Yay, we love updates! Thanks to those who continue to read =] And I just wanted to announce, I don't own World of Warcraft, and if any of the dialogue I use in my story is from the actual gaming experience, I don't own that either =]

And a random question y'all can answer in a review or message: What part of Grace's past has been the hardest memory for her? GO NOW!

Knight

Book Eight, Part Two

There were a few rules I had to play by. I had to be assessed physically as well as mentally, for starters. I saw a medic right away. The man inspected everything—my skin, bone structure, tolerance to pain, pupil response, reaction time, reflexes, and every wound I had acquired throughout my career. Once I cleared physical inspection, Fordring sent me to a priest.

Rogues aren't fond of priests, to say the least. I had never bothered to become familiar with the cloth wearing Light lovers, but as I walked into the priest's tent, I presumed now was an opportune time to learn.

His name was Gregor. He was fairly young Human, though his age did surpass my own and his talent for the Light definitely showed. It made his aura almost glow, and I felt as if my dark, ominous aura would be swallowed by his own. Gregor, who had golden, angel-like hair, wore his robes proudly as he asked me senseless questions and used other holy techniques that baffled me. He asked me how the crossovers happened, what seemed to trigger them, how the 'affliction' (his choice of words) had progressed. He asked how I felt when I crossed, and seemed somewhat concerned when I answered him honestly. "I…I seem to pick up his characteristics. Sometimes I feel like I am him, other times it isn't as strong an urge. But I feel…cold. Cold blooded. And with my relocation to Northrend, the feelings seem to get stronger. The connection feels stronger."

Gregor scribbled furiously with his quill, golden eyebrows clenched with concern. Biting my lip, I considered momentarily if telling the whole truth would be detrimental to my position.

But he carried on the conversational interview. Gregor seemed very interested in my predicament, and he did have a charming smile. His flirtatious demeanor actually had me curious as well.

Gregor finished the interview with a heavy exhale, shoulders shrugging. "Well Grace, you seem normal to me. As normal as a rogue that reads the Lich King's thoughts could be, I mean."

I cocked a smile. "I could have told you that, Father Gregor."

He winced. "Father. Makes me sound old." His eyes gleamed with charm as he looked me over in his seat.

"Pardon my curiosity, Gregor, but…don't priests take a vow of celibacy?"

The question didn't seem to surprise the priest as much as I thought it would. He even emitted a small chuckle of amusement that sounded much like a musical wind chime. "Celibacy. A common misconception we shadow priests bear. It used to be that all priests had to vow celibacy, yes, but times are changing, and so are the men—and women—that become priests. Our vows are much like a paladin's vow of chivalry, but there's nothing specific such as celibacy. Our priests take vows to the Light, it's true, but it doesn't mean we can't have our…pleasantries."

I couldn't help but smirk. "I suppose I learn something new every day."

Another chuckle as Gregor leaned back in his chair, eyes still gleaming. "Grace, my lady, you certainly have a certain charm to you."

For a moment, I paused, hesitant as Gregor's aura actually spiked with something near arousal. The priest looked over my form once more before I tried to open my mouth to speak once again.

"Grace?" Taellor's head peaked into the tent, eyes landing on the scene with a precise scowl. "Fordring requests your presence."

Nodding, I gave Gregor a final smile before standing quickly. "Thank you for the meeting, Father. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other."

Gregor scribbled on a piece of parchment before standing up as he spoke, "I'm always here, Grace." He held out the parchment, and Taellor quickly came to my side and snatched it. I barely caught a look of animosity from both men as Taellor retreated out of the hut. With a slight bow I followed the fellow rogue out of the tent, still baffled over Gregor's obvious interest in me.

"That's one of Fordring's prime priest," surmised Taellor with a shake of his head. "You really shouldn't get involved with that man. Besides, what would Fordring think? Better yet, what would Zing think?"

I scowled. "It's Zen. And his opinion doesn't matter halfway across the globe. And I'm not here to make lovers out of the soldiers, Taellor," I grumbled. "I'm on a mission."

Taellor shook his head as we trudged onward to Fordring's tent. "You people are still Human, I'm afraid. With sex drives like every other commoner."

I couldn't help but giggle. "Taellor! You can't lecture to me about sex drive! You cannot say Night Elves are incapable of having one, too!"

Taellor's usual low chuckle rumbled in his throat. "That is…a totally different subject."

"Because you're a rogue?" I pressed playfully. "Or because I'm a female?"

Smirking, Taellor stepped aside, a lanky arm motioning me forward into Fordring's tent. "All of the above. After you, Grace."

Fordring was alone, save for another soldier that stood above his shoulder. They seemed to be hovering over a map, the other man making brisk sweeps across the parchment. At our arrival, both men looked up expectantly. "Miss Fulstorm," acknowledged General Fordring. With a mutual nod the unnamed man fell back, leaving the tent with a quiet but respectful bow.

"General." I bowed for effect.

Taellor silently glided over to Fordring, handing him Gregor's parchment. With fluid like movement Tirion opened the paper, reading it over quickly and nodding. "My men seem to have cleared you." He paused, and a short, brief smile even pulled at the corner of his lips. "Welcome to our crusade, my lady."

"I hope to be a benefit," I said. "The Lich King must pay. And Lucas must be found."

"I understand your passion for the subject, Grace. Taellor here will be your mentor of sorts. He'll show you around, get you acquainted. These," Fordring pulled out a piece of cloth with an emblem atop it, "are your Argent Dawn tabard and insignia."

I didn't hesitate in wearing the new equipment. It was all too familiar, even though the pretty blue now decorating my armor and the pin differed from SI:7's. The more things changed, the more they remained the same.

"One more thing, soldier," Fordring mentioned as he folded his bulky hands atop his desk. "This spy ware of yours is not like anything our experts know. It's unpredictable. Therefore, I ask of full reports should you experience anything…out of the ordinary."

I sighed. Well, it was always changing and seemed to be strengthening by the moment, but I suppose it wasn't an irrational request. "Of course," I agreed.

"Report anything different to Taellor. He shall be your confidant. "

"Of course," I repeated.

I was dismissed that simply, left to explore my new base. Whiplash had been bathed, groomed, and even armored as a horse of the crusade.

"I figured you'd find it…uplifting," Kae acknowledged. "She seemed to enjoy it, at least."

Whiplash ninnied, tossing her mane as she pranced around the stables in front of the stations. Giggling, I couldn't help but realize that some things back home had hopped aboard with me. As unfamiliar as Icecrown's surroundings, the familiar bonds our people shared, that common spirit between us…it lingered.

And of course, now there was Taellor.

Glancing back at the Night Elf, who watched from the stable entrance, I cocked a smile. He was here, despite my attempt to escape the danger of friends. Taellor was just proof—my humanity hadn't quite completely lagged behind at Stormwind.

I stayed with Taellor in his tent. It was small, and my cot was crammed into one of the corners, but like Taellor said—"It was merely for sleeping," anyway.

Two days passed. I remained within the base, pacing back and forth as Taellor observed. "Ridiculous," I hissed. "Taellor, I need to act! Lucas is out there somewhere, and the longer I sit on my ass-"

"You're not sitting, you're pacing," commented the fellow rogue without hesitation. "And anyway, according to Fordring, we have no leads whatsoever. But he trusts your skills. He's waiting for any sort of lead."

"I know," I growled, fists clenching in agitation of the repetition. "It's just I can't…" I bit my lip. I wasn't sure how crossing over would fair, but telling Taellor wouldn't be beneficial.

"You just can't?" repeated Taellor, leaning in a tad. Damn his rogue training to hell; if I ever got my hands on SI:7… "Grace."

I blinked, trying to bide time for excuses. "It's nothing," I muttered.

"Grace, you're supposed to report any happenings to me…"

"I know. It's your duty," I announced with my best Fordring impression.

"I'm concerned," Taellor said. "Not just as your council. As a friend."

There was that word again.

Huffing, I shrugged. There was no lying to a Night Elf rogue. "It has gotten stronger—even just in reaching Northrend, I feel the bond tighten." When Taellor remained silent in an effort to encourage me to continue, I sighed in exasperation. "Like…in Stormwind, it was difficult to slip in and easy to distinguish myself from him. I was able to train my body to better warp, and I could float back and forth without much worry. But with the elapsing time, and with the distance closing between the Lich King and I…" I sighed again. "It's too easy to slip in, and too difficult to separate me from him. If it worsens, I'm not sure how much it can worsen. I'm just afraid of…becoming one of them."

"It's a gamble. Can you…can you try and slip across? Willingly?"

"I can. It's a constant pull nowadays, and it's difficult to stay away. Somehow I fight it off."

"If you want to solve this mystery, Grace, we need you to try. If something new surmounts, we'll report it and react accordingly. We have experts and soldiers, Grace. You have support."

Exhaling softly, I finally nodded. "I suppose you're right, Taellor. That, or you're terribly persuading."

"Rogue." He shrugged nonchalantly, and for a moment I could have mistaken the Night Elf before me for a blond-haired, poised Human rogue named Zen.

"I'll do it." Another deep breath. I stopped pacing, instead opting to crawl into our humble abode and sit on my cot. "What's the harm."

Besides the possibility of losing the control, having the connection backfire, and consequently becoming one of the Lich King's mindless puppet things.

Yes. Besides that.

"Wish me luck."

"Rogues don't need luck. We're just good."

I had been trained as a rogue to prepare both mentally and physically for any possible outcome of a choice. But as I sat there under Taellor's watchful gaze, the centered mentality I had acquired over the months seemed inadequate. I had been fighting the pull ever since I reached Northrend, and now I was face to face with a dare.

Shutting my eyes closed, I relaxed, finally doing something I was conditioned to avoid—I gave in.

Once again, the transfer was easy. It was snowing outside, and the flakes flew by in blurs as I witnessed whatever the Lich King was witnessing.

You think you can slip into my mind, girl, he began immediately. You know you're walking on thin ice, and yet you dare to show up here.

There were the soldiers again. Dozens of them lined up, blank faces as the Lich King paused to communicate with me.

I can sense you, you filth, he spat. You're drawing closer. Soon you'll be just like the others.

I'm different, I thought. The two words began to repeat themselves over and over in my head, and I didn't know if the Lich King could hear them or not.

What is it that takes you here? he asked. I knew he wasn't actually curious. The king of the lich was toying with me, simply allowing his maliciousness to crawl under my skin. Would you like an update on how damned your people shall be?

The soldiers in front of him began to unsheathe their blades—all of them. Each and every blade now glowed as their leaders did, blue like the surrounding ice.

I have taken your weak, incompetent soldiers and bettered them. The living have no chance. He straightened up, my view on the knights before me grew and I was now looking down on them. All of you are fools to depend on the Light. Even the Light holds no match against the powers my soldiers possess!

The closeness began to dissipate. It was as if I was being pushed out of the picture—the scene began to darken and the sounds began to fade. Mark my words. The chapel will fall. The beginning of the end has come.

I sat up quickly, lightheaded as my mind rushed with the crossover. A curse may have fallen out of my lips as confusion and urgency controlled my entire body.

Taellor had been watching over me as I slipped into the other realm—he now leaned forward, true worry glinting in his eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I stuttered. I managed to make steady eye contact with the Night Elf as his eyebrows furrowed in question. "But I need to speak to Fordring. There could be trouble."

Taellor followed me without asking anymore questions. My heart was pounding once more, but I remained as calm as possible as I reached Fordring's tent. At my arrival, the general stopped his shuffling and gave me the most earnest look imaginable. "News?"

"The chapel will fall. The beginning of the end has come," I recited.

Fordring's mouth parted open the slightest, his confusion slowly taking over his facial expression. "Excuse me?"

"That's his warning," I explained. "I crossed over. Just a moment ago. Those were his words. General Fordring, he has hundreds of his…puppet soldiers ready for a fight."

The general was speechless for a moment as he looked over both Taellor and I. "You spied? Overheard this?"

I grimaced. "Well, he actually told me…directly. The bond…it's getting stronger than I had anticipated. I must be…very careful while I'm in Northrend."

Nodding, General Fordring finally inhaled deeply. "Any warning of when?"

Shrugging, I attempted to think back to the vision. "None at all. But his numbers are increasing. It must be soon."

"The chapel. It must be in the Plaguelands that he speaks of…" Suddenly, Fordring was fumbling with different large pieces of parchment, the thick papers furling and sliding across his large desk until he found the one he had been searching for. A map of my home continent now graced the surface, and Fording pointed to the chapel I had actually been in at one point. "He plans on slaughtering our people…on our own holy land." I held my breath, afraid that Fording was concentrating and was too focused to interrupt. "He's trying to prove the fallibility of the Light."

"What are we to do?" asked Taellor.

"If we can, we must stop them before they reach the other continent," Fordring explained.

"He's still on Northrend," I added. "I could definitely see the surroundings. We could have a chance at stopping the attack here."

The older man nodded, his gaze still absent-mindedly on the location where the chapel sat peacefully. For a moment, he seemed unsure, and I took the moment to step closer. "I can help, General," I murmured carefully. "If I can continue to visit his side of consciousness…I know more of his location and whereabouts than anyone else."

"You said yourself it's too dangerous," Fordring interjected.

"I'm willing to take the chance," I said dismissively. "And this mission can also allow me to search for my missing brother…." For a moment, I felt ill at ease. The Lich King was gathering followers, turning soldiers into his playthings, and my brother was missing… "I just have to be out there," I finished.

Taellor's aura was growing uneasy as Fordring thought of my proposal and actually considered it. "Fine," he stated, and Taellor's aura spiked with worry. "I have a few men who may have a beginning route for you to take. They only have educated guesses, but it's better than nothing. I'll have to speak with them immediately. And Grace, you cannot go alone. I'll have to establish a troop…"

"Excuse me, sir, but I am Grace's guardian as she…adjusts," Taellor announced quickly. "I think it would be appropriate if I joined in the exhibition."

Fording nodded. "A pity that my base would be missing your talent, Taellor, but perhaps that's for the best."

So, Taellor insisted on going. And, my 'experts' were none other than Vii and Kae. Perhaps that was for the best, considering they were already well informed of my gift and style. Of course, wherever Vii and Kae went, Graystone followed. As an added safety (to perhaps my own humanity), Fordring also assigned Gregor the priest.

And that was it. Only five of us; but perhaps that was for the better—I didn't necessarily want to draw attention with a full-blown troop.

I had to find Lucas. I was ready to go in no time, and the others were ready close after.

"I hope you are prepared for the worst," Vii told me as we mounted and began our journey.

Shrugging, my mind wandered to the pair of daggers dangling at my hips. "I'm fairly certain my training and hundreds of SI:7 missions have qualified me to handle the Scourge."

"It's not just the Scourge you have to worry about, girl," Vii explained. "It's the elements. There's a storm rolling in."

I rolled by eyes. Snow. On a northern continent. A surprise, indeed. And I did not have time for qualms over a bit of snowfall when the Lich King himself had just dared me to move. "Where do we begin?" I asked Vii as we began our trudge through spotless snow.

"Would you like to investigate the areas of attacks," Vii began, "or do you want to start fresh?"

Inhaling, I scanned the horizon as if it'd give me exhales. I exhaled.

He was out there somewhere. And he may have my brother. I didn't have a clue about the land's geography—I didn't even know the size of Northrend! Just how vast was this land exactly, and how close was the Lich King if he's been kidnapping our—

"Little rogue." My eyes turned from the bright orange horizon and landed on Vii. "Do your human ears pick up any trace of sound?"

Again I was rolling my eyes as my thick gloves gripped the leather of Whiplash's reigns. She skittered at the sensation, head bucking and hair tussled. "Sorry. Go on," I mumbled.

Vii sighed. "Fordring gave me the coordinates to the location where Lieutenant Fulstorm disappeared," he revealed. "If we-"

"We'll head that direction," I insisted, stopping Vii mid-sentence and receiving a cross look for doing so.

Vii's lips tightened, though I doubt it was in reaction to the gust of icy wind. "I assumed you'd wish that. However, I'll advise you by saying that the snowstorm will be swooping that direction. We may receive the brunt of it."

It was silent. Taellor's aura was on edge-not out of fear, but more earnest. Was he looking for adventure? Graystone's was noticeably different; it screamed of annoyance and expectation. Well, good thing I wasn't here to make friends.

I didn't want to put anyone in danger, regardless of how well liked I was. But…

"But if Lucas…if Lieutenant Fulstorm's disappearance was recorded there, and it was one of the most recent vanishings, then it's our warmest trail we have to follow. It's the best link we have to the Lich King…"

"Except you," minded Taellor.

Vii sighed, and then nodded his recognition. "It's no surprise that we tread this path. Let us begin."

Taellor, mounted on a horse instead of his usual saber, now traveled beside me as Vii and Kae led the way. "Good ol' Vii," he muttered. "Always the optimistic sunshine."

"I can hear you, elf," Vii hollered from his perch atop his elek.

Taellor chuckled in his usual low rumble. "If his Undead senses were as good as his hearing, he'd be a decent paladin."

"Elf," Vii growled.

I giggled myself. It was a genuine form of amusement. The most I'd had for a while, at least.

It felt wrong. It almost hurt. I couldn't let my mind wander off—each moment the desire to cross was a pressure at the back of my skull, a dead throbbing like a knock.

We traveled onward, stopping minimally for rests. I didn't care much to pay attention to direction or locale—I hardly knew the territory in the first place. Besides, it made it easier to focus on the irritating sensation to cross over.

It was as if he was beckoning me. Was the borderline between us becoming brittle? Was he becoming stronger after all?

Was I becoming weaker?

Each time we stopped, Taellor's concerned eyes would scrutinize me. He was a rogue—a good detector of auras, as well as a master of masking his own. But my skills were more heightened. His concern was slipping through his attempts to hide them.

As it drew closer to nighttime, the cold began to grow crisper. The wind began to push harder, the skin on my cheeks feeling like melting fire. My nose was running and my lips were dry and cracked, and my body was beginning to tremor. I knew it would only get worse as the sun slipped further below the horizon, and it was becoming a huge dread.

"I think I can hear roguette's teeth chattering from here," Vii said.

"Roguette?" I repeated with a grumble. "Sounds like a pest."

"How do you think we came up with it?" called Vii. Graystone chuckled, causing me to slouch in my seat and concentrate on something elsewhere. Whiplash's head was lowered in defiance as she struggled with the wind's banter.

I wasn't worried about Whiplash. She was weathered, after all. Unlike her Human owner.

We came up to a huge gradual slope that towered over us. It went to probably ankle-deep to knee depth in little distance. Whiplash bucked in surprise as her belly grazed the white snow.

It was packed against the hill, and seemed to get worse further ahead. I was about to suggest we pull back and move around when Vii interrupted me: "This looks promising. We'll sleep here tonight!"

Confused, I looked amongst the others for some sort of clarification. No one seemed surprised. It must have been a Northrend thing.

Vii nodded toward Kae, and with that his nephew hopped off his mount, bow and arrow in his hand. Blizz launched her small body out of the snow, leaping behind her master in an attempt to both keep out of the wet surface and keep up with her master.

Kae took his stance, then drew an arrow as I watched in perplexity. Before I could question his actions, Kae aimed his arrow at the bank. The tip of the arrow began to glow green and expand and brighten. Finally, the arrow was released, shooting a green frenzy toward the slope.

When it hit the white surface, the green exploded into small crystals that ate away at the snow and causing it to melt on contact, creating a gaping crater within the slope.

I shrugged, even as the others began to move toward the hole. I suppose if you can't find a place to sleep, you make one.

Vii made sure the snow wasn't in danger of caving before we could enter our makeshift shelter. It was a large shelter—big enough for the bunch of us to sleep.

It was decided that Gregor would keep watch while we slept first, followed by Taellor until morning. I offered to remain awake as well, due to my knack for sensing Undead. But Taellor would have none of it—something about putting a strain on my mental state.

It was warmer in the small cave. The exhaustion of the day's travels had finally caught up to me. I had brought my small portable cot inside, and as soon as it was unrolled I laid down in relief.

Everyone else settled in as well, and it wasn't long before I felt a large, furry mass collapse right beside me. Looking over my shoulder I found Blizz's figure curled up next to me. She purred, nuzzling my shoulder as if telling me to sleep. Her fur and body mass helped keep me warm.

Taellor unfurled his cot next to me. "Getting warm?" he asked softly. I managed a small nod as I smiled.

Dennis' laughter chimed through the hot summer air as he deflected one of Lucas' attacks. The two wooden swords smacked together with a crack. Lucas growled in frustration—even during a playful spar, Lucas always craved victory. But Dennis shrugged, blocking Lucas' next two attacks.

I was a little younger back then. I giggled as Dennis lunged, but Lucas stepped back and effectively caused his best friend to fall forward off balance.

"Surrender!" Lucas announced in his best Alliance voice.

"I'd rather die!" retorted Dennis in his typical noble-like manner.

It was like I had blinked within my dream. One moment, I was under the warm summer sun, reunited with my best friends. And the next moment, I was watching behind a holy shield as Dennis prepared to defend my departure against hundreds of Undead.

The clarity in his eyes was unmatchable. He smiled one last time, my forehead still warm where he had placed his kiss.

Another flash. Lucas handed me my birthday present, grinning smugly. It was shortly after he gave me cherished advice: "Follow your heart."

Shades of blue were beginning to seep through the memories, infiltrating my dreams.

I submerged as I awoke, my eyes snapping open faster than my brain could process. My whole body was now hot with sweat. Somehow I had managed to slip out of what could only have been the Lich King's grasp.

Except now I was even more vulnerable. My memory was doing flips and back-flips, and I was growing more and more conscientious that my inability to focus could toss me back into the hands of the Lich King.

Weakly I sat up, my breaths short and shallow as I tried not to panic. I couldn't lose focus and lose the tug of war. If I slipped away now, I may never be able to come back…

"Grace?" The single word was soothing and it was bathed in an aura of protectiveness and worry.

Instinctively my thoughts went to Zen, of his knack for pushing the right buttons. How he could fire me up like no other and get me fighting, and the next moment have me completely speechless, taken aback and tranquilized.

I craved his attention. His embrace, his touch—just his presence. But I knew it wasn't possible for the aura and voice with me to belong to Zen. He was a continent away, and I was left to suffer for the choice I made to leave his side.

Taellor was sitting up as well now, his eyes glowing in the darkness with concern. Hesitantly, his long hands went to rub my back as I clenched my eyes shut in concentration. "Bad dream?" he asked.

I nodded. It was all a bad dream. Everything around me, and I couldn't escape it. "The bond…is getting worse," I whispered. "Even my dreams…I'm afraid even my dreams aren't safe."

I felt Taellor's aura darken at the news. Finally, he exhaled in frustration. "I wish we knew more about this. Knew its nature, how it progresses…"

My mind eventually calmed down, but another small thought was now taking the place of the chaos. That I missed Zen. Quite terribly. And that the worst of it was that I had done this to myself.

But I had followed my heart when I made the decision. It was the best for everyone.

I'm not sure if I slept any more the rest of the night. I didn't enjoy the feeling of fear. It had come to being afraid of sleeping—and I was dreading it would only get worse.

Before I knew it, Taellor was stumbling out of his comfy cocoon to do his patrol duties, and a tired and haggard Gregor fumbled in.

Taellor tapped me on the shoulder gently, as if urging me to sleep as he left. I rolled over as Gregor now lay beside me, so my back was facing him. Still, his aura was beginning to pierce and warm up with interest and desire, and I could nearly feel his eyes on me as I regulated my breathing and urged myself to sleep; for seeing through the Lich King's eyes seemed like a more favorable option than having the feeling of Gregor staring at me.

We awoke, and I had difficulty discerning the time as we continued our journey. In fact, Kae had to inform me that it was approaching midday.

As we traveled, I could feel the awkwardness of our group worsened…if even possible. Graystone rarely made notes on progress—in fact, the only item he ever reached for on his mount was his silver flask. He took gulps often. Kae seemed perfectly content with remaining silent. Vii constantly chattered, remarking loud as always. Most remarks were insults in disguise.

Finally, Graystone emitted a strange, stifled chuckle, body racking in his mount as he looked around. "Hay, eye've got one. What does a priest, two rogues, a paladin, a hunter, and a warrior 'ave in common?" After a brief moment of silence, he chuckled again. "Nothing!" he answered.

Taellor sighed as the others rolled their eyes. "You need a lesson in history, Graystone," he informed simply.

"Ah, nay, elf. There's only two things a Dwarf needs. Booze and ladies!"

Kae shook his head in disbelief, a grin on his face. "Nature-boy has a point," Vii established. "We're all allies, after all."

Taellor's aura stiffened, his head cocking slightly toward Vii, and I knew there was now only trouble coming.

"Nature-boy, Draenei?" asked Taellor stiffly. "I'm curious to hear what kind of tales they told you on that spaceship of yours."

"We saw it for ourselves!" Vii countered, though not effectively. "The likes of you, prancing around and tending to the plants and trees!"

Taellor rolled his eyes. "Not all of us are prancing around, Draenei. You're thinking of druids. I'm a rogue, remember?"

Vii shrugged, and for awhile, the strange argument ceased.

I almost preferred the meaningless chatter. It kept my mind off the numbing cold.

And other thoughts.

Vii said it was roughly half a day travel left with fair weather—but the winds were picking up again, every so often gusting enough to throw my hood off or send a shiver across my body. In the dusting storms, visibility was a myth. For once, I was cursing my Human body. My bones felt frozen in place.

Every so often, the weather would calm down and let me sigh in relief. Before I could enjoy the feeling though, it would pick up again. We hit a drift near supper time, and without any food since we departed at noon, the exhaustion was beginning to set in.

Poor Whiplash was tired, her hooves unable to pick up out of the snow any more. She was dragging them when I finally decided to stride out of her saddle and give her some sort of relief.

I trudged onward at her side, and although Whiplash's body took the brunt of the wind, I was still left pulling myself through the snow that measured at my lower thigh.

"Grace," Taellor dismounted his own steed, admittedly more gracefully than I had. He landed next to me, inclining forward toward me as the wind caught his figure. "Wh-"

"She's tired," I explained. "We both are."

"You're going to catch pneumonia in the snow," Taellor explained. "Your body isn't capable of handling…"

"I've been through worse," I snapped. Honestly, I hadn't considered factors that far into the future—like the fact that the ice cold snow was now beginning to seep through my layers below my knee, a numbing tingle biting at my skin.

The Night Elf rolled his eyes. "Vii!"

"Yes, fellow scout?"

"Everyone's wearing thin. I think its best we rest for the night."

"Ah, elf, you never cease to amuse me!" Vii jested with a chuckle, not even batting an eye at Taellor's suggestion. "But now, we must consider setting camp for tonight. The storm seems to be picking up and everyone is looking tired."

Taellor's aura darkened—if I could feel it, Vii must have tasted it. Despite this, the two reflected none of their thoughts or feelings.

Kae did his fancy arrow move, again creating a nice cubby hold for the night, and Vii even melted a patch of snow so Whiplash and the other mounts could get out of the wet snow for a night.

"First things first—lookouts for the night," Vii mentioned as we settled into our shelter. "I'll gladly go first shift."

"I'll go," I offered loudly. "I can do it!"

"No, Grace," Taellor stated like a parent.

Angry, I turned to Taellor to again argue my case. This had happened the night before as well, and I already knew what his explanation was going to be before he opened his mouth. "You're too fragile right now. Mentally and physically. I think Gregor would agree with me when I insist you rest instead."

"But I won't be sleeping tonight anyway," I seethed.

"I'll take second shift," Taellor insisted simply. "You must try, Grace. And if you can't sleep…you can keep me company."

Kae and Vii worked on sealing the majority of the entrance as I tenderly took my gloves off. My skin felt on fire—I rubbed my hands together with a grimace.

"Ouch. Here, Grace." From his bag Taellor produced a small vial. "It'll soothe the itchy burning. And it's healthy-"

"Hey, elf-boy! Be careful opening your magic voodoo potions inside our shelter!"

Taellor deadpanned, disbelief taking over his expression. "It's hand cream," he stated monotonously. "Herbs and ointment. No voodoo required."

Vii huffed loudly, then taking his post outside. "I hate him," Taellor said. "If there was one person I could banish from the living, regardless of race, it could very well be him."

I scowled, debating on whether I could giggle. "Well, why'd you come then?"

The Night Elf looked up at me, handing me his bottle of cream. "To take care of you, of course," he responded without hesitation. I smiled.

Thanks!

Britti