<19> Quela deflated a bit and sighed. “Mom… I just don’t think you get it. I don’t think you get [i]me[/i]. I’m sick of Darnassus. I’ve been stuck here so long that I never want to see it again.” She paused as Portia turned her gaze to the floor. The younger of the two night elves walked over and dropped to her knees to look her mother in the eye. “But after hearing everything, I… I know my good mom is still in there. She’s just misguided… but maybe if she let me go for a bit, she might actually be pleasantly surprised when I return?” The golden-eyed elf let out a shuddering sigh. “A-and after all that… why would you return?” Quela couldn’t help but laugh. “I mean… I realize that you weren’t just being vindictive for no reason now. Even if your reasoning sucks, I’m willing to give you a chance. I don’t really wanna lose my mom like I lost my dad and stepdad.” A small smile returned to Portia’s face at this, which Quela reciprocated, but only briefly before she added, “Speaking of which… why the hell didn’t you tell [i]him[/i]!?” “No kidding,” Nathan agreed and walked over to place a clawed hand on Quela’s shoulder. “I might’ve approached things differently had I known I was sent to retrieve my stepsister.” At this, Portia threw her hands up. “And how would [i]you[/i] have told him in [i]my[/i] shoes!? ‘Oh, long-lost stepson whose father walked out and came to me, can you go retrieve your stranger of a stepsister for me so I can guard her forever, pretty please?’ This whole plan was horrible to begin with… and it’s all my fault. Be that as it may, I fail to see how the information would have-” Seeing Nathan’s hand on Quela’s shoulder suddenly clicked in Portia’s mind. “OH.” Nathan and Quela exchanged sheepish glances, both of them standing straight and taking a few steps backwards, softly clinging to one another. “Y-yeah,” Quela confessed. “And we’re staying together, right Nathan?” The worgen nodded without hesitation. “Right. I mean, we don’t share blood -though if we did, maybe my mind wouldn’t change- and we didn’t know from the start anyway.” “Yeah,” Quela reasoned. “It’s no big deal!” Portia looked between the two of them and her breathing grew heavier, more ragged, then devolved into full-blown hyperventilation. Both Quela and Nathan tried to find something for her to steady her breathing, but they weren’t fast enough to stop Portia from passing out onto the nearby table. * * * * * Portia’s vision was blurred for a few moments when she finally regained consciousness. She was still slumped over the table in the hollowed out tree, but underneath one of her hands was a fresh piece of parchment. [b][i]Mom, I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you, but I understand why you’d be upset. Heck, I didn’t even stick around for the reaming I’m sure I was gonna get for learning the pack form! But I promise that I wouldn’t try it without Nathan around. He’s my rock now, and as long as he gives me a little attention after I change, I can handle it for a little why. I’m sorry for having to be so underhanded to talk to you again, but I don’t think you would’ve listened to me if I’d said everything to you that I asked Nathan to say on my behalf. I don’t think I’ve really forgiven you for how controlling you’ve been, but I might after a bit of time to see the world and just… be, you know? Nathan’s gonna be with me the whole time, and I promise I’ll come back to you in a few weeks to see how you’re doing. Just don’t go sending anyone else, yourself included, after me, please? I still love you, Quela[/i][/b] The archdruid laid the parchment down… and laughed. She knew there was nothing she could do, but for the first time she had a strange sense of safety in her daughter. She was capable in her own right -she proved it via the pack form outright- and the fact that Nathan was with her only made Portia feel better still. “Well? How do you feel now?” Quela inhaled deeply and puffed out her chest. Her arms went into the air, and a small wave rushed over her ankles. “Free. Strong. At home.” Nathan grinned and wrapped his arms around her naked belly. “I couldn’t agree more.” Ashenvale still wasn’t far from Darnassus, but the Zoram strand was peaceful enough that the two felt comfortable stopping for a brief moment of reflection. The moment was short-lived, however, as another night elf suddenly launched herself from the nearby underbrush and sprinted across the beach toward the couple. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” she whisper-yelled frantically. “TAKE COVER! NOW!” The two druids exchanged glances, then quickly shifted into stag and doe before bolting toward the elf. All three launched into the underbrush, and the druids reverted before Quela addressed the other elf. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?!” The other elf was breathing heavily, and merely pointed out to sea. Off in the distance, the dark silhouette of dozens of ships came into view. Horde ships. “Teldrassil is being evacuated! The Horde are invading! We need to regroup in Astranaar!” Nathan and Quela laced their fingers together and squeezed each other’s hand fiercely. Their freedom to roam might have to wait for a little while.