Plots and Plans
Sasha spent the entire summer and fall in Darnassus, mostly under the patient tutelage of Dazalar and Keldas. She caught on swiftly, and in a very short space of time, she had been promoted to the advanced beast master courses in which she excelled. Frostfyre was a willing and highly intelligent worker, she understood all her mistress bid her to do. It had been remarked on by her tutors that she had excelled so greatly that she would shortly be approved for graduation, never had a student finished the course this swiftly before. Even her father had taken two years to complete it.
Ayanna Everstride was very curious about her young protegee, she was constantly devising all manner of exercises and tests. On one such occasion, she had taken Sasha out into the forest that surrounded Dolannar to see if she could tame other creatures.
It was most odd as Sasha could not tame, nor see into a single animal's mind. Her teacher had told her that this was very strange considering the uncanny bond that she shared with her worg already. Sasha felt it was too, however, she remembered Gorthan telling her much of worg and orc lore, and how he had said that the first worg in an orc's life usually carried with it the deepest bond.
Perhaps that was how it was with her and Frostfyre, and if something happened to her companion quite possibly Sasha would be unable to replicate it again. The thought frightened her she had to admit. However, she would enjoy this time while it lasted. Worgs lived many years after all.
The young woman would forever be weak at melee combat, but that didn't seem to concern her teachers. They told her that she was so strong at beast mastery and her pet so mighty, that she would easily earn a coveted place in King Wrynn's forces when she graduated. That estimation of her abilities filled Sasha with pride, she would spend her evenings writing to her family and regaling them with all her tales of her recent experiences.
Kelsey and Sasha had become best friends, they shared a room at the hunter academy. Kelsey also finished at the top of her class in marksmanship, even the best of the instructors could not outshoot her. Never in recorded history had the Rangers admitted a gnome to their ranks. Give Kelsey anything that fired a projectile, and she was dead on target.
Sasha had to admire the spirit of her plucky, pink-haired friend. The two would often sit together after a long day's training and talk to one another of their lives. Kelsey had survived the horror of Gnomeregan, her entire family had escaped, fortunately, but they were penniless, and the snow-filled landscape of Coldridge Valley was a tough place to begin again. Her father had begged for employment at Steelgrill's Depot. The Featherwhistles, also gnomes, took pity on the refugee family and he landed a position repairing mechanostriders. A job he became very adept at. Kelsey grew up in the snowy wilds of Kharanos, she had loved to explore and that's where she learned to shoot so well.
The two of them were always on the outer at the academy, there were no other gnomes, and only one other human, that being Alexi Hanley. Who still seemed to have quite an infatuation for Sasha. He would at every opportunity approach the two girls to talk. He made many overtures that Sasha could have interpreted as an opener to a budding romance, but she was unwilling to be drawn in. Her heart still belonged to her golden-eyed love.
She had told Kelsey all about him of course, just as she had told Erin, the gnome just listened and at times would make a thoughtful sound or nod her head. She was very nonjudgmental.
At night when she was almost asleep Sasha still thought of him and wished they were together. It frightened her sometimes though that her memory of him was slipping from her mind. It had been after all well over a year since they were parted. She wanted him by her side so badly, yet she didn't know how this dream of hers could even be achieved, there didn't seem to be any place where orcs and humans could coexist.
*****
Winter arrived, and with it the Feast of Winterveil. The young woman was no longer hesitant to travel alone. With her pass to the portals the journey across the entire world was swift and easy. Any distance she must travel she simply climbed up onto Frostfyre's strong back and the worg would cover the miles with her easy, economical lope. It was wonderful to finally be reunited with her dear Papa and Thane again.
The city of Stormwind was hung with all manner of bright lights and decorations for the upcoming feast day. Carol singers were out on the streets spreading cheer. A light dusting of snow lay on the ground and the tops of the trees. The city was the vision of the perfect Winterveil postcard, and it made Sasha smile.
She and her father had left their companion animals at home, and ridden double on her father's horse into the city to Aunt Evelyn's house. Sasha shivered even beneath her warm coat, she found she was cold here this year, far colder than she remembered ever being growing up. She guessed she had become rapidly used to the more temperate environs of Teldrassil. Cold or not Sasha was excited to finally be able to see Erin again, it had been eighteen months. So much had transpired in that time.
Aunt Evelyn was happy, all her family were finally at home to share the holiday, she was bustling about in the kitchen baking, humming a happy tune to herself when the pair of them entered. Uncle Benjamin was relaxing in his chair by the roaring fire.
"Well look at you two come out of the forest," he jibed.
"It's been a while Brother," the two men bear hugged.
"My look at you young lady! I heard you have been doing remarkably well up there in Darnassus."
Sasha smiled at her Uncle and hugged him. He smelled of oak, wood smoke, and bourbon. The freshly cut Winterveil tree permeated the room with a fresh scent of spruce.
"I thought I heard a commotion out here, well hello you two!" Aunt Evelyn greeted her brother-in-law and niece, warmly hugging each of them in turn. She pushed Sasha from her arm's length, both her hands resting on the young woman's shoulders, looking her up and down. "My girl, you have grown, it seems Kalimidor has been good for you."
"Yes Aunt, I have been enjoying my studies immensely."
"Sasha!" Came the enthusiastic cry from the top of the stairs, followed by the thrum of swift feet on the hollow wood, as Erin rapidly ascended the stairway. The two cousins hugged for long moments as the rest of the family watched on.
The girls had much to catch up on as they carried all the brightly wrapped gifts to place beneath the tree. The adults were mostly quiet, just rejoicing in the season, nibbling at the delicious pastries, and sipping on the special jug of Badlands bourbon that Uncle Ben had set aside for the occasion.
Sasha and Erin had much to catch up on, and they spoke animatedly without cessation. Though there were many other subjects that they wished to speak of later, that was not for parent's ears.
Dinner was a fine affair, Devin had supplied a young, fat pig from Elwynn forest he had shot on one of his recent hunting expeditions. There was corn casserole topped with melted Dalaran sharp. Baked vegetables, her Aunt's gingerbread cookies, and the pièce de résistance the Delicious Chocolate Cake. It was a challenging recipe to make, but her Aunt had spared no expense for this family homecoming.
The festive day was very pleasant, after dinner gifts were exchanged. The small family sat about the warmth of the fire as yet another dusting of new snowfall descended on the city.
"This one is for you," Sasha's Aunt Evelyn handed her a gift wrapped in bright blue paper. She tore the wrapping from the item, the object felt thin and hard beneath the bright paper. It was a hair comb, the top encased in a silver floral design, and the body and teeth of the comb were expertly carved of fine cream bone.
"Well thank you Auntie that's lovely."
"I figured you could use a new one, my Dear. The one you were using was old and shabby." Evelyn smiled. "I don't even know where you got that one."
Sasha inwardly winced, her Aunt was referring to an object so dear to her it could never be replaced. Of course, her dear Aunt didn't understand, she had not made the gesture to be unkind Sasha reminded herself. Offering her Aunt further thanks and a happy smile.
After the gift giving the two girls took their eggnog and went upstairs to speak in private. They closed the door and sat down on the bed.
"So tell me all about him?" Sasha prompted her cousin excitedly.
"Well his name is Kali'vas Sunblade, he's twenty-five, well he's actually sixty..."
