Heart broken, Cenahria had fled Vol'jin's hut in cat form. His rough voice carried after her, and she ran from it, as if his words alone could burn her. Not caring where she ended up, Cenahria ran until she couldn't run anymore, past Zaria, and Zanda, past their unspoken questions. Tears blurred her vision. She had given everything to the troll Chieftain. Had given him her first kiss. And for what? He didn't care for her. That much was clear now. Sobbing, Cenahria changed back to her elven form, and stumbled. She was vaguely aware of sand cushioning her fall, and she briefly looked up. She had somehow made her way to the beach where she had watched the sun set with Vol'jin. The memory of that night deepened the wound in her heart, and her body jerked with the force of her sobs. The sand caught her tears, but eventually her body stopped shaking, and Cenahria could breathe. She sat up, and gazed out across the water. The moon was bright, and she drank in its light. "Blessed Elune. You have not forsaken me. Grant me strength. Mend this wound." Her voice cracked, and dissolved once more into sobs.

After a while, she became aware of a presence behind her. Cenahria refused to turn around, scared of who she might find. Instead, she raised her chin in stubborn defiance and continued to stare out towards the distant shore. The tears kept falling. In complete silence, Zaria and Zanda came to sit either side of her. Zaria put an arm around her, and Cenahria leant into her. "Cenahria…" She turned to face Zanda, the question plain on his face. She sat up, away from Zaria, whose face mirrored Zanda's. A deep pain throbbed in her chest as she looked down towards the sand. Her lips began to form Vol'jin's name, but the pain threatened to choke her. Now it was Zanda who put an arm around her. Taking a deep breath, Cenahria told them what had happened. By the end, she was crying again, but different this time. No sound came from her sobs now. No more tears. Just broken, painful breaths.

Zanda and Zaria had helped her stand, and led her back to her hut. Cenahria had collapsed onto the bed and exhaustion had taken over. The sun had been high in the sky when she had finally woken, mentally bruised. Despite sleeping soundly for hours, she felt completely drained of energy. Cenahria rolled over onto her side, staring at the strips of sunlight that were desperately trying to dispel the darkness of her hut. The strips suddenly widened as Zaria stepped inside. "How ya feelin', Cenahria?" Zaria's voice was soft, and full of concern. Energy still escaping her, she rolled over again, to face the wall. Deep inside her, something told her what she was doing was wrong, but she simply could not bring herself to talk. "Cenahria. I know ya be hurtin'. It's all raw right now. But ya got people around ya, to help ya." Cenahria's eyes filled with tears at the pleading tone in the troll's voice. But still, no words would form. She could hear Zaria walking around her hut, and she heard a faint rustling. "Ya have a package here, Cenahria." She grunted. She couldn't bring herself to care.

"Cenahria. Dis be Vol'jin's handwritin'." That got her attention. A knot formed in her stomach at his name. But a small bubble of hope formed too. She rolled over, and sat up. Silently, she looked up at Zaria, and held out her hands for the package. Zaria gave it to her; it was feather-light. The troll studied the note that had been left on top. "Vol'jin wishes you to meet him for dinner tonight. In his hut. He says this is for you." Cenahria opened the package, and out spilled the most beautiful dress she had ever seen in her life. It was a shining silver, and made of silk. Cenahria looked up at her friend, who smiled down at her. "Let's get ya all dressed up for da Chieftain. Come on. We need flowers!"

Several hours later, Cenahria stood in her hut, Zaria braiding the last of the flowers they had picked into her hair. The flowers had a sweet scent, and were a pale ivory, a sharp contrast to the darkness of her hair. Finally finished, Zaria smiled, pleased with her work. "Don't be too hard on Vol'jin, Cenahria. I know ya be hurtin', but he wants to make amends. Ya gonna stop his heart, the way ya look tonight!" Blushing, Cenahria nodded to her friend, and made her way to Vol'jin's hut. Pausing outside the door, she took a deep breath. The last time she had been here had hardly been a positive experience, and the knot in her stomach throbbed painfully. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to remain strong, and stepped through the door.

Vol'jin stood, facing away from her. "Vol'jin." He immediately spun to face her, and Cenahria blushed at the way his eyes drank in the sight of her. She looked around the room, taking in the candles, and the food spread out on a blanket in the centre of the room. She smiled, as she remembered the way her father used to do the same for her mother, and the knot in her stomach finally released. Vol'jin was trying to make up for ignoring her. For hurting her. Vol'jin moved towards her, and pulled her close. Before she could say anything, his lips were pressed against hers, and she melted into his kiss. It was shorter that she would have liked, but sweet, and he kept her pressed against his body. He gestured to the blanket on the floor, and asked if she liked it. Nodding, she followed him. The evening passed in a blissful blur, and several more kisses were shared before the end of it. Vol'jin walked her home when it got late, and by the time she lay down to go to sleep, all thoughts of heartbreak were gone from her mind, replaced by butterflies and warmth.

Weeks passed, and Cenahria grew closer to not only Vol'jin, but Zanda and Zaria too. Soon, the three were inseparable, aside from the evenings, which were strictly for her and Vol'jin. They ate together every night, and one more than one occasion, Cenahria even slept there, finding a comfort she had never known, lying there in his arms. Nothing more than sleep occurred on these nights, but that didn't stop the relentless teasing from Zaria and Zanda.

One blistering day, the three decided to explore the woodland just beyond the Echo Isles "What will happen if ya become pregnant, Cenahria? Will da baby be troll, or elf?" Zanda's question caught Cenahria off guard, especially the sincerity and genuine curiosity that had been evident in his tone. Zaria snorted, and giggled to herself. "I… I do not know, Zanda. But, I think it is much too early to be thinking about babies and such. We haven't even… We aren't quite there yet in our relationship." Cenahria's blush grew deeper as Zaria cocked an eyebrow and looked her, scepticism deep in her eyes. Choosing to ignore her, Cenahria decided to enjoy the landscape instead. They had ventured into the forests, and for a moment, Cenahria felt homesick. Despite the vibrancy of the Isles, Cenahria sometimes missed the majestic beauty of her homeland, with its violet trees, and dark shadows.

Breathing deeply, Cenahria revelled in the mixture of scents that filtered through the air. The soft perfume of the flowers, the deep musk of the trees… all reminded her of home. Sighing, she continued to walk with her friends in comfortable silence. A sharp crack cut the air, the sound of twigs breaking. Stopping, Zaria looked around, instantly on the defence, and Cenahria rested a hand on Zanda's arm – he looked scared. "Der not supposed to be any trolls around here. Everyone else be back at da Isles." Zaria's voice held a slight growl of concern, and Cenahria looked around too. The trees were silent, betraying nothing. The sound came again, more than once, closer this time. It sounded like multiple people were moving around, just ahead of them. Zaria moved in front of Cenahria and Zanda, and that was her mistake.

Before Cenahria could blink, a knife whistled through the air, landing in Zaria's side. Blue and gold burst out from the trees in front of them, as Zaria fell to the ground. Panic threatened to take Cenahria, as Alliance soldiers formed a line. Blinking back tears, Cenahria stared at Zaria, on the floor, as the soldiers advanced. "Zanda. Go. Run to Vol'jin and the others. Go. Now!" Without hesitation, Zanda swiftly changed into his feline form, and fear leant him speed as he raced back to the Isles. Zaria whimpered as one of the soldiers ripped the knife from her side, and let her fall back to the ground, wiping the blood on her troll dress. Cenahria knelt beside her, ignoring the soldiers completely, ignoring the danger she was in, and desperately began trying to heal the wound. Blood made her hands slippery, and anger muddled her thoughts.

"Let the troll die. You are safe now, Cenahria." The soldier was still wiping off the blood, this time with a small cloth he had produced from his armour. That voice. Shock reverberated through her veins, but she refused to look up. Refused to believe. Zaria was shaking now, her breathing becoming faint. She was vaguely aware of the soldiers whispering amongst themselves, asking their leader why she was trying to heal the troll. Cenahria ignored them. Zaria clutched at Cenahria, fear clouding those vibrant eyes, and despite her own fear, Cenahria had to remain strong for her friend. "It's going to be okay, Zaria, I will heal you, I will, I promise…" Cenahria's voice trailed off, as the blood pumping from Zaria's body began to ebb, and her breathing slowed. Holding her hand tighter, Cenahria begged her not to leave her, repeating her promise, over and over, until Zaria's body grew still. Strong hands took hold of Cenahria, and pulled her away from her friend. Zaria, who had always been so strong, so powerful. So kind.

Numb, Cenahria stared at the lifeless body on the floor, the voices around her fading to distant whispers in her mind. Zaria looked so small. Just to the side of where she lay, was a small cluster of white flowers, the very same that she had woven into Cenahria's hair the day she had first had dinner with Vol'jin. The memory of how much Zaria had tried to take care of her since she had arrived burned through her veins, and anger tinted her vision.

"Cenahria. I understand it is a shock to see us here, but we are here to save you. Please. Come with us before the other troll returns. Maybe on the way you can explain to us why you sent him to get the Chieftain brute." Shaking, Cenahria raised her eyes to meet the gaze of the lead soldier, who had removed his helmet, finally done cleaning his knife. The other soldiers still wore theirs, but no helmet could hide the long ears of the Night Elves, and Cenahria had recognised that voice instantly. "I am going nowhere. I will go nowhere with a group of murderers. Even if they are led by my brother." Turning to meet his gaze, Cenahria looked into the cold eyes of her older brother, Liacus. Without warning, the other soldiers raised their weapons, and Cenahria became aware of movement behind her. Zanda moaned and collapsed to the floor as he came across Zaria's body, and Cenahria could feel the fury emanating from Vol'jin. "What happened here? Why ya be attacking my kind? We have left ya alone. We have done nothing wrong."

A deep laugh, full of bitterness, came from behind the soldiers. Vol'jin stiffened, and Zanda sobbed harder, clutching the body of his only family. Cenahria felt a sense of familiarity from the laugh, and as the soldier's parted to let another through, she realised why. "Done nothin' wrong? Ya let an elf poison our ranks. I told ya, I would not let dis elf harm our people. I told ya, I would take care of it. It be a shame a troll had to die, but Zaria be a traitor. And we all know how ya like to execute traitors of our kind, Vol'jin." Blind fury took over Cenahria, as she stared at Uyoga. She had forgotten about this troll. The memory of her hatred for her, and why she had been exiled burned. "I begged for mercy on your behalf. I asked Vol'jin to save you." Uyoga refused to look at her, instead spitting at the ground. Liacus eyed her with distaste, but walked over to her, and handed her back the knife. "You were right, troll. Thank you for leading us to my sister. I am impressed by your accuracy. Here is what we promised you." To Cenahria's disbelief, her brother handed Uyoga a pouch which clinked. Uyoga had not only killed Zaria, but had sold her out, for gold?

This was the last straw for Cenahria. Her blood boiled in her veins, and Cenahria felt the change begin to take hold of her before she could stop it. Expecting to change into her feline form, Cenahria was shocked as a power more intense than anything she had ever felt rippled through her body, as her limbs and muscles grew stronger, and bigger than before. With a jolt, Cenahria realised she had transformed into her bear form. This should not have been possible given how little training she had had for it. Instead of panicking, however, she embraced her strength. Fear danced in the eyes of the soldiers as she stepped forward, and growled loudly. Or rather, she roared. The power felt good, and she reared on her hind legs, towering over the elves, and Uyoga. Uyoga took a step back, eyeing her with wariness. Dropping to the floor with enough force to shake the ground, Cenahria stared into the troll's eyes. Uyoga had called Zaria a traitor? Seething, Cenahria regretted begging for Uyoga's mercy, wishing that Vol'jin had just executed the troll. Uyoga was the traitor. Turning to look at Vol'jin, and Zanda, Cenahria made her decision. Meeting her gaze, Vol'jin nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. Raising one great paw, Cenahria slashed deeply through Uyoga with her claws, straight through her body. The fire in her eyes died instantly, and the soldiers gave a cry of alarm. Expecting guilt, or panic, or some other emotion, Cenahria changed back into herself, staring at Uyoga's lifeless corpse with a cold heart.

"So, you are a killer now, sister? Is this what these monsters have turned you into since you left your family? Do not worry, little sister. We will take care of this. You will be back to yourself soon." Cenahria turned her gaze to her brother, and shook her head. Vol'jin growled slightly at being called a monster. The soldiers turned their weapons to him, and Cenahria sensed the troll preparing to defend himself. Advancing slowly, the soldiers surrounded her and the Chieftain, her brother's intentions clear.

"One more move, and I will carve each of you up, like I did this traitor." The soldiers stopped, hesitant. Even her brother stopped for a moment. "Cenahria, Tyrande and Malfurion sent us to get you back. It is our duty to destroy those who threaten the Alliance, and this beast has not only killed countless elves in his time, but stole you, and turned you into a killer. You are a healer, sister. You keep the flame of life burning, you don't snuff it out." Vol'jin whipped his glaive from his back, spinning it over his head, to bring it down in front of Cenahria, moving close to her. "We did not steal ya sister, Elf. She came to us, for teachin' because ya great Malfurion exiled her, and sent her away." Liacus raised an eyebrow, and looked at Cenahria. "Malfurion never told us why you left. Just that you had betrayed us and had decided to leave. Put your weapon down, troll. You appear to care for my sister, so I will make your death swift. I will grant you that much."

"I will not let ya take Cenahria. If ya truly cared for ya sister, ya never would have let her leave." Vol'jin's grip tightened, and Cenahria turned to face him. She knew her brother meant what he said. He would order his men to attack. Vol'jin was strong, but vastly outnumbered. Zanda was still inconsolable, he would be of no help if this turned to battle. Vol'jin's eyes were bright with concern for her safety, and for a moment, Cenahria smiled, bittersweet as it was. The memory of his kiss burned in her mind, and she knew she could not live with herself if her brother killed the troll. She put her arms around the Chieftain, hugging him fiercely. "Thank you for everything you have done for me, Vol'jin. I will not forget you, or our time together." Realising what she meant to do, Vol'jin began to protest, but Cenahria gently pushed aside his glaive, and moved to her brother. "I will go with you. On one condition. You do not harm this troll, or any troll. We leave. Now. You ask me no questions of my time here. You take me back to Mother, and Father, and we forget this. If not, you can explain to our parents why you killed not only the troll Chieftain, but your own sister as well."

Her brother knew he had no choice, and nodded, defeated. The soldiers turned to leave, and after explaining that she needed a moment alone, the group began to make their way back the way they had come, albeit slowly. Running to Zanda, Cenahria allowed herself a moment to share tears with her friend, as she hugged him. She said a small prayer to Elune, to keep Zaria's spirit safe, and gently let go of the younger troll, guilt and grief starting to creep into her heart. Her heart grew heavier still as she moved back to Vol'jin. No words were needed between them. He understood the need for her to keep their romance a secret. Unexpected tears threatened the Chieftain, as he touched her cheek gently. She looked him deeply in the eyes, and allowed tears of her own to spill. The moment was brief, however, as Liacus came back looking for her, prompting Vol'jin to quickly move his hand, and straighten.

"It has been nice knowing ya, Cenahria. Thank you for sparing our lives. I will be sure not to forget dis. Or you." The last words were a whisper, and Cenahria felt that old knot in her stomach return. Before she could change her mind, she ran to her brother, refusing to look at him. They walked a few paces into the forest, and he handed her the reins to one of the sabres the elves often used as mounts. The party began to move off, and Cenahria stole one final glance behind her. She could just make out Vol'jin, hidden in the trees. He had followed her, to see her off. Smiling painfully, she blew him a quick kiss, before anyone could see. A small voice in her head told her she still had time. Her brother and his soldiers were unprepared, she could change form, attack from behind. Vol'jin would take out the rest, he was a seasoned fighter. She could see him holding his glaive, clearly ready to move on her word. Sighing, she listened to her brother, laughing up ahead. Too many lives had been lost today; she could not take any more. She could not risk Vol'jin being harmed. She needed to do this. To protect him.

Hardening her heart, she turned away from Vol'jin, and any possibility of going back.