Over the next two hours, the four of them debated back and forth on the best course of action. Bringing four differing opinions into the mix complicated matters, and most of the discussion was spent circumventing one another as each of them tried to make their point the most valid. Except for Eliana, who didn't have much to say about the matter at all.

It had been Malfurion's idea to recruit Illidan, but they were having trouble coming to an agreement as to how to use his abilities.

"I am fine with the idea of subduing the guards, I just do not understand how we will accomplish that," Tyrande stated.

"Illidan can subdue them, can he not?" Eliana asked.

Illidan answered with a nod. In contrast, Tyrande vehemently shook her head and said, "I do not wish to harm the guards. They are simply doing their duty to contain Brox."

"I do not intend on harming them, Tyra," Illidan replied, rather defensively.

"Well it is certain that we will need you to open the cage," Malfurion reassured his brother.

Mollified, Illidan said nothing as Tyrande shook her head again, her navy locks of hair swaying from side to side. She lifted her silver eyes to stare intently at Illidan before saying, "You promise that you will not hurt them, Illidan?"

Illidan sighed, as if he were tired of her lack of faith in his control over his abilities. "I swear, Tyrande."

Her gaze fell and she studied the floor before glancing back up at Eliana. "What do you think, Eliana? Can you see any other way we can get Brox out of there?"

Eliana started, surprised that anyone was even asking for her opinion. Her eyes shifted from Malfurion and Tyrande over to Illidan for a brief moment, before returning to meet the other woman's gaze. "I...I think if Illidan is capable of distracting the guards without harming them, as he says he is, that that would be...the best route."

Malfurion placed his hand on Tyrande's shoulder and reassured, "Whatever we decide to do, Tyrande, the guards will not be harmed."

She glanced up at Malfurion and they locked eyes briefly.

Eliana studied the two of them as they communicated their thoughts with a simple look. The conversation she had had with the other priestess echoed throughout her mind. Tyrande had confided in Eliana about her suspicions regarding the two brothers' feelings towards her. Despite what Tyrande had said at the time, their shared moment seemed to imply that though Tyrande didn't realize it right now, it seemed that she did have a preference.

From where he was standing off to the side, Illidan also saw the moment transpire and he shuffled in place, obviously uncomfortable. When Illidan cleared his throat surreptitiously, Malfurion started, breaking his eye contact with Tyrande.

The druid turned back to the group and stated, "I am going to return to the plaza and get a more accurate count of guards. I will hurry back." He raced out of the house and the wooden door slammed shut behind him.

Tyrande winced at the harsh sound before rubbing her temple. "I am going to lie down for a bit before we head out. Illidan, will you let me know when Malfurion is back and we are ready to go?"

When Illidan nodded, she shuffled up the circular staircase, the hemline of her thin robes fluttering in the slight breeze she left in her wake. Without Tyrande's presence in the room, the fact that Illidan stood not five feet from her and that they were now alone in his kitchen, hit Eliana, and she was overcome with sudden nerves. Her gaze flitted from his to the floor and she absentmindedly played with the ends of her hair, as she tried to will her racing heart to be calm.

Her eyes followed him as he wandered over to lean against the wooden counter. After crossing his arms over his chest, he spoke. "So. What do you really think about this plan? I sensed that you were holding back your truthful opinion."

"Why do you say that?" she questioned, taking a seat at his small, but by no means shabby, kitchen table.

Illidan chuckled under his breath. "Because you barely said five words the entire discussion. If you cannot say anything nice, then simply do not speak, right? Is that not some type of tenet in the Sisterhood?"

"It is not an official tenet. I think that Elune just wishes for all of her disciples to be kind and understanding," she replied.

"Yes, but you are still an elf. Come now, you can tell me, Eliana," he goaded.

Eliana sighed lightly before glancing over to the stairs to make sure that Tyrande hadn't come back into the room. "Fine, if you promise not to tell Tyrande. I...I think this plan sounds dangerous."

Illidan tilted his head at her. "Of course it sounds dangerous. We are breaking a prisoner out of his cage—that rests in the center of the Main Square, mind you—during the middle of the night. On top of that, said cage is surrounded by Lord Ravencrest's best and brightest soldiers. What part of that is not dangerous?"

She threw up her hands at his statement and exclaimed, "Then why are we doing it?"

His broad shoulders rose and fell in quick succession. "Because Mal and Tyrande believe that the beast deserves a chance to be free, I suppose."

It was her turn to tilt her head at him, studying him intently. Every time he referred to Broxigar, his tone of voice seemed...bitter, almost. Her curiosity got the better of her and she inquired, "Why do you keep calling him that? 'The beast'?"

"Is that not what he is?" Illidan asked flippantly.

"Well, his name is apparently Broxigar. As for what he is, I have no idea," she replied.

He didn't reply and a minute or so passed before Eliana spoke again, interrupting Illidan's thoughts. "Do you believe Broxigar deserves to be set free?"

Illidan glanced up from the ground, meeting her gaze. He held it for a few seconds before he responded, "It does not matter what I believe."

"Why would you think that?" Eliana pressed.

He sighed and looked away, his expression tightening before he spoke. "Malfurion and Tyrande have come up with a plan and so, it happens. Whatever my opinion may be on the subject—" He hesitated before continuing, his voice heavy with bitterness. "—it does not matter."

Eliana lowered her eyebrows at him in dissatisfaction. She never would've thought that Illidan, of all people, would lack in self-confidence. Perhaps things are different than I am sensing.

"You do not think your opinion holds value with them?" she tried to clarify, in an attempt to understand him a bit more.

Illidan shook his head and stared at her for a moment, choosing not to answer her question before changing the subject. "It is my turn to ask you. Do you believe that this 'Broxigar' is worth helping?"

At that, Eliana's gaze dropped to her lap, where she was fiddling with her own fingers. A beat passed before she replied, "I have not spoken to him so I cannot say what I think of his character. However...I know Tyrande, and I think that I know your brother well enough to say that...if they believe that Broxigar is worth saving, then they are likely right."

The side of Illidan's nose scrunched up and he commented, "Then perhaps it is worth it. What if we are caught? What then?"

"Perhaps I can reason with Cytheas! He…" Eliana trailed off, her sudden burst of excitement fading quickly when she realized who she'd mentioned.

"Cytheas? Your friend that I met once before?"

"We were friends. I do not believe that we are any longer," she responded in a quiet voice.

"Why do you say that?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"He...I...it is difficult to explain without going into the details. I would hate to bore you with my problems," she said, in an attempt to wave off the unwanted topic of conversation.

Illidan pushed off of the counter and ambled over to the table, sinking down into the chair opposite from Eliana. Bracing his arms on the table's surface, he persuaded, "You would not bore me; I wish to know. Besides, we are waiting on Malfurion."

Shyly, she glanced up and met Illidan's amber eyes, her cheeks darkening slightly at his intense stare. In a soft voice, she began, "Cytheas and I have been friends since we were younglings. We went everywhere together, did everything together...I always believed that no matter what happened in either of our lives, we would remain a constant to one another."

"What changed?"

"The day of the Festival of the Moon...do you remember it?"

"I do. We shared a moonberry pie. Well, I tried to anyway—you ate most of it," he teased.

Eliana blushed again and mumbled, "I like moonberry pie," before clearing her throat and continuing. "After we parted ways, Cytheas dragged me out to the edge of the forest. He said he wished to speak with me."

Illidan's eyebrows furrowed as Eliana continued. "He was…upset that I did not wait for him when he and Malfurion joined the eating contest—that we had gone off on our own."

"Why would he be upset at that? You have every right to enjoy the festival to yourself. As a matter of fact, you have more of a right considering how the festival is tied to the temple."

Eliana realized that she couldn't tell Illidan the real reason that Cytheas had gotten upset without revealing how she felt about him. She wasn't entirely sure if that was something she was willing to do at this moment in time, so instead, she lied. "I do not know. To make an incredibly long story short, he kissed me."

Illidan's eyebrows shot up and he remained silent for a moment before saying, "Is that...bad?"

She waved her hand in the air dismissively and responded, "I think in a normal situation where a female was being courted by a male, it would not be bad. However, I have never felt those kinds of emotions towards Cytheas and when he first admitted his feelings for me, I reminded him of that. He has known for years that I do not care about him in that way."

"Then why would he have done such a thing?"

"I did not know quite how to reject someone I cared for, and so I never said the words. Perhaps he felt that was my way of telling him that it was alright."

"He is your friend, is he not? By now, he should know you better than that."

Eliana opened her mouth to respond, only to close it again shortly after. There was no way she could explain everything in detail without compromising herself. Instead, she settled for, "Perhaps."

Illidan narrowed his eyes at her, as if sensing that she was again holding back, and said, "I am sorry that you and your friend are not on good terms any longer. It is...difficult sometimes, to remain friends when you are the opposite sex. Dynamics...change. We change."

Her heart dropped as she realized that he'd likely been thinking of Tyrande when he'd spoken. It was obvious to all that Tyrande held the affections of both Stormrage brothers, and the two females had that very discussion only a few weeks before. The brief, fleeting thought that Cytheas might be right—that she would waste her life away pining after Illidan—passed through her mind, before her lips tightened into a thin line.

Eliana hummed in agreement and didn't say anything else in response.

As silence fell between them, she studied his profile as his gaze remained fixated on the staircase leading up to the living quarters. His expression was neutral, his features relaxed. Though he appeared to be at ease, the rest of his posture implied otherwise. His foot bounced against the wooden floors and his fingers reflexively twitched every so often.

She thought back at the way Illidan had referred to Tyrande. His voice always softened when he spoke of the other priestess. Whenever Tyrande was in the room, especially if she reacted to Illidan, his countenance seemed to lift; a simple smile from the woman was all it took to put Illidan in a good mood. Eliana knew that should she ask Illidan about Tyrande, she was opening the door to a discussion that she might wish she'd never incited. But she had to know. If she never asked him, she'd never know the truth. Even Tyrande only assumed that the brothers were vying for her affection. Neither one of them had openly admitted it yet.

With her decision made, Eliana spoke, causing Illidan to start slightly since he was in deep thought. "We are friends, right, Illidan?"

His head turned sharply in her direction. When their eyes met, he raised his eyebrows at her. "I—Yes...I suppose that we are. I cannot say that I have many in my life that I could refer to as a 'friend' but...yes. I would like to think so. Why?"

Eliana hesitated before responding, though she knew she had to finish this conversation, now that she'd started it. "Friends...they...confide in one another, yes?"

Illidan narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes…" he trailed off.

"You and Malfurion...Tyrande...you care about her, don't you?"

Illidan's eyes dropped to his hands as he avoided answering the question. When he still hadn't responded after a few seconds, Eliana pressed on. "Tyrande spoke to me about your childhood together. That you had grown up with one another, much like Cytheas and myself. You were talking about her when you mentioned that people change, were you not?"

He refused to look up and meet her gaze. "...I was."

"Then you do care for her?"

Quickly, he looked back up at Eliana, his golden, beautiful eyes boring into hers. He sat up and leaned over the table slightly, and in a low voice, asked, "Why do you wish to know?"

Eliana opened her mouth to respond, only to close it immediately after. How do I respond without telling him?

Eventually, she settled for, "Tyrande is my friend. I only wished to know for her sake."

"You weren't planning on telling her, were you? I wanted to admit my feelings to her myself," Illidan replied.

Now, it was Eliana's turn to look down. "No...no, I won't tell her."

Illidan nodded and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. From underneath her lashes, Eliana studied his face, admiring his handsome features. The sound of his voice, admitting that he cared for Tyrande, came back to her then and a sharp spike of pain lanced through her chest. It felt like the jagged edge of a hunting arrow had been shot straight into her heart.

Pressing the heel of her palm to her chest, she stood abruptly and wandered over to the window beside Illidan's front door. She watched elves pass by as they went about their lives, absentmindedly rubbing her chest, willing the pain to go away.

Minutes passed with neither of them saying anything. Eliana remained by the window, avoiding looking back at Illidan. The atmosphere between them was awkward now, and she didn't have the slightest idea how to break the newfound tension.

I shouldn't have asked, she thought, before looking down at her sandaled feet.

The door shot open and banged loudly against the opposite wall, causing the two of them to jump at the sudden noise. When they glanced over at the entrance, Malfurion was standing in the open doorway.

His chest heaved up and down as he tried to catch his breath, and his forest-green hair was swept back from his face, as if he'd sprinted the entire way back from the square. In a frantic voice, he exclaimed, "We must make haste! There were more guards before but a few just left. If we go now, we will be dealing with only four of them!"

Illidan rose from the table, his chair scraping against the wooden floors. He moved towards the staircase and hurriedly ascended as he called down to them, "I will wake Tyrande!"

Malfurion's eyes followed his brother's form until he could no longer see him, at which point he turned to Eliana and asked, "Wake Tyrande?"

"After you left, she went to lie down. We have been so busy at the Temple and as of late, she has been pulled in every direction. She is exhausted," Eliana explained.

He pinched his eyebrows together, causing his forehead to crease up. "She never mentioned anything to me," he mumbled.

Eliana placed a hand on Malfurion's upper arm and in a soft voice, reassured, "I am sure she simply did not wish to worry you. You know how she is. She likes to take everything on herself."

Malfurion laughed under his breath and said, "That is very true."

Illidan's heavy footsteps pounded against the wooden stairs and not two seconds after they'd heard him, he reappeared at the foot of the staircase with Tyrande in tow. The other priestess was rubbing the sleep from her eyes and when Illidan glanced at Eliana's hand on his brother's arm, he paused briefly before hurrying over to the door.

"Well? You insisted we were in a hurry, so let us leave!" Illidan demanded as stalked outside.

Malfurion glanced over at Tyrande, as if to ask why his brother was in such a foul mood, and she shrugged before trailing after Illidan. When Malfurion looked over at Eliana, she dropped her gaze immediately and shrugged as well. Malfurion sighed in defeat before following the two of them outside. After they walked out the door, Eliana pulled it shut behind her, meeting the trio in the middle of the street.

Illidan was facing away from her, staring down the way towards the plaza. When he turned, his high ponytail swung around and landed over his shoulder. "So. What is the plan for when we get there?"

Malfurion looked up, lost in thought for a few seconds. When an idea hit him, he lifted a finger and explained, "First, we will need to distract the guards, as we discussed. Then, Illidan, you will need to figure out a way to open the cage so that Broxigar can get out. From there, I will take him—"

Tyrande's eyebrows shot up and she interrupted Malfurion. "You will take him? Malfurion, Brox is most comfortable around me. I think it would be best if I went with him."

Both of the twins clearly opposed that idea; Malfurion's mouth fell open, his expression aghast at the thought of Tyrande in danger, and Illidan scoffed in distaste. Malfurion touched Tyrande's shoulder gently as he replied, "I understand that you're concerned for him, Tyra. But you are the only one who was seen helping him, giving him aid. If you were to both disappear, it would be rather obvious as to who let him escape, don't you think?"

Tyrande opened her mouth to reply, only to shut it again. She glanced over at Eliana, hoping for some support in this, but Eliana shook her head slightly and said, "He has a point, Tyrande."

With a sigh, the other priestess nodded and Malfurion continued with his instruction. "So, I will be the one to escort Broxigar to safety."

"What am I to do?" Eliana piped up.

All three heads turned to her, as if they'd only just realized they'd forgotten to assign her a role. Embarrassed at the attention, she shuffled in place as she thought, I shouldn't have opened my mouth.

"You...can be...the lookout," Illidan offered.

"The lookout?" Eliana echoed. The lookout wasn't even an actual job, as she was sure that the three of them were more than capable of keeping an eye out for themselves. Being assigned to essentially just stand there and stare at some incapacitated guards made her feel...well, useless.

"It is just as important as being the one to distract the guards, or as Malfurion's job to take Broxigar away. We do need someone to keep an eye out, after all," Tyrande soothed.

Eliana let a small sigh before nodding in agreement. Illidan returned the gesture to confirm that they were ready, and the four of them ran off towards the square. As they traveled, Eliana kept her eyes focused on the back of Illidan's head, watching his ponytail sway from side to side as he moved.

The lookout...honestly. Does he truly believe that I am that incompetent?

At the depressing thought, Eliana felt extremely discouraged. She'd all but confirmed that Illidan only had eyes for Tyrande—only ever would have eyes for Tyrande. Now he'd basically admitted that he didn't think she was good for much of anything.

This is not the time to dwell on such seemingly trivial matters...she tried to convince herself, as their group came to a halt a few feet away from the cage.

Cytheas and three other guards were milling about, gathering the last of the supply crates and placing them behind the cage, on the other end of the wagon. When Illidan spotted Cytheas, he glanced over at Eliana as if he were worried about her changing her mind because of her friend's presence, and his forehead creased. She subtly shook her head and he returned her silent request with an almost imperceptible nod.

"I'll take care of the guards," Illidan suggested as he stepped forward with clenched fists.

He'd only taken two steps before Malfurion darted forward and grabbed his brother's shoulder, yanking him backwards. "No, I will handle it."

Malfurion? Why is he deviating from the plan?

Illidan narrowed his eyes for a split second before shrugging and taking a step back. The druid came to a stand-still, his eyes sliding shut in concentration. Not a minute later, a light breeze picked up, ruffling the snowy strands of Eliana's hair. She glanced upwards, confused at the change in weather when she caught the scent of moon lilies on the wind. Her eyes widened in astonishment and she looked back at Malfurion with newfound awe.

Malfurion is doing this? This is incredible!

All four guards straightened, leaving whatever tasks they'd currently been doing. Their faces fell into a blank expression and they appeared to have lost all conscious thought, staring off into the distance with wide eyes.

Once they'd remained in that position for a few seconds, Malfurion opened his eyes and a triumphant smile spread across his face. "There!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, that was nice and all brother, but how long will the spell last?" Illidan needled.

"I do not know how long...we must move now! Quickly, to the cage," Malfurion instructed, before sprinting over to the middle of the square. Without any hesitation, Tyrande followed immediately after him.

After glancing at each other briefly, Illidan and Eliana rushed after the two. Once they were standing beside the guards, Eliana paused and huffed, "I shall wait here. I will let you know if they stir."

Malfurion nodded, and he and Tyrande continued on past the guards, towards the cage.

Illidan moved to follow, but at the last second, he turned back and his amber eyes met Eliana's. He hesitated before saying, "Thank you Eliana—for helping, I mean."

She smiled at him, grateful for his attempt at smoothing the waters between them, and waved her hands at him to hurry. He returned her smile before running after Malfurion and Tyrande. The three of them crouched down in front of the cage and Eliana saw Illidan raise his arms into the air, his sorcery enveloping the cage in a vibrant red glow.

Eliana glanced over and realized that she was standing closest to Cytheas, who was still under whatever illusion spell Malfurion had cast. Being able to study his countenance without him realizing that she was doing it, was a blessing at this moment in time. She wished that she could just reach out to him and make everything between them all better, but that was a naive thought and she knew it was likely impossible.

His prominent cheekbones were made even more noticeable by his hollowed-out jowls. It looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep in the past few weeks, ever since that night. Though he always had his hair up in a high topknot—much like Illidan's ponytail, now that she realized it—his forehead was taut, as if the binding was too tight.

The bottom of her heart dropped out, knowing that it was because of her that he was suffering so much. If only she'd been honest with him from the beginning, perhaps that day at the festival would never have come to be.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she dropped her gaze as she brushed aside the pooling moisture. When she glanced back up into his face, she saw Cytheas' navy eyebrow twitch. With a gasp, she whirled around and called out, "Hurry! The spell is wearing off!"

They'd managed to open the cage door but Broxigar was still within the bars, hesitating for whatever reason. Tyrande reached her hand out to Broxigar, and he scrunched his face up in distrust as he gazed over at Illidan. The sorcerer had his arms crossed over his wide chest, his upper lip curled up in a sneer. Clearly, whatever the creature had said to them, had upset Illidan.

Eliana glanced back at Cytheas and saw him swallow, the muscles in his neck moving, albeit at a snail's pace. She rapidly turned back to the trio and cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting, "Please, hurry! He's starting to move!"

When Malfurion heard Eliana's warning, his head snapped around as he turned to look at her with wide eyes. After turning back towards his twin and Tyrande, she could see his mouth moving quickly as he frantically pointed in the direction of the forest. They both nodded and Malfurion, with Broxigar in tow, sprinted off towards the treeline. They disappeared into the safety of the pines and Tyrande and Illidan hurried over to Eliana.

As they ran past, Illidan reached out and grasped her upper arm, pulling her away from Cytheas. "Come! We must hurry back to my home!"

She let Illidan drag her along until she remembered how she got to the square in the first place, earlier in the day. She wrenched her arm out of his hold and cried out, "Wait! Go on without me, I will meet you there shortly!"

Tyrande continued out of the plaza but Illidan paused and turned back, holding his hands up in the air in disbelief. "Eliana, what are you doing?!"

"Go!" she cried out, before rushing over to the post on the other side of the plaza. Illidan watched her run in the opposite direction before swearing under his breath and sprinting after Tyrande.

As Eliana passed by the cage again, she could see that Cytheas' fingers were twitching at his sides—the spell was nearly completely gone. When she neared her mount, she gently reached out and placed her hand against the Nightsaber's side, trying to avoid startling it once it came out of the spell.

The creature jerked at first, but once it swiveled its head over and saw Eliana, it nuzzled its snout into her palm in greeting. She smiled and murmured, "I am sorry my friend, but we need to leave right now. May I get on?"

Sensing the urgency in her voice, the Nightsaber lowered its front legs and Eliana swiftly climbed up, swinging her leg over and grasping the beast's fur tightly in her hands. She squeezed her thighs together and they took off, racing past Cytheas and the other guards on their way towards the living quarters on the other side of the area.

When they passed underneath the archway, Eliana chanced a look back over her shoulder and saw that Cytheas could now turn his entire upper body. He shouted over to the other guard, and gestured at the cage with wide eyes. She faced forward again and urged her mount to run faster, her heart pounding in her chest.

That was far too close.

They raced towards Illidan's house and the chilled wind rushed through her hair, sending it flying in all directions. Though she was riding her mount, the recent close call caused her breath to come in heavy gasps and she felt a wave of relief wash over her when she spotted his rounded wooden door in the distance.

Dismounting before they'd even come to a stop, she ran her fingers gratefully through the Nightsaber's fur before turning and pushing Illidan's door open. It banged against the wall again, much like it had earlier when Malfurion had announced his return, and Illidan and Tyrande's eyes shot up to meet hers.

Tyrande jumped out of the chair and hurried over to Eliana, grasping her hands in her own. "We were so worried! Why in Elune's name would you run back?!" the other priestess demanded.

"Earlier today, a Nightsaber approached me and I...it's a long story. I'm here now," Eliana offered in lieu of a real explanation.

Illidan narrowed his eyes at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. He stalked towards her and came to a halt less than a foot away. As he loomed over her, he murmured, "Let's not do that again, hm?"

"Do what?" Eliana mumbled.

"Run off and deviate from the plan, causing everyone to worry about you," he spat, before whirling around and stomping up the stairs.

Eliana watched him go, her mouth falling open in shock at his reaction. When she turned to Tyrande, the other female shrugged and said, "He's been pacing back and forth since we got here. I think he was anxious for you to arrive."

She knew it was silly but...a warm, fluttering feeling within her chest erupted at Tyrande's words and a smile teased at the corners of her lips.

The emotion lasted but a few seconds because Tyrande began to wring her hands in the air, shuffling in place. "Malfurion has yet to return," she muttered, her eyes falling to the floor.

lllidan's voice called down from upstairs. "He will be fine, Tyrande. We have spoken of this since the moment you and I walked back through the door. If he sticks to the plan—" He descended the staircase and when he came around the bend, he glared at Eliana. "—then he will be fine."

Eliana averted her gaze and cleared her throat before she said, "Illidan is right, Tyrande. Malfurion is capable of getting Broxigar to safety—he knows what to do."

Tyrande paced back and forth, moving her hands from her mouth down to her hips, then back. "I think we should go back to the square."

Both Illidan and Eliana turned sharply to stare at Tyrande in disbelief. "What?!" Illidan exclaimed.

"I just...I want to make sure that the guards do not have any suspicions that it was him," Tyrande explained.

Eliana shook her head at the other priestess. "Tyrande...Malfurion was right when he said that he was the one who should take Broxigar away. The guards know that you have been interacting with him. If we return now, they will be even more suspicious."

"Or it will be the opposite! Perhaps if I make an appearance now, then they will believe, even more than before, that we were not involved!" Tyrande rebutted, trying to convince them.

"Only fools return to the scene of a crime that they just committed, Tyra. That would be insane," Illidan reprimanded.

Tyrande rounded on Illidan and accused, "How are you not concerned for Malfurion's well-being, Illidan? He is your brother—your twin!"

Illidan's expression fell into a fierce frown. "I never said that I did not care, Tyrande! I am simply following the plan! Why is it that everyone is just throwing caution to the wind?! We decided earlier that Malfurion and the beast would head out into the forest. We would then wait here, until it was safe, and that is when we would meet again!"

Eliana's eyes darted back and forth between Tyrande and Illidan, feeling incredibly out of place. She reached up and toyed with the ends of her hair again as her gaze fell to the floor. They were arguing as if she wasn't in the room, and she didn't know what to do.

When she looked back up, Tyrande was throwing her hands up into the air in frustration. "I refuse to just stand by and wait for Malfurion to show up! What if he needs our help, Illidan?"

"There is no way to know that! We have to wait here so that he can communicate with us. What if we leave and he shows up? What then?" he challenged.

"I will not listen to this any longer. Every second we stand here and argue, is a moment wasted. I am returning to the square," Tyrande announced, sprinting over to the door and yanking it open.

Eliana gasped and reached out to Tyrande but before she could say anything, Tyrande had raced outside and turned around the corner. Illidan grabbed the closest thing to him, which happened to be a clay pitcher, and threw it across the room, causing it shatter into pieces. Eliana jumped and clapped her hands over her ears at the sudden, frightening noise.

"For the love of Elune," he mumbled, from between clenched teeth.

After heaving a deep sigh, he turned to Eliana and with rushed words, asked, "Your Nightsaber—the one you mentioned earlier. Is it here?"

Eliana pointed out the door to where the massive sabercat was lying down, waiting for her return. Illidan wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her outside, causing a jolt to shoot up her arm. She let out a small gasp and her cheeks darkened when Illidan reached around her to shut the door.

He raced down the steps and gestured for Eliana to follow. She approached her mount and looked up at Illidan, unsure of what his plan was.

Illidan jerked his head towards the square and said, "We need to go after her. Knowing Tyrande, she will do something without thinking, and we cannot risk having her throw the plan out the window. Can we both fit on this thing?"

Eliana glanced at her Nightsaber, who didn't seem averse to the idea of carrying the two of them. Then again, they'd only known each other for a few hours so she couldn't exactly say for sure, and she told Illidan as much.

He frowned but when he looked in the direction of the square, he clenched his jaw and replied, "We'll never know until we try. Since it's most familiar with you, perhaps you should get on first."

"A good idea," Eliana commented, before clambering atop the sabercat.

She hesitated before offering her hand to Illidan. She'd only ever ridden a mount with Cytheas, and the thought of having Illidan sit behind her rather than in front of her, made her nervous.

Knowing she couldn't stall any longer, she extended her arm out and he quickly placed his hand in hers, pulling himself up and swinging his leg over the Nightsaber. After he scooted closer—which made waves of anxiety roll through her abdomen—he laced his arms around her waist and leaned down to murmur in her ear, "You've got this, right?"

The feel of his rigid chest against her back made her blush even harder than before, and she was grateful that he was unable to see her face at the moment. With a small, nervous chuckle, she leaned forward and grasped the Nightsaber's fur tightly between her fingers. "This is only the third time I've ridden my new friend. I also do not have a saddle, so...you might want to hold on tight…" she trailed off.

She squeezed her thighs around the Nightsaber, urging it into motion, and they jerked forward as the sabercat made its way towards the square. Illidan tightened his arms around her as they raced after Tyrande, neither of them sure of what they could be running into.

A/N: First of all, I am so sorry that I haven't updated this story in forever. My other WIPs just kind of took over, and I've been working on a submission piece for a fandom challenge, in addition to my programming class being evil. Every time I tried to work on this chapter, it was just stubborn and refused to let me write it.

Thank you to everyone who is still around and reading this story. Your faith means a lot to me! Specifically, thanks to XxDarknezzXx and Nightlain for your reviews. Thanks to Dark Celestial Empress and XxDarknezzXx for the favorites, and crushcommando and louise53 for the follows!

Lastly, thanks to my beta, Arenoptara and angelacm for stepping in and helping me round out this chapter.

I promise I'll try to update sooner next time! Thanks for sticking with me, everyone :)