The petulant haze transformed Azeroth's bright buttery sun into a sickly yellow. Shae Nitebreeze cringed as the jaundice rays turned her lavender skin into a neutral shade of gray. For the past two weeks the night elf, along with twenty of the Alliance's best trackers, traipsed through the desolation of the Eastern Plaguelands. This territory was bleak even before the freed death knights commandeered the floating scourge citadel and renamed it Ebon Hold. Now the land was more tainted; it was dying, and nobody felt the Earth's pain more than the kaldorei. The night elves may be Children of the Stars, but no other race, other than perhaps the Tauren, are so attuned with nature.

Shae stretched a mid-sized frame toward the putrid sky as a decaying wind unfurled her hair into hundreds of long, sapphire whips. She wore elven chainmail armor, light and strong, and magically enhanced to camouflage with the surroundings. The tunic was shorter than normal halting a couple inches below her breasts with a hood cleverly woven into the chain links. Shae opted for a chainmail skirt instead of full leggings. A common misconception is night elves dress too sexy or revealing, but they dress according to their station, not out of vanity. She is a hunter and relies on speed and stealth. A short sword and dagger dangled around her waist and a dark green bow with silver runes was slung over a shoulder.

A renegade strand swept across amber eyes as Shae surveyed the terrain. She wiped away the tress revealing a lightning bolt tattoo bisecting her left eye, from hairline to below a subtle cheekbone. Trees sprinkled over the frail land, their trunks -twisted and rotting - as if skewered into the earth by an omnipotent, diseased hand. The entire land was painted in shades of browns and reds save the rare eerie green in Plaguewood. The hunter gazed at the ruins of Darrowshire, once a quaint little hamlet full of life and joy; now reduced to decomposing piles of wood. All, save the two-story building, were emaciated images of their former robust selves and in time the larger building would be sharing the same fate. The graveyard in the north comfortably hunkered down like an old man relaxing in his generational home, reclined in his favorite chair, feet kicked up on a desk.

Shae's patrol focused mainly on the southwest part of Eastern Plague and other than a handful of scourge, the hunter has not encountered anything out of the ordinary. The hunter licked dry, full lips as she screwed the cap off a water skin hanging at her waist. Shae drew a long drink and the once frigid water was now warm, but quenching. She longed for the plush Darnassian forests, to run barefoot through the tall, emerald grass with Kaiya, or relax in the wooden embrace of her favorite tree. Even chasing that little runt, Vosh, through Elwynn Forest seemed appealing or swimming in the Ashenvale lakes with Jordan and Dakota. What she missed most was her friends; her sisters-in-arms.

"HELP! HELP ME, PLEASE!"

Shae instinctively went into a crouch and grabbed her bow in one fluid motion. The screams originated from the two-story building. The night elf's amber eyes scanned the exterior of the building, but detected nothing. Hurried footfalls could be heard within the building. The cracking of an aging floorboard was the prelude to a human girl exploding through the doorway, franticly running from someone or something. She stumbled outside the door, scrambling to regain her footing. A scourge warrior with three plaguehounds on leashes followed the frightened child through the doorway; it's pace calm and confident, knowing full well the fate of its prey. The hounds were released an encircled the weeping woman, feeling hopeless, she no longer attempted to flee. A second scourge exited the building. This scourge was clad in black robes and holding a vial with a fluorescent green liquid. Shae, transfixed on the unfolding events, barely felt the soft, furry nudge on the hand. The night elf peeked down to see the pleading eyes of Sasha. Shae rescued the big, ebony cat from furbolgs in Starbreeze Village when she was a fledgling hunter and Sasha was a little cub, and the two have been inseparable ever since.

"Don't worry girl, we'll help." Sasha released a low growl.

Shae dispatched Sasha to left so the natural predator could use the dying trees and bushes for cover to move closer. Shae pulled the cowl over her head so her entire body was camouflaged with the reddish, brown terrain, and slowly moved into firing position on the right.

"Be still child, it will all be over soon," the black hooded scourge spoke, its voice as empty as its eyes. The scourge grabbed the child's throat, forcing her to open her mouth. Shae struck quickly. Her first volley was three perfectly placed shots and the plaguehounds dropped to the ground with arrows protruding from their skulls. The scourge warrior unsheathed a crude two handed sword, panning the surroundings for any clues to the whereabouts of the archer when an arrow struck it in the throat. The scourge dropped to its knees and was met by two more arrows to the chest. Kneeling on the ground, the remaining scourge hid behind the crying child, still holding the vial.

"Show yourself or I kill the child!" it shouted in a deep voice. The scourge was mildly startled when Shae shimmered into view several paces away and pulled back the cowl revealing long slender ears tucked close to her head. "Foolish elf," it hissed. "Throw down your weapons," it threatened, tightening the grip on the child's throat.

"No," Shae replied, her eyes burning with hatred.

"As you wish." The scourge started to pour the liquid into the child's mouth when a flash of pitch black struck from behind. The force of Sasha's blow sent the vial soaring where it shattered harmlessly to the ground. The scourge rolled to its feet, but Shae, moving with elvish speed, decapitated the alchemist with a swift blow. Shae performed a quick scan of the area and when she was satisfied all was clear, the hunter moved toward the child.

The girl, no more than nine years old, was sitting down with her head lying on knees pulled tightly to her chest. "Are you okay?" She slowly raised her head to see Shae approaching. The bright aura of the kaldorei was soothing and peaceful. She blinked the tears away.

"Behind you."

But it was too late, the hook tore into Shae's shoulder and the elf was reeled into the grotesque, dangling third arm of the patchwork horror like a fish. The huge, blubbering giant formed a crooked smile, its breath vile and hot. The third arm was muscular and functioned like the other two, but this appendage sprang from the beast's upper back. The arm held Shae in front of its face while the other two hands rubbed crude axes together, sparking the metal to life.

"New play toy," it barked in a graveled voice.

Shae's wound burned like a hot coal, but the elf has been wounded in battle before and her wits were sharp. She struggled, but the giant's strength was overpowering. Sasha clawed at a leg and the lumbering oaf booted the black cat and she fell motionless next to the human girl. The patchwork horror chuckled with glee and returned its attention to the elf. It bared what yellow stained teeth remained and raised one axe to deliver the final blow.

ZZZIIIIIIIPPPPP!

The beast roared in pain as an arrow struck the elbow joint of the third arm; the precise shot forced the hand to unclench and Shae would have fallen to the ground on her back, but with catlike agility landed on both feet. The hunter ran out of the giant's reach, rolled, picked up her bow and fired an arrow in one graceful motion. The arrow found purchase in its chest, but the thick layer of fat kept the shot from being lethal. Shae circled the behemoth firing shot after shot, each finding its mark and the beast began to slow. A mighty white wolf joined the fray sinking long teeth into an exposed ankle as a hooded figure stood atop a knoll firing arrow after arrow, they too, finding their target. One arrow dug deep into the base of the patchwork horror's neck and it snapped a deformed head backwards. Shae released an arrow into the exposed throat and another plunged into an eye. The giant swayed, its legs shaking and unsteady, finally collapsed with a violent thud; dead.

Shae sprinted to Sasha, the cat's body was limp and breathing labored; she softly stroked the blackish gray fur and Sasha purred at the touch. The elf spoke a word known only to hunters and a sky blue light bathed Sasha in potent healing magic. Content with the big cat's improving health, Shae turned her attention to the girl who was no longer crying, but sitting in awe. The girl's blue, wide eyed stare filled Shae with unease.

"Are you an angel?" the girl asked. Before Shae could formulate a reply, a strong voice interjected.

"She is kaldorei. A night elf," offered the hooded archer seeing the confusion on the girl's face.

"You're an elf?" the girl gawked, placing a tiny hand on Shae's cheek. Shae smiled at the girl as she held her hand.

"And you are?" the elf inquired.

The figure drew back the emerald hood, unveiling a human male, his green eyes sharp as a hawk. "My name is Sinjin Blackthorn," he answered with a subtle bow. "And this is Frost, my friend and comrade in arms." The white wolf snuck up to the girl and licked her face. "We've been tracking the patchwork horror ever since it left Stratholme. Curious, it made no detours; it heading straight to this position, post haste."

"Shae Nitebreeze," introduced the elf. She turned again to the small child. "What are you doing here?"

"Me and my sis…Oh no, my sister!" she exclaimed, regaining her feet and sprinting into the building. Shae and Sinjin pursued.

"Wait! Let us go in first," Shae yelled. Her elven speed easily outpaced the little girl's and Sinjin was no slouch either, his gait was long and smooth. The two hunters, along with Sasha and Frost, entered the aged edifice first.

"She's upstairs," declared the frantic girl. Everyone scampered up the rotting staircase and the scene horrified Shae. If it had any effect on Sinjin, he didn't show it. The girl, a couple years younger than her sibling, was lying on the floor next to a mostly empty vial. Her human body was shifting into something else. Young skin was now wrinkled and flaking, the eyes sunken and pure white. "They poured some green stuff in her mouth. What's happening to her?" Tears filled the girl's eyes. Sinjin knelt beside the girl; her breathing and pulse were faint. The concerned look was evidence enough for Shae.

"We need to get her to Light's Hope Chapel, now!" announced Shae as she picked up the vial and corked what remained of the ghastly, green fluid and placed it in a pouch.

Sinjin agreed and scooped up the girl and darted outside. The hunter summoned his mount, a muscular ebony horse and draped the girl over its back. Shae and the other girl mounted the night elf's war tiger and fled the scene with amazing speed.

The two hunters blazed a trail east, out maneuvering the patches of undead scourge when they could, out running them when they had no other route. The decaying land tore through Shae like hundreds of tiny daggers. The land and trees cried in agony as they died a slow, painful death and each breath of the fetid air ripped like glass in her lungs. If there was an elven Hell on Azeroth, Shae began to believe it is the Plaguelands. She spurred the war tiger even faster and the surroundings blurred. It didn't take long to reach Light's Hope Chapel and the infected girl was being treated when Shae arrived. Shae helped the girl off the war tiger and approached Sinjin. An argent dawn medic performed a quick examination.

"Get her inside this instant," the medic shouted to a couple of guards. Gathering the girl quickly, they entered the command building.

Sinjin gently snared Shae by the shoulder. "You need to dress this wound." At Sinjin's behest, a medic sauntered over and began attending to Shae's shoulder. "Let the Argent Crusade handle this," he said. She reluctantly agreed and took the girl's sister to get something to eat after the medic completed her task.

A half hour passed before Shae returned alone and discovered Sinjin perched on a cement wall overlooking the Chapel's courtyard. "Well, Missy, certainly found her appetite," Shae offered, looking at the statuesque form of the human hunter. Sinjin said nothing only met the elf's amber stare with his own. "Missy and her sister were kidnapped from the Hinterlands a couple days past by a band of marauding scourge and taken to Eastern Plaguelands. She doesn't recall much more other than the alchemist in Darrowshire slaved endlessly over a chemistry table the entire time," she continued.

"Probably a scourge witchdoctor, concocting some god forsaken potion," Sinjin replied, returning his attention to the courtyard.

"When I return to Stormwind, I will have the alchemists analyze the green liquid." Shae paused a moment before speaking again. "Are you one of the trackers aiding the Alliance?" Shae queried.

"Aye. The Arch Bishop uprooted me from my team, The Broken Arrows, in Northrend."

"The Broken Arrows?" Shae's eyes narrowed. "I've heard the name, a band of cutthroats and…" Shae stopped as Sinjin swiveled his head to make eye contact.

"…and?"

"Assassins," the elf finished. Sinjin's snort was more of a laugh.

"Yes, I've heard that label before."

"Is it true?" Shae fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Let's just say, we are summoned when the hard choice has been made," he replied removing an apple from a knapsack, cut a wedge out and shuttled it into his mouth with a deft hand. He offered a slice to Shae who politely declined.

"The hard choice?"

"You're a kaldorei, an immortal for the most part. You've been around long enough to know few things in life are black and white and even us, the Alliance; the good guys; have to make difficult decisions. We live in a world mired in shades of gray." Sinjin flipped another apple wedge in his mouth. "Someone needs to be the hidden dagger that strikes in the night."

Shae sat down next to Sinjin and pulled her knees into her chest. Oddly, the elf was comfortable with the human, although the hard choice, to her, was an excuse for human vengeance and resentment. Bitterness and pettiness is unknown to the kaldorei; regret, unfortunately, is the curse of immortals. However, he is correct, the night elves have been around since the world was young and Shae has experienced many situations and the best choice, she learned, is the one you can live with.

"Are you the two hunters who brought the girl?" a voice boomed. Shae and Sinjin turned to see the hulking form of Lord Maxwell Tyrosus, the Argent Crusade leader of Light's Hope.

"Yes, how is she?" Shae asked, springing to her feet.

"Her condition is rapidly deteriorating and is well beyond my healing magic. Whatever evilness was in the vial, it is transforming the girl into an undead. Even if we had a mage here to create a portal to Darnassus or Stormwind, she wouldn't survive the trip. Leonid Barthalomew has confirmed it and being the resident undead here, I accept the evaluation. Even the shaman, Riblat Earthshatter, cannot save her. I'm sorry," Lord Maxwell answered, his face wrecked with agony. "Our magic did enough so the little girl can speak. She is asking for her sister." The three warriors exchanged defeated glances far too common in war and it never gets easier where innocence is lost.

"I will get the sister," Shae said, the words fumbling from her mouth.

"I'll come with you," Sinjin offered.

Missy was enjoying a piece of chocolate cake under the cooking tent when the two hunters arrived. A few other children joined her in food and laughter and the scene was a ray of sunshine. It almost freed Shae from the somber reverie…almost; in reality it reflected the impending doom of a majestic goldthorn flower dazzling in a dead, decaying swamp. Missy's face lit up when she seen the elf.

"Shae!" Missy shot out of the chair and hugged the kaldorei tightly around the waist. "Is my sister going to be okay?" Words lodged in Shae's throat and she was losing the battle to preserve her composure.

"Your sister is really sick," Sinjin interrupted; his voice soft yet steady.

"Is Maisie going to die?" she asked. Sinjin gently rubbed the top of Missy's head.

"She's asking for you."

The three made their way to the command building, each step Shae took the earth groaned, pleading the elf to end the suffering, but it paled in comparison to the situation at hand. She never had to witness elf kind die a slow death; disease and old age held no sway over the kaldorei. Humans, on the other hand, are susceptible to most things; famine; plague, poison; old age; the list is long and distinguished, but they are a resilient race and most have moved beyond the mortal trappings to become an accomplished people, some even legendary. Lord Maxwell cleared the entire building so only Missy, her sister, Shae, and Sinjin remained.

"Maisie," Missy murmured as she grabbed her sister's hand, impervious to the decomposing flesh.

"Missy, you came." Though the girl's eyes were pure white, she could still cry. "I don't feel very good." The words were choked by tears. "Do you think mom and dad will be mad at me?"

"I'll tell them it was my fault you were with me, it was my idea to sneak out of the house that night; not yours," Missy sniffled.

"You…you would do that for me?"

"That's what big sisters do," replied Missy, the tears falling freely. The two sisters shared an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"I don't want to become a monster, Missy."

"I know. I know." Missy kissed her sister's forehead and turned to Shae. "Will you help my sister?"

"I…can't. My healing skills only work on animals like Sasha."

"I know, but you can still help," Missy replied, grabbing Shae's hand and placing it on the elf's dagger. Shae snapped her hand back as if she touched a flame, startling Missy in the process. "Please, please, help her," Missy said, her big, blue eyes pleading Shae to end her sister's suffering; it was if the land had taken human form.

Shae backed into the doorway, stopped and turned to look out into the courtyard. She rubbed trembling hands together hoping to conceal it from the others. She was just gut punched by a nine year child and her mind was a tumultuous storm of thoughts, desperately seeking calm waters. "C'mon Breezy, pull it together." It was a futile attempt and Shae was uncertain how to explain to Missy she couldn't do what was asked. The night elf drew a deep breath. A strong hand covered a shoulder and Sinjin slowly spun the elf around to meet his gaze. His emerald eyes were calm pools of reassurance and she felt a sigh of relief.

"I'll do it," he offered. Shae began to speak, but was cut short when Sinjin placed a hand on her cheek. "This is what I do." The elf's nod was more of a quiver and she moved toward Missy. Grabbing the little girl's hand, they headed towards the doorway. Missy held onto Maisie's hand as long as she could.

"Bye Maisie," Missy wept as she wiped away a tear.

"Goodbye, sissy," Maisie said, blinking out more tears as Sinjin approached her. Maisie's pupil-less eyes stared at the hunter. "Are you going to help me mister?"

"Aye lass…aye," he responded placing a hand on her forehead.

Outside Shae and Missy met Lord Maxwell. Shae delicately shook her head at the paladin; he dropped his head to stare at the ground momentarily before dropping to one knee to look Missy in the eye. "We will make sure you and your sister get home safely to your parents in the Hinterlands," he said. Missy hugged Shae's leg, never wanting to let go. "You can return to Stormwind, Shae. I think we have uncovered all that we could. The Argent Dawn will keep a vigilant eye on the floating necropolis."

Home…sounds real good right now. She thought to herself. Sinjin emerged from the building and for the first time she allowed herself to really look at the hunter. He was ruggedly handsome with shoulder length black hair and stubble on a strong jaw line. The piercing green eyes glowed with an emerald fire which had witnessed far too much sorrow in such a short time; and he had an aura around him, uncommon among humans, it was hard; cold; vicious, but not stained with cruelty. He moved with an animal grace similar to elf kind and though Shae wouldn't openly admit it, she was a little taken with the human.

"Leaving?" he asked as if nothing happened, mesmerized by the night elf's bright, silver aura.

"Yes," she softly spoke. "The land here is desecrated and diseased; I ache with every step and breath I take."

"Aye, there is a foul wind blowing over this accursed land," he agreed. "Well safe travels, milady." Sinjin bowed.

Shae paused from loading her belongings onto the hippogriff, turned and faced the human. "I…I just want to thank you…for." Sinjin raised a mailed hand.

"It's alright. The burden was not yours to carry."

Shae turned away. "I'm sorry it fell upon you." She flung a leg over the bird and nestled on its back. "I…" Shae hesitated, not believing the next words to fall from her lips. "I hope our paths will cross again."

Sinjin afforded a small smile. "We are hunters, protectors of Azeroth, warriors of the land; for us the world is our home; I'm sure we will meet again."

"Farewell, hunter," Shae said.

"Farewell."

The multi-colored bird launched into flight and Shae laid her head on the soft plumage. Her thoughts were of the forest, of family and friends, of a roguish human with piercing green eyes, but mostly they dwelled on two little human girls, and something that hasn't happened in a very long time occurred; the night elf cried.