Warmth of the Wilderness

Forenote: More chapters to follow

There may be a few spelling or grammatical errors and for that appologise.

i have a nasty habbit of thinking faster than i can type, i have proof read it, but i tend to read what i expect to be there, so if any get though please mention in a review.

PS-- Please review :)

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The Satyr pulled his arms to his sides and began summoning orbs of dread-fire, keeping the fleeing cheetah firmly in his sights he loosed the burning hate.

The two orbs of demonic flame flew past his fellow satyr who were in persuit and struck the cheetah as it banked to turn, the flames struck hard sending the cheetah tumbling into the undergrowth.

With a cry of pain the swift cat struggled to its feet and continued to run, its pace decidedly slower now as its left shoulder was badly burnt.

knives whisled over the animals head as it ran through the dense forest, it's persuers resorting to throwing knives as their prey escaped.

Rounding a tree out of view the cheetah dove into a dense bush, scratching its skin as it did.

A few moments later a Satyr Hellcaller rounded the tree and looked down the beaten path, launching volleys of demon-fire after the cheetah that, unknown to him, lay motionless in the bush by his side.

The Satyr cursed in a foreign tounge after loosing its prey and turned to head back to camp.

The cheetah lay motionless, exhausted, critically wounded... then a heavy darkness fell upon the cheetahs mind as it passed out... probably never to wake.

------

The hippogryph soared over the stonetalon mountains, gliding elegantly through clouds as it descended toward the elven settlement of Astrannar in the Ashenvale forest.

The slim night elf on it's back gripping tightly as the hippogryph banked upward and flapped heavily to slow its descent.

After a few seconds the great creature touched down smoothly allowing Lunara to dismount.

The slender night elf ran a hand along the hippogryph as she walked towards the nearest sentinel.

"Lunara... i believe i am expected." The elf spoke.

The Sentinel turned to face her, "Ah yes hunter of course," The sentinel handed her a small piece of parchment, "You are expected at Maestras Post, take the west road, then follow it north... you can't miss it."

"Thank you..." Lunara spoke taking the parchment and heading towards the settlement limits.

"keep your wits about you young hunter, Ashenvale is not as tranquil as it looks from the sky." The sentinel spoke after her.

Lunara looked back over her shoulder and nodded.

She opened the parchment and read-
---My Darling daughter.

I had hoped to meet you at Astrannar but my duties have called me away, i shall be back in Ashenvale in one day, i would be very pleased if you would meet me at Maestras Post.

Your loving father.
Maleusu.---

Lunara folded the parchment away and placed it in her backpack.

She visited the inn at Ashenvale just long enough to purchase a few provision then she walked, once again to the settlement limits.

Lunara let out a sharp whistle and from the bushes near her exploaded a great white wolf, it pinned her to the ground and began licking her face, sentinels had rushed over, suspecting it to be a wild animal but had resorted to laughing upon discovering it was her pet.

"get off..." Lunara said happily pushing the wolf off of her, before giving it an uncooked chunk of meat.

The wolf laid on the floor and happily devoured the chunk of animal before the pair set off down the road.

------

Lunara was walking side by side with her long term companion Thorn, pondering what business called her father away. But she soon stopped upon realizing that Thorn was no longer beside her, she turned to see her wolf looking at a deep scorch mark halfway up on one of the nearest trees.

"What have you found boy?" Lunara said approaching her companion.

She looked up at the mark, and instanly her tracking skills kicked in.

"That sort of mark is left by Satyr demon fire... what unlucky soul were they chasing..." Lunara spoke looking down the path of semi-charred vegitation. "Stick close Thorn."

Lunara pulled her bow and notched an arrow before the pair of them headed down the path.

Occassionally the pair would find another burnt tree, but it wasn't until they stumbled upon tracks did they pay much interest.

Lunara hunkered down and examined the foot prints.

"Those are the Satyr's he ran in, stood for a moment and then headed back..." Lunara then studied the other set of tracks, "These look like a cats..."

Lunara was interrupted by the sound of her pet sniffing at the air, "What is it?" She said readying her bow.

Thorn sniffed along the floor until reaching a bank of bushes, the branches of which of had been snapped quite recently.

Lunara sank down again and studdied the blood on them, she tasted some before spitting it out.

"It's odd, it doesn't taste like it should." She said.

The slender elf leaned into the bush to see the unconcious Cheetah lying there bleeding out.

"By Elune." she called out, placing her bow on the ground before she pulled the Cheetah from the shrubbery, very concious that it was probably doing more damage but she couldn't help this poor beast if it was laid in dense shrubbery.

She touched the Cheetahs skin to find it dangerously cold.

"We've got to get him somewhere warm." Lunara said lifting the injured animal and placing over Thorns shoulders, trying to be careful of the cats wounds.

"Astrannar is too far... i remember seeing a cave not far back, we'll head there." She said as both set off at a hurried pace.

------

The cave was large but with a rather small entrance, the ground was soft with tracks, animal and elf alike.

Lunara entered first, sword at the ready, but upon finding the cave empty she whistled for Thorn who walked in now struggling with the weight of the cheetah. Lunara lifted the animal off and placed it on the ground.

After a few minutes Lunara had a sustainable fire going and she could get to work on healing the Cheetah.

She hated the idea of an animal dying needlessly, this one was neither old or sick, meerly injured by the monstrous Satyr.

She aproached the Cheetah and began bandaging its wounds, she used disinfectant on all the wounds before dressing, Thorn standing near the whole time unless the Cheetah awoke and wasn't best pleased, but it was in a bad way.

Several hours after dressing the wounds Lunara was still awake, refusing to leave until she knew the Cheetah was alright.

It was dark outside now, she'd probably stay the night, before heading to Maestras post tomorrow.

She looked up as she saw the Cheetah stirring, groaning as it came too.

She moved closer, around infront of the injured beast.

The Cheetah inhaled heavily as its eyes opened slightly, it's vision blurred, it could just make out an outline infront of it.

Lunara watched as it blinked multiple times attempting to correct its vision, when all of sudden it shot up and back peddled away, before running into Thorn who was watching from the cave entrance, with a shreak it shot forwards straight past Lunara to the very end of the cave, where it sat huddled in the corner.

Lunara had never seen an animal react like that before, she looked at Thorn who had a similaly dumbfounded expression his face.

She sank down and moved slowly towards the injured animal.

whilst still plenty far away the cheetah growled and swiped trying to keep the night elf back.

"It's ok..." Lunara spoke, although she didn't know why. "i'm here to help."

Lunara threw a piece of cooked meat towards the cat, who paid little notice.

Lunara watched curious as the Cheetah climbed up from a laying position to sitting, looking straight into her eyes.

She watched and then shot back herself in shock when she saw the Cheetah definately shake its head at her.

"Did you... did you see that." She said looking at Thorn.

She looked back at the injured cat.

The cheetah sat there momentarily before lowering its head and thinking hard.

Lunara watched in amazment as the green ribbons of energy and spirit leaves summoned from the Cheetah very soul whipped around its form generating smoke as it did.

When the smoke settled Lunara swiftly grabbed her bow, notched an arrow and prepared to loose it. Because now, instead of an injured Cheetah sitting in the corner, there was a large male Tauren.

Every fibre of Lunaras being screamed at her to loose the arrow, to kill this brute. But she couldn't, it was kneeling, head bowed... as if waiting to be struck down.

Her hands tensed repeatedly as she prepared to fire, but just couldn't go through with it.

After a few moments Lunara let her bow go slack and requivered the arrow.

She hadn't seen many Tauren... but she knew enough to know this one was still rather young.

She moved towards the kneeling creature, and upon hearing a snap from Thorn looked back and held her palm up, signalling for her companion to stand down.

She approached and knelt before the Tauren, she placed her hand under it heavy chin and angled it upwards.

She then backed away, signalling for the Tauren to stand.

Uneasily the Tauren stood, and threw its staff over the other side of the cave. He then looked at the elf standing before him, she was beautiful to him, long blue hair, down to her waist, pale lavender skin, he was washed over with emotions upon looking at her.

Lunara saw the Tauren notice a bandaged laceration on her leg, that he had done whilst unconcious, she then saw him look down at his own hands noticing blood on them.

Lunara was taken back when a look of remorse appeared in the Taurens eyes.

"It's nothing..." she said before she could herself.

The Tauren looked up upon hearing her, it then licked its lips wetting them as if preparing to speak.

"May I?" The Tauren said slowly and rather slurred.

Lunara was genually taken back by the fact he could speak common. As such it her took her a bit longer to respond than she thought.

"May you... what?" She asked.

"Fix..." The Tauren said pointing at her leg.

Lunara nodded uneasily.

The tauren placed his hands at his sides palms down, and green orbs of light swelled and enveloped them, after a few seconds the Tauren moved one of his palms towards the slender elf.

She felt invigorated, a wave of warmth washed over her, and then contracted to the wound on her leg as well as anyother slight cut or bruise. After less than second, she was fully healed and removed the bandage on her leg.

"um... Thank you." She said the Tauren who stood there looking uneasy.

Lunara moved closer, not making the Tauren any more comfortable, she noticed him stiffen up as if preparing for her to stab him or something.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Lunara said clearly and slowly hoping the Taurens grasp of common allowed him to understand.

Indeed the Tauren did understand.

Lunara was taken completely off guard as the Tauren lunged at her, before she could react it was too late, she meerly clenched her eyes expecting to be broken in half.

------

Lunara opened her eyes, not to unbelievable pain to unbelievably warmth, the Tauren had her wrapped in his arms, he head nestled under his large heavier version. she felt so warm, and despite who was holding her... safe.

Lunara moved her hands round to behind the Tauren, intending to return the embrace but before she could the Tauren back peddled and knelt down, head hung low.

"Sorry, i sorry" The Tauren stammered.

Lunara was so disappointed the Tauren had broken his embrace, she wanted to be held again, to feel that warmth, that safety again.

"no... no don't be silly." Lunara spoke, as she knelt before him, trying to lift his head up again, but as soon as she had, the Tauren immediately lowered it once more.

"Please... it was nothing..." Lunara spoke again softly.

As she lifted his head, the Tauren looked up into her eyes.

"It's ok, i'm not going to hurt you." Lunara spoke.

The look of joy returned to the Taurens eyes, that look made Lunara feel warm inside.

"Come on... up..." She said trying to lift the Tauren up.

The Tauren acted like it was helpful, although she couldn't of lifted him if she tried.

Lunara slowly walked backwards.

"Lu-na-ra" she said gesturing to herself.

She watched as the Tauren tried to shape his mouth to say it, then looked back puzzled.

"Lu-na-ra" She repeated, this time kneeling down and writing it in the soft dirt of the cave floor.

Lunara looked back at the Tauren.

"L... Lunara" The tauren said slowly, pleased to recieve a smile and nod from the night elf before him.

Lunara then gesturing to her companion, "Thorn."

"Thorn" The tauren repeated easily.

Lunara then gestured to the Tauren himself.

Understanding her meanin the Tauren obliged "Ju-ro-eck" he said slowly.

"Juroeck" Lunara replied.

The two looked at each other for a while.

Lunara then hunkered down and signalled for Juroeck to come over.

He dad and sat down himslef, she then passed him a piece of meat she had on a make shift spit over the fire.

She also tossed a bit for Thorn who happily began destroying it.

As Juroeck began eating, Lunara peaked out the corner of her eye at his clothing, he was wearing a leather tunik, emblazoned with symbols, Lunara recognised, as symbols of the earth mother, the Tauren diety.
She then let her eyes wonder down ward to his belt... it was a simple leather belt, the buckle of which was the Horde symbol.
Her eyes ventured down yet again, this time settling on the Bulge at the Taurens crotch.

Lunara quickly quickly averted her eyes. 'What are you doing... checking out a Tauren." Lunara thought VERY loudly.

------

After few moment, Lunara still thinking about the size of the bulge she had seen, the two threw their empty spits into the fire.

Lunara turned to face Juroeck and opened her mouth to speak, but the voice she heared was not her own.

"Lunara! Lunara!" The voice called.

"My father... he can't see you hide." Lunara said quickly snatching up her belonging and heaidng for the cave entrance.

"Lunara!" The voice sounded again, this time closer.

Lunara looked back over her shoulder at the Tauren gazing at her... she looked at the cave entrance then back at the Tauren, torn between what to do.

Eventually fear for the Taurens safety got the better of her, "Uh... bye, i hope to see you again." Lunara said as she ran from the cave.

------

"Dad..." she called as she reached the owner of the voice she had heared.

Thorn barreled right into the male elf knocking him off his feet and licking hims reapeatedly.

"Thorn... thorn get off." Maleusu chuckled pushing the wolf off of him and petting it.

"i got back early, and when you weren't at Maestras post i worried." The older elf male spoke once Thorn had let him stand up.

"I'm fine, i just got caught up, i ws going to get there tomorrow." Lunara spoke.

"Well we can head there now." He father said taking her hand and leading her away from where she wanted to be.

The night dragged on, as her father spoke about what he had been doing since last the two had met... Lunara wanted to hear her fathers stories but her mind kept wondering back to the Tauren... back to where she desperately wanted to be.