Chapter 5

She made no noise as she padded through the trees. She left no footprints in the soft blanket of snow that embraced the earth. That was something she shared with her living brethren.

But, over time she learned that the similarities did not end there. She could still feel loyalty: not only to her own people but to the races she aligned with as well. And that seething hatred for those blessed with life, was replaced with one of those whom hated death.

Sharp, pointed ears twitched to life beneath her all consuming hood when she heard a footstep afar. Or, to be more exact, a hoofstep. Yes, he'd arrived, and it was about damn time. For almost a day she'd been in these forest, away from her Undercity and waiting for her comrades. The first had finally come.

She delicately pulled the elastic wire of her bow to her breast. Pointed ears strained for the noise and, deciding it came from the south, she set off running.

Long, graceful undead legs moved her quickly across the forest's floor, and still she made no sound. It was remarkable really. In life she'd been stealthy, but now she was noiseless, flawless in her deeds. Even the keenest of jungle cats would stay oblivious to her presence, if she chose. Perhaps, she thought, this new life wasn't too bad.

When she found him, she slipped behind the cover of a tree and watched his movements from beneath her hood. Cairne Bloodhoof placed his great maul down and knelt to the ground. The bull's huge hands gently touched a flower that despite the forest's lack of sun had managed to sprout to life. "Beautiful, isn't it?" the cheiftain asked. His question made her freeze and hold her breath instinctively. "You may come out, I know you are there."

Sylvanas Windrunner slipped from behind the tree and approached the tauren slowly, never dropping her bow's aim. "Cairne," she said, lowering her hood and letting her locks of hair settle past her shoulders. "How did you sense me? I was a ranger in life, and now my stealth has improved. You couldn't possibly have heard my approach."

"Yes, while it is true you made no noise," he said slowly, keeping his focus on flower. "You overlooked your scent, and approached from upwind."

Sylvannas chuckled at her own oversight. "Have you come with the others?" she asked.

"No. Vol'jin and Thrall will meet us at the ruins. I do not know if Rexxar will come."

"He will. This is an important decision we will make. He would not allow it to go without his words."

The tauren and the Forsaken walked through the forest at a slow rate, each enjoying the natural beauty that surrounded them. The grounds that had once rotted at her touch now tolerated the Dark Lady's bare feet as she strode. And the sun baked her pale face warmly.

"We're here," the tauren muttered. He knelt down and moved thick fingers through the dirt and grass, and finding a chain, pulled it up. The ground itself lifted as he exposed a stairwell, hidden beneath the earth.

Sylvanas pulled a torch from the wall and lit it ablaze with a quick spell. "Think they've arrived," she asked.

But Cairne didn't answer. Instead, he pressed his vast form against the wall of a corner and lifted his great maul. Sylvanas understood. She pulled the wire of her bow to her breast, stopped her breathing, and prepared to attack.

But a battle never came. Sylvanas caught her arrow when she recognized her "opponents" as the orc warchief Thrall, the troll withdoctor Vol'jin, and the half-breed Rexxar. A deep breath of relief escaped her lips. They'd finally all arrived.

In the earliest days of the New Horde, Thrall had ordered a set of ruins to be converted to hidden bunker. In the event of a severe event, such as the Alliance's new purge, the five leaders of the Horde were to meet in these decrepit remains.

The ruins opened into a huge, domed room with a round table and five seats, each specifically designed to comfortably seat the diverse group.

An awkward silence engulfed the five as they took their respective seats, until Vol'jin spoke. "I don't like this mons. We can't trust da bloods."

"Why not?" Sylvanas asked sharply. "My top soldiers have examined the blood elves. I myself have searched of dark corner of the refugee's minds. They do not lie about the purge."

"Honesty is not the issue, Madame Sylvanas," Cairne said slowly. "The issue is loyalty. The blood elves, when they were still known as high elves, were stead fast allies of humans for many, many years. If the Alliance chooses to end this genocide, and accept the blood elves back, we may find ourselves in a poor situation. The allure of returning to the Alliance may be too great, and we will find our enemies deep behind our lines."

"The blood elves have no major settlements in your lands Cairne. Well, they do in mine. I've been out in the expeditions with my men. I've seen the slaughtered towns first hand. The night elves and the Alliance have past the point of no return."

"Thrall mon?" Vol'jin asked. "Ye ain't goin for dis are ye?"

The Warchief sighed. "It was not long ago that we orcs were tainted by the seduction of magic. And when the Forsaken first joined with us, we could not trust them. But my race has overcome our corruption, and now we walk alongside the Dark Lady's people as brethren. To turn our backs and ignore the pleas of the blood elves, would be to disregard our past. But there is another reason you would like this union, is there not Dark Lady?"

Sylvanas sighed. "We Forsaken are fighting a war on three fronts: the Alliance, the Scarlet Crusade and the Scourge. They are all merciless and dedicated to our eradication. Everyday, more and more of my people are lost. We cannot hold out much longer alone. But the blood elves, they're some of the most powerful mages in Azeroth. If we were to accept them as soldiers, we may be able to stand a chance against the humans and Lich King."

"Y'all be nuts for even considering dis," the troll muttered.

"Would you be willing to spare some of your troops to come aid mine, Vol'jin?"

"Can't mon, war be going bad for all a us."

"Exactly," Sylvanas smiled. "We've accepted the blood elves as refugees, yes. But we keep them locked up and unarmed. My Undercity is filled with hundreds, may a thousand able bodied elves, and every one of them is willing to pledge loyalty to us, if only to strike back against the Alliance and the Sentinels. And just think, with their aid you Cairne can eliminate the centaurs. And Thrall, you will have aid fighting the quillboars. And while the truce with the Alliance still technically holds, the skirmishes we have is just prelude of things to come. Do you think we could fight them off if they initiate a full scale assault? We can make this the biggest regret those bastards have ever made."

Vol'jin growled, though it was clear he pondered her words.

"Rexxar?" Sylvanas asked. "You haven't spoken."

"You make excellent points Dark Lady. And I know what its like to be persecuted for things beyond your control," the half-breed muttered. "These blood elves are hated for their addiction. Thrall is correct. To turn a deaf ear to their pleas, would be the ways of the old Horde. We must not ignore them, lest we forget."

"I am not sure we may trust these blood elves, but I will follow your decision, young Warchief," Cairne nodded.

Vol'jin sneered in annoyance. "Alright mon. Ye all be nuts. But I be wit ya. Let da bloods fight wit us."

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I'm not really sure if I liked how this chapter came out. I've worked on it for a long time, but I still don't think I got the voices of the five leaders right. Well, here's my best shot. Please leave a review.