Moonlight in Forest Song
The bright full moon shone on the Alliance post of Forest Song, but it seemed to shine even brighter on a glade near the post. Night elves and draenei scurried in it like ants. The sound of soft happy music arose from it. Today was a night of celebration.
The first full moon of spring marked the night elven New Year. Forest Song Outpost, being home to both night elves along with a few draenei, was in a state of celebration.
Teradu was a young draenei that had barely arrived at the post the day before, and already he was in love with the vibrant green forest that stretched on forever, the strange brightness of the stars and moon, and with the night elves themselves.
Teradu watched a group of night elf maidens dancing for Elune, the night elves' patron deity, as well as the moon herself. They took intricate steps in the glade outside of the post. The night elves were dressed in long silvery dresses; leaves and flowers crowned their long blue hair.
"We should be working on the outpost," grumbled another male draenei near Teradu, "not dancing for the moon."
"Please Akel," said a female draenei wearing the blue robes of a priestess of the Naaru. "Elune is to them like the Naaru are to us." The female's skin was a light purple, while Akel's was a blue several shades darker than Teradu's.
"I agree with Priestess Sakara," Teradu said. "If we are to have a beneficial relationship with the night elves we must respect their customs."
To Teradu the night elves were more akin to his kind than the humans, dwarves, and gnomes. Both had a great respect for nature, and both had faced the Burning Legion time and time again. Both had skin colors that were either blue or purple. Of course the draenei had hooves instead of feet and tendrils instead of hair.
"You just want to see the priestesses of Elune dance, eh little shaman?" Akel teased, taking a drink of his fine dwarven ale.
"Don't let that ale go to your head, Master Akel," Teradu teased back, he himself preferred the pure water from the forest pools. It made him feel closer to the elements. His master may have been a shaman, but that did not stop him from drinking dwarven ale.
"He is right Akel," Sakara said in a concerned voice. "Your body might not be used to the ale yet."
"Oh, don't worry so much," Akel said with a wave of his hand as he continued to drink.
The night elves had finished their dance and now returned to the make shift temple of Elune to prepare for the most important part of the festival, the Blessing.
The crowd of night elves and draenei began to disperse. Sakara and Akel returned to the post, while Teradu decided to stay behind. He always found the forest calming.
As Teradu began to walk towards a familiar glade, a slight breeze caressed his face. The air spirit welcomed him. As a shaman Teradu could commune with the elemental spirits, and ask them for aid.
He walked at a gentle pace, but when he reached the glade he stopped. Someone was there already. Teradu hid behind a large tree. These days Azeroth could be dangerous, even to a shaman.
Looking into the glade, he saw a night elf maiden. She was dressed in a light blue gown, which marked her as a civilian. Even so, she danced as gracefully as the priestesses, and her steps left spots of moonlight on the green grass. She was beautiful.
"I can see you," the night elf said without breaking a step. "Come closer; I won't hurt you."
Teradu stepped into the night elf's direct line of sight. "Who are you?"
The night elf kept dancing. "I am Amira Starbright, and you?"
"I am Teradu of the Exodar!" Teradu declared with pride, "a draenei shaman in service to Velen the Prophet!"
"I am a humble druid in service of Azeroth," Amira said, clearly unimpressed. She had finally quit her dance, and instead stood facing Teradu with a grin on her face.
Teradu blushed at her comment. "I didn't mean any offense," he said quietly.
Her grin grew wider. "Don't worry, I wasn't too offended." She held out her hand to him. "It's nice to actually meet a draenei instead of just seeing one."
Teradu took her hand. "How long have you been at Forest Song?"
"We - my parents and I - got here yesterday," Amira explained, "We came to visit my uncle, Ekelleth Starbright."
"My part got here yesterday as well," Teradu said. "I accompanied my master Akel, in this attempt to rebuild the outpost."
"You are apprenticed to Akel the shaman?" Amira asked. "I heard he was trained by Nobundo himself."
"True, my master Akel was trained by Farseer Nobundo," Teradu said, he was glad to finally surprise Amira, "and now Master Akel trains me."
"I guess us druids and you shamans are a lot alike," Amira said.
"Both have a respect for nature, but druids commune with Azeroth, while shamans commune with the elements," Teradu explained. He was repeating what his master had taught him, as a young draenei Teradu was barely learning these things for himself.
Amira laughed. "Not only are you a shaman, but a scholar as well!" She had moved closer to Teradu, her hands were on her hips and a large smile brightened her face. Teradu thought he had found the most beautiful creature in all of Azeroth.
Suddenly a clamor could be heard from Forest Song. The Blessing was beginning; the whole post was gathering at the large glade. "I guess it is time to go," Amira said.
Teradu smiled. "See you there." Amira was already bounding towards the glade.
Teradu and his master Akel were in the glade. Priestess Sakara stood three draenei behind them. The priestesses of Elune circled around the crowd; their hands were joined together. The priestess that led the temple of Forest Song, Priestess Miranda, began to sing.
Teradu watched as moonlight began to pervade the crowd. When the light touched him, he felt calm and peaceful. Through the whole spectacle the priestesses kept singing.
The moonlight slowly receded, but Teradu still felt the strange and welcome peacefulness. The Priestess Miranda began to speak. "With open arms we welcome a new year and your blessing Elune; may it never truly leave us." She dismissed the crowd, and the festival of First Light began.
Teradu heard fireworks go off. The draenei mage Nevariss had created them the night before. "Well Teradu," Akel said, "how do you feel now that you experienced a night elf custom firsthand?"
Teradu turned to face his master. "Blessed," he said with a smile.
"I'm not sure it is that different from the blessing of the Naaru," Sakara said, approaching the two male draenei. "It uses a different variation of the Light of course, but it is a light just the same."
"I respect the Naaru and Elune," Akel said, "but to me the elements hold the greatest power."
Sakara frowned. "As long as your elements can keep you in line Akel."
"As I always say, you worry too much, Sakara," Akel said. "What about you Teradu? Why don't you go and enjoy yourself?"
Teradu shook his head. "I'd rather stay here with you two."
"Please, don't waste time with us elders, but go and mingle with the others," Sakara said.
"If you insist," Teradu said, stepping towards the gnomish and dwarven trading caravan that had arrived two days before. The two older draenei were certainly entertaining, but he had to admit that mingling with others was just as entertaining.
One of the gnome tinkerers was displaying a mechanical cricket made out of green metal. Night elves and draenei were transfixed with its ability to move on its own accord.
"What are you doing?"
Teradu turned around to see Amira standing beside him. "Looking at the tinkerer's pet," Teradu said. "And you?"
"Come with me," she said, tugging on his arm.
Teradu followed her as she led him to the glade they where they'd first met.
"Look at the moon," Amira said, pointing.
Teradu looked up to see the full moon brighter than he ever thought possible. "It's beautiful," he whispered.
They spent the rest of the night together, watching the moon on its path. She told him various the tales of Elune and her many forms and of the War of the Ancients, a tale passed down by her parents.
After the festivities Teradu returned to his sleeping quarters and fell asleep with visions of Amira dancing in his head.