The silence was deafening. Where once there would have been the sounds of a forest alive with life, now… There was nothing. Except for the breeze. Which was of no comfort at this moment. On its winds came the odor of war, death, the Blight, burning fumes of goblin machines defiling a once pure land. Sitting in a tree was the form of a twisted owl. Snow white feathers with gnarled twisting horns of bone jutting from it’s head. Wicked sharp talons wrapped about a branch, holding the creature in place. Inky black hues overlooked the landscape, taking their time to scout the area.
After a moment, the owl alights from the tree, spreading it’s wings to glide down low to the ground. As it flew through the wartorn forest, the sound of rushing water grew louder and louder. Suddenly the tree line ended and the owl burst from the forest, swooping out over a vortex of water churning in a basin below. The creature took time to ride the currents of the air, searching the water almost as if looking for prey. This calm gliding wasn’t to last long though. With a zip, an arrow flew past the creature and off into the forest. Onyx orbs jerked to the shore to find the source, revealing a lone orc taking pot shots at the owl.
Pulling wings and feet in tight, the owl made itself like a missile, dive bombing towards the attacker. Arrows kept flying, even grazing the creature as the orc belted out a cacophony of laughter. Even as an arrow embedded itself in the owl’s left shoulder, it made no cries. Then, just before it would impact upon the orc, a shift occurred. No more was the owl but now the lithe and svelte form of a leather-clad kaldorei woman. Ghostly white hair whipped and trailed in the air behind her, a stark contrast to the black leathers she wore. Clawed fingers came up from her side to savagely rip at the orc man’s face as she barreled into him. The momentum and weight of her dive were enough to knock him to the ground as those clawed fingers began to lash with speed and ferocity.
Inky black hues stared with rage at the man, the moonlight reflected in them as Reveria brutally pummeled her foe. She didn’t have the advantage long though, the orc soon gave her a swift punch to the chest which knocked the wind right from her. Staggered, the orc had his chance to bellow and throw her down on her back, climbing atop her. He began to twist the arrow in her left shoulder causing her to howl in pain. A hand lashed out to pull her mask down, and he began to chortle with delight seeing such a beautiful face. Rev had no idea what he was saying in orchish but she wasn’t about to let him have his way with her.
With a snarl of hatred, she wrapped her arms about the man’s neck, screaming through the pain before her fanged teeth found his throat. She clamped down and began to vice into his throat, kicking up with her feet to try and bowl him over. That would have worked if they hadn’t already been at the edge of the basin. They tumbled over the edge as her teeth broke the surface of his skin and the beast within began to viciously tear at his throat. They plummeted towards the water, the sound of a screaming orc and snarling kaldorei echoing off the cliffs. With an enormous splash, the pair fell into the water which soon sucked the under and swirled them away.
Reveria never let go, the taste of blood in her mouth fueling her rage and desire to kill. As they were buffeted by the current, the orc suddenly went limp. At almost the same time, the pair were deposited unceremoniously onto a ledge in an underground cavern. With a punch and a final snarl, Reveria ripped her teeth from the man’s throat, tearing it out completely. His already lifeless form sat there and bled as she huffed heaving breaths. A clawed hand shot out and dug in his throat, pulling a pool of blood out that she wiped across her face with a tremble of delight. Finally, she looked around with those inky hues, a sigh of relief leaving her. By some miracle, she’d ended up right where she wanted to be.
She stood, giving the corpse of the orc a solid kick before spitting on it. Moving to follow a passage deeper into the cavern, Reveria let her clawed fingers trail along the moss-covered walls. Already memories were flooding back to her of times she had been here. Memories of Faendris. Her Shan’do. She had no idea where he was now but she could feel that he wasn’t here. An image of herself shivering, naked, sitting on the stone floor as she tried desperately to call moss to her to form clothes came to mind. Another image, a gateway to the dream. The Nightmare. Her min’da. Tears. Yet happiness lingered too. Stars falling from the cavern roof, dancing of crimson and azure flame mixed with shadows and violet. The astral plane.
The reverie was broken though as she came to the place she was seeking. The entire reason she’d risked coming to Darkshore in the first place. Within the cavern was an alcove. Which didn’t mean much because it was huge in and of itself. In the center was a bowl with ash, not much else in the area aside from a bundle of herbs next to the bowl. Another sigh of relief as she knelt before the bowl taking up the herbs in a clawed hand and bringing them to her nose. Not the freshest but they would still work. Her lighter came out and lit the bundle aflame as she set it in the bowl. Inhaling deeply, the familiar smoke filled her with a sense of peace. Suddenly an ethereal roar could be heard as if a great beast had woken and was bellowing it’s displeasure. The sound of rumbling thunder was heard, the roar growing ever louder until… He was there.
Rev slowly looked up into the face of the beast she had summoned, a fanged grin growing wide on her lips. Staring back at her was an impossibly huge bear, it’s wet nose wiggling as it sniffed at her. The two stared at one another for a time, almost as if challenging each other. The massive brown bear finally leaped at Rev, bowling her over with soft growls. The druid began to giggle as the beasts tongue lashed out, licking all over her face. “Uschi! Stop it you goofball! Gross!” There wasn’t much she could do other than flail around and hope the bear stopped, which, after a time he did. Uschi pulled back, canting his head as he stared at Rev’s stomach before nudging it over and over. “What the fuck Uschi! Stop being weird!” The kaldorei finally wiggled her way free, leaping to her feet. Her arms came out and wrapped around the great bear's neck and she laid her head to his a moment.
“Uschi… I need you. I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve been back. I shouldn’t have left you.” The bear warbled a soft tone, nuzzling against her face as if to say ‘It’s alright, I understand.’ Rev pulled her head back, looking with her inky hues into the vibrant emerald of Uschi’s. “I’m going to bring you with me Uschi. It’s not safe for you here anymore. It’s not safe for me. And… -He- isn’t here anymore. Will you come with me? Will you help me? Help me sate my cravings? Help keep me… Myself? Show me to the dream more often?” The bear didn’t even hesitate before licking her several times, front arms coming out to snag her up in a bear hug as he sat back on his hindquarters. “Oof.” Was all she could manage as she was squeezed tight against the soft fur of her spirit beast. Her own arms went around him, well, more like just… Laid against him. He was far too huge for her to even attempt to wrap him up. After a time, the bear set her down and looked at her, almost solemnly.
His paw came up to rest against her face, an almost sorrowful tone rumbling out from the creature. Rev fought off tears and looked away, down, anywhere but at Uschi. “I know… I’m not the same. It’s why I need you… I died Uschi. I thought I could handle things on my own and… I couldn’t.” Her gaze wandered back up to the great bear’s and she gently pressed a kiss to his wet nose. “I’m still me. Just… Different. I promise.” Clawed fingers ran through the thick fur of Uschi’s face, the bear practically moaning with delight as her scratches got all the right spots. As they came to a stop she gazed into her guardian’s eyes. “It’s time.” The bear snorted and pressed his nose to her forehead before standing back up on all fours.
Reveria limbered herself up, hopping in place and shaking her hands to loosen them up. Finally, she stood still before the great bear, bowing her head to the beast. He returned the gesture before lunging forward a step. He began to bellow a roar that might have deafened anyone else but Reveria was ready. She lunged herself forward as well, screaming back at Uschi. Slowly as the two raged at each other, Reveria began to lift into the air, and Uschi began to grow immaterial. Swirls of green energy flowed from the great bear to the druid, somehow neither one running out of breath to continue their shows of might. Her guardian grew fainter and fainter with each passing moment until with a final burst of emerald energy, he vanished completely. Reveria fell from the air, landing gracefully in a squat on the floor with her eyes closed.
Standing slowly, flexing as she did, the druid could feel the might of her guardian within her, his ethereal shadow forming around her like an avatar until she opened her jet black hues. ‘It’s done Uschi. You’ll be safe. I promise.’ She thought to herself. Now began the long journey back to Dead Sun, the first step… leaving this cavern and escaping from Horde territory. With a crack of her neck, Reveria set off, feeling safer already with Uschi in tow.
