"Valcan?" A young blood elf called, as she made her way through the thick woods outside of Silvermoon City. Her blond hair fell in curls down her back, and she was dressed in a slightly ragged dress, that looked as though it might be older than the nine year old, herself.
"What?" The raven haired boy who looked around the same age was sitting beside the lake, skipping stones and looking rather angry. It didn't seem to phase the girl, however, as she moved forward to sit beside him, watching.
"I saw you leave the city, earlier." She announced. "I thought I would come check up on you."
"I'm fine, Em. Go back to the city. You know how your father gets when you're around me." There was a biting tone to Valcan as he spoke, chucking the rocks across the water somewhat violently.
"It... It isn't you, so much as leaving the city.." Em tried. At this, Valcan shot her a quick glare that made her stop.
"You do know he already tried to scare me off, right?" He snarled. "There's no use in lying to me about it, anymore. I know how he feels about me." He continued skipping stones, and Em sat back a bit, looking defeated.
"So.. What's wrong?" She finally asked.
"Same as always." He muttered.
"They're talking about you, again?" Em asked, frowning.
"Whenever they thing I'm not around to hear it." He nodded.
"Was it that bad?" She asked, watching the stones he was tossing.
"Not at all, Em." He growled. "My mother said I didn't have a soul, and she called me a monster, but no, it wasn't bad, at all." the biting sarcasm in his voice made Em, look away a bit. "It's not your problem. Go back to the city."
"You're my friend, Valc." Em argued. "If something's bothering you, then yes, it is my problem." At this, he looked to her, watching her for a bit as he thought.
"Your father was saying the same things." Valcan announced. "Only, he had the decency to say them to my face..." He added. "And just about everyone else in that damn city.." He grumbled, giving a glance back through the woods, towards it. "That there's something wrong with me.." He looked back to Em, locking his eyes to hers. "Do you think that?" Em knew this tactic well. Valcan could easily read people, even though he didn't seem to understand them, most of the time.
"I don't think you're a monster.. Or that you don't have a soul.." She tried.
"But you do think there's something messed up, in me." It wasn't a question. He already knew the answer from the way she had answered.
"I wouldn't say messed up, exactly." She sighed. "You're just.. Different."
"That's what my father says." Valcan muttered, continuing his previous action of skipping rocks.
"Well, at least he's on your side." Em said. Valcan scoffed.
"He isn't on my side." Valcan said. "He'd deny it no matter what I was like. A high ranking Paladin of the Argent Crusade can't have a screwed up son. Makes him look bad. That's all it is."
"Valcan, I'm sure he-" She stopped, suddenly, as a loud, pained yelp rang through the trees. The horrid noise caught both the young elves' attention immediately. The sound was followed by collective laughter, and Valcan quickly glanced around as a small group of teenagers from the city emerged from the trees, a ways away from the pair. The group seemed to be training, as many their age did. Knowing, soon enough, they would be free to roam Azeroth, they tended to hone their skills on the creatures surrounding the city. Most would focus on the ghouls, wandering the Dead Scar, or the Dragonhawk through the area. This group, however, was focusing on what appeared to be a young, white wolf. It was curious, immediately, for the general lack of the species in the area. The creature didn't stand a chance. The group had three, around the age of fourteen, armed and rather sadistic looking. The wolf, itself, was barely a pup. Valan watched a bit, as the group circled around the animal. They were toying with it. Em gave a disgusted, sad noise from beside him.
"Can we just go back to the city? I don't want to see this.." She tried, looking up to Valcan. His gaze on the group was unwavering, and his grip was tightening around the stone he held as they continued torturing the small creature. "Valcan?" She tried. He didn't seem to hear her. Suddenly, his face twisted into a snarl, and he moved, chucking the stone he held into the group and causing Em to gasp as it struck one of the boys square in the back of the head. The force of it had drawn blood, and immediately caught all their attention in anger.
"Leave it alone." Valcan snarled threateningly, gripping another stone.
"What's your problem, runt? It's just a worthless mutt!" One of the group shot, as the other examined their friend's wound, a bit. As added emphasis, the speaker kicked the wolf pup, causing it to whine and whimper loudly. It wasn't able to stand, anymore. At this, Valcan let out a rather animalistic growl, dashing forward and tackling the boy to the ground. Em watched in shock as Valcan wrestled with him, throwing punches and she realized, in slight horror, that Valcan was attempting to snatch away the fourteen year old's dagger. She moved forward quickly, attempting to stop them, but another of the group grabbed a hold of her, preventing her from jumping in. Valcan, however, seemed to be doing quite well on his own. Though he sustained quite a few wounds, himself, he was doing more damage than he was taking. This was when the third teenager moved to help. It was, in fact, the defining moment that assisted Valcan's victory. The original boy became distracted enough for Valcan to grab the dagger, and he swung it dangerously as soon as his fingers gripped the handle. Em gave a protesting shriek on instinct, but the boys had moved out of the way quickly enough. Valcan held the blade out, daring, as he moved closer to the pup, causing them to back up farther away.
"Let her go." Valcan ordered, jerking the dagger toward the boy holding Em, who immediately released her, upon seeing the seriousness in Valcan's eyes. Em quickly moved forward, standing beside Valcan as he continues to ward off the boys with the dagger, stooping to collect the severely wounded animal, uncharacteristically careful. Then, he was off. Em gasped, then quickly ran after him. He was always so much faster than she was. By the time she had made it back to the city, he was already out of sight. She knew, however, that he was heading home, and continued on her way.
Valcan kicked open the door to the house, chucking the dagger into the wall and dashing though the house. The commotion had startled everyone, and Shanoa followed after him in great concern, as she noticed the blood trail that followed him.
"Valcan!" She called, rushing up the stairs after him. She found him rooting though cabinets wildly and one handed, the wounded and, now unconscious, pup cradled in his other arm. "Dear, what are you-"
"Do we have any bandages? Health potions? Anything!" Valcan asked, without even looking to her. There was a wild desperation in his voice, and Shanoa faltered a bit, looking to the pup.
"I don't think.. What happened? Take that thing outside, you're getting blood everywhere." She tried, moving forward and reaching for the pup. Valcan suddenly spun, wrapping his other arm around the animal protectively and stepping back away from his mother quickly, wide eyed.
"No! She needs help!" He argued. "She'll die!" At this, Shanoa stopped, watching Valcan in shock. Did he really care?
"Malachai!" She called over her shoulder. "Come here! Quickly!" She looked back to Valcan, who seemed highly concerned at his father being called. "He'll be able to heal it enough to keep it alive." Shanoa clarified. At this, he seemed to calm a bit, though his defensive hold on the pup didn't slack. Malachai, noting the urgency in his wife's voice, quickly made his way up the stairs, looking to Valcan and the bloodied pup in concern.
"What happened?" He asked, moving forward to kneel before Valcan, examining the pup before reaching for it. Valcan flinched away, hugging it to his chest. "You have to give it to me, before I can help. I won't hurt it, trust me." He tried. Valcan seemed highly reluctant, but the pup's shallow, ragged breathing seemed to prompt him. He handed her off cautiously, watching intently as Malachai looked her over, and began casting healing spells.
"Valcan, dear, are you alright?" Shanoa asked, finally being able to see the tears in his clothes, and the underlying wounds of his own. She moved forward, reaching for him. Valcan quickly pushed away, keeping his eyes locked on his father and the pup.
"Is he hurt?" Malachai asked, stopping and looking to Valcan.
"I'm fine." Valcan insisted. "Worry about her."
"Valcan!" Em finally made it into the house, following the blood trail up the stairs and looking over the situation.
"Kalemna, dear, what happened?" Shanoa asked, directing her attention to Em.
"There was a group of boys training outside the city and they were ganging up on the wolf pup. Valcan saved her." Em explained, looking to Valcan, who was still watching his father's moves carefully.
"What was a wolf doing in Eversong Woods?" Shanoa asked, looking to the pup for a brief moment.
"I'm assuming it might be the offspring of an abandoned hunter's pet." Malachai spoke up, and Valcan made an angered sort of noise at the comment.
"What do you mean, abandoned?" Valcan demanded.
"Hunters tend to switch their pets often. If they find one they think would be stronger, faster or smarter, they leave their previous pet behind." Malachai explained, and Valcan scowled.
"That's disgusting." He snarled.
"I've got to get this pup bandaged up. I've done all I can do, here." Malachai announced, and Valcan moved forward.
"I'll do it." He said. Malachai regarded him for a moment, then nodded, handing over the still unconscious animal.
"I'll go craft a few bandages. After you get them on the pup can sleep it off. She should be just fine, once she wakes up and gets something to eat and drink." Valcan nodded in understanding, and Malachai set off again.
"We should be able to get your brother to take it into Silverpine. The wolves, there, should take it in." Shanoa said, and Valcan looked back to her immediately.
"I can't keep her?" He asked.
"Of course not." Shanoa sighed. "It's a filthy, wild creature. I won't have it running around the house."
"She's young. I can train her." Valcan argued, glancing down to the pup as it whimpered a bit, in it's sleep. Valcan shifted her a bit, careful of her wounds, and Shanoa faltered a bit. As Valcan looked back to her expectantly, she gave a slight smile.
"She'll be your responsibility. You can't let her destroy the house, or run rampant through the city. I expect her to behave." Valcan nodded, taking bandages from his father, as he returned. "Valcan wants to keep the pup." Shanoa said, looking to Malachai. "I've said it's alright, as long as he can keep her under control."
"Very well." Malachai nodded. "Once she's feeling better, I'm sure the Hunters in the city could help you train her well en-"
"No." Valcan said, looking away from the pup he'd began bandaging to give a defiant glance between his parents. "I can do it on my own." He said pointedly. The boy never wanted anyone's help.