Children's Week
The Orphanage
The draenei hunter Florinn walked through the Lower City of Shattrath, surrounded by its brown walls that appeared to have been cracked and chipped away. Like many male draenei, Florinn had a muscular frame, with hooves for feet. His long tail swung back and forth and his forehead plate was V shaped, and behind his forehead, was a patch of gray hair. Over his body he wore silver chain linked armor with blue shoulder pads, which was a shade darker than his skin, as well as a long flowing yellow cape that hung from his back. Over the cape was his quiver filled with his bow and many arrows.
Florinn continued to walk through the streets of Lower Shattrath, his fingers tapping against the pommels of his curved swords as gryphons flew in the skies above. Trotting along at the hunter's side was his gray haired, yellow eyed wolf companion Lanseril. The wolf looked around, seeing members of all races he and his master had encountered on their adventures in Azeroth, as well as other races they had never seen.
As they turned the corner, Florinn too observed the surroundings. He noticed a large group of battle masters affiliated with the Horde standing on a gray stone ledge. When a pair of big orcish eyes turned to Florinn, Lanseril took three steps forward and let out a vicious growl that echoed through out the streets.
"Lanseril, we have not come here to battle," Florinn scolded in his deep, draenic voice as he gently grabbed the back of the wolf's neck in hopes of restraining him.
Montok Redhands a burly orc with large tusks and shoulder pads with what appeared to be claws sticking up in the center, sneered at the hunter, who was pulling the wolf away. "The runt would make a good rug to wipe my dirty feet on," he bellowed in the orcish tongue. Although he didn't understand the dialect, Florinn knew the orc had insulted him. Yet pushing aside his pride, he and Lanseril continued down the street, their ears hearing the roars of laughter of the Redhands, and his fellow battle masters.
"Ignore their taunting like I do," the hunter said as they walked. Despite spending much of his youth and pre-adult years in the fortress of Honor Hold, idolizing such heroes as Danath Trollbane and Khadagar, Florinn had no absolute hatred towards the Horde. True, he had spent much of his adventuring days fight those who were associated with the Horde, but he also went out of his way to help them. "The Burning Legion is our common enemy son," his father Bevarin had always told him. "And if we have any hopes of defeating them, then we must look past our differences and unite to fight the enemy."
"If only there were more who thought like you father," the hunter said, with the voice of his father flowing through his mind.
Florinn and Lanseril approached the city's small orphanage, which was across from Shattrath's smithy where many weapon smiths and armor smiths went to train. Just as they were making their way to the open doorway, a group of six human and orc children ran outside , giggling and pretending to be heroes on a dangerous quest.
"Come now children," the orphan matron said in the common tongue as she stepped outside. She appeared to be a slender female troll wearing a long blue skirt and a white long sleeved shirt, with light blue skin and long white hair.
As she was putting her hair into a pony tail, she noticed Florinn. "Good day mon," she greeted in her thick troll accent. "I take it you are da one Honor Hold sent to take one of the little ones around. I am Matron Mercy."
"Yes madam," Florinn responded while Lanseril watched the children play. "I am Florinn and this is Lanseril." The wolf wagged his tail at the sound of the name, then looked back over to the children, who were staring at him curiously.
"A hunter," the orphan matron said with a nod. She looked him over, then turned her eyes to the wolf. "He seems to be tamed." When her eyes went back to the hunter, she continued," Da child we have picked for you, she is draenei like yourself. A smart child, with many unique gifts." Mercy poked her head back into the orphanage and called out," Dornaa deary. Come meet da nice man who is goin to be spendin time with ya."
A draenei child walked outside and stepped next to the matron. Her oval shaped blue eyes glowed as she stared up curiously at the hunter.
Florinn got a good look at the child. She wore a red-orange skirt below her sea-green tank top. Her brown hair covered the spot between her cranial tendrils, which were shaped like small horns. In her right hand she held a small blue hooded cloak.
"Dornaa, this is Florinn," Matron Mercy said in a soft voice. "He will be your guardian until you return."
Dornaa stepped towards the hunter, her small lips parting in a smile. Florinn let out a smile of his own as the child extended her right hand. He gently shook it, then said," It is nice to meet you Dornaa."
"I have some cleanin to do," the orphan matron said. "I will leave you two to talkin. Be good Dornaa, we will see you when you return."
Once Matron Mercy was gone, Dornaa said," You're draenei, like me. But how come I have never seen you in Shattrath before?"
"I am not from Shattrath," Florinn replied in a calm voice.
"Then where are you from?" the child questioned in her innocent manner.
Florinn became amused at the girl's curiosity. "I was born in Honor Hold, where my mother and father became involved to help the Alliance. When I was older, I went with the expedition on the Exodar and crashed in Azeroth."
"Where are your parents now?"
"They still live in Honor Hold," the hunter answered as Lanseril walked around Dornaa. "So little one, what would you like to do?" he asked in hopes of changing the subject. He waited for an answer as he watched Dornaa play with Lanseril, his ears flooded with high pitched giggles that resulted from the animal licking the little girl's face.
Sensing a slight impatience from his master, Lanseril stepped back. Dornaa looked back up to Florinn, searching her thoughts for an answer. "Well, I would like to see my brother Jheel. He's a couple of years older than me and he loves geology. They let him start an apprenticeship with the ethereal in Nagrand. Matron Mercy told me that he is at a place called Aeris Landing. It's supposed to be a long road, far to the west of some place called Teelar in Nagrand."
Florinn nodded as he scratched behind Lanseril's ears. He had yet to travel to the region of Nagrand, the hunter decided to he would take Dornaa to see her brother. "All right, we will go see your brother."
Once more Dornaa's eyes lit up. "Wow Mister, really?" Her voice lightened up as she looked down. "Well...perhaps if it's not too much trouble, we can go to a place called Auchindoun. One of the priests that visits the orphanage told us a story about it. It was once a place where the draenei were taken once they died, but some time ago, something bad blew it up."
"It lies in the middle of the Bone Wastes," the elder draenei said when he realized what she was talking about. Before she could ask how he knew about Auchindoun, Florinn added," I have dealt with the refugee caravan that is near there."
"Then maybe we can see the Ring of Observance."
"Yes we can see the Ring of Observance," replied the hunter. Provided we do not run into any danger, he added in his thoughts.
"Great," Dornaa said excitedly as she draped the cloak over her shoulders. "Oh," she began as another idea came to her mind. "I have never been to the Dark Portal and the Stair of Destiny before. I mean if we are going to be traveling to an interesting place like Auchindoun, then surely we can visit the Dark Portal." She crossed her arms tilted her chin. "I wonder what could be on the other side? The matrons have told us stories, but are they true? You must know since you came from the other side."
Florinn could not help admiring the eagerness and inquisitiveness in Dornaa's heart. After a moment of silence passed between the two, the hunter looked at the child and said," Well Dornaa, we best begin our journey."
"Okay Mister Florinn," she said, following the hunter and his wolf to the stables.