground next to its mistress, who beckoned Gwyn to approach.

When Gwyn left her new friend she still had no clue where the moth had been found. The two strangers couldn't understand each other, and hand signals were not enough. She would have to ask one of her fellow Horde members, if she could find anyone who knew.

Back in the Crossroads, first thing she did was track down Treng. She found him sitting by the east gate, Derk lying next to him. "How's his foot doing?" Gwyn asked her adopted brother as she sat down, gesturing to the bandage wrapping Derk's right forefoot. "The infection is clearing and it's healing, but they said it will still be about a week," Treng said morosely. "Well, I have an idea for something to do in the meantime," Gwyn said, excitement making her eyes shine. Treng looked at her, then rolled his eyes and grunted. "What are we gonna get into trouble for this time?" he asked, then ducked as Gwyn swung her fist at him.

It took almost the full week before Gwyn and Treng found anyone who knew anything about the moths. The old orc that they finally tracked down was happy to answer all of Gwyn's questions, but when they left him, Gwyn was feeling far from happy. "How are we ever gonna get that far?" Treng moaned as they walked away. Gwyn didn't answer, but she felt the same way. But she was still determined, and Treng by now knew better than to try talking her out of it.

They left Haiden and Derk with the stable keeper in Crossroads, since Derk's foot wasn't quite ready for such a long journey. Leaving without their pets felt rather strange to both of them, but neither was worried, they knew they would watch each other's back. They collected some supplies and struck out, heading north toward Ashenvale.

They passed thru Ashenvale without incident and reached the Night Elf territory of Darkshore, with Gwyn consulting the map that the old orc had drawn for them often. Darkshore proved trickier to cross, as they had to avoid the Night Elf patrols that seemed to be everywhere. But they finally reached the next point in their journey, and stood looking down at the village of Auberdine and the boat that would take them to Azuremyst Isle, home of the moths. But, how would they get on the boat?

Gwyn thought that maybe they could approach the Elves and ask for passage, but when they tried, walking out slowly with hands held out wide, a flurry of well-placed arrows at their feet sent them scurrying back into hiding. Next they tried sneaking thru the village, but there weren't enough hiding places and they were chased out again. Finally Treng suggested swimming out to the boat and seeing if they could climb aboard.

The two youngsters paddled out to the boat, keeping it between themselves and the shore, and looked for a way up. All they saw was a ragged rope hanging near the back, just low enough for them to reach. Gwyn managed to shimmy up and peer over the side, but she quickly slid back down again. "Elves up there everywhere," she hissed to Treng, eyes wide. Then they both heard the captain shout a few commands, and the boat started moving. The two friends could only hold on tight to the rope and hope they wouldn't drown or be discovered.

The trip to the island didn't take long, but it felt like days to the young hunters. They arrived at Azuremyst half-drowned and bedraggled, but still had the sense to let go of the rope and swim to shore away from the dock. They climbed out on the beach and crept into the nearby woods to find a campsite, where they built a small fire and dried off. Then they started their search for the moths.

They covered the entire isle, carefully avoiding the huge, misshapen bulk that appeared to be a city of some kind, before they found the moths. Gwyn was beside herself with excitement, and Treng seemed to catch some of it himself. They stayed within sight of each other as they started looking for their new companions. Gwyn didn't take long to choose and tame her moth, then helped Treng with his. Their goal accomplished, they used the magic portal stones their trainer had given them, and were soon back in the Crossroads.

Their trainer was amazed at their new pets when they showed him, but quickly reminded them of a half-dozen errands that needed doing, then Treng wanted to go check on Derk, so Gwyn followed him to the stabling area. Derk and Haiden were overjoyed to see them, and after their enthusiastic greeting, the wolves were introduced to the moths. Gwyn watched cautiously as Haiden sniffed her new pet over, then sneezed as he got wing dust in his nose. Then he looked at his mistress, and Gwyn felt his approval and affection. Derk was equally accepting of his master's new friend, and Treng happily announced he would call his moth Dusty. Gwyn thought over a few names for hers, mentally discarding several before deciding. Then she held her hand out to him and watched contentedly as his little feelers examined her fingers.

"His name will be Authir."

Gwyn's story continued...

Here is part 2 of Gwyn's tale. Treng is my sister's character, we nearly always play them together, so he is an important part of Gwyn's story.

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Gwynifar's trip to Durotan was uneventful (for a change). She was settled at Razor Hill and given a bunk in the barracks there. Soon the orcs had her on a regular schedule, and she found that she liked being with them much better than at Silvermoon. For one thing, they didn't think it as important that she learn everything her former teachers taught, such as Silvermoon's history, or long poetry. Instead, she spent almost all her waking hours outdoors, learning archery, tracking, and survival skills. She thrived under this regimen, and her old tricks became a thing of the past.

One day her trainer had her go out and follow an animal track, telling her to report anything she learned along the way. She was carefully picking her way thru some bushes when suddenly, she ran into a young orc. Literally. After they disentangled themselves from each other and the bush, the two youngsters just stood and looked at each other for a minute. Gwyn saw an orc about her age, with a hatchet strapped to his waist and a bow and quiver on his back. She grinned disarmingly at him. "Heya, you're another hunter, aren't you? I'm Gwyn, who are you?" The orc blinked at her. "Uh, Treng. I'm still in training. Did they have you tracking this boar too?" "A boar? Is that what I've been following?" she asked, then laughed. "Shows how much I know, doesn't it? Hey, do you think they'd mind if we went together?" "Um, probably not. Which way were you going?" And just like that, the two young hunters became fast friends.

They spent that day together, and when they returned to give their report their trainers said nothing about them working together, so they did the same the next day, and the day after that. Soon it was apparent that they were becoming inseparable.

The orc trainers were quite happy with the friendship between Treng and Gwynifar. Although her training was keeping her nicely busy, Gwyn was still full of energy and mischief, and Treng had a calming influence on her. He often kept her out of trouble, by either talking her out of some prank, or watching her back while they were out on a training mission.

Finally the two youngsters reached the point when their trainers agreed they were ready for animal companions. After they got the announcement, Treng began wondering what kind of animal he would like. Gwyn, however, knew which one she wanted. The only problem was where to find it. She had seen older, experienced hunters in Orgrimmar, some of which had big wolves at their sides. As soon as Gwyn saw one, she was in love. She screwed up her courage enough to ask one hunter where she got her wolf. "Alterac Mountains, but I think that's a bit beyond your experience right now," the tauren hunter replied. Seeing Gwyn's crestfallen expression, the hunter took pity on her. "There are some near the human city of Stormwind," she said. "It's a long trip for someone your age, but if you really want a wolf, that's probably your best bet." Gwyn thanked her profusely, then went to find Treng.

When he heard what she had to say, Treng's jaw dropped. "But, Stormwind? That's so far away. It could take a week to get there," he said disbelievingly. But Gwyn was determined, and Treng couldn't talk her out of this idea. Soon enough, they set out, taking the Zeppelin to the base camp of Grom'gul in Stranglethorn Vale.

The journey that followed consisted mostly of running from one hiding place to the next, trying to avoid the savage animals that lived in the dense jungle. They passed out of the jungle into a dark forest, which they quickly found out was haunted by ghosts, savage black worgs, and strange wolf-men. At last they reached the edge of Elwynn Forest, home to the humans, very shaken by their experiences. But Gwyn soon forgot the hair-raising escapes they had gone thru, because almost as soon as they entered the cheery-looking woods, they saw wolves. Quite a large pack of them, actually. Gwyn and Treng watched them from a distance, then Gwyn turned away with a sigh. "None of these seem quite... right," she said to Treng. So they pushed on farther.

They had wandered pretty far, close to a large logging camp by all appearances, when they started hearing yips and squeaks. They looked at each other. "Sounds like just two of them," Gwyn said. They crept up behind a large tree and peered around the sides.

Not far from where they hid, two large wolf puppies were play-fighting. They were obviously young, but looked old enough that they had probably just left their home pack. Treng and Gwyn looked at each other, and they both broke out in huge grins. "Perfect," Gwyn whispered.

Their trainers had told them that if they wished an animal to bond to them, they had to approach it openly, without the stealth they would use if just hunting. Gwyn and Treng stepped out from behind the tree and cautiously walked toward the wolves. The larger one saw them first and gave a startled yip, alerting its sibling. The two animals trotted over to the young hunters, hackles raised and growls coming from their throats. Gwyn and Treng stopped moving. Without speaking, they each picked a puppy and started the soft chant that would calm the animal and let it bond to them, if it was willing.

The larger pup, which Gwyn had chosen for her own, was the first to submit, coming to a halt and ceasing to growl. As his brother also stopped his threats, the big wolf came cautiously up to Gwyn and sniffed her hand, then began to wag his tail. Gwyn slowly reached closer and stroked one ear, then sat on the ground as the big pup came right next to her. He suddenly flopped down on the ground, nearly bowling her over, and rolled on his back, tail still wagging. Gwyn laughed and scratched his chest, then looked over to see Treng with the smaller wolf in his arms, getting a thorough face-washing. He looked at her and laughed back, then grunted as his pup body-slammed him.

They played with their new friends for almost an hour, then gave them both a good feeding from their supplies. It didn't take long to settle on names, with Gwyn deciding on calling hers Haiden, and Treng naming his Derk. Finally, with both pups happy and tired, Gwyn and Treng stood up and looked at each other again. "Now," said Treng. "How do we get home?"

Introducing: Gwynifar

Gwynifar is my blood elf hunter on Moon Guard. I had a backstory for her when I created her, but never took the time to write it out. So, here it is.

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Gwynifar was born at Farstrider Retreat. Her father was a hunter, her mother a mage. Although they both lived out of the city most of the time, they did have a house inside Silvermoon, which they moved into when Gwyn became old enough for schooling. Her parents were very patient and caring, which was a good thing, because as soon as she could crawl around by herself, she was a little ball of energy. As she grew old enough to walk, she took to staying outdoors as much as possible. She soon showed a great affinity to the local wildlife, capturing young animals and taking them home to show her parents. When she started to bring home young lynx cubs and dragonhawk hatchlings, though, her parents decided they needed to give her an outlet for her curiosity. So Gwyn started training to be a hunter, like her father.

Soon after Gwyn turned five, she and her family moved back into Silvermoon so she could have a formal education. However, she felt cooped up in the city, and always escaped to the wilds outside whenever she could. As time went by and her studies took up more of her time, she had to look for entertainment closer to home.

Gwyn had a very active imagination, but also was a bit clumsy (for an elf). She found it very simple to amuse herself with tricks and pranks in and around the city, but was usually found out. Soon her parents started recieving warnings about her behavior, and demands to bring her under control. This started some epic arguments, both between Gwyn and her parents, and between her parents and the other elves as they tried to defend her. Eventually Gwyn cut back on the pranks, and there was relative peace for awhile.

But finally, Gwyn just couldn't stand being "good" anymore. So one day, when the ruling members of Silvermoon were sitting in a meeting, she "borrowed" Jilanne's collection of dragonhawk hatchlings, and turned them loose inside the council room. The resulting chaos was quite satisfactory, however, things grew out of hand rather quickly. When one of the council members stepped on a hatchling, the frightened baby did the only thing it could to defend itself; it spat a fireball at him. The edge of his robe caught on fire, which only increased the confusion. Finally the hatchlings were caught, the fires were put out, and, naturally, Gwyn's hiding spot was discovered and she was quickly put under watch while her parents were summoned. Upon their arrival, they were bombarded by the entire council with demands that she be "suitably punished." After an hour of argument, it was decided that Gwyn would return home and stay there, while her parents talked to her teachers to work something out.

That night her mother came to talk to her. Her trainers at Farstrider Retreat had decided that she was far enough along in her training that she could go outside of Quel'Thalas for further training. The council and her schoolteachers had agreed, and they had sent word to the hunters in Durotan that she would be on her way soon. They were sending her to study with the orcs.

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That's it for now, Part 2 coming soon!