We were different once.

This is the story of two very different people, one of them was very much unlike the rest of her kind, at least at first. The other found herself quite the same among her people, that's what she thought at least. However, before we begin with the later person's life, we must first explain the former's.

"Whoa, done already? Heh, you sure are a fast one, I bet those Zhevras didn't even know what hit them." The female orc laughed as the much taller Tauren women placed some hooves of the aforementioned Zhevras in front of her. The Tauren smirked, "They may be fast, but I'm faster." Upon finishing this statement the Tauren women transformed into a cheetah.

"Well, don't get so full of yourself yet druid. For now it is time to fight something that can actually protect itself."

The druid frowned after returning to her normal form, "I'm not sure this whole hunting thing is for me."

This caused the orc to sigh, "You druids are all the same, these beasts would kill you if they had the chance you know! It's you or them."

"It's not so much the killing that bothers me," The druid began, "it's just that, there are lots of druids protecting these lands, I want to go elsewhere, lend my aid to someone else."

"Roshen, the hunt is a very important part for a young tauren like yourself. You shouldn't just blow this off. What would the Earthmother say?"

Roshen smiled, "She would tell me to take my own path in the world. So long as I am lending aid to others, it does not matter which direction I take to do it."

The orc shrugged her shoulders, "Where did you plan to go?"

"I have heard stories of the plague that taints the lands of Lordaeron and wish to see them myself. Perhaps there is something I can do."

All this did was cause the orc to shake her head, "Stay away from those accursed lands young one. There is nothing you can do to help. If you go, you're only risking becoming like them."

The druid's mind was unchanged, "If that's what it takes then so be it! I will help them Sergra, mark my words!" With that the druid was off.

***

The trip aboard the goblin zeppelin was nerve-racking at best. Hearing the captain mispronounce the name of his first mate was bad enough, but after hearing him mumble something about his hopes to make it without blowing up was too much. It took all of her courage and some prayer to the Earthmother to remain rooted to the spot and not jump overboard in pure insanity. At the sighting of land however, her spirits rose. They had made it, the first mate had assured her that crashes were quite rare now a days, down to a mere thirty-one percent in fact! Despite how the sight of land eased Roshen's heart, what she saw upon the land caused her far more distress then a crash ever could have.

It was dark, the grass was dead, as were the trees. Her very soul ached at the shear horrors the lands reveled. She wanted to have the captain turn back immediately, willing to pay for the discomfort it caused the other passengers. "No!" She thought to herself, "I must be strong. This land needs my help, I cannot abandon it!"

***

Among all the people that entered and exited her throne room daily, the sight of anyone from the lands of Kalimdor was rare indeed, even rarer still was the presence of a tauren. As if things could not get even more bizarre, this particular tauren kneeling in front of the queen of the Forsaken was a druid!

"What brings you to our land druid?" The dark lady asked coldly.

Standing near her, the feared dreadlord Varimathras kept watch, "My queen." He started, "Surly there are more important matters then why a druid comes-"

"Hold your tongue!" Sylvanas ordered, "It is precisely because she is a druid that I am concerned. These lands are dead, what reason could you passably have to come here?"

Roshen swallowed, it had been hard enough getting down here, but now she was about to pledge herself to aid the Forsaken.

The momentary silence angered the queen, her body guard had been right, there were more important matters to attend to. "Speak!" She bellowed, "My time is very precious and I do not want it wasted!"

"Apologies, my lady." Roshen spoke up finally, "I am a druid of the Cenarion Circle, my name is Roshen and-and I hereby pledge myself to aid the Forsaken in finding a cure to this taint."

Sylvanas smiled, "A noble cause indeed, but I fear there is nothing that can free us from our torment."

"Please!" Roshen cried, forgetting her formalities, "I'll do whatever it takes, I'll work as long as I can. As long as my heart continues beat I will work towards your freedom!"

"With the taint that surrounds this land, that will not be for long." Varimathras informed her.

Roshen shook her head, "By the Earthmother, I will live as long as my powers will allow, and should this taint overtake me, then I am yours in death as well."

"Very well." Sylvanas decided, "Seek out Master Apothecary Faranell, he will inform you on what discoveries we have made and where your druidic powers might aid us."

The young druid bowed again, "Thank you my queen." She then took off on the start of what would soon become her life's work.

***

During the months she spent among the Forsaken, Varimathras' warning proved true, and much of Roshen's fur had been burned away, replaced by ugly black and green scars. The scent of undeath became a permanent asset of the tauren. Though, despite how much the plague had wracked her body, Roshen's will remained strong and her heart would not give in to death. She and the rest of the apothecary society was still no closer to a cure, but she would never give up.

It is a shame though that the lich king Arthas had taken up residence in Acherus over the Light's Hope Chapel in the eastern plaguelands. Ever on the lookout for new heroes to corrupt, he took note of the plague ridden druid known as Roshen. How perfect would it be to take from the land not only a hero of light, but a druid of the earth? The order was given and the ghouls where dispatched. It would only be a matter of time now.

***

It was just her luck to be out here in the area known as the western plaguelands. Faranell had been overjoyed to have a druid amongst his staff, and even more thrilled when he learned she was an herbalist.

She was here to collect two rare herbs that grew surprisingly close to the apothecary: Plaguebloom and a flower called "Arthas' Tears"

As she spotted her first set of tears, she also noted the local spider population and it's very close proximity. This flower would not be obtained easily. As she readied her spells and stave, she did not notice the fast approaching ghouls. Charging to use a starfire spell, she was attacked from behind and several sets of arms wrapped around her. She struggled briefly before darkness overtook her.

Roshen wasn't fully aware of the events that took place after she regained consciousness. In fact, she had been fairly cretin her death and rebirth into undeath was a horrible dream. That was until of course he called to her. "Come my newest death knight. Come forth and gaze upon the lands of the Scarlet Enclave. They oppose us, and you will be my servant of retribution upon them!"

She was finally becoming aware of her surroundings, though things were still unclear. All that mattered to her now was the will of Arthas. With her rune blade clutched tightly in her hand, she made her way to the corrupted scourge griffons that would take her to the lands below. She had become aware of something, she was no longer Roshen…instead she had been given a newer more appropriate name: Schwarzwald!

A/N: This is my RP story for my Druid and Death Knight characters [while they are separate characters in terms of game play, I feel they are the same in story, as you can see.] I don't know if Varimathras is in character or not, same for Sylvanas [though I hope she is close] also, in the next chapter I will focus on the "latter" character. Finally, in later chapters [perhaps even the next one] it will get more explicit sexually.