This chapter brought to you by the songs Bratja (piano version) from Full Metal Alchemist and Iron Sky by Corner Stone Cues.

Chapter 21: Public Enemy #1

"Yeah, you can get a nickel for boosting Starfall, but jacking Heal's a ten-day stint in county. Now lifting Faerie Fire, they just let you go for that – it's not even worth the paperwork. But Reincarnation, man! That'll get you life!"

Blood Elf Spellbreaker from Warcraft III

It was an odd thing to be back in the forests. Illidan had never been as respectful of nature as his brother, or as amazed by the Goddess's creations like Tyrande. No he had always been more at home in the city the trio had grown up in. A city now shattered like so many dreams the kaldorei had before the Sundering.

Still, Illidan supposed there was something to be said for just sitting in a tree and listening to birds and animals. He had not done it in years and he couldn't help but grin at the memory.

"Illidan your to impatient. Just relax and listen."

"This is ridiculous. Why do I have to listen to a bunch of birds?"

What had Malfurion told him then. To better understand nature? They had argued constantly over that. Malfurion arguing that Illidan was to impatient and Illidan saying Malfurion was wasting his time listening to grass grow.

It had been frustrating. Watching Malfurion learn in leaps and bounds while Illidan had struggled to get the basics. It had been even worse when Tyrande had been around.

Granted all differences had bee magnified when Tyrande had been around.

Tyrande...

Habit had him reaching for the flower before realizing he had given it to Nokami. He could still remember when Tyrande had given it to him. Just a gift with a shy smile before turning and running after Malfurion.

It was a bittersweet memory now. He had kept that flower for years, originally in hope, then as just a momento of simpler times and a love that had not been returned.

Now it was in the hands of a scarred hunter that pulled at him in a very different way.

The more Illidan tried to understand what exactly was between him and Nokami. The more he felt the need to poke and prod at it and by default, the pair of them. Whatever it was however simply refused definition. There was the fire of lust there certainly, though Illidan did not think he would ever understand how that had started. Still there was more then just lust. Otherwise he would not be worried about Nokami's well being.

Perhaps it was because Illidan could see the road she was on. He remembered being that full of hate. Remembered it festering for centuries at his brother. He had managed however to let it go in the end. It might have been the only good thing he had done in his long life but he had managed. He even wished his brother well. The twins knew they'd never be close again but at least they could leave each other in peace. That had been the hope and in that they had been succeeding.

Nokami however was not likely to find that peace. Not without something to channel that rage at. Illidan had always channeled it into his magic and plans. The hunter however kept suppressing it, containing it. Eventually she would have to break.

Illidan sighed as he let a leg dangle from the tree limb he was sitting on. He leaned his head back to stare up at the sky through a hole in the canopy. It was starting to get brighter out, which meant Tyrande and Nokami would be coming soon. If the hunter had managed to talk Tyrande into coming that was.

It would all be over soon. Tyrande would know where Malfurion was and then Illidan would be heading back to Outland. Nokami having been safely delivered to people who would be able to help her far better then he could. He should have been happy to finally get the woman out of his hair.

Instead Illidan found the thought both infuriated and saddened him.

"Infuriating woman." Illidan grumbled as he rested his head against the tree and closed his eyes. Focusing on his hearing in hopes of telling him when the pair was near.

He found he heard nothing at all, which puzzled him. There had been birds a few moments ago.

Ah wait, there's a sound. Whistling of a...

Three arrows still managed to find their marks as Illidan rolled off the branch. His warglaives were in his hands with barely a thought as he drove them into the tree to stop his fall.

He glared down but mentally cursed. He could not see the archers he knew were there. He pulled his glaives out and dropped further down as another flight of arrows seem to erupt out of the brush at him. Driving the glaives in again he tried to find the elves off their auras. His magical sight showed him nothing though.

If I can't see their auras then they got suppressed or hidden somehow. Meaning they know I can track them through them and they came out here prepared to fight me. Which means something happened to Nokami.

Though Illidan was worried about the hunter he had more pressing problems. He could not see his attackers to defeat them and the thick forest severely limited his ability to fly. He could have destroyed the trees in his way but then everyone within a ten mile radius would know he was here, not to mention any mages or warlocks in a twenty mile radius.

As much as Illidan hated the idea. He had no options but to run and hope he could lose his pursuers.

With that thought Illidan pulled out his glaives again and used his wings to assist in jumping onto another tree that he hoped was away from his attackers. Three more arrows sunk into him in his leg making him swear at the burning.

The fact that the arrows burned prodded another concern. Normal arrows did not burn which meant the arrows likely were coated with something. Illidan however did not have time to look at them right now as he raced along the branch under him and jumped into another tree.

He could hear them now. Running below through the brush. Someone was calling orders to fire at will. He could still feel arrows biting into him so he knew better then to stop.

Illidan did his best to shake off the exhaustion slowly creeping into him. Muscles protested being made to move. He almost missed the next branch completely but managed to catch it with his hand. He dangled for a minute before forcing tired muscles to obey and drag himself up into the thick leaves.

"Where did he go?" He heard below him.

"I don't see him."

"He's gotta be up there somewhere."

Thank Elune. Illidan thought to himself trying not to breath to hard though he felt like panting. Looking down at himself made him cringe. He remembered Tyrande tried to learn how to sew once and he was vividly reminded of her pincushion.

Slowly Illidan started pulling arrows out. He could not do anything about the ones in his back but the front and legs he could. He studied each one in a hurry. All had the same green gunk on them but Illidan couldn't think of where it was from. Not when he was so tired. Still, bleeding should help some with the poison.

Nokami would know what it is I bet. He thought to himself as he tipped forward. She's really smart like that. Knows all kinds of plants and animals...

Illidan barely caught himself. Even then it required both arms to wrap around the branch he had fallen off of and he watched the arrows tumble through the air to the ground. He held his breath as they landed and let it out after a few seconds thinking he was safe.

"OVER HERE!"

"Dammit." He growled as he tried to swing a leg onto the branch. The hooves of his feet scraped away though, unable to cling like the skin of feet would have.

Arrows whizzed by and some struck him. If he could just get his damned leg over, but his hooves prevented that. His arms were starting to slip from their grip...

With a snarl of frustration Illidan summoned a glaive and drove it into the tree. Swinging out rather like a monkey he drove the next one in a little higher into the trunk. He had to get away from those arrows and the only way to do that was to go up.

He swung onto the next limb, glaives vanishing into nothing again. He grabbed the branch above his head and pulled himself up. Risking a glance down as he went.

He could see them now. A number were climbing after him for better shots while other stayed on the group and kept firing.

If only he could have concentrated. He would have reduced them all to ash.

Feeling lethargy try to take hold again Illidan reached for the next branch. If he could reach the top, the open sky, he could get away. None of them could fly after all, he'd have a clear get away.

Seeing an archer on a limb below pulling an arrow Illidan threw one of this glaives. It sliced through the wood under the archers feet easily. The bowwoman's reflexes saved her from the tumble as she caught another branch further down but at least she was not an immediate threat now.

It was easy to summon the blade back and throw it again. It kept the closer archers at bay for a bit while he climbed. Though Illidan happily would have traded the glaives right then for the ability to throw even just one spell without having the entire nation of night elves becoming aware of his presence.

The archers were starting to get to close now.

Illidan jumped over to the next tree. Having thrown the glaives he dug his claws into the wood to keep his balance while his hooves settled. Arrows thudded into the wood by him and some into him as he started jumping up the tree, using his claws to climb. His mind to muddled now to even manage the words to summon his glaives.

Up, up, up, get away, get away... Were the only things running through his mind.

He could just see the sky through the leaves. It's dull, brooding gray never looked inviting but right that moment it was more inviting then anything to Illidan.

His muscles however were grinding to halts. His legs felt like someone had chained them to the very world. His arms had to have weights made of eternium dragging him down. Even his wings felt like they were heavy.

Just...one...more...branch...

It had to of been the last arrow that did him in. It snuck into his side and made the smoldering green eyes go wide. He had stopped feeling most of the arrows but this one simply drove in with enough force to pierce even his muddled mind.

Illidan's hands and legs gave out completely and he saw his fingers slip from the branch in front of him. He saw the sky become swallowed up entirely by the forest before his form crashed into something.

A sharp snap was heard but did not register in his mind. He crashed into two more branches without feeling until he could see the ground through dimming eyes.

He did not remember hitting the ground. Even as he struggled against the sleepiness dragging him under he felt no pain. He could feel the grass though. Soft and inviting.

It made him think of Nagrand. When he had taken Nokami there just so she did not go utterly insane in the temple.

He heard someone speaking and a pair of boots stepped into his fading vision.

"Nokami...?" He whispered before blacking out completely. Never feeling the hands on him as he was dragged and loaded onto a nightsaber to transport.

When Shandris found Tyrande in the Temple she patiently waited while Tyrande finished her discussion with a scout. The general did not care for the conversation, the scout seemed to be confused about who actually to go to with the report in his hands. His superior having told him Staghelm while the scout had been under the impression that Tyrande was the leader of the night elves.

The scout finally departed and Tyrande rubbed her temples against the headache that threatened. It seemed that more and more people became confused about who was in charge around here. It was worse because Tyrande could see the militant look on Shandris's face. A look that Tyrande had seen whenever she had told the teenage Shandris to stay behind while the rest of the army marched forth during the War of Ancients.

"Why don't we take a walk while you tell me about your mission Shandris?" Tyrande said with a smile.

Shandris frowned but nodded. "We caught our wolf if that is what you meant by mission my lady. I do not call it a mission so much as chasing a vain hope."

"Oh Shandris not you too. Surely you trust in the Goddess..."

"Yes my lady. I trust in Elune. I am however worried about you. My lady this idea of yours is just to dangerous."

Tyrande sighed. "I have already weighed all my options Shandris."

"Remulos will never allow it my lady. And if Staghelm finds out about it or even that we have..."

"Mind your tongue Shandris I don't want everyone knowing about him." Tyrande said in a warning tone as a few elves strolling the grounds blinked at the pair.

Shandris mentally cringed and dropped her voice lower. "If your caught associating with the other Stormrage my lady. Staghelm will have a holiday seeing you thrown in a burrow for the rest of your life. Fandral would use any excuse to usurp you, and I don't think even being the voice of Elune would help you."

"He only needs to stay hidden here a short time. Do we have the griffons?"

Shandris felt like pulling out her hair. Her lady was stubborn as a dwarf about drinking sometimes. "Yes my lady. Though I still highly doubt Remulos will allow what you plan."

"I'm actually on my way to speak to him now." Tyrande said. "I can only pray Elune lights a way for me to convince him of this."

Shandris scowled. "I certainly do not see him letting Malfurion's brother anywhere near where you want him to go."

Tyrande smiled. "Ah but your forgetting. I'm not just sending Illidan. I'm sending his companion with him."

"A hunter who can't land an arrow for the life of her when needed? Why?" Shandris asked in confusion.

Tyrande looked thoughful. "Because Illidan's normal course of action when visiting Darnassus would have been to simply walk in and destroy anyone who tried to stop him. Instead he sat outside and waited. Something I have never seen him do. Who do you think got him to do that?"

Shandris blinked in surprise as she connected the dots in her head. "But...how..."

Tyrande grinned. "How indeed."