“Was that necessary?” His tone was far from light, irate as he checked his arms for any broken bones.  He would have known if he did but the cat almost seemed to be smiling at him with pride.

“Absolutely.”  The feline answered, yawning so that she spread her maw wide and displayed the twin saber fangs.  Lazily stretching as she stood, she slinked to where Theron sat trying to sound aggravated.  Surely he was not mad.  

“No one else would have gotten through the wards.  You knew it was me.”  He was chiding her but she was already in front of him, head butting him in greeting before pausing to press her nose to his shoulder as scents began to register.

“Precisely.”  Pulling back, she shook her large feline head before a sneeze went through her.  “What have you been doing?”  She was eyeing him suspiciously.  The myriad of scents on him told her a story of wolves, nature, blood and the strange scent of the Void.  “If I did not know better, I would say you smell like wet dog.  Have you been killing worgens again?”

“No.” 

Amber eyes stared back at the sorcerer, disbelieving.  “I have overlooked your crimes for a long time because you told me you were doing away with society’s trash.  I even overlooked your needless murder of a young druid.  I may not have liked your reasoning but you are not judge, jury, and executioner.  He would have answered to his crimes eventually.  As will you.”  She leveled her eyes on him, watching him rise.  “I would hate to see you in prison, Kael.”

“Pleasant.”  Theron’s lips curled into an unfriendly smile.  How much you would gloat if you knew I was paying for my crimes already, my dear Delnerys.  “I do not suppose I can keep appealing to our familial ties?  It has worked thus far.”

“You are a Ravensdawn. Your people broke from mine and started anew with far different ideals.  I cannot blame you for what your ancestors did but we are two very different creatures if you have not noticed.  Cousins we are as are many Sin’dorei, Quel’dorei, Shal’dorei, and Kaldorei are.  It still does not save you from the crimes you commit.”

Theron waved his gloved hand at the druid in dismissal.  It was a conversation they had every time she suspected him of nefarious activity. This was of course, every time she saw him.  “I have a couple favors to ask.”

A small huff escaped the panther, blatantly staring him down.  “The last time you asked for a favor, I took a scenic tour of Eversong without being any such help.  If I am to be on Horde territory, you need to give me a valid reason.  Or you need to bring them to Alliance grounds and I will keep them safe.  My reasoning for being an ambassador only works so well when I am not close to an area of officials.”

A small smile began to work at the corners of Theron’s mouth.  He reached out to Delnerys only to have a giant paw come up and bat his hand away.  “My dear, would I put you in any danger?”  This only earned him a glare from slitted, feline eyes.

“I can take care of myself. That is not the issue.  The problem lies in taking me away from my duties in defending this world.  In case you have not noticed, there is another planet hovering above us.  Care to tell me what you have been doing to make sure you and your loved ones are safe from the Legion?”

“I have had other issues to deal with first.”  He murmured.

“As is your excuse every time.  No matter. What is it that you need?  Just know that my duties to my people and as an Archdruid come first.”  The saber cat looked up at him expectantly, albeit comically.  Her feline face was far more expressive than when she was in her elven form.

“I need some Moonwell water. Blessed, cured … whatever it is you do to it.”

“For what?” Her tone almost curt and disapproving.  “I am not giving you Moonwell water to aid in your necromancy or blood magic.”

“It is for cleansing.” It was his turn to sound hurt.  “Void cleansing.”  She was now staring at him almost incredulously.  He could even imagine seeing the small twitching of her eyes.

“Kael.  The last time you tried to cleanse the Void from your veins, you almost died.  Surely you are not thinking of doing such a thing again?”

Theron only pursed his lips. “It is not for me.  It is for a friend and the Void taint that is running through him may be minute and new enough that Moonwell water may help.  My colle-friend, Ilyea, managed to cleanse a small portion of my blood with it.  With such results, I intend to see if I can use it to aid Master Felbane with his problem.”

“And if it does not work?” The cat druid was sitting on her haunches now, tail twitching in thought.  “Are you going to teach this, Master Felbane how to deal with the corruption?”

The second question made Theron pause to look down at his own gloved hands.  His ears twitched slightly, hearing what not even the druid in front of him could.  “If it does not work, then I will continue to search for a way to cleanse him just as I searched how to rid you of yours.  If one is not willing to embrace the corruption and reap the benefits of the power it brings, then there is only misery to be had.  He does not want to embrace the Void.  There is a different between those who choose the corruption because it is a side effect of embracing the power and those who fight it with every fiber of their being.  It changes you.”

“Inward and outwardly?” She tilted her head, watching the sorcerer but he offered only silence.  For too long, the stillness lingered, so palpable that it was almost stifling.  Delnerys knew how poignant the question was for Theron.  He was reaping the cost of the benefits.  The problem was, the downward spiral never ended, there was simply the empty vastness of the Void.

“Will you help me in helping him?”  The silence was finally broken by Theron’s voice, a little too gruff.

“I am needed in Argus soon.  I, however, wish to meet him.  Our Moonwells are sacred and while they may work wonders for those with no true belief in them, far greater feats are accomplished by those who are blessed by the Goddess herself.  I will meet your Felbane and perhaps we can push back the darkness that has taken root in him.”

“Absolutely not.”  The sorcerer was already beginning to pace.  “He cannot travel.”

“Then I will come to him. I am assuming he is another Sin’dorei?” Silvery and green coils of magic had already begun to traverse the length of the feline so that soon, a crouched Kaldorei appeared.  Slowly, she rose, just shy of Theron’s six foot four frame.  Short for her kind.  Her silvery-white hair matched the fur that her feral form held.  “I promise I will stay out of cat form.”

Theron’s lips were thin in thought, eyeing the Kaldorei and the wicked scythe at her back.  “I would rather you not… ”

“Kael.  I am not just going to give you a Moonwell’s worth of water and let you do your voodoo.  I do not trust you that much.  But if it will put you at ease, I will wear this.” Delnerys pulled out a necklace from one of her pouches.  Small bits of herbs still clung to it as she presented it to him.  “Perhaps you recognize your own handywork and can recharge it for me?”

“An illusion…” He reached for the necklace, delicately holding it in his fingers.  “Perhaps there might be another way for me to go about this.”  His fingers curled around the necklace, watching the female before him.

“Have him come to a neutral city or enchant the necklace for me once more.”  She reached for Theron’s shoulder then, patting it slightly.  The scent of night jasmine and rain suddenly wafted into his nose along with the undercurrent of feathers and fur.  It made him scrunch up his face as he had never caught that on the druid before.  “Or not?” She was watching him curiously.

“I … uh…”  He blinked at her before realizing he still had the necklace in his hand.  “No.  I thought you had lost it and I was just remembering the last time you used it.”

Delnerys shot him a smile, showing dainty Kaldorei fangs.  “Silvermoon is still a beautiful city despite all that gaudy gold.”  She patted the hand in which he held the necklace.  “Though I am offended, Kael.  I do not lose things.  I simply place them to be found at a later date.  Now, if you will be so kind to recharge that necklace for the illusion, I will gather some Moonwell vials.”

“I still do not believe this is a good idea.  If you are to go to Argus, then giving me the Moonwell water would be easier.  I will let you know if it works or if I need your help with more.”

The druid paused, turning to study Theron for a brief moment.  “Is Master Felbane another of your rebel crew of wolves?”

“Rebel crew of wolves?”  It took Theron by surprise.

“You are not the only one that keeps tabs on people, Kael.  I will not report your friends to the authorities.  Our pact still stands, Kael’deryn Ravensdawn.  You are family even if you are of the unsavory sort.”

The frown still remained on the sorcerer’s face, pensive.  “Family despite the path I walk?”

“Family because that is all that we have left.  Love for one another.  Passion for life.  You may be letting the corruption win within you but you are still here, Kael.  You are still fighting and I will always have my eye on you.”

The last made Theron chuckle.  “Still believe you can take me down if I truly succumb?”

“I will die trying.” She gave him a small but sad smile. “You have a heart of gold even if you try to hide it.  Your choices have led you here but there is always a purpose to the trials and tribulations we go through.  Time is wasting away, Kael.  Let me speak with Master Felbane before I leave for Argus and we will try to fix your friend.”

“Fine fine.  Last I knew he was in Ravenmist Port.  It is private at the moment.  I will send tell that he should expect a….”

“Lady Shadowstar, why of course.” Delnerys curtsied.  “Do not look so surprised.  Just because I am a druid does not mean I am a wild animal.”  This elicited a chuckle from Theron.

“Oh, I do have one more favor, Nery.”  The look that passed over his features was bashful and it left Delnerys’ blinking at Theron in something akin to awe.  “I … Will you be able to secure a terrace in Suramar for a special event?”

The druid’s eyebrows furrowed, a bemused look spreading over her face.  “What kind of special event?”

Theron only chuckled, a slight blush beginning to form at his cheeks.  “I have something planned and I want it to be in the courtyard you showed me a couple of months back, the terrace with the flowering trees and benches that overlook the city.”

“Why?”

“Please?”

Delnerys let out a long sigh, slightly exasperated.  “You are aggravating.  I shall see what I can do but I cannot guarantee anything.  I do not like how much the Shadowstars have taken to you. Be warned that if you begin to corrupt them with Void magic after I just helped wean them from the Nightwell, I will personally see that Warden Shadowsong sets up the wards in your prison.”

“I would never.”  The look of mock hurt was plastered over his handsome features but it did not work on the druid.  Already, the corners of his mouth were twitching with the need to smirk.  A small growl filtered from Delnerys’ lips before she went to the very balcony where she had been sunbathing and turned around only to stare at him.

“You cannot pull off innocent very well, Kael.  You need to work on that.  I will be back but I refuse to travel through your Void portals.  I will sail or we will find a mage.”  With that, she turned and shifted effortlessly into a snowy white owl before leaving Theron to make sure that the necklace she wore would give her a Sin’dorei appearance.  Word would be sent to Vy’thanis to expect a … witch by the name of Lady Shadowstar and hopefully, her necklace did not malfunction in the middle of the port.

To Be Continued …