There was recognition in his eyes. She saw him consider for a moment, then in that transformation that always made her eyes swim, she watched him shift from cat to bird. With a rustle of wings he launched from the cornice where he sat to join her on the one where her drake had left her. His form flowed back to that of a cat and he settled on the stone next to her.

She laid her hand on his shoulder remembering well the feel of his fur. When last they met, so many months ago in Dalaran she spent hours simply sitting and taking comfort in the feel of his fur beneath her hand. No words were spoken between them then. He found her trapped in her sorrow and offered her silent comfort.

Now she followed his gaze to the devastation below. Though she did not know why, she did know that druids more than anyone else were always drawn to the moonwells, those places of gentle, pure power created by the Kaldorei goddess, Elune. A smoking crater now stood where the moonwell in Stormwind had been. She could feel him trapped in sorrow.

Slowly she stroked her hand along the fur of his shoulders, offering the same silent comfort he once gave her. After a time he relaxed and leaned against her. The warmth of his furred body fought off the chill of the stone and the evening wind.

No words were spoken. Long into the evening they sat in silence taking comfort from each other’s presence. She could not heal this wound, as he could not heal hers so long ago, but in silence she could ease some of his ache as he had eased hers.

Certainly there had been plenty of work to do as well. Enough to earn her coin to purchase her own gryphon! She frowned as she stepped onto the Tram and leaned against the rail. Of course she wished it were just a bit more rewarding. Certainly the “clean-up” work she was doing in Outland was needed she supposed. Surely they couldn’t leave all those demons and fel orcs running loose. Though she did often wonder why not.

She wrinkled her nose and rubbed her tired eyes, wiping those thoughts away. That was for another day and was sure it would spoil her mood if she thought about it today. She wanted to keep her pleasant mood all the way home.

The evening had been warm and companionable as usual with the Boomsticks. Kae mostly behaved himself though he had grown rather fond of a young gnome that had been visiting the Pub recently. Unfortunately his exuberance and energy tended to spook the poor little thing. Part of her was disappointed Fjuinen wasn’t there but then another part of her was scared to see him again. She had not spoken to him face to face since Gardrel shamed her in front of him and the Boomsticks the very night they gave her a tabard of her own. It was weeks before she could face any of the Boomsticks. The thought of having to face Fjuinen after that still made her stomach clench.

She sighed and shook her head. Eventually it would be all right. Perhaps Fjuinen didn’t remember. Wouldn’t remember. She could hope.

Though tonight it was odd that she showed up and Homrend told her one of her sisters was looking for her. She hadn’t given her name so nobody could tell her which one. Ithrene could be pretty sure it wasn’t Evelene. She seldom ventured out of Stormwind and would simply leave her a message at her apartment. Arlene had just spoken to her that morning when she picked up the last of her belongings to move into the apartment she had rented for herself in Canal district. Ithrene counted herself lucky that Arlene had such a sensitive nose and couldn’t stand the smell of Kae any longer… of course he did manage to find his way into more banana bread than usual while Arlene was living there…

The puzzle continued to gnaw at her as the Tram trundled noisily through the great tunnel between Ironforge and Stormwind. Homrend had said she had “sorta brownish” hair so that would leave out Dorrene. Not likely Eilene either. Nadene maybe? But what was she doing back from Darnassus so soon? Martene? No. She would never willingly leave the new dig site before she had everything excavated. She sighed and shook her head. Maybe Evvie would know. Surely if one of the sisters was in town she’d stop to visit all the others. At least it wasn’t one of her brothers. If her sisters were pushy and overprotective, her brothers were a sight worse!

The Tram rumbled to a stop and the gnome controller called out Stormwind as the end of the line. She didn’t point out that it was the ONLY place other than Ironforge the Tram traveled. Everyone needed a purpose it seemed.

She strolled out into the evening air, KaeAskavi close at her heels, and began the walk from the Tram to her apartment. She probably should have stabled Billy nearby to ride home after returning but he had looked so content sleeping in his stable next to the new gryphon earlier in the evening she decided to just let him stay. It wasn’t really much of a walk but there was a chill breeze blowing in off the harbor tonight threatening to bring snow. Maybe a good storm would be nice. A good reason to stay holed up to rest in her room a few days with hot chocolate and a book or two.

She sighed in relief when she reached the door to her apartment. The wind had picked up during her walk and was chill enough to cut right through her cloak. She shivered as she opened the door and ushered Kae and Cubby into the room.

“Ithrene Aednat Goldrise! Where ha’ ye been? Ah was lookin’ f’r ye all ov’r!”

Ithrene jumped and grabbed frantically at her rifle when the voice rumbled out of the shadowy corner of the main room. When a fire bloomed in the hearth and illuminated the speaker she relaxed some but her heart still beat like hummingbird wings in her chest.

“Dun ennae o’ ye thin’ tha’ maybe t’ain’ polite t’ be comin’ in m’ home when Ah’m nae here an’ sneakin’ up on me soon’s Ah walk inna door!? Damn ye, Maurrene, ye scared me shiteless!” Ithrene smacked her rifle down on the table to emphasize her annoyance.

The other dwarven woman shrugged and tossed a thickly furred cloak over the back of a chair. “Th’ door was unlocked,” she said easily.

“It wasna’ unlocked an’ ye knoo’ it! Y’r jes’ as bad as Arlene thinkin’ ye go’ ev’ry righ’ t’ come inta m’ home an’ my life whene’er ye choose!”

Maurrene advanced on Ithrene and stood toe-to-toe with her, bearing down on the younger woman. “Noo’ ye see here, missy! Dun’ ye be takin’ tha’ tone wit’ me! Y’r th’ baby an’ we’re jes’ tryin’ t’ keep an’ eye on ye. From wha’ Ah’ve ‘eard from Evvie, ye ain’ done such a good job o’ takin’ care o’ y’rself!”

Itrene’s face burned with embarrassment. “Ah’m nae a baby no more an’ Ah dun’ need ye pokin’ y’r nose int’ m’ business. What’re ye doin’ here annaeway? Y’r supposed t’ be oot’ communin’ with elementals’r sommut.”

Maurrene reached into a pouch and pulled out a small forged figure. With a deft flick of her hand she lodged the end of it into the floor where it began to hum and glow. Ithrene could feel the magic radiating from it. “Ah’m done workin’ wit’ th’ elders. Wit’ Magni’ dead an’ Ironforge comin’ tae close t’ civil war they dun called back ev’ryone tha’ coul’ be spared. Ah was one o’ th’ furthest along in trainin’ so Ah got sent back. Course there weren’t nothin’ t’ go back tae in Modan. Th’ longhouse is gone. Nae a stick o’ it left! An’ th’ lan’ is under water!”

She could feel the pain behind her sister’s words and suddenly felt guilty. She should have realized Maurrene hadn’t seen how bad the damage was to the family stead yet. She would have come to the closest kin once she did see. “Aye, Maurrene. ‘tis all gone. There was nae way t’ break it t’ ye gently. Tis’ all gone. Pap an’ Mam is a’righ’. Aengus was ‘urt pretty bad tryin’ t’ get th’ stock oot. They still got ‘im at th’ Temple. Dorrene ha’ been workin’ awful long hours tryin’ t’ help wit’ cleanin’ up th’ magickin’ mess. Feargus ha’ gone t’ Hyjal t’ ‘elp wi’ sommut there. Evvie was able t’ secure Mam an’ Pap a new place t’ live near Anvilmar. She ‘ad quite a bit o’ coin squirreled away f’r emergencies. Ah’m sorry there weren’t nae easier way t’ tell ye.”

Maurrene sat heavily in a chair and rested her head in her hands. “Ah shoul’ha’ been there.”

Ithrene snorted and moved to hang a pot of water to heat on the fireplace hook. “Wha’ f’r? T’ watch th’ house ge’ swept away? Listen t’ th’ animals cryin’ oot over the roar o’ th’ water washin’ ‘em doon t’ th’ Wetlands? T’ ‘elp clean up bodies afterwards?” Ithrene shuddered and swallowed hard, shoving away memories she wasn’t yet ready to deal with. “T’were better ye weren’t aboot. Better ye were safe.”

A slight rattle of chain and Maurrene’s boots dropped to the floor next to the fireplace. “Ah suppose y’r righ’,” she said quietly. It seemed the fight had gone out of both of them so Ithrene settled into the chair across the fire from her older sister. “Ah guess th’ bes’ thin’ Ah coul’ do was wha’ Ah did.”

“Aye. Mam an’ Pap woulna’ do so well if’n we’d los’ annaeone.” Ithrene kicked off her own boots and stared into the fire. Kae came up beside her and leaned heavily against her, rumbling happily.

After several minutes Ithrene noticed Maurrene laid back in the other chair staring at Kae. “So thas’ th’ bear, eh?”

Ithrene nodded, too tired and emotionally drained to say more.

“Ah hope he don’ really stink as bad as Arlene says he does.”

Ithrene rubbed at her eyes sleepily and yawned. “Why’s tha’?” She felt the busy day creeping up on her. She should get up and fix up the guest bed for Maurrene so she had a place to stay for the night. They could work out more permanent arrangements elsewhere in the city tomorrow.

Maurrene rose and stretched, the rings on her mail jingling in the quiet room. “Because Ah’m gonna be here a while. Ah’ve already pu’ m’ thin’s in th’ other bedroom. G’nigh’ t’ ye sis.”

With that she wandered off to the bedroom, leaving Ithrene gaping in the chair.

Can we open presents now?

Ithrene:

It was easy to believe he didn’t see her. All her life she had been the invisible child. In a home bustling with a dozen of them it was easy to overlook one small, disappointing girl. Oh, but how she wanted him to see her. Just once. She always felt such a strange little flutter in her chest when she heard his voice. She wanted his smile to be for just her, just once. And just when she thought she was brave enough to tell him such things, the doubts would creep back in telling her she was unimportant. Just a disappointing girl. That was when the fear would steal into her heart and send her scuttling back into the shadows. The fear that he would see her…. And see how others had seen her all her young life.

KaeAskavi:

I love her. More than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything my entire life. I would die for her. I *have* died for her. And she for me. We have a bond that cannot be broken. I can feel it. Can she? I think so. Does she know how much she means to me? How important? I try to tell her but I’m not entirely sure she understands. Sometimes it is as if we don’t even speak the same language. Yet other times it’s like we are thinking exactly the same. I love her. Not as a mate or a mother but as the best, most important piece of my life I’ll ever have.

**BBBRRRAAAAPPPPPP!!!!**

Damn. She’s gonna growl at me again.

It shames me to admit that in a dark, wicked corner of my heart I cannot feel for their pain as much as I should. Our world went through this and worse. Draenor is nothing but crumbles drifting in the nether. Though broken, theirs is still complete. They did not understand the loss we had endured. The horror and deaths. They did not want to understand these things.

Now they do.

And a dark, wicked corner of my soul that I am ashamed to have and will never admit to others…. Is glad they now understand our pain.

She thumped up the stairs to her second story room anxious to drop off her small pack and pick up her towel and a change of clothing. She stepped in to find a red haired dwarven woman turn away from the window and rake her with her gaze.

“Well woul’ ye look wha’ th’ cat dragged in.” The woman crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. “Ye look like ‘ell.”

Ithrene felt her face burn and her hands begin to shake. “Wha’ are YE doin’ ‘ere. In my room!”

The woman looked around and wrinkled her nose. “So is tha’ wha’ ye call it? Looks like a slum t’ me. Y’r lucky ye ain’ got fleas from it yet.”

Ithrene grit her teeth and clenched her hands. She absolutely refused to admit to her sister that this place was all she could afford at the time. “Say y’r piece, Arlene then be on y’r way. Ah got thin’s t’ do.”

Arlene sighed dramatically giving the room one last slashing look. “Pap sent me t’ check on ye. Nobody ‘cept Evelene ‘as ‘eard from ye an’ Evvie said th’ las’ time she saw ye, ye showt up on ‘er stoop black an’ blue.”

“Well ye c’n see Ah’m fine,” she planted her hands on her hips and squared her feet as if preparing for a fight. She felt like she was, which was a familiar feeling when she conversed with her older sister. “Ye c’n go back an’ report an’ leave me be.”

“Fine? Oh, aye. Y’r fine a’righ’. Livin’ inna fleabag, comin’ in scorched an’ smellin’ o’ Dark Irons, an’ tumblin’ onto y’r sister’s stoop black an’ blue an’ barely able t’ stan’. Aye, y’r fine, Ah’m sure! Ah though’ tha’ mongrel there was goin’ t’ be some sort o’ guard.” She waved a dismissive hand at KaeAskavi who stood just outside the doorway fidgeting.

“Kae’s no mongrel!” Ithrene advanced on Arlene, fists clenched at her sides. “An’ ye go’ no righ’ comin’ in here an’ insultin’ ‘im like tha’!”

Arlene stared at her a moment wide-eyed before putting up her hands. “Y’r righ’. Ah’m sorry. Ah shoulna’ said tha’. Ah’m sure ‘e’s a good bear.”

Ithrene sighed, still shaking but her anger quickly turning to shame and frustration. “Ye knoo’ how Ah’m doin’ now. Ye bes’ go.”

“Nae wit’oot ye.” Arlene picked up a pack from the floor and stomped toward the door. Ithrene heard her armor jingling beneath her tabard. “Ah promised pap Ah’d make sure ye were takin’ care o’ an’ Ah’d rather face y’r wrath than Pap’s! C’mon.”

“Wha’ ye mean ‘c’mon’,” Ithrene snarled as Arlene pushed her way out the door and past Kae. “This is m’ room an’ ah’m goin’ t’ go get a bath an’ take me a nap!”

Arlene laughed, her hearty voice carrying back through the open doorway. “Ain’ y’r room nae more. Pap sen’ coin an’ Ah used it t’ get us a decent place oot’ in Canal Distric’. Room f’r both o’ us an’ y’r bear. Ah already had y’r stuff moved.”

The sound of her heavy boots clomping down the rickety stairs sounded so final to Ithrene. She felt her heart sink as will deflated and she meekly followed her older sister out of the building. Kae sensing his mistress’ mood plodded as close to her as he could, rumbling comforting sounds. All she ever wanted was her own life. She thought she had achieved that finally and now, once more, her eldest sister was dragging her around by the ear telling her what to do. She sighed. It seemed some things couldn’t be gotten away from as easily as she thought.

PS- click the pictures to see them full size! ))

KaeAskavi, the huge white bear that followed her and was her closest companion, ambled over and leaned heavily against her. She absently dug her fingers into his ruff to scratch him. He growled in pleasure and let his eyes drift shut. The room seemed considerably smaller with both him and Cubby, Kae’s offspring, there but she wouldn’t make them sleep out in the street. It wasn’t right. And Cubby was still too young to understand danger. He might just amble off after the first weirdo he saw and she’d never see him again. She missed the big room she’d had at the manor but there were so few others there anymore. Many of the rooms had dust covers draped over the furniture, the windows shuttered and locked. It just seemed…. Abandoned. Sad. Even the Lady had left. Gone off to become a Warmage.

Perhaps that was part of what contributed to Ithrene’s loneliness lately. A home that used to bustle with friends and family, used to be filled with laughter and friendly voices, now just echoed. Some of the staff still remained and were friendly enough, but never seemed to warm up completely with those who fought. Their reverence always made Ithrene nervous though the Lady seemed to take it in stride.

Then she met the Boomsticks. She had known Fjuinen for some time already. And the sound of his voice always sent a curious little shiver down her spine. When he mentioned the Boomsticks tavern she thought that might be a good place to catch sight of him more often. Though she couldn’t bring herself to talk to him for very long. She always got so nervous and ended up rambling on about Kae.

But when she arrived that first time at the pub she realized quickly that she didn’t just feel comfortable among them, but welcome as well. They treated her with respect despite her youth and were quite friendly. She found herself returning less often to see Fjuinen and more just to enjoy the company of all of the Boomsticks. They even put up with Kae and his nasty bear odors.

Then something happened that completely knocked the wind out of her. She heard the Boomsticks were gathering someplace called Shadowmoon Valley. She had contacts in Shattrath City already through some creative work with a mage and knew it was on Draenor so she set out to join them. Not entirely sure she would be able to, due to her lack of experience. However she did manage to get close enough and when Fjuinen found out she was coming, rushed out to pick her up on his mammoth and carry her to Wildhammer Stronghold. Her heart still fluttered a little about that!

A few of the Boomsticks seemed surprised that she actually made it there in one piece and after seeing some of the things that wandered that dark, acrid valley, Ithrene was a bit surprised herself. However with a laugh, Corise handed her a mug when she arrived and said, “Gal your age willin’ to come all the way out to Shadowmoon Valley for the sake o’ boozin’ it up with us… ya got a standin’ invitation to the Boomsticks any time ya want, far’s I’m concerned.”

It was all she could do to keep from asking for a tabard right then and there. She spent the rest of the evening feeling like she was floating. Later as she thought about it she wondered how serious Corise had been though. After all Ithrene was young, unskilled and Corise had been drinking pretty heavily. But Ithrene clung to that feeling of belonging letting it warm her heart for days afterward.

Even after they invited her to listen in to their channel on the buzzbox, she began to doubt the sincerity of the offer. What would they want with her? She had nothing to offer. Maybe after they learned more about her or after she gained more skills and experience she could be one of them. Perhaps Corise just meant that she could apply when she had gained more skills. That made a great deal more sense to Ithrene.

Until Homrend firmly reiterated the same message over the buzzbox channel. The leader of the Boomsticks himself said that! She felt giddy all over. But still she wondered what she could offer. There were so many who were so much more skilled than she. So much stronger and tougher.

Of course she never let her lack of experience stand in the way of other things. That was precisely what happened the night she ended up stumbling to her sister’s doorstep looking for a place to sleep. During a gathering at the pub a box that had been left there was opened and found to contain a bloody and tattered Boomstick tabard. After some discussion and a determination of whom it belonged to, a group decided to head out to Light’s Hope Chapel to look for Salakayin. She immediately volunteered. She couldn’t, in good conscience, stand aside when one of the Boomsticks was in trouble.

Perhaps volunteering for such a mission hadn’t been the wisest thing she’d ever done. She didn’t fully understand half of what went on except that a Boomstick was hurt and some human female “paladin” seemed to be the cause. Though she’d never seen a human strong enough to toss around so many Boomsticks before. Foolishly (her Pap would say) Ithrene jumped into the fray and found herself thrown aside like nothing so much as a cheap rag doll. She liked to think she at least provided a distraction so someone else could take her down.

Unlikely, but a little daydreaming never hurt. However she had gotten pretty battered in the process. Her mail armor wasn’t up to that kind of beating. The healers had clucked and fussed at her when they found out the story and she’d growled at them until they let her leave after they bandaged up the worst of it. She should have known she would get the same treatment from her sister.

What shocked her most were Homrend’s parting words to her as she clutched her hearthstone to depart. “Lass, y’r now an honorary Boomstick f’r what ye done tonight.”

Ithrene wiped at moisture creeping from her eyes as she continued to stare out the window at the Boomstick Tavern. She could never tell him how much those words meant to her. These Boomsticks were becoming as important to her as family. Maybe she really did belong with them. Maybe it wasn’t all about what she could do for them, but how she fit with them. And how much she cared. She knew she would do anything for the Boomsticks. Maybe that’s all that was needed.

She smiled as she wrapped one arm around Kae and hugged his huge head close. He rumbled affectionately and nuzzled his mistress. “Ah thin’ Ah foun’ us a new family, Kae. Ah really thin’ Ah have.”

“So y’r finally awake, eh?” She turned her aching head slowly to the sound of her sister’s voice as she approached the bed. Evelene shook her head and set a steaming mug on the table beside the bed. “Damned healer n’er shoul’ ha’ let ye leave th’ temple las’ nigh’. Ah’m still worried ‘bout tha’ lump on y’r noggin.”

Ithrene rubbed at her crusty eyes and slowly sat up, using the gesture to hide her grimace of pain. Normally she would stay in bed and rest off the beating she’d taken the day before but she didn’t really want her older sister fussing over her today. “Ah’m fine. T’weren’ tha’ bad, really.”

“Nae tha’ bad??!!” Evvie rounded on her and pointed an accusing finger at her. “Y’r eye is still swollen an’ y’r lucky ye din’ lose it! Ye coulnae har’ly stan’ when ye showed up a’ m’door an’ tha’ was AFTER they was done healin’ ye! An’ ye spen’ all nigh’ hollerin’ ‘bout demons an’ undead an’ th’ like, thrashin’ aboot in y’r sleep!”

With a shrug, Ithrene reached for the steaming mug and sipped at the soothing brew within. “Happens sometimes,” she muttered.

Evvie snorted. “Seems t’ be happenin’ t’ ye a lot lately.”

“Ye dun knoo’ wha’ its like oot’ there, Evvie,” she said after several moments and drinking down most of the brew. “There’s battles t’ be fough’ and folks t’ figh’ f’r an’ protect.”

“Ye dun thin’ Ah understan’ tha’?” She replied very quietly, her face drawing up angrily. “Ah unnerstan’ quite well. Me own Hamdel taugh’ me tha’ an’ Ah los’ ‘im t’ them same battles. Like Ah’m afraid Ah’m goin’ t’ lose ye. Ye take too many chances, Ith. Ye shoulda stayed at the temple. Learned wha—“

“Dun ye start!” Ithrene leapt to her feet so fast her head swam for a moment but her hand on Kae’s shoulder steadied her. “Ah din’ belon’ a’ th’ temple. Ah’m nae Arlene an’ will ne’er be! Ye shoul’ knoo’ better’n annaeone th’ need t’ fin’ y’r own place! Y’r a bloody ACCOUNTANT f’r Light’s sake! An’ Ah remember th’ ragin’ fit Pap had o’er tha’ so dun ye start tellin’ me wha’ Ah shoul’ha done!” She snatched up her cloak and stomped toward the door of Evvie’s small apartment in Stormwind. Kae followed close behind her, rumbling and growling in confusion and concern.

“Ith! Damn y’r eyes! Ah jes’ worry tha’ y’r bitin’ off more’n ye can chew! Ith!!”

Ithrene ignored her sister’s calls as she climbed onto the back of her ram, Billy and charged through the streets of Stormwind.