It was a cool evening in the desert-land of Uldum. A group of travelers relaxed around a brightly glowing fire; most were laughing and polishing off small racks of boar roast. Only one was apart from the merriment. Her eyes were glued to the red-orange flickers of flame as if under a spell. She sighed, letting her mind go as she ignored her companions' merriment.

Months earlier ...

"Jass! Come on, Jass, wait! My feet don't move that fast," the young blood elf cried out, tossing her charcoal-grey hair out of her eyes. "What's the hurry?"

A deep, hearty chuckle wafted back toward her as the flame-haired man in front of her vanished from sight. The young woman stopped suddenly, turning on her heel to look around. The forest around her was far from silent; it was distracting. Her face was flushed with heat from running. Her lips pursed in frustration.

"Jayasara! I know you're still here! Come on, please? I'm not well enough to play along with your tricks yet."

She felt a tug behind her ear; her hair moved as if someone was brushing it aside. Another quick tug, this time pulling the woven headband from atop her head. She gasped and whirled around in time to see a slender hand clasping the indigo cloth. Her brow furrowed.

"What better way to recover from those injuries than chasing me around Hyjal? Besides, I wouldn't have run much longer, Rin. You know that."

"I fell halfway down a mountain ..."Rin started.

Jayasara shook his head, the motion carrying like a wave down his high-bound ponytail. "And yet here you are, Rinelen. Mostly whole, very much alive. I'd say that's a point on the positive. Now, why don't you come get your headband back?"

She took a step forward. "No tricks?"

"None. You have my word as a rogue and an elf," he grinned.

"Oh ... fine ..." Slowly she walked toward his hand. She sighed, shaking her head.

A devious smirk flickered across his face, but just before he could vanish again, Rinelen collapsed as she grabbed his outstretched arm. Jayasara knelt quickly and caught her before she hit the ground. Slowly, he turned her and pulled her close to his chest, rocking backwards until he was sitting and she was stretched across his lap. The redness in her cheeks had faded, only to be replaced with a chilled pallor. She shivered in his arms.

"Jass ..." she whispered, blinking as she looked up. "Did I get it? Can we stop running now?"

"Aye, Rin, you did. Beat me at my own game like a mangy dog. Let's go back to the Shrine so you can get some rest."

She nodded, and drifted to sleep in his arms as he carried her back to Aviana's Shrine. Thankfully, their work for the druids there had earned them hospice so long as they needed it.

"Rin... " She heard his voice calling, but it was masked by another.

"Rin!" Not Jayasara. No, it was too feminine... where did he...

"Hey, Rinelen! Wake up, little one!"

Her bright green eyes flickered open; she rose her head. The fire was still bright and flickering a few feet from her. Confused, she looked around. Standing beside her, holding an uneven-curved bowl, stood a tall, pale woman. Her face broke into a smile once she realized Rinelen was looking up.

"There ya go; though'cha weren't gonna sleep sittin' up nex to da fire anymore, Rin. Had us worried, girl. Now, eat sometin before ta cows over dere eat it all for ya."

Rinelen forced a faint smile and reached up for the bowl. "Thanks, Whim. I ... I guess I wasn't paying attention." She looked into the bowl; they'd already pulled the meat off the bones for her. "Thank you for cooking ... I should have-"

Whimsical waved her hand in dismissal and sat down beside the blood elf. "It's no botha, Rin. You know cookin' is de only ting keepin' me from worryin' about dose stupid males of ours. Why dey tought to leave for da Highland without us is enough to make me regret not marryin' Bels before he left."

"Do you think they're alright? Jass and Bels, I mean."

"Dey be strong fighters. Don' worry. We'll be catchin' up soon. Just have to help out a little longer here in dis desert. Eat up and sleep peaceful. We be needin' a healthy mage for da mornin' trip."