Coming to Stormwind (part six)

Then, on a hot lazy afternoon in the summer, something strange happened.

I was sitting at the moonwell in the Stormwind park. I was laying as a cat on the well's stone edge. I was feeling miserable and not truly up to moving. It was blaringly warm and the air was so thick, it was exhausting to even walk. I used my tail to whip away passing flies.

"Hollowind." I heard someone say my name in a stately, stern voice. My cat ears turned to the voice, though I did not move my head. I did not care who it was. I wished to lay and soak in the sun into my fur, and be let alone.

"Hollowind!" the male voice cracked again. "Get up and look at me, it is an order."

I sat up just enough to turn my head. I immediately knew who it was, and was not pleased to see him. I was even less pleased to see he was barking orders. He looked more puffed up and pompous then the last time our paths crossed. He was Lady Mistcrest's right hand man, and looked as if he had been promoted.

When we first met, I had thought he was a strange and unlikely mix of night elf and human, however I had come to learn he was called a high elf. I had known this race of elf to exist, however being from a mostly isolated place, I had never before seen one. I had also come to learn that high elves and humans lived side by side and often mixed, which explained his human smell, swelled attitude, and awful taste in clothing.

"Face me. Face me as a elf, Hollowind, and stand." Dayton lifted his chin and stared at me with an icy blue stare. Reluctantly and relishing in taking my time, I did as I was told.

"Now then." he says formally, standing with his hands tied behind his back. "You, as one of the few Druid of the Talon remaining, are to come to meet the Draenei as an envoy. You and a large number of others are coming to the Exodar with the Lady Mistcrest."

I opened my mouth then closed it. I stared at him for some time. I rubbed my head, sweat from the thick moist air slicked my hand. "What?" I asked. I meant to ask more politely, however the humid air had blurred my brain.

Dayton lowered his head and laughed a little. "I know you may have trouble with common, so let me explain more plainly. You-Are-Coming-With-Us." He motioned to himself. "With-Me-And-Lady-Mistcrest. Lalynthia."

I was growing impatient with him quickly. "I know enough common." I growled. "But who and what are the Draenei, and where is the Exodar?"

Dayton the high elf looked away, flummoxed. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts as he took a small hand fan from his pocket. With a flick of his wrist, it opened. Femininely, he fanned his chubby face as he continued to explain in a curt voice.

"You have no idea what is going on in this world, do you? Doesn't surprise me, really." Dayton then began to examine his nails. "Some druid from the savage, country bumpkin south probably doesn't have the capacity to understand today's current events. Very well…" he sighed, "Let me explain in words even a primitive brute can understand. Since you CLEARLY do not read the papers AND CLEARLY have your head stuck in the moonwell waters to drown out any sort of conversation. Earlier this morning the Exodar crash landed in your people's land, oh, don't give me that look-- Feralas is FINE. Unfortunately." Dayton paused to grin toothily. "The Draenei are a race of people upon the great ship, the Exodar. They were running from the Legion. Seems as if, but this is only rumors so I am not sure if it is true, that blood elves had sabotaged their craft and they wound up crashing into Azaroth. Since they crashed in your neck of the woods, the King thought it would be grand if the lot of you went to meet them. And Lady Mistcrest thought it would be good if we had a group of people that represented the night elves." Dayton then leered at me.

"And that is where you come in, my friend." He sniffed. "I think you ought to clean yourself up a bit, don't you? You are due down at the Harbor at four this evening. This isn't a choice--" he said, interrupting me before I could get a word out. "You HAVE to go. Or else risk Lady Mistcrest's wrath. This isn't an invitation, this is an order."

I bristled. Four o'clock only left me a small amount of time. I was not sure how long this excursion was going to take, but I doubted I would be back in the city any time soon. Still, maybe this was an opportunity I could have to myself.

Maybe some time away and not dwelling on my troubles would clear my head as so I could return anew.

I felt anxious. As I began to pack food, clothing, and some small personal items my mind began to race. What of the Draenei meet us with hostility? What if there were more of them then there were of us, and we were all meeting our deaths?

That was probably it, I thought to myself. Lady Mistcrest never forgave me for almost making bad blood between the humans and elves, and this was her way of finally getting back at me.

…And then I knew how foolish I was as I made my way to the harbor. There had to be at least a hundred elves, perhaps two, gathering onto the ships. There were great feline beats piled high with provisions. I could see huge numbers of them had medical supplies and food. It dawned on me then, we were clearly looking to save these people. They CRASHED into our world. … I knew then that this was a serious incident, and they of course could not be hostile to us, even if they wished to.

I could also see all the pomp and show of politics gathering. I picked Lady Mistcrest, her right hand man, and other ambassadors easily from the crowd. They were riding upon highly decorated feline mounts. Huge tents were being held up by men with poles as so they could be shielded from the sun. Musicians and food tables were set up around them as so the very "important" were also very well comforted.

Soon I and everyone else picked to go gathered on board. We did not set sail until nightfall.