Heart of the Mother

Sunlight slanted down through the branches far above, bathing the ancient Highborne ruins with dancing beams of light that played across weather stained marble. A soft breeze stirred the boughs above and blew dead leaves through the open-sky structure, the warmth of spring filling the air all around.

Saveenah sat in what was likely the throne chair of an audience chamber tens of thousands of years before her time. The giant marble chair had huge armrests and a high back, all made of marble and likely, at some point, covered in a soft fabric that made it more comfortable to sit on. Even so, the marble was cool and smooth against her skin and she draped her bare legs over one of the chair's mighty arms, humming softly to herself. Atop her head sat a wreath of vines and twigs that she had made into the shape of a crown.

"Why yes, I would like more tea, thank you," Saveenah said to no one, a smile on her face. She turned her head, nodding at the empty part of the ruined audience chamber in front of her, her tone pleasant as she spoke again, "It is simply most excellent of you to invite me for tea, Kyliska. I absolutely adore what you've done with your decor!"

Across the open space a bird alighted on one of the crumbling bits of marble, the black crow cawing. Its call echoed around the ruins, and made Saveenah giggle, "Yes, yes I know I'm being silly! But what if I really did get to visit my sister? How are you supposed to act? Does she even like tea? I mean, she is a powerful noble Lady and I would not want her to be cross with me for ruining her um...what is the word for that...reputation? Position? I'm not sure!"

Predictably, the crow did not reply, merely titling its head and staring at her. Saveenah got a mischievous look on her face, staring at the crow as if in some sort of contest. The sudden, intense scrutiny made the bird shuffle in place, giving off another loud, echoing caw.

"Well, that is not very helpful at all, my friend!" Saveenah said, a smile returning to her face. "And I don't care if she will probably never invite me to visit, it's fun to imagine what it would be like. Although I have no idea how people sit in these chairs all day! My rear is starting to hurt and it's only been like a few minutes!"

With that she shifted, her legs sliding off the arm of the chair and coming down as she rose from the hard marble, a hand rubbing her own rear before she stretched to get the kinks out of her muscles. She nodded at the bird, walking barefoot across the marble courtyard, her eyes wide as she studied the ruins more closely, imagining how big the building must have been when it was whole.

"It is strange to think that they built all of this and tore down the trees and plants that were here first," Saveenah mused to the crow. The bird flapped its wings before taking flight, moving to a spot closer on the wall to the druidess, landing and cawing again. "You're right, maybe these people simply did not appreciate what they had before they built this."

The crow tilted its head and then nodded again before jumping in place and turning. This time it cawed twice, the sound somewhat more urgent. Saveenah frowned, moving towards where the bird sat and resting her arms on the edge of the crumbled wall. She peered beyond into the forest that surrounded the space. Her eyes widened as she saw something she'd not expected amongst the trees.

Several orcs moved cautiously through the underbrush, axes in hand as they scouted. They paused frequently, exchanging looks before continuing to move forward. Saveenah studied them for a moment, her frown deepening. She did not care for the creatures called orcs. They often hewed down parts of the forest for no reason and were violent. She'd heard that the things they'd done in Ashenvale were worse, and she'd sworn never to approach them. Slowly she began to shift away from the wall's edge, slipping from sight. Unfortunately for her, it was too late and one of the creatures pointed at her and shouted.

Saveenah began to panic, turning and dashing on foot through the ruins, the twig crown tumbling from her head as she ran, the crow cawing again and flying off into the air. She didn't want to confront the creatures or have anything to do with them, but by the sound of the thrashing in the brush beyond it was clear that they had other plans. Saveenah dashed through collapsed and rubble strewn rooms, looking for an exit on the other side that would lead back to the forest.

She dashed through a partially collapsed archway, her eyes wide and her feet sliding to a halt on the marble as she came upon a room that had been completely brought to ruin by some ancient disaster. The mound of rubble before her was many feet high and consisted of sharp and difficult to navigate shards of broken marble. There was no way out of the space and she was going to have to turn around.

Just as she did so, the three orcs she'd spotted burst through the space behind her, all of them a bit out of breath from running. When they saw that they'd trapped Saveenah in the small room they slowed down, grins forming on their faces as they approached her with drawn axes. One of them said something to the others in its harsh, guttural language, and Saveenah found herself cringing back against the ruined pile of marble behind her. "N-no! Stay away from me!"

One of the orcs chuckled, stepping closer and menacing her with its ax, a toothy grin exposing its large teeth and tusk. As Saveenah stared at what was likely approaching death, something stirred within her. It was a streak of stubbornness, a natural passionate fury that flowed through her blood like a sweet wine and filled her with warmth almost instantly. The urge to flee and hide faded as the realization that there would be no flight came to her, another more primal instinct replacing it.

Fury crossed Saveenah's pretty face, her eyes blazing. Her form shimmered and where before had been a cringing Kaldorei now stood a silver-furred saber-cat, its paws planted firmly on the marble. Its head arched back and it roared, the sound echoing through the ruins and giving the orcs pause. The one in the lead stopped his advance, turning to give his companions a questioning glance.

It was a fatal mistake. In the second that the orc turned his attention from the predator-cat, Saveenah lunged, her claws raking the orc and sweeping his ax from his hands. The weapon tumbled to the marble with a clatter even as the orc fell back, grunting from the impact of the cat's weight. Although he likely was only lacerated, Saveenah ignored him, her primal instincts telling her to break free of the trap. She dashed over the orc as he fell, leaping into the air and colliding with the second of the orcs before the creature could raise its weapon.

The orc fell backwards, Saveenah atop him as he tumbled. Her whole body focused on what it was designed to do, Saveenah's head came down, her fangs biting into the orc's shoulder and crushing bone in the tight embrace of her mouth. The creature howled and she tasted its blood on her tongue, even as she released the orc and tumbled off of him, coming up on all four of her paws.

The third orc turned and swung its ax at her, but she nimbly dodged it, the weapon slamming into the marble floor of the ancient ruin and sending chips of stone flying. Fury and bloodlust racing through her, Saveenah swiped a paw out, catching the orc's leg and sending him spinning to the floor, blood gushing from lacerations made by the sharp claws.

And then it was over, all three of the orcs moaning and bleeding in the ruins, the path to the doorway open before her. For a brief moment, Saveenah paused, every fiber of her being screaming at her to slaughter the creatures. She trembled and then shook her head, her furry mane bouncing around her. She turned and dashed through the doorway, shimmering and returning to her true elven form, leaving her attackers wounded and lying in their own blood behind her.

As she dashed into the forest, tears ran down Saveenah's face, her mouth still filled with the taste of her enemy's blood and her thoughts whirling through rage, shame, and triumph. Through it all, the thought that her sister Kyliska would be so disappointed in her for her un-lady-like act repeated over and over in her head.

As the forest closed in around her and calmed her somewhat, Saveenah would never know that Kyliska would likely have howled in pure delight at the bloodshed. She would never know how much alike they really were at heart.