Above the Stars and under the Flames

13. Song of the Sparrow

"Well, friends," Nahiri said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "It's.. it's been very nice meeting you all. I wish you the best of luck on your journey." She dipped her head and faced the fork in the road that stood before them; one path led west to Astranaar, while the other headed north past Raynewood Retreat.

Darren scratched the back of his head. "Do you plan on going all the way through Felwood, then loop back down around through Winterspring in order to reach Mount Hyjal? That seems like an awfully long way."

Nahiri shook her head. "Why no, no!" she replied, running her fingers through her hair briefly. "I'm going to climb." She pointed upward. Through the few small breaks in the canopy above, the group could see glimpses of the sheer rock wall that stretched thousands of yards high up to the top of Mount Hyjal.

"... What?" Darren, Koran, and Lorithiel all questioned in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Nahiri smiled a bit sheepishly. "Well.. yes." She waves her hands defensively. "It's not as bad as it seems! I'm a shaman," she explains. "I am one with the elements. The rocks and the wind won't let me fall; they are my family. They love me, as I love them." The other three still seemed skeptical, but eventually, they admitted defeat.

"Ye were a fine addition t'a our team, lass," Koran said, bowing low. "It was an honor t'a fight by yer side. I hope ye do well; I'm sure ye will." The others nodded in agreement, each offering their own bows and salutes. Dimpy waddled over to Nahiri and nuzzled her palm affectionately, then lumbered back over to Lorithiel, who gave him a gentle pat on the head.

And so Nahiri and her comrades parted ways, the shaman heading northward for Hyjal while the trio remained westbound. Lorithiel, Koran, and Darren continued on for a while longer, then camped by the side of the road once they were a safe distance away from the carnage of lava that used to be a beautiful portion of Ashenvale-before the Cataclysm. They shared tales and jokes around their campfire for a while, but they were tired, and soon, sleep took them.

"Wait for me!" Lorithiel called, laughing as she ran after a graceful doe. The doe slowed down a bit, and Lorithiel smiled. "I'm coming!" She reached out, almost touching the doe, when it turned its head toward something nearby.

Lorithiel followed the doe's gaze, and her eyes widened. A forest fire had erupted, and it was quickly eating away at the undergrowth. Lorithiel and her companion were frozen with fear; within seconds, the fire jumped forward and burst between the two, separating them.

As quickly as it had started, the fire died down, leaving nothing but the haze of smoke. Lorithiel squinted, trying to find the doe, but it was no where to be seen. She lifted her gaze to the sky, where there was a break in the canopy, and was startled by what she saw there.

The doe had taken flight and was ascending rapidly, soaring over the treetops. As Lorithiel watched, it bounded into the clouds, which promptly shrouded it. Moments later, the clouds that it had disappeared into began to shift and move; before Lorithiel's very eyes, the clouds transformed into the shape of the doe.

Lorithiel was not quite sure why, but she felt sadness and a sense of loss, as well as security-it was as if the doe was watching over her, protecting her. She suddenly noticed that there was something in her hand. She could feel it; it was a figurine of sorts, and it had somewhat sharp edges, with strange grooves and ridges lining the edges of two protruding surfaces. She began to lower her head, wanting to inspect the item to find out what it was.

"LORITHIEL!"

At the sound of Darren's voice, Lorithiel gasped and jerked awake, jumping to her feet immediately. The sky up above the trees was a soft magenta-violet color, signaling the arrival of dawn. The forest was waking up; birds twittered in the trees, azure waters trickled down streams, and beastly roars filled the air, accompanied by tribal war cries.