Conquest of the Horde

The air is damp and heavy from days of rain above the canopy of the gloomy forest. Time of day is hard to tell, but judging by birds and insects it seems that dawn has recently passed. Ripples cross the surface of a glittering pool in a glade within Ashenvale, at its edge stands a figure on all fours using a cupped hand to bring water to his mouth. Slender ears beneath a hood listen intently to the surroundings, twitching at even the slightest noise.

The crouched shape by the pond is clearly not orcish, judging by the width of the shoulders it looks like a male, perhaps a short night elf or maybe even a large human though his features are slender for a shortlived one. Slung over his back is an oddly shaped spear with a circular tip and a hole through that could fit an arm. And a simple bow.

Large hooves trumps along the dirt road, a rifle slung over his back and a hat covering his eyes. A big tauren in a woven chestnut poncho followed the path, huffing a puff of air strong enough to make his nosering jingle. He looks about, his ears listening for the birds.
For wolves. For stags.
He hopes the night elf neighbours do not mind his presence as he steps off the road and into the depth of the woods, on his way to a wateringhole where he hopes to hunt. The wanderer spots the smaller elf, but thinks nothing of it... at first.

Long ears twitch beneath the cowl and the elf jerks up onto his feet much like a meerkat would when sensing danger. At first his gaze passes the tauren not taking notice of him, as if he didn't consider a tauren a threat. When the elf's eyes has scanned the direct area his focus swings back to the newcomer. The elf wipes excessive water away from his face using the back of his hand.

With a tilted head he peers at the elf, curious now as to see an elf not purple or blue skinned. He keeps watching... quietly.
Contemplative. Though he starts to step away from the glade. The pale elf takes a few steps away from the path between the child of the Earthmother and the pond, he waves the bovine over casually before folding his arms across his chest. Just standing there, gaze lingering upon his horde ally.

The tauren looks around and then steps closer. Curiosity now growing, but yet so very shy.
- Why...are you....here? he says very slowly. This would be his first time seeing a blood elf in Ashenvale.

A smiles grows beneath the hood and his hand motions at the pond.
- Water. This forest is warm.
Another step and he makes way for the tauren by moving further away from the pond. The shu’halo nearly steps backwards, his eyes hiding under his hat. He seems anxious and almost afraid, though he does not reach for his rifle. His movements are more sheepish than they are threatened.

- I'm also of the horde, tauren. I pose no threat.
The sin’dorei lowers his hood and shakes out his hair, it falls upon his shoulders like a flow of sun-bleached wheat. He looks up once more at the tauren with his faintly glowing, green eyes. Without warning the elven ranger falls backwards into the brush of the forest, his presence only made visible by the stir of the vegetation around him and he cannot help but to let out a relieved chuckle.

Eyelids with long and thick lashes blinks.... eyes watching. He is taken aback by the sudden fall, being rather confused. His hooves steps closer, still anxious, as he peers over at the elf among the brush.
- Are.... you... all.... right?

Lying on his back, the man stretches out like a feline in the midday sun. He grins as he places both hands behind his head and opens one eye to peer up at his company.
- I am well. Impossible not to be in a place like this.

“So strange!” the tauren thinks as he watches the blood elf with a strange wonder as he tilts the brim of his hat back a little to see better.
- What is... a sin'dorei...doing....in this land?
- I'm on a journey. How about a... shu'lo is it?
- Shu'halo, he corrected the ranger.
- What... sort of...journey?
He lowers himself, almost seating and still nervous.

- Shu. Hallo.. the elf repeats to himself, nodding.
- I'm looking for something... like most journeys I guess. How about you tauren, what brings you to these woods?
- I was... about to....hunt...for food... the tauren says unable to hide his anxiety, twiddling with his thick fingers.
- I..suppose...I can....help you.... find....what you are.....looking...for?
He peers around, not seeing much beyond the brush around him or the canopy above.
- Is something wrong? Does my presence offed you?

The kind brute holds himself back, palms up.
- No!
- No, no...no... he mutters in a low, anxious tone.
- Just...never....meet.....blood elves...out...of....Thunder Bluff...and...they.....don't....like....us... he says, hoping his statement does not offend his new companion.

The sin’dorei rolls over once and ends up back on his back again, making room for the wandering hunter and pats the mossy ground beside him as an invitation. He smiles at the tauren, despite what he has met before this elf doesn't seem discouraged by his presence, he doesn't even seem tense and lets out a little chuckle.
- I like you, besides in these lands I feel like the one hated.
- Do you really? the shu’halo replies, rather surprised.
- I see nothing worth hatred.
He shuffles on the ground and raises his torso somewhat, resting on both his elbows as he turns his face to look at the tauren.
- You survive with honour, more than what I can say about my own kin.

- I....do....not...under...stand... the big male says as he sits closer, now even more curious. He relaxes somewhat, his initial anxiousness fading and even tries to smile.
- What....is....name...?
A smile spreads on the elf’s lips as he takes in the lumbering brute infront.
- Riael.
- I...am....Tib...alan, he says with a meek smile.
Again the ranger repeats the unfamiliar “word”.
- Tea-ball-ahn.
Riael's eyes wanders back to the tauren, taking in it the sheer size of him but ends up resting his gaze at Tibalan's eyes.