Binding the Flames

(( I will be posting this story in parts, hopefully in short intervals in short but sweet pieces. ))

The trip had taken a few days. She was anxious. This was something that she had delayed for a long time. There were things that, in reality, some would most likely consider more urgent and important. But this was something she had to do. The run from her Pack's lands was long and tiring, but something that she enjoyed thoroughly all the same, at least in comparison to the long journey by ship that was to come.

She had met Calenia Falodrian during her stay in Theramore. She was known as the Witch of the Marshes in those parts. She, however, insisted this was given to her on false pretenses, that the true name of her spirit was Greyclaw and that titles were nothing but arrogance. She wandered the Dustwallow Marshes with her apprentice, another one bearing the Curse who went by the name Black Wolf. The other friends Niara had managed to make in Theramore told her of how he used to be known as Altheridas Walken. Apparently, he had been part of the Navy before he met Greyclaw, whom inspired him to change the entire way he lead his life. Greyclaw embraced her true form and the wilds, much like Niara did. Niara respected and even admired her a lot for this. Calenia and Atheraldias reminded her in many ways of herself and her old mentor in Gilneas, Merralan, a Witch of the Headlands of Gilneas. She had taught Niara everything she knew about surviving the wilderness and how to fully embrace her new, true self. Recent events however, had left her broken and with nowhere else to turn. So she fled south, back to her old ways.

She had since worked on and off with different kinds of jobs. She wasn't picky, whatever she could find, she would take. Most of the Gilneans whom had fled their homeland ended up in Darnassus and Stormwind. Niara, like many other Gilneans, had been taught that the outside kingdoms were of little worth. Most people she met in the outside world reflected this attitude back to anyone from Gilneas. This, together with her Curse, had left her with very little opportunities to earn coin. Because of this she was often forced to work in the shadier parts of Stormwind. They seemed to hold a subtle appreciation for the strength of the cursed ones, as well as the fear they could inspire in the local farmers and citizens. One of her more lucky assignments was offered directly from the hands of a Stormwind Noble, or so she claimed. She had an outlandish charm to her. Niara had always figured she was an exile or wanderer from another part of the world. Her skin was tanned and her clothes were richly detailed in foreign patterns, symbols and shapes. She didn't speak much of this when they first met, but they have ever since that day stayed friends.

Her name was Sophyra and she needed assistance from someone who could guard her and defend her very life during a very dangerous assignment. She had been contracted to travel to the front on the Barrens, in the middle of a warzone and campaign, to deal with a renegade undead. The target had taken quite some time to track down and deal with. It was during her stay in the Barrens she had become aquianted with another fellow Gilnean staying at the front. His name was Manoch Morgan and he was the medic aboard the ship the Navy had sent to ferry the troops to the front. He often stayed in the camp and they would chat until late at night. He had offered her a spot on their ship on the way back, so that she could find a new life in Dustwallow, where she would eventually find and meet the Witch of the Marshes, Greyclaw.

_____


The ship docked at Theramore harbour early in the morning. It was misty and the sunshine reflected upon the vegetation covering the swamps and rooftops. The air was damp yet fresh, a meeting of both sea and marsh. Niara looked around alertly and stretched herself, standing on the very tips of her paws (what would be called her toes by some). She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A soft but long yawn escaped her as she looked over her surroundings. She was tired, yet still alert in case of danger, as always. Her ears perked up a bit as she stood and listened. It was a quiet morning, with nothing but chattering sailors, the sound of the seagulls and the waves sweeping inland to be heard.

She passed through Theramore quite quickly, not stopping to look up Manoch or any of her other old friends. This was not because of the people but because she longed to be reunited with her Pack again. She spent most of her time in Theramore in her true form. For some reason the people seemed more open-minded about the Curse and the fate of Gilneas here, compared to the people in Stormwind. As she reached the gates she gave the surroundings a quick examination. Not much had changed since she had last been here. The wilderness was still creeping inward towards town slowly and no effort seemed to have been made to clear it. This was good news to her. She always preferred nature over the city-life and she knew Greyclaw did too. Apparently all her and Greyclaw’s efforts at preserving nature were paying off. As Niara got down on all four a tired grunt escaped her. She had looked forward to running again. Being locked inside the tight compartments of a ship always made her upset. She preferred feeling the winds, running and hunting. Not sleeping and sitting about. She secured all her belongings to herself before sprinting off towards the horizon, determined to find her old friend, Greyclaw.

___________

As she ran though the marshes a lot of thoughts and feelings blurred her mind. She had had a lot on her mind recently. She usually missed her old life and friends in Gilneas, but she found those feelings replaced by a sense of belonging and duty with her new pack. Some things still plagued her though and it kept her thinking throughout the journey. Tracking Greyclaw was very hard, as she was not one to leave signs of herself as she passed through nature. She was very careful and respectful to all living beings around. That did not mean she couldn't get harsh, or even cold, when matters required. When Niara first heard of the Witch, she had been arrested for her (what some would consider) extreme methods at preserving nature. Niara and her friend Manoch had snuck into jail only to find her starved and locked away. She had cleverly managed to sneak in food for her, something that no doubt helped Greyclaw trust her. They quickly became friends the longer they talked. Before she left Theramore for Stormwind, Greyclaw had given her a feather, a focus that they could use to find each when necessary. This was her best way of finding her old friend. She focused intensively on the feather and let the spirits guide her to her destination.

It was almost night when Niara found Greyclaw and her apprentice, Shadow Wolf, camped by a small fire, something that was necessary to keep warm and dry in the damp marshes during night. Niara darted up to the two, getting up to an upright posture with a grin across her maw. There was just silence as the three stared at each other, taking in what had changed, both in appearance and scent. Niara was the first to break the silence, she was the one who had broke the peace after all.

Niara was never quite good with long speeches, opening up with a simple "Evening."

Greyclaw was always hard to read. She did not show much in the ways of emotion and she was generally very easy to upset. She answered the greeting with more staring, her apprentice looking a bit unsure of how to react as well.When she finally replied she did so in her usual, short and snappy manner.

"Evening. It's good to see you again."

Niara breathed a quiet sigh of relief, her posture relaxing a bit from her usual tense, defensive stance.

"Had I not known better I'd have thought you dead."

She stared back at Niara judgementally. Niara blinked, her thoughts racing. She had been prepared for the fact that her arrival might seem rude, but not in such a straightforward manner. She stumbled out a few sentences in the hope of reminding her of their old connection.

"W-well, I still have the feather. I always keep it close."

Greyclaw's expression didn't change much. Shadow Wolf mimiced his master, staring at Niara expectantly.

"I know. That's what I meant."

The feather Niara spoke of was the same she had used to find Greyclaw. Apart from a focus to find each other, it would also connect their spirits when needed. If the need should rise they could share their visions and feelings with each other. Something that was useful if they came into distress or trouble.

"I'm sorry for vanishing like I did. Something happened...I just wanted to leave."

Greyclaw tilted her head, part in curiousity and part in confusion. She seemed willing to listen and Niara didn't hesitate. She recounted the story of how she and her friend Aveta had helped a couple of her kin with their children. She also told her how she had been repayed and why she had to leave. She told her of the time after and how she was now leading a Pack of Worgen in Stormwind, trying to help her people survive and find their new place in the world. Greyclaw listened intently, seemingly understanding her plight. She nodded and a smile played across her maw as Niara finished.

"I understand. But tell me, why have you returned? You didn't come all this way for idle, meaningless banter, did you?"

Niara smiled faintly and replied.

"I have come for help...with this."

Niara reached behind her back and detached the staff of Locke Yolun, broken in two. She had promised to honor his memory by restoring what he put so much work into. It served Niara both symbolically and practically.

"It's broken...and it's spirits have abandoned it. I need your help to mend it."

Greyclaw quickly rose to her feet and plucked the staff out of Niara's hand, examining it very closely and with much scrutiny. The staff was carved out of a branch from the Blackwald. At the top a large wolf head was carved, snarling viciously at whoever would oppose it's master. A collar adorned the neck of the beast, looking almost out of place. It was metal and inscribed with a language few could read, let alone understand. Along the entire base of the staff were inscriptions made in the tongue of the old witchcrafts of the Gilneans, serving to give the staff it's powers and protections. Around the base was a leather wrapped handle with a fur base to make it easy on the wearer to handle for days, should the need arise. The staff was broken in two, just below the head.

Greyclaw nodded firmly.

"I understand. Come, both of you."

Shadow Wolf grunted as he rose to his feet and followed his master as she left into the dark night. Niara looked around the camp one last time before following.

_________

Niara and Greyclaw finally arrived at the site they usually used for rituals. She helped draw the minor signs while Greyclaw tended to the major ones. They ornamented the ground with the necessary markings of protection, binding and power. Every single mark in the ground had its own purpose for the spell. Niara understood most, but not all markings. Both Merralan and her mother had taught her what she knew. As Niara finished with what she could she noticed Greyclaw still tending carefully to the rest of the signs. She had never seen her so careful and determined in her movements before. It almost served to worry her a bit. She turned towards the middle of the circle slowly forming around them. She opened her pouches and picked out some dried herbs; Fadeleaf, Dreamfoil and a some Purple Lotus. She prepared them as necessary and lit them with a faint fire, serving as incense for the ritual. Niara smiled as she took in the soothing and calming scents, still a bit anxious of what was to come. She had never been very good in the old ways, always struggling a lot with her spells, even to this day. As the smoke and scent filled the air she rose to her feet, finding Greyclaw right next to her. Greyclaw snapped out the sentences quickly.
"Very good. Are you certain you are prepared for this?"

Niara nodded quickly but weakly. Greyclaw gave a faint smile in return. They both drew their ritual blades and offered some blood over the circle, a faint shimmer filling the signs and runes on the ground as they did. Greyclaw quickly closed her eyes, as did Niara. Greyclaw focused intensively and chanted in the old tongue, her voice firm and determined. Shadow Wolf watched from afar and Niara could feel his nervosity as the ritual started.

Niara kneeled down in great reverence, remaining humble in the face of the spirits. She carefully picked up both parts of the staff, letting them meet in unison again. The very moment they did, the world fell dark and silent around her.

She awoke what felt like hours later. With a painful grunt she pushed herself up just enough to look around. As she looked around her eyes widened in surprise. She found herself in a dark meadow back home, in Gilneas. She wasn't sure whether to panic or be happy. She had missed her old home, but she was worried about what had happened with Greyclaw and the spell. She looked around herself, wincing in surprise as she saw someone standing just next to her. Strange lights danced around them both, flickering and fading. She had trouble making out the character's face at first, but as she kept peering she soon realized who it was.

"Mom!", Niara cried out, struggling to hold back her tears of joy. She tried to get to her feet, hoping to leap for a hug with her mother, when she realized she was restrained. She tugged with both her arms and her legs, only finding the clatter of iron chains in response. Her mother just stood still, peering down at her daughter, still smiling reassuringly. She bent down to whisper to her, in a calm and soothing voice.

"Everything will be alright. Don't struggle."

Niara kept staring for her mother for a long while, stopping her struggle. She watched in desperation as the world slowly grew darker around her and as she saw her mother drifting away slowly into the shadows. Suddenly a bright light lit up the meadow and Niara's eyes widened in absolute fear. She watched in complete terror as dark figures rose up around her mother, slowly coalescing into one only to suddenly and violently burst into a vicious hurricane of fire. At that very precise moment, it was as if time stopped and everything went quiet. All fear and doubt passed her as she ripped the chains from the ground, tearing up her skin and the ground that kept her. She roared, part in fear, part in anger and hate as she charged the vicious fire being, her staff in hand and the chains still fighting against her. As she ran, she could hear the flames taunting and mocking her, picking apart her faults and weaknesses. She kept going, fighting through the pain of the chains tearing into her limbs and the onslaught on her mind by the being and just as she came close enough to strike it, everything again, went dark.

_____________

Niara looked out over the harbor in Theramore one last time with bittersweet feeling. She would miss Greyclaw a lot. She had had trouble parting with her, unsure of what to say. They had not spoken much, partly on Niara's fault and she regretted this. She told herself it didn't matter. She had acquired what she came for. She had conquered her past and gained a new, powerful ally. It was time for her to return home.
She took in a deep breath, relishing the fresh air once more before whispering to herself, as if hoping the winds would carry her words back to her old friend and mentor.

"Thank you..."

"I don't think I will ever be able to repay."

Niara frowned a bit.

"I finally know myself."

"I finally know what I am capable of."

"I am the Flamewind."

I like the story so far, and can't wait to read the next bit, but... just to nitpick.. surely this should be in The Library section?

Don't have one and don't really want one, write so seldomly

It can be placed in the "General Stories" section.

(( I don't believe that category even existed back when I was a mod here. You know what I think would be nice? Some feedback on the actual text instead of nitpicking on which vaguely reminiscent section of the forum this should be in. Please don't post otherwise.

Thanks. ))

The ship docked at Theramore harbour early in the morning. It was misty and the sunshine reflected upon the vegetation covering the swamps and rooftops. The air was damp yet fresh, a meeting of both sea and marsh. Niara looked around alertly and stretched herself, standing on the very tips of her paws (what would be called her toes by some). She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A soft but long yawn escaped her as she looked over her surroundings. She was tired, yet still alert in case of danger, as always. Her ears perked up a bit as she stood and listened. It was a quiet morning, with nothing but chattering sailors, the sound of the seagulls and the waves sweeping inland to be heard.

She passed through Theramore quite quickly, not stopping to look up Manoch or any of her other old friends. This was not because of the people but because she longed to be reunited with her Pack again. She spent most of her time in Theramore in her true form. For some reason the people seemed more open-minded about the Curse and the fate of Gilneas here, compared to the people in Stormwind. As she reached the gates she gave the surroundings a quick examination. Not much had changed since she had last been here. The wilderness was still creeping inward towards town slowly and no effort seemed to have been made to clear it. This was good news to her. She always preferred nature over the city-life and she knew Greyclaw did too. Apparently all her and Greyclaw’s efforts at preserving nature were paying off. As Niara got down on all four a tired grunt escaped her. She had looked forward to running again. Being locked inside the tight compartments of a ship always made her upset. She preferred feeling the winds, running and hunting. Not sleeping and sitting about. She secured all her belongings to herself before sprinting off towards the horizon, determined to find her old friend, Greyclaw.

At last the story unfolds

you wait bob, still got a fair bit left to go

As she ran though the marshes a lot of thoughts and feelings blurred her mind. She had had a lot on her mind recently. She usually missed her old life and friends in Gilneas, but she found those feelings replaced by a sense of belonging and duty with her new pack. Some things still plagued her though and it kept her thinking throughout the journey. Tracking Greyclaw was very hard, as she was not one to leave signs of herself as she passed through nature. She was very careful and respectful to all living beings around. That did not mean she couldn't get harsh, or even cold, when matters required. When Niara first heard of the Witch, she had been arrested for her (what some would consider) extreme methods at preserving nature. Niara and her friend Manoch had snuck into jail only to find her starved and locked away. She had cleverly managed to sneak in food for her, something that no doubt helped Greyclaw trust her. They quickly became friends the longer they talked. Before she left Theramore for Stormwind, Greyclaw had given her a feather, a focus that they could use to find each when necessary. This was her best way of finding her old friend. She focused intensively on the feather and let the spirits guide her to her destination.

It was almost night when Niara found Greyclaw and her apprentice, Shadow Wolf, camped by a small fire, something that was necessary to keep warm and dry in the damp marshes during night. Niara darted up to the two, getting up to an upright posture with a grin across her maw. There was just silence as the three stared at each other, taking in what had changed, both in appearance and scent. Niara was the first to break the silence, she was the one who had broke the peace after all.

Niara was never quite good with long speeches, opening up with a simple "Evening."

Greyclaw was always hard to read. She did not show much in the ways of emotion and she was generally very easy to upset. She answered the greeting with more staring, her apprentice looking a bit unsure of how to react as well.When she finally replied she did so in her usual, short and snappy manner.

"Evening. It's good to see you again."

Niara breathed a quiet sigh of relief, her posture relaxing a bit from her usual tense, defensive stance.

"Had I not known better I'd have thought you dead."

She stared back at Niara judgementally. Niara blinked, her thoughts racing. She had been prepared for the fact that her arrival might seem rude, but not in such a straightforward manner. She stumbled out a few sentences in the hope of reminding her of their old connection.

"W-well, I still have the feather. I always keep it close."

Greyclaw's expression didn't change much. Shadow Wolf mimiced his master, staring at Niara expectantly.

"I know. That's what I meant."

The feather Niara spoke of was the same she had used to find Greyclaw. Apart from a focus to find each other, it would also connect their spirits when needed. If the need should rise they could share their visions and feelings with each other. Something that was useful if they came into distress or trouble.

"I'm sorry for vanishing like I did. Something happened...I just wanted to leave."

Greyclaw tilted her head, part in curiousity and part in confusion. She seemed willing to listen and Niara didn't hesitate. She recounted the story of how she and her friend Aveta had helped a couple of her kin with their children. She also told her how she had been repayed and why she had to leave. She told her of the time after and how she was now leading a Pack of Worgen in Stormwind, trying to help her people survive and find their new place in the world. Greyclaw listened intently, seemingly understanding her plight. She nodded and a smile played across her maw as Niara finished.

"I understand. But tell me, why have you returned? You didn't come all this way for idle, meaningless banter, did you?"

Niara smiled faintly and replied.

"I have come for help...with this."

Niara reached behind her back and detached the staff of Locke Yolun, broken in two. She had promised to honor his memory by restoring what he put so much work into. It served Niara both symbolically and practically.

"It's broken...and it's spirits have abandoned it. I need your help to mend it."

Greyclaw quickly rose to her feet and plucked the staff out of Niara's hand, examining it very closely and with much scrutiny. The staff was carved out of a branch from the Blackwald. At the top a large wolf head was carved, snarling viciously at whoever would oppose it's master. A collar adorned the neck of the beast, looking almost out of place. It was metal and inscribed with a language few could read, let alone understand. Along the entire base of the staff were inscriptions made in the tongue of the old witchcrafts of the Gilneans, serving to give the staff it's powers and protections. Around the base was a leather wrapped handle with a fur base to make it easy on the wearer to handle for days, should the need arise. The staff was broken in two, just below the head.

Greyclaw nodded firmly.

"I understand. Come, both of you."

Shadow Wolf grunted as he rose to his feet and followed his master as she left into the dark night. Niara looked around the camp one last time before following.

*Enjoys reading this. Good story so far*

Encourages me to make contact with the pack at some point, but can't promise it would be in near future.

I know the ending but can't stop >< I demand more and hmmm blast bbl with more demands

Well, I am always around to Rp with in the pack, or outside of it Greyclaw is probably one of my more enjoyable characters to play around with.

ah this lot the worgens in the old barracs area in SW?

Char! We are indeedy also, its meeee... Calen

Say to your female priest thelania says hi *waves firey axe and drops woggy off cliff* he he

and hay Calen XD

Niara and Greyclaw finally arrived at the site they usually used for rituals. She helped draw the minor signs while Greyclaw tended to the major ones. They ornamented the ground with the necessary markings of protection, binding and power. Every single mark in the ground had its own purpose for the spell. Niara understood most, but not all markings. Both Merralan and her mother had taught her what she knew. As Niara finished with what she could she noticed Greyclaw still tending carefully to the rest of the signs. She had never seen her so careful and determined in her movements before. It almost served to worry her a bit. She turned towards the middle of the circle slowly forming around them. She opened her pouches and picked out some dried herbs; Fadeleaf, Dreamfoil and a some Purple Lotus. She prepared them as necessary and lit them with a faint fire, serving as incense for the ritual. Niara smiled as she took in the soothing and calming scents, still a bit anxious of what was to come. She had never been very good in the old ways, always struggling a lot with her spells, even to this day. As the smoke and scent filled the air she rose to her feet, finding Greyclaw right next to her. Greyclaw snapped out the sentences quickly.
"Very good. Are you certain you are prepared for this?"

Niara nodded quickly but weakly. Greyclaw gave a faint smile in return. They both drew their ritual blades and offered some blood over the circle, a faint shimmer filling the signs and runes on the ground as they did. Greyclaw quickly closed her eyes, as did Niara. Greyclaw focused intensively and chanted in the old tongue, her voice firm and determined. Shadow Wolf watched from afar and Niara could feel his nervosity as the ritual started.

Niara kneeled down in great reverence, remaining humble in the face of the spirits. She carefully picked up both parts of the staff, letting them meet in unison again. The very moment they did, the world fell dark and silent around her.

She awoke what felt like hours later. With a painful grunt she pushed herself up just enough to look around. As she looked around her eyes widened in surprise. She found herself in a dark meadow back home, in Gilneas. She wasn't sure whether to panic or be happy. She had missed her old home, but she was worried about what had happened with Greyclaw and the spell. She looked around herself, wincing in surprise as she saw someone standing just next to her. Strange lights danced around them both, flickering and fading. She had trouble making out the character's face at first, but as she kept peering she soon realized who it was.

"Mom!", Niara cried out, struggling to hold back her tears of joy. She tried to get to her feet, hoping to leap for a hug with her mother, when she realized she was restrained. She tugged with both her arms and her legs, only finding the clatter of iron chains in response. Her mother just stood still, peering down at her daughter, still smiling reassuringly. She bent down to whisper to her, in a calm and soothing voice.

"Everything will be alright. Don't struggle."

Niara kept staring for her mother for a long while, stopping her struggle. She watched in desperation as the world slowly grew darker around her and as she saw her mother drifting away slowly into the shadows. Suddenly a bright light lit up the meadow and Niara's eyes widened in absolute fear. She watched in complete terror as dark figures rose up around her mother, slowly coalescing into one only to suddenly and violently burst into a vicious hurricane of fire. At that very precise moment, it was as if time stopped and everything went quiet. All fear and doubt passed her as she ripped the chains from the ground, tearing up her skin and the ground that kept her. She roared, part in fear, part in anger and hate as she charged the vicious fire being, her staff in hand and the chains still fighting against her. As she ran, she could hear the flames taunting and mocking her, picking apart her faults and weaknesses. She kept going, fighting through the pain of the chains tearing into her limbs and the onslaught on her mind by the being and just as she came close enough to strike it, everything again, went dark.

Niara looked out over the harbor in Theramore one last time with bittersweet feeling. She would miss Greyclaw a lot. She had had trouble parting with her, unsure of what to say. They had not spoken much, partly on Niara's fault and she regretted this. She told herself it didn't matter. She had acquired what she came for. She had conquered her past and gained a new, powerful ally. It was time for her to return home.
She took in a deep breath, relishing the fresh air once more before whispering to herself, as if hoping the winds would carry her words back to her old friend and mentor.

"Thank you..."

"I don't think I will ever be able to repay."

Niara frowned a bit.

"I finally know myself."

"I finally know what I am capable of."

"I am the Flamewind."

Glad I finally got to read it! Wish I had before, it would have helped on certain Things in the past. A nice story for sure, and I'm sure I'm not the only one when I say you leave us hungry for more!