Ripples of Shadow
Chapter 1 - The Gathering

A light breeze ruffled the leaves on the ground, adding to the natural soundtrack that filled Tasilynas’s ears. Off to her right a young dragonhawk was taking wing, and gliding ever so slowly on the gentle currents of air that buffeted the surrounding land. Tasilyna was fairly attuned to nature; most of her kin were, although maybe not so much as their distant cousins the Night Elves. She could feel, for lack of a better word, most of the wildlife around her, and even then some of it wasn’t quite so wild. Her long ears twitched to the sound of a wolf padding up softly behind her.

It is time young one. Tasilyna glanced down at a shaggy grey wolf that stood almost to her waist.

“I know. It is time. Yet…I cannot help but wonder, are we making the right choice? And, is it ours to make?”

We are but one pack among many, scattered through the Twisted Nether. We hunt with you, sister, and will follow where you go, but the choice is yours. The wolf’s voice in her mind was soft, if soft could relate more to images than words. Communicating with the denizens of Azeroth was not always easy; they used images rather than words to convey meaning. As a Hunter, Tas was quite adept and speaking to almost any and all wildlife she met. The grey wolf at her waist was known as Dancer, well for short anyway. Her full name was more along the lines of She Who Dances Amongst the Full Moons, and she was a frequent traveling companion of Tasilyna’s.

“Dancer, I think it is time to find my sister. She should have the rest gathered, and by the Light I only hope she isn’t too late.” Tasilyna’s sister was a Blood Elf mage of some renown, who resided in Silvermoon City, one of the greatest cities on Azeroth. Well, was one of the greatest. Silvermoon had suffered a terrible attack from the Lich King Arthas, one that the Elves who resided there were still recoiling from. Tasilyna shivered, and not because of the weather. Arthas, the late Prince of the Human kingdoms to the south, turned to his lust for power. Once a great knight of the Silver Hand of Paladins, he now resided to the far north, and had accumulated near unimaginable power as the head of a seemingly invincible undead army.

Do not dwell too long on the memories of the Soulbinder, there is only so much we can do. Soulbinder, that was the name most of the wolves, and other creatures of Azeroth had named Arthas. Tas looked to Dancer, and could feel the anticipation building in the wolf.

“You are right. Return to your pack Dancer, I will call you when we are ready.” The wolf nipped at her heel, then turned and headed to the east. And be careful my sister. That last she added as a thought to the wolf, speaking verbally lacked the emotion that was tied to speaking to creatures with her mind.

I will, as always. Find your sister quickly, gather your pack around you, so we may hunt together again. Tasilyna nodded to herself, yes, Eleirysa was waiting in Silvermoon for her. Tas stared off to the north, towards Silvermoon. She could see the fabled spires of the city reaching into the sky. The gilded red and gold of the city truly was breathtaking.

“Yes, it is time.” And with that Tasilyna trotted off to the distant city, and in her heart knew everything was about to change…everything.

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