I stared incredulously at the masterfully crafted bracelet Ursol made for me in persoing in my paws.

  The clear recolle of what happened ged little about how… giddy? Yes, something like that was what I felt, along with managing to meet him and reveal a hint of the future.

  I was a bit in a euphoric daze. I hadn't felt this good in far too long; it was the most crucial step, and I succeeded!

  Meeting and ving the Bear of Wisdom: the simple fact that I was aware of the World Tree in Northrend and its corruption was enough, and I was right to believe so from his rea.

  He wasn't suspicious about it, too, likely believing me as some kind of seer, not that it wasn't wholly inaccurate, just not traditionally speaking. And I won't correct the misuanding.

  Insinuating that I had knowledge from some kind of vision passed far more easily than admitting to reination from another universe where this one was fictitious. It was hard even for me to ceive.

  "Just have to wait for him to call back," I mumbled, and that was one of the prices. I don't doubt it will take time to resolve, sidering Nordrassil's size.

  Even if we divide it by a few times and all the nightmarish ma involved, it won't be done by tomorrow.

  But when Ursol got the time, we o talk, and I hope he will be receptive to my ideas, such as warning the night elves and furbolgs as a whole—the first he likely could do quickly enough. And to help me with a pn aimed at sheltering furbolgs–prioritizing the cubs–until things calmed down, selfish yes, I put the safety of my species above that of others.

  Ultimately, there weren't many options for the ing demonivasion but to soldier on and reduce our losses.

  Simpler said than done and on a shaky foundation, but I couldn't do anything else aside from growing in power and knowledge.

  As for the orcs, humans, dwarves, and others that would e during the wenty years at most… I wasn't sure. Frankly, I would prefer they never e, but my preference didn't bey or make me irrational.

  It won't be simple. Be it winning and pig the pieces afterward or otherwise.

  Like that, half of my joy was evaporated by the harsh ray of reality.

  "Argh fuck you brain…" I groaned loudly, ohing done and twenty-five more to do. At least my goals were retively self-tered beyond subverting myself, my tribe, and, by extension, my kind corruption and culling. Again, it was easier said than done, but there was a distin.

  "This should help, though." I grinned, timeters before my elbow, pg Ursol's gift around my forearm. After a few minutes of work, I tied the two ends together, following the same criss-crossed knot pattern.

  'Huh… Iing.' I paused, sensing the bracelet trying to draw magical energies, mine or otherwise; without hesitation, I gave it, and it hungrily gulped it all. The idea that it might be cursed was as ridiculous as it was short-lived. In an instant, the hundreds of dim runes lit up, the knots I made reanized ly into better ones, and I felt a shift.

  I could hear and see in a way that was beyond my bodily senses. Voices, howls, growls, chirps, sounds of branches snapping, and all that was of life. And I stood there stu the surprisingly pleasant, harmonious cacophony as my ears twitched.

  It wasn't new, but without being in a certain mi, at a certain pd time, having ed some kind s or certain rituals–it also depended on the spirits and locations iion–it was overall not a cacophony like now. I could sehem all the same if I focused, but that wasn't the same.

  My awareness had never been this strong outside of some of the above, an awareness aimed at the spirits of the wild and nature of the aral variety in particur. Their reas ranged from joyful to befuddled by their whisper in my ears, all directed at yours truly.

  It was iing.

  It transformed me into a bea of sorts from the attention I was getting, partly at least. I never was ignored, but there was this and that. But since I didn't want everyone and their grandma to know what I was doing and where I was, I stopped iionally feeding it mana. Not that I had the ability to pump power indefinitely.

  My sense and preseuro normal, if slightly above what they were. But that it seemed to passively use my mana residue even after I stopped feeding it, mana hi other qualities, such as this elegant film of mana around my head.

  Prote against mind magic, corruption, maybe, or others? I didn't know. I trusted Ursol that this was to my be, though.

  "No matter… if I use it should save me." I thought out loud, studying the ivory bear-shaped whistle built for muzzle owners, how to activate it, but what it would do not so mubsp;

  Well, I got a general idea that it would call upon aral spirits to help me, but to what extent was a mystery, and I wasn't going tiven it wasn't a toy as much as I wao see what it could do. I didn't even know if it could be used repeatedly.

  As for today… Ah! Ah, yes, my genius idea before slumber won over my mind. Let's enact it, shall I?

  And that is what I did in the following hour. Flying to Miel's den, I circled to ensure he wasn't there. It was surprisingly challenging, for he was the stealthiest creature I had ever entered despite how big ursa totemics were—a warriue. I was jealous, and by the aor, I couldn't reproduce even a fra of his talent no matter what I tried.

  Ohis was dohe rest was easy. I knew where my martial teacher's stash was. Landing on a nearby tree, I used its roots to permaly borrow a sample without making a mess. It was unfairly simple. Like taking dy from a baby, it required trol and tration, but I had both in abundance. I have dohis for the majority of my life, after all.

  'To think I hated alcohol as a human…' I thought, grabbing the wooden bottle and immediately flying farther away to uncork it with a cw flid drink in peace. Though calling it a bottle wasn't doing it justice, it was more of a barrel. It was admittedly a small one, fitting in my paw like a big mug, but still a barrel.

  I didn't take a heftier one because it would be harder, and I knew I would ultimately be caught—the beating punishment hidden as training was worth it for the taste, but that wasn't a reason to push too far. Pissing off the asshole was hirious, but still, I had standards. Whatever they may be.

  Not that I feared the sequehe opposite almost, but that would be mostly instincts speaking.

  I savored the sweet aroma and soft bitterness among the bubbles of the honey beer; every part of it mapped in my brain thanks to my nose. And it was in quantities that would kill a human several times over.

  Yet something that wouldn't do anything to my system. If I wao lose my band half my brain fun, I o drink far more.

  Which I wouldn't. I may not hate its smell and taste like I did back then. And while not beially all there was funny, the buzz leasant, and I couldn't get a hangover. It didn't mean I liked fag the sequences of the dumb shit I would do, so I refrained.

  Amusingly, a quirk that got the same surprised and questioning gaze as I did as a human when I straight up refused to drink since I don't e much alcohol for a furbolg my size and position.

  "-SOC'S FURRY BALLS I'M GOING TO BREAK THE LILTE FUCK'S SKU-" My ears ftte the r, nearly a kilometer away, from the sheer loudness of it. Miel does have a strong pair of lungs when angry. It might be time to retreat. I wouldn't want the poor tree I was resting on to be ripped off the ground, now do I?

  After this event, four days ter, I got found and earned many deep cuts and fractures open or otherwise healed soon after, all while returning several successful hits. No magic was allowed in that duel, not that it never happens. But when it was allowed, we could get taken in the excitement, though it got signifitly... bloodier, yet at least the results weren't as one-sided.

  Aside from that, I waited for Ursol to show signs during these days. Eaight, I passed by the Dream for purposes beyond research, training, and lessons, yet no response.

  Oh, and on the first day after my visit to Miel, it had been an amusing se for the shamans with their cathartic shod delight when they learned of whom I had met and got an object from, information from both me and the aors. Let's say the grumbling about my choice for a bat instead of a bear had immensely diminished, as well as the weird looks at the unventional uses of my bones.

  It wasn't shog; intelligent spirits spoke a lot, and big things like what happened had waves. However, what was said as intended remained a mystery.

  Still, none of that made Ursol answer, so I waited, rarefying my visit as days turo weeks that turo months until they numbered nearly half a year. I did not force thiher, but I remained persistent, and it earned me Liahe A of Lore–to tell me that he was fine, just busy and needial focus.

  I would know when he was ready to discuss, but I would meet him again in the year based on how things were advang.

  I pced a hot potato in his paws, whieeded his immediate focus so I would be patient if displeased in my er. That was on me. As, I couldn't trust anyone else, and the ones I could trust would be put in danger knowing; it sounded cliché, but that didn't make it untrue.

  So I would wait for the Bear Lord and that the horrors ing were known by everyohrough his assistaterly blog any possible pruning siime magic by all ats wasn't omnipotent. It had rules and limitations. What were they? I had no clue, but they were here. They must.

  I was aware that it might all be for nothing, and that was because of three possibilities.

  First, I was known, and there wasn't any problem, so my paranoia ointless. Sed, they know and are debating hting about my fate or 't do anything. Third, they don't know, or alternate four, I fail by dying, being corrupted and ensved–not specifically in that order–and there was o intervene.

  The worst were unknown forces such as the Old Gods and–whatever their name–windchimes of Light. Both have seers and were involved in time shenanigans—no matter whehree above applied, if I was even in their sight.

  It's an arrogant point of view to believe I would.

  The problem was this wasn't fi. I was too ignorant and weak, so the third was the safest bet for whatever it was worth.

  Until then… I have other pns.

  "Ohto? Are you there? As I said, my beautiful wife is pregna-" A soft male voice with a tentative poke at my paw brought me back to reality, and I bli Vahe night elf, tent with my rejuvenated focus, went ba joyfully babbling about his marital life.

  He was a good acquaintance, if not a friend at this point. Unironically, Vandel is my only one. He was always kind. But he could get annoying whe rolling and couldn't take any hints to close his mouth. It was insane, a rambling young old man.

  It wasn't as if I hadn't told him to be silent more or less politely, and distang myself didn't have the intended result. The only perma solution was violence, and it was one of the cases where it wasn't optimal, verbal or physical.

  "That's great, Vandel. gratutions to her. May he have a long and successful life." I said with a faint, if weary smile, the guttural nature of my deep void bear-like morphology, even with my retively good Darnasian breaking all its natural musicality and rhythm.

  He nodded, enthusiastically going on about how his baby boy was due in a year and a half, and he went on and on about inviting me and the likes. For the tenth time might I had.

  I did pay attention. I liked the guy, but his never-ending monolog was almost the snapping point… to make me regret going with him to Astranaar instead of my lonesome, but I didn't want acts happening. I didn't like going aloher.

  Luckily for my sanity, I only endured for half an hour more as we arrived, evident by how nature parted from the path to an immense crystal-clear ke. The wisps and pale moonlights of the two moons bathes it in its ey, transitioning to perfe with the atmosphere of Ashenvale.

  Soon, a town of elegantly posed green and purplish wooden buildings and trees could be seen in harmony. It an isnd, creating a se not dissimir to Veni essenbsp;

  It was nothing like the little I recalled of it in World of Warcraft, and it wasn't a dozen dingy houses but a bustling fantastical city of a smaller size pared to what I was used to oh.

  "Wele to Astranaar, dear friend! e!" Vandel excimed, jumping down from his caravan to one of the sentinels serving as guards of the bridge to the town, who gaped at me as I followed the night elf. However, they weren't the only oo mimic goldfish; civilians and even a priestess from her robe.

  It wasn't fear, but stupefa with curiosity was a close enough parison, and I could hear them. Most never having seen furbolgs from the sound of it.

  "Wow, by Elune, is that a real furbolg? It's so much bigger than I imagined!"

  "What a eye color."

  "Incredible… someoamed one."

  "Do you believe et it? The fur seems soft if in need of grooming."

  "The books never said they could have glowing tattoos!"

  "Yes, they did, Eldryn, but shouldn't they be a scarce breed? It's smaller than I imagioo. Or a pup."

  "Oh! it do triaybe speak? I heard they could if trained."

  It was… clear how they viewed things. Not all were these ways, but the ones weren't a minority, and they stood out.

  It wasn't ill-iioned, but this knowledge wasn't stopping my fur from visibly bristling, my ears from twitg, and my displeasure and irritation from rising. At least it wasn't panic like I would have felt back then to be stared at by so many. I was still socially as delicate as a jackhammer.

  The guard sentinels only noticed my warning signs, but they wisely stood in their hat was an excellent call on their part. I wasn't going to attack; I was just annoyed.

  They weren't pleased by their fellow night elves showing, though I was sure it wasn't the same as me, probably because of the recklessness and ck of awareness. I didn't see them g much about my hurting wee little feelings.

  'I didn't bear expectations, but I'm still disappointed…' I thought, breathing out to cool down.

  Pg two fingers on the shoulder–taking all the pce while at it–of a furious borderline explosive Vandel, stopping him from violently correg the crowd. He was ready to throw hands. It preciated but ultimately unneeded a.

  At least it was mostly limited to the city dweller folks, the ones who would seldom see our hyper-reclusive furry asses, so excusable to a degree if I squint.

  I also noticed the ones I would expect to hear these ents from were absent: children and teenagers beside a young female apprentice who came with us.

  Even my nose, with the wind in the right dire, failed to pick up notable signs of them from the shogly not pu city. At best, my estimate told me they have a dozen cubs, ughably and wly small for a phabited by thousands upon thousands.

  I mean, I kheir ive birth rate roblem due to their culture and biology. They had two-year-long pregnancies and limited time per year to procreate, but if one of the rgest night-elvelements held so few sts of non-adults, then that raised questions. Not of the good variety.

  But the problem of their pure desire to go extinct wasn't why I spoke aloud.

  "I verily hear and uand you all." two-thirds of the growing crowd were shell-shocked, eyes widened, and mouths nearly ically falling. I smirked, my mood immediately improving. I won't say I hated that rea.

  But I wasn't finished.

  "Yes, I fluently speak your tongue as well. And as a matter of fact, I'm not a mere pet. Now, if you ck the on ded respect to see me as a person, you at least swiftly disperse? I'm not an attra to be gawked at. Kindly back off, or I will force you." I rumbled loudly, my voice carrying far and wide like thunder.

  Their response was a heavy, stunned sileoo dumbfouo do anything but stare dumbly with wide eyes, their brains likely processing what I said. It was cathartiatter what they cluded from my outburst.

  Regardless, apanied by a squadron of elven women, a higher-graded member of the Sentinel Army from her bare-bone uniform came running. It was an iing choice of 'armor,' like the others.

  They were very lucky to have blessed immunity to diseases and most parasites.

  'Though… Why must the Sentinel be exclusively female? Lost opportunity and stupidity given form.' I briefly pined about the tragedy of no buff elf men in impractically skimpy armor as she stopped a few meters before me. Her hardened face looked up to me due to the signifit size difference. Her visage was one of great fusion as her glowing eyes shifted from my tattoo to my neck feathers.

  'Oh, I see.'

  She was w what I was, my age, sex, and from what tribe I hailed as all that be gleaned by my 'tris.' She was a knowledgeable kaldorei in furbolg traditions from the looks of it. She seemed tnize me vaguely... It must be from some of her reports, I guess. I wasn't fettable.

  "Greetings, I'm Ohto of the Greenweald, and I have e to read from your library." I bluntly stated. The decorated sentinel rexed at that, but she remained just as fused. I wasn't here to request military aid, and that was what I assumed she assumed. "Would it be okay to do so? Ah, by the way, who am I speaking to?"

  "Ishnu-ah… Shaman…?" I nodded; I didn't need her to break her head when choosing my title. "I'm Sentinel Captain Alennah Starsong. Worry not; we will see to aodate your wish. Lieutenant Daleryn Summermoon shall be your escort to the library. You may ask her any questions, but please... stay calm. Most are not used to the sight of view and may act without afterthought."

  "I will try, but no promises, Alennah. Ah, and thank you. Also, if there is a need for a healer, I help," I said, swiftly going on the bridge. Daleryn awkwardly ran ahead of me, motionioward my goal, knowledge. As always, it ower.

  Asking for books by proxy was good, but doing the research myself would yield better results. I won't find the most esoteric lore sihey must be in Moongde, but more information was always weled in my position. Wikipedia and the World Wide Web did here.

  If ohing kaldorei did perfectly was store, protect, and respeowledge.

  The_Bip_Boop2003

  Thanks, EmilBigErk, Mike Stewart, Dyn Mayfield, BzeSavage, What Ewer, Jeff Fischer, Hope Bain, Vex, Jackietron201, 124f5, Joshua Crowell, Crach Grey, Michael Carter, Ben Lockwood, Kunta, Nezih Süzer, Zekitz, PeerlessCaster, Devon Emmons, Furry Bear, Jarvis Schellinger, Cudius, Lucky 13, Echo54g, jacob griffin, Mitch, Velzon, Cameron Youngman, TheFuzzySamurai, Grey Heart, Marc Smith, James Wood, Proxy, shadowSeth, Talberts, Scott, Gal Anonim, PIEGURU8, Thomas Hendrix, léroy jenkins, Tobias, Jose Matos, K, Alex pritchard, Falk Hüser, SirSp, Sam Mbya, Alexander Amann, Name, Man Robertson, Aaron Taylor, Mika Willems, phil, Brian Beard, JchuckS, Wold Layman, Gee Dean, Nateica Burlock, Wildvoid, andre, Eioe, Scarletmenace, Pilot Pirx, er Ja, Thomas Dey, Asura, Gronnr, Lucas Gossett, ton Jenkins, Desote, Tristan Nadeau, Mest450, Ang, Sabypyz, charlie wagner, SwiftFate, Hedgeboar, JJ JJ, Linus Bengtssone, Mason for the support it's greatly appreciated.

  [colpse]