Vylira threw the rope over the small cart toward Colin, who managed to grasp it in one go, tying it over the boxes that had lined the interior of the cart. Vylira did the same before they moved on to the final rope, tying it down as Eldris followed behind to examine their work.

"Hmm. Subpar, but its just going to Darnassus, so…" Eldris critiqued, earning a stare from his daughter.

"Hey, pops," she complained, lowly, "That's a Silverwind knot right there; that stuff's not going anywhere."

"That's the problem," Eldris shrugged, "If this cart toppled down a hill somewhere, nothing's going to break away and it'll all just crush into itself."

Vylira groaned, though it was Colin who chuckled a reply, "Thanks; we'll try to not go a hundred miles an hour with this thing."

"Even you're sarcastic," Eldris groaned, rubbing his eyes, "Nobody listens to me; not even my children's mates."

Colin grinned, though more because of his designation of him as Kyra's mate. It was a nice thing to hear regardless, but given the events of the night before, it held a sort of primal, lovingly dirty connotation to it, at least in Colin's mind, though he hoped that those around him couldn't tell the difference.

He turned, however, to catch a sly smile from Vylira as she finished up her end of the rope, her eyes just barely catching his from over top the cart. Colin nervously looked away, knowing she was just trying to tease him; even though everybody on this tree would have simply dismissed his and Kyra's act, Colin knew that Vylira knew just how embarrassing it must have been to a human.

He ducked behind the cart, groaning, as he feigned some act of preparation as Kyra returned to the cart, her eyes skimming over a notebook in her hands, "I believe our best bet would be going eastward. It's more friendly to us, in general, and I don't care to cross more of the Dragonblight than we must. Going from the Fjord, up to Wintergarde; we might could even get a damned hippogryph to fly us over the blight."

Eldris sighed, patting the back end of the cart as he finished his inspection, "So you two are really going up there."

Kyra looked up at her father as the man's eyes faded slightly as he addressed Colin, "I don't have to tell you that living a single good human life is worth as much as any other."

Colin grinned, hid eyes peeling up from his slouched fa e, "Well, I promised your daughter quite a few more than one lifetime, so I better make sure I honor that."

Turning away from Eldris, Colin scoffed, nervously, "You probably think I'm insane."

"No… No," Eldris clarified with a smile, "Remember, I gave up my whole life for my partner. These same scars that made me revered along the Illidari made me despised by these people that my mate calls her own; I knew they would when I chose to give myself to her. She kept me safe, and I'm sure my daughter will do the same for you."

The two looked back as Kelaeth stumbled out of the house, attempting to carry a rather large box, his eyes catching theirs as a nervous smile barely showed at his lips before waddling off.

Eldris grinned, crossing his arms, "And my son, still causing trouble. You two keep an eye on Vylira, will you?"

His eldest daughter rolled her eyes dramatically as Eldris walked off after Kelaeth, Vylira's lips chomping silently as she mocked her father, ""Keep an eye on Vylira"; how old does he think I am?"

"Younger than the one watching over you, I suppose," Kyra noted with a teasing wink, causing a groan from Vylira as she went on, "Come on, we used to play 'Silverwing' when I was a kid and your let me defeat you to save the forest; you're no stranger to me being dominant, despite my age."

Vylira groaned, "I only did that because I figured it would lift your spirit. Now you have Colin, here, to lift such things."

Colin hurriedly turned away to hide a blush, leaving Kyra to stare at her sister through curious eyes, "What does that…"

She brought her head back, slightly taken aback, "Oh, I see."

Vylira snickered as she hopped onto the cart, "Alright, so we're taking this stuff to the Temple and then we're off to Northrend, right?"

Kyra eyed her sister, ""We're"?"

The elder sister shrugged innocently, "You didn't honestly expect me to let you two run off into oblivion alone, did you?"

Kyra turned quickly toward Colin, who'd taken to staring at Vylira himself, equally shocked by the news. Her eyes turned back toward her sister, who groaned as she shifted around enough of the equipment to make a space for her to sit.

"Uh, no no no," Kyra repeated, waving her arms, "I'm not about to-"

"Seriously, Kyra," Vylira interrupted, seriously, her eyes piercing through her sister, "This is not the time for you to prove yourself. This isn't the time for you two to run off on some romantic escapade; this could easily be life or death."

Vylira sighed as she sadly watched her sister's head lower, "I know you think you can do it alone. You've done it once before, leaving here and going off into the unknown of Kalimdor, but this is an entirely different monster. You won't have Silverwings or Ancients around; all you have is yourself and who you take with you."

She turned toward Colin, "No offense, son, but as far as combat, you'd be about as useful as a toothless murloc."

"Okay, ouch," Colin muttered back, sarcastically.

Vylira grinned, "I know you think you're high tier, Kyra, but come on."

She smirked widely, "There're some skills you just can't learn without age."

Kyra turned to Colin, who shrugged back at her, "I mean, we might as well, right? 'Many hands' and all that mess."

She turned back toward Vylira, thinking, which Colin picked up on. He slowly took her hand into his own, pressing it between both of his hands as he leaned in, close to the side of her face, whispering quietly into her ear.

"I know you remember your own promise. Your pride is something about you I truly adore, but… This isn't the sort of thing we need to underestimate. I know you want to protect me, by yourself if you can, but…"

He sighed as he tilted his head downward and away, thinking of his next few words, continuing quietly, "You are the sun and the moon to me. That won't change, no matter who has our backs."

"Besides," Colin spoke aloud, now, "Despite her flaws, I know we can trust her."

Vylira outstretched both of her arms before bowing, dramatically, "At your service."

She winked at the two as she returned to her normal posture, "And those flaws, some men would kill for their women to have."

Colin leaned back into Kyra's ear, "And if we encounter a beast who eats boastful beings, you and I will be set to go."

Kyra grinned humorously, leaving Vylira slightly perturbed at the secrecy, resigning herself to simply returning to adjusting a spot for herself in the cart, as if knowing Kyra's answer. The official answer was cut short, however, as a book suddenly flew through the air toward Colin, who quickly jumbled it in his arms, trying to grasp it amidst the surprising appearance. He whipped around to notice Kelaeth approaching the three of them, grinning mischievously.

"Good catch," he muttered, sportily, eyeing Vylira from the corner of his eyes, "Going too?"

She didn't reply, simply holding her head down and moving around boxes. Kelaeth hummed a chuckle through his closed mouth, patting Colin on the shoulder as if to signal to him to pay attention to his demonstration.

"Kyra, can you tell Vy to-"

"Kelaeth," Vylira replied, suddenly, in an annoyed tone.

He grinned, "Well, I got one word out of you. Can't remember the last time you used my full name, though."

"It's more than you deserve," Vylira muttered, nearly under her breath, as if passive aggressively.

Kelaeth chuckled again, shaking his head, "Do we need to spar real quick and resolve some of your anger? I'll let you win if you'd like; it's my brotherly duty, after all."

Vylira scoffed as her head rose up into the air before tilting sideways toward him with an incredulous sort of smile, "Oh please; you keep telling yourself that. I'll kick your ass all over again, when the time comes. Fair and square."

Her brother managed an elbow at Colin's arm, "The real question that'll keep you up tonight is how many matches we've had where I've already allowed you to win."

He smirked as Vylira stared him down, angrily, as he turned to Colin, "Don't let her teasing get to you- she has soft spots just like the rest."

Colin nodded slowly, quite surprised by what all had just occurred, but Kelaeth didn't allow much room for him to remain as such. The eldest of the Shadowmoon children grabbed the book, still in Colin's hands, and shoved it into Colin's chest, watching him carefully.

"Read it. Study it. Come back for more," Kelaeth spoke, plainly, grinning as he finished, "Make it quick. If mother finds where I buried the rest, I'll get the branch again."

Colin curiously went to open the tome to examine it, but with his hand still on it, Kelaeth quickly held it closed, whispering slowly, almost cryptically, "Remember. even the moon has a dark side."

He patted Colin on the shoulder before stepping away, turning to leave with his hand raised in parting, "Farewell, my dear sisters. Keep your feet on the ground and your hearts in the stars."

Vylira quickly returned to her task, now angrily shoving boxes against others. Kyra grinned at her, turning to Colin, who nodded to her in confirmation, the two enjoying Vylira's mood.

"You still love your brother," Kyra spoke up with a grin.

"Oh, shut up," Vylira snarled, leaving the others with even further grins across their faces, "I've gotten too far in my life for this kind of stuff."

"I've been a Silverwing myself, you know."

Vylira sighed as she rose up, holding her fists down against her hips, staring critiquingly at her sister, "Yep. Before you up and abandoned your post. After, mind you, you had left your previous post here, on the Crown of the Earth. To that, you're developing a rather maddening pattern, dearest sister."

Kyra watched her with a shrug, "You are saying I'm running off again?"

Colin turned to Kyra, curiously, as Vylira started to laugh, "What? No, I was just hitting back; you two were happy to tease me. Why? You don't have any reason to run from Colin; it's not as if you're the one who can saddle him with bearing a child."

Vylira laughed as she grabbed at a blanket to lay across the floor of the cart, now focused on her own comfort, before looking up, confused by the silence that, now, accompanied Colin and Kyra's knowing faces. Her eyes slowly grew, her face rapidly running from one to the other.

"Wait, wait; you don't –"

Kyra's voice emerged, steadily, "To become a mother would be a fate I wouldn't dare to even consider fleeing from."

"Okay," Vylira nearly stammered in a panic, "How long was I gone?!"

Colin grinned, "You said you'd love the little tyke."

"B-Yeah! Like, a few centuries from now!" Vylira shouted, almost panicking, earning a laugh from Kyra, "I'm not ready for kids; I said I wanted to settle down! One person! No little people!"

Kyra turned to Colin, happy to explain, "I'm the sibling she's closest to, so she's probably just-"

"I'm not jealous!" Vylira shouted, inaccurately finishing her sister's sentence, "And what's with everybody ragging on me all of a sudden?"

She groaned, finishing up on the cart, mumbling to herself, "I'm just an innocent girl making her way through the world. Sheesh."

"Sorry," Colin grinned, "I have a lot of time to make up when it comes to siblings, I suppose. Family, t-"

He paused as he turned to see Cayssarin entering his vision, the older woman showing a light exhaustion on her face as she watched her daughter, arms crossed, her voice rather stern, "Speaking of siblings, do keep an eye out for Syheath. I won't rest easy until I see her again, be it in the afterlife or not."

Kyra nodded sarcastically, "Yes, mother, we know."

Colin hadn't pulled his eyes from the matriarch, though he hurried looked away once she turned to him, "You didn't complete your thought."

Colin chuckled, nervously, scratching his neck, "W- I mean… You know…"

"No, I don't," Cayssarin twisted her lips, "Are you afraid of me? You wouldn't be the first."

"No!" Colin shot back, "Sorry, I mean… I don't know; you just don't ever seem, uh, agreeable whenever somebody talks about me as if I'm a part of the family."

Colin looked away, embarrassed, "I guess."

Cayssarin stared down at him, blankly, her voice sincere and free of sarcasm, "Do I need to pat you on the shoulder?"

"Huh?" Colin replied, staring up at her.

She shrugged, "I don't know. You are the partner of my daughter. I have no qualms of your intentions, and you've proven yourself worthy. Of course I see you as family, especially considering your background, and that little fact that you brought my husband back to me."

She eyed him, suspiciously, "Why? Were you wanting me to act more like a mother to you?"

"N-No," Colin stammered, unsurely, "Especially when it gets made to sound slightly weird…"

Cayssarin grinned, mildly, "I've never been one to nurture. Eldris was always the one who partook in such things. I love my children, don't get me wrong, but the Shadowleaves weren't exactly brought up to be touchy-feely."

She smiled a bit wider, "Well, in a certain sense, I suppose we were."

She reached down and went ahead with patting Colin's shoulder, but by now, it had become something slightly uncomfortable, though he managed to bear it, smiling slightly crookedly after she pulled back away, "Uh, thank you."

"I don't do hugs, but I suppose I can offer one once you stand up," Cayssarin muttered aloud.

"N-No, that's alright," Colin admitted, "I think that might only cause more teasing to arise."

Cayssarin nodded, her eyes watching as Kyra tossed up some supplies up to Vylira, the two finishing up packing, "It is nice to have somebody who doesn't make it their mission to grind on my nerves, though."

She managed a laugh between closed lips, Colin doing much the same before replying to her, "You're saying that after we've decided to run off to Northrend?"

The matriarch shrugged, sarcastically, with a droll expression, "Everybody grows up."

She turned and smiled at him in acceptance, "Besides, you're doing it for a good reason. One of my daughters went simply to be wild."

Cayssarin sighed, shaking her head, "No telling what she's up to. Hopefully you all can run into her; I'd like to think she's being a respectable night elf. Not getting into horrible situations."

Colin spoke up, "Wishful thinking?"

She groaned, "She is a Shadowmoon."