Sometimes it's just better not to know

The spiders lair

Finding Gilshalan Windwalker proved to be a much easier task than Fyrerenna had initially anticipated. As a matter of fact, he stood beside the steep ramp, tightly enveloping the massive tree from the ground level up to its very crown. Clad in a loose, sleeveless, verdant vest and a matching pair of baggy pants, he looked more like a gardener or physical worker than a warrior. However, Samara knew all too well that speculating based on first impressions was usually misleading and a waste of time. With that in mind, she approached the man – who, from a distance, seemed much shorter and less imposing. Though, with each step taken, he expectedly grew and, at some point, became a hulking figure towering over the white-haired girl. This rather disturbing sensation was further amplified when he folded his arms across his chest, making her gulp unwittingly. Even though her experience with seas and ships was – for the lack of a better word – limited, mere looking at these defined muscles reminded her of the marine ropes she had once seen in the Winterspring's temple. As far as she had managed to learn, these were meant to be sent towards the seaside – towards Darkshore. Yet, all of this was hardly the most stressful aspect of her slow approach. This title would inevitably go to the man's cold, silvery eyes that kept intently observing her each move. Inside these orbs of pure silver, no emotions resided.

"Are you Gilshalan Windwalker?" Fyrerenna questioned when she stilled a few steps away from the green-haired man.

"Who's asking?" he replied immediately, stretching his neck from left to right. Then, he reached out towards his ponytail-styled hair, pulling a simple, thick, purple ribbon that must have combed it. As a result, these incredibly long strands fell back onto his broad back in one fluid cascade.

"Fyrerenna Whisperwind," the golden-eyed girl responded after a short pause. "Priestess Silvershine told me you are gathering volunteers to deal with the looming spider problem," she added reservedly.

"Ah," Windwalker hummed. "So... the rumours were true this time," he commented, combing back his hair. "Pardon me, then, Tyrande's daughter. My name is Gilshalan Windwalker," he introduced himself at last.

"No need to title me," Fyrerenna retorted, casting down her sight for a split moment. "Compared to my mother, I have not accomplished anything yet. I do not deserve to be titled. Nonetheless, is it true?"

"As much as I would've wanted to deny, it is," Gilshalan replied. "Walk with me, please," he added, gesturing towards the tree line.

"How many do we need?" the white-haired girl asked, trying to restrain her emotions from tainting her tone.

"I don't think we need more than ten people," the green-haired man said after a few moments. "The problem is that most of the folks here got used to living in peace," he added, his voice slightly irritated. "They fear there'd be consequences of dealing with these arachnoids."

"When did it happen ... I mean – when did the spiders become aggressive?" Whisperwind asked, taking a moment to look around and enjoy the view.

"Hard to tell," Gilshalan finally responded. "But... I doubt it's more than a few weeks," he stuttered, frantically creasing his impressive facial hair. "The problem with pinpointing is that only a few people would venture so close to the cave these claimed as their nest."

"Have you noticed any missing?" Fyrerenna voiced her concern.

"No, if you ask about people going missing, then no," the man clarified instantly. "However, I can't say the same about other animals. In fact, I can't answer this question with certainty, as we don't keep the exact count of every species living here," he added. "That being said, it's highly possible that some animals were caught when the spiders started extending their territory."

"When do you want to deal with them?"

"I'll talk with the other volunteers," Windwalker said. "Hopefully, we can raid the nest shortly. Until then, please rest and get yourself some backup weapon," he advised.