Feh'menthar Starfeather walked through the forest, his leather armor creaking as he made his way across the vine strewn ground of Feralas. He squinted against bright sunlight that filtered through the endless green leaves of the lush foliage, pushing aside branches as he stepped into a clearing.
He paused on the edge of the open space, looking at a grassy, sunlight-kissed field beyond. Clouds drifted gently in the blue sky above, shafts of sunlight dancing between them and flowing across the ground, making the light dance and making it difficult for his Kaldorei eyes to adjust. He normally would not come out during the daylight hours unless he was on urgent business, but in this case he had made an exception.
In the center of the clearing, a large saber-cat played in the grass, its silver coat shimmering in the sunlight and bits of pollen floating in the air as it rolled over onto its back on the soft turf, disturbing flowers and small insects. It rubbed its nose in the grasses, snorting a bit and purring before tilting its head up, its attention caught by a butterfly that had flown close. It reached up, playfully batting at the flying thing, its claws retracted. The butterfly fluttered up higher before diving down towards the cats nose, and it snorted again, still swatting at the flying insect before it finally drifted off.
"I know that you heard me approach," Feh'menthar said softly. "Why you persist in this game is beyond me, but you should stop. We have much to discuss and I have little time."
The cat paused, snuffling in the grasses again before snorting and giving off a sigh. Its form shimmered and it shrank, the cat's shape quickly giving way to the form of a beautiful adult Kaldorei who lay in the grasses. Her silver hair cascaded around her head, making sparkling patterns in the vibrant green of the field in which she lay. Her dress, what there was of the tattered, homespun thing, clung to her petite form and did little to cover her bare legs and arms. The elf smiled once as the butterfly returned, reaching up gently and allowing it to alight on her outstretched palm, staring at it and at the sky above.
"So you won't even rise to greet your father?" Feh'menthar sighed. "Very well, we will speak like this then. I have asked you not to range this far from our home more than once, and yet here again I find you in a place where danger could be upon you in a moment. You know the nearby ruins are filled with ogres! It took me almost a full day to track you down after I asked the Sentinels if they'd seen you."
Saveenah sighed and rolled her eyes, the butterfly fluttering away into the air. She let her hand fall, her arms outstretched in the grasses around her, "The Sentinels only saw me because I allowed them to because I knew you would worry if I didn't! You are treating me like a little child and I can totally take care of myself!"
Feh'menthar shook his head, walking slowly across the clearing and sitting beside his daughter, studying her for a time. Her words held some weight, for though she was young for a Kaldorei, her mixed heritage had caused her to mature more quickly than he would have expected or preferred. Her life, her journey would be a mystery to them all and was something she'd need to figure out as she aged. Even so, a frown crossed his face, "You know that I set these boundaries for you so that you are safe, Saveenah. You know that there are many who would harm you. I have explained this to you countless times."
Saveenah didn't look at him, instead gazing at the clouds floating above her, her eyes drifting closed as she enjoyed the sunlight dancing across her face. When she spoke, it was with less energy and more conviction, "I saw what happened to these lands when the Cataclysm struck. I felt it in the plants and animals, in the fabric of nature around us. The trees speak to me, the earth speaks to me, it tells me of the damage that was done. You told me that the dragon which did this is gone, and not to worry, but how can I not think about it? This forest is no safer than any other place, is it?"
Feh'menthar shook his head, looking sharply at his daughter, "I have brought you to the most secluded, safest place I could find. The entire world cannot be made safe, but I can keep you from harm. I can keep you from those who would hurt you. But only if you follow my rules. You know that I ask you this out of love, Saveenah."
Saveenah's eyes opened, their silver color reflecting the daylight as she stared into the sky. She brought a hand up, pointing far above at a bird of prey that circled in the sky, "The hunter has no boundaries, no limits on where it can go to seek its meal. It is free to do what it wants! What it needs to do! I need to feel the touch of other forests, other lands beneath my feet. I need to help heal where I can, because I know that this forest was not the only one touched by the dragon! You have to believe me when I say I can help! Please, father, do not set aside my dreams!"
Feh'menthar sighed, reaching out to pat his daughter's shoulder, "Saveenah, I understand your desire, your passion for this, but I cannot risk it. Not until you are older, not until things that I must deal with have been handled. My work must be seen through to the end."
"You're always working! It's not fair and I don't want to stay here alone anymore!" Saveenah pouted, her outburst surprising him.
"Saveenah...if I could, I would have your mother and your sister here with us. We would, all four of us, be safe and happy in this secluded place. That cannot be though, and so I must make difficult decisions for us in order to protect what we do have. You will simply have to trust me," Feh'menthar said.
"Fine..." Saveenah said, sighing heavily and bringing her arms to her sides to pick at her dress. She wiggled in the grass, her bare feet sweeping aside blades of the foliage as she looked up at him, "One day soon though, this will not be enough! I want to see more! I want to see...why I want to see my sister!"
Feh'menthar's frown deepened, "Would that such were possible. Your sister....ah, but she has lived so differently from you, from us. I do not even know if she would be accepting of you. I have heard tell that she is a powerful Lady now, in charge of an entire House."
Saveenah turned and looked at him, eyes wide, "But she would accept me! I saw her once, just briefly! She would, I'm telling you! And is she...like the ancestors? She has a house like they did? Does she know what happened to them?"
Feh'menthar shook his head, "I know you saw her once, but that doesn't mean that she hasn't changed. Power and prestige change people, especially when magic is involved. She is just like the ancestors, but hopefully in time we can change her mind on things, yes? If I could get her to come here, she would stay."
Saveenah frowned, "Only if she wants to! If she has a fancy house she would not like living in the trees or in the ruins of the ancestors. Remember that, father!"
Feh'menthar chuckled and shook his head, "Of course she wouldn't, but minds can be changed, yes? Anyway, I cannot stay here long, I merely came to tell you that you must return to the lands closer to our home. I must go away on business once again and I do not want to worry after you while I'm gone. Promise me you will return home?"
Saveenah sighed, remaining silent for a moment before finally nodding, "I promise..."
Feh'menthar leaned over, kissing his daughter on the forehead before rising, "Good, thank you Saveenah. I will return as soon as I can. Do not get into trouble while I'm gone. I love you."
"I love you too, father," Saveenah said, watching him as he turned to leave the clearing.
As soon as he was gone, a grin crossed her face and she tilted her head up to look down at herself. Both her hands had crossed fingers, and she had even crossed both her big toes while she had spoken her promise. It totally and completely did not count! Not at all!
She rolled over in the grass, giggling to herself as her form shimmered. A second later a large cat trotted from the field, heading towards the nearby Highborne ruins that thrust up from the forest beyond. It was there that the ogres had made dwellings, and Saveenah was mighty curious as to what they were up to. She'd not fought with an ogre in several weeks and didn't appreciate them despoiling the forest.
Besides, it would be some fun, and she liked to have fun!
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