(2023-04-23) Dryads & Moonkins

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Author:	Saaron
Summary:	Linwel and Iphindra meet by chance in Stormwind and bond over their similarities. They exchange gifts. It is very cute.
Rating:	T for Teen

Linwel chirps.
Iphindra is sitting down in Stormwind's mage quarter, a hand on a mushroom. She seems to have a casual conversation, until she hears the mysterious chirping.
Iphindra: Oh!
Linwel looms. But maybe that's just because they're big.
Iphindra: Is this… Are you…? I hear stories of life like you!
Linwel: Rrrrru?
Linwel tilts their head, glowing yellow eyes peering curiously at Iphindra.
Iphindra leaps accross the mushroom to stand right before Linwel. "Feathers, fur, beak and claws. Are you Moonkin?"
Linwel nod nod nods, some of the trinkets in their antlers clinking together gently.
Iphindra excitedly switches to Darnassian. "I can't believe I get to meet someone like you here! My dryad sisters told me all about Moonkins!"
Linwel responds in the same language. "Trrrrav-el."
Linwel plops down to sit on the grass. Thump.
Iphindra sits in front of them, staring with wide, excited eyes at them. "You're traveling too? I just left Ashenvale."
Linwel nod nod nods. "Starrrs say. Help world."
Iphindra: Ooh! I've never talked to the stars. I'm sure they're nice. Especially if they told you to help the world.
Linwel points at the sky. Yes, that is where the stars are. "And Elune."
Linwel pats their chest. "Lin-wel." Might be a name.
Iphindra nods. "Elune, I know! We worshipped her, back home."
Iphindra beams. "I'm Iphindra! Nice to meet you, Linwel!"
Linwel chirps. "Fenndra."
Linwel: Frrrrend.
Iphindra giggles. She gets up and places a hand on her hair, a green halo surrounding them. A dark blue flower moves into her hand, roots and all. "Absolutely, friend." If Linwel lets her, she places the plant onto one of their antlers.
Linwel lowers their head a little to make it easier and trills happily.
Iphindra watches the plant grab into the antler with its roots, lodging itself between two decorations.
Linwel reaches up and gently pats the flower with a claw before feeling around, searching for something else in there. They pluck out an acorn and offer it to Iphindra.
Iphindra: There! I used nature magic to enchant that plant. It won't need nutrients for a very long time. *She sits back down.* But it will, eventually. That gives us a reason to meet again, no matter where our travels take u— *She gets back up.*An acorn?! For me?
Linwel: Rururu. Ex-change. Plant… some-where sunny.
Iphindra carefully takes the acorn into her right hand, then gently places the left one above it. "I will. I'll find the perfect place for it." She smiles.
Iphindra: You cant plant that flower if you'd like, too. It'll like someplace a little darker. But those flowers enjoy looking at the stars! That's why I thought you'd enjoy having it accompany you!
Linwel might smile back. It's hard to tell with the beak. "Flower will trrravel with Linwel."
Iphindra holds the acorn close to her heart with both her hands. "I'm glad! I'm sure you'll take it on great adventures."
Linwel reaches out to poke curiously at Iphindra's bunny ears with a questioning chirp.
Iphindra looks at the claw approaching her head, wondering what they're reaching for. And then she remembers. "Oh! This is fake!" She takes the bunny ears headband off. "There was… some kind of celebration, and they gave them to me."
Iphindra: Aren't they the cutest?
Linwel lets out a startled peeping noise as the ears come off.
Linwel: Oh! Fake ears.
Linwel: Cute.
Iphindra puts the ears back on. "Thank you! Some of my sisters have antlers, like yours. I guess the ears reminds me of them!" She chuckles.
Linwel: Can Fenndra change… forrrm?
Iphindra: Change… form?
Linwel goes onto all fours and wiggles until they become a cat.
Linwel 's spotted saber form has markings along the ears and top of the head that look a lot like antlers.
Linwel: Mrrr?
Iphindra blinks for a second, then gasps in understanding. "Oh! Like that!" Iphindra shakes her head. "That's not the kind of magic my sisters used."
Linwel sits back on their haunches and becomes a seated moonkin again.
Linwel: Learned… long ago.
Iphindra: I don't remember… too much from long ago. I've learned how to do this, however! *She grows a flower.*
Linwel chirps with delight and claps their front paws together.
Linwel: Grrrrow!
Linwel digs their claws into the earth and small flowers sprout from the grass around them, but they wilt moments later.
Iphindra blinks. "So many flowers at once?!"
Linwel: Cannot… sustain.
Linwel: Not like yours.
Iphindra watches the flowers disappear, while hers last. "It's okay, that means they lived their life to the fullest, no matter how short it was." She points a finger at the seeds Linwel's flowers left on the ground.
Linwel gently pat pats Iphindra's shoulder.
Linwel: Rururu…
Iphindra smiles. "I learned to nurture life from my sisters. Who taught you your magic? How you transform, how you grow flowers?"
Linwel: Druids. Long ago. I forrrget names of my teachers.
Iphindra begins staring at the ground. "Druids, um? I don't know why, this word makes me…" She seems to be looking for her words. "My chest feels heavy, and it's as if my whole body… lowers towards the ground."
Linwel: Sad…?
Iphindra tilts her head, and looks up, thinking. "Sad? Is that it?.. Is that what sad feels like?"
Linwel nod nods. "Like wilting."
Iphindra: Then I guess that's what I feel like when I hear that word, or see these elves using nature magic. Sad.
Linwel points at themself.
Linwel: Was elf before moon-kin. Moon-kin now.
Iphindra: You were? *She seems absolutely baffled.*
Linwel nod nods. "Was once. Found new life."
Iphindra smiles. "I think that's what happened to me too! I found a new life with the dryads, and just forgot the old one."
Linwel: See… old form… small.
Linwel wiggles, and then what remains is a kaldorei.
Iphindra gasps. She smiles kindly at Linwel. "You do look much better in your new life! You shine more bright. Although you keep these wonderful antlers, no matter what!" She smiles gently at them.
Linwel makes a chirping sound. It's a little odd to make without a beak, and they struggle with it a little.
Linwel: It feels wrong like this now.
Linwel: So delicate. No claws.
Iphindra giggles. "We are rather weak in this form, hm? My sisters have hooves and strong legs that help them jump over long distance! And I just have legs."
Linwel: Maybe there is a way for you to change, if your form does not fit? But I only know a few forms, and none have hooves. I cannot teach this.
Iphindra: Hmmm… I've never learned to turn into another form, I don't know if I'm capable of it. But if I could become a dryad myself, one day… I think I could never feel any happier than that! *She smiles brightly at the thought.*
Linwel: Can your sisters teach this?
Iphindra shakes her head. "I don't think so. My sisters never showed any sign of using this type of magic. They know so much about so many things, but not that, unfortunately.
Iphindra: "
Linwel takes a deep breath and grows back into their moonkin form.
Linwel: Perrrhaps… one day. Find right teacher.
Iphindra smiles brightly as Linwel takes back their true form.
Iphindra: I hope so! And then we could go travelling together. A Moonkin and a Dryad, helping the world!
Linwel: Rururu… big elekk in human stables is Lin-wel's frrrend. Lucky.
Linwel: Large ears, trunk, big saddle with many things.
Iphindra: I… don't know what an elekk is, but I know anyone would be lucky to be your friend, yes!
Linwel: Four legs, hooves. Name… Lucky.
Iphindra tries to imagine what an elekk looks like based on the description. She doesn't get close at all.
Iphindra: Oh! Lucky was their name! Well. My point still stand!
Linwel nods. "If Fenndra sees Lucky, Lin-well is… near."
Linwel: Can find! Rururu.
Iphindra: Perfect. *She smiles.* I'll remember that! Luck will bring us together!
Linwel claps their hands together and trills happily. "Yes!"
Linwel: Time… for sunlight nap now.
Linwel looks up at the sky and then around, as if trying to determine the perfect patch of sunlight on grass to nap in.
Iphindra giggles. "I'll leave you to it, then! I do'nt want to keep you awake so long you miss your next chat with the stars!"
Linwel: Ruru…
Iphindra carefully places the acorn into a satchel attached to her belt.
Linwel gets to their feet, moves… about two steps over, and plops back down in a patch of warm sunlight.
Linwel: Trrravel well.
Iphindra: You too!
Linwel curls into a warm fluffy ball.
Iphindra pats Linwel's head as a goodbye, then turns around to a tree near the mage tower. "I know, I'm sorry you don't get as much as you'd like to, but I don't think they're ever going to tear down that tower casting shadows."