An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Ranger Captain Loralen looked at the disheveled, panting group of young women in front of her - some of them bent with their hands on their knees and some of them halfway to the ground in their exhaustion as she walked along the messy line they’d made. “Every one of you could have run that faster. We are elves. Not dwarves. Not snails. And you…” She paused in front of Sylvanas - who was standing perfectly still at attention with only a faint sheen of sweat on her brow. “You look as though you didn’t even try. Explain yourself.”
“With due respect, I am only as fast as the slowest Ranger in my unit, Captain. It would do me no good to lose them behind me and have to turn back for them.” This gave the Captain pause and she tilted her head as she looked into the eyes of the girl who was the most promising of any group she’d ever worked with.
“See that they become faster then, recruit. See that they do not slow you down.” Her voice retained the same harshness of edge - of stern, disconnected authority. But there was a faintly impressed smile playing about her lips.
“Of course, Captain.”
