Bere's fears are easily contradictory. He fears being useless, unneeded, unwanted (and he sees that, maybe, in Pell and how easily she's goaded into pointless challenges). But on top of that, he fears being the only useful one -- having to charge back into a battle he's already fought, because there's no one to take his place, and no rest for him ( Read more... )

Alana has rented a room in Stormwind for the foreseeable future -- a good six months paid in advance, and there's twice that still in the account she's opened with the bank in the Trade District. She's a death knight; no one much questions where the money's coming from ( Read more... )

Why do you cling so pitifully to an existence that is not even your own?

[The rest of the page is littered with small marks, as if the writer attempted to begin several times and then stopped.]

It is in many ways more alive than I am. It eats, it rests (though it does not sleep), it shows a sort of enjoyment for flying. Today it engaged in a game of tag with the hozen, though I was careful not to let it use its claws or teeth.
[More...]I am perhaps reading too much into its behavior. This will not do. I am not one for silliness. I am not ( Read more... )

There are stories.

The wolves know them, even if Jol’s forgotten and there’s no one left in Jintha’alor to speak the words. Once, long ago…

But not once, and not so very long. A hundred, thousand times over has the story been repeated, and it has gained truth in each telling. It goes like this:

The moon hung full and bright over the trees, just out of ( Read more... )

Raptors didn’t quite snore, but this one was as close as any she’d ever heard. Quet watched it sleep, her chin propped up on a fist, and thought.

She was fairly certain by now. Too many small coincidences - the way he’d picked up commands on the first try, or responded to old signals she hadn’t tried showing him yet - and there was the feeling, too ( Read more... )

We’d been seeing each other for almost two months when it happened. Gyll never did suspect that. He was a good kid, but clueless, and Daphne had him wrapped around her little finger. I wasn’t jealous - couldn’t be, after all I was the one bedding her while he ran made-up errands - but I think he was. Maybe that’s why he snapped so fast.

( Read more... )

She dreams, and as she does she slips away from herself. Not entirely - she can still feel the tug of her body - but enough to see them sitting there. Fire, glowing in the dark of the orcish hut, and another beside him…

( Read more... )

He’s done this before, though he can’t remember. Last time was a wild guess, a leap into the dark. This time he’s ready.

( Read more... )

Ranid Glowergold was not a proud man. If he was, he would never have taken the job.

He’d come up to Northrend with Nesingwary’s expedition, originally. His brother had been hired on for the Outland trip, and had nothing but praise for the venture - big game, good pay, warm nights drinking around a bonfire. It sounded like the perfect chance to get ( Read more... )