Author's notes section:

2022-09-29: Hey, here is a preview of the story's next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.

2022-10-05: Hey, a small update. I would expect the piece to be finish by the end of this week. But, as always, I can't promise it.

2022-10-24: Hey, the chapter is finally concluded. Sorry for such a slip, but life happened. I will try to finish the second wip chapter tomorrow and provide you with new. Till later, then.

Info: Ok, let me start with what I promised in the last chapter of `My home is where my heart lies`. So, I often find myself not motivated enough to progress through the story, to write something refreshing and good. And thus, I feel like I will be splitting the story into 3 parts, aka the initial story will be split into 3 separate works. It will allow me to finish one part, re-read it, and think about changes that are necessary to take place. Furthermore, I feel like I have made a lot of mistakes throughout these nearly 3 years of writing this story. And... a lot of these come from a simple concept; I have started too many stories, and I have not been able to conclude virtually any of these. Moreover, my writing style and English proficiency drastically changed/evolved throughout this time. As you might know, I'm a perfectionist; I would love each and every one of my chapters to hold the same standard, to be simply the best. And... yet, with my knowledge of language broadening, it would require me to completely rewrite the story to maintain more or less the same level. And, as you might expect, it would take me ages to do so. So, as I have said, I will try to conclude the first part of this series as soon as possible. Nevertheless, I expect that I will need at least 3 - 5 chapters to do so.

Don't forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.

Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2022-09-29]: A preview has been released.
[2022-10-05]: The chapter was updated. I have managed to add around 400 words.
[2022-10-24]: The chapter was updated. I have managed to add around 1200 words.

Info: As promised, here is the preview for the next chapter. I will try to finish it asap, but as nearly always, I can promise you when the piece will be finished. Anyway, Enjoy :)

Info: Overall, the current plan is for me to write 'My home is where my heart lies' and 'Family tree' alternatively. Between the updates of these stories, I will try to upload other texts. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to finish some of the short stories. However, I truly doubt that. It seems that most if not all of the stories will be extended both in terms of the time and the number of chapters.

Info: I will try to rewrite some of the older chapters between releasing new ones. I expect to start working on that goal in the middle of January. So, please be informed that the new chapters might take a bit longer to be finished and published.

Bonuses' section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even 2 stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?

References:

*bonuses will be worked on when I don't feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D

End of the author's notes section.

Regardless of what was happening around her, Fyrerenna Whisperwind continued running. Of course, there was some logic in this behaviour cause it severely decreased the chances of being hit by the random projectiles that had darkened her surroundings. Still, the young woman needed to fight against an inner want of turning around to see the monsters' demise. And as tempting this idea sounded, it would not have done her any good. Thus, she carried her master for at least the next couple of meters until she heard bulging sounds behind her back.

Samara smiled slightly, realising that the black arrows had reached their targets, resolving the problem. Then, she sighed extensively, feeling like a world's weight was taken off her shoulders. However, the girl still proceeded to cover some distance before finally stopping, helping her master straighten up.

"We have made it out," Samara whispered toward the huntress.

"Yes, we did," Moonblade responded roughly. "But…" the woman hesitated for a moment. "It might not have been possible if not for an incursion of our sisters. We have made mistakes that could have cost us lives," she resumed a moment later.

"I…" the High Priestesses' daughter tried to reply but was stopped by the master.

"Do not waste your breath," Analylah uttered painfully cold, grinning in pain. "Let's find the leading officer of the squad that saved us," she added after a prolonged exhale. "We will return to the topic of our mission later."

"As you wish, master," Fyrerenna replied obediently.

With this talk concluded, the two women turned around, slowly approaching the sentinels. At some point, the huntress quickened up, resulting in breaking the younger woman's hold over her frame. Then, even though Moonblade was apparently still in pain, she straightened up with pride. Then, she continued the stroll, taking long strides and holding her head high.

"Thank you, sisters," Analylah started formally. "Thank you for saving us from the Nagas. Who is in charge of this unit?" she asked, scanning all of the sentinels.

"I am," a dark-navy-haired woman responded, stepping forward. "Don't mention it; you'd do the same for us if the roles were reversed," she added. "My name is Illadya Sunfeather," she introduced herself a moment later.

"Name is Analylah Moonblade," the huntress replied momentarily. "And… this is Fyrerenna Whisperwind, the High Priestesses' daughter."

"Hmm," the officer hummed. "We've heard some rumours about the return of High Priestesses' daughter. But… to meet her in a flash, it's an honour," the woman added, bowing slightly. "Nevertheless, let's go back to the main topic. What are you doing here?"

"Let's call a scouting mission that went sideways," Analylah responded sternly. "We were sent by the High Priestess herself."

"You're lucky we were nearby," the dark-navy-haired elf said. "You've gambled… and you've lost. That's what I see, at the very least. So, please, take Fyrerenna back to Darnassus. It's not a suitable place for younglings," she added, matching the huntress's stern tone.

"I…" Moonblade wanted to say something, but instead, she paused. "Very well. We will leave," she simply said.

"I do think it'll be for the best," Sunfeather replied. "We'll escort you to the nearest outpost," the woman stated more than offered.

"Very well," the huntress repeated again. "But, I will be marching right alongside you. Something is going on below the strand, in the collapsed temple. I wonder whether you can tell me more about it?"

"I can tell you some things, at the very least," the officer said confidently. "But, it might be a good opportunity for us to exchange the intel. Let's go, then."

Samara's POV (A week later):

It all went sideways as soon as she and her master had returned from Ashenvale's failed mission. The High Priestess, her mother, received the gathered intel rather poorly. And… even though her facial expression did not change all that much, Samara somehow knew that Tyrande was worried about the sudden development. Hence, the huntress was immediately tasked with preparing a team to furtherly investigate the Nagas' presence… whilst Samara was sent to Shadowglen.

To some extent, the mother's decision was humiliating to Fyrerenna. But, it was neither time nor place to bother Tyrande with her discontent. So, without uttering a single word, the girl did as she had been told.

On the bright side, the travel was not that long and allowed the girl to stroll at her own peaceful pace. It was a pleasant change, so satisfying that Samara allowed it to last as long as she could. Of course, the effect was partly caused by her breathtaking surroundings. Or, maybe only she was feeling that way. After all, Teldrassil was so different to Winterspring, where she grew up. But nevertheless, it was a comforting change not to be surrounded by snow drifts. Instead, these piles of snowy-white fluff were replaced by the everpresent twilight.

Samara felt awe-struck by the sheer size of the trees she walked across. Some of these were so enormously large that their crows could not have been seen from the ground level. In all honesty, only in a few spots were the skies visible. But, strangely enough, it did not bother the young girl. It was quite the opposite, actually.

Still, the stroll seemingly lasted only a few brief moments before the girl reached the gates marking the entrance to Shadowglen. But, after only a few moments of looking around, a slight disappointment crept into the girl's mind. Shadowglen seemed uninterested compared to Darnassus or even to the other parts of the Teldrassil region; she had a chance to stroll throughout her journey. In all honesty, it was a relatively medium-sized area entirely enclosed by hills and small mountains.

At the area's very centre, an enormously large tree grew. As things stood, Fyrerenna's kin seemingly decided to utilise it as a foundation for some sort of a building. From where she stood, the girl could see a spiral pathway wrapped around the tree's core that climbed up to its crown. Samara found the pathway somewhat intriguing, or at the very least, interesting compared to the bland surroundings. The path seemed to be enclosed only from the outer side. As far as the girl could see, there was a low railing that would, at best, reach her midsection.

It was fair to say that Samara had expected something more. However, the reality was far from her utopian dream. Hence, she sighed, shrugged the disappointment off, and then pressed forward. With her current destination clear in sight, the girl wanted to deal with the given task as soon as possible. So, without further delay, she marched toward a lodge carved into the wood.

But, before the girl even reached the building, something, or rather someone, caught her attention. There was a priestess of the Moon standing beside the cauldron, brewing something chaotically. But, unfortunately, the process seemed not to go according to the woman's plan, for her white robes were tainted with sluggish stains. Carried by her curiosity rather than anything else, Samara approached the troubled priestess.

To Fyrerenna's utmost surprise, the woman did not react when she stood beside her. There were two options regarding such a state. Either the priestess completely disregarded the girl, or she was simply too carried away to notice the unexpected arrival. So, after a few moments, Tyrande's daughter cleared her throat rather loudly to capture the woman's attention. And… it seemed to work just as expected. The ocean-blue-haired woman abruptly jumped, lifting her head to spot the sound's source.

"Ugh… hello," the priestess whispered as soon as she noticed her visitor. "How can I help you, child?" she added more coherently after a quick exhale.

"Elune's blessing to you, priestess," Samara used the standard greetings. "It seems that you are bothered by something. I wonder… would it be possible for me to help with that matter?" she asked.

"Elune's blessing to you too, child," the blue-haired woman replied. "Is it that obvious?" she whispered, slightly smiling and blushing simultaneously.

"Unfortunately, it seems so," Tyrande's daughter responded politely.

"Eh," the priestess sighed heavily. "Yes… there's a thing or two that your help could be appreciated. You see… my friend was bitten by one of these venomous spiders lurking in the area's northern part. I'm currently trying to brew an antidote. However, as you can see, it doesn't go according to plan. And… to make matters worse, I'm running out of the ingredients. Would it be possible for you to gather some of them for me?"

"Why has no one gone for these?" Samara asked politely, yet puzzled. "From what you say, I can conclude that the situation is rather difficult, if not critical."

"It's mostly due to my mistake," the troubled woman stated. "When I started brewing the potion… I had plenty of everything I'd need. However, as I told you before, these ran out quite rapidly. And… considering that I completely focused on brewing. Hence, I, unfortunately, failed to notice the shortages. Regardless, will you assist me?" she asked, embarrassed.

"Hmm," the girl hesitated for a moment. "I do not see a problem with that. What would you need me to gather?"

"Fantastic," the ocean-blue-haired woman stated, clapping her hands. "I'd need 7 Hyacinth mushrooms and 4 Moonpetal lilies. The first ingredient can be found under the tree roots, whilst the second one you can harvest near the two ponds behind the home tree. Please, hurry up, though. My friend's condition won't be stable for much longer. He needs that anti-venom," she added, her voice carrying a lot of emotions.

"I will be back soon," the white-haired teen responded, preparing herself to leave immediately.

Even though Tyrande's daughter had other questions, she opted to leave them for later. Now, it was crucial for her to find the requested ingredients. After all, someone's life depended on her, at least partially.

The girl figured that the mushrooms would be much easier to find. Hence, she immediately ran toward the boundaries of the area that mainly consisted of the tree roots. But, she made an apparent mistake. Her run was rather slowish and ineffective because she was too preoccupied with the given task. After a few minutes, the girl was already panting, having a slight problem with proper ventilation. It was an embarrassing experience; her legs started to feel heavy.

Still, Samara almost reached her target. Despite the exhaustion that she caused herself, she would be capable of further running. However, she stopped once she spotted a small group of yellowish creatures lurking around the roots. There were 3 of them, to be precise. The priestess' daughter had never encountered such a specimen before, yet its somewhat fragile and spiky frame demanded caution.

Hoping that the strange creatures had not yet noticed her, Fyrerenna began slowly prowling toward them. The dense greenish grass successfully muffled her steps. At least for now, the plan seemingly worked. Still, the girl had learned, in the past, that overconfidence is the first step to a downfall. Hence, she opted to slow down, trying to learn more about the spiky creatures.

After the next few moments, Samara concluded that it was a correct move to proceed cautiously. The closer she got to the realm's boundaries, the clearer the picture she got in mind. These mostly fragile monsters seemed to be of a demonic origin. They alternatively chitchatted and fought each other, seemingly unaware of their surroundings.

For a brief moment, Fyrerenna regarded whether there was any sense in vanquishing these demonic offsprings. But, to her utter dissatisfaction, she spotted a few ripe mushrooms past them. The fungi were located in a small-sized hollow between two crooked roots. And… with that realisation, it suddenly appeared appealing to deal with the demon-likes.

So, the decision had been made. The girl exhaled extensively, trying to collect her mind. Afterwards, she reached out toward the quiver, pulling 3 dark feather arrows. Two of those were gently put onto the ground a moment later, whilst the last one was already strapped to the string. Tyrande's daughter's heart was pounding like a smith anvil, making her somewhat dizzy in the process. She continued breathing in a ragged manner while continuing to observe her prey.

Nevertheless, there was no time to waste. Hence, Samara mustered every ounce of self-control she could, releasing the first arrow. Afterwards, like a machine, she repeated the process twice, pulling the string as soon as possible. Then, the girl carefully observed her craft, listening to the swish of the projectiles. The plan was simple. She would charge at them with a sword and shield if the arrows did not kill the creatures.