AN: Greetings people of FanFiction. First off, I'd like to establish that this story may have some ideas that differ from actual WoW lore. There are a few of my own ideas I have mixed in to explain things that are left rather unexplained, and personally, I enjoy stories in which authors are creative with how they interpret things.

I'd love reviews to tell me what you think, as long as you are giving me constructive critique.

On that note, here's the disclaimer:

I do not own World of Warcraft, Blizzard does.

Taiva was overwhelmed with profuse emotions. There she stood, in the vast and beautiful city of Darnassus just outside the Cenarion Enclave. Streams of purple light were shining down through the small openings in the cover of trees, lighting up the clearing; she could feel the lush green foliage under her feet, and the pleasing scent of the lilac flowers that would grow naturally around these parts, just a hue darker to the pale skin exposed in her ravishing ceremonial attire.

She had been anticipating this very moment for the last few decades, even as a young child, she was spurred into learning druidism by the other night elves around her. As the child born with golden eyes, a trait rarely seen in Kaldorei females, many saw it that she had great potential, promises to succeed very much like her father had.

Mother and Father, yes, they were there. Her amber gaze searched amongst the gathering crowd as she caught the expression of pride cast on her Father's broad face. He was smiling at her, and had given her a nod as to say the unspoken words: "Well done, my child." She met the eyes of her Mother too; her expression soft, silvery eyes had become pools of misty haze as she watched her daughter before her.

She had grown up; she was finally 110, an age that once seemed so far away.

Pulling her eyes away from the group of neighbors and family, she looked to the friend at her side. Sestri.

The female beside her had her dark, midnight blue hair pulled away from her face in a beautiful jewel- embroidered silver hair band. Adorned in a ravishing gown of white, she had to admit she looked spectacular, though Sestri herself may not agree.

It seemed her childhood friend had never taken a liking to dressing up, despite the fact she was naturally beautiful as all night elf women usually were, however this was an occasion that could not be taken lightly, and she was likely forced to by her parents.

She searched the face that would be forever changed after they parted when the Rites of Passage ceremony was complete. Young, bare skin would soon be marked with symbolic patterns of her inner animal totem. Sestri seemed a little on edge, not because this was bad, but perhaps because she too was going to be seen a mature night elf. Perhaps it was the expectations she was going to need to meet, and the vigorous training that would follow through.

Now their Mentor was speaking. He stood behind the two of them as his own amber eyes would be addressing the crowd, whose gaze never left the two fledglings.

Dholon would rest each large hand on his students' shoulders, voice thick and loud in the Darnassian language as he would speak of both their accomplishments and the promise of success they would both have after his teachings.

This would make Taiva's face flush slightly. She knew most had expected her to succeed. Sestri was born with eyes the norm for females of her race, yet she would never look upon her companion with the slightest bit of condescendence.

Eventually he would wish blessings of the Goddess upon them, and wish them good fortune with completing the last of their training.

Taiva would once again look out into the crowd. Oh, how she would of ran to the arms of Mother and Father, knowing that after this she would likely not see them for some time, and how she would of gone to Sestri, establishing better terms with her before they would say goodbye and part ways to follow their own paths.

She would have done so, but she could do none but stand there and listen to Dholon's words of praise and stare at the faces of the crowd, for this was a dream.

Taiva blinked and opened her eyes; the grey haze of morning light that beamed through the small rounded window had roused her from her sleep. She was on the ship, tucked away in the hammock hanging from the walls of the crammed, wooden room. Her own unconscious mind was replaying almost exactly what had happened 10 years ago. The dream was a memory that was reenacted while she was in sleep's soft embrace.

The druid sat up on the hammock, swinging her bare feet so that her limbs would touch the plank flooring of the cabin. The ship rocked slightly, and she took hold of the side of the hanging material to steady herself as she stood up, still slightly dazed from just awakening.

Over the past few days on the ship, Taiva had begun not to exactly like staying under the deck during the nights. She would wake and always long to smell the fresh, salty morning air as soon as she did so.

When she had obtained balance, she made way towards a large crate in the corner, a makeshift means of storage during her stay. The night elf rummaged through the supplies stowed away within and pulled out her dark leather robe.

Sighing, she gazed at it. It had been awhile since she had worn it, the past few weeks onboard travelling to Northrend, she would dress herself in casual, comfortable cloth.

Now the travelling part was soon coming to an end, last night was the last time she would have to sleep under the docks; the vessel was approaching The Borean Tundra and she would disembark by midday.

Coming across the letter that had been sent to her by a familiar person, she could feel her stomach clench, even after she had read it over a few times. She unfolded the parchment carefully and stared at the words written in her own language. She remembered her first reaction upon receiving the letter while in Moonglade.

Waves of uncertainty washed over her once again. The handwriting done in a display of graceful curls and lines had reminded her of the same style her dearest friend would once write in, and she confirmed that there was a reason too, as she looked over at the signature at the bottom: "Sestri".

Why am I so worried about what she will think of me? She questioned herself.

The last time she had seen the other druid was shortly following their ceremony as to say farewell. She hadn't expected that it would be this long before she would meet up with her again.

Sestri had gone to receive extra training elsewhere while she had gone to live on comfortably in Moonglade, reviewing her natural skills and talents every so often.

There had been a lot she had learned in the last decade, and though being a night elf meant the aging process was greatly slowed, time was at the same pace as everyone else. Ten years was long to go without seeing someone you had grown up with.

But no, it was not a friendly letter to address Taiva in greeting. Sestri hadn't asked her to visit and catch up on lost times. It was a formal letter that had concluded that she, along with her old friend would meet on the battle field, fighting against the Horde over the war-torn territory of Wintergrasp.

The Borean Tundra was not like what she had expected. Sure, she knew that Northrend was a continent under great struggle, but this was far worse than anything she had seen in the last 120 years of her life.

Taiva shivered slightly in her leather armor, and adjusted her fur cloak, pulling it around her closer so that it would cover more of her bare neck and fore arms. While she was relieved that she was soon to have her feet on solid earth again, the smell of taint the air carried was displeasing to her senses.

Knowledge of what it was made it even more provoking to her second thoughts. Scourge.

You'll need some more audacity; the hardest part is yet to come. She told herself sternly.

But the entire small port town of Valiance Keep emitted a sense of hopelessness. It was a grim place to be, and it seemed everyone there too knew that.

She watched laborers gather on the docks while the vessel pulled in, making preparations to take off or put supplies on board, most of them human men in worn, wrinkled clothing. Their faces looked weary and afflicted as they would go about doing their job.

I suppose being here for a prolonged amount of time eventually gets to you.

She suddenly felt a sense of gratitude that she had been sent to fight in Wintergrasp, an area supposedly untainted by Scourge, and not here.

With intentions of removing herself from the horrible place soon, she stared ahead and further studied her surroundings.

She looked up to see the sky shaded with deathly dark grey clouds, and the silhouettes of dead or dying soldiers along the putrid skyline as she gazed out from the ship while it approached the docks.

The chilling breeze cut through her robe. Being leather, the thinner material had both its advantages and disadvantages.

The druid needed to be able to move in combat, and coldness wasn't often something to bother her, having a thick pelt of fur in the feral forms she would prefer to engage combat in.

Taiva subconsciously ran her finger tips against her face from her cheekbones while she stared out. They trailed vertically along the tattoos she had been given with her coming of age.

Her long fingers followed the symmetrical markings over and under each golden eye in which appeared as thick, outstretched claws of a bear in a hue of silvery white, similar to her hair color. The patterns were like a mask against her pale pinky-lilac skin tone, but nonetheless she had always been pleased with how they looked. It was common for the females of her race to tatoo their faces with symbols that reflected their strengths.

And with her markings, the druid boldly affirmed she had gone through the challenges that came with becoming a fully matured night elf woman.

Taiva had taken all the supplies she stowed away in the crate in her cabin and was carrying it all an over-stuffed pack tucked under her arm. She made sure to put all her combat armor on; leather bracers, boots, and robe. Her long staff, edged with a sharp blade on one side, was strapped loosely on her back, incase she needed it, but in most cases the night elf would prefer to fight with tooth and claw.

Sighing softly as the ship came to a stop at the docks, she prepared herself mentally by making notes in her head.

Don't make eye contact. She told herself. She didn't want to associate herself with the men on the docks in any way; she saw they were rather scrawny and indecent looking.

Stay on the path, and you'll be fine.

She tried to reassure herself the journey on foot through the more wild areas of Borean Tundra would go just fine as long as she kept her golden eyes sharp for any danger that may approach her. She also knew why she was having second thoughts.

The rational part of her knew how unpredictable scourge could be. She could handle a few, but they often would attack in more than one.

Let's hope that doesn't happen then.

And with that, the druid took a better grip on her pack, pulled her cloak tightly around herself for warmth, and strode over to walk off the wooden ramp leading from the large vessel to the docks. Taiva had disembarked the ship, and embarked into a world of new dangers she had never known.

AN: My goal was to explain the characters, and why things are happening a bit in the first chapter. More eventful stuff will be happening in Chapter 2, I promise!

See you there!