Cambrian
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A Savage Nature Ch. 18 (Warcraft Insert)
🕑 Added 2023-05-03 22:00:05 +0000 UTCA/N: In which Tyrande and Rognak have their first chat and she takes the opportunity to tease him over his and Shandris' hook-ups.
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They’re making decent enough time, all things considered. It’s been a few days since they left the encampment, and while Tyrande knows that she could have moved far more swiftly if she were by herself or traveling only with her most elite Sentinels, there was something undeniable about the old adage ‘safety in numbers’.
The trek North to Moonglade where her mate currently lay asleep in his barrow had proven incredibly treacherous so far. The forests were no longer safe. They’d always had a wild, untamed quality to them… but long had her people roamed across these woods without any true worry. Now though? Now there were demons and undead around every corner, the Legion and this… Scourge of theirs infesting her people’s forests with their corruptive presence.
Yes, Tyrande and her Sentinels could have made it to Moonglade by now if they had gone alone, but only if they managed to survive the trip. As things stood, that was a big ‘if’. Instead, traveling alongside these orcs and their tauren, human, and troll allies, Tyrande had to admit… they made for formidable warriors if nothing else. Though their unity left something to be desired. There were fractures in their ranks, that much was obvious to her. Mortals squabbling over petty grievances, she suspected.
Still, perhaps that was not fair to them. They were willing to take up arms against the Legion. And for that, they had Tyrande’s respect.
The one called Rognak, however, had more than her respect. He had her attention. And so she found herself finally approaching him a few days in, coming up alongside him as they continued their slow but steady progress North.
“Rognak, yes?”
He’s not surprised by her presence, but he does look a little startled that she’s directly addressing him. If Tyrande didn’t know any better, she would say he’s experiencing a mild case of hero worship. But she doubts he knows enough about her to feel such a thing. And she definitely doubts that Shandris spends cuddle time professing Tyrande’s virtues.
“Ah, High Priestess. Well met.”
Tyrande smiles softly, hoping to put him at ease.
“I have heard much of you, both from Sentinel Feathermoon and Lord Cenarius. I am told that you are responsible for keeping your people from harming our forests. And that more than that, you led your clan against the greater demon Mannoroth, facing down death with honor and courage to end the threat he posed to these lands.”
His reaction is an interesting one. His chest swells with pride, and yet he ducks his head almost as though her words have turned him bashful. Amusing to say the least, and Tyrande cannot help but grin as he looks off to the side.
“Well… as cliché as it might sound, I really only did what anyone would have done in my position. I have long been my people’s only druid. I suppose I could have tried to enact change sooner, back in Lordaeron… but my connection to Nature wasn’t nearly as strong there. And the forests of Lordaeron are not quite so protected as your forests, Lady Tyrande.”
Tyrande lifts an eyebrow as he suddenly looks contemplative.
“Technically I could have journeyed south to Gilneas. Their witches might have even been willing to teach me, once they saw what I could do. But I doubt it… could you imagine a creature like me, trying to pass myself off among humans?”
She can tell it’s an attempt at being self-deprecating, so she lets out a small laugh in response. Indeed, from what she’s seen of these humans so far… they do not look at all like orcs, nor do they look like Night Elves. They are smaller and pinker than any creature she has ever seen on Kalimdor before. Hearing that they are… or were the dominant force in this Lordaeron they left behind… it’s shocking to her.
Almost as shocking as hearing about the history of Broxigar’s people. To think that his background was so fraught with corruption and darkness… Tyrande would never have guessed. Broxigar had fought hard against the Legion… harder than any other. Finally, after ten thousand years, she knew why he fought so hard. The demons had taken everything from his people, turning them into monsters that had ultimately destroyed their own world and come to this one to do the same.
But they had a chance at redemption now. And it started with this young orc beside her.
“No, in the end… I kept to myself. I maintained a certain level of secrecy, even among my own people. But coming across the sea, to these lands… the moment I saw your forest, I knew I had to act. I knew it deep in my very bones.”
His voice is filled with emotion and Tyrande’s smile grows a little as she reaches out and puts a hand on his arm, startling him from his internal musings.
“I can see why Shandris likes you, Rognak. You are a credit to your people.”
At that, she has the fortune of seeing an orc blush for the first time. Certainly, Broxigar had never done so in her presence. But Rognak… Rognak flushes at the mention of her adoptive daughter and Tyrande can’t help but tease him.
“Of course, I’m not sure if she’s told you… but I am not merely a Priestess of Elune. I am also Shandris’ mother. Perhaps not by blood, but I’ve raised her as my own for over ten thousand years. As such, I should tell you now… if you hurt her, there will be consequences.”
Her dire threat hangs in the air for a moment between them, before Tyrande softens it with a sweet smile. Rognak just blinks at her stupidly for a moment, before barking out a laugh. Huh, was she losing her touch? He definitely should have been quaking in his boots!
“I can’t believe you of all people are giving me the shovel talk, Priestess.”
Tyrande’s nose wrinkles in confusion at that. Both at the strange phrase, and at his surprise. It doesn’t seem like he’s shocked to learn that she’s Shandris’ adoptive mother, which means he already knew. But then, why couldn’t he believe she was telling him this? And what did it have to do with shovels?
Before Tyrande can ask any of those questions, however, Rognak gives her a big smile.
“You don’t have to worry, High Priestess. Shandris and I are just friends. She’s already told me that she doesn’t see me in a romantic light. We’ve had encounters, sure… but it’s entirely physical.”
For a long moment, Tyrande peers at him, assessing his honesty. In the end, she’s forced to acknowledge that he actually believes it. Amusing, to say the least. She almost tells him then and there what she’s been able to glean from Shandris so far… but why betray her daughter like that? Let them both fumble their way around in the dark as she once had to.
Though, that does make her think of her own mate, and their courtship of ten thousand years ago. In a lot of ways, Rognak reminds her of Broxigar Reborn. From the savagery she’s heard tale of and seen him exhibit in battle these past few days, to the Blessed Axe he sheathes on his back. Wolfsong, she’s heard it called. A powerful and strong name, to say the least.
However, in other ways, he reminds her much of her beloved, Malfurion Stormrage, the very druid that they journey north even now to awaken.
It’s been a long time since Tyrande saw Malfurion last. Centuries, in fact. And even then, it had only been for a few weeks before he returned to the Dream. That was how things had been for the past ten thousand years. Most of the time, Malfurion was slumbering in this world and tending to the Emerald Dream along with the other druids.
They weren’t always asleep, of course. If every single Night Elf Druid had slept for ten thousand years straight, Tyrande couldn’t imagine what the state of their society would be by this point. While there were some Night Elf women who had taken to druidism, most of their druids were men in the same way that all Sentinels were female. Ten thousand years without her mate would have made any self-respecting Sentinel questions her bonds.
And that was without even considering the ways their druids helped them tend to their forests in the waking world, keeping their lands in balance just as much as they kept the Emerald Dream in balance.
No, they had not slept for ten thousand years. There was… a cycle. Druids had slumbered and then awoken, sometimes in batches, sometimes in singles. There were always a handful of druids awake at all times, so that the forests were tended to, and their people were not neglected. However… the ratio was incredibly skewed in the Emerald Dream’s favor. Some druids might spend as long as centuries in the Dream, and only weeks in the waking world before diving back in again.
As powerful as her mate was, it was a given that Malfurion would spend the vast majority of his time in the Dream. In turn, Cenarius tended to handle things in the waking world, more often than not.
That did not mean that Tyrande regretted the choice she’d made ten thousand years ago, mind you. No, she loved Malfurion Stormrage with all her heart. In fact, it was because of her love that his absence was all the more keenly felt, as it felt as though she had to steal moments in time with her mate, before he would leave her once again and return to the Dream.
Ah, but look at her. She’d gone and made herself all morose and fallen into complete silence at Rognak’s side. Chuckling softly, Tyrande glances over to see that the orc druid has fallen deep into thought himself. While she still sees some of Malfurion in him, there’s on way in which she can’t deny that the differ greatly. Somehow… she just can’t imagine him spending much time in the Emerald Dream. He’s too active. She can see that he lives in the moment, and unlike her people’s druids, he is not immortal.
That’s honestly a good thing, because if he were to spend a hundred years in the Emerald Dream, he would never wake up. He would die of old age. Instead, she suspects his short mortal lifespan will be spent doing his best to help his people better themselves, be it through druidism or other methods. Tyrande won’t deny that she’s excited to see what form this Horde of theirs ends up taking. Both from what she’s seen so far of them, and the memory of Broxigar that she’s held close to her heart even after ten thousand years.
“… Well met, Rognak. I appreciate you letting me steal a moment of your time. I shall leave you with this: I look forward to fighting alongside you moving forward. The Legion will feel the wrath of Azeroth’s defenders. Of this I have no doubt.”
He looks a little surprised, which is fair given his last words to her. But Tyrande feels no need to explain herself as she moves off from him, quite pleased with how the conversation had gone.
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“… No.”
They’d made good time. They’d even managed to reach Moonglade with minimal losses among their combined forces. And yet… Tyrande feels a sinking sensation in her gut as she stares at the sight in front of her.
The demons and undead had stood between them and their ultimate goal the whole way here, so when they first arrived at Moonglade to find it swarming with the Scourge as well, Tyrande hadn’t thought anything of it… at first. Together, they’d fought through the reanimated corpses. Orcs and humans had cut them down while Tyrande and her Sentinels provided blistering cover fire with their bows. Tyrande in particular had planted radiant arrows in as many as fifty undead alone.
Eventually, they’d managed to clear the Scourge out, culling the damned from the Moonglade inch by inch until they could finally reach the Horn of Cenarius… and the barrow located nearby. As the Lord of the Forest retrieved his horn, Tyrande found herself standing in front of Malfurion’s barrow.
The doors sealing her mate’s sleeping chamber shut have been broken open. All that’s left is a yawning pit of darkness that descends down into the earth. Tyrande cannot see into its depths, but then, she doesn’t really need to. The doors should never have been broken open. They should have stayed shut; they should have been impenetrable.
Lord Cenarius comes to stand beside her as Tyrande stares into the dark opening of the barrow, her heart pounding in her chest. One hand comes to rest on her shoulder, as the other brings the Horn to his lips.
BAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Horn of Cenarius sounds all across the Moonglade, waking the druids of fang and claw from their slumber. This is not the only place that her people’s druids have come to rest, but it is their primary location. It is the safest and most secure place they know… or at least, it was.
Something shifts within the barrow den and Tyrande watches with wide eyes and an increasingly yawning hole in the pit of her stomach as the Horn calls forth whatever lies in Malfurion’s Barrow Den. Slowly, creeping up from the depths, crawling out into the open ground… her beloved rises to his feet. Malfurion Stormrage stands before them… but it is not Malfurion Stormrage, not truly.
The Archdruid has been savaged while he slumbered. One of his antlers is torn away. One of his eyes as well. He is missing half a shoulder, that arm barely hanging on by the bone. His broad torso has been torn to shreds, showing off ribs and rotting flesh, and his legs have not been spared either. He should not even be capable of walking.
But then, if he were still alive, he wouldn’t be. This Malfurion… is not still alive. Standing before them is not her mate… not her beloved. Standing before them, his one remaining eyes glassed over and lifeless, is an undead abomination.
She was too late. She’d spent too long dallying. Perhaps even going to Cenarius first was the mistake that had cost her beloved his life. In the end, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was Tyrande’s failure. She had taken her time and Malfurion had paid the price. In her absence, the Scourge had broken down the doors to her beloved mate’s barrow den… and turned the Moonglade’s Archdruid into a corpse, only to reanimate him for their purposes.
In the face of this atrocity, in the face of this horror… Tyrande screams.
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A/N: Well now, thank god I managed to keep this massive twist under wraps until now, amirite guys? *wipes forehead*
... Jokes aside, was I a little too unsubtle about Malfurion's ultimate fate do you all think? Anyone want to count the Death Flags that popped up over the last few chapters?
As always, let me know what you think and I hope everyone enjoyed!
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A/N: Time for a Royalroad update! Thanks to your guys' help, the RR version of this has gone from being ranked 40k+ on that website on Monday to being ranked #1100 today. That's pretty crazy tbh!
That said, I'm still trying to push hard to get the ball rolling on RR and gain some momentum, so once again, if you have the time/inclination to go and Follow/Favorite/Rate the RR version of this story, it would mean a lot to me!
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/67825/a-savage-nature-warcraft-insert
Comments
Bellerophon
You could’ve been the most subtle writer on the planet and people would still have guessed he’s dead because Tyrande is 100% going to be waifu’d and lewded in a smutty WoW story lmao.
Chainsword83
When he finds out that his daughter is boning an Orc? Either he'll go down fighting like in canon or he'll die of a heart attack. :P
maddsloth II
A turn of events that has left Tyrande without a husband... -whoever- I mean whatever will she do? I keep wondering if Adm Proudmoore will still die fighting the good fight even with all the changes.
Darkanlan
I wonder if the druids actually view the Emerald Dream as the real world and the one where everyone else lives as a dream world with how little time they spend in it. Would make for an interesting side chapter to have them think something happened to the dream world and they can't connect with it anymore, when in reality they died and are stuck in there.
Alex McGregor
Well, that sad, little Gnome short stack is fun lol, sure the rest of them can fuck off but Chromie is a personal favorite
Cambrian
*whistles innocently*
Darkanlan
At least him and the other druids that died can keep fighting in the Emerald Dream. It's where they spent the majority of their life anyway. So, no real loss for them. I bet they'll even forget about the world outside the Dream at some point and just assume they've always been in there protecting that world.
VaticToxic
Now I'm expecting Malfurion to have retreated so deeply into the Emerald Dream upon feeling his physical body die that it works as his afterlife for a while lol
T4ndoris
thank you!!! There is too much wow ff where the bronze just fu** mc over and over again... like what's the point of an SI if you can't change anything?
Big ToFu
thats fine, I was just using the time frame as a way for the SI to help out since if its weeks or days then that would mean they hit the sleeping druids before the main heart tree. It would mean someone planned how to take out the Night Elves. Its foolish to the ones who could repopulate the elves fight on the font lines. Makes perfect sex slaves.
Cambrian
It's more like he was ripped apart a lot and yeah, the process of reanimation accelerated the decay. But yes, they were pretty late to the party for sure. Not weeks or months, but maybe days? I didn't really bother figuring out the specific times tbh
Keeper
Warcraft undead start rotting right away. They have the plague and love eating people as they start turning.
Chainsword83
Size difference sex... Deeewwww eeettt. >:)
Big ToFu
well that was a twist, but if his body was already rotting and missing limbs and flesh, that means he has been dead for more than a weeks turn maybe even a months turn or a moons turn. Welp, that sucks but the best way to ease her pain is to fill her right up.
Keeper
Could always do it in dragon form and Rognak in a animal form ;P
Cambrian
Hmm, maybe I should do a non-canon omake of Chromie and Rognak fucking, but I don't really like gnomes... xD
Keeper
Chromie is probably chewing popcorn rn
Saberofblue
That's entirely fair. The amount of lore and shit (those are not mutually exclusive) you'd have to shovel through in WoW story would be ridiculous. Man, I need to replay Warcraft 3 again now. Still got a copy of the old game on my laptop before Blizz axed everything in favor of reforged.
Cambrian
Hehehe, only time will tell what the future holds~
Cambrian
Butterflies. Butterflies everywhere :D
Cambrian
This story won't go that far no, it's set to end after the Frozen Throne expansion but before WoW officially starts. I ain't touching the MMO's so-called 'lore' with a ten foot pole lol. I played WoW for ten years and even I'm not brave enough to try and make THAT fucking mess make sense
Cambrian
lmao no Bronze Dragons will show up in this story, dun worry
Cambrian
Yeah, I mean killing Grom and Mannoroth and letting Cenarius live definitely changed things in the short-term, but sort of kept things mostly on the rails. However, Malfurion dead this early? You're right, it totally obliterates canon. And to think... I'm just getting started >:]
Chainsword83
.....I was damn near certain something bad was going to happen to Malfurion, yet still SOMEHOW I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. Having good memories of that mission, I fully expected that he'd be killed or corrupted. I didn't imagine you'd kill him that messily and then raise him as a Scourge. Chef's Kiss, it was what I was expecting but with a nice twist. Also like what you've indicated, that at least some part of him might exist still in the Emerald Dream. Hmmmmm, with Malfurion gone.... I wonder if things might be different for Illidan as well. Perhaps second guessing herself after her actions got Malfurion killed, Tyrande thinks better about letting Illidan go. Maybe with the loss of Malfurion, the Wardens realize the danger and are more willing to release their prisoner. Or maybe Malfurion's death shocks Illidan into some form of reasonableness.... at least until Rognak bones Tyrande. Anyway, as has been said already, canon is even FURTHER off the rails now! And I love it; I love AU stories and Warcraft is a platform RICH for them. And in my opinion, this is the best of your stories that I've read. <3 Meanwhile, there's a certain Gnomish-looking individual who's tearing their hair out. XD
James Montil
Oh wow, Malfurion dying is something that I thought might happen due to Tyrande's detour but this is a really biggun. Still, there might, MIGHT be a chance that Malfurion lived inside the Emerald Dream. After all, it's his BODY that died, his soul is still in the Dream. So hopefully, or not, he's still kicking there. MAYBE. Still, this DOES open the door for some hilarious butterflies like what a few posters said: Illidan may not defect, but this may also mean that the Forsaken wouldn't be a thing. The Blood Elves might also be wiped out because of this due to them not being led by Illidan, but we'll have to see. Other than that, will our boy be the rebound for Tyrande? Or will Illidan take this chance and actually court the gal for Tyrande to get the Stormrage brothers achievement?
Saberofblue
Well… that’s certainly going to throw a wrench into a lot of things, really. I guess we traded Cenarius for Malfurion in this case, so there will still be *someone* capable of tending to the Emerald Dream. Geeze, things might get really fucked in Legion maybe. If the story ever goes that far.
T4ndoris
Well, Rip Malfurion, just hope there won't be some bronze dragonfly "ThIS IsN'T CaNnON aNYmORe, TImE To rESeT" shenanigan
Cqys
Gotta hand it to you. I thought he might die but I didn't know if you'd actually go down that line. It... Completely destroys canon. Rips it to shreds. A tall prospect to deal with on a story as complex as Warcraft. So honestly pretty exciting. Warcraft world is a world ripe for new stories with new story lines and you've been improving so rapidly I can tell this will be a treat.
Cambrian
Yeah I figured those who'd played the game and remembered the mission would be the first to catch on lol
Cambrian
That... is the right question ;P
TheSinful
Even without that dude in the background selling Big Red Flags to everyone, just the fact that I remember the original mission meant I knew Malfurion was fucked harder than Shandris. Cuz he's saved with minutes to spare in canon. Tyrande took her time here. But to be fair, fuck Malfurion. Took until BFA for him to fight against the Horde and dude basically acted as proof that preaching neutrality doesn't work all the time. At least Thrall explicitly left the Horde. Not like he was preaching working with the humans as they're slaughtering the orcs.
Nicholas Draper
The first time I did that mission, it was far closer than I liked, far too few trees left, so I kind of expected this when she went after Cenarius following her escape rather than her canon path. On the bright side, this might keep Illidan around rather than have him run off and wake the naga which would put off a whole heap of future problems. Is Malfurian still in the Emerald Dream though? Do druids survive death that way?
Cambrian
Poor Tyrande v.v
Cambrian
lmaaaaaaao
Xi
Oof, pain peko
Gromweld
Illidan: "... so you're saying there's a chance!"
Cambrian
Well, there is a tiny little bit of a subversion, but you'll find out about that next chapter~ Suffice to say, this won't be the last we see of Malfurion heh
While the foreshadowing you had for malfurion was a bit blunt, I was half expecting it when we found out the MC was a druid. That said I was also thinking you would subvert it completely and malfurion would have something else happen to him
