A crime that was avenged, not by night-elves, but by other orcs.
Then had come her rash decision to free Illidan Stormrage and the numerous sorrows that had led to, including the young warden Maiev losing herself to obsession and pursuing the demonic night elf through a dimensional portal.
Since the battle of Mount Hyjal, she had tried to act with more judgment and less prejudice, though it had served her to little effect with the embittered Maiev.
However, she still had to remain aware of night elf concerns.
She considered all this as Kasumi prayed for the translation spell for the other five members of the their council of leaders. When the priestess nodded that all was ready, she spoke.
"It is a concern that an unknown number of people has appeared fom virtually nowhere within our lands," Tyrande said. "As well that they have some warriors of significance."
"We have no hostile intentions," Keiichi said. "But the creatures in the mountains forced us to build our defenses."
"Understandable," Tyrande said. "The fact that you can raise a successful defense against the Legion is impressive."
"I doubt that we are a threat to you," Cologne said matter of factly. "Our warriors consist of a handful of brave young women, a scattering of young men and what spiders are willing to help us. The vast majority were amateurs and hobbyists before now, and the demons are beyond what many can stand. Our continued standing against the demons that trickle in from the mountains above is a miracle I have some difficulty quite explaining."
"I am fairly certain that Amaterasu has not forsaken us," Nodoka said firmly. "Whereever we may be."
Malfurion noticed a slight demuring behavior from Kasumi as the topic moved to discussion of what sounded like the name of a diety, but said nothing further.
"Be that as it may," Tyrande said. "There has been too much blood shed in the past two years, and my people will need assurances of some manner that you have no ill intentions."
"We only arrived a few months ago," Nabiki said. "Can you explain something of what you mean?"
"The invasion of the Burning Legion demons," Malfurion said. "Certainly your land did pass untouched from that, the creatures were spread nearly over all of Azeroth."
The blinking expressions of concern and confusion in the faces of the kumojin and the two humans told Malfurion a great deal. Unless there was some realm untouched by the invasion on an unknown continent, these people were not of this world and they had no knowledge of even its most recent histories.
"We are come in the aftermath of war then?" Nodoka asked. "And these demons are remainders of this invasion?"
"That is correct," Tyrande said, silently catching on to the same facts that Malfurion had noticed. "They infest the forest of Felwood like flies on a corpse, just over this mountain range."
"Then," Cologne said. "If you will allow us to remain, we will keep aware of them and seek to keep them on the other side of the mountain."
"You offer this service in exchange for the use of these forests?" Tyrande asked, considering.
The night elves had not had numbers enough to hold the whole of Northern Kalimdor since the Sundering, they could keep small patrols of sentinels out and watching, but little more than that in any regular situation. Having these kumojin inhabit the forests at the base of mountains took some small amount of pressure off of their efforts.
"This is a monumental task," Tyrande cautioned. "And you have already said you do not have many warriors."
"There are some in training already," Cologne said. "It would be simple common sense to stay cautious of them in any case."
"That should be acceptable," Malfurion said. "Though I would suggest seeking aid if the legion sends a major force your way again."
"We shall try," Kasumi said. "But that is not the worst of our troubles."
"Oh," Tyrande said, curiously. "Is there something you need aid with."
"We need food," Nabiki said as she turned about to gather a bolt of fabric to present to them. "And we're willing to trade for it."
Malfurion nodded gravely as he considered the words of the sentinels earlier.
"Anara and Meras said they could see no signs of preparation for winter," he said seriously as he took up the fabric and examined it.
The silk, as it was, was finely woven and incredibly high quality. Also, there was a tough quality to it that many other manners of silk lacked.
"We make our clothes and our homes from this material," Nabiki said. "Some kali and driders have even taken to the trick of making weapons and armor from it. We could send you the silk itself, or a few weavers to shape it to your desire."
"And for how many kumojin will you require food for through the winter?" Malfurion asked.
Kasumi tensed momentarily as she looked to the others and took a deep breath, feeling some support at Nodoka's affirmative nod.
"There are just under twenty-thousand of us," Kasumi said. "And that number wil grow relatively soon."
The night elves looked upon the kumojin with an expression of sheer shock for several moments before recovering, Malfurion and Tyrande's suspicions of their other-worldly nature all but confirmed. Ships to carry twenty-thousand would not simply ghost past Auberdine, no matter the fog involved. Still, the kumojin themselves might not even be aware that they were on a separate world.
"We'll have to decide on some specific amounts to agree on," Tyrande said.
Meanwhile, they were unaware of the figures watching them via a complex magical construction.
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(Posted Sun, 10 Apr 2005 18:55)
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