Teraci

by PrinceZordar

This is a tale I started writing after the Cataclysm expansion was added to World of Warcraft. It's not really quite as relevant now, but it's been sitting on my hard drive whimpering at me, so I finally decided to let it out for some air. The original idea was to tell the tales of a couple of people and how they coped with a violently changing world. This is the first.

I am cursed.

Sure, every teenage girl says that to summarize her life. Nothing ever goes right, she gets bad grades, everyone hates her, her parents don't understand her, blah blah and on and on. I wonder how many of them truly know what it is like to actually BE cursed.

The story basically goes like this. An ancient people called Night Elves were fighting some demon things. Some of the Night Elves were able to change themselves into animals like bears and cats and stuff. A group of them decided that this was just not cool enough, and found a way to change into wolves so they could be more savage fighters. Sure, it worked, but with the savagery came madness. They lost themselves to the wolf form, and became beasts. Their leader tried to use some stick called the Scythe of The Loon, or something like that, to purify his clan, but it just made them worse. They were changed to Worgen, creatures that no longer had any control over their rage. Instead of attacking demons, they attacked everyone. Further, their bite would infect their victims, thus turning them into Worgen as well.

To contain the threat, the high-muckitymuck Night Elf, Malfuron Stormsomething-or-another, banished the Worgen to the Emerald Dream, where Night Elf men go to avoid jury duty.

Years later, the Scourge army came a-knockin' on our door. Archmage Arugula came up with the bright idea to summon the Worgen to fight off the Scourge. Sure, take a pack of hideous monstrosities that almost destroyed everyone and use them to fight off a pack of hideous monstrosities that are destroying everyone. What can go wrong? Our leader would never go for something like that.

So, King Greymane the Idiot gave the thumbs up. The Worgen were released from their banishment, and they tore through the Scourge like last night's Dragonfire Chili through toilet paper. The problem here, as if no one saw this coming, is that the Worgen were not content to just fight Scourge. The Worgen have short attention spans when it comes to killing, and had no problem attacking our people when there were no Scourge around. Apparently the mages that brought the Worgen here didn't plan far enough ahead to make sure they could be sent back. So now instead of saving us, the Worgen are savoring us. The Greymane Wall protects us from outside threats, but won't help much when the threat makes its way inside. My people will turn into furballs with fangs.

"That's... um... nice. Teraci, did you even read any of the material?"

I looked up at Miss Demeroy. "Read? Of course I did!"

"Well, you seem to have confused some details. For example, the Archdruid's name is Malfurion Stormrage, not 'Stormsomething-or-another.' Scythe of The Loon? And do I even need to tell you not to call our liege an idiot?"

"Does anyone really believe any of that crap?"

"That 'crap' is our history."

"Yeah, but who cares? Everyone who was infected was kicked out or killed. It's all happening outside the wall. None of it affects us."

"Teraci, I'm giving you a D-. Your facts are off and your attitude stinks. If you want to try for a better grade, you may do so tomorrow. Sit down please."

"Bitch," I mumbled, walking out of the schoolhouse. "Why does she make us study crap that doesn't matter?"

"Probably because it DOES matter," a voice said behind me. I turned around to see Mica. She and I grew up together, and were sort of friends. "After all, they're still out there. Any of our guards could easily be attacked and bring the infection inside the wall."

"The Worgen are only interested in the strong people. They're never going to bother with people like me."

"There's more to life than just you, T."

"Not at the moment, there isn't. Seems like it's just me. Well, me and that stupid wall." I looked over at the giant wall that blocked me from the rest of the world. "Some day I'm getting out of here." I looked over at Mica, but she had wandered off. Ah well.

I rounded a corner to take my usual shortcut home, when the sound of a whistle caught my attention. Great, just what I needed. The local loser league.

"Hi, Teraci. Lookin' good today!"

I turned to face Ralph Worthington. His family had money, which made him a bit of a spoiled brat. Flanking him were two guys I knew only as Crow and Dak. They were kind of his lackeys. If they had any brains between them, they'd realize what a jerk Ralph was and lose interest in hanging around with him.

"What do you want, Ralph?"

"Nice flub in History today. Scythe of the Loon indeed." The three of then laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. What did you do your report on? Training small animals to fight?"

"Hey, my snake can kick anyone's ass. Wanna see?" He winked to his buddies, who snickered. I knew what he was talking about. He was a pig. Subtlety was not one of his more endearing charms.

"You're gross, Ralph." Crow and Dak walked around me to either side, then waited.

"Maybe, but I am sure you can learn to appreciate me." He walked up to me and touched my cheek. "I appreciate you."

I slapped his hand away. "Do that again and pull away a stump."

He laughed. "I'm shaking. Really." He moved closer and whispered, "Shaking with desire." He pulled away and smiled a smile that said, "Nothing good can come of this." He nodded, and his two jerks smirked as if they had any clue what was going on. He reached up and grabbed at my pendant. It was a small jade embedded in gold, a gift from my mother many years ago. We didn't have much, but she managed to afford that, purchased from a traveling salesman. She said it was the color of my eyes, but did not sparkle half as much.

"What do you want, Ralph?" I asked impatiently.

"Just you, tomorrow night after you accompany me to the dance."

"What? I wouldn't go to the dance with you if you were the last male in Gilneas! I don't care how much money your family has!"

He laughed as he eyeballed me head to toe. "My dear, you are worth more than all the money in the vault."

I sighed. "Oh, please. Could you say that again, without staring at my tits?" I shook my head, and said, "Can I go now? It's cold out here."

"I can see that," he whispered. Suddenly the sound of horns caused him to look away. He turned his head towards the sound and said, "What?"

I used the momentary distraction to push through Ralph and his friends, and ran down the alley. A second blast of the horns brought people out of their homes, then a third drove home what was happening – we were under attack.

"The Scourge?" I heard someone say. "The Scourge has decided to try again?"

Another voice said with a snort, "The wall has kept them out for years. We're safe in here."

"What about from the sea? They may have come in ships!"

"Nonsense, anything that made it through the reefs would have to scale the cliffs to get here."

"I've heard rumors that the Horde has airships. The wall would not stop them!"

"If the Horde has airships, then so does the Alliance. They've been one-upping each other for years."

"So what? We're not exactly in favor with the Alliance. They owe us no protection."

I snuck away from the crowd, not wanting to listen to a bunch of speculation. News of the outside world was scarce, but a lot of people acted like they knew what was going on. It made them feel important, even if they sounded like pompous asses.

I made my way to the wall, thinking if there was any excitement going on, that was where it would start. Sure enough, the closer I got, the louder the shouting. Then I heard another sound. Snarling.

We were being attacked by a pack of wild animals? This was the cause for alarm? I poked my head around the corner and couldn't believe what I was seeing. The guards were fighting Worgen. Somehow, the wolves had found a way inside the wall.

Suddenly I heard screaming from the market. I turned around, but too late. A crowd of people rushed through the street, knocking me face first into a cart full of hay. Brushing myself off and spitting hay out of my mouth, I thought at least it was just hay.

I looked around to see people running for cover. Then a pack of Worgen came charging from a store, knocking over fruit stands and scattering chickens. One of them grunted in my general direction, getting the attention of the others. They nodded and started heading towards me. I turned and broke into a sprint; I knew damn well I couldn't outrun them, but it was better than trying to fight them off.

I tried to sneak through back alleys, hoping the tight spaces would give me an edge. Sharp turns did slow them down, but they were still right behind me. I cleared an opening and dashed out into the street, right as a bunch of men on horseback charged through. I shouted and pointed behind me, hoping to get their attention, but instead the Worgen jumped them. It was over quickly, but at least the beasts had lost interest in me.

I was now in the midst of a bunch of other people all trying to escape death or worse. Bodies were lying against buildings, bleeding out. They were the lucky ones – they wouldn't be turned into mindless animals. All around me I could hear the sounds of fighting, including the occasional explosion of fire. Great, mages. Just what we need, a bunch of guys in dresses blowing stuff up. Then again, hair burns, and the enemy had plenty of that. It almost made me wish I had the gift – setting things on fire with a wave of my hand always looked like it could be cool. It would sure be useful about now.

I kept running until I reached the outskirts of the city. With any luck the Worgen would stay where there were more people. One person was just a snack, but they had a full feast in the city proper.

I know what you're thinking. How could someone so young, so innocent, so untainted, be so heartless? Trust me, when you have a bunch of ravenous blood-thirsty animals chasing you, your self-preservation instincts kinda take over. All I cared about is getting out with my skin intact and hairless.

I kept moving away from the city, following the road towards Duskhaven, hoping the Worgen hadn't made it down that far. Duskhaven didn't have much of a militia, so if the Worgen were there, it was already too late. I got to the top of a hill and looked down at the small village. I couldn't really see what was going on from here, but it looked peaceful enough. As I got closer though, I was able to hear the sounds of fighting. Great, the Worgen beat me to it. Now what? I turned around to head back when something large, wet, and hairy bowled me over. The last thing I saw was a set of fangs clamping down on my arm.

The first sensation I had was pain. Intense, stabbing pain behind my eyes. Okay, pain is good. It meant I was still alive. Then the pain changed; now it felt like someone was cleaning out my skull with a wire brush. I tried to rub my eyes but my arms wouldn't move. Funny, neither would my legs. It felt like I was tied down. Despite the pain, I opened my eyes and lifted my head to look around. It took a few seconds to get used to the light, but I was finally able to see where I was.

The room looked like it was carved out of the inside of a large tree. There was wooden furniture arranged around the wall, but no one else was here. "Hello?" I croaked. "Hey!" I managed a bit louder. Funny, it kind of sounded like a bark.

A purple head poked around the doorway, then disappeared again. A few minutes later, a slender young woman with pointed ears came in. She had long green hair and was wearing a flowing dress that was sparkling and almost translucent. She smiled at me and set a flask down on a table. "Welcome to Darnassus, young one. I am Elyssia."

"Darnassus? That's not even the same continent as Gilneas. How did I get here?" My voice sounded raspy, like I was growling. Worst case of dry mouth I ever had. I pulled on the rope at my wrists. Why was I tied down? That's when I noticed that my arm was covered in black and grey hair, and my nails were the size of daggers. "What!?" I could feel rage building inside me – tear loose from these ropes, kill the woman, get out of here! Then waves of soothing calm flooded over me. I stopped struggling and settled back onto the bed. It was as if something in my mind was trying to prevent me from being angry. I sighed, which came out sounding like a low growl. "Am I one of them?"

"Tell me, child, what is the last thing you remember?"

Fangs. The last thing I remembered was a large set of sharp drooling fangs crunching into my arm. "I was on my way to Duskhaven, but got attacked by a Worgen." Dammit. A Worgen that bit me.

"The Worgen attack on Gilneas was almost two weeks ago."

I shook my head. "I don't remember anything since then. I've been out for two weeks?"

"Not exactly."

"What does that mean? And why am I tied down?"

Elyssia brought the flask to me. "The answer is the same for both questions."

"I've been turned into one of those... things."

"You're going to be okay. Lord Crowley tested a new serum on several of your people. It didn't work for everyone, but it appears to be helping you. The treatment gave back your sanity and is suppressing the violent tendencies. If not for his treatment, you would have been... dealt with harshly."

"So that's why I am speaking to you, and not trying to eat you."

"Precisely."

I looked up at the ceiling. "You should have killed me."

"You almost were shot on sight. A Dwarven hunting party spotted your pack roaming the woods of Silverpine near a Forsaken town. One of the hunters noticed that you were wearing a necklace and decided to tranquilize you instead of killing you for the fur. Apparently word had got out about Gilneas' little werewolf problem and he was hoping to cash in."

"Great. So now I'm a freak show."

"Not at all. Perhaps among your people the idea of changing into a wild animal is considered barbaric, but you are among friends here. In a way, we share a common ancestry."

"You're a Night Elf. We're not related," I snorted. Literally. Yuck. I bet I had bad breath too.

"Not directly, no. But our ancestors created the wolf form, which eventually became the Worgen we know today."

"Is there a cure? What if I don't want to be a wolf-woman?"

"Drink this. If it holds, there is a ritual tonight that will help you."

I sniffed at the flask as she brought it to my snout. My SNOUT! Can I even begin to explain how WRONG that is? The contents smelled positively revolting. "What is that stuff?"

"More of the serum that brought you to your senses. Alas, it is not permanent. You must drink this, lest you return to the beast that once possessed you."

"I don't want to be a WOLF! With or without my sanity! I'm furry! I do not want to be furry! Do you know how much this itches?"

She remained calm, which only served to make me angrier. I screamed (okay, howled) and started pulling at the ropes again. All I wanted to do was tear her head off. Then the soothing calm came back, as if someone dumped it over my head from a bucket, and I stopped struggling. Elyssia hadn't even flinched during my tantrum. Instead she just waved her hand, and the guards (who must have come running when I howled) left the room.

She smiled, and said, "Drink. The ceremony will have the answers you seek."

Fine. It tasted terrible but I choked it down. Almost instantly, the pain in my head went away. She took the flask away and said, "If you behave yourself, we'll let you out of those ropes. For now, relax. You are among friends. You are among family." She turned and left. Family, she said. I bet this family wouldn't hesitate to skewer me if I tried to escape.

I allowed myself to relax, as much as I did not want to. It seemed like I had no choice, thanks to the piss water Elyssia made me drink. I resigned myself to being stuck here, so there was no point in fighting the ropes. As angry as I was, it seemed to make sense anyway. Breathing in, I became aware of all the different scents I was picking up. These Night Elves had a sickly-sweet smell to them, almost like they were coated with syrup. I wondered, was it obvious to everyone, or did I now have a better sense of smell? I closed my eyes, and thought I heard voices. I felt like if I focused, maybe I could figure out what they were saying.

"She's stronger than some of the others. I think she'll be fine." That sounded like Elyssia.

"You mean she's more willful. There is no strength in stubbornness." I didn't recognize this voice.

Elyssia chuckled and retorted, "Stubbornness can be a powerful form of self-preservation. Perhaps that's why she responded so well to the serum. She wants to live."

"She wants to be 'normal.' She's biased and prejudicial. Her people think our kind are a blight upon the world. Tell me again, why are we trying so hard to save them?"

Another person spoke. "Have you seen the destruction they can cause? And they can spread their disease to anyone they attack. Do you want another Scourge? These Worgen will make better allies than enemies." I didn't recognize this voice either.

"Their affliction is our fault," Elyssia said softly. "We owe them our assistance. And we don't know whether or not they will spread anything. We haven't had the chance to test that."

"Fine." The second voice again. "But any who cannot be saved shall be slaughtered like the animals they are."

I awoke to the ropes being removed from my arms and legs. I turned and looked into the face of a rather hairy-faced Night Elf. He nodded at me and helped me off the bed. It felt good to be standing again, even if it was on a set of paws. I was a bit wobbly, but I caught my balance and cautiously stepped forward.

"How do you feel?" Elyssia asked.

"I need a bath."

One of the guards turned his head and mumbled, "yes."

"Hey, I heard that!" I bared my teeth at him and he backed away. Two others waved glaives at me. I held up my hands (paws) and smiled. At least I think I did. "Just kidding, really..."

"Relax, everyone. She is not going to harm us." Elyssia nodded at me. "The serum is working. She is not going to hurt anyone."

"You don't seem too worried about me tearing everyone to shreds. You didn't even blink earlier when I tried to break free."

"I've seen much the same reaction from every Gilnean we've rescued. You don't frighten me. Besides, I know a little about being part beast."

I looked at her. "You're a druid," I whispered.

She laughed. "No need to act like it's a secret. They all know. We are not so different, you and I. Unlike you, I am not ashamed of my ability."

"And you can control your form. I'm stuck like this."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. It is time to find out." She motioned towards the door. "Please, come with us."

"What makes you think I won't try to escape? I bet I can outrun you."

"Because you want to be free. Not just free from our care, but free from what you call a curse. You must know freedom of will again."

She was right. If this ritual they were about to perform could make me human again, I had to go through with it.

"That," she continued, "and you can't outrun a hippogryph."

"I don't know what that is," I said, "but I'll take your word for it."

I was led to a large hollowed out tree. It was dark save for some dim light provided by torches on the walls, but my eyes could make out a circle of people around the outer wall. Towards the far wall, I spotted a bunch of people who looked important. I had no idea who they were, but the way they carried themselves said, "hey, we're special." One of them pointed at me, nodded to the others, then clapped her hands for silence. Suddenly everyone in the tree was looking at me. Well, you always did love being the center of attention...

"Step forward, sister." I assumed she meant me, so I walked towards her. She looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I saw her before. Looking around quickly, I noticed the number of Darnassus guards. I decided to step very slowly and carefully.

I stopped about six feet in front of her. I didn't know if I was supposed to get down on one knee, or bow, or what, so I just looked at her and said, "hi."

She smiled. "Hello, and welcome back." She looked back up at the crowd. "I am Gwen Armstead, former Mayor of Darkhaven." Aha, that's how I knew her. "It is my honor to hold this ritual in place of our liege, Genn Greymane. Lord Greymane has gone to Stormwind to discuss our new alliance with King Varian Wrynn, and has bestowed the honor of the Welcoming unto me. And so it is, that I welcome you back from madness. Please, what is your name young one?"

"Teraci. Teraci Murray."

Gwen looked somber. "Your mother... Karen?"

"Yes. She's a street vendor. You know of her?"

"I do, but I have not heard from her since we escaped from the city. I am sorry."

I had been so busy thinking of my own hairy skin that I hadn't even thought about my mother. We were never close, but you only get one mother. Now I was faced with the possibility of never seeing her again.

"Teraci, you stand before us a changed woman, both physically and mentally. You are being asked to grow up quickly, for we are no longer the isolated nation we once were. We now rejoin the war we sought to avoid, a war where there are no civilians. We all must fight for what we hold dear. To that end, we have been given a gift. What many see as a curse, our Kaldorei brethren have turned into a blessing." She nodded towards a Night Elf dressed in white, who nodded back but said nothing. "Teraci, are you ready for your gift?"

"Um. What gift? If you mean the cure for being a wolf, you bet I'm ready."

The Night Elf in white spoke. She had leaves in her hair. I was betting she was another druid. "The gift is not a cure, but rather control. Like our druids, you shall gain control over your form. You shall be able to change from human to wolf and back again."

"So if I choose not to ever be a wolf again, I can stay a normal human?"

She sighed. "If that is your wish."

"Great, then let's get on with this."

"So be it." The Night Elf in white looked disappointed, and I found myself feeling a bit guilty. Maybe I offended her. She nodded back to Mayor Armstead, who gestured towards three bowls.

"Teraci, these waters of Tal'doren have been gathered for this ceremony. Drink of each and regain yourself."

Now we're talkin'.

I approached the first bowl. The green-haired woman said, "Welcome, child. I am Vassandra Stormclaw." She handed me a cup filled with water from the bowl in front of her. "Just as Dral'nir soothes the cursed druids who gave into the beast and abandoned balance, let Tal'doren soothe Teraci." I drank the water, which tasted a lot like water. I didn't feel any different.

I approached the second bowl. This Night Elf had blue braids, and said, "I am Lyros Swiftwind. Just as Goldrinn's spirit once blessed our druids, let Teraci be blessed with the wisdom of his race and the ferocity of the wolf god." I drank from the cup he handed to me; at first I felt nothing, then suddenly I felt a surge rushing through me, making me feel powerful. I could kill everyone in this tree before they could react! I could tear their throats out, feast upon their flesh, and rule this entire city! No. I shook my head. No, rage leads to the beast. My mind cleared, and I looked towards the third bowl.

The last was a Night Elf with a green beard. Like the other two, he filled a cup from the bowl, then handed it to me. "I am Talran. Let the Scythe unbind that which was not meant to be bound! Let the soul master the beast, lest the beast master the soul!" I drank from the cup. I didn't feel anything right away. Suddenly my head exploded, and I felt like a large hot blade was cutting through my body. Then everything went dark.

I opened my eyes, or at least I think I did. Everything was pitch black. Then something below me lit up, and I was able to make out a long stone bridge. I couldn't see where it began or ended, but I was drawing closer to it. Then, on either end of the bridge, I spotted two figures. One appeared to be a human girl, and the other was a Worgen, snarling, growling, ready to pounce. They charged at each other, and I tried to scream out. The girl would be slaughtered! My mouth opened, but my words were being held back. I tried to close my eyes so I didn't have to witness the inevitable bloodshed, but I was being forced to watch. They approached the center of the bridge, when suddenly a hooded figure appeared between them. I couldn't tell who or what it was, but its sudden appearance stopped the Worgen in its tracks. It held out its hand to the Worgen, which lowered its head and whined, then sat down next to the hooded figure. The figure then turned to the girl and made the same gesture. The girl nodded, then sat down on the figure's other side. The three of them all looked up at me, then the figure in the center lowered its hood. It said nothing, but I felt like it was projecting feelings of peace and safety. As I got closer to the figure I tried to make out its face, but its features kept shifting. Then my perspective changed. I looked to my right and saw the girl, who looked grateful that the figure - I? - had saved her. I turned to the left and saw the Worgen, which was looking up at me and panting. Then it all made sense - I now stand between the beast that tried to take me and the young girl I once was. I represent balance. The Worgen was no longer in charge, but rather it now appeared subservient to me. At the same time, the little girl appeared more confident, emboldened by the control of the Worgen.

The scene changed again. The girl and the wolf disappeared, and I was alone in the middle of a green field. I looked down at my hands, but found paws instead. I was still a Worgen! Then I felt a funny feeling, starting in my stomach and radiating outwards. I was shrinking, and the fur was retracting back into my skin. I was changing! My paws became hands and feet, and I dropped to my knees. I was becoming human again! I threw my head back and howled; the howl became a scream - the scream of a girl. A human girl. I was back! I was me! I was beautiful!

I was NAKED!

I came back to reality, finding myself on the ground in the middle of the meeting hall. I curled up, trying to cover myself. Several of the onlookers were giggling at my reaction. Based on some of the outfits I was seeing, I guess Night Elf females were not afraid to show off some skin, but I was wholly unaccustomed to being naked in a crowd. Thankfully, Mayor Armstead brought me a cloak to cover myself.

"In time," she began, "with practice and discipline, you will master the ability to change back and forth at will." She helped me to my feet. I felt weak and shaky, but I managed to stand. "You now have balance between your two forms. You can call upon the wolf if you need to, but still remain of your own mind. You can then change back to your human form at will. The beast no longer controls you."

She turned and waved to the crowd. "She is fine. A bit rattled, but fine."

"She did better than some of the others." The woman with leaves in her hair was approaching us.

"Teraci, this is Tyrande Whisperwind. She is the High Priestess of Elune, and watches over Darnassus."

"Hi," I managed. "Thank you."

"I am glad you were able to find yourself. Many of your kind did not fare as well."

"They didn't survive the ritual?"

"In a manner of speaking." Tyrande looked around at her bodyguards.

More likely they were driven even more mad and were put down. At least they are now at peace.

"So now what? Where do I go?"

Mayor Armstead said, "You are welcome here as long as you wish to stay. You are free to go wherever you wish."

"Can I go home?"

"No, I'm afraid there is no home to go back to. The Forsaken have taken Gilneas."

"Wait... the Forsaken?"

That was almost eight months ago.

I wandered around for the better part of the first two months, drifting from town to town in search of a home. There were refugees everywhere, but not all of them Gilnean. During the panic caused by the Worgen attack, the Forsaken leveled Gilneas. Whatever was left of my people who weren't turned to Worgen were likely turned into undead, and are now part of the Forsaken army. I wanted to go see it for myself, but Tyrande warned against it. Their scouts reported that the city was now being used as a Forsaken staging ground.

Gilneas was not the only town to be lost in the Forsaken's attack. Their occupation spread east through Hillsbrad, taking over Southshore and Tarren Mill. Everything as far as Thoradin's Wall now belonged to the Forsaken.

Wait, it gets worse.

During the Forsaken attack, an ancient evil dragon named Deathwing had escaped its prison, causing even more devastation than the Horde could ever dream of. Stormwind had been hit hard, and many towns along the coast were still repairing the damage. Menethil Harbor was a fish bowl, and the Barrens had been split in two. The leader of the Horde, Thrall, had left his position as Warchief. Word had it that a crazy Orc named Hellscream took over running the show from Orgrimmar. I didn't know much about the Horde, but I knew that humans were not on friendly terms with Orcs. Good chance that I wouldn't be welcome among them. I was getting tired of drifting around, but it seemed like no matter where I went, there was no place for me.

I finally settled in Theramore. Like Gilneas, it was by the sea. I loved the smell, and there was nothing like a fresh fish dinner. Because it was a seaport, there were ships in and out several times a day. I got to know the sailors as they came and went. I'm sure more than a few of them were only talking to me because I was a young attractive woman, but they were always civil.

I took a job working as a blacksmith's apprentice. Not the classic role for a girl, but I needed a trade. I had to make my way in this world. I also had need of money, as what little the Night Elves had given me was almost gone. I don't know what made me believe that I could mold metal, but it was honest work, and there was constant demand. For a brief moment I felt bad about profiting from death and destruction... but it passed. Instead I focused on my craft, and actually started to get quite good at it. For the most part, all I did was hammer out dents in shields and straighten bent swords, but hey, ya gotta start someplace.

I had also been doing a lot of thinking. While I had not changed into that… thing… since being cured, the process of being changed physically seemed to change me mentally as well. Mica had said that there was more to life than just me. Perhaps I was self-centered before; these past few months have given me a lot to think about. I wanted to see the world beyond the Greymane Wall, well here it was, and it wasn't the great place I envisioned it to be. Quite the opposite, it was cold and unforgiving. And it was being torn apart, both figuratively and literally. I felt like I had learned more about the world in the past few months than I had my entire life. Thanks to Deathwing's escape from Deepholm, the world was being destroyed. Thrall was working to repair the elemental rifts, but as far as anyone knew he had not yet been successful. We deal with quakes every other day it seems. More than one ship had been dashed against rocks due to sudden changes in the tides. People were being lost as landmasses opened up and separated from each other.

I was on my way to the inn for lunch. I had been repairing shields since early this morning and I was beat. There was a huge battle going on in the Twilight Highlands and they needed replacement arms and armor as soon as possible. Mistress Holdston said she was not going to rest until this latest shipment was done, but she couldn't hold me to her own personal standards. I was still a kid, she had said. If she only knew. But, I figured I'd take the break where I could get it. There was a ship due in later, which was no doubt carrying fighters who would need their armor repaired. That quite possibly meant a long night ahead.

I took my usual spot near the window and placed an order for soup and bread. Something seemed off today. I looked around, then it hit me – the place was deserted. The inn was usually bustling at lunch, but I was the only one in here. At least I was, until someone in a ragged coat and a hat bumped my table, dropping a piece of paper. The figure hurried away towards the kitchen before I could say anything. Curious, and maybe a bit nosey, I unfolded the note.

"I know who you are. Come to the basement. Now."

Who I am? What the heck could he mean by that? I'm nobody, really. I'm a survivor of Gilneas, but that didn't make me anyone important, there were survivors everywhere. Then it hit me – if he knows I am one of the Greymane Worgen (as we are now known) he could really ruin things for me here. While Gilneas was once again recognized as members of the Alliance, its citizens were shunned in most places thanks to rumors about us being savage beasts who stole children in the night. I looked around, then quietly snuck through the kitchen and into the basement.

"Hello?" I said. "Where did you go?"

"Behind the ale keg."

I went back between the giant kegs. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"Teraci!" He pulled off his hat, and I recognized him immediately.

"RALPH! You loser! All the towns on Azeroth, and you had to be here?"

"Funny, I was saying the same thing about you."

"What do you want?"

"Just you."

"Keep dreaming."

"I have been. Ever since our chance meeting."

"Chance meeting? You asked me to the dance, I refused, then thankfully we were attacked before you could creep me out any further."

"Yes, it was chance that brought you down that alley. Just like it was chance that brought you here to Theramore."

"What brought me to Theramore was a lack of anywhere else to go. With your money, you could have gone anywhere."

"Money? All gone when the city got sacked. I'm just as poor as you."

"Ya know, I almost feel sorry for you. Almost. Can I go eat my lunch now?" I turned my back on him and headed towards the stairs.

"Wait. Don't go yet."

I turned my head. "What? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

"Because," he said, then paused. "Because I need your help."

"My help? You spent the better part of a year hitting on me. You're a disgusting pig. Why would I help you?"

"Because there aren't many of us left. We have to stick together. Who's going to help us? The Alliance? They hate us. Most of our people were turned to Worgen, but not all of us! But that doesn't matter to Stormwind. Sure, King Wrynn says we're part of the Alliance now, but as far as the actual people are concerned, we're all animals. I tried to get a job in four towns, but was turned away as soon as they heard my accent."

"Yeah, things are tough all over," I said. He was right, people were not too kind to Gilneans. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You got yourself a job here. Maybe you can put in a good word for me? People here trust you."

"I got lucky. I can talk to a few people, but there's not too many prospects here. Can you shoe a horse? Rig sails? Load and unload cargo?"

He was shaking his head. "But I'm willing to learn."

"That's a start." My stomach started talking to me. "Look, I have to get back, I need to eat something before getting back to work."

He winked at me. "Tell ya what. Give me a kiss, and I'll pay for your lunch."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, do you never stop? You haven't changed one bit. Fine, if it will get you off my back, here!" I grabbed him by the ears and planted a wet sloppy kiss on him. This was one time I wished I had dog breath, but the stale dry mouth I had from not eating all day would have to suffice. I pulled away and demanded, "Happy?"

He closed his eyes, cocked his head as if thinking about it, then replied, "Well, I was kind of hoping for more tongue."

I turned my back on him and let my breath out in a huff. "You are pathetic. To think I was going to help you! You – what is that racket?" I looked up as footsteps thumped overhead. Shouts were heard as people ran into the building. I ran for the steps, yelling, "I will deal with you later, creep!"

As I ran through the kitchen I heard sounds of a fight outside the inn. "What's going on?" I shouted.

"Orcs! Dozens of them!" The innkeeper was hiding behind the bar. "Coming from the docks! Hide!"

"Orcs? Why would they come here?" I already knew the answer. If I remembered my history correctly (and I probably didn't) Orgrimmar still had a score to settle against Theramore for the actions of Admiral Proudmoore. What better way than to target his daughter? Now would be the perfect time, since most of Theramore's militia was either recovering from battles with Twilight cultists or border skirmishes with the Horde. Theramore Isle had a small militia, but was otherwise undefended. From what I had heard soldiers saying, this new Warchief was crazy enough to risk an all-out war by attacking an Alliance settlement.

Remember that survival instinct I used to have? It suddenly kicked in. I was sprinting towards the flight master, hoping I could escape. I'd barely survived the attack on Gilneas, I was not going to risk my life again. Unfortunately, the flight master was gone. There were gryphons fighting with Orc attackers, but there was no sign of Baldruc. So much for grabbing a flight to go further inland. Cursing to myself, I turned and headed towards the blacksmith's shop. At least there were weapons in there. I hoped there was still someone inside who knew how to handle a sword. I could fix them, but I had no training in actually using one. I would be no use to anyone in a fight.

A voice in the back of my head started to say that I could be of some use, but I shoved that back. No way, I was not going to yield to the beast.

Fortunately the Orcs were too busy slaughtering guards to notice one small human. Lucky me. As I ran, I noticed something overhead. I looked up to see an airship carrying a large sphere. It was almost directly over the tower; a voice in my head screamed "faster!" I knew I would not make it to the smith's, so I dove into the stables.

Everything went loud and silent at the same time. It was an odd feeling. My head went numb as the entire island shook. Tools flew everywhere in slow motion, then seemed to speed up as they hit the walls. A few of them barely missed me as I dove under a table. I tried to open my eyes, but all I could see was a purple glow.

It didn't last long. The building stopped shaking, and I slowly crawled out from under the workbench. I was wobbly as I stood, but I almost fell back down when I looked around me.

The town was gone.

I stumbled out of the stables and looked out to what was left of Theramore. The Keep was in ruins, and a crumbling wall in front of me was all that was left of the Mage Tower. I turned towards the blacksmith's shop, but it too was gone. Had I been able to run any faster, I would have been in there.

I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do. I looked back towards the docks to see small groups of people killing off the remaining Orcs. I walked around the wall to get a better look around, and spotted a group of people talking to a white-haired woman.

This just wasn't happening. Towns have been attacked before, but Theramore had been completely wiped off the map. This was more than just conquest, this was a message – this new Warchief was not soft like Thrall was. He was out for blood, and today he got it. The Orcs at the docks, they weren't there to take over the town, they were there to prevent anyone from leaving. They wanted as many victims as possible.

The sound of combat woke me up from my daydreaming. The woman was examining the sphere while her friends were fighting off some large creature. I couldn't do anything here. No shame in leaving when I can't be of any help.

"Help!"

I looked towards the source of the shouting. There was a pile of rubble near the northern gate, and from what I could tell someone was trapped underneath one of the large stones. There were two guards trying to pull the stone off, but they were having a hard time of it. I ran over to them, not sure what I could do, but I couldn't just stand here and let someone die. That voice in my head that earlier was telling me to save my own arse suddenly wasn't so loud.

One of the guards saw me approach, but waved me away. "This is no place for kids! Go find help!"

I waved my arms around, and laughed. "Look around you! No one else is here! Everyone's dead! There isn't going to be any help!"

He ignored me and went back to his task. I got a bit closer, then realized who it was that was trapped.

"Mistress Holdston!"

She looked over at me. "Teraci," she said weakly. "Help me."

I got closer, despite the guard's protest. I pushed on the stone, but it was barely moving. "I... I can't. It's too heavy."

She lowered her voice. "I know what you are, Teraci. I know you are more than you appear to be. Certainly, you can do something."

"You... know?"

"Of course. I have always known. Elyssa asked me to watch out for you, in case you were having trouble adapting. Let go, child. You can control it. Using your gift is not a weakness! It is strength! Do not fear it. Respect it. Use it."

"I... I will do what I can."

She relaxed and smiled. "That's all I can ask of you. Thank you."

I stood up and looked at the two guards. "Guys, I only ask that you not kill me until after we save her." I had never changed willingly, in fact I hadn't changed at all since the Welcoming cured me. I hoped I could still do it. I closed my eyes and focused on the beast. It was time to let it out. I wasn't sure if anything was happening, and feared that maybe I had forgotten how to change. Perhaps it had been too long, and I couldn't do it anymore. "With practice and discipline" - I had neither. I had turned my back, like a coward.

A voice in my head screamed, I AM NOT A COWARD!

Suddenly I felt like I was burning up inside, and my entire body was wracked with pain. I fell to my knees, then leaned back and screamed. My scream turned into a howl as I felt my skin stretching and thickening. I could feel my body growing in size - my clothing tightened, cutting off my circulation and choking me at first, then the material tore away from my body. I felt that itchy prickly feeling I got when I went too long without shaving my legs, except this was four times as bad and it was all over. My face narrowed into a snout, my teeth sharpened, and I felt claws poking the palms of my hands as they grew from my fingertips. Finally the terrible sensation stopped and I opened my eyes. I held my hands to my face and beheld a pair of clawed hairy paws. I rose to my feet, looking down upon the guards. They looked at me with jaws agape, until I growled at them. "Are you going to help me with this," I said with a rasp, "or do I have to do it myself?"

"Ahhhh right. Of course, come on Mitch!" The two guards took their places, and I took mine. The large stone was still a struggle, but I put my newfound power behind my arms, and the stone eventually moved aside. With my foot, I pushed Holdston out from under the rock. I let the stone drop and knelt down beside her.

"Come on, please stay with me." I lifted her head, being careful not to cut her with my claws.

"Teraci," she said softly, then her head went limp and she was silent.

"No!" I stumbled back, shouting, "No!" I howled in anger. If I had acted sooner, she might still be alive! If I hadn't been so selfish! I howled again.

The guards seemed unsure what to do. The one called Mitch was reaching for his sword. "You… you animal!"

"Yeah? Would an animal have tried to help her?" I stood up and looked at him.

"You're one of those werewolves. We were told to kill Worgen! Your kind are nothing more than savage killers."

I chuckled, which sounded more like a series of short barks. "Then kill me! If that's what you were told to do, then by all means you shouldn't disobey orders. Go ahead and kill me. I warn you though, I don't think it will be easy." I could feel rage building, and power coursing through me. I could easily take these guys on, but I was not about to attack them. All I needed was for them to believe that I might. I hoped that they wouldn't call my bluff. It wouldn't help me at all if word got around that I was murdering guards. Then again, to most people all Worgen looked alike anyway.

The other guard had already drawn his sword when a voice from behind him shouted. "Stand down!"

They both turned as a Night Elf with a rather menacing looking bow approached. She was flanked by several others, and they all looked like they had had a rather rough day.

"Put your weapons away, men. I will deal with this one myself."

Mitch looked smugly at her, and said, "I don't take orders from you."

"Then consider it a favor. I'm trying to save your lives, gentlemen. Worgen are vicious beasts, as I am sure you know. Do you feel lucky?"

They looked at her, then me, then at each other. "Let it go, Mitch," the other one said. "There's been enough trouble here, without us quarreling with our allies." He looked to the Night Elf. "You want this mongrel? It's all yours." They sheathed their weapons and walked towards the crater.

"Thank you, guards, you made a wise choice." She looked at me. "I am Shandris Feathermoon."

"Teraci Murray. Thanks for saving my hide. So to speak."

"I dare say it shouldn't have needed saving. You could have easily taken on both of them without shedding any fur."

I tried to show a less aggressive posture, if that was even possible. "I'm not going to take on anyone. I've spent a long time avoiding my inner beast."

She smiled and nodded her approval. "Indeed. Good answer." Damn her, she was testing me. "You're not the only one of your kind to turn your back on the gift. However, in the coming battles, we could use people with your talents."

"What talents? I'm no warrior. I don't want to fight. I don't even want to be like this." I held up my hands and sighed.

"True enough, but you are a child of Goldrinn. You can't change that, but you do have a choice. Embrace it or ignore it, but ask yourself: why waste something that can help you, and others?" She turned to leave. "Think it over. Seek out Vassandra Stormclaw if you want to find your true nature." She waved to her companions, and they all headed towards the crater. "I'm going to check on Lady Proudmoore."

"That's Jaina Proudmoore down there?" I knew who she was, but never actually saw her. She spent all her time holed up in that phallic looking tower, or at least she did. I could have sworn someone said she was blonde.

"Yes, and it's a miracle that she survived."

I looked once again at the devastation. Theramore was a wasteland now. Once again, I needed to find a new home. Darnassus was not my first choice, but I had been invited after all. I had to admit that I was intrigued by the idea of being useful for a change. I shrugged and sighed. I was done here. I closed my eyes and concentrated on being human again, and was surprised at how easily I changed back. At least it didn't hurt. Then suddenly I shivered.

Dammit, I was naked again. I would have to find clothes before I went anywhere. I was willing to bet that the sailors wouldn't be as civil if I boarded a ship with my arse sticking out.

A few hours later, a ship arrived to take the Elven troops back to Darnassus. I went with them.

"So, Shandris sent you my way? I wonder why." Vassandra was looking me over. "Perhaps she saw something in you that I do not?"

"She said I could be useful somehow." I related the events leading up to Shandris' arrival in Theramore.

Vassandra nodded, and admitted that they had known of the pending attack, which was why the town was so empty. They had evacuated almost everyone, save for a few key persons. Jaina Proudmoore and her mages insisted on staying behind to try to weaken the power of the bomb. Mistress Holdston insisted on staying as well, determined to make sure that the troops were well armed so they could continue to hold off the Horde forces.

"I see. You still do not wish to accept your gift?"

"I've given that a lot of thought, actually." I sat down on a small bench and looked down. "At first, I was repulsed at the idea of changing into a hairy, slobbering beast. Someone I looked up to died because I hesitated. I was selfish, and only thought about what I wanted. I can never do that again."

Vassandra smiled and nodded. "It's a start." She stood up and placed her hand on my head. "Teraci, I am not going to try to turn you into something you're not. Your life and your path are both your own. I can show you our way, but ultimately it is up to you whether or not to follow it."

"Your way?" She nodded. "Wait, you mean as a druid? Me?" I shook my head. "I don't have that kind of talent. Besides, don't you have to be a Night Elf to be a druid?"

"Not necessarily. Time was, the Kaldorei were the only ones with the ability. Our closeness to the land and our devotion to Elune gave us the unique power to call upon her might when needed, but some time ago we learned that we share that power with the Tauren of Mulgore. No offense, but humans were always too arrogant and warlike to focus their attention on spiritual enlightenment. Orcs were too consumed by bloodlust to think about anything but their next kill, and the trolls followed a more shamanistic lifestyle. But, times have changed. I hear stories of Darkspear Trolls who have chosen the druidic path. Since many of the people of Gilneas already possess the ability to shapeshift, I don't see it as much of a leap to learn druidic forms as well. If you can turn yourself into a wolf, it's probably easy enough to take the form of a bear."

I looked up at her, and muttered, "This is all getting too big for me."

She smiled, and said, "Your world is becoming larger all the time. Time to take another step. Trust me."

And so it began. First, she taught me to fight. Sure, I had enhanced strength and agility when I was in my wolf form, but I needed to learn how to use those talents. The world was not a friendly place, and I had to be able to defend myself not just against the Horde, but against anyone who didn't like my kind. Despite the fact that we were all (supposedly) on the same side, there was still a lot of prejudice in the Alliance. Many of the human population despised the Horde not because they were evil, but because they were different. The Tauren were nothing more than large, hairy, smelly bison. The Orcs were green skinned monsters who started this bloody war in the first place. The trolls, well who knew what they were? And then there are the Gilneans, who are no longer seen as human. It's a difficult concept, be proud of what I am but don't let anyone know. As long as I look and act like a human girl, I'll be just fine. If anyone were to find out about my other side, I would be at best an outcast, or worse killed. I remembered what the guards in Theramore said: they were told to kill Worgen. Technically, I am not a Worgen, but try to convince your average person that there's a difference. To most people, we're beasts that need to be hunted down and slaughtered.

Next, she tried to teach me to meditate, to focus my thoughts. I had to purge my mind of distractions so I could concentrate on balance. If I could find balance, I could find peace, and maybe even find my place in the world. If all I did was think about how I would never fit in, then I would never fit in. Self-fulfilling prophecy, she called it. If I believed I would fail, then I would fail.

I had been having nightmares too. I was running through a town, killing people. They had no chance, really, I was too powerful. Claws tearing into flesh, pulling limbs off, innocent people bleeding to death. I would wake up screaming and sweating, with my sheets shredded. More than once I found myself in the forest, naked and sobbing under a tree. Was I seeing my past or my future? Elyssa said I had been captured by a hunting party during the time I had no control. Is this what I did? Slaughtered people? Or was this what I was going to become?

My lack of sleep made it hard to stay alert and focused, and it did not go unnoticed. Vassandra thought maybe the meditation might help me find the meaning behind the nightmares. The idea was not to suppress them, but to take control of them and then ultimately deal with the root cause. All I could think was that I didn't belong here, but then again, I didn't belong anywhere really.

Today marks the third week of my training. I am supposed to be calling upon the power of Elune, forming it into an attack called Moonfire. Vassandra had shown me many times what should be happening, but all I was doing was giving myself a headache. It was as if I was running head first at a stone wall, over and over, with the hope that maybe this time it wouldn't hurt when I slammed into it. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't grasp the concept of summoning power from a deity I didn't believe in. I knew nothing of their beliefs or their culture. It wasn't enough to just BE a druid, you had to LIVE it. I was ready to give up and tell Vassandra that she was wrong, that I just wasn't cut out for this. Sure, I could change to a wolf at will, but perhaps it was time to accept that was all I could do. There was more to it than that, yet despite my numerous failures, Vassandra still believed that I was capable of great things. I believed that if I didn't get my shit together, Vassandra was going to lose her patience with me and I would be on my own again. Maybe that was the only reason I even agreed to this, was so I had someplace to be.

As with any other day, I knelt on the ground staring at the target dummy trying to strike it with magical power from the heavens. As with any other day, nothing at all was happening. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine myself casting the spell. I thought maybe the problem was that I didn't know how to talk to a goddess. I had never believed in gods or goddesses, and never really learned to pray to anything. So, here I was trying to convince myself that I could talk to Elune, and she would hear me, if she even existed at all. I found my thoughts wandering, trying to visualize what a goddess would even look like. As I daydreamed, I heard a faint humming in my ears, and for a brief moment I thought maybe it was finally the power I was seeking. Then I realized it wasn't coming from inside my head, it was coming from a few feet to my right. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see a small child staring at me. He was laughing.

"What's so funny?" I snorted.

"You people are nothing but dogs."

I punched the ground. "Dog, eh?"

He nodded his head. "You're only fooling yourself if you really think you will be able to do half the things Vassandra can. She's playing you, and we're all laughing."

My hands formed fists, and I closed my eyes tight. I tried to stay calm. He was trying to get a rise out of me, and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. I hoped if I stayed quiet that he would get bored and go away, but he didn't.

He laughed again. "You look funny, kneeling there with your eyes closed. You need to relax, or you're going to shit yourself." I glared at him, as he pointed towards the trees on the other side of a fence, and said, "Dogs should shit in the forest."

Damn him. As hard as I tried to keep it in, my frustration was starting to bubble over. I looked him square in the eye and shouted, "I'll rip off your head and shit down your neck!" I felt myself losing control, but right now I didn't care. I felt power within me, in my hands, and it felt like I was drawing it from the air around me. Yes, this was what Vassandra was trying to teach me, and it felt good. Power! In my mind, I could see the power surrounding me, and I could visualize the Moonfire pulsing down from the sky, striking the boy down. At the last second, I managed to regain my senses and I realized what I was doing was wrong. This was just an innocent boy, maybe 3 or 4 years younger than I. I couldn't just attack him out of anger.

No, not anger. Rage. Dammit.

My eyes snapped open right as a white-hot blast of energy shot downwards from the sky, striking the ground next to the boy. He jumped away, looked at me with amazement, then ran off. "Now who's shitting themselves?" I chuckled. I stood, suddenly realizing that it was a long way up. I had changed to wolf form without trying to. I was about to change myself back when I heard a gasp. I turned to see Vassandra looking at me.

"What in the name of -"

"Sorry about that," I began, but she cut me off.

"You did it!"

"Did what? I almost toasted a small child!" The seriousness of the situation suddenly hit me. I let anger rule my actions, and I almost killed someone. I braced myself for the attack I was sure was coming. Vassandra would strike me down before I could flinch, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. And really, did I even have the right to defend myself? I deserved whatever she threw at me.

Instead, she said, "But you didn't. You may have lost yourself for a moment, but you managed to control it."

"What if I hadn't regained control? I could have killed him!" Whatever rage had built up in me was now gone, and was being replaced by panic. I felt myself changing back to a human. At this point, I didn't even care that I was nude. I felt cold, but I probably would have even if I was fully dressed. I was shaking and my legs felt weak. "What if I had hit him?"

Vassandra smiled, but my concern wasn't lost on her. "I doubt your first attempt would have caused him much harm. We'll need to work on your aim, but this shows us something - your rage gave you power. Now you just need to learn how to tap into that power without losing control."

I looked down at my hands. I had done it, but it scared me. During the Worgen attack on Gilneas, I had thought it might be cool to shoot fire from my hands. Now that I had actually cast a real spell, the idea terrified me. I thought I wanted this. I really thought I wanted this power, but now that I had tasted it, I realized I wasn't ready for it. All of a sudden I felt sick, and I was on my knees retching up my breakfast. My chest burned, my ears were ringing, and tears were pouring out of my eyes. I was clutching the grass, pulling up dirt clods as I heaved again.

Vassandra backed away, saying, "We'll pick this up again later."

It took 5 hours of sleep before I felt like stumbling outside again. The sun had dipped behind the tall trees that surrounded the island, and it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the low lighting. The twinkling lanterns along the paths looked pretty at night, but it was a pain in the arse if you had to actually find anything. Night Elves lived long lives, which I guess was necessary to learn their way around Darnassus in the dark. I managed to make my way to Vassandra's hut, but upon arriving found it empty. Maybe she'd gone off to dinner; the thought made me realize I was starving. What little I had eaten today was lying in the grass on the other side of the city. I looked around, thinking if I could find my way to the food vendors maybe I would bump into Vassandra. I spotted a light through the trees, and figured it was a good a place as any to look.

Something doesn't feel right. I was halfway to the bright light, but something felt off. I had the feeling that I was being watched, but I couldn't see through the trees. I cursed myself for not grabbing a torch or something before wandering off into the dark.

"Oh, screw this," I mumbled. With a shriek, I changed into my wolf form (I hated calling it my Worgen form) and looked around. During my training, I had discovered that I could see much better in the dark as a wolf. I was still learning what I could do in this form; I knew I was stronger, faster, and had better senses, although having a heightened sense of smell is not always a blessing. But for all the benefits this form offered, it also made me prone to fits of rage, which at times were uncontrollable. The rage did come gradually, and I had a warning that it was coming, plenty of warning that I could easily turn away from it. The problem was that it was so enticing!

Imagine if you will, a task set before you that you truly believe you can do, but the more you attempt it the more you realize that you're just not up for it. This can be any task, although my example is more closely related to a fight against someone. You struggle and refuse to give up, knowing that you're a second away from failure. You're being beaten, but you just cannot give up, because in many cases giving up means death. Then suddenly you see the answer - before you stands the solution, the path to victory, but nothing is ever free. As with most things in life, there is a price. Yes, you'll win, and you'll live to fight another day, but the cost is your soul. You've handed yourself over to dependency - just a little at first, but each time there's more and more of yourself lost in payment of the debt. You know that eventually it will completely claim you, and once you cross that line there's no turning back. Would you follow the path, knowing that there were consequences? You may tell yourself that it's just this one time. And then there is the next time, and you tell yourself that it's just one more time. You convince yourself that you've been in control the whole time, that dipping your toe in that pool is perfectly safe because you can always pull it right back out again. You're so sure that you will come out unscathed and unchanged, the same person who borrowed power and then freely gave it back. Until that day when you're not just dunking a toe, or a foot, or sitting on the edge with your feet in it. You're diving in head first, and you're enjoying it. You LOVE the power, you LIVE for it, and you don't want to get back out of the water because it's the new normal. Being outside the pool is weakness, and you cannot accept being weak, because weakness is failure. This is the justification, and thus the downfall.

The path to power in my case was rage. Pure, uncontrollable rage. Many people equate anger with rage, but they are not the same thing at all. Everyone gets angry, and everyone deals with anger differently. Some explode, lashing out at everyone around them, and then it passes. Others stay angry for hours, or even days, but they too eventually move on. Still others hold it in, hiding it from others while they suffer alone and in silence. Anger is something you feel. Rage, however, is something you are. You do not simply deal with rage; rage deals with you. It engulfs you and takes over, and before long it rules your life. Everything you do is because of rage, until it finally consumes you, but it is still not sated. Rage is a beast that cannot be sated. It is forever hungry, happy to feed off your actions, but it always wants more. Rage is never content with what it has. Soon you live for the rage, always feeding it, always giving to it, until you find yourself looking forward to it. You forsake all else in the name of rage, and at that point, rage is all you have. Rage is all you are, and all you are is rage.

It never starts out that way. No, it starts as a light rain, cool and refreshing. It is inviting. Soon it becomes a pure spring, calming, soothing, and it feels so right. It's always exactly what you need right at that moment. For now, I still have a voice strong enough to tell me to stay out of that water because I know eventually I will drown in it. Yet there were times when I ignored that voice and dove in anyway, not just wading in it but drinking from it, and it gave me the power I needed. Deep down inside, I knew there was a difference between need and want, and the line between them was starting to blur. I couldn't let myself fall into that trap, but when I looked back I couldn't help but see that I was setting myself up to be trapped. I was happily, willingly jumping into that water, knowing that some day I would not be able to swim back out of it.

As many times as I told myself that I was still in control and not hurting anyone, the damage was already being done. During one of my training sessions, Vassandra was forced to cast a spell that put me to sleep because I lost control of my rage. All I wanted was to win the fight, and prove my worth, but I let it get away from me. I injured my sparring partner so badly that he was laid up for a week while his arm healed. I tried several times to apologize, but he wants nothing to do with me. He is scared that he will become like me because I bit him. That was not a victory. Victory is winning with honor. There was no honor in what I did to him.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught something moving. I sprinted in that direction, jumping suddenly to hopefully take whatever it was by surprise. It jumped away, but I was able to follow it. Call it instinct I guess. I had been told that if I let it, the wolf instinct will kick in when I need it. I'd been avoiding this side of myself, but now it was time to let it out. I jumped after the form, trying to grab onto it, but I missed by inches. It bounced off a branch and shot underneath me. I followed, grabbing again, barely grazing its back. It snarled, then… snickered? Was it laughing at me? I'll show you funny. With a howl I lunged at it, and managed to hang on this time. I pulled it back towards me, swinging it around my body and tossing it towards the ground. It bounced once, then rolled into an area light enough for me to see it.

The panther jumped to its feet, shook its head, then looked up at me. I landed in front of it and squared off. No backing down now, I am in it to win it. Up to this point I had only fought Night Elves, but this was a wild animal. It was feral and unpredictable. All my training to this point was worth precisely zero. I had to adapt and fight on the panther's level, and that meant letting my instincts take over. Sadly, they didn't - while I was standing there telling myself what I had to do, the panther leapt at me with claws and teeth bared. Before I could react it slammed into my chest, knocking the wind out of me. Finally the fighting instincts woke up, and I was picking myself up and spinning around in a coordinated motion. I reached out and swiped at the panther with my claws. I didn't hit it hard, but I got my point across. It yelped in pain and ran up one of the nearby trees. I jumped up after it, grabbed hold of a branch and used it to propel myself upwards. The panther jumped away; I tried to follow it, then slammed head first into the branch it had been sitting on. I fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. The panther landed hard on my chest and roared at me. Then it laughed. It started as a purr, then worked its way to a cackle as the panther morphed into a slender, green-haired woman.

"Not bad, Teraci, not bad at all." Vassandra jumped off my chest, flipping once before landing lightly on her feet.

"Why am I not surprised?" I growled. "You were testing me again!"

"Always, child. You handled yourself well. With some more training, you could be quite a formidable opponent."

"Wolves fight for survival. I just haven't mastered that part of it yet." I sat up with a grunt.

"Cats are at home in the trees, wolves are not. In time you will learn to follow your instincts more closely. I knew it wouldn't be a fair fight, so I held back. What I was most interested in seeing was that which I did not see. You did not let rage dictate your actions."

"Last time I let rage control me, a young boy almost got hurt."

"That boy was never in any danger. He easily could have dodged your attack if you were even close to hitting him."

"You planted him there. He was part of another damn test."

"He volunteered. His agility is unmatched among children his age, so I was never worried that you would actually harm him. Consider it a test for both of you."

"Okay, his test was dodging weak, untrained magic. What was mine?"

"I wanted to see what would happen if you got angry enough."

"Why is it so important to piss me off? You know what will happen!"

I couldn't see her face that well, but I think she was smiling. "There is power in rage. Our strongest, bravest warriors tap into their rage and use it against their enemies. Your gift has the potential to offer you great power, all you have to do is learn to use it."

I sighed and looked down. "My rage scares me. It's not a side of me that I've been eager to explore. I feel like one of these days I won't find my way back."

"Teraci, you've been holding back. I understand why. You can be so much more, but you have to trust me. More importantly, you have to trust yourself. You can't place your trust in others if you can't even trust yourself."

"I used to think I was invincible. I used to think I had it all figured out, but now I feel like something is missing. I wanted out of my little walled city. Now that I am outside, all I want is back in."

"You miss the safety and security," Vassandra challenged.

"I miss being in control. I miss knowing what is going on around me."

"Ah, and there it is. The self-assured teenager suddenly loses everything, including her confidence. You wanted more, well now it's right in front of you. You're too afraid to reach out for it, because you're not in charge of your world anymore. You're nothing but a coward."

"You're trying to make me mad again. I'm not falling for it."

"No, I am trying to get you to see reality. I went easy on you because you had been through a traumatic experience. You lost your home, your family, and your humanity. You lost your innocence. All within the span of one day. That's a lot for anyone to take, so I thought I would start small. I would help you find yourself, and perhaps even teach you a few things along the way. You question whether or not you belong here, and you question whether or not you're ever going to be a druid. Well, guess what? I don't care. I don't care if you ever learn magic, and I admit I was shocked that you managed it this afternoon. You can't follow my path simply because you believe that you should. You have to live it."

I looked up, trying not to bare my teeth at her. "You think I don't know that? You really think I just woke up one morning and said, 'today I will become a druid' and poof, by nightfall I would be flying over Feralas crapping on the Horde camps? It takes life long commitment!"

"Something I expect means nothing to you. You've never committed to anything in your relatively short life. That's not entirely your fault; human children are sheltered as long as possible by their parents, so I don't expect that anyone ever asked you to do anything more than wash your hands before meals. I, on the other hand, chose to devote my life to the service of the Cenarion Circle, not because it was expected of me, not because I was told to, but because I felt it was my life's calling. I discovered at a young age that I had magical abilities. Yes, it scared me at first, but I realized that it wasn't going to just go away by ignoring it. Instead, I sought out Elune's counsel. Through her priestesses, I found my way. Through the guidance of our spiritual guardians, I learned how to change my form. Through reflection and discipline, I learned how to harness the untapped power within me. Of course, I did not do it all on my own. I had trainers, just as you now do, but the difference is that I respected them. I listened, and I followed their teachings. I have spent the last 300 years dedicated to those teachings. And now, here I am, teaching you. Or trying to, anyway."

She turned away and waved her hand at me dismissively. "Hmph. Why am I wasting my breath? You don't care. You expect everyone to pity you because you had a hard life. No one should ever have to go through what you did, and I truly do feel sorry for you, but I do not feel pity. You're not helpless. You have been given a second chance - a fighting chance! That Worgen could have mauled you beyond recognition and left you to die, just like most of the people you left behind in Gilneas, but it didn't. I'm not going to stand here and tell you that it was the will of the gods. That's up to you to decide. Regardless of how or why it happened, you were given the opportunity to live on. That is a gift many of your people did not receive, and a gift you should be respecting. What are you doing with that gift? Squandering it! Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself because you have more hair on your legs than most women."

She swooped in front of my face so quickly that I jumped back to avoid a headbutt. She whispered low and slow. "Get over yourself." She stood up and turned her back to me.

"What is it you want from me?" I mumbled.

"Have you not been listening? Live your life! Your path is your own. Remember I said that when we started all this? I can't tell you how to live your life, nor would I. You have to choose your own way. I will help you along whatever path you choose, but first you have to choose a path. You're not a helpless waif who needs her parents to protect her anymore. You have the ability to take care of yourself, and maybe even others. That's your choice, not mine."

I huddled into a ball. I had changed back to a human, and just now realized that I was freezing. "Are you abandoning me?"

"Only if you abandon yourself. I can't help you if you're not willing to help me. I cannot force you to learn. It's up to you. We can move on, together, and work through this, or we can forget we had this conversation and you can move on with your life on your own. Honestly, I don't think you'll last a week out there. Not the way you are now."

I held my tongue as long as I could. "There's something you're not telling me."

She sighed, then looked at me. "Yes, there is." She sat down next to me, and covered me with her cloak. "Remember the Welcoming, when you were told that some of your people didn't survive the transformation? What we didn't tell you is that many of the ones that did survive fell into madness anyway. It didn't completely work out for them - at first, they appeared to have regained their humanity, but they eventually succumbed to a darker force. Some wanted revenge against the Worgen, but their wolf form alone did not make them fighters. Some celebrated their newfound ability and used it to take advantage of others. The beast gave them power, and they abused it. They are nothing more than animals now. Intelligent, calculating, ferocious, but animals nonetheless. They are no different from Worgen now, and are hunted just the same."

"So you're worried that the rage will change me into a monster."

"I fear the rage inside you. Many of us do. You've been so self-absorbed that you haven't noticed that you are watched all the time. There is always a town guard close by. I've asked them to keep their distance so as not to spook you, but they are there. Tyrande herself has asked that I keep a close watch over you. She too sees something in you, even if you do not.

"There are Gilneans living here in Darnassus, and they are mostly self-governing. We know we don't have to worry about them, because they have been able to control themselves. They don't interact with us much, perhaps because they are still trying to find their place, just as you are. Perhaps it was a mistake to keep you from your own people; time will judge my actions. But they are aware of you, and they watch over you."

"I didn't want to be with my own people. I thought if I distanced myself, I wouldn't have to…"

"You thought yourself above them. If you didn't associate with them, you wouldn't have to admit that you are like them."

"Yeah, I guess so. What makes me so different from the others?" I asked. "Why am I having so much trouble controlling it?"

"You are young and undisciplined. To my knowledge, you're the youngest to have been turned. The other children were either spared or slaughtered."

I gasped. "It's my fault. This is my fault! I left the city, trying to save my own skin, and this is my punishment."

"You can't know that for certain. Had you stayed inside the city proper, you could have been killed. There's no way to know that you wouldn't have been bitten anyway, and we would still be sitting here, now, wondering what if."

"So now what?"

"If I am to teach you anything at all, I need to know that you're not going to use it as an extension of your rage. I've seen what your people are capable of when they lose control. I see the beginnings of it in you, but I know that you're different. Maybe you don't see it because you have been so isolated from your people, but you are not the same. You don't possess the same obsession with violence."

"I haven't killed you yet."

"Nor will you. Not because you can't - given enough fuel, it's possible that you could beat me. I believe you won't. You want to be something better. You avoided your gift, hid from it, but it was always there, always stalking you. Now that you've given into it, I need to make sure you're not going to let it beat you."

"I'm tougher than I look," I said, trying to manage a smile amid my chattering teeth. I pulled the cloak tighter around me.

"Let's go get you some hot food," Vassandra said, getting to her feet. She helped me up. "And then, we need to get you some magic armor so you stop destroying your clothing. Here in Darnassus, no one is bothered by it, but I doubt the people in Stormwind would appreciate a naked woman running around."

"300 years, eh?" I said with a smirk.

"About that, yes. We are no longer immortal, but we still live long lives."

"You don't look it."

"Why, thank you." I couldn't tell, but I think she was blushing.