It had been raining, the day Cenahria had been banished. She had started her day, or rather, her night, by going to the library before lessons. Breathing in the musty scent of old books mixed with leaves, she explored rows upon rows of tomes. The library was housed within a huge oak, shelves spiralling around the inner trunk, as far as the eye could see. Cenahria loved the library. It gave her a sense of comfort. Grabbing the nearest book, she found a secluded corner and settled down. The tome read The Art of Druidism but the author's name was too faded to make out. A rather hefty book, Cenahria rested it on her lap, and started to read. As a druid apprentice, Cenahria gravitated towards any book regarding nature. Her tutor, the great Malfurion, taught that meditation was key to learning the secrets of nature. He would take her and her fellow students out into the woods of Kalimdor for days at a time, asking them to sit and meditate among the trees, listening to their words. Cenahria had picked this up easily, and had often enjoyed the convoluted discussions that trees had. She hoped that one evening soon, Malfurion would set her a more challenging task.
Soon after she began reading, Cenahria began to realise that the book had not been written by a Night Elf. This book taught of meditating in a different way, to open the mind to more than just the voices of trees and plants. This book also spoke of the benefits of using druid magic in the daytime, something Malfurion had not yet discussed with his students. Intrigued, Cenahria delved deeper into the book.
"Cenahria! You're going to be late!" Cenahria looked up to find her friend, Havishna, rushing towards her, face etched with worry. Her friend had her bright, purple hair braided, as was the Elven fashion for younger elves. Standing, Cenahria replaced the book on its shelf, and made her way towards her friend. Havishna was always rushing, even when she had no place to be. The only time she was ever still was during meditation. "You haven't even brushed your hair! Quick, braid it whilst we walk to the Circle." Cenahria rolled her eyes. She hated braiding her hair. Stepping out into the moonlight, she ran her fingers through her dark hair, and gazed up at the moon…
Except it wasn't the moon above her, but a wooden ceiling. Cenahria sat up, and for a moment panicked. It came back to her, slowly. She had been dreaming of her last day with her people for several weeks, dreaming of ways it could have been different. She sighed, and looked around the room. When she had left her people, she had not been expecting to end up in the Echo Isles, and she had definitely not been expecting to survive such an encounter. She wondered how long she had been sleeping. Faint tendrils of moonlight poked their way through an animal skin that had been hung over the entrance, like a makeshift door. It was colder at night, and she shivered slightly. Moving closer to the door, she heard quiet voices.
"I don't understand why he won't just let us kill it. It's just an elf!" The first voice, a deep female voice. She did not sound happy. "Aye, Uyoga, but what can ya do? Vol'jin insisted we keep da elf alive." The second troll had a softer voice, which held less contempt for Cenahria than Uyoga's had. "Ya just interested in da elf 'cause she's a druid, like ya, Zaria." So the book had been right; Trolls also practiced druidism. This was a good start. Now if only she could find a way to convince their Chieftain to keep her alive. "And ya just jealous at da way Vol'jin been checking on her!" There was a small noise, like flesh hitting flesh, and a yelp from one of the voices. Cenahria hid a giggle, before processing what the troll had said. Their Chieftain had been checking up on her? "Ah Vol'jin just be lonely, Zaria. He lettin' his feelins cloud his judgment. He'll come to his senses soon enough." The voices faded, as the trolls walked away from the hut. She thought back to the morning, when she had first arrived. The Chieftain, Vol'jin, had seemed to sense that she was a druid, and had looked at her with curiosity, but nothing else. Maybe she should leave now, before he did indeed come to his senses and have her executed. Cenahria shook her head at the thought. She couldn't explain it, but she had a feeling the troll would keep to his word that no harm would come to her.
Cenahria stood, and stepped out into the moonlight. She was in a small encampment, with the Chieftain's hut up a small slope. To get there, she would have to walk past his tribe. Just standing in the doorway was beginning to attract the glares and mutters of the troll tribe, and to avoid any troll making the split decision to attack, she swiftly transformed into her feline form, and loped up to the lead troll's hut. She ignored the guttural noises that followed her, and only resumed her elven form when she had reached the steps to the Chieftain's hut. She suddenly stopped, feeling awkward. This troll could kill her at a moment's notice, for trespassing, and here she was, brazenly walking up to his front door! She turned, to go back, when the troll who had first found her stopped her. "Vol'jin be waitin' for ya. Go straight in." The troll turned and walked away, barely looking at her. Taking a deep breath, Cenahria pushed aside the animal skin, and entered the hut.
The hut was smokier than the last time she had been in it. A small fire burned in the centre of the hut, and the Chieftain was sat on the opposite side, chanting. She stepped further in, and studied him for a moment. The flames made the shadows on his azure skin dance, the flames melting into his red hair. The shadows of the flames made the painted face even more fearsome. And intriguing. "Welcome. Please, sit. Are ya feelin' better after some sleep?" He hadn't raised his head, but somehow she knew the troll had watched her study him. She walked to the fire, and sat opposite him, kneeling to the ground. "Yes, thank you. It was kind of you to let me rest before making any decisions." The Chieftain looked up at her finally, and she was shocked to find that the fierceness of his appearance didn't reach his eyes. He looked… thoughtful. Now she felt him studying her, and she sat silently, head bowed. "I told ya I wouldn't kill ya. When we last spoke, ya said ya came here for knowledge – what knowledge ya be seekin' and why come to us?" He listened patiently, as she explained about the book she had read before she had left her people.
"Malfurion is the best teacher, he is after all the first of our kind to learn the ways of the druid. I just. I feel like there is more. He teaches us to meditate, to listen to the trees. By our very nature, we are more at home at night. We can use our abilities during the day, but I feel we are missing potential by not embracing it fully. I left my people in search of someone who could teach me more about the druid ways. I have moved beyond meditating in a forest – I wish to learn about the powers and abilities of the druids. I wish to learn more about… about everything! I just wish to learn." Her voice had grown soft towards the end of her rant, and she bowed her head again in embarrassment. The troll Chief probably thought her addled in the brain. Too much sunlight for a creature of the night. He had watched her the entire time, and now he stood, moving to sit in the chair at the very back of the hut.
"Ya have caused a problem by comin' here. My tribe wish for me to kill ya, and if da Alliance find out ya here, dey will come lookin' for ya. Ya have given your people a good excuse to start a war on my kind." He paused as Cenahria looked at him, fear in her eyes. The elves would never come looking for her, but if they found out she had sought refuge with the Horde… The Chieftain smiled slightly, almost reassuringly. She cocked her head, and met his gaze. "But… Ya wish to learn. I have never seen such a passion before, not among my tribe, or anyone I've ever met. I agree witcha dat ya have not been shown the full possibilities of ya power, and dat not fair. Da limitations of ya elders should not impact da limitations ya set yaself. Dat is why I have decided dat if ya wish to stay and learn, I will find a troll who won't try to kill ya the first opportunity dey get." Cenahria's eyes widened in disbelief. He wasn't going to kill her? He smiled, properly this time, at her reaction. "I'll let ya think on it. Go back to the hut ya rested in, and think about what ya want to do. Da offer will stand. Come back in da morning, if ya wish to start your studies." Cenahria stood, and made her way to the door, stopping for a moment to look over her shoulder at the Chieftain. "Thank you, Chieftain. I don't think it will take much for me to come to a decision. I will return in the morning. Thank you, for your generosity. I will not forget it. Goodnight." She met his gaze once more as he stared through the fire. "Sleep well, Cenahria. And please. Call me Vol'jin."