Catraena knew that the peace in her life would be short lived, but that did nothing to ease the weight on both her mind and heart. Again she found herself in Dalaran under the tutelage of a trusted and well respected instructor of Shadow, now done for the night and making her way back to the small flat she temporarily called home. The streets were quiet as shops had long since closed and one by one the lights in windows diminished. All the priestess could hear was the sharp click of her heels against cobble and how they ground the dirt beneath as she paused and turned toward the cheese shop, specifically to the darkened windows of the apartment above it.
The muscles of her legs twitched, wishing to urge her forward and lead her up those steps, but the temptation was fought with a quick pivot and snap of her heels to keep driving her cloaked frame forward.
“Why after all this time, is it still difficult?”
She whispered, pulling the tome in her grasp closer to her breast. Her lids lowered, snuffing out the gentle golden glow of her eyes while her thoughts began to drift. While she was prone to daydreaming often, it was so much more now, to the point of greatly interfering with her studies. War already began to break out between the Horde and Alliance over the newfound mineral that appeared in Sithilus at the base of Sargaras’ sword. The very thought of it made her stomach churn.
Catraena wouldn’t stay in her flat that night. Instead, she placed away her tome, grabbed her staff and satchel, and began to make her way to Val’sharah. Within the boughs of that verdant forest, peace could be found, even as she approached and saw the clouded sky alight with lightning and booming thunder. Her trek continued as soon as the wyvern landed.
Rain poured heavily through the blackened canopy. The comforting lights of the small Kaldorei town were now far behind, her only source of light being the one glowing in her palm. It wasn’t enough. Delicate fingers rose to her staff to work free the knot on a leather cord. From it dangled a small enchanted vial containing a sprig of lavender that looked as though it was just clipped. Having it in her palm, she couldn’t help the soft smile that formed on her lips.
“It has been too long, friend.”
Her free hand held tight to the sapphire fabric of her hood, fighting against the howling wind and sheets of rain. Though the forest was thick, it did little to protect her from the weather’s assault, causing her to keep her head bowed and only able to look up ever so often to watch as the vial pulsed with an emerald glow and guided her with a gentle pull toward the direction of the hidden grove. Out of all the time she had spent on the Broken Isles, this had to be one of the worst storms to hit Val’sharah that she had yet seen. All around her she could hear the trees groaning in protest against the weight of the wind. Not far behind a bolt of lightning struck the ground, causing her to yelp and start running, all the while the vial still guiding her.
She didn’t know how long she had ran, but the sudden realization that the storm had quieted gave her pause. Look around, she saw familiar tangled and thorny vines on either side and above her, and the earth beneath her feet was no longer a worn trail. The pull from the vial was no longer insistent as she reached the familiar clearing with a large rock at its center. Blinking the rain from her eyes, Catraena saw no sign of the massive druid, yet apart of her didn’t feel along as she came to stand before the rock.
Her voice drifted over the now gentle rain. The soaked hood was pulled back to reveal thick snowy tresses that were haphazardly smashed against her head and sticking to her face. No answer.
Even with no reply, Catraena took a seat and continued to look forward.
“I’m sorry that I haven’t made the time to visit more, but I do hope my letters had found you. Everything has been going fine except for… recent events that have begun to trouble me so.”
The priestess bowed her head, looking to her hands that rested upon her knees, the soaked fabric crumpling and oozing with water and dirt as she squeezed.
“Already the drums of war have sounded, though as you may know it isn’t against a shared evil. Has everyone already forgotten how the Legion was defeated? Why has the bond, how little it may have been, forged from the previous war already severed? I’m so lost, Dassaric. I feel as though I should protect my people and protect the Horde, but…”
Catraena sighed, lifting her odd gaze to the rock. Her voice came forth upon a broken whisper.
“I don’t think I can. I don’t want to lose my friends and I don’t want to lose you…”
[Mentions] @santhoril ‘s two boyos.
