The druid's feral paws seemed to barely touch the ground as she padded towards the empty ruins before her in the heart of Suramar. These wilds here were odd, foreign; something she'd never experienced before. And yet, with every moment she stayed in this strange terrain Fenra felt more and more at home. Grass and rocks were just that, and Suramar was full of them. The surging energy underneath her paws seemed to tingle against the pads of her foot as she turned a course for the Nightfallen known as 'Oculeth.' An asset to the Nightfallen cause, Oculeth was warned to be a bit more.. eccentric than Thalyssra. After dealing with the other druids, as well as the other calamities that had befallen Azeroth over the years, Archdruid Fenra chuckled to herself as she approached. If she could handle that, -surely- she could handle yet another Nightborn.
She skidded to a halt suddenly, keen nose raised to the sky. Her mouth opened slightly, drinking in the unfamiliar scents of the Suramar wilds. A displeasurable scent made her contort her face, tongue sticking out momentarily before shaking her head. Withered. While they still smelled like Thalyssra, there was a taint that clung to them. They were not like Thalyssra anymore. Mindless, starved beasts more like it. The product of the cruel law of Suramar: Ancient Mana kept you alive. Fenra didn't understand the severity of it until she saw the Suramar City Nightborn patrolling the outer rim of the protected city. Comparing their physiques to Thalyssra it became unfortunately clear. If the tattoo-esque marks on the bodies of the Nightfallen weren't the biggest difference, the fuller physiques and healthier bodies were. The Nightborne were normal. The fallen were not.
Cursing herself for allowing herself to get distracted, Fenra slunk into the shadows to disappear amongst the grasses. The Withered were drawing closer, no doubt looking for any other living creatures in their midst. Cloaked in invisibility Fenra would be safe, but the threat still remained. She risked leading these creatures to Oculeth, who was preferably returned alive, unlike the other charge she had been sent out to find. Withered would only cause more trouble. As the two creatures shambled over the hill and into sight, the feral druid flexed her claws. They would have to be dealt with in the easiest way the combat druid knew how.
Springing upon them like an unwelcome storm, Fenra burst from hiding to immediately rake her claws down the side of the first withered she reached. The creature seemed stunned, taking a few seconds to catch itself and process what happened. It's companion began to pummel Fenra, but she was already creating the gaping wounds needed to bleed the first withered. Now both were turning on her, but Fenra only needed to worry about the second one. The feline raked her claws down the unlucky creature, ripping and biting wherever she could. Her first victim was fading fast, it's punches growing weaker and weaker as time pressed on. The first withered wasn't dropping as quickly as Fenra would've liked, so a swift bite dispatched the creature once and for all.
It wasn't safe to linger while the bodies bled out. Did Withered feed on the flesh of anything, or did they try to suck out the remaining mana? Did creatures have mana? She vaguely remembered a druid questioning this when she was a cub, er, younger, but the studies were hundreds of years ago and a bit too far to pull unless she meditated on the matter. Instead, Oculeth was next. Haste was important, if this fight brought more withered, she wasn't sure what state she'd be able to bring Oculeth in to Thalyssra. Without stopping to clean her paws and mouth from the withered blood, Fenra pressed on, honing in on Oculeth's presumed location.
Another ruin... Fenra mused as she ran, impeccable physical condition keeping her from being winded quite yet. The workshop was just around this bridge, but she'd have to dip into the city for a moment to cross it. After claking herself, it was a quick bounce without getting caught. Now, about that workshop... Feline paws got her there quickly, and her nose helped her discern which room to peek into first. A smell, much like Thalyssra, but mixed with the smell of magic, soot, and...
"That is far enough."
A voice, more guarded than surprised, had surprised the druid enough to spring the trap under her paws. Before she could react she was rising into the air with magic circling around her, preventing her movement. "Let me down! I have this from T-" Fenra tried to speak, but a throaty yowl escaped her maw. She was still transformed! Oculeth took note of her bloody paws and mouth before placing a wiry hand on his chin.
"Well, you are not from the palace... obviously... They're always concerned with the latest fashions, such as... -who- you're wearing? I'd rather not be next, if you don't mind." He raised an eyebrow, curious if the wit was lost on Fenra or not. Juding by the intensity of her eye roll, it was received relatively well. "Identify yourself, if you're able, before I teleport you to the depths of the Great Sea!" Judging by the bursts of magic this Nightfallen seemed to be capable of, Fenra didn't want to call him on his bluff. Struggling against the magical bonds, she managed to transform into her actual elven form. If the Nightfallen was surprised at the transformation he didn't show it. What did surprise him was the coin Fenra managed to flash against the circular trap that continued to slowly lift.
Something flashed across his face. "What's that? A coin?" He stepped back thoughtfully, as if the gears in his head were turning as he tried to remember where he'd seen it. "The dusk lily! This is the First Arcanist's seal! Is she alive?" Some of the magic within the barrier lifted, and it wasn't so difficult to move or talk inside.
"Yes! She sent me, against my better judgement, to come find you. Now let me down so I ca-"
"Then there is still a chance!" Oculeth's eyes brightened, completely oblivious to Fenra's irritation. "Yes! Come quickly, I need your help." The Nightborn disappeared out of Fenra's sight to his right. It took a second or two for Fenra to realize he'd forgotten she was in the trap.
Mustering up the nicest voice she could despite the buffoon in front of her, Fenra cleared her throat and spoke. "Excuse me, you wouldn't mind letting me down, yes?" She could hear his feet skid momentarily before turning around.
"Ah yes, the trap. My apologies." With a quick Nightborn word, the trap was released and Fenra fell towards the ground. Landing in her feral feline form, she padded along behind Oculeth, somehow more confused than she'd arrived.