When Druids Cross Faction - The Story So Far
This short summary of the events in the previous 4 installments is meant as a refresher for the next installment, which is coming within the next week. If you've recently read "Reconciliation", reading this is entirely unnecessary.
The sun was far descended from its midday perch directly above the northern reaches of Ashenvale Forest on the miniscule world of Azeroth. Warmth and light bore down upon the two forms where they lay asleep, for the sun had finally chosen the exact angle required to break through the heavy canopy of massive purple, green, red, and blue trees. They were a peculiar sight: a red and brown feathered hawk, many times larger than a typical specimen with two, sturdy bone horns cresting his head lay tightly wrapped up with a giant raven, whose shimmering black feathers reflected a trace amount of purple sheen, with two odd-looking pointed ears protruding curiously from her head. The two birds were wrapped in each others' wings, their bodies rising and falling with each comfortable breath, lying on a flat rock beside a gently flowing stream. They stood out, certainly, this odd pair, sleeping on the ground instead of in the trees, completely undefended from the more dangerous predators that prowled the forest. But for whatever reason, they were not bothered. Perhaps the spirits of the forest had deemed that the two creatures deserved their rest. Perhaps the wolves and shadowcats of the forest somehow realized how grave a mistake it would be for them to attack.
These birds were not birds, truly, but druids - masters of the natural magic that infused the world, healed the sick, created life, and sometimes obliterated evil. Their powerful connection to nature also allowed themselves to shift the very nature of their bodies, assuming the forms of animals granted to them by the great animal spirits that only allowed themselves to be seen when the time was right. These two druids were especially talented, able to quickly transform into rodents, hares, canines, felines, avians, cervines, ursines, cetaceans, and equines with ease, utilizing the strengths of each animal as suited them. But that was not what made the picture so strange. Druids had populated the world for the last ten-thousand years, their numbers ever growing. The strangest thing about the affectionate couple was their species. The great hawk was a Tauren, while the beautiful raven was a Night Elf.
Each belonged to a different faction, and while the Night Elves, High Elves, Humans, Dwarves, and Gnomes who formed the Alliance were not in open war with the Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, and Forsaken who formed the Horde, tensions were running high. In fact, no more than a day ago, this particular Night Elf had felt it to be her duty to slay the Tauren with whom she now shared the warm, flat stone. Her sisters, known as the Silverwing Sentinel were desperate to push the Orc presence from Ashenvale, both to control the entire forest, and to protect it. The Tauren druid was posted at the Orcish lumber mill to prevent that very thing from happening, and to return precious wood to Durotar, the seat of the Horde and of the honored Warchief, Thrall. Yet here they were, lying together, even though they both knew each other's nature.
They had fought, and when it became clear that Sameyila had underestimated the Tauren's ability, finding herself in an increasingly disadvantageous position, she had fled. Theagrim pursued, not because of his duty to the Horde, but because they had recognized each other; months earlier, the Night Elf and Tauren had met for one blissful night in the deep forests of southern Ashenvale. As a curious lion and an eager panther, the two druids made love, never realizing the other's true nature until their fight, months later. While Theagrim chased the fleeting image of beauty that had haunted him all these days, desperate to talk, Sameyila could not believe in such a coincidence. She blamed the Tauren for taking advantage of her, and reviled him for what he was allowing the Orcs to do to the forest she loved. But try as she might, she could not outrun, outhide, or outfox Theagrim.
Soon her escape was complicated by the one irresistible, over-powering, uncontrollable feature of her adversary, the key fact that had made that moonlit night months before into a life-changing event. Every time she touched the Tauren druid, all sense was driven from her mind as a tingling electricity coursed through their bodies, filling the two lovers with an overwhelming sense of belonging. When they touched, they felt complete, and the more they touched, the more addictive the euphoria. When Theagrim caught up to his agile quarry, neither could resist the waves of bliss that enveloped them, and in moments they would do anything in their power to contact as much of each other as possible. They coupled, their animal voices ringing throughout the night forest.
Yet Sameyila was dogged in her desire to escape her supposed captor, and when she could finally gather the willpower to break from her lover, she would flee again, before the Tauren could attempt to communicate. He refused to let her leave without first having his say, and so he chased her until again he caught her, and again they descended into a frenzied, ecstatic copulation. Three times she overcame her inner desire to remain locked with the Tauren forever, mistaking the powerful connection she felt for the druid to be evil magic, and three times he caught up to her, both druids more and more exhausted. But Sameyila could finally run no more, and she gave up, descending on the wind to land gently atop the flat rock next to the bubbling creek. She had lost, and she was no longer willing to fight her desire to give up - to give in. She submitted herself to her pursuer, fully expecting the massive red hawk to take advantage of her. But he had not.
After hours upon hours of chasing, the Tauren druid turned away from her raised, parted tail-feathers, refusing her offer, and allowing her to escape. Sameyila could hardly believe it! Why had he chased her so diligently, merely to give up once he had won? She finally realized that her pursuer, and her lover, was not her enemy. It was not magic that consumed her heart, but love. Finally she understood, and instead of taking flight, as the Tauren had clearly expected, she went to him. They embraced, and finally they understood each other. The electricity inundated their small, warm bodies, but this time it was enough. The exhausted birds lay next to each other on the warm rock and slept, knowing that whatever happened, they had each other. But for all their time together, they had never spoken, and even now they did not consider the many difficulties they would soon face.