It was a boring day for Vol'jin. Yet another day of wandering around Echo Isles, listening to petty problems. He didn't particularly care if Swiftclaw had escaped the penning area for the third time that week. Who did they think he was? He was their Chieftain, not their personal problem-solver. Vol'jin sighed, as he made his way back to his hut, where he held counsel, and communed with Thrall. It was a bright day, and the heat was getting to everyone. "Thrall needs to do something about dis heat, else we'll all melt away" The guards did their best to hide their sniggering. They failed. "Leave me be. I wish to talk with da spirits." Vol'jin sat in his chair, and began to clear his mind. Maybe the Loa would grant him some clarity today, and provide a glimpse of an apocalyptic future, a glimpse of some misfortune that he would have to prevent. Anything to get him away from the penning area.
He closed his eyes, and focussed on the feel of the wooden floor, and of the chair beneath him. His breathing became deeper, and he knelt to the floor. After some time, his mind began to clear, and soft voices began to whisper to him, so softly he couldn't understand them. He was used to this, however. It usually took some time before they became loud enough to understand. It was peaceful, meditating like this. Vol'jin relaxed himself completely, allowing the voices to draw him deeper into his meditation.
"CHIEFTAIN!" Vol'jin's eyes darted open and he sighed. If Swiftclaw had escaped again…
"Chieftain! We are being attacked! Shall we execute the beast?" Vol'jin thought for a moment. This was certainly more exciting than the exploits of the raptors. And it would be interesting to see which foul creature had found its way into the Isles. "Is it an attack? Are da Alliance here, at our gates?" The troll that had come barging in shook his head. "Nah, Chieftain. Just one beast. There might be more coming though." Making up his mind, Vol'jin stood, and prepared himself to look imposing and intimidating. "Bring da beast in." Vol'jin puffed himself up, and took hold of his ceremonial warspear. If this truly was an attack, he wanted to be ready.
It took some time, and a lot of commotion outside, before the doorway was darkened by a presence. Taking a deep breath, Vol'jin turned around to face the beast. Or, rather, the feline. The beast was a giant cat, a cat who was stood, almost patiently, between two of his guards. It had deep blue fur, and eyes that seemed to almost glow. Something about the eyes drew Vol'jin closer to the beast. "Be careful, mon. It might attack at any moment!" Vol'jin shook his head and knelt to look the cat in its eyes. There was an intelligence there that Vol'jin rarely saw in any of his tribe, let alone a creature. And the eyes belied something else too; this cat was terrified.
"This is not an ordinary beast. This be a druid." He smiled slightly at the look of shock that passed through those eyes. Dark fur bristled slightly, not as a warning, but in defence. It began to look around the room, studying the occupants. "It's not one of ours, mon. Should we kill it?" The eagerness to kill in the green eyes of his men did nothing to convince Vol'jin to kill the druid. Instead, he sat in front of it, eye to eye. "Let us have a look at ya, widout ya form. We won't kill ya, if ya can explain whatcha doin' on our land. Ya ain't troll, and ya ain't tauren. Which makes ya Alliance. Ya have my word – we won't kill ya. Yet." Stepping back, Vol'jin moved back to his chair, and sat down, as the creature transformed itself. Back straightening, limbs growing smaller. It looked painful, but Vol'jin had seen many of his tribe undergo the same. In a matter of seconds, the 'beast' had changed into… a girl. Or, rather, a young woman. A Night Elf. She remained seated, both knees together, and her head bent. The same midnight blue of the fur cascaded around her shoulders to the floor.
"An elf. Whatcha doin' on troll land? Ya have no business here! Is da Alliance plannin' an attack?" The elf shook her head, hair dancing across the floor. "Have ya no voice, elf? Speak! What's ya name?" The elf finally looked up, and those eyes drew him in, even from across the room. "My name is Cenahria. Yes, I am an elf, but I have been exiled by my people. I am an elf in looks alone." Now that took Vol'jin by surprise. The elves seldom exiled anyone. This, Cenahria, must have done something terrible. "That does not explain whatcha doin' on our island. How did you come to be here?" Cenahria bowed her head again, in what looked to be shame. "I shamed my people. I desired knowledge, Chieftain. Knowledge they could not give me. And when I asked, they exiled me, and called me traitor. I come to your lands seeking to learn. I only wish to learn all that I can. Not to hurt anyone, but for the joy!" Her eyes lit up at the thought of it, but only briefly. "I am sorry to trespass. I understand if I must be killed. I fear no-one will take me in, not now."
Vol'jin stood, and bent to the floor, in what he hoped was a non-threatening pose. Anything to stop her shaking. "Can we kill it now, Chieftain? It said we could!" Vol'jin looked at his guards sharply, and shook his head. "Ya look tired, elf." She looked up at him, and cocked her head. She gazed at him for a moment, and gently nodded her head. "My guards will take ya to one of our huts. Ya can rest there, and we will talk more when ya wake." She looked at his guards, who had bent in a pose similar to his, albeit with a firmer grip on their weapons. "Da tribe will not allow it, Chieftain! Dis be an elf! Let us kill it and be done with it" The guard who had barged in earlier flexed his arms, whilst the other had the aura of magic around him. He was clearly preparing to cast something on the elf. "I am ya Chieftain! No harm will come to this elf; else I be havin' ya heads! And ya can tell da rest of da tribe dat too!" Gently, the elf stood, bowed her head once more. "You have my thanks, Chieftain. When shall I return?" "Rest first, and I shall send for ya. If ya get any trouble from any of the tribe, let me know and I'll deal with dem." Raising her head to meet his gaze, she smiled at him, before his guards escorted her out, muttering all the while.
Watching the elf walk away, Vol'jin returned to his chair, and smiled.