(2024-04-11) Something to Look Forward to

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Nesselos and Therald help build up provisions in the Grizzly Hills, and they talk about Therald's recent revelations.
Rating:	T for Teen

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some reference to negative self-perception

Therald and Nesselos meet up at Amberpine Lodge.

Therald waves at Nesselos.

Nesselos waves at Therald.

They head in to talk to the leadership there and offer to help.

[Nesselos]: Hello! Is there anything we might help with today?

Therald looks from Ness to the Master Woodsman, silently.

Woodsman Anderhol says: Sure, we could always use more provisions. This is a long campaign, in the end, and our people still need to eat.

[Nesselos]: Most supplies must go to Icecrown these days.

Woodsman Anderhol says: Aye, they've not got much to hunt or forage up that way.

[Therald]: Yeah. We'll try to find something for you.

They head out to hunt.

[Nesselos]: I used to be a hunter, back before I was a shaman. This is finally something I should be good at!

[Therald]: I remember that! It should come to you naturally, then!

[Nesselos]: I hope so! Though with lightning instead of bow and arrow.

[Therald]: Same thing, right?

Nesselos laughs.
[Nesselos]: I have also heard a friend of Thoralius is in this area somewhere.

[Therald]: Really? Another shaman?

[Nesselos]: No, actually! You wouldn't expect! Or I wouldn't, maybe you would… it's a human militia leader.

[Therald]: Oh!

[Nesselos]: Have you ever heard of a place called West Fall?

[Therald]: Westfall, yeah! That's near Stormwind!.. *He pauses.* Right? *He's not good at history or geography.*

[Nesselos]: I… think so? I have not yet had a chance to explore all of Azeroth!

[Therald]: If it makes you feel better, I haven't either.

Nesselos smiles at Therald. "That does make me feel better. And you have had an order of magnitude more time!"

[Therald]: Yeah.

[Nesselos]: I am sorry, though, that I missed seeing your homeland.

[Therald]: Silverpine Forest is still there. I heard.

[Nesselos]: Yes, but… it is not the same, is it?

[Therald]: … Not really, not.

[Nesselos]: I would have liked to see it with you, back when it was a happier place.

[Therald]: I wish you did. It was a nice forest. A bit like this one but… different, of course.

Nesselos nods sadly.

[Therald]: Ness, can I ask you something?

[Nesselos]: Sure!

[Therald]: What do you look forward to? After we're done in Northrend.

Nesselos considers that for a while.
[Nesselos]: I try not to live too much for the future. To find things in each day to look forward to. Like a good snowplum, or seeing a friend. *He smiles at Therald*

Therald smiles back.

[Nesselos]: But after the war…
[Nesselos]: Maybe I will better tie together all the shamans!

[Therald]: Tie… together?

[Nesselos]: I would look forward to that! Yes, we draenei are fairly close knit, but there are also orcs, trolls and taurens.

[Therald]: Oh, okay! That's what you mean by… tying together.
[Therald]: That sounds like a good plan. A bit like the Argent Crusade, then?

[Nesselos]: Yes, that would be perfect! A big shaman circle that includes everyone.It is hard, though, because the orcs hurt my people terribly. Many people carry grief or guilt in their hearts, I think. The taurens and trolls should be simpler to fold in.

[Therald]: Yeah. I can understand that.
[Therald]: That would be good. I think… Shaman, druids and paladins, they shouldn't be fighting. They've got more important issues. Like the Plaguelands.

[Nesselos]: Yes! And that is what Thoralius told me to tell his friend Gryan, if we run into him. A more important issue!

[Therald]: Oh? What important issue?

[Nesselos]: It's about his homeland of Westfall. It was hurt, too, by people led astray like the orcs. They destroyed the earth, salting it so things won't grow.

[Therald]: Ah, right. I heard about that.
[Therald]: The Defias?

Nesselos nods. "I think that was the term, yes. And these days, it seems things are even worse… you remember when I talked about the elements playing jokes?

[Therald]: Yeah!

[Nesselos]: That is… ah… maybe not just because I am not forceful enough.

[Therald]: How so?

[Nesselos]: I thought… they just play tricks on me, but I guess they are playing tricks on everyone these days!

[Therald]: Really?.. Why?

Nesselos shakes his head.
[Nesselos]: I have no idea. But the elements were not like this when we first came to Azeroth. They were more willing to work with us.

[Therald]: Hmm… Something has changed, then?

[Nesselos]: Maybe it is just the war, agitating things?

[Therald]: Yeah, maybe…

Nesselos nods. "It was subtle at first, but now I hear other shamans speak of it. I think it is getting worse."

[Therald]: Hm.

[Nesselos]: Anyway, I am to tell Gryan that Thoralius wants to help with the elements of Westfall, if he can. If they will listen. After the war.

[Therald]: Oh, that's good!
[Therald]: I'm sure they will. We've had the elements here for a long time, right? I don't think they'll be a problem for long.
[Therald]: Might be just a phase.

[Nesselos]: Yes, they have been around since long before your people!

[Therald]: Maybe it's like… a season? Sometimes they're more helpful, other times they get a little more… hot-headed?

[Nesselos]: Maybe… I have not been a shaman for long enough to know.
[Nesselos]: For these questions, it would be nice to ask a tauren.

[Therald]: And I've never been one, so I may be completely wrong. Eh.
[Therald]: For sure, they probably know more.

[Nesselos]: And they seem very friendly, don't they?

[Therald]: They do.
[Therald]: We've got a few taurens with us at the Crusade. Maybe I can ask if they've heard anything about that?

[Nesselos]: I would appreciate that!
[Nesselos]: What do you look forward to, after all this? You asked, but you didn't say.

[Therald]: That's… the thing. I don't know.
[Therald]: Someone asked me and I didn't have an answer. They said I should try to find something.

[Nesselos]: Hm. I suppose you can't take mine.

[Therald]: Eh. Yeah.
[Therald]: It'll be hard for me to unite the shamans.

Nesselos laughs.
[Nesselos]: But… maybe if you imagine what you would be doing, if you were happy?

Therald sighs. "That's the thing, though. I… don't know. I've worked, all the time for the past 20 years. To avoid thinking about that."

[Nesselos]: To avoid… thinking about being happy?

[Therald]: Kind of… yeah. *He shakes his head.*

[Nesselos]: Why wouldn't you want to think of being happy?

[Therald]: Just… didn't think I deserved it.
[Therald]: But I was… completely wrong, apparently. *He looks sadly at the ground.*

[Nesselos]: You are such a kind person, though! You even came with me and my shaman friends when we looked for Kraz at Zul'aman.

[Therald]: It wasn't a question of being kind, it's just… Since I'd came back to life with a soulstone, I thought I was… Some Fel monster.

[Nesselos]: Oh no, my poor friend! You said something about that in the Ghostlands…

[Therald]: Turns out it wasn't the case.
Therald nods at you.

[Nesselos]: I am happy to hear it *Nesselos smiles*

[Therald]: Well, I… haven't come to terms with it quite yet. Just… That Demon Hunter told me she didn't feel any Fel on me.

[Nesselos]: That…. *Nesselos blinks, and then decides to just accept it.* I have not felt fel on you either, though I am not so sensitive to it, maybe.
[Nesselos]: Kae, Mansia and Nunu are maybe better at picking up that sort of thing, but none of them said anything.

[Therald]: Her powers make her some kind of… super… fel detecting machine, apparently.

[Nesselos]: Super fel detecting machine… *Nesselos repeats, faintly puzzled*

[Therald]: But… she says it was all in my head. I'm not corrupted in any way. And if Shaman can feel that stuff too and didn't say anything, I guess that's true, then.

[Nesselos]: I think we would have felt something. *Ness frowns, considering.* It was fel that corrupted the orc shamans. They couldn't call the elements anymore.

[Therald]: But they can now, right? Maybe those two forces aren't… linked like that.

[Nesselos]: Maybe? Unless the new shamans are new people. The orcs live quickly.

[Therald]: That's true…

[Nesselos]: I just don't know enough orc shamans to know. But I feel like either we, or the fel-detecting machine, would have noticed. *Ness nods firmly*

[Therald]: Yeah… Well, she's more than a machine, she seemed nice, but… yeah.

[Nesselos]: I am… glad she was a nice girl. You really do meet all sorts with the Argent Crusade, don't you?

[Therald]: Yeah. That's good, right?

[Nesselos]: I think so, yes! It is always good to learn about different people.

[Therald]: I hope that shaman thing you want to create will come true, one day.

[Nesselos]: Thank you. I hope so too. And I hope you find a way to be happy, now that you know you deserve it.

[Therald]: That's the weird thing about this. Now I… I know that I may have been wrong about this for the past 20 years but…
[Therald]: It's still as if I didn't know.

Nesselos listens patiently, waiting to see if he'll explain more.

[Therald]: I still feel the same way about myself. And I still don't know if I deserve to be happy…

[Nesselos]: Do you think there's anything that might change the way you think about yourself?

Therald shakes his head. "I don't know. Time, maybe."
[Therald]: I thought something for more than twenty years. I guess… I need maybe just as long to forget it.

[Nesselos]: Maybe… you could spend time with people who see you in a better light?

Therald shrugs one shoulder. "I do. I spend time with you."

[Nesselos]: I think Kae liked you. She's on a ship now, but she won't be forever.

[Therald]: Oh, you mean… more.

[Nesselos]: Yes, more friends!
[Nesselos]: Though I am always happy to spend time with you. *Ness beams*
[Nesselos]: Mansia is a good friend for when you want to be still and give your thoughts time to rest.
[Nesselos]: And Nunu is very old and wise, I think. She might not say so, but she is. Wise, that is. She would probably agree with old.

[Therald]: She didn't look a day over 2000.

Nesselos laughs.
[Nesselos]: See, already you know how to compliment draenei!

[Therald]: That's true, I guess. All my few friends are draenei.

[Nesselos]: That is just… mostly the people I know…
Nesselos considers. "The Cobalt translator seems nice."
[Nesselos]: She sent me an encouraging letter once.
[Nesselos]: And she's human. *Ness says this like its a perk for Therald*

[Therald]: Well, she's a translator. I imagine she's good with talking to people.

[Nesselos]: Probably so! Her name was Lysander.
[Nesselos]: Or Alaisa.
[Nesselos]: I sometimes confuse the first and second names.

Therald raises an eyebrow. "Those sound… completely diffe- oh, right, you don't have more than one name!."

[Nesselos]: Whichever one of those sounds like a first name!

Therald scratches his beard. "… Both, kind of."

[Nesselos]: Well, one or the other and Cobalt translator, and I expect you could find her!

[Therald]: … yeah, but it's weird to just go… look for someone like that.

[Nesselos]: I will have to invite you to Cobalt parties. Then you will meet many people.

[Therald]: Yeah…
[Therald]: You can't imagine how many parties I didn't go to because of what I thought was the truth!
[Therald]: … maybe I'd have a lot more friends by now… Maybe I could have found a new lover!..

[Nesselos]: Now, even if you still think of yourself as being sad, you could still go to parties!
[Nesselos]: That is a decision and an action, not a feeling!

[Therald]: True. I just didn't want to people to be around someone… like me.
[Therald]: SOmeone like I thought I was!
[Therald]: I don't know. It's all so complicated.

[Nesselos]: Then maybe that is a first step! More parties! More friends! More lovers!

[Therald]: Hey! I said maybe, about the lover part. Didn't really go well last time. *He takes a deep breath.*

[Nesselos]: Maybe another lover, then. *Ness grins sheepishly.*

Therald pauses for a long time, then whispers, almost to himself. "Can't really say I'd… be totally opposed to that, now."

They arrive back at Amberpine Lodge.

Nesselos walks back into the lodge, carrying a LOT of meat. Good hunting.

Therald also brings meat, but less than Ness. Ness is the hunter.

Lieutenant Dumont says: Whoa. This is for the provisions?

[Therald]: It is.

[Nesselos]: Yes! We hope it will help.

Lieutenant Dumont says: It certainly will. In a nice stew, this will stretch quite a ways. We'll stock what we need here and send the rest to the troops in Icecrown.

Nesselos hesitates a moment before moving away. "Do you know where a Gryan Stoutmantle might be? I heard he was in this area."

Lieutenant Dumont says: Stoutmantle? He's up at the Westfall Brigade camp in the north. You can't miss it.

[Nesselos]: Oh! *Ness brightens* Thank you!

Therald nods. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

[Nesselos]: Well, now we can go deliver the message!

[Therald]: Yeah! Hoping this will eventually help Westfall.

[Nesselos]: Wait, that could be a thing to look forward to!

[Therald]: What? Westfall?

[Nesselos]: No, my mind is still on parties. But saving Westfall would be great, too!
[Nesselos]: I bet there will be a party after the Lich King is defeated!

[Therald]: That's true. People do love parties.

They arrive at the Westfall Brigade encampment.

[Nesselos]: Sir, sir!

Captain Gryan Stoutmantle says: Yes?

[Therald]: Captain Gryan Stoutmantle?

Therald salutes Captain Gryan Stoutmantle with respect.

[Nesselos]: I have a message for you from your friend Thoralius!

Captain Gryan Stoutmantle says: Thoralius? How's he doing, then? Haven't seen him much since we headed out of the Fjord.

Therald looks at Ness. He doesn't know how Thoralius is doing.

[Nesselos]: He's doing well! And sends word that he'd like to assist you in Westfall when the war concludes. He says the elements are being unruly, and a shaman may come in handy.

Captain Gryan Stoutmantle says: Oh, that's good news! Not about the elements being unruly, but I'm certain a shaman could help with some of the problems that remain.

Therald nods at Captain Gryan Stoutmantle.

[Nesselos]: While we're here, is there anything we can do to help? I am a shaman and Therald is a guard.

[Therald]: For the Argent Crusade.

Captain Gryan Stoutmantle says: Hm. I'm sure there is. Let me check our status here and I'll let you know soon. What with the surviving trolls and the remainder of the wolf cult, we're kept busy here.

Therald nods at Captain Gryan Stoutmantle.
[Therald]: Makes sense.

Captain Gryan Stoutmantle says: Not to mention that treasure-hunting team from Zul'aman. Not sure what they think they can find here.

[Nesselos]: The… the what?

Therald raises an eyebrow.

Captain Gryan Stoutmantle says: They've a camp out east, and another southwest of here. Kind of an unknown element, not allied with the Alliance or the Horde.

[Nesselos]: I… see. We'll keep an eye out.
Nesselos backs away politely.

[Therald]: … yeah.

Therald salutes Captain Gryan Stoutmantle with respect.

Nesselos salutes Captain Gryan Stoutmantle with respect.

[Nesselos]: My friend's son… he said they headed to Northrend. I… I somehow didn't expect to find them.

[Therald]: True…

[Nesselos]: Will you go with me, to visit those camps? *Ness looks at Therald pleadingly*

[Therald]: Sure! I'll join.
[Therald]: I didn't expect we'd stumble upon them like that either…

[Nesselos]: Let's not go today, though. I need a little time, I think, to be ready.

[Therald]: Makes sense. Just let me know, I'll be ready.

Nesselos smiles. "Thank you for being such a good friend."

Therald pats his friend on the shoulder. "Hey, you were my first good friend. It's normal for me to pay it back."