Eliana froze, her mind unable to process the fact that it was Illidan—Illidan—whose lips were on hers. A few seconds later when she still hadn't responded, Illidan pulled back and gazed down at her with his alluring eyes—though at the moment, they were filled with what might be displeasure.

"For someone who claims to have feelings for me, I'd have imagined that you'd react a bit differently," he stated.

A blush spread out across Eliana's cheeks and she murmured, "I'm sorry. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting that."

"A fair point," he noted with a low chuckle. "If I do it again, will you reciprocate this time?"

All she could manage was a nod. Apparently, it was enough for Illidan because he once again cradled her cheek and leaned in, giving her a chance to anticipate what was about to happen this time around. She closed her eyes and when she felt his warm, slightly chapped lips press against hers, a jolt of euphoria shot through her, warming her straight down to her toes. The kiss remained rather chaste for a few seconds until Illidan gently ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. That single, intimate sensation caused the simmering heat within Eliana to ignite into an uncontrollable flame.

She wound her arms around his neck and opened her mouth for him, acquiescing to his silent request. He slid his tongue into her mouth as he pulled her closer on the bench, and their surroundings faded into the background; she was completely enveloped in Illidan's essence, his passion, and it far exceeded any expectation she'd had of how this might feel. By this point, she was nearly straddling him. If she hadn't been so swept up by the moment, she might've acknowledged the fact that it was an uncharacteristically bold move on her part.

With every stroke of his tongue, the muscles in her lower abdomen clenched in the most torturous, yet delightful way. She appreciated the fact that he didn't seem to mind her ineptitude—the way he took swift control of the situation clearly indicated that.

When she pulled back and tentatively nibbled on his lower lip, he let out a groan that both took her by surprise and excited her further. He was normally so quiet and reserved; his verbal reaction had been the last thing she'd expected. In response, he captured her lips again, but this time his hands traveled up and into her hair. His fingers tightened in the soft strands—almost painfully so—but here in this moment, Eliana found that the sharp tug only served to elicit more pleasure. For what had started as a subdued kiss, a testing of the waters, it now threatened to spiral dangerously out of control. Neither one of them had anticipated this.

They were both so oblivious to their surroundings that they didn't notice Cytheas walk back into the room. It wasn't until the door closed with an echoing thud that they broke apart, and when Eliana glanced over Illidan's shoulder, she saw Cytheas watching them with a grim expression that was tainted with hurt. She winced at the sight before lowering her gaze, unable to stop the brief flash of guilt that rushed through her.

They'd talked about what had happened between them, and he'd made it very clear that he still, and likely always would, care about her. Despite the way they'd handled the situation that had caused them to drift apart, she stillcared about him—though as a friend—and it was natural that she'd feel guilty for hurting his feelings now, even if she knew that she had every right to chase after her own happiness. After all, she'd done her part and made it known that she would never reciprocate his feelings, and he finally seemed to understand that.

Her friend's tight expression dissolved into one more blank and unreadable, and he slowly walked in their direction. Figuring she should put some space between her and Illidan before Cytheas reached them, she glanced up at Illidan and noticed that he too was looking past her shoulder. Gently, she placed her hand on his upper arm to get his attention. When he looked back at her, she offered a hesitant, albeit flustered smile. Much to her dismay and surprise, his reciprocation was rather stiff. Before she could question the reason why, he slid off of the bench and rose to his feet, offering his hand to her for help. She took it, but noticed how he wasn't entirely willing to look her in the eye. This was neithr the time nor the place to ask him about that, and she figured they'd have a chance to discuss what exactly had just happened between them at a later time.

By then, Cytheas had reached them and Illidan offered a curt nod in his direction. For a moment, Eliana worried that the tension between them would return, but Cytheas simply mirrored the gesture with that blank expression still on his face.

Holding Illidan's gaze, Cytheas explained, "According to Jarod, his scouts have spotted Lord Ravencrest and a small group of soldiers approaching the city. We should probably head out to meet them now."

Illidan's eyebrows furrowed, implying that he didn't quite like the news that Cytheas had delivered. "I will inform Tyrande. Wait here," he replied gruffly, before turning and stalking towards the center of the room.

A beat passed before Cytheas muttered, "He seems rather upset, considering what just happened between you two."

From the flat tone of his voice, it was likely that he'd been trying to sound nonchalant, but it ended up coming across as a bit petulant instead. Slightly irritated, Eliana let out a short sigh and shook her head. "Cytheas...please don't. I swear to you that we weren't—I wasn't planning on—"

Cytheas held up his hand, indicating that she didn't have to finish that train of thought. "It's not any of my business, Eli. After all, we just discussed that we both have to move past what happened between us. You're allowed to kiss whomever you wish and you are not obligated to explain anything to me."

"I may not be obligated, no, but I am willing to explain—if you want an explanation, that is."

"I do not need one. Do whatever you wish to do, Eliana." He crossed his arms and watched Illidan converse with Tyrande across the room.

Another sigh escaped her lips. Did he have to act so jealous all the time? The second that thought crossed her mind, she chastised herself. He had every right to act the way he was. However, it didn't mean she had to apologize for her own actions, because she'd done nothing wrong. That left the two of them at a rather awkward stalemate, and silence fell between them. Cytheas continued to stare in the direction of the other half of their group, and Eliana pulled her hair to the side so that she could absentmindedly weave the thick white strands into a tight braid.

After a few minutes, when Eliana felt like she could no longer handle the tense silence, Illidan returned to their side. "Tyrande says that Malfurion is still deep within the Emerald Dream. Apparently, it isn't safe to move him while he's in such a state. She and Broxigar plan to stay here at the Temple until he awakens." Illidan gestured to Cytheas and finished, "It will likely be just the two of us heading out to meet them from the sound of things."

A surge of irritation swept through Eliana. It was just like the last time they'd all tried to form a plan, and attempted to leave her out of things. The situation was significantly more dire now, and there was no way she was going to let them push her aside again. She wasn't the sort of female to simply wait at home, safe from the dangers of the world, worrying for those she loved who were on the front lines. No, she would be right there beside them.

She stepped forward, and both Cytheas and Illidan faced her. "I'm coming with you," she stated in a firm voice.

As she'd predicted, her announcement didn't have the most positive reaction. Cytheas shook his head fervently and Illidan looked positively aghast.

"Eli, are you insane?"

"Absolutely not, Eliana."

She crossed her arms over her chest and with a frown, said, "Cytheas, you know very well that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself on the battlefield. I may not have as much experience as you do, but I am far from helpless." After facing Illidan, she added, "I have every right to be out there, fighting to protect our people and our home. You've no right to stop me, Illidan."

Both males opened their mouths to rebut, but were interrupted by the sound of Tyrande's soft footsteps. "She is right. Neither of you have any reason or right to prevent her from joining you. If she wishes to fight, then I do not see why she cannot."

Illidan sighed, glaring at Tyrande out of the corner of his eye. "It's dangerous out there, Eliana. I know you wish to help, but if you've never been in the throes of battle before, you could get yourself killed—quickly."

"I know that it isn't a game; I am not a child. But whether I join you now or wait for the demons to reach the city, what does it matter? I refuse to simply stand back and watch the people I love fight my battles for me. Not when I know that I can help. I'm coming with you," Eliana insisted.

No one spoke after her statement, and Cytheas watched her with knowing eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he mumbled, "All right."

Both Illidan and Eliana looked at him sharply—Illidan with disbelief, and Eliana with surprise. When Cytheas saw the look on Illidan's face, he rolled his eyes and explained, "You don't know her like I do just yet. When she makes that face, she will not take no for an answer. If we try to leave her behind, she'll simply follow after us. We might as well agree now so that we can try to keep an eye on her."

The warm sense of gratitude in her chest faded and was quickly replaced with vexation. "I don't need either of you to babysit me," she piped up indignantly.

Visibly frustrated, Illidan ran his hand down his face and sighed, long and deep. "Fine. Get ready to leave. We'll meet at the base of the temple steps in five minutes."

With that, he stalked out of the room and the door shut behind him with a heavy thud. The three of them cringed, and Cytheas muttered, "Bit of a temper, hm?"

Tyrande shook her head and with cinched brows, replied, "He tends to get angry when things don't go the way he wants them to. He'll get over it. Eliana, before you go, may I speak with you?"

Eliana nodded in Tyrande's direction before touching Cytheas on the shoulder to get his attention. "Will you go to my room and grab the pack I left by the door? I put everything together this morning, just in case."

"I'm sure it was 'just in case'," Cytheas said, rolling his eyes. "I'll meet you outside then."

Again, she nodded in confirmation, and Cytheas left the room. Once they were alone, Eliana faced Tyrande and questioned, "What did you need to speak to me about?"

"As I'm sure Illidan told you, I'm going to stay here with Malfurion until he wakes. Broxigar is also staying, but as soon as we are able, we'll meet up with you."

"All right…" Eliana trailed off, sensing that her friend hadn't yet said everything she needed to.

After a moment of hesitation, Tyrande continued. "I saw you...you and Illidan."

Immediately, Eliana dropped her eyes to the floor before meeting her friend's gaze once more. It was difficult to tell what Tyrande was getting at. Was she angry? Did she disapprove? Why else would she bring it up?

In a flat voice, Eliana replied, "I am sure that you did. It would be hard to miss, what with you being only a few feet away."

"You are mistaken, Eliana. I am not upset. I simply wanted to...warn you."

"Warn me? Whatever for?"

"Illidan is—" Tyrande broke off with a heavy sigh. "He means well, he always does. But there are times when he acts without thinking things through. It's never long before the ramifications of his actions catch up to him, and he's left fighting with himself on whether it was the right thing to do. He is driven by his emotions and his determination, and often times, he can be overwhelming to be around because of that."

Eliana slowly shook her head, confused as to what Tyrande was trying to tell her. A couple of tense seconds passed with Tyrande holding her gaze, and her friend finished with, "I just want you to be careful. I know how you feel about him, even if you've never come out and actually said it, and considering everything that is happening around us...I do not want any distractions to put your life at risk."

Incensed, Eliana gestured towards Malfurion's still frame across the room. "Is Malfurion not a distraction for you?"

Appearing to be thoroughly chagrined, Tyrande glanced over her shoulder at the male in question before facing Eliana again. "I will be honest with you and admit that, yes, sorting through my own emotions has been at the forefront of my mind. But I am not joining you on the front lines, Eliana. You and Illidan both will be there, together, and from what I saw occur between you two earlier… Just promise me that you will try to remain focused? Please?"

"This is not coming from a place of jealousy, is it?" Eliana murmured. "Not that I would be angry if it were, because I know exactly how that feels, but—"

Tyrande raised her hand and interrupted Eliana in mid-sentence. "No, it isn't. I am saying it because I know Illidan, and I like to think that I know you. I just want to make sure that I will find you alive and well when we join up with you later."

Eliana nodded, almost imperceptibly, before grasping Tyrande's hand and squeezing a bit. "I promise, so long as you promise the same."

A smile teased at the other priestess' lips. "I promise."

The two embraced briefly before Eliana backpedaled towards the door. "Elune-adore, sister," she whispered.

The last thing she saw before the door shut behind her was Tyrande standing in the center of the Chamber of the Moon, one hand over her heart, and the other raised in farewell.

When Eliana emerged from the Temple, she saw Illidan and Cytheas standing beside the mount post at the base of the steps. Her own Nightsaber stood at attention beside Il'hadras and Illidan's borrowed mount, rocking back and forth on its four paws, seemingly anxious to get going. She hurried down the staircase and once she stood beside them, Cytheas questioned, "What did Tyrande want?"

"She just told me to be careful," she replied as she affectionately patted Il'hadras' snout. Her own saber snorted in jealousy, and she shook her head in amusement before moving to its side. "Did you have a chance to go and check on my father?"

He shook his head. "I stopped by the garrison first. When Jarod told me about Lord Ravencrest, I hurried back to the Temple. If we leave now, we can stop by on our way out."

On cue, Illidan swung himself up and into his mount's saddle before looking down at them expectantly. She and Cytheas followed suit and without further preamble, the trio left the square and raced through the outer perimeter of the city. With every step that carried them nearer to her home, a deep sense of foreboding grew exponentially and settled in her lower abdomen. Try as she might, she couldn't dispel the sensation, and she prayed to Elune that she was simply suffering from paranoia fueled by fear.

The second they rounded the curve in the path and her once majestic home came into view, she realized that her premonition was all too true. Her home stood before her, charred, broken, and nearly unrecognizable. The front door hung from its hinges, the wide boards broken and snapped in half. Many of the planks that made up the arched walkway that led to the door were missing, and tears sprang into Eliana's eyes at the sight of her home in ruins. It was any wonder that the colossal tree was still standing, it was so badly damaged.

Before the three of them had even reached the tree, Eliana slid from her mount's saddle and rushed towards the front door, desperately hoping that her father hadn't been home when the attack had come. Suddenly, her previous worries about discussing things with Illidan, and patching up her relationship with Cytheas, seemed so trivial. From behind her, she could hear Cytheas yelling for her to wait, but the sound was muffled as if she were hearing him from underwater. Once she stood at the base of the stairs, she paused, bracing herself on the unstable railing.

"Father? Father!" she cried out, listening for any sounds: her father's voice, a creaking floorboard, anything to indicate that there was life within the burned walls.

When her only response was silence, the fear within her multiplied, threatening to overtake her entirely. She tried to climb the splintered wooden steps, but stumbled in her haste and panic. Strong, warm arms encircled her, and placed her back down on solid ground.

Illidan's deep timbre filled her senses, and she felt his breath ghost against the tip of her ear. "Be careful, Eliana. Cytheas and I will go first so we can make sure the structure is sound. If your father is inside, we will find him."

Desperate and overcome with anxiety, she clung to the front of his shirt and took a couple of deep breaths before she nodded. He returned the gesture and cupped her cheek for a brief second before stepping past her, nimbly making his way to the top of the broken steps.

Almost immediately after he disappeared into the house, Cytheas sidled up to Eliana and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I will come back out for you as soon as we know it is safe."

She looked up and held his gaze, nodding once more when she finally felt like her brief panic attack had subsided. His hand drifted down her arm, and he squeezed her hand in reassurance before following Illidan into her house.

Now that she was alone, the silence of the forest seemed to multiply, suffocating her with its oppressive and ominous air. She, along with every other Night Elf, knew that the forest was never truly silent. The sounds of their fellow inhabitants usually permeated the space: the chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves as the wind blew through the branches. This unfamiliar, unnatural quiet was how she knew things were worse than she'd initially thought. True silence filled the meadow; not a single melodic trill could be heard, nor could she feel the aura of any of the forest's usual occupants. Whatever had come through here and destroyed her home clearly had no qualms about razing the forest to the ground. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't frightened.

Seeking reassurance, she ambled over to her Nightsaber and slid her fingers through its coarse mane. It swiveled its head around to look back at her, and let out a heavy snort through its nose. Despite the ominous tension in the air, a slight chuckle escaped her lips and she absentmindedly stroked her mount's neck underneath the thick layer of hair.

"I suppose thinking up a name for you would be a good activity to get my mind off of things, wouldn't it?" Eliana whispered.

Her only response was the Nightsaber shaking its mane in an attempt to smooth out its now ruffled hair. She switched from threading her fingers through the coarse strands to actually combing them in an attempt to help. A quick peek to the underside of her mount affirmed her initial thought that it was a female, and she tapped her forefinger to her lips in deep thought.

"Your fur is rather dark...perhaps something to do with the night? Shadows? Stars? Do any of those sound good to you?" she asked the sabercat.

It stared back at her with its shrewd eyes once more, and she listed off random words again, waiting to see if any of them elicited a response. "Night?"

No reaction.

"Stars?" A subtle shake of the mane. "Shadow?" Her tail flicked to the side.

"Shadow of the stars?" Eliana whispered, the corner of her lips curling upwards in an affectionate smile. When the Nightsaber looked back over her shoulder at Eliana again, and let out another puff of air, Eliana laughed.

"Shadow of the stars it is, then. From today forth, you will be known as Kal'shalla," she announced, and the sabercat let out a low purr.

The creak of a floorboard echoed throughout the clearing and Eliana whirled around, her hand immediately jumping to her pack where her daggers were. When she saw that Cytheas had come back out onto the front porch, she relaxed and headed for the stairs to meet him.

"Did you find anything?" she anxiously questioned.

He shook his head, and she sighed in disappointment and worry. With cinched brows, she asked him, "If he isn't here now, then where could he be?"

"I do not know, but I hope that it is wherever these demons are not. If you still want to come inside, Eli, I'm warning you that...they left little untouched."

A shaky breath left her before she replied, "I have to see it for myself."

His only response was a slight nod, and he held out his hand for her. She grabbed it, and he proceeded to help guide her up the unstable remnants of the stairs. When they reached the porch, Illidan glided out of the house and met them in the doorway. Their eyes met, and his frown deepened as he laid a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Eliana. There isn't much to salvage," he murmured.

Tears pooled in her eyes again and she offered a thankful smile, however brief and unconvincing it might have been. Illidan moved to the side so that he no longer blocked the entranceway, and as she and Cytheas walked into the house, he said, "I will wait for you both out here."

The sound of Illidan's voice, which was normally such a comfort to her, faded into the background as she saw the true extent of the damage. Her eyes flitted around the room in abject horror, and her heart stuttered in her chest like it was going to give out. The wooden dining table that her father had built with his own hands had been broken into two pieces and tossed across the room like it had weighed nothing. Splintered shards of the once beautiful pine lay scattered across the floor, and hers and her father's belongings were thrown about chaotically with no method to the madness. There was so much debris in the room that the kitchen was no longer accessible, and she shuddered as she thought about the condition of the window that used to be there—the one that had allowed her to admire the forest beyond their home.

Cytheas gently placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her to the staircase. When she saw the state of the banister, she let out a choked sob. It had been obliterated. Only two or three of the balustrades that her father had carved to resemble the tall, ever-reaching pines of the treeline remained. The actual handrail was broken and had fallen to the floor below.

"Be careful where you step, Eli. Much of the staircase is no longer stable," Cytheas murmured.

She felt herself nod, but it was as if she were an outsider looking in. She felt hollow and lost, unable to comprehend the extent of the damage that had ravaged the place she'd called home only weeks before. With Cytheas' guidance, they reached the second floor, and he slowly pushed open the rounded door that led to her old room.

All that remained of her previous sanctuary was the expansive window she'd loved so much. The rest of the room was blackened and charred beyond recognition, and she realized that whatever blaze the demons had set had started from the top. There was no hope of salvaging anything, as Illidan had said. None of her belongings remained, and now the only material objects she had to her name were in the pack that was tied to Kal'shalla's saddle.

Numb, she pulled her hand out of Cytheas' grip and wandered farther into the room, trailing her fingertips along the ashen remains of her life. In a voice so quiet that it was any wonder Cytheas heard her, she asked, "What of my father's room?"

He shuffled in place behind her, and the sound prompted her to face him. "It...not much of it remains, and what little is there is difficult to access. We did find something but...I'm not sure that you wish to see it."

"If it's a clue to my father's disappearance, then I wish to see it, Cytheas."

His eyes lifted from the floor to meet hers, and with a grim expression, he nodded. Without another word, he left her room and disappeared down the hall. After one last glance at the remains of her room, she followed after him. About halfway around the tree, he'd stopped in front of a fallen beam, seemingly waiting for her to catch up.

When she stood beside him, he pointed to the small opening underneath the beam. "You'll have to crawl through there. When Illidan and I were heading back down, the beam fell and I can't fit through anymore."

"Is it safe?" Eliana questioned.

"It should be, but I can't guarantee anything. Just don't take too long. I'll wait here in case anything does happen."

She nodded and got down on her hands and knees to crawl underneath the beam. Once she was past it, she rose to her feet and brushed the dirt and soot from her legs. Before her, the door to her father's bedroom had been knocked off its hinges and it laid on the ground, as equally scorched as the rest of the upstairs. With a glance in its direction, she rounded the corner into her father's bedroom—or at least, what remained of it.

It was in even worse shape than her own, and she could only take perhaps four steps into the room before the floor fell away. The entire wall that had separated his room from the exterior was now gone, and the burned branches of the tree that made up their home stared back at her.

The sight of what had previously been such a place of comfort for her, now destroyed beyond repair, left her devastated, but she fought to see past her own sadness to find what Cytheas had been talking about. She glanced around the room in confusion, unable to see anything that was extraordinarily out of place. She opened her mouth to call out to him, but the soot she breathed in caused a coughing fit. Once she recovered, she yelled, "Cytheas?"

His answer was immediate. "Yes?"

"What am I looking for?"

A second or two passed before he replied, sounding distressed. "Look down. We already brushed some of the residue aside. You should be able to see it."

At first when she followed his instruction, she didn't see anything. From under the toe of her boot, she spotted a circular stain in the floorboard, but her shoe was blocking most of whatever it was. When she shifted backwards and moved her foot aside, she realized that the stain streaked along the ground, traveling towards the door. Unable to discern what exactly it was, she crouched down and brushed aside more of the dirt that she'd likely stirred up in her wake.

Once the floor was clear of grime, it only took her a second to realize what she was looking at. The dark shade of the dried blood had thrown her off; she'd been expecting something brighter, more noticeable. This stain was nearly the color of the midnight sky, only significantly more sinister and foreboding. There was only the slightest hint of red to the shade; the flames must've darkened the stain. When her mind made the connection that was likely her father's blood, she reeled backwards, stumbling to her feet.

"Cytheas, what—" she gasped, catching herself on a piece of broken furniture. Her breathing quickened, and simultaneously, it felt like the room was shrinking around her and as if the floor was falling away. She slid down the length of whatever she'd bumped into, and before she hit the ground, the edges of her vision began to fade. Images of her father, injured, broken, and bleeding out, invaded her mind. Overwhelmed by the possibilities of what might've happened, she gasped for air, realizing a second too late that her panic attack from earlier was returning in full force.

As the world turned black, the last thing she remembered hearing was Cytheas shouting her name.

A/N:

As always, thank you to Arenoptara for beta-reading for me.

I apologize for this chapter being a bit of a filler. I needed it to transition into the next arc of the story, in which things become much bloodier, and much more desperate. Promise that the next chapter will be meatier ;)

I know it's been awhile, but here's the thanks as usual. I was pleasantly surprised by everyone's positive reactions to the last chapter. It's reassuring to know that your readers don't hate your OCs guts, considering most people see Illidan paired with canon characters. So thank you all very much for that!

To mbh040, Tamerlein, KHandFF7fanforever, Terikel, qweenashleyfox, Cheesetrees, Bohmzawe, my lovely guest, racethesun, skyblueocean, andiskus, thank you for the reviews! I always love hearing my readers' thoughts, so I appreciate everyone leaving reviews :)

To everyone who has favorited and followed this story in the new year, I'm so happy you enjoy it enough thus far to want more :) If you don't like to leave reviews, I'm always available through PM if you want to share your thoughts that way!

Thank you everyone! See you next chapter!