Meet Shannon Carey. If you haven’t heard her beautiful band, Luray, you should certainly have a listen. Shannon has such a delightful voice and plays banjo with Richmond, VA musicians Scott Burton (guitar/vocals), CJ Wolfe (drums/mbira), and Brian Cruse (bass). They have one album out called The Wilder and another in the works. Check them out!
“How could anyone tell with all those markings and horns? For all we know it could just be a demon.”
“No, no. You’re all blind. Look at her clothes. It has to be the Wilder.”
A long ear twitched as she walked past the group of gossipers, a small jingle accompanying the movement as earrings hit one another. Unconsciously, she pulled on the edge of her skirt at the mention of her clothes and then mentally smacked herself for doing so. She owed them nothing and yet served them in a way they would never understand. But she edged the fence line of annoyance with the gossipers in particular. Do they think I am deaf as well as blind? Still, she did not remember being this popular before she was a demon hunter. But she did remember being odd and the outcast then, just as she was now. Perhaps there was truth to be had with the saying that things really stay the same the more they change.
She continued down the path, pretending to not hear the talk that seemed to surround her everywhere she stepped. If not for her promise to Tyrande to be on her best behavior, she might have really shown them something worth talking about. But best behavior for a demon hunter was probably nowhere near the equivalent of the best behavior for a kaldorei, and even farther from that of a priestess. The corner of her lips curled back, the idea of toying with a smirk evident. At least she had a somewhat valid argument if she did happen to shake things up a bit.
“You don’t really think she would have followed the Betrayer, do you?”
“Did you not hear how she acted after finding the bodies of…”
The last voice choked out a hoarse cough as the demon hunter’s gaze swiveled dangerously in that direction. Though she did not possess her original eyes, the sketchy shades that came with her spectral sight took in the two women practically trembling as she gazed at them. There seemed to be nothing special about either one of them, just two more seemingly flawless kaldorei. Did she know them? Maybe in another life she had but no more. Having effectively silenced them, she turned her gaze forward and walked on again.
Soon her path led her from the bulk of the city’s masses and to a quiet little area surrounded by water. There was a single kaldorei sitting on the bench in the center, but she appeared too focused on whatever was in her mind to pay any attention to the demon hunter. Still, she stayed behind the other woman so as to avoid alarming or being forced to speak to her. Instead she silently knelt down beside the water’s edge and looked down into its depths.
Her spectral vision played havoc on her eyes as fish made the water ripple, but she was able to catch enough of her image on the surface. What did they see that she did not? Besides the obvious curled horns spreading from the top of my head and the cloth wrapped around my head to hide my lack of normal eyes, she thought to herself sarcastically. Irritated, she pulled at one of the double-layer gloves hiding her more demonic-looking forearms and hands. They could only see the demon she possessed inside of her, one that she relished every moment of killing for what it had done to her family. At least they could not hear the voice when it tried to torment her into caving in to the fel. No, she would never let that thing win. But did the others not see anything of the sister they had once had? Except for the horns, tattoos, and arms, she was still kaldorei.
“Are you a demon?”
She quickly turned her head toward the voice. How had anything managed to sneak up on her? Fool! Letting your guard down for even a moment! Prepared to snarl at whoever would encroach upon her personal time, her gaze looked up for where someone should be standing. Except they found no one. Then she lowered them slowly, finding the young girl who had drawn near. For a moment, she stayed silent, not so willing to snap and snarl at this one. Finally, she answered in a voice with a normal kaldorei alto that had a more sinister sounding undertone to it. “Do I look like a demon?”
Surprise was evident in the girl’s sketchy features. The young girl tilted her head as she looked the demon hunter over. Whatever her age, she could have been no taller than the woman’s hip. “A little bit. But you also look like a kaldorei.”
“And do you think I could be both?”
“I guess you could be. I’ve heard the adults talk about the Betrayer and something similar to being both. Are you the Betrayer?”
A movement caught the demon hunter’s eye. She didn’t need to look to see the woman who had been in silent contemplation was watching this scenario play out before her. No doubt thinking I will harm the child and fall to the demon within. “I am not the Betrayer. But I have learned from his path.”
“What path is that?”
A slight shiver spread down the demon hunter’s back. How long had it been since anyone had been willing to converse with her so freely and innocently? She motioned to herself, as if taking in the horns and tattoos. “The path of a demon hunter.”
She watched the girl’s eyes go wide with surprise as she examined everything about the woman before her. “Why did you choose to be a demon hunter?”
The woman stayed silent for several moments, watching the girl. The one who should have been running away from her in fear was the one most interested in learning about her. How strange these times were already becoming. “I became a demon hunter because I lost everything but my anger. And it is with my anger and the aid of my abilities that I will rid Azeroth of demons. I will do anything to save our world.”
The little girl’s eyes went wide again, but this time in awe. “Could…. Could I be a demon hunter when I grow up?”
She looked down quickly, the girl’s thought pulling at her heartstrings. Finally, she looked up and gently rested a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “If I have my way, there will be no reason for you to be a demon hunter.”
“You’ll kill all the demons before I grow up?”
A small smile toyed at the demon hunter’s lips. “That’s the plan, little one.”
As she made to stand up once more, the girl held to her hand. “What’s your name? I can’t keep calling you Demon Hunter. I’m sure there’s more of you.”
The demonic ridging along her brow rose up in slight surprise. “I suppose you could call me what the elders remember me as. The Wilder.”
“That’s not a name,” the little girl said, almost sarcastically. It really did almost make the demon hunter smile. Yes, do not be who they want you to be. Be who you are meant to be. “That’s a nickname. What’s your name?”
A long pause passed by. She squeezed the little girl’s hand before pulling away. Over her shoulder, she said, “Something that I have not been called in millennia, little one. But for your courage in speaking with me, you shall be granted the knowledge of it. I am Shleaenia Wildrunner.”
The young woman who had been watching this meeting on the bench gasped, but Shleaenia didn’t even look at her. Without another word, she moved down the path and reentered the city proper.
So this happened today. Mumford and Sons released another single from their upcoming album Wilder Mind, which is to be released May 4 (counting the days.)
While it’s not typical Mumford sound, it’s still catchy. Less banjo, more guitar is what they’re going for, and I think they execute it in a delicious way. Enjoi!
My interpretation of two of my favorite Christmas songs- just banjo and vox
'Some Children See Him'
and (last year's song), 'White Christmas'
Merry Christmas! xo- Shannon
