Becoming a shaman

[Kirabo]

It was an unnaturally calm day in the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale. You could hear your own heart beating, and if you concentrated hard enough, the rhythm of another person's heart would be apparent to you. The day was perfect for meditating, except for the fuss of a young Draenei shamaness Ninel.

"Why is it that I need more training?"
She stomped her hooves onto the sand, filled with naval life of crabs and clams. The sand flew around her foot in a concentric form.
"Why can you not accept the fact that I had learned stuff? The spirits answer my calls, isn't that enough?"
By the time the young shamaness said that, she was looking in a different direction with her arms folded, trying to protect herself from her teacher's cold stare.
"Dear Kin, I do not do this for my own pleasure, and you know so."
Finin, the old, experienced shaman waved his tail happily, with a grin on his face. The wind was twisting through his tendrils, causing them to dance like leaves on an autumn breeze.
"Even I practice at times, as the bond between you and the elements must be as strong as saronite, yet as flexible as a piece of leather. No shortcut exists."
The old Draenei kept on smiling, until Ninel gave up. She shifted her gaze back to meeting Finin's eyes, though her arms had remained folded. Her tail was standing idle.
"Well...I understand for her to practice, she is new, but why me? Why? I've been practicing for more than I should have, and my skills haven't developed that much!"
Her stare then returned to the side. Finin was losing patience, and as he was not completely able to solve the problem herself, he turned to face Isela, who was calmly meditating, not aware of her surroundings. He called out to her.
"Isela. Kin. Do you mind helping me out a bit?"

[immortalmoon]

Isela was deep within the confines of her own mind. While she may have appeared to be meditating, she felt trapped, suffocated by a past of full of tumoil and conflict. Emptying her mind in an attempt to be calm did not sit well with her. She knew she needed more practice.

Presently, however, she was saved from the cruelty of her own thoughts by a call:
"Isela. Kin. Do you mind helping me out a bit?"

The tall Draenei female opened her eyes, blinking slightly as light flooded into her vision. Spotting her hat on the ground by her side, she picked it up and pulled it onto her head, making sure to get her horns through the holes she had cut in it. Speaking in her natural tongue, she addressed the nearby Finin, grinning broadly all the while.

"Help you? With what? Is there something wrong?"

[Kirabo]

Finin had noticed something was wrong with his student, Isela, and tried to intervent.
"Kin, is there anything wrong?" He saw something in her eyes, something strange and unusual. His grin had faded by then, as he was visibly worried.
Before Isela got a chance to answer, their communication was interrupted by Ninel's frustrated, yet calm voice.
"You never ask me if there's anything wrong."
The wise Draenei was stuck between two fires, yet one was still a mere spark, with tendency to grow into a fiery wave which would swallow all three. He did his best to ignore the young shamaness' statement, though his well-natured personality forced him otherwise. After thinking for a moment, he spoke up.
"I am sorry, Ninel, but I believe that you are more trained than Isela here, and you know that if you need help, you need just ask..."
That is where he stopped, or was stopped. His time spent apologizing to Ninel was spent bowing down and waving his tail as well, but then, he turned back to his other student, awaiting an answer.
"Well?"

[immortalmoon]

Isela couldn't help but hold her smile as Finin asked if she was okay. She was aware she was probably making it a bit too forced - perhaps she appeared more happy than was natural. She made a mental note that she should perhaps tone it down a notch. Or two.

"Oh, I am fine, kin of mine. I do not believe I could be happier."

She was a practised liar. She spoke the words with such sincerity and glee that detection of such a lie would not be easy, not even to those that knew her best. After all, what possible reason could there be to lie about such a thing? Even she was not sure. All she knew was that the only way to survive was to keep smiling, or else be smothered by despair.

"I do thank you for your concern, even so. It is very kind of you. But I believe I shall be as Ninel in this matter - if there is something wrong, I will most certainly inform you of it, yes? Until then, you needn't worry. The day is bright, the sun shines, and the air is of a pleasant temperature, yes? Yes."

She said the words with finality, hoping that there would be no further discussion of the matter.

[Kirabo]

Finin's face got decorated with a warm smile, as his tail was dancing, carrying the heavy tail-ring on it. He was clearly unaware of the shamaness' lies, but a note of care was visible in his expression. He turned to Ninel, the smile remaining on his face.
"Do you need any help, Ninel?"
His voice of care was spreading through the air, the only thing disturbing him being the nearby rustle of the watery drops, sliding down a cliff-side into a lake. He took another short peek onto Isela, with a momentary worried look on his face, which transformed into the smile which is the most usual mask of this wise Draenei as he turned back to his first student, Ninel.
"No, but thank you, Finin."
Finin's smile must've passed onto Ninel's face, as she was returning the same with her answer, while in a meditating pose. As soon as she answered, she closed her eyes, to remain in the same state as she was in before Finin's questioning.

[immortalmoon]

Isela observed the two Draenei with silent curiosity. She wondered how they had met. Clearly, they were not romantically involved. Finin had already told her he did not seek companionship, and Isela had accepted this with grace - even if he was the only decent male within leagues of that place. Ninel was his apprentice, that was obvious. Isela was too, now that she had taken him up on his offer.

She sighed lightly. "I must ask, kin of mine, why is it that you have me meditate? I am not so good at it. Is there not something else you can teach me?"

Finin was wiser, older, and far more knowledgeable. Isela knew that knowledge had great worth. She desired it, and, despite knowing that it was rash, she cast aside focus on meditation, instead deciding that words from the Draenei were far more valuable. Words, instruction, guidance.

For the time being, those were the only things that mattered to her. She just hoped he would not tell her that further meditation was the key to success, for she was unsure how much longer she could sit around doing nothing with the vague hope of emptying her hopelessly tumultuous mind.

[Kirabo]

Finin was clearly not concentrated, his attention being spread on two different sides. He closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling briefly before he turned to Isela with a warm smile on his face.
"I am sorry."
He then turned around, just to find Ninel meditating quietly. Relieved, he turned back to Isela, though his expression noted seriousness. He spoke up as he sat down.
"While you meditate, your spirit and body unite. That way, your strong spirit, which is empowered by the elements can pass its strength onto your body. Only with harmony between body and soul can you attain the ultimate support of the spirits."
He had calmed down by then, and the smile returned to his face. His warm gaze was pointed towards Isela's confused and scared eyes, trying to soothe them down. The quietness lasted for several moments before it got broken by the old shaman yet again.
"After we attain the perfect balance, we can practice calls. That can not be done here, on Azeroth, sadly." Finin closed his eyes, lost all concentration and attention.