Chapter 2

Private Tyrr Pantherfoot never would have guessed how good pain could feel. The subtle aching in her body told her a glorious thing: she was alive. But how. She remembered...the goblins. A swarm of them. She fought with all her power, summoning nature's strength, but with each opponent that fell her muscles grew tired. When she could barely lift her dagger, the remaining goblins approached. The taunted and laughed and teased. And…and they died. The beam, yes, a lance of cackling energy ripped into the goblin's shells: they only screamed for a moment. And emerging from the forest brush, Tyrr expected to see one of her own; or at least a human mage or dwarf paladin. Instead, to her horror, she saw one of them. With some new found strength she lunged at the Tauren, but he merely stepped to his side. Again, she assaulted with every once of power she had left, but the Tauren was well trained. She recalled terrible pain as the Tauren pushed a rancid hoof into her chest: crushing lungs and ribs. He mocked her, asking if she wanted to live. When she could resist no more and the truth burst through her lips, he smiled. And…and he saved her.

The scraping of hoof's on stone alerted the soldier to the Tauren's presence. Confused, she dove for her dagger which rested at the foot of her makeshift bed and entered a battle stance. She was ready now, she was prepared to fight the Tauren and kill him.

"Could you put that down," he grumbled in a deep voice. She was amazed that he could speak her langue so well.

"Stay away from me cow."

"For the love of," the Tauren growled. "See, this is why I didn't want to save her," he screamed at some invisible creature.

"Who are you?" Tyrr demanded.

The Tauren slowly slipped to the ground and began to throw wood into the open, roaring fire. "My name is not important."

"Why am I here?" she commanded, her dagger always in front of her. "Turn me in?"

"If I were going to turn you to the Horde, why would I bring you to this cave and wait for you to recover?"

Tyrr lowered her weapon. "Then why am I here?"

"Well, you got attacked by the goblins and I saved you. Then you tried to kill me so I was forced to put you out. Now, I couldn't bring you to one of your villages, or I'd of been captured or much more likely killed on sight. I could bring you to one of mine, for much the same reason. So I brought you here until you woke up. Guess I shouldn't have hit you so hard though."

"Why would you save me co…Tauren?"

"Do you know what a shaman can do?" he asked: his eyes following the flicking flames that jumped with each twig he threw.

Tyrr shook her head.

"Well, I see things: spirits. Most have to study shamanistic arts to gain this vision, I was born with it. So, I see everything, anything with a soul. A friend of mine, an elf, asked me to save you."

"So," Tyrr stuttered. "C-can I leave?"

The Tauren shrugged. Tyrr hastily slipped past the sitting bull and walked into the pail's moon's light. "Thank you," she said, as she began a spell.

The Tauren whispered the words for a shield in his mind over and over again, always prepared for a sudden attack by the Night Elf. To his relief, Tyrr did nothing more than shape shift into a spotted jungle cat and dashed into the thick trees.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I watched the elf slip between the trees before I returned my gaze to the fire. "Thank you," the soul of a willowy Night Elf said. Once purple skin and dark blue hair had become transparent with a light blue glow since her death. Still, she retained a beauty that transcended species. Unlike most of the spirits I helped, this particular one choice to remain with me instead of cross to the other side. I share a part of my life force so she can remain in this realm. I can't say I don't like the company.

"Some how I have the feeling I'll regret this."