(Open to Fellen, Zaeram, Shari and Karrii only.)

[Feljäger]

That his prey didn’t smile, though what was clearly her foolhardy plan had finally come to fruition, and instead glared at him through narrowed eyes, only provided the demon hunter with the reward he desired. That she cast the weapon down in anger made him lick his lips again and then close them to play with the ring in his lower lip. The gold loop wiggling at her as if mocking her.

His part in the melodrama was concluded and he knew the shortsightedness of humans well enough to know better than to start any dialog with the constables. Anything he said, that was a yes or no answer to a direct question, would only annoy them and prolong the situation. Human authorities were always want to talk. Perhaps it made them feel superior, when the truth was Zaeram and Fellen could have eradicated the life of every being in that setting within minutes, without breathing heavy, and without a hint of remorse. Letting them feel superior was generally preferable than trying to verbally “one-up” the meaningless scope of their pitifully short little lives. What harm then? What harm in leaving the walking dead with their illusion? They would not matter when the burning of the world began. They would just be more charred bone.

The guard on Karrii studied her for a moment, watching her carefully as she threw down her weapon, and then he kicked it aside and well out of any reach, before lowering his shield to the ground and sheathing his sword.

“Miss, I trust you have a license to carry a firearm within city limits that has not been peace bound?” he began, speaking to Karrii as he stepped in behind Fellen and roughly yanked the massive and clearly demonic amplified arms down to manacle them about the wrists and behind his back. “We will have to confiscate the weapon until you can produce the proper paperwork.”

"After you're done restraining us, would one of you be so kind to check on the woman by the fire."

The female of the trio didn’t respond, she stepped around behind Zaeram and raised her sword from behind the protection of her shield, aiming the tip at the back of the Illidari’s head but keeping enough distance so that she could build up enough force to slam the blade into the demon hunter’s skull if the need arose. She wasn’t stupid, in as much as that even she realized she was woefully outclassed against foes of that magnitude, but she wasn’t about to stand toe to toe with such a foe and she wasn’t going to lower her guard in the slightest until the creature was shackled at the very least.

“Yeah,” Mutt said with a calm in her voice but a distinct note of revulsion at the nature of the being that stood before her. “We’ll do that.”

The third of the guards kept his spear pointed at the back of Fellen’s head. Even after the male hunter had been bound, when he turned his head and those horns went into silhouette and those burning green false eyes peered back into the spearman's own, the weapon did not lower. It was likely the tip of that Stormwind spear would be aimed for a killing thrust right up until the demon hunter passed under the archway leading down into the stockades.

Fellen just leered at the guard and flashed a snide smile to the man. Not stupid, these particular guards. No, not at all. Dedicated. Staring certain death in the eye and not flinching… Fellen respected that. It was no less than what Illidari had done and still did on a regular basis. No foe was as horrible, as powerful, and as ruthless as a demon, and that was the sole reason an Illidari lived. To put demons to their blades. Eating one made killing demons no easier, it just gave them enough of an edge that striding up to one in combat wouldn’t immediately turn into a suicidal endeavor. But that did not give any Illidari a guarantee of victory. They still stared certain death in the face every time they went into battle. Each one that emerged alive was both skilled and very lucky. Here were humans that were up to the challenge of doing the same thing and Fellen saw no hesitation in their eyes.

That was good. It meant that Kayan had not sent him on this mission for no reason.

Jeff finished his task and left the Master Sergeant to watch the male of the demon hunter pair, walking around to bind the female as he had her counterpart. Mutt flicked her eyes over to her commander for just a moment and then leveled them upon the back of Zaeram’s head.

"The Kal'Dorei is with me."

Jeff just nodded as he yanked Zae’s arms down behind her back and locked them tightly into the looped bar manacles. He was an observant man, one didn’t live through what he had without knowing things from a first glance.

“Oh yeah?” he replied, still cranking down the wingnut that locked the manacles around Zaeram’s wrists. “Do you have papers for her?”

He saw her condition, witnessed her behaviors, and noted her bracelets. Though she looked like an elf druid she certainly didn’t act like one. At least none that he had ever known. He knew pleasure slaves, though usually they were human and liberated from Dark Iron or Orc bands, but the behaviors fit right, and though those slaves wore iron shackles and looked the part of a kept-person, he figured if elves did such things to their own kind they probably would have those flimsy and ornamental little bracelets. He didn’t know really but one thing did lead to another and he wasn’t above making the connections and letting them lead to assumptions.

The fact that the elf was also referred to as “the Kaldorei” didn’t leave him much room for other speculations. It was the kind of thing someone said of their property. That dog is with me. That rifle is mine.

At the statement regarding Shari and her implied relationship to the Rat Fellen could not help but laugh. The response to which was a sharp crack on the side and back of his head from the flat of the spearhead. That cut the chuckle short and made him look back at the guard, who returned the glare with a steely resolve of his own.

Felln smirked again at the human and reminded himself that any sounds that he issued, that were not a direct answer to a direct question, would only earn him more of the same.

Jeff finished up with the second of their prisoners and then looked to Karrii as he stepped toward Shari’Adune. Mutt retaining her careful guard over Zaeram just as the spearman was doing toward Fellen.

“Miss,” he said to Karri. “I’ll need you to accompany us back to the Stockades.”

With that he knelt down at a respectful distance from Shari’Adune.

“M’lady? Would you like to lodge formal accusations towards anyone currently under suspicion?”

[Shari'Adune Forestsong]

During the whole ordeal going on Shari was fighting to regain herself. Everything happening around her sounded like she was in one room of a house and they were a room or two away. Or... like she was under water and they on the shore.

As if wriggling free of a physical grip she growled and clenched her fists, holding them to her head. After a few moments she hissed and opened one glowing eye- and then the other. With a sudden whoosh, sounds piling into her ears as if surfacing from deep under an ocean she broke the surface.

A sharp breath was inhaled.

Jeff was approaching her by now. Carefully, slowly, she lowered her hands and wet her lips as her eyes darted from side to side.

Swallowing she composed herself and offered the human a weak smile, her freckled features beginning to burn as embarrassment slowly settled in. It was hardest to focus when she was tired, when her guard was down. It was very late, she should have been trying to sleep hours ago. But the nightmares. The nightmares made it difficult.

Even in the firelight that cast odd shadows over her, it would be easy to tell she had dark circles starting under her eyes. She looked bone tired- but friendly.

"H-Hello, Sir. " she ventured trying to brighten her smile with a quick glance to Karrii, then the others, "Lovely night hmn?"

Eyeing her carefully Jeff spoke gently, “M’lady? Would you like to lodge formal accusations towards anyone currently under suspicion?”

It was then she clambered to her feet, a foot tramping on her robe making her urk and trip a bit to the side before she could catch herself and stand fully- fully however was still shorter than this human male. She twisted at a braid that had fallen over her shoulder and offered Jeff a formal bow.

When she spoke her voice was full of sincerity, "Sir, please... i wish for no trouble at all. No accusations to anyone. They did not hurt me, the male-" she glanced at Fellen able to see him clearly for the first time, "did not even come near me. The female," she regarded Zaeram with a curious stare full of no malice, only curiosity, "the female did not hurt me, she only cut one of my feathers out of my hair." Shari pointed to where the feather used to be, now only a stub of the spine remained stuck in a bead. "And that didn't hurt at all. i was just startled. You know how someone can sneak up on you and startle you?" she tried another smile nodding her head as if agreeing with her own words, "It can be pretty scary at first-" her eyes went wide before she dissolved into a chuckle,"But then you can only laugh afterwards because you feel so silly for having gotten surprised like that!"

With a scratch to the side of her nose she cleared her throat and offered another bow, "Sir, they do not deserve to be bound. They broke no laws. Can you imagine how full the stockades would be if you imprisoned everyone who gave someone a startle?" her little scarred hand waved in the air as she laughed again, "i am certain the female was only saying hello in a manner that only demon hunters know. Each race has their own unique greeting habits don't you agree?"

The druidess was back in control of her faculties now, words pouring forth as water over flowing a cup. Her head was bobbing from side to side in a bird-like manner that seemed unique to her, her little hands lacing together before her as she continued to glance around to everyone in the immediate area- especially the demon hunters as she spoke about them.

Blinking she noted Fellen was bleeding. This tugged automatically at her inner alarm bells for his well being- it didn't matter who or what was hurt, it was her job to help them. She would try to move past Jeff, speaking as she tried, "Please Sir, the large male is injured, may i please heal him?"

[Zaeram]

While Zaeram was being bound, the biggest grin spread across her angular face, showing off her shark-teeth once more with a barely repressed chuckle. This whole situation to her was beyond amusing at this point, being shackled by such weak beings that she and Fellen could wipe the floor with without even blinking, but letting them do as they will like they were in charge was as funny as it could get to the Red Shark.

As the male in change bound her arms behind her she couldn’t help but purr, “Ooh, tighter please.”

She knew she’d get hit for it and to her that was the whole point. In a strange way she was getting excited, if they drew some of her blood in the process it would at least help relieve her tension slightly so her senses wouldn’t be as hyper aware. While she’d never lose control, Fellen’s training had seen to that, sometimes when she became too focused on a hunt or a fight she had to do something to drag her back from the brink so she wasn’t on edge all the time. Being overly aware could be just as dangerous as being oblivious if it became the norm, she had seen lesser Illidari lose themselves to such states and in the end have to be put down, thus she was careful to control her battle fever and if a bit of bloodletting was what it took, she was fine with that as it was just a bonus in her book.

Her potential ‘pet’ seemed to come back to herself and start to babble at the male in charge. Zaeram wondered how much pain the girl was really in, how much a part of Zaeram wanted to help her let it all out because she knew that pain, she had nearly drowned in it had Fellen not saved her. However that was up to Shari the Red Shark knew, she had to come to Zaeram of her own free will and Zaeram would return the feather, a gesture to form a bond that didn’t require magical shackles, a promise for training so Shari didn’t need to be a pet anymore by the time they were done.

Again, that was entirely up to Shari’Adune and it did cross Zaeram’s mind the druidess may not be ready for such a thing, especially with her nervous babbling to the human that was surely to be taken as a sign of madness on her end. The Red Shark figured they’d drag her off to the Cathedral so she’d get looked over by a healer-priest as they’d probably never let her near Fellen to heal him. She just smirked again, swiveling her head toward her Master with a knowing look, waiting for the pain in breathless anticipation...

Flabbergasted, Karrii can only stare at first. It takes a moment for her brain to kick in, and for her life to readjust to the current situation. Two demon hunters in front of her, Shari A'Dune, collapsed on the ground, and a pointed weapon leveled at her face. HER. She has done absolutely nothing wrong, and yet here they are accusing HER!?

How dare they.

Her taxes pay their salary, for f*ck's sake!

At least he lowers his weapon and shield.

"Of course I have paperwork." she snorts. "Just not on me." But of course, that's not a valid excuse and she knows it. She's going to be shackled and stockade'ed just as the others, as if she were nothing. Less than nothing- a criminal. She's never spent time there, and doubts any would bail her out.

And be damned if she were going to go quietly.

A shaky breath leaves her lips, and she very slowly lowers her palm downwards, and to press into the wolf's muzzle. "Go." she hisses. His ears press back against his head, and the snarl relaxes from his face as he presses further into her legs. "GO." Her voice is firmer now, angry. The wolf can't resist a direct order, and peels away from Karrii, his figure a blur as he sprints away.

"What? No, of course not. She's a person, not a slave." she snaps, an unquenched fury rising in her voice. How DARE they!? First accusing Karrii of needing papers for her gun, and then assuming Shari'Adune were her slave!? "I meant she is WITH me, not as my pet!" She bites back her ruder comment, her shoulders heaving uncomfortably with her frustration.

And yet- Shari is up. She bounces upwards as though nothing is wrong, and that is what hurts Karrii the most. Her shoulders slump, and the expression on her face shifts to one of pure betrayal once she asks to heal him.

"Y'know what? Just take me to the god damn stocks. Please."

[Feljäger]

It was all the demon hunter could do to keep from earning himself another stiff crack to the side of his head, the pitiful comedy playing out was almost too delightful to resist chuckling or even laughing. So he silently grinned, wide and feral, as the melodrama played out.

He cast the Rat a wry look through the confines of his runecloth mask and with his unnerving glowing emerald eyes.

Satisfied? His mocking expression stated this with absolute clarity to anyone that knew either the wry humor of dwarves, Gilnean’s, or elves.

Even as he directed his attention to the huntress his partner was gaining the attention and ire of the female guard.

Moments after the manacles were fully secured Zearam was subjected to a firm shield bash into the center of her back. The woman putting everything she had into the blow, such that it would have likely bruised or even broken ribs on a human target. Her face was hard to see through the sweeping full facial defense of her helm but what was visible told a tale of rage. Her lips curled into a snarl, her eyes blazing with hatred, it was certain this human had no love lost for anything demonic. It seemed as if she wanted to do anything but secure Zaeram, her eyes screamed out for blood and she immediately poised her sword for the attack. Expecting the demon hunter to turn and fight.

As the Guard at Arms knelt beside the victimized elf the scene seemed to explode into chaos. The elf rose and was not much taller than what he imagined an elf teenager must be like, launching into a staccato diatribe he would have only barely heard if it was even only her speaking.

His partner then attacked the female demon huntress and stood ready for a fight, which was idiotic and any guard there should have known it was foolhardy to provoke a fight with something like an elf that voluntarily ate demons for dinner.

Then the human with the wolf joined the cacophony of opinion and insanity.

"Of course I have paperwork. Just not on me."

After which she commanded her wolf companion to dash off. Jeff watched the animal for a moment and then rolled his eyes and shook his head. He wasn’t about to go into the irresponsibility of leaving a near feral beast alone, unsupervised, in Stormwind and at night. He had gained his limit of that argument years before. There was no reasoning with hunters sometimes, their ilk was a breed apart, something distinctly uncivilized lingered within them and there was little point in trying to explain the needs of a civilian social contract of behavior. Hunters NEVER understood those kinds of things.

He looked at the male demon hunter, bleeding from a small wound in his belly, and privately mused to himself that he was actually grateful at least one of the cotire knew how to keep their bloomin' mouth shut and just accept what a city guard had to do.

“Corporal Moore!” he shouted toward the aggressively poised female guard. The barking order immediately set her back from her stance into one that was defensive and readied but not prepared to attack. “You WILL show your prisoner due respect, am I perfectly clear?!”

“Yes Sergeant Major!” she barked back.

Then he turned to Shari and with a face that was calm but lacking in empathy spoke in an even and factual tone.

“M’lady, with all due respect, these demon hunters are not like normal thieves of brigands. They are not even like Defias. They are demon hunters and as such they constitute a clear and present danger to the stability of the City of Stormwind. They are going to be detained as much for their protection as for our own. They are unwelcome by many and even a mistaken altercation could lead to a lynching, which would be disastrous to anyone that made the attempt.”

He paused and looked her up and down and sighed softly. He still figured her for a slave of some kind but with those elves who could ever really be certain? All he knew for a fact is that she was in no shape to deal with herself, alone, and well outside of the protection afforded by the city proper.

“No, you may not help the male demon hunter. His wounds are superficial and no elf I know of has ever been prone to infection. We will see to him in the stockade. He is a demon hunter, I’m confident he will not drop down dead before we get across the city.”

Fellen had to chuckle at that. Another rap to his skull reminded him that the guard with the spear leveled at the back of his head was not a jovial personality.

“Also, I am not certain whom you may belong to,” Jeff continued, totally ignoring the affairs at the location of the large, intimidating male Illidari. “Or if you are as young as you seem to human eyes, but perhaps it would be best if you returned to your lodging for the night.”

His last statement was clearly not a question nor a suggestion and then he turned his attention to the defeated looking huntress.

“Miss, we will confiscate your firearm. You had a non-peacebound weapon cocked and prepared for use within city limits. That constitutes a danger to the city and its populace if it were to discharge and the bullet were to penetrate flesh and not stop in your target. You will need to bring the license to the stockade to have it removed from impound, fill out a release form, and that is that. Also, if you were not already aware, any illegal ammunition will be permanently impounded. Furthermore we need you to accompany us to the stockades to give your account of the situation. You are not under arrest and no longer under suspicion now that your, friend, has denied the right to accuse anyone here. You are human and therefore a citizen of the Alliance, and therefore a citizen of Stormwind. We will not be asking the demon hunters as they are an affiliated organization and not legal citizens. Do you understand?”

As he spoke he collected his lantern shield, picked up Karrii’s firearm and gently removed the cap while he released the hammer of the weapon to put it out of immediate danger of discharge, and surveyed the scene as he did so. He was paying attention to Karrii but was multitasking as any veteran soldier would in such a situation.

Fellen listened and stayed silent. He knew all of this ahead of time. Humans were so very predictable it made him want to laugh. At least the mongrel master of the guard had control of the bitch in his pack. Predictable but at least not wholly unrefined and ill trained.

((I’m taking a little liberty with the gun. I'm suggesting it is percussion cap fired. If I’m wrong you can edit out that part and just state he puts it out of immediate danger of discharge. I’m trying to be a little more dynamic and paint the picture rather than just give an account. “Show, don’t tell” and all that.))

[Shari'Adune Forestsong]

Shari tilted her head as the man spoke. "M’lady, with all due respect, these demon hunters are not like normal thieves of brigands. They are not even like Defias. They are demon hunters and as such they constitute a clear and present danger to the stability of the City of Stormwind. They are going to be detained as much for their protection as for our own. They are unwelcome by many and even a mistaken altercation could lead to a lynching, which would be disastrous to anyone that made the attempt.”

Her face twisted up and her freckled cheeks puffed out before the breath exploded from her lips making them vibrate.

"Sir," Her hands moved to her wide hips, "i cannot believe a respectable human like yourself would feel such a way about these people, "a hand gestures out to the demon hunters, "You speak as if they are evil, a bane... when in point of fact, they have been on the front lines with Mister Illidan fighting the real threat. The demons out there! Sure they might be different, but i don't see you chasing after affected Gilneans for fear they might give someone rabies or pass along the curse- or tailing Pandarians because they are giant walking talking bears! Demon Hunters have become an integral component in helping take down the Legion. Or perhaps you are not enjoying the fall of the Leaders on Argus? Do you not look upon that bright star at night now and feel the weight of fear of invasion lifting from your shoulders? It is thanks in great part to them." Once more she gestures to the demon hunters shaking her head.

Karrii's expression was not lost on the Druidess, and her heart went out to her friend. There was so much she didn't understand, but she knew her friend's heart was in the right place by wanting to protect her. Everything had just gotten out of hand, and now Fellen and Zearam who had not really done anything wrong were going to go to the stocks and Fellen was bleeding.

~It is all YOUR fault, worthless woman. No wonder he left you behind. Imagine the trouble you'd get him into.~

Wincing she blinked slowly, her eyes shimming when they next opened. No. These people and her friend would not get into trouble just because she was losing her mind and just trying to enjoy a quiet night.

"Please forgive me Sir." she murmured to the guard before whispering a few short Darnassian words before her hand flicked out toward Fellen. His body was enveloped in green swirling nature magics which knitted and worked to fuse together his wounds. Once that was done, in her next breath she uttered another Darnassian word, bending her knees and drawing her clawed hands upward.

Suddenly out of the earth roots erupted, curling quickly around the guards, pressing their arms to their sides to hold them securely in place. The one holding Karrii's gun had it knocked from his hand before he too was gently coiled around. Thankfully since he had ensured it would not accidentally discharge when it hit the ground it was just a muted metal clunk.

Her eyes flashed to Zaeram and Fellen, they could easily escape now if they moved quickly before the roots were summoned back into the earth, then flashed intently to Karri hoping she would have grabbed her gun and been ready to take off.

Casting another apologetic glance to the guard nearest her, she let out a loud 'CAW" as magics suddenly transformed her into a large midnight blue raven with beautiful shiny feathers. Her large wingspan blew back the guards hair as she hovered before alighting straight into the air, her keen eyes never leaving Karrii, intent to follow.

[Zaeram]

Zaeram went face-first into the dirt from the shield-bash - Hard.

She cackles maniacally and sighed, pleased with the powerful hit as she was starting to like the female Guard there. A woman after her own fel-tainted heart to be sure. Reining in her laughter to a quiet snicker she stayed put on the ground wondering what they’d do next in dragging her ass down to the Stockades, as this was not what she had expected to happen tonight which was proving to be rather entertaining overall to her twisted sensibilities.

Then her perspective pet finally found her tongue and set it to wagging and for the first time in a very long time Zaeram was stunned by what was coming out of the woman’s mouth. She especially lost it when she called Lord Illidan, ‘Mister’ and she chortled darkly into the dirt. The way she waxed philosophical about how important Illidari were made her near weeze she was laughing so hard she went silent, that if she still had eyes she’d be crying by now. Illidari knew what they were, they were weapons and that was about it, anyone of their ilk with such delusions of grandeur wouldn’t survive their seeds telling them otherwise during their creation and training. They weren’t heros, hell, they weren’t even martyrs. They just were people willing to do anything to stop the Burning Legion.

And just when Zaeram thought this couldn’t get anymore inane, Shari did something really stupid. With her enhanced senses the Red Shark didn’t need to look around to ‘see’ what was happening, she could see the nature magic moving around her, calling up the vines with which ensnared and entrapped the Guards. Sitting up abruptly, her face went hard, dark, dangerous as her head slowly turned as she nailed Shari with her eyeless gaze and utter contempt.

“Fool,” she spoke, low, but rich with venom, “You think we wish to be fugitives? Do you think we couldn’t escape before?”

She didn’t explain further, she wasn’t about to waste her breath as if the druidess thought she was doing them a favor with this act and if she was that stupid she needed an explanation then Zaeram already came to another conclusion rather rapidly as well. In an act of extreme dexterity she angled her hands that were bound behind her back up as her head came down to meet them as with one clawed hand she ripped the feather she had taken earlier out of her earring and then held it out as much as she could for Shari to see and then dropped it, letting it flutter down into the dirt.

With that silent statement made she dropped her hands back behind her as she sat there, back ramrod straight, looking forward utterly ignoring Shari and Karrii, her face etched with disappointment and disgust. The Red Shark would only move if Fellen or the Guard ordered her to, and she knew her Master wouldn’t as she knew what was at stake here, they had to maintain the tenuous goodwill the Illidari had within this city by any means possible as she schooled her face into a rock-like mask and just sat there waiting.

Grinding her teeth together, she bites back her vicious response; Of course it was cocked and loaded. Did you not see them threatening her? But of course, the guard doesn't care. None of them do. They never have, and never will, not for the people starving in Westfall, not the farms in Elwynn who subsidize the populace's rations.

She's never liked the city guard, truth be told, and this event simply solidifies her prior beliefs. His filthy hands run along her weapon, against claw-marks and bloodstains and features of the huntress's short life. Her adrenaline dips, replaced with frustration and anger. Dark eyebrows sink lower on her face, her deep, brown eyes focused on her rifle. That stupid thing happens to be her entire life, and though he handles it carefully, she'd rather him have not touched the thing at all.

Her head hangs, shaking side to side at the sound her companion makes. What she states, however, is not at all what the huntress expects.

Karrii's eyes boggle as Shari'Adune defends the demon hunters. Sure, they're good now, but what happens to them after the Legion has been defeated? They're half-demon themselves, containing the very thing they seek to destroy. Though most of her life has been lived in the forests outside of the King's great city, Karrii is not stupid by any means, and understands what this implies. Still, it is not her place to interrupt, so she remains silent.

"Please forgive me Sir."

With a flick of her wrist, Shari's fingers shift to the male's direction, Karrii's gaze following. She can't quite comprehend what's happening in that moment, as the earth and trees itself begin to bend to the druidess's will. "By the light..." she whispers, her breath caught in her chest.

Sometimes, Karrii thinks, It's difficult to remember Shari possesses such skill.

Mouse isn't one to refuse goodwill in the face, and though it takes her a moment to move, her footsteps pound hard into the ground as she scoops her rifle, not bothering to check if the thing is alright. Though the night air is cool, her blood hisses hot through her veins, silencing the sounds of night around her.

With a lion's grace, her fingers clutch the firearm tight to her chest, her footsteps quiet as she sprints from the fire's light off into the darkness beyond. North, to the places she's know her entire life, where she holds an advantage over the city's citizens. And for the others- Leave them behind.

[Feljäger]

Fellen stood there, manacled by a device so flimsy to his strength that they may as well have tied up his hands in harsh words and hope, watching the melodrama play out as he knew it must. The fact it turned from melodrama into a farce of a comedy was only proof of his sense of superiority and supported his opinion that though worlds may stand saving the vast majority of elves and humans and all other humanoid beings were far less worthy. When they faced the burning, when they faced hell incarnate, they would turn and run, they would falter, and they would fail and die in agony as a result.

If the salvation of a world rested on the shoulders of cowards then their world would burn in Fel fire and all of their kin would become fodder for a hunger the likes of which they could not even conceive.

Zaeram was captivated by the ludicrous humor of it all. How idiotic it was to have a patsy elf issue any kind of defense of their kind. Hardly understanding that were the situations just a hair different Fellen and Zaeram would have delighted in doing unspeakable things to Shari and Karrii before they both were slain in equally unspeakable manners. Fellen would have ordered it and Zaeram would have complied. There would have been no remorse Indeed they would have enjoyed it fully, the application of profound pain was their greatest pleasure behind tormenting demons. How convoluted it was to question the moral quality of appointed defenders and then act with such lack of conviction to morality and justice.

It was all just to much to bear and Fellen had to join Zaeram in her jocularity. His laughter was deep and resonated with a mocking, almost evil intonation.

They could kill demons because they were demons. They were darkness incarnate. They were Fel and Void and Light and Arcane and all powers in between. They were born of flesh and gave that up for power, the power needed to burn the Destroyer from existence and purge the cosmos of the Burning Legion.

Every Illidari had a darkness as black and deep as an endless night contained within. They rose above the demon because their lives were an empty void of hopelessness and misery such that they could see the truth in the visions they gained from eating the heart of their demon seed.

It was that which made him bellow with laughter. That some foolish mortals, for that was how the elf had approached the whole situation with the myopic and childish vision of a mortal species, thought to save them from a handful of days and nights in a human prison when the whole of creation remained teetering on the brink of oblivion. Thought to save two weapons in the war. Fellen and Zaeram were insignificant. They were nothing. They were only tools employed by their master. Seek to save Illidan and then, perhaps, there would be dignity and honor in the action. Seek to save two souls that were already damned to oblivion, that sacrificed themselves up for damnation only to see the rest of the living worlds saved, and the futility of that action was beyond laughable.

When the Rat ran off he laughed even harder. She had called these guards, her actions had summoned them, and now she would become a fugitive to the very forces she sought to save her life. How very human. Seek the aid of another and then abandon them in the moment of need. He hardly expected any less. Rodents lacked honor to others and barely knew loyalty to their own kind.

Fellen ignored all else. He was caught on the farce until it was over. Then he chuckled a bit more, reserved himself, and looked to the leader of the guard once the roots had vanished.

“So, Sergeant Major, shall be be away to our cell?”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The soldiers, two of them veterans, listened to what the elf maiden had to say. Acting indignant as if she was under suspicion of illegal deeds.

"Sir, I cannot believe a respectable human like yourself would feel such a way about these people.”

Jeff had to shake his head as if he wasn’t hearing her right. Was HE being chastised by a child elf for doing his job? They were not people. They were demon hunters! It was naivete of the utmost to presume such about beings that walked in worlds that no one else present could even imagine, nor would ever wish to imagine.

”You speak as if they are evil, a bane... when in point of fact, they have been on the front lines with Mister Illidan fighting the real threat. The demons out there! Sure they might be different, but I don't see you chasing after affected Gilneans for fear they might give someone rabies or pass along the curse or tailing Pandarians because they are giant walking talking bears!”

“Because you haven’t been following us around you elven tw*t,” Mutt growled.

How DARE this twip of an elf, barely more than a child in stature and behavior, accuse them of singling these two demon hunters out. Was she there when they fought a wild pack of feral Gilneans that camped out in the Elywn for two years and infiltrated Stormwind several times? Was she there to heal the wounded or save the dying that were cut down by those claws and torn by those fangs? She was essentially accusing them of racism. They wouldn’t trail anyone, of any species, that wasn’t seen as a possible threat to the population of Stormwind. Had they NOT approached the human of this very situation with due suspicion and caution, while acting to protect the elf that was now accusing them? The female soldier was fit to be tied. Her anger was reaching untold levels.

”Demon Hunters have become an integral component in helping take down the Legion. Or perhaps you are not enjoying the fall of the Leaders on Argus?”

“What are you talking about?” the guard with a spear leveled to Fellen’s cranium whispered.

They were not on Argus. They were not even in the loop of such events, as that battle was, literally, a world away. They were guards of the Alliance, of Stormwind, and they had their own daily issues to deal with. Goblin peddlers in all sorts of illegal items. Gnome thieves stealing the gold from those that had suffered and still tried to live normal lives as merchants and citizen workers of the city. Feral afflicted stalking the wilds and threatening the townships of Goldshire and Eastvale. Continued orc incursions into Northshire. Warlocks of all kinds frequenting their city as if the home of the Legion had not been filling her skies. Persisting cells of Defias whose actions could be felt but who's agents could never be captured nor identified after the fact. They didn’t care about what happened on Argus. They were not on Argus. A soldier lived by following the orders he was given to the best of his ability and through the letter of whatever laws he followed.

”Do you not look upon that bright star at night now and feel the weight of fear of invasion lifting from your shoulders? It is thanks in great part to them."

“No,” Jeff replied as she finished her diatribe. “No I don’t feel fear lifting from my shoulders. Because I have problems right here, in this city, and right now. Let Illidan and Khadgar and the other heroes of the Azeroth face those challenges. Mine are closer to home… miss.”

He bit off the last words as if it rose bile into the back of his throat.

Then she begged his forgiveness and started to cast. Jeff was not surprised that a healing spell was cast on the male demon hunter. She didn’t seem like the type to resist her impulses and she had mentioned a desire to heal the superficial wound. He let that slide as it wasn’t disobedience that interrupted the performance of his duties.

Then she started to cast again and his ambivalence quickly changed to outraged concern. The Sergeant Major was no spring chicken. He knew druids that held a number of magics that could hold and detain certain targets.

“Now wait a damn min….”

He never got to finish his statement. Roots rose up and ensnared all three of them.

That caused him no small consternation. How did she manage to target so many people at once? He knew druids, spoke with them, and the Entangling Roots spell was one that every soldier with a druid in his ranks sought to exploit in combat. He knew they could improve the range, the duration, even the amount of pressure and the kinds of roots that rose up, but he had never heard of any speaking of capturing and holding more than one target at a time.

It was a moot point of course. It did not matter how many she snared, it mattered that they were caught and now defenseless.

“FOR THE ALLIANCE!” Jeff cried out at the top of his lungs. He had said those words many times as a part of all three wars. It was a rallying cry for any human that wore the armour of Stormwind, and it was a recognized call for assistance if shouted into the air of Stormwind.

“FOR THE ALLIANCE!” Mutt and the Master Sergeant joined in the cry. The sounds echoed about the park and across the lake. Distantly the sounds of numerous armoured feet rushing across the cobblestone crests of city walls could be heard. Then a horn. Then a choir of horns.

The demon hunters may take the opportunity to attack. The wolf pet may return. The huntress may decide to explode their heads with the cannon she carried. They were guards but they certainly were not stupid.

Jeff made a mental note of every aspect of the elf and the small human with the gun. He had a very good memory and there would be repercussions for this betrayal of basic Alliance law… if he survived of course.

The druidess fled by taking to a bird form and vanishing into the night. The small huntress fled while scooping up her weapon and making soft, silent tracks as fast from the scene as she could.

The demon hunters, ironically, stayed right where they were.

The Sergeant Major had to chuckle to himself.

“Soldiers,” he said softly as the roots broke and vanished back into the earth. No matter what differences lay between them a soldier was always a soldier. They had orders, probably to keep the peace, which was why the gave up so easily. No Jeff and his had their orders, and preventative detainment was necessary.

He quickly stilled the female guard, whom was drawing her shield back for another strike at Zaeram, just to vent her rampant frustration.

“Corporal!” he snapped and the woman immediately lowered her arm and grunted heavily to try and ease her animosity in general.

The guard that was on Fellen looked about for a moment, realizing that the monster of a demonic elf could have escaped at any time, and shouldered his spear as he took up a place respectfully behind his “prisoner”.

Jeff looked to Fellen as he spoke and then nodded respectfully.

“Indeed we shall, Illidari. Indeed we shall.”

Jeff motioned and Fellen took up a lazy stride in the indicated direction. Both the demon hunter and the guard smiling wryly for their own reasons. Fellen for the amusement this night served to bring. Jeff for the fact he would live to see another day.

Mutt was less delighted but she did not move to strike to harm Zaeram again, simply falling into stride behind the Illidari female and serving as the symbolic authority she knew herself to be.

The Master Sergeant was just relieved to finally be on his way home, at least after he gave his report and details of the two new fugitives to Stormwind justice.