World of Warcraft: Journey of the Huntress

Chapter Seven

Fang rested at the foot of the bed Larraine had slept in, his eyes watching her pace the floor as she re-read Anduin's journal probably the hundredth time. She knew he was worried about her, and was secretly thankful he couldn't speak and tell her not to worry the way Bixby and Gardenia had both done before going to spend the night in another room so she could have her space. She'd spent better than half of the night tossing and turning before finally giving up on sleep, and was up before the sun to resume her ceaseless sauntering back and forth across the room.

"If any Alliance soldier finds this, know that I, Prince Anduin Wrynn, am alive," she read out loud to herself, then let out an exasperated sigh.

"You were alive when you wrote this, at least. What about now? If only you'd turned and gone the other way from the wreckage, you'd be here in this village and I wouldn't be worried half to death about you!"

She threw the journal at the wall, causing it to hit with a noise loud enough to startle Fang, who raised his head up to look at her and whined in concern. Shaking her head, she sat down next to him and scratched him behind one ear to assure him she was going to be okay, then put her head in her hands. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and told herself over and over again that Anduin was just fine – but she was still having a hard time being positive with little more evidence of his survival than the journal he left behind on Taylor's flagship.

"I think I probably would have felt it if you were gone."

Her eyes flew open as she suddenly remembered something he had told her the first time they saw each other following the great Cataclysm. She'd questioned why he didn't seem as relieved to see her alive as she had been to see him, given the fact that the Stormwind City Park – where the night elf woman she had been training under lived and she often spent time practicing her archery skills – had been completely destroyed by Deathwing. He explained that he had been afraid for her safety, at first, but then he realized if she had perished he likely would have been able to feel it in his heart that she was gone... just as he'd felt when Bolvar fell at the Wrathgate.

There was a chance he could only 'feel' she was still alive due to his connection to the Light, but Larraine knew she had to at least give it a shot. Closing her eyes once more, she took a few slow, deep breaths and calmed herself. She then concentrated as much as she could on Anduin, recalling some of her fondest memories of him. For the longest time there was nothing, and the worry began to creep back into her mind. Then, she felt it: a small, warm sensation akin to the feeling of the healing spells Anduin used faintly blooming right in the center of her chest.

She opened her eyes and smiled at Fang, then hugged him tightly and laughed, and the wolf made a sound to express his confusion with the situation.

"He's alive!" she told him, leaning back and laughing once more as she rubbed both of his ears. "Anduin's alive, Fang! I can feel it!"

Fang barked in his approval at the news, though he was likely more happy that his mistress was no longer in the gloomy mood she'd been all night than he was to hear the news that the prince still lived.

"Larraine!"

Rell's deep voice called from the courtyard outside the inn, starling her. She hadn't known he was back from the old temple, but apparently he'd been back long enough to hear about what she and the others had done the previous day, judging by how angry he sounded.

Deciding the best course of action would likely be to meet him head on rather than try to keep hiding until he had a chance to cool off, she stood up and walked out of the hut she had been staying in. Fang followed, remaining close to her side, and together they went to the courtyard. Rell was nearly upon them as soon as they stepped through the doorway, a piece of parchment crumpled in his tightly-clenched fist.