Discordance

[greenbull]

The air was cold and dry. With heavy steps, Greenbull entered the fur tent, letting a muffled pained groan escape while he dropped his shield and mace on the wooden trunk. The pain he felt was constant, the half healed patches of burnt skin covered with blisters on all his body were not very comfortable with heavy plate armor. With teeth clinched, he removed his armor, part by part, in a long and painful ritual.

All was pain.

Since the day he left his family´s land, all he knew was pain. It hurt to see his land attacked and his friends die, it hurt more to learn that the path of vengeance was not an easy path. It hurt even worse to see his comrades fall, war destroy the land and then the people that lived in it. It was his land, and so he abandoned the farmer tools and took up the sword. A big one.

Since that day, all he has known was pain.

Greenbull eased himself onto the mound of fur that he called 'bed' and tried to find a position that didn't hurt too much so he could have a little sleep. He must rest some, for soon he'd again be wearing his plate and shield defending the honor of the Horde and the life of his friends. Yes, the magic powers can heal and even bring you back from the brink of death, but they did leave scars and they did leave the pain behind.

When sleep was almost upon him, he heard steps on the stone path outside his tent. His muscles automatically awoke from a surge of adrenalin, but a familiar voice calmed him.

In the entrance of the tent, he could see his little brother's face.

"Moonfeather, I'm here to talk with you of a most urgent matter," said the young tauren. "The Skullcrusher elders are crazy. They made a Forsaken the new chief! That pawn of the Scourge now taints our very Great Hall!"

Greenbull raised his hand, and Riverwhisper stopped talking.

"Who?" asked Greenbull.

"Maube, that..." Riverwhisper began again, but came to a sudden stop when he saw a smile on the face of his brother.

"They choose well. Maube great leader. Maube bring me to the clan. Maube trust us." Greenbull replied while looking at the dreamcatchers hanging from the ceiling.

"You don't see? You can't see that when the Scourge comes again, all the Forsaken will be dominated by their mindless tainted will and just turn on us? You don't see that we are putting the keys of the most proud clan of the Horde on the hands of a future enemy? You're a simple minded fool, Moonfeather! All you know is farming and holding a shield! I studied with the wisest elders from Moonglade, I saw what the Scourge has done and I see what it'll do again some day." Greenbull saw his brother's eyes full of fury. The young fury, the one not tamed by the visions of the Plaguelands.

"Me trust Maube, me says to you: do the same. She good for our clan. She good for us. Me not wise, me not studied with Druids. Me knows only what my eyes see and ears listen and heart feel. With that, me has grown strong and me avenged the wrong, and me saved life, and me found friends. Maube friend, and me happy. If old chiefs make Maube chief, me make Maube chief on my hearth. You study, me feel. You must feel, me not need study. All me need to know is swing sword and hold shield, as me shield is to our land, our clan and our friends. You need feel." Greenbull stared at his brothers eyes as he talked, and even with all the pain, his eyes were calm and deep.

"If the old chiefs and elders declared her our new chief, I abide to their command, but I shall not trust her, or any of the Forsaken, ever!" Riverwhisper turned around and walked with hard steps thundering down the stone path.

Greenbull rested his head on the fur. He thought of all that he has got through to get where he was. He knows that more people will distrust Maube as the leader, in the Clan and in other Clans. She will have to be strong.

He sleeps, and dreams.

Edit: Raeda kindly revised the original and corrected my mistakes. Thanks, pretty moo

Edited May 30, 2006 by greenbull