Kyra awoke suddenly, and in a slight daze, though there was still only darkness around her. She could see her hand in front of her, resting atop her partner's stomach, allowing her to under that her head was on the person's chest. Sure enough, with just a quick listen, she heard a heartbeat, along with the warmth of skin on the side of her head. As her senses returned, she began to feel her hair being stroked, and she quickly realized that Colin was still awake.

Though she hadn't moved, she heard his warm voice from behind her, "Hey."

She confusedly squinted her eyes, but after she hadn't replied instantly, her head began lightly bouncing up and down as Colin chuckled quietly, "I can see your eyes lighting up everything, you know; there's no use hiding."

Kyra turned her head into him, slowly nuzzling her face against his chest, "I wasn't."

He smiled as his hand found hers, twirling his fingers around her own, "How're you feeling? You seemed as though you were taking a while to calm down; I was getting worried for a moment."

He paused for a moment, "I couldn't even sleep. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Kyra's other hand stroked his torso as she adjusted her pose so that she could look up at his face, a slight smile greeting him, "Yeah. I'm fine."

Her hand had come to rest above his heart, "When we fall in love so deeply, our hearts tend to emulate the same rhythm as our lover's. It's not something we control, and I'm sure such a, uh…drawn out activity sort of proceeded it earlier than usual."

"I wasn't expecting it at all," she admitted, ashamedly, "So when it happened, I sort of panicked, but I know that if I heard your breathing and your heart, it might have helped. I think it did."

She blushed as her eyes shot away, "Besides, it felt so good, I might not have been able to control much of anything even if I had been aware of it…"

Colin smiled as his hand continued clasping strands of her hair between his fingers, before pulling down the length of her purple locks. Given everything earlier, it had been quite a while for him to remember that she'd be gone just the next day. Although he smiled, it only was to hide his sadness from her; he wanted this night to be perfect for her, until its conclusion.

"I never knew how any of this would feel," Kyra softly continued, "Aside from all the physical stuff too. It kind of frightens me how close I was to living my life devoid of feeling loved."

"You have your family and friends, though," Colin reminded her, to her dismay.

"To be honest, there's plenty about us Shadowmoons that you're not aware of. If there's a lot within a name, it's right there," she grinned faintly.

Colin searched through his mind, but couldn't come up with much in relation to her name. He vaguely remembered a place in Outland, but nothing to do with names, nor did he ever think to check.

"Vylira is an amazing person, whom I love dearly," Kyra smiled, though, as quick as it had appeared, it disappeared, "But after her, we Shadowmoons are sort of all over the place. The biggest reason I aspired to join the Sentinels was to emulate her because I respected her so."

She smiled again, "When I was a kid, one of my brothers led me into a grellkin cave and left me there as a prank. Though, it was anything but, to me. I think I was in there all night, but Vylira had punched him and had him tell her where he'd left me. Then she got two of our siblings and came to rescue me."

She continued, though visibly annoyed by the next part, "I was still in my weak part of life, and although I had some siblings wanted me gone, Vylira was always my protector. I've loved her for it ever since."

Colin stared up toward the ceiling and listened, interested in her stories. While he had no family himself, he enjoyed Kyra recounting her own, though it wasn't without some tinge of sadnes that he easily ignored.

"She was the only sibling you ever mentioned on Teldrassil," Colin recalled, fleetingly.

Kyra sighed, gently tapping her fingers against Colin's skin in thought, "Let's see. There's Nylfallas, and he's in Silithus last I knew. Syheath, she's the youngest besides me. She's in Northrend of all place, I believe traveling with a band of leatherworkers. Then there's Aaleas, then Y'eanel. And the last is…"

She paused, abruptly, which even caught Colin's attention. He turned down his head to watch her, though nothing else seemed different, other than the fact that she had just stopped speaking. He had noticed he had stopped stroking her hair as well, so he went on, hoping that it was comforting enough to quell whatever she'd had on her mind.

"Kelaeth," she spoke, coldly, "…he's the oldest."

She paused, Colin able to feel the tension she had stored within her body, "At least it was when we were younger."

Colin leaned his head back, thinking about her words, though she wasn't completed, and her voice quivered once again, "A few thousand years only gives one that much longer to fall."

When Kyra awoke the next morning, she had noticed immediately that her pillow had gone missing. Her pillow being, of course, Colin, and she found herself sprawled across the warm mattress in a rather indecent display. She quickly fixed her position and sat up, holding the blanket to her chest. She looked around but was alone, and confused as she was, got out of bed, trying to find her clothes, which she had dropped off here between getting her dress and meeting Colin.

She returned her underwear to her body, found her pants which went under her armor, and grasped at her undershirt, but paused, eying a similar looking garment poking out from Colin's dresser. She diligently walked over and took it, pulling it over her head, examining it with a smile. While it wasn't nearly as good as a hug from him, Kyra still felt a warm tingle down her spine at the idea.

She tied a ball around the side of the shirt to gather the excess fabric and started out of the room, slowly turning the corner as though apprehensive. She only found Colin standing by the small kitchenette, in the middle of cooking, and she slowly approached him, but wad thwarted by a stack of books held precariously near the edge of some shelves. Just barely hitting her arm against them knocked them to the ground, and Colin turned to see her with a frown.

"I wanted to bring this to you in bed," he muttered, disillusioned as he returned to his task.

Kyra grinned and approached him, holding onto his shoulders and peeking around him, noticing a pan full of foods she hadn't seen before.

"Got all your human classics," Colin nodded, "Chicken eggs, pig side, cow milk. And I've eaten spider silk stew, so you can't complain."

Kyra shook her head with a smirk, "Of course not! It's exciting, actually; it looks like something out of one of the cook books we had collected in our library."

Colin pointed her toward the table, "Well go sit down and we'll enjoy it together, alright? It's almost done anyway."

Doing as instructed, Kyra sat down and looked around, the small home seeming almost new in the morning light. Granted, with such a small window, it was still rather dark, though Kyra hadn't minded in the least. She turned as Colin approached her, placing a delectable looking plate of food before her, forcing her to lick her lips.

Colin sat across from her and grinned as she hadn't the ability to resist eating immediately rather than waiting for him. Kyra finally coughed, covering her mouth rather ornately and embarrassingly looked off.

"Erm, sorry," she apologized.

"It's the best compliment," Colin assured her happily as he'd politely taken a fork to his meal, "So when are you leaving today?"

Still having paused her eating, Kyra frowned, "Around noon."

The two allowed the silence to immerse them, though they both went on eating, albeit sadly, eventually leading to Kyra going on, "Do you regret me accepting it?"

"God, no," Colin spoke sharply, staring at her in pleading, "I mean, it's unfortunate that's it was only for one day, but what was the alternative?"

He lowered his head, picking at a piece of his breakfast, "You're a Silverwing after all. You'll be done in no time, and then…"

He was so caught up in his last thought that he went too far, and became much more happy that he's lowered his head. Kyra only smiled sweetly at the though he'd not finished. They continued eating slowly, as though it would allow the day to crawl by slower itself.

"We could do whatever we wanted," Kyra spoke up, quietly, "It's not forbidden, but there's still something of a stigma on night elves being with mortals. Unless it's somebody high enough to earn respect, that is. Considering the assignment, if completed, I may be such."

"Is that why you took it?"

"Somewhat," Kyra admitted, grinning under her breath, "Even if it had turned up that you'd run to another, it would help my career anyway."

"There's never been another," Colin spoke bluntly, "You're the only woman who's given me anything equating to the time of day. That alone, you stand much higher than any other. After that, I'm loyal even to a fault, so I'm pretty much at your command."

He smiled at her, alongside upturned eyes, "I've not had a home since I was child. Maybe all my traveling was just me subconciously seeking one. And maybe I found it."

Kyra blushed before returning to her meal to deter any further embarrassment. Colin's hand reached over to hold hers, which she quickly accepted.

"What is this big assignment, anyway?" Colin asked, just realizing he had no idea what it was.

Kyra shrugged lightly, "Just a typical hunting down. A night elf, a druid, left Moonglade under false pretenses…I suppose. I wasn't given much to go on, but it's not so much the task as the client. The Dragonflight hasn't asked for aid in thousands of years, so I figured accepting it would help me t-…"

She felt Colin's hand go cold, and she immediately looked up to see his pale face. His eyes were glued to her hand, but upon realizing her eyes on his face, he slowly glanced up toward her.

"No…" she whispered.

Realizing, already, that there was no hiding it, Colin pulled his hand away and stood up, "Kyra, listen, you need to understand-"

"You're harboring a fugitive?!"

Colin shook his hands in the air, "Kyra, I didn't want this to happen! But he- I…"

He sighed, clutching his head, "Look, I cant tell you why. But I need you to understa-"

His eyes made the quickest glance over toward an old wardrobe in the corner of the room, and Kyra noticed immediately, turning and stomping toward the larger piece of furniture, swinging the door open and peering into the eyes of a man, with long, straggling green hair, looking back at her. Kyra stood still, as did the night elf staring at her with the same look a cat has when backed into a corner.

Colin approached her from behind, holding her shoulder, but she immediately shook him off before he could retort, "I'm doing this for you, Kyra."

She turned toward Colin, pointing back toward the wardrobe, "I'm doing this for you! I don't know what he promised you, but this man is wanted dead or alive by the Dragonflight! Do you realize what that means?!"

Colin lowered his head, "For what he can give, I would become the enemy of the whole of Azeroth."

Hearing that, stunned, Kyra stood there, silent, not even moving as the man stepped out from the wardrobe, rushing over to the window to peek out from it. Colin remained staring into Kyra's confused eyes, holding his hands onto her shoulders, his voices wavering as he continued.

"Do what you feel is right. I would love for you to come with us, but I know you won't. You're bound by your honor, which is what I love about you. But if this happens, you're going to do things, and I'll be forced into doing things that may not please either one of us. But I want you to remember this."

He reached down into his shirt and pulled out a foxed statuette, carved from wood, resembling exactly the same one Kyra had been given a year ago. He held it in front of his face, its leather cord still around his neck, much to Kyra's shock.

"Do you still have yours?"

She lowered her head, disheartened, "I've never let it leave me since we parted."

She gently pulled it from her pocket. The thin rope had been frayed, and the totem itself has been worn. Colin reached up and held her cupped hand from below, closing it around the wooden piece, not allowing his eyes to part from hers.

"Come with me," he spoke, quietly, "Please."

She looked up at him with the same disheartened look on her face from earlier, and although she wanted nothing else but to follow this man, she couldn't help her head turning back and forth in denial. Colin sighed, but he carefully pulled his necklace from his head and brought it over to Kyra.

"Here's yours," he spoke, softly, "It won't work otherwise, right?"

Finally, Kyra revealed something of a faint smile, carefully dropping her cared for possession into Colin's hand as he let his fall over her head.

"No matter what happens, know that I love you, alright?" he told her, "No matter what you feel you have to do…"

He pulled her head close and softly kisses her forehead, "…I know that you love me too."

As he pulled back to see her face, droplets of starlight managed to sit at her eyes, a cluster of them just starting to fall down her cheek. The night elf hopped down from a counter he had been standing on, rushing over to Colin and tightly grasping his shoulder. Just then, the loudest BANG erupted from the door, just a single one.

"It's them," the man spoke, matter-of-factly.

Colin pulled Kyra in for one final hug, "I know I'm being a fool, but I'm doing this for us. For you. Please don't forget that."

Kyra didn't have time to reply before the night elf had pulled Colin back toward the inside of the small hovel. She only stood there, hearing the sound of furniture scraping, and then nothing. She stood in silence, staring off into space, lost.

Colin lay awake, Kyra's warmth caught within the woolen boundary that encompassed the two of them. She had fallen asleep earlier, but Colin couldn't bear to do the same. He could barely comprehend that any of this had actually happened to him even as far back as meeting this person. That was already supremely unlikely, but to have met this woman, so beauteous as well, but who also grew to love him the way he had for her, it was very much surprising for him to think about.

He had lived most of his life alone, though there were women here and there. Most, if not all, however, had had ulterior motives or, to be sure, were simply using him for some random reason. Colin had grown to be much more skeptical of people, but when he'd first ended up in Stormwind, and while still growing up, he was quite a bit more naïve.

While still in school, he had been given punishment for another student copying his work, and an eloquent attempt to ask a girl out had resulted in a few months of underhanded teasing; in the end, he had simply collapsed into his own mind, and when given opportunities to escape through travel, he took them quite readily.

Through his meetings, he had become a lot more friendly, though still remained vigilant of other's motives. When meeting Kyra, one of the reasons he had been so readily accepting was that he understood her own goals, or rather Tyriel's, which relieved him of any thought toward ulterior motives.

To be sure, Kyra was gorgeous in his eyes, though putting that aside, he greatly admired her. She was strong, where he may otherwise not be, and she had a great sense of honor, where Colin wondered vaguely, possibly finding a cause or home to fight for in his own way. She was forthright, which he also enjoyed, and as he had explained to her before, the mere fact that she seemed able to bear a conversation with him was enough of an aphrodisiac for one so often misunderstood.

In the end, the stars had somehow aligned and Colin lay there with another's arms around him. He never expected any of this to ever happen to him, ever the lone wolf, and yet, here he was. He couldn't stand the thought of sleeping and ruining this opportunity to revel in the afterglow of this angel beside him.

Sure enough, it is nearly law that such moments are sure to be spoiled.

In this case, the moment was ruptured by a single knock on the window in the other room, leaving Colin surprised. He lifted his head and stared out the door, seeing nothing but the dark vacuum, and resting his head again.

That was not the end, however. Another single knock broke out a few moments later, and Colin sighed quietly as he turned to Kyra. Her face was so contented in sleep, he couldn't help but pause and study it, though only for a few seconds. He gently pulled himself from Kyra, who was in a deep enough sleep not to have noticed, and he quickly found his clothing to return to his body, quietly rushing to the front door.

He quickly swung it open angrily, seething, "What?!"

Nothing.

Surprised, Colin peered around outside, making sure to check every crevice with his eyes. There wasn't any evidence of anybody even being there, but Colin slowly lowered himself down to check the window. Sure enough, the dust on the face of the glass had been pressed off; somebody had indeed tapped on it, though…

"What the hell..?" Colin muttered quietly, examining the arcane pattern upon which the dirt had been removed.

It was certainly not humanoid. It seemed the pattern of a beast, and one of which Colin had never seen before. He quietly stepped back toward the door, but he immediately noticed a dark pattern flying out from the darkness. While most might have fled, for no reason, Colin pounced onto the figure, pinning the beast against the wall of his home.

He quickly realized that it was, indeed, a man. A night elf of all people. Colin shot his head up to see a stoic looking man angrily piercing his eyes into Colin's. Though he didn't stop holding the elf against the wall, Colin shook in surprise.

"I'm not here to do harm," the man spoke it a dry voice, "Had I, you'd be dead fifteen times over in the time it's taken for me to say this."

Colin stared at him, refusing to let the man go as he continued, dryly, "You're taller than I had expected."

"Who are you?!" Colin spoke quietly, though a tad maliciously

The man brought his hands to Colin's wrists and pushed them up and away, though Colin didn't budge. The night elf stared at Colin as though staring ten miles through him, and then, in an instant, vanished. Colin leaning roughly into the hand, scraping his hands, and quickly spun around, seeing the man having escaped behind him, somehow.

"My name is Ascal. I am a druid, born under Loganaar, and I've come here on an assignment."

Colin eyed him suspiciously, "Assignment. From whom?"

"That, I cannot say."

"Well, you'd better," Colin muttered, "You seem to require my cooperation, and I'm not about to give that without answers."

Ascal stared deeply at him, though slowly shut his eyes. Colin watched him, critiqueingly, when suddenly, rainbows shot barely through closed line of his eyelids. Colin stepped back hastily, his eyes opening wider as Ascal's arms seemed to begin levitating through no effort of his own. Colin felt the cold wall of his home at his back, and as Ascal took a step forward, Colin slid down the wall, falling to the ground, helplessly staring up at the technicolored face of the man before him.

Suddenly, Ascal's eyes opened, and he stared down at Colin, who was still shocked by the event, his voice stuttering as he pointed up toward the elf, "T-There's only one being who-"

"Think it, but don't speak it," Ascal muttered, "I've come due to powers much greater than my own. Powers that seek to reward you for your cooperation in my endeavors."

He leaned down to offer his hand, which Colin took, and helped the human to his feet, "Escort me to Mount Hyjal. That is my mission. Though I play consort to a being much powerful than any on Azeroth, that also allows equally powerful rewards."

"She knows what you seek," Ascal spoke quietly, "Should you do this, you shall be granted immortality."

Colin stared into his glowing eyes, stupefied by his words, and he found himself speechless for a moment before managing a few words, "Why me?"

Ascal closed his eyes, though his eyes didn't begin glowing in every color, "I come because, what you seek, you will easily fight to attain it. Because, where one of you goes, the other is sure to follow."

Colin stared at him drolly, though quickly sighed, "Obviously you aren't informed; we've been apart for a year."

"And yet I find her here, tonight," Ascal noted plainly, noticing Colin's confusion, "There's only so few night elves in Stormwind; I followed her scent to get to you."

Colin watched him skeptically, finally putting together the fact that this was, indeed, a druid, but Ascal retorted with a slightly disgusted look on his face, "I seem to catch it on you as well."

Colin turned away, scratching the back of his neck as he blushed, slightly, obviously thinking about Ascal's words, which seemed to upset him.

"I offer immortality and you stand here to think?"

Colin turned to him blankly, "I'm sorry that this kind of thing has sort of eluded me for the past twenty-five years."

Ascal turned away this time, frowning.

"I need to discuss this with Kyra," Colin concluded, but Ascal shook his head.

"That is against my orders," he replied, plainly, "She is not to know of your gambit. At least, not about what it is you're seeking."

Colin sighed, lowering his head. Had this happened just a few nights ago, he could have easily turned it down. Though he loved Kyra, she easily could have just been another woman in the wind to him, never to be seen again. After the last twelve or so hours, however…

"Alright," Colin muttered quietly, "I just have to get you to Hyjal?"

Ascal nodded, "That is what has been asked of me."

Colin looked up at him, "It won't be easy, will it?"

"Immortality never is," Ascal replied, "At least from what I hear from the one I call master."

Colin sighed lightly. He had given everything he had to Kyra, everything but his life. Even then, as it stood at this moment, his life was cheap, relative to hers l, simply in terms of quantity. He couldn't bear to leave her alone for so many lifetimes, having already given everything of hers to a dead man. At this moment, there was only one real option.

He slowly made his way toward the door that lead down to his home, "When do we need to leave?"

Ascal shrugged, "Whenever. Just before those who hunt me catch up. They should be here by mid-day tomorrow, I would surmise."

Colin stared off into the distance, "Well, we could catch a ship out of port, but they won't be operating until tomorrow morning. Have you had any rest?"

Shaking his head, Ascal answered, "I have not eaten nor slept in many weeks. To sleep means to enter the Dream, which means they can easily find me."

He grimaced in as neutral a way as possible, "My lady only speaks to me when absolutely necessary."

Colin nodded, opening his door, "Well you're welcome to anything to eat. Once you're done, hang out in the closet until Kyra leaves. I'd rather not gave to explain and leave things out."

"Understood," Ascal nodded.