Update: I have heavily updated all of the chapters of this story, please reread. Thanks!

-Allie


Chapter 3-

The Past and Sudden Present

"Who dat be?"

Tye'jin pointed at the blood elf next to Veya with a disgusted face. The air around them felt hot and tense, making Veya cringe when Tye'jin said her name once again.

"Veya, What he be doin here? Whatchu doin' wit her?" His voice was becoming strained and agitated. The blood elf looked to Veya and smiled, making her eyes widen as he spoke to Tye calmly.

"You don't have to worry about a thing Tye'jin." The way he said the troll's name made Veya's expression darken and she took a few steps away from the death knight, and towards Tye and Luna. Their eyes met and Tye grabbed her arm, pulling her to his chest and putting his arm around her thin waist. Tye'jin began to pull out a dagger from his belt with his free hand.

"No, that is not needed. I mean no harm to you, or your lovely companion. I stumbled upon your camp by chance. You're lucky I'm an open-minded blood elf, otherwise her throat could have been slit by the time you came back. It's not wise to leave a night elf of yours around here, don'tcha think.. Sir?" Athoniar grinned as he finished his sentence. What had happened to the charming elf she had met not ten minutes ago? While pondering over his new personality, she glanced up at Tye's face. He seemed to be fuming with anger at the death knight's words. She pressed her warm body closer to him, hoping he would be reminded she was there and would calm a bit. The thought of his standing in the Horde society was barely floating around in her mind. Tye'jin gripped her waist a little tighter, then sheathed his dagger and loosened his tense body.

"I guess ya right. We were headin' out soon anyway. Did ya want sumting', or were ya just hangin' around wit mah girl?" Tye's mouth curled into a small smile when the blood elf's eyebrows knitted together in frustration.

"I was actually searching for a black hippogryph said to be flying aimlessly through the jungle. There's a reward for capturing it, since it's one of the few black hippogryphs to exist." He said with an added 'hmph'.

Veya's ears twitched.

"My hippogryph…" Her voice was barely a whisper. Both of the males looked at her.

"What did you say, Veya?" Athoniar questioned.

"Did you say a black hippogryph?" She spoke fast and frantically.

"Yes, I did…" He said slowly.

"We need to find her!" Veya screamed up at Tye. He jumped slightly at her shrill voice so close next to him, but realized what she was talking about. His eyes met the blood elf's.

"What have ya heard of da bird?" Tye could feel Veya's body flush against his.

"Well… I know quite a few people are after it… there are posters in most of the towns in Northrend." He spoke softly as to not upset Veya too much. "I'm guessing it's yours, little lady?"

"Yes! She's the reason I was left here. We must find her soon, what if someone kills her..." Her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. Tye'jin frowned.

"Blood elf… We need ya ta help us find da bird." Tye said reluctantly.

The death knight glanced from Tye'jin to Veya, and back to Tye.

"What's in it for me?" He flashed his gorgeous smile at Tye'jin, who just rolled his eyes and turned to Veya. "Gold, I guess." Tye patted her head and whispered into her ear.

"Dun' worry elfie, we gonna get'cha bird back. Promise." She lifted her eyes to his and smiled sweetly.

"I don't doubt you Tye." The troll grinned at her and squeezed her hip. She blushed slightly before he gently let her go and walked towards the tent.

Athoniar made a noise of discontent and turned to his drake, climbing onto its back and clicking his tongue. The beast sprang into the air, a savage noise ripping through its vocal chords as the wind from its wings rustled the trees. Veya stared up in awe as it glided gracefully through the air. She stood there for a moment, her vision becoming blurry from staring at the shifting clouds for more than a few seconds. Soft fur brushed against her fingers.

"Luna..." Veya's velvety voice trailed off while glancing down at her lean wolf. She scratched her behind one of her slender ears and looked up at the sky once again.

Large fingers slid along her shiny, lavender back. She sighed.

"Tye?"

"Yea?"

"Where are you from?" She twisted her neck so she could look at his face. He furrowed his brow at her and motioned for her to sit down on a nearby log.

"Well elf... I grew up in Sen'jin village wit my motha and four sistas. I was da only male, and da oldest in da house, meanin' I took care of everyting' along wit her. She was stern, but beautiful. So were her daughtas." He snorted with a smile. "My sistas were all aroun' da same age, only one o' two years apart, so I had ta deal wit four teenage girls until mah motha decided I could leave and 'make myself useful' as she said it." Veya listened quietly while watching his expressive face.

"First I went ta Ogrimmar to meet my fatha." Her ears twitched and listened even more carefully. "I only met him once befoh' dat. I rememba his face, but his stature and strength are what I really rememba. Now I realize, I resemble mah motha much more. Her eyes, and hair, and she easily fell in love. Befoh' I left da house, she told me who he was and how they got togetha." He pat Veya's back and smiled thinking of a fond memory. Veya inhaled deeply.

"Dis was da first time I heard her speak so softly, but she started off wit a laugh and 'Ya fatha sure had a way wit words, dat devil. We met in a trainin' camp in da hellfire ramparts to fight off da demons invadin'. I was jus' startin' off as an adult, and he was jus' as young. He now be known as Vol'jin.' When I put da pieces of da puzzle togetha, I couldn' believe the Vol'jin was mah fatha." Tye'jin smiled wide and continued on with what his mother had said:

"She laughed at mah reaction and went on wit her story. 'We became closa as I rose in ranks over da weeks. He looked at me more, and spoke ta me with a smile. Dat rare smile kept me comin' back, cause' I neva saw him give dat look to anyone else!' She made it very clear dat it was not one-sided" Tye chuckled and Veya smiled too. "I met mah fatha and he treated me like he had been dere mah entire life. We talked and drank and laughed. He had ta leave for a mission ta da Undercity da next day. I took off to da Outlands after we said our goodbyes."

"Wow." Veya whispered.

"Ya surprised about mah bloodline pretty elf?" He moved his hand from her back and wove it into her silvery hair, brushing the knots out gently. She glanced up at him before gently resting her head on his shoulder.

"The death knight told me of your father. I'm very impressed. I do see him in you." She said with a small smile. Tye's eyes lit up.

"So what of him do ya see in me?" He flashed her a toothy, but sexy smile.

"Your tusks, obviously, your nose, and cheekbones. Most definitely that strong, tall body of yours." She grinned at him, while he gave her a look of disgust.

"Aye, you been checkin' out my old man!"

Veya burst into guffaws of beautiful laughter. Tears were forming in her eyes and she rolled off of Tye to clutch her sides so her ribs wouldn't bust out of her skin. She laughed like that for a minute or so, before she took a deep breath and giggled under the hand that covered her mouth, and said;

"Of course, who hasn't?"

He glared at her while she made a "pffft" sound before falling prey to the fitful laughter again. She stopped faster this time and patted his thick arm.

"Oh don't be like that, it was just a joke. All the young female elves adore the sketches of him in our textbooks. Everyone likes him..." He rolled his eyes at her with a smile.

"Now it be ya turn ta tell meh how ya came ta be girlie." She turned her head towards him and exhaled deeply.

"Neither of my parents were famous like yours. My mother was a huntress like myself and my father was a druid. They aided Tyrande in many ways, but they never wanted much of a reputation. They lived in Teldrassil their entire lives. I never wanted such a civil life. I wanted to get out, not be tied to nature as druids are, but bond with it. Like Luna, or my hippogryph. I was trained in the ways of the hunter for the first fifty years of my life. Then once I was able, I left the dying world tree and searched for a pet suited for me. I came across Luna in Felwood. She was alone, laying in a small, cave-like structure with a bite wound on her hip. I noticed all the other tainted animals and knew I had to save her. I tended to her wounds with the finest herbs my mother had sent with me, until eventually she began to walk and hunt again. Though, she was never too far away from my camps. I saw her lurking around every night, sometimes coming up for leftover meat. One day, I had to move on and search for new towns to help. She followed me all the way to Ashenvale, and stuck with me ever since. On our travels, she tended to wander off and hunt I presume. That's when we learned to communicate telepathically. OH, TYE! Guess what!" Tye jumped at her outburst.

"What?"

Veya squeezed his hand and squeezed her eyelids shut. Tye felt a warm presence flowing into his fingers and up his arm, into his chest and then to the tips of his ears.

"Hear me?" His eyes shot wide open, then closed tightly to try to hear the voice again. "Tye! Can you hear my voice? Do I..." The feathery voice trailed off. His hands began to sweat from holding her hand so tightly. "Do I sound strange?"

"Ya, it be strange alright." They both gasped and opened their eyes, gaping at each other.

"How'd ya do that?" He yelled at Veya excitedly.

"I tried it out earlier and I was hoping it'd work on you! You could really hear me?" Her tiny white teeth shined just behind her lips.

"Oh ya mon, I could. It was weird, it didn' sound like ya... but it felt like ya."

"That's how it is with Luna. It's gorgeous isn't it?" She was beaming.

"So how often can ya do dat?"

"As much as I like. But I'm sure for now I'd have to touch you, since it's barely clearly heard without strong contact."

"I see." Tye'jin stared at her intently for a moment, feeling drunk from the strange and deep connection he had just experienced with her.

"Ya be one special elf, Veya." With a calm expression, Tye leaned toward her, gently grabbed her chin, maneuvered his tusks around her jaw, and kissed her softly on the lips. Veya made a surprised noise but it quickly turned into a content sigh as she relaxed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Suddenly a crashing "BOOM" shook the ground, ceasing the heated moment. The earth shook every few seconds, almost like... monstrous footsteps.