Run!

*Edited with additional text. New text has been highlighted in blue*

A percussion of rain filled the forest with a delicate rhythm and the evening birds cooed their sweet melody, bidding farewell to the sun's light. Odenia loved the symphony that the dusk brought each night and would often close her eyes and just listen as her mind wandered. Lying on a thick branch high up in the forest canopy she mulled over the last few months and what finally brought her to this blissful place. It had been the first time in a long time that she allowed herself to think about the Brotherhood and all she had to leave behind.

She had been away from Stormwind for some time already, completing tasks set to her by The Five to prove her worth. It had been a dark time filled with too much blood shed and she had found herself becoming more and more distant with every crimson drop. This wasn't the person she wanted to be. The person she had been. The Five had a different opinion. Odenia knew she didn't have the attributes the others had which made them so valuable, such as Robi's charm and Blayke's expertise in explosives. But she still believed her skills in medicine were enough to get her by. They had been enough until Blayke finally pushed his luck too far. His demotion subsequently led to Odenia's promotion to Sub Commander, which drew The Five's attention directly onto her. Under that spotlight they had exposed her weakness and dug deep into her past.

After her final task she had made her way back to Stormwind, looking forward to her own bed and the security of the City walls. Odenia's body was bruised and battered from all the confrontations she had faced and all she longed for was to get back to her attic room and shut out the world. As she wearily pushed open her door her bloodshot eyes were drawn to an envelope that lay solitary on the floor. At first she shrugged it off, assuming it was a note from her landlord asking after her rent. She picked it up without much notice and threw it onto her table before collapsing into her bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

With a sudden jolt Odenia opened her eyes, clumsily jumped out of bed and grabbed at the envelope with haste. She had over looked the blue seal when she had come in, but now she stared at it with fear and she knew exactly where this had come from. Odenia had seen this seal once before along time ago. It had been the same seal used when she received the notice that Aresh had been murdered. The seal was a warning that something had gone wrong and must be read with great urgency. As her heart fluttered in her chest, visions of terrible scenes flashed in her mind. What if someone was hurt and I wasn't around to help them? What if someone had been arrested or kidnapped? What if.... someone was dead? Her hands shook uncontrollably as she struggled to open the envelope, frightened of what news it held within. A single word stained the parchment.

RUN.

Without a breath she grabbed her satchel, threw open her window and crawled out on the rooftops before running full pelt towards the docks. Odenia knew not what had happened, but the message was clear enough. The Brotherhood had been compromised in some way and everyone needed to get as far away as possible without hesitation. No one was to try and find, or contact each other until any threat had died down. Racing down the docks she just managed to slip unnoticed onto a ship heading out to Northrend and buried herself amongst the cargo. Slowly she allowed herself to catch her breath and assessed the situation. She would need to go into hiding and avoid being seen when ever possible. Although she always felt she was unremarkable to look at she was very aware that her characteristics made her easy to describe and too easy to spot in a crowd. Where ever she was going to go she would have to stay out of towns and make do out in the wild. It was a life she wasn't completely alien to and as she sat quietly in the dark the thought of such a life began to appeal more and more. Before the Brotherhood she had lived day to day, cherishing the present rather than fearing the future. She was running back then too. Running from the pain that chocked her in Gilneas and the ghosts that haunted her, screaming for revenge.

When the ship finally docked she waited for her chance crawl out silently and attempt to the shadows until she could get far enough away. The crowded dockyard made sneaking out almost impossible, leaving Odenia to wearily tug and push her way through. Human contact made her anxious at the best of times, but as she had no choice she closed her eyes and kept on persistantly until she could burst forth from the gathered bodies. When she finally freed herself she gasped for air as though she had been drowning and shuddered her anxiety away. Pulling up her hood to hide her flame red hair, she made her heading north towards the lush forest within the Sholazar Basin. The journey would have been made easier if she forced herself to shapeshift, but her body was too weak and tired to do so. Her own feet would have to make do as she wasn't going to risk hitching a lift from strangers. Odenia kept off the roads where she could, opting for the difficult hills and ridges to avoid being spotted. Too exhausted to hunt, Odenia sustained herself with some dried fruit she had left in her satchel from her last mission and refreshed herself as best she could from the frozen waters. There had been no time to get provisions in Stormwind so she just had to make do until she could reach her destination. Within the forest there would be a vast selection of fruits and berries she could pick with ease, along with plenty of beast she could hunt for meat and pelts once she had rested and revived her energy. It would be her home for the near future and she was going to make sure she survived.

The first few weeks had been cruel. Thunderous tropical storms tore up her attempts at shelter and hungry beasts challenged her existence at every turn. Her only comfort was found in a small hollow of a tree where she would curl up into and sleep the days away. In that time she had become little more than a frail bag of bones and she often dreamt of her demise. No one would know where she was and in time she would be forgotten, as though she had never been.

Maybe it is for the best....




As the rains subsided and blistering sunlight forced it's way through the weathered tree tops, a small beam of golden light kissed Odenia's sleeping face. The warmth gentle woke her and she strained to open her eyes to the brightness that awaited her. A tiny fire swelled up inside of her as she looked out across the forest bed. Life had carried on after the storm and so would she. Odenia fought mercilessly against her weakness and slowly built up her strength a day at a time. The blisters and sores that tortured her hands and feet became hard calluses as she relentlessly took on the forest without fear, and her pale soft skin covered lean muscles instead of tired bones. Soon enough she had built her home among the tree tops and wandered through the forest without fear. Odenia had even made the conscious decision to restrict herself from shapeshifting where ever she could. To be human, and only human again felt such a relief. Her own hands fought off danger and she didn't shrink behind powerful claws. Days seemed to slip by. The more time passed the more Odenia had felt at peace and the anguish she had felt before faded away. Life was simple and not complicated by responsibility and relationships. For so long she believed that she wanted to be part of something and be accepted by others. Even be loved. But all it had brought her was insecurity and paranoia. Here it didn't matter who she was.

She just was.

Finally she felt content. It had occurred to her that one day it would all end though and she would have to return to Stormwind and to the Brotherhood. She did miss their company. His company. Yet she found herself wanting to hold on to this new life as long as possible. Every time she heard a sound come from her communication unit she would panic and would reluctantly listening for the dreaded call for everyone to return. Eventually she couldn't take it any more and decided to take matters into her own hands. She would return on her own terms and when she was ready. Odenia packed her tabard and her communication unit into a metal box she had found near a crash site and buried it under a tree near the centre of the Basin. As she patted the warm earth over the box a sense of longing filled her heart. Her life was here now though and they would have to wait for her. When she felt the time was right she would revisit the tree and face them once again.

There was just one final thing she must do before she could let go completely. Odenia had debated with herself for days whether it was worth the risk, but finally her heart won over and she threw caution to the wind. She climbed up to the highest point within the forest where the winds where strong and pulled violently at her wild red locks. After a gentle whisper she let go of the two birds she had had clutched to her breast on the assent. A gust filled their wings and in a blink of an eye they were gone. One note to her Commander Robi to inform her she was safe and one to Blayke asking him to not come looking for her. Odenia had not quite understood why she had written what she had to Blayke. Maybe it was in the hope that he would come looking for her and that he wanted to find her. Whatever the motivation the birds where now out of reach and tomorrow would bring what it would.

As the rain died down Odenia began to drift into a gentle sleep. With no cares in the world she was truly free. The moon that had been hidden peered out from behind the clouds and kissed the forest with it's cold blue light. Eyes lit up in the darkness as creatures of the night woke and a hum of life gently whispered through the trees. Deep within the forest a faint scrapping sound could be heard. Small wet hands clawed away at the dirt, making holes in the ground as they went. Finally a sharp metallic scratch pierced through the forest and the small wet hands stopped. A silence fell as dirt was carefully wiped off the metal box and the discoverer looked over it with their huge boggling eyes.

“Shiny?”

An interesting concept, I just wish you'd have taken it a bit slower.

Nailed that sense of panic in the middle, really well done.

*Only had a short time to write so it did get rushed, especially at the end. Possible chance I'll revisit and beef up the ending. thanks for the comments!*

*Story above has been edited. Taken a bit more time on it and added a few bits too. So people don't have to read the whole thing again if they don't want to I have highlighted all new text in blue*

Loohen waddled happily through his village beaming with pride. The Gorloc paraded with a huge smug grin across his face and a joyful skip in his step. Today was brighter than any day before. He couldn't help but chuckle at the ignorance of his kin as they threw him confused looks. Loohen had been the chosen one. Out of all the Oracles he was the one picked for this top secret mission and everyone else would be kept in the dark. They all thought he was a simpleton who only dug up junk unworthy of the shrine. How wrong they were. Soon he would be revered and celebrated throughout his village. His name would be cheered.

Loohen! Loohen! How clever you are! How wise indeed! Loohen!

But until then he would keep his rubbery lips shut and daydream of the praise that awaited him. The thing they had jeered at was the very thing that would eventually elevate him.

A few nights ago he had gone about his business, digging away in search of shines to bring back to the village. Hours rolled away and all he had found was a few old bones and an assortment of rocks. His little heart sank at the thought of returning with such a poor offering. Loohen dragged his feet behind him as he reluctantly made his way back to the village. Next thing he knew he was face first into the ground with a mouth full of dirt. His foot throbbed with pain after tripping over a hard object. This was just his luck. Disgruntled he dug out the owner of the pointed edge, clawing away at the compacted mud. Through the darkness the moon above looked over his shoulder and a flash of light bounced off the objects surface. Blinking in surprise Loohen froze, unable to process what he now held in his hands. It had shone. It was a shiny. His very first. When his brain finally caught up with him he bounced around excitedly and croaked cries of joy. After he had worn himself out he carefully wiped the remaining dirt off the the object and slowly realised he had found a box of some kind. He had never seen a box like it before. He concluded that it must hold something very valuable if the box itself was a shiny. Loohen looked around him to check no one else was around before he sat down excitedly lifted the lid. Even in his wildest dreams he could not have imagined the wonders it held. He pulled out a beautiful black and blue fabric that was soft to the touch and smelt sweet. In a flash it was around his shoulders and tied into a cape. Fingering through the various treasures he settled on a peculiar object that seemed to make a crackling noise. After studying it for several minutes he concluded that it was some sort of bug due to it's size and the strange noise it was making. Pleased with his powers of deduction he decided he deserved a treat and popped the 'bug' into his mouth. In an instant he spat it out in disgust and cried out. It certainly did not taste like a bug.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

Loohen nearly jumped out of his skin when the bug like object called out. He was pretty sure bugs didn't speak. Well, none he had come across anyway.

“We sorry for trying to eat you!” He cautiously waddled towards the object and picked it up as gently as he could. He really hoped what ever it was it wasn't mad at him.

“Who are you? Where's my shadow?” Demanded the strange object.

“Behind you? Where shadows live yes?” Loohen asked in utter confusion. He could see his shadow and the object's shadow across his hands. This must be a very disorientated creature indeed.

“Who are you? And where are we?” it asked calmly. He thought of how sad it was that the poor creature had no idea where it's shadow was and didn't even know where it was.

“I Loohen, yes. You in forest near my village small creature. Find you in box in ground.”
“Loohen, where is your village?”

“In centre of forest. It called Rainspeaker Canopy, yes.”

The creature fell silent and Loohen stared at the unusual creature, really hoping it hadn't died. Finally he heard it take a deep breath and the words it spoke now had a different tone. They were no longer irritated and sharp, but instead warm and inviting.

“So we are in Sholozar Basin Loohen?”

“Yes, yes. That is what Dryskins call it.”

“Good, right. Loohen, I am the spirit of High Oracle Ro Bee and I have lost my guide.”

“Oh no, oh no, oh no! We so so sorry we try to eat you! We didn't know! We sorry, we sorry!”

“Loo- Loohen, calm down, it's OK, I forgive you. Now I need you to think carefully. Have you seen a girl near where you found me? She is my guide in this world. She is in human, er, Dryskin form and has flame red hair.”

“Freckle Face?”

“Yes! Is she there?”

“No, she no here. I find you alone.”

Loohen thought he heard the High Oracle mutter a swear, but figured he had misheard her.

“Right Loohen, can you tell me where you have seen Freckle Face? We got separated and it is very important I find her.”

“We have seen her at the river often. She wash then disappear. She must be so sad she lost you! Loohen would feel terrible!”

“Loohen, I have a very important mission for you. You must help we find my guide and in exchange you will be rewarded with many shinies.”

“Oh my! So gracious, yes, yes. Loohen humbled. High Oracle Ro Bee very kind and wondrous!”

“Yes, I'm amazing.”

“So very amazing, yes, yes!”

“I will send another guide called... Blay...Kee. He is also appear as Dryskin in male form. You must take him to where you saw Freckle Face. Once you have he will rewarded you greatly.”

“Yes, yes. I take him. Loohen very good at finding things. I show you. Loohen make you proud.”

“You will make me very proud Loohen.”

“And Freckle Face will be so happy to find you! We tell her when we next see her at river.”

“NO! Ahem, no Loohen. You must wait until Blay Kee is with you. If you tell her before she might get scared and run away thinking she has incurred my wrath for losing me.”

Once again Loohen thought he heard the High Oracle mutter. This time about Freckle Face incurring her something wrath. But once again he shrugged it off.

“Do not want to make Freckle Face sad. I wait. Shall I take you back to shrine in village now where High Oracle Ro Bee will be surrounded by beautiful shines?”

“No. You need to keep me a secret Loohen. I trust you with this important mission and others may ruin it. Tell no one. Once you have completed the mission you may tell of our tale and receive the praise of your people.”

“Oh High Oracle, you honour us. Loohen good at secrets. We keep you hidden as you say.”

“Good Loohen. Now, I also want you to keep the box you found me in hidden with all of it's contents. The box is to be given to Blay Kee when he arrives. Understood?”

Loohen had removed his new cape delicately and returned it to the box, hoping the High Oracle hadn't noticed. He couldn't believe how lucky he was and when he returned to Rainspeaker Canopy he was still in a daze. He and he alone was the High Oracle's chosen one. It wouldn't be long until the truth came out and the village recognised who special he was. We would be showered in shinies and everyone would celebrate his brilliance. Until then he would keep the secret he had sworn to protect and grin knowingly at the fools that surrounded him. Loohen now scoffed at the stupidity of the Soo's in his village who had never mentioned the great Ro Bee. Shows what they knew. They probably didn't even know who Ro Bee was. So naive.

*Haven't proof read this back, so sorry about any spelling or grammar errors. Will get time to revisit and sort later*

(( Loved this Odenia, made me smile ))