video; both courts

[survivra]

This wolf is enormous.

[ Katsa can be heard before she's seen, her locket instead in the face of a fully-grown direwolf that's shoving his nose in front of it in her hands. She pushes him out of the way, backs up so that she can be seen in scale with the direwolf: her blue and green eyes are overbright, red-rimmed as though she's been crying, but her voice when she speaks is loud and demanding. ]

What potions or tonics would turn dark hair blue?

Comments

[shamanism]

It seems about the right size to me, but I suppose this world is different.

[Thrall misses Snowsong, who was big enough to carry a massive 9 foot tall orc like him into battle. Yeah.]

[survivra]

[ please forgive this very blatant and too-long stare, thrall!!!!

and then, finally: ]

Absurdly different, apparently.

[shamanism]

[He's used to it. He smiles at her without showing teeth (that would make things worse)-- nothing but friendly.]

To be Chosen by a wolf is a great honor. [He notes the redness around her eyes, though.] I cannot help you find a tonic, but if the wolf is giving you trouble...?

[survivra]

Liam? [ she looks over at the wolf, then back at thrall. ] The only trouble he's giving me is the space he takes up in my room.

He didn't choose me, though. It was someone else. Now we're just—[ she gestures, wordlessly. ]—left.

[shamanism]

[Oh. That's... unfortunate, and his expression sobers.]

I am sorry for your loss, [he says gently.] Still, taking care of someone else's companion is very admirable. I am sure the wolf-- Liam-- and his original partner both appreciate it.

[survivra]

[ she's furious to find her eyes starting to burn again. it isn't his fault, exactly; but with every condolence for her loss, every softened tone, katsa feels almost worse. she doesn't want to be pitied as though she depends on another's company. they already spend so much time apart from each other. ]

It's only unfair without any planning, without any warning. I'll see to it that I pound him next time I see him in return for not even saying goodbye.

[shamanism]

[It isn't pity, not on his part. Thrall is just a gentle soul. It's a fine line though.]

Of course. You have that right.

[survivra]

What are you? [ she's abrupt—changing the topic away from something upsetting, asking directly what's on her mind. ] Are all animals in your world quite so... large?

[shamanism]

[He's not offended, thankfully. He's been here a couple days and gotten that question... well... more than once.]

I am an orc, born on Azeroth. My people are not the same as the orcs here.

[He chuckles a bit.]

Some, not all. Orcs and wolves have been partners for as long as time remembers, even on the world they originally came from.

[survivra]

No. You're very different. In a good sense. [ that seems obvious to her, but she says it anyway. katsa opens her mouth to ask another question, then stops when something thrall has said sinks in. ] What do you mean, original world?

[shamanism]

It is... difficult to speak with the orcs here, that much is true. [They are just so different from him. From his people. So weird.]

Orcs originally hailed from Draenor-- a rough and beautiful land full of many dangers. They were consumed by bloodlust, manipulated through their pride, their reverence for the ancestors. They formed a great army and marched on Azeroth, intent to conquer the world since they had ruined their own.

That was many years ago, but it is the truth of my people's origins. We cannot forget it, and we cannot ask for forgiveness. We cannot go back, for Draenor is destroyed.

We can only move forward.

[survivra]

...That's all anyone can do. [ after a pause once he's done speaking. she leans back, looking up at the walls near the ceiling, casting her gaze beyond the locket ] Luckily, I think, there's a lot of time in this place to move where we want. [ a tug of her brows. ] Within constraints. Though you're not one directly at fault it sounds, at least.

[shamanism]

I have mentors-- friends-- who drank the blood. But they realized their mistakes many years ago. All have contributed to healing the wounds they wrought.

[He fidgets with the locket, unable to help himself.]

But there is much time here, as you have said. I wonder if it is time enough to prevent any further damage from this war.

[survivra]

Drank the—

[ she looks almost ill for a moment, assuming he means that literally. drinking blood wasn't even on leck's list of crimes, let alone her own.

but it isn't fair to hold onto that detail. he's said right after, anyway, that those people have worked toward healing those wounds. ]

That's the admirable part, what follows. There's the rest of our lives to prevent it, whether it's enough or not; and I have to believe it can be enough.

[shamanism]

[Thrall realizes his mistake too late.] Demon blood. They drank demon blood. It was a deliberate move by a high-ranking demon-- he controlled them. [For the most part. He's not going to go into the different clans and... yeah no. We're not going to talk about the Bonechewers or the Bleeding Hollows in front of polite company. Hell no.

He clears his throat.]

Anyway, I have spent a good part of my life working toward peace on my world. I must believe it too-- or else all of that will have been for naught.

[survivra]

[ She shivers, imagining. Leck had made others do terrible things with his Grace, too, though as far as Katsa could tell at least no blood-drinking had been involved. She wonders what it would be like to wake up from one's control and realize she had done something like that with her own hands. It isn't a pleasant thought.

She's itching to ask how they were controlled, but it doesn't seem like quite the right time. ]

You really aren't the same as the orcs of this place. [ stating the obvious, repeating herself. she nestles her chin in the palm of the hand not holding her locket. ] I hope your world makes it. Through all that and all you've done, it can't be for naught.

[shamanism]

[Terrible, that's what. There's a reason why all the orcs gave up after Mannoroth disappeared. They just stopped fighting. They just stopped caring. The Orc Lethargy was a definite thing.

It really isn't the right time, but he'll share such things with her later, if she wants.

He smiles a little.]

That is true. [A pause, and then--] Thank you for your kind words. I hope your efforts succeed as well. Peace is difficult to achieve and difficult to protect, but it is so very worth it.

[He has to believe that. Has to believe that he and his friend Jaina can prevent all out war. The incident at the Wrathgate wasn't even the Horde's fault. Everyone lost something in that war.]

May I have your name? I am known as Thrall.

[survivra]

[ Katsa shakes her head. They weren't kind words, only honest ones, and she doesn't want to be thanked simply for that. ]

Katsa. [ she's long learned to drop her title and lands, since no one here knows who she is anyway and her rank doesn't matter much. ] It's better that those who can fight for it help those who can't, at least.

[shamanism]

[Yeah, Thrall introduced himself as warchief twice and confused the shit out of people so he's dropped that too. He got a nice bedroom, but nothing else. It's whatever.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Katsa.

[A pause.]

Yes. That is... something I am working on.