Through Fel's Eyes

Part 4

Caysia led me to a glen along the side wall of her home. It was shaded and quietly crossed by the occasional small critter that no doubt had claimed it for their own home. Several hues of green graced my vision. The grass beneath my feet was cool as well. Such a serene spot still didn't seem out of character for my kin either.

We both sat with our legs outstretched in front of us. Caysia allowed her hair to pool around her to my right. We remained silent, taking in the rustling leaves and winds blowing strands of hair in our faces. And we continued that way until it strangled me. Until she broke the heavy silence.

"So you witnessed all of it." A confirmation.

"Yeah." I sighed. "Every moment in excruciating, bronze, magical detail." I dug my nails into the soft grass.

"And you no doubt have questions."

"Just one."

"Please."

"Was Ferrin ever like that before? Did he ever show signs?" I dared to meet her eyes which had been pointed to me for what no doubt had only been a second. The azure sparked with emotion.

"Ferrin was always a little different than the rest. He often lost himself in his thoughts, measuring one life over another's." A shiver ran up my spine.

"None of that ever bothered you?"

"He always made the right decision. Found a solution that benefited everyone. We all assumed that he was simply doing what he normally did." Caysia held my stare.

"There are pieces of the story I don't fully understand." I leaned over my thighs, elbows resting atop them. "When did you realize he wasn't the same?"

A moment of silence followed. Caysia turned to face the wall of trees in front of us. "There had been rumors that another Archdruid of our order had been sending a summons to any and all available druids. A call to Hyjal for a gathering of the best of our kind. My father warned against following it because it didn't feel right. Ferrin asked to speak with him alone about the matter and was the only one to return. He felt off. Almost as though there was another leaning over his shoulder that none of us could see. Sorim and I confronted him about what had become of my father and Ferrin turned us away, claiming that our shan'do* had left to deal with matters in the Emerald Dream."

"But that doesn't make sense. Why leave when he should have stayed to ensure you'd all heed his advice?"

"That was what we wondered. Thalyss pieced it together faster than the rest of us. But I had another problem arising at a very inopportune time." Her voice trailed off.

"The-" I caught myself. I dared not trigger anything. Not with such a sensitive subject.

"My child. Yes." Caysia nearly whispered.

"You hid its existence. At least, that's what the mutt told me."

"With all that we had learned, I sensed that our new enemy was connected to the very same Dream that my father had disappeared to. But we couldn't arouse suspicion. And I couldn't risk travel. I made the impossible decision to send my friends away from the danger, and take the only chance I had to allow my son to survive."

A boy. The little elfling that Xavan had killed. A son. Fury welled in my gut. I took a massive breath before continuing. "Didn't Thalyss pick up on what you were hiding?" I spoke slowly.

"No. Thalyss and I had never seen anything involving conception among our kind before." She paused. And her eyes flickered in pain as she opened her mouth again. "But both Sorim and Ferrin had."

My jaw plummeted. The best and worst outcome ever. And I only knew a fraction of what she had lived through. My heart nearly leapt into my throat as I willed my kin to continue.