CHAP 5

After tialen had checked in to his commander to say he was still alive and given his badly damaged armor to the blacksmith finally had free time. He was at rest, yet he felt anxiousness. He ventured into the thicket of alliance warriors at a vain attempt to mingle. The warriors around him were still caught in the thrill of their victory. They danced, conversed of their battles, and shared drinks with one another, yet he almost felt invisible amongst them. He could not share in their joy, not after seeing his friends slain in front of and coming close to accepting death himself. There was almost a sense of anomaly within him, as if his lack of delight made him as alien as juvenile duck in a pack of geese. His hand, still throbbing in pain, added to his angst.

He ventured from the encampment, intending to spend his hours at rest in deep thought. He walked a slow a steady pace. Somehow this had become unusual, for war deemed that he commit all his actions with haste. Tialen enjoyed it, though. He could find time to let his thoughts venture, unimpeded by dire situations. He thought of the moons, and how the Blue one's mellow hue seemed to compliment, perfectly, the white one's soft bathing light. Tialen's mind embraced the stars and he wondered if he could arrange their patterns. Perhaps he could arrange the stories they told as well. Stories that could let him forget where he was and even the discomfort he felt below his right thumb. The Forest, which were tenfold the lushness of Lordaeron's, could whisper to him. A myriad of sounds: footsteps of small creatures, wind rustling through the trees, the peculiar yet timely voices of the owl's lent themselves to his ear. As he listened further he heard a sound sweeter than the ambrosia enjoyed by the finest dignitaries. Tialen went in its direction, yet it was as faint and ethereal as the gossamer wings of a dragonfly.

It stopped. Tialen was confused yet disappointed. He wished to lay eyes on what he thought possible of only divine beings. His curiosity gripped him and he still ventured in its direction. After, an hour had passed he found a small clearing, enclosed by forest on all sides. There was no evidence of any deforestation or sign of disturbance that wasn't his own. The trees themselves seemed to bend in order to let in a small glimmer of moonlight.

"Hello," he said. His tone was somewhat hushed for this place made him cautious. "I didn't mean to disturb anything which was going on here. I just wished to know what produced that sweet melody".

"They don't mind." He heard a voice out of his left ear but he could not find the source." The trees can sense the intent of those who intrude upon their lands and they find nothing but innocence in your being here. "

Immediately A form appeared to him out of the corner of his right eye. Before he turned his full gaze to it he recognized the slender and elegant elf form. She extended her hand.

"I believe this is the custom of your people".

Tialen aptly shook it. His eyes then crept onto her face. She bore a coy smile. He was flattered that a night elf could be so courteous but he also wondered what one of them would be doing in exile. These thoughts became irrelevant as he focused more on her face. He stared into her eyes and then came to him an epiphany.

" You... you saved me earlier?!".

"Yes, would you have preferred I leave you in the path of one of those… ghoul's?", the unknown femme said jokingly. She had no Idea that she'd rescued him from his own nihilistic thoughts.

" Well I...GAH!" Tialen clutched his hand in pain".

"Are you alright?.", She reached for his hand, but he resisted while wincing. Forcefully, yet tenderly she grasped his wrists. "Please?", she asked of him. As a beast, tamed only by injury, the injured young soldier wrestled to allow himself to submit. While the appendage writhed in her grip, the unnamed archer reached into her belt and pulled out a canteen. The lid popped off and from it arose a scent strong and effervescent as if it were from the stars themselves. Just the aroma of it, playing about his nose, made Tialen feel invigorated. She carefully unwrapped the bandages and poured a moderate amount on his wound. "Tell no one of this". She said sternly.

The cut, below Tialen's thumb, seemed to wash off, almost as if it were a dirt clod. The mysterious liquid, crystal, pure, and even with a slight glow, left him feeling strengthened and renewed. Even his spirit was somewhat uplifted.

"...thankyou, but... but why?." he said in gratitude.

" It was nothing to me. Why does the remora attach to a shark without fear that the shark will eat it?", Tialen seemed both confused and dumbfounded at the odd question, and merely stared blankly. The nameless Kaltorei merely smiled and giggled," that's okay. Anyway I'm glad to help. ".

Still in awe of the random appearance of the shadowy archer Tialen could not help but inquire more.

"Well why are you here?"

"That is between me and Elune. Not that I mind being interrupted. I'm surprised you found me. but nobody, not even my Kaltorei sisters knows I'm here. Only Elune knows of my presence, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Tialen nodded," Hey, you can count on me. I'm not very popular among you. I'm beginning to wonder if most of you seem, well to look down on us. Not that you seem to be very persnickety". He said that reluctantly as not to offend her.

" Yes, my sisters, sometimes, can be...snide", At that moment tialen noticed a small wave in her tone but it probably didn't mean anything. "Well, the moon tells me my shift is due. I've enjoyed meeting you." She said, abruptly changing the subject.

"Yes, I can not express how thankful I am, yet I must know the name of someone who has done for me such a great deed."

She smiled, " I am Feorie, you?"

"Tialen Bluecrest".

"Well tialen goodbye and I hope Elune finds us again sometime." With that she vanished right in front of his eyes. Tialen was in shock. He tried to recollect what had just happened but he couldn't. All he knew that that one name would be etched on his mind.

"Goodbye.. Feorie", he softly said into the glades...

The night progressed and the moons found their slumber. Eventually the sun's bright gleam's crept onto the horizon and found them selves seeping into the sanctity of Thrall, Warcheif of the horde.