WoW: Pride's Punishment

Story by Thakur on SoFurry

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#1 of Pride's Punishment


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Jienna's eyes glowed brighter than ever. The freshly-graduated Night Elf druid held the cool metal necklace tightly in her hand. The chain was expertly wrought, with floral flourishes etched on each link. The pendant itself was a simple, smooth crescent moon, the symbol of Elune. The apprentice druid slowly raised the necklace, her hands trembling as she lowered it around her neck.

"Congratulations, Jienna. There is no higher honor," one of her fellow students said.

The star pupil's gaze was locked on her award, so all she saw was a blur of green hair and brown clothing. Turning the medallion to glint in the moonlight, she replied, "And well deserved. I was the only apprentice who truly devoted herself to her studies. I told you all that your parties would cost you, in the end."

Jienna barely noticed as the green blur walked away. Instead, she rushed down the steps to her mentor, her startling white hair flowing behind her. Her glowing silver eyes locked onto the druid who had trained her over the last six months, illuminating his face. His wrinkled face was framed by bright green hair and a healthy beard. Denatharion smiled politely at his eager student, saying, "Congratulations, young one."

"Top of my class!" she interrupted. "This is proof. Every druid who has graduated top among her peers has gone on to great things!"

Laughing gently, the elder druid said, "Don't get ahead of yourself, Jienna. That medallion is just that: a medallion. All of our druids are successful in the field. You will only be as great as your actions merit."

"The Archdruid has already given me my new assignment," she said, not even registering Denatharion's advice. Pulling out the thin parchment containing her new orders, she read "Due to my unmatched skill, I alone of my peers will be sent to Ashenvale. Ashenvale!"

Denatharion's eyes widened. "Ashenvale is beautiful, yes, but dangerous. You must be -"

Jienna laughed and continued, "Where my task will be to spy on the Warsong Lumber Camp and report troop movements to Silverwing Refuge. Just wait, Denatharion, in a month, thanks to me, there will be no more Orcs in Ashenvale!"

Her trainer placed a firm hand on her shoulder, forcing her to meet his amber gaze. "Cautious, Jienna. You must be careful. You are very skilled, yes, but you must reign in your ambition. The Horde is tenacious and dangerous. You must make every effort not to be seen, and above all, embrace patience. This war will not be won in a day, or a month, or maybe even a year."

She stepped back from her mentor, letting his hand fall from her shoulder. Her bright eyes and smile faded. He doesn't believe in me. Well, so what? The green-bearded old fool will eat his words when I alone save Ashenvale. She fingered the medallion, refusing to meet her former teacher's eyes as she said, "Yes, of course. 'Patience like the spinning spider, like the fledgling owl.' I will not disappoint you, Denatharion."

***********

Crouched in the green and purple underbrush, Jienna flicked her tail, watching three Orc guards patrolling the edges of the Warsong Lumber Camp. The clumsy beasts sporting dark-green, bulging muscles, and an under-bite that allowed two giant fangs to jut out from their bottom lip. How did these brutes ever create an army to threaten all of Azeroth? She had been watching the camp for almost a month, reporting what she saw to the frightened covey of Night Elf Sentinels.

Why they refused to engage the Orcs in open conflict she would never know. Certainly, she was a druid, and more in tune with nature, but all Night Elves had affinity with the trees. How can they stand by while the Orcs slaughter so many innocent trees? The Orcs were well-organized, but would stand no match for the marksmanship of Night Elf warriors.

Commander Ayiesha refused to take any large-scale action against the Horde unless they overstepped their temporary borders. There were clashes every week, but as yet, open war had been avoided. Jienna had crept around the edges of the camp, hoping to catch Orc warriors assaulting trees on the Night Elf side of the border. Perhaps the Horde knew how tenuous their grasp on the forest was, because they were careful to uphold their end of the truce.

She crept through the underbrush, her startling white fur hidden by hundreds of interlocking leaves. The oblivious Orc patrol would never see her. At first, sneaking blithely through the forest spying on the plodding Orcs had been satisfying, but a young druid of her skill level needed more. Nothing had changed in almost a month. At this rate, the war will never be over!

More can be done to harm the Orcs' efforts in Ashenvale, and I am just the druid to do it, she thought. Spying was no longer enough. Her abilities were being wasted. Spinning around in place, she began creeping away from the patrol. She thought, I am not wasting any more time shadowing dumb, obedient grunts.

Once the Orcs she was supposed to be watching were out of sight, Jienna turned her gaze to the inside of the camp. Surely there was something she could do to hurt their efforts, and they'd never even know she had been there. Soon, she saw her first chance.

Along the stream that separated the two territories, she found a group of seven Orcs fishing. These Orcs were no warriors, clad in white shirts and cloth pants, their gnarled hands bore the creases and callouses of hard labor. Jienna saw no enjoyment on their faces as they fished, slowly adding food to the baskets at their side. If she sabotaged their efforts, the Horde would have less food to eat.

It's a start, she thought. Quickly, the young druid slinked away upstream, her white fur a blur the inattentive peons would never notice. When she was out of their sight, she crawled down to the stream. The water flowed quickly, almost five feet deep. Just deep enough. Suddenly, the sinuous white feline, sporting a faint pink neck scruff and vibrant teal lunar symbols on her shoulders, disappeared. The crouching cat was replaced by Jienna, in subtle brown and green leather. She took a moment to kiss her medallion for good luck, before slipping quietly into the cold, flowing stream.

Paddling to the river bed, the slender Night Elf transformed again, her limbs shrinking rapidly into flippers, her delicate nose expanding into a gruesome muzzle, and her ample breasts melding into the rest of her suddenly stream-lined body. She was a sea-lion now, and could hold her breath for hours. Paddling slowly along the bottom of the river, the gray-skinned beast made her way downstream.

Soon, she could see through the murky water hooks and lines from the fishermen. She doubted the weak-minded peons would be able to see her through the cloudy water, so she swam up to the first line, taking the string in her sharp teeth and biting it off. With another few simple strokes, she reached the second line, destroying it as well before curling her flexible body all the way around to reach the third. She would be gone before the peons even realized the problem!

In no time, all seven lines were clipped, the metal hooks sinking slowly to the bottom of the stream. For good measure, Jienna reached out with her druidic influence to contact all nearby fish. Stay clear of this section of the river, and beware floating prey! she cautioned them, before flapping her flippers and disappearing upstream. Let's see the fools attempt to fish now!

Upstream, the young druid slid out of the water, shaking herself free of the cold water before reassuming her undetectable cat form. Her feline grin would have sent shivers down the spine of any Horde could have seen it. I'm finally making a difference in the war! But there was far more she could do. With a running start, Jienna leaped over the stream, entering the Warsong Lumber Camp. I'll make the Horde regret ever coming to Ashenvale, she promised herself.

The ground beneath her paws was soft and well-trodden, evidence that hundreds of Orcs had walked the same path in recent months. Jienna kept to the side of the main trail, creeping from discarded wheelbarrow to rotting tree-trunk as each became available. She kept her eyes wide, knowing that at any moment her enemies might come near. Despite her alertness, her feline ears remained upright and confident.

She saw the troll well before his untrained eyes could have ever seen her. Swiftly the Night Elf druid became a white blur, leaping underneath a nearby wagon with a broken axle. There she watched and waited for her foe to pass by. Did he see me? The troll ambled awkwardly forward, hunched over so that his knuckles brushed against the ground, but he wasn't looking toward Jienna. As he passed her makeshift hiding place, he turned his head and looked straight at the crouching cat. The druid's heart nearly leapt out of her throat. She tensed her muscles for a fight.

But though his eyes seemed to meet hers, and though this troll wore a blood-red tabard indicative of a high-level position within the military, his eyes were glazed. He looked straight at the frozen feline without even registering her existence. In seconds he had passed by, and Jienna was able to take another breath. These fools will never see me coming!

Emboldened, Jienna began to lope through Orc territory, knowing exactly what she was looking for. She simply kept the nearest hiding place in mind, and whenever her sensitive ears picked up anyone approaching, she scrambled toward it. Three patrols walked within three feet of her various hiding spots without batting an eye her direction. Finally, grinning, Jienna found her target.

The Orc's food supplies were laid out in crates in front of her. She had crept up toward the food and was hiding in a row of trimble-bushes. They may be fools, but at least they have guards for their food, she admitted. Three very bored looking grunts stood in a triangle around the crates of food, their spikey red shoulderpads rising up above their heads. Each appeared old, grizzled, and experienced, but Jienna suspected they were guarding the grain because they were too old for the front-lines. Two of the three had white hair, and all had deep creases and wrinkles covering their faces. They faced outward, watching for any external threat. Yet they had missed Jienna!

Still, she wasn't going to be able to waltz into the small clearing to sabotage the food supplies. But she was a druid, and the top of her class! Still, she couldn't implement her plan while remaining a panther. She quietly let her white fur fade, disappearing into her skin as her body shifted. In seconds, her arms and legs had reformed until the large cat who had been huddled in the bushes was a smooth-skinned Night Elf.

Now the druid could utilize the full force of her magical abilities. Without even leaving the bush, she held out her hands. As she summoned the force of nature, her hands began to glow a light green, reflecting brightly off her crescent-moon medallion. Even this light did not draw the Orcs attention. The three beasts never expected the real threat to come from the innocent, nearby trimble-bushes.

Soon, the bush would no longer be innocent. Jienna magic flowed through the plant, and its roots shot out through the ground, growing unnaturally fast. Snaking through the dirt, the roots burrowed directly underneath the crates of grain. Raising her hands as she crouched silently in the bush, Jienna called the roots to rise. Shooting upward, the tips quickly collided with the bottom of the wooden crates. But Jienna knew the power of nature. Plants drove straight through stone, with time, and the druid's magic accelerated the process. In less than a minute, the persistent roots had drilled straight through the solid wooden crate, granting the druid access to the grain stored within.

The Orcs remained oblivious, even as Jienna poured magic through those roots into the crates. One of the first things a young druid learned was to encourage growth. Now she simply applied that knowledge, though it wasn't the grain she accelerated. Instead, she found the yeast and bacteria, growing in small numbers on the fresh food. Channeling the land's innate power, these microscopic creatures began to divide, and divide, thriving. Without even leaving her hiding spot, Jienna had caused five full crates of grain to spoil. The fools won't even know how it happened, she thought, a smirk on her face as she shifted once again into an agile, stealthy panther, and began to creep away.

Her heart leaped in her chest as she realized she was finally making a real difference! At this rate, the Horde would never be able to afford their expeditions into Ashenvale, and would leave in dismay. I'll be heralded a hero! This pendant of Elune will pale in comparison to the recognition I will receive.

Carefully, she looked around for her next target. To the north, she found Orcs taking hefty axes to the trunks of trees. As much as this angered the Night Elf, these lumber clearings were by far the best-guarded locations in the camp. Perhaps when night fell, she could rot the handles of those axes. She knew a few mushrooms that would make quick work.

The guard got progressively more thorough the closer she got to the massive headquarters. Surely vital information was contained inside, but even Jienna couldn't enter those dark halls alone. Instead, she sneaked back to the outer edges of the camp. Surely there was something more she could do.

That's when the young woman noticed two people that stood out from the rest of the Horde.

Throughout her investigation of the Lumber Camp, Jienna had only seem grimy, disgusting male Orcs and Trolls, doing hard labor or overseeing that work. Now, she laid eyes upon two women. Well, one was a woman...one of the so-called Blood Elves. The pale-skinned blonde was superficially similar to the Night Elf, but Jienna had learned her history well. The quel'dorei had once been the upper-class of elves, before embracing the forbidden arcane magic and being banished from Kalimdor. There were few creatures that left more distaste in Jienna's mouth.

One of those, however, was embodied in the other "woman". The large cow-like native of Kalimdor, the Tauren, were mostly inoffensive. They were lumbering, huge beasts with lazy tails and a dull intellect, but they were also peaceful. The Tauren cared for the land almost as much as the Night Elves, but Jienna knew that didn't give the creatures license to learn the druids' greatest secrets. Yet that is exactly what Arch-druid Malfurion Stormrage had done in reaching out to the creatures.

Clad in ornate purple, blue, and brown leather with a full-length skirt, the female Tauren was clearly a druid in training. Jienna even recognized a staff of fine Night Elven workmanship strung across her back. Jienna's fur bristled as she watched young, tawny Tauren trotting along-side the Blood Elf. Long brown hair descended the animal's head reaching half-way down her already massive figure, framed neatly by short, upward-curving horns just above those ridiculous mobile ears. I can hear just fine without swivelling my ears...

Next, Jienna looked the Blood Elf over, as the two Horde champions passed by without a second glance the Night Elf's way. She might as well have been invisible. The Blood Elf wore green and brown mail and a large, billowing cape, with an oaken bow strung across her back. Her face wore a permanent, arrogant smirk characteristic of the quel'dorei, with a sun-streaked blond pony-tail. By her side ambled a large grizzly bear, his bulging muscles taught and visible underneath his short, brown fur. Judging by his size, he must be a Northrend grizzly. She was no mage. A hunter, surely, but no Blood Elf had forsaken the lure of arcane magic. The arcane was like a drug, and the entire race was well and completely addicted. Jienna spat silently on the ground.

From the shadows, she watched. The two females were leaving Horde territory and entering Ashenvale. Jienna would have none of that. Silently, she crept along behind the two, taking care to stay downwind, lest that bear catch her scent. What are these two up to?

They were speaking, and to Jienna's surprise, they were speaking in elven. Now, certainly there were some differences in the language of Blood Elves and that of Night Elves, but Jienna had taken time to study the most pertinent changes. She could understand the two!

The Tauren said softly to her friend, "You forest eat bear al'en Calissa."

Wait, that doesn't make sense, Jienna thought, trying to process the words. What is al'encalissa?

"No, no, Niande. Capture hu'ala time to gala'n," the Blood Elf replied.

Niande must be the Tauren's name. Jienna pieced through the strange dialect, trying to place certain words.

With a flick of her tail, the doe-eyed Tauren laughed, "Now I li'nua why I traverse with you, Calissa."

Reaching down to scratch behind the ears of the massive, fearsome grizzly, Calissa smirked, "Not that any will match up with true death." True Death? Wait, perhaps that is the name of the bear! Talah, then.

Jienna kept her distance, watching them from afar. Once in the forest, both women quieted down, walking silently as they stalked something. Jienna had to know what their purpose for entering her forest was. Only a short time passed before the answer became obvious.

Waving her three-fingered hand silently, Niande indicated to her left, at the base of a tree. The elf nodded, her blond pony-tail bobbing once. Calissa held her palm facing outward to her bear, Talah. The massive grizzly sat in place, obediently. Then, with stealth that should have been all but impossible in mail armor, the hunter crept over to the tree. Jienna watched as Calissa skillfully knelt, placing a small metal trap on the ground. She pulled the edges apart, but it was no crude bear trap. The device appeared to be a simple pressure plate. Once placed, the hunter simply walked around the tree. Finally, Jienna could see what they were doing.

A startled Ashenvale bear leaped from around the tree. Apparently the animal had had no idea the Blood Elf had been anywhere near him. Serves him right for not paying attention! This bear was smaller than Talah by a large margin, and the beast's first instinct was to run. Unfortunately for him, he ran straight onto the pressure plate. Immediately, magical ice appeared, enveloping the animal and freezing it in place. I knew that the Blood Elf hadn't renounced arcane magic completely!

Jumping, Niande exclaimed, "Great catch! I didn't liu'ta be so easy! Now tame it."

"No, Niande. This is why you're here. Make this bear dream, before the ga'lina wears off!"

"Why?" the Tauren asked, tilted her head.

"Just do it!"

Narrowing her eyes, the Tauren druid's hands glowed green for a few moments, and just as the magical ice faded into the ether, the new spell enveloped the bear's mind, causing the beast to collapse in a deep slumber. "There. Now explain."

"Taming magic is powerful, but I can only tame so many animals at once. I can only control one more, not enough to meet our quota. We'll have to cage these." Jienna was finally getting the hang of translating their peculiar speech.

"You mean we have to walk back to camp after each capture?" Niande groaned, laying her ears back.

Calissa scoffed. "Have you never walked before? This will be good for you."

The Tauren rolled her large eyes, then said, "How many?" She took the time to recast her spell, keeping the wild animal sleeping.

"The Huntsmaster only wanted one bear, but I'm going to capture three. Promise what you know you can deliver, but deliver more than you promise."

Now I know what I have to do, Jienna thought as she watched the two women discreetly from the shadows. The Night Elf continued to follow the two members of the Horde throughout the day. Slinging the captured bear across Talah's back, they returned to the outskirts of the lumber camp and secured the Ashenvale bear in a simple, wooden, cross-hatch cage. Then Niande, Calissa, and Talah returned to the forest for another bear.

Jienna hesitated. Now I could easily rescue that bear. But they'll realize something is up when it is gone. I had better wait until nightfall, when I can save three at once.

Leaving the bear trembling in shock in the cage, Jienna hurried after the poachers. Calissa had no trouble subduing another bear, and then a third, especially with Niande's help. Talah obediently aided the capture of his cousins from this continent, but Jienna couldn't help but wonder what the Northrend bear would do with his own free will.

The sun finally disappeared completely, though there was hardly any change to the forest. In Ashenvale, the trees were so massive, with such a high canopy, that the sun was rarely visible in the middle of the day! The forest floor was always dark. Perhaps that's why the Night Elves had taken so fondly to the old growth habitat.

With darkness came Jienna's opportunity. Three Ashenvale bears whimpered in three wooden cages. Calissa and Niande retired to a simple tent for the night, and Jienna waited until she heard only rhythmic breathing. Talah was curled up, resting his massive head on his paws. He lay mere feet from the three cages, but Jienna shrugged. He would be no obstacle at all. She was more powerful than any bear!

Shifting back to her true form, the Night Elf walked softly into camp, downwind of Talah. She wasn't sure if the massive bear was sleeping, but he would be soon. With a gently green glow, Jienna's hands poured magic around the bear's head, lulling him to sleep. Two can play that game, Niande.

With all three obstacles soundly sleeping, she simply walked up to each cage and undid the bindings. She soothed the captured bears, encouraging them to leave the camp quietly lest they be caught again. As simply as that, an entire day's work by the Horde was undone. Jienna turned to follow the three bears back to the forest, but as she stepped forward, the moonlight glanced off her medallion of Elune, catching her eye. Is this a sign? Any druid could have done what I just did, but I am the top of my class! There must be more I can do.

With that, Jienna turned back to look at the camp, and laid her eyes on Talah, sleeping fitfully as the druid's spell began to fade. Why rescue three bears, when I can rescue four? Grimacing, the Night Elf concentrated. She'd never tried to undo an arcane spell before, but that must be what was at work. The hunter had mentioned "taming magic". Extending her hands, Jienna magically probed the sleeping giant, finding swirling flashes of magic the Night Elf could not understand. Yet this magic must be the control spell. If I can just undo that magic, Talah will flee willingly!

Gently, she began to unravel the magic weave surrounding Talah. Bit by bit, the spell came undone. The whole procedure took almost an hour, and Jienna wiped sweat from her eyes as she finished, unable to detect any more magic controlling the muscular bear. Talah would not be so trivial for Calissa to replace!

Still trying to catch her breath, Jienna walked closer to the bear, ready to wake him for his escape. "Talah, you are free!" she whispered to the slumbering beast, prodding his mind gently to wake him. His eyes popped open, and turned to Jienna. She smiled gently at him, seconds before he lunged at her, growling.

Jienna was taken aback, barely dodging the dangerous blow. But no magic remained to control him! Why would he attack? Reflexively, she threw up a quick spell to pin the bear in place, backing up. Even as roots sprung up from the ground and grappled Talah's legs, Jienna could hear the two in the tent stirring. The bear has gone mad! At least Niande and Calissa will have to navigate Talah before reaching me.

Jienna walked backwards, ready to cast her spell again. Meanwhile, the two women emerged from the tent. Calissa held her bow ready, reaching for an arrow, while Niande looked around the camp.

"The bears are gone!" the Tauren cried.

"It's her," Calissa said, pointing directly at Jienna. But the Night Elf was out of range of her arrows. The quel'dorei would also have to move around the enraged bear who had once been her servant. Yet when Calissa stepped closer, Talah made no move to hurt her.

Jienna wasn't sure what happened. Talah was free from Calissa's magic, yet she stood a foot away, unharmed by the raging bear. Still, the Night Elf had done what she set out to do. The Ashenvale bears were free. She hadn't intended to be seen, but now that Niande and Calissa were glaring straight at her, the young Night Elf grinned at them. Attempting to use their strange dialect, Jienna yelled out to the two, "Stay out of my forest!" Then, flippantly, she stuck out her tongue.

An arrow landed five feet from her. The Blood Elf had missed, but not by much. And Jienna's spell was fading. The time had come to leave. When the magical roots fell to the ground, dead, Calissa said, "Talah, attack!" Again the Night Elf was astonished as the bear did just that, loping after her and growling. But the control spell is gone!

Still, she wasn't about to wait for Talah to get closer to explain it to him. He moved way too fast. Turning, she quickly assumed her feline form, and sprinted into the forest. Looking over her shoulder, she saw they were no match for her speed, and within thirty seconds, she faded into the darkness of Ashenvale.

Ha ha! The looks on their faces! She leaped into the nearest tree, climbing up to a sturdy branch. And tomorrow I will cause even more havoc! Soon the Horde will realize they are no match for me!

Purring contentedly, Jienna sprawled out along the branch and slept.

***********

The tip of her tongue sprawled out of her mouth as she stretched, yawning. Jienna's fur was ruffled from the windy night, but she had slept very well. For the first time on her assignment to Ashenvale she felt like she had accomplished something. She growled, but not from anger or frustration. No, it was her stomach! Time for breakfast!

She hopped down from her branch, landing effortlessly on her four legs. But what to eat? What was the first Ashenvale bear doing, when he got caught? He was rooting around the base of a tree. Jienna figured these trees possess nutritious roots, so she began looking for one. By pawing at the base of the trees and looking, she soon discovered that the massive trees with purple, star-shaped leaves had thick, starchy roots that ran near the surface of the soil. A perfect meal!

Jienna returned to her true form, but only for a second before quickly assuming the powerful form granted by the great bear spirit. Suddenly she crouched heavily in the dirt, several times more massive than before, her trunk-like forearms bearing sharp-clawed paws, powered by bulging upper-body muscles. Much like her other forms, she now possessed bright white fur, pink lunar symbols, and long ears. She was unmistakable as a Night Elf druid. While her cat form was lithe and stealthy, in combat no match existed for her bear form. The Ashenvale grizzlies upon which her form was based paled in size and strength. Though Talah is certainly larger than me, she mused.

Her powerful claws were perfect for digging up the tasty roots that would serve as Jienna's breakfast, but as she dug, her mind wandered back to Talah. Why did he continue to obey his former master? No magical compulsion remained, yet he charged ahead obediently. By now, Jienna knew, the hunter would have cast the taming spell again, binding the poor bear once more. He should have taken his one chance to escape.

Snap! Just as Jienna reached forward to pull free a root, she heard a sound above her. Startled, she looked up just in time to notice the person pouncing onto her back! By Sargeras, what in the...?

Looking up was exactly the wrong thing to do, as Jienna felt a smooth metal clasp descend around her snout. With a click, whatever the gem-encrusted device was fastened securely around her neck, creasing her soft, white fur. Growling, Jienna picked up her left arm to swat the intruder, but before she could swing, her impromptu rider had leapt free. The Night Elf could hear high-pitched laughter, and then a lower-pitched guffaw from behind the tree.

She finally got a glimpse of her tormentors, and her eyes widened to see Calissa smirking down at the ambushed druid, with Niande laughing into her palms. How did they find me?! Regardless, her first instinct was to flee, and that's what the Night Elf did. Her four paws struck the ground in quick succession, and she began to amble away at a surprising pace. Yet she could see the two women pursuing on foot, and keeping pace. Jienna needed to become even faster, and that meant one thing: cheetah form.

Summoning the power of nature, Jienna willed herself to return to her true form, so that she might then become a cheetah. She had trained her body and mind to shift as second nature, even while running. Yet this time, for the first time since her childhood, she failed to change. She kept lumbering along as a white-furred grizzly, and her pursuers were gaining ground!

What's happening!? She tried again to shift back, but nothing happened. If she couldn't leave the confines of her powerful bear body, she couldn't access any of her standard magic! But each time she tried to shift, something intangible blocked her path! Jienna panicked, running faster both on the ground and through her mind, yet she could think of nothing to account for her inability to shift.

Looking back once more, she saw Niande's hands glowing green. Eyes wide, Jienna lumbered forward, helpless to resist the Tauren's spell. In seconds, large, thorny roots broke through the earth beneath the white bear, wrapping around each of her four paws. She crashed to a halt, restrained by the magical roots. Then the tip of each root buried itself back into the earth, tightening loops around her legs. Her forelegs were pinned flat against the soft earth, while the vines in the back wrapped around her calves, pinning her knees against the ground.

I know this spell! All I have to do to escape is...change forms... Jienna was trapped. Somehow, she seemed to have lost her connection with nature. Without magic, the star pupil, the top of her class, was as weak as the bear she was mimicking. Brute strength would be no match for her assailants' magic and skills. She looked over her shoulder at the champions of the Horde, dropping her jaw. They could kill her and there was nothing she could do to stop them!

The Blood Elf walked up behind Jienna, slinging her bow across her back and grinning. "I know you can understand me, Night Elf. What's that? Having trouble with your spells? You can thank your shiny new collar for that."

The collar! Jienna remembered now: the quel'dorei had snapped a collar around her neck. Growling, Jienna tried to claw the device off of her neck, but her paws were held firmly in place by the Tauren druid's spell.

"I wasn't sure it would work against a druid's powers, until Niande so nicely demonstrated for me. The collar seems to sever your access to mana. You're utterly helpless."

Jienna had to do something to get out of this. She addressed the Blood Elf directly, "If you kill me, the full might of the Sentinels will descend upon your camp."

Niande stepped up beside Calissa, recasting her immobilizing spell. The Tauren druid just smiled and said, "You're in no position to threaten us. In fact, your position sends an entirely different message."

Jienna's eyes went wide, realizing that the way she was pinned, her massive rump was proudly on display, her stubby tail little obstacle. The Night Elf blushed furiously.

The Blood Elf continued, tossing her hair. "Besides, we have no intention to kill you. You owe us more than that, girl. Those bears you freed yesterday were meant for my Huntsmaster, and I have to return to Orgrimmar today. I don't have time to waste another day out hunting. But I think I have an idea for how you can replace the bears you stole."

Jienna was breathless. "What?"

Showing her rows of perfectly aligned, gleaming teeth, Calissa said, "You look like a big, healthy, grizzly. Larger than these Ashenvale bears. In fact, you're almost as large as Talah, here. He's been away from Northrend for a long time, missing the company of females. We can solve two problems at once!"

Jienna's jaw dropped. "You can't mean..." Her eyes wandered to Talah, standing proudly beside Calissa. The grizzly she had risked everything to save was looking straight at Jienna's raised rump, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Niande put Jienna's fears into words. "Talah needs a mate, and we need three bear cubs. Once you've finished your end of the bargain, we'll let you go."

Calissa grinned, and said, "Talah, go."

Jienna was speechless as the gigantic grizzly began to take lumbering steps toward her. His muscles rippled under his fur. She could guess he weighed half again as much as she did. They couldn't be serious! And yet as Talah approached, she could glimpse his massive erection swinging between his legs. They really meant for her to be raped by a bear!

Summoning all her strength, Jienna struggled against the vines holding her in place, but every time she made progress, Niande would simply cast her spell again, strengthening the roots. All the Night Elf's fervent efforts accomplished through her struggles was to shake her rump appealingly for the large bear.

I'm the top of my class. This isn't happening; it can't be! Jienna would figure out a way to get out of this situation, somehow. Yet Talah got closer with each step. Without any magic, Jienna was just a trapped grizzly bear. With Talah only five feet from her waiting rump, Jienna realized that therewas no escape.

With a rapidly dissipating sense of denial, Jienna's mind turned to the horror of what was about to befall her. Jienna had had no time for men, dedicating herself fully to her studies. While the other Night Elves were out at parties, relaxing in each others' embrace, Jienna had been practicing her magic. She was a virgin. Her eyes locked onto Talah's bulging erection. It would split her in two! She turned to the only thing she could still do: plead.

"No! Stop this!" she cried. "I'll do anything!"

Talah didn't slow. Jienna looked over at Calissa, her eyes wide. The Blood Elf simply shrugged, saying, "You're already doing what I want. Talah will get what he deserves, as will you."

Niande laughed, "And we'll get our replacement bear cubs."

Jienna felt a powerful paw on her back, and she looked to see Talah climbing onto her. Her jaw dropped and she wailed for help. "You...you can't do this to me! I'm not an animal!" Jienna knew all too well from her lessons that a transformed druid, despite the different fur patterns, were fully realized replicas of their target animal. Her raised rump provided easy access to her unprotected fertile womb.

A malicious grin spread across Calissa's face, as she said, "You look like one to me."

Talah's second paw curled up around Jienna's hips, and he moved over her, resting his bulk on her back. Desperately, the young Night Elf struggled against her bonds, but the roots held her firmly in place. The massive grizzly bear moved her hips effortlessly, positioning the white-furred bear until Jienna could feel his warm tip pressing up against her tender, untested vulva. Jienna's stump of a tail was no defense.

"Please!" she sobbed, but the Tauren and Blood Elf simply laughed.

What do I do? What can I do? Jienna was paralyzed, the gigantic grizzly inches from penetrating her. What she wouldn't give to see Denatharion ride up on his war mount! Powerful jaws closed down around the fur of her scruff as Talah let out a rumbling growl. His muscles tensed, and Jienna clenched her eyes shut, bracing herself.

Jienna tried one last effort, shrieking, "I'm a virgin!"

Even if her captors had been moved to save her, they would have been too late. Talah shoved himself forward, his long, throbbing cock effortlessly spreading her soft, raised vulva. Despite bracing herself, she was not ready for the sudden tight aching of his merciless thrust. Her ears laid back, she dropped her jaw and let out a squeal of physical pain and mental anguish. She had just been deflowered by a hunter's pet! There was no way to take that back.

Jienna moaned, helplessly pinned to the ground while her unwanted mate had his way with her. His sharp claws dug painfully into the skin of her inner thighs, not quite breaking the skin. He began to hump in and out of the trapped Night Elf, making her burn between her legs. "No! Not like this!" she cried. She was nothing but a toy for the eager grizzly, and an amusement for her audience.

Niande cheered.

"Don't go easy on the little bitch," the hunter ordered.

He didn't, thrusting forward with such force that his cock plunged all the way into her, pressing painfully up against her cervix and spewing a small amount of pre-cum. She was pushed up against the roots, groaning. Talah's hips were flush with hers now, and she could feel his heavy, virile balls resting against her inner thighs. Just as she was adjusting to his huge cock stretching her out, he growled, pulled out, and collided with her again. She whimpered, struggling weakly. But Jienna knew there was no hope.

With each new thrust, Talah shot more seed into her. His trembling cock slid noisily into her with a wet "squelch". But the full load was coming soon. If I don't escape by then... She moaned, dreading his inevitable ejaculation. Talah pounded her eagerly, and Jienna couldn't help but moan, the extra lubrication easing the burning ache between her legs. The druid was nothing more than a captive receptacle for the horny beast.

The two women still watched, delighting in Jienna's rape. Still, Jienna had to hope they might take pity on her. She certainly couldn't reason with Talah! "Please...please," she cried, "I've learned my lesson...let me go and I will never return!"

But they just watched, amused as the massive grizzly violated the former virgin. Talah's bulging erection kept filling the void between her legs, rubbing up against something deep inside of Jienna that forced the young girl to shudder. Trembling, she spread her hind legs as far as she could, before the vines held. Talah plunged into her and she squealed. A blush rushed to her cheeks, expecting at any moment to hear the wet "splurt" that could never been taken back.

He would fill her womb, and his seed would find her defenseless eggs. If Jienna couldn't change back within a day or two, the growing eggs would lock her in this form. She wouldn't be able to change back, collar or no collar, until the little cubs were born. They don't really mean to keep me for that, do they? They just mean to scare me! But still, she feared they would do just that. Jienna had little say in the matter!

Whimpering, the desperate Night Elf pleaded again, "Please, no. N-not inside!"

But Niande and Calissa just laughed. Water began to form at her eyes. Why is this happening to me? Even as her hope faded completely, and she began to give in to her instincts, Jienna was startled to feel the thorny vines begin to weaken, shrivel, and die, revealing the bruises her struggles had caused. Niande had forgotten to recast the spell! This is my chance, thank Elune!

Summoning all her frenzied strength, she began to claw her way forward, out from under Talah. With each inch, she could feel the massive cock violating her retreat. Digging her claws into the soft earth, she readied herself for one powerful leap, ready to flee into the woods. If I can just remove this collar, I'll be home free. I know this forest better than any Horde fool.

She hadn't counted on Talah. As Jienna leapt forward, her white fur rippling in the wind, the huge, brown grizzly leapt after her. He landed heavily on her back, making her groan in pain, and he pushed her to the ground. She felt his sharp claws sink softly into the back of her neck. She was ready to risk his bite, desperate to escape. But as she tried to stand, he simply pushed her back down into the dirt, sliding his paws around her large hips. Roots or no roots, she was trapped.

She trembled, tears finally falling, matting the fur of her face. Her abused hole was raised helplessly for Talah, and it was only a matter of seconds before she knew he would violate her again. His muscles tensed. Her mind frantically searched for something, anything that could allow her to escape this fate. What if I - AAGH!

Her thoughts were viciously interrupted as the grizzly held her down and thrust. His bulging, dripping cock slid easily into her slick passage until his tip collided with her cervix. She whimpered. It was too late. Talah grunted, pulling back slightly. Jienna quivered, feeling that hard, smooth dick rubbing powerfully deep inside of her. Her thoughts betrayed her as the ursine inside of her took control. With the brown grizzly's next thrust, Jienna pushed back, meeting him. She dropped her jaw and moaned.

A deep violet blush rushed to her cheeks as the Night Elf unwillingly started thrusting her hips back against her rapist. She clenched around his throbbing cock, knowing what would soon happen, but unable to care about it. Not that she could do anything to prevent it! Jienna's wild growl joined Talah's, echoing throughout the morning woods.

Calissa's shrill laugh penetrated the haze enveloping Jienna's mind. The Blood Elf said, "Look, she's enjoying it!"

Niande watched the copulating bears, her eyes fixed. She simply nodded to her friend.

Calissa taunted, "Get ready, girl, you'll be well-serviced soon!"

Jienna laid her ears back, helpless and desperate, but still she thrust back. I can't be enjoying this...can I? But her body said "yes". She met each powerful thrust gladly, rocking her hips back against him as he humped her. She felt a growing roar deep in her throat. Talah released his strong grip on Jienna's neck, but the Night Elf made no attempts to escape.

Jienna moaned, feeling Talah pull almost all the way out of her. He paused, his tip quivering just inside of her. Her eyes went wide. This...this will be the last thrust... She spread her legs apart for him, but Jienna managed to make one last plea, saying, "No! Not like this!"

Calissa just smiled and commanded her loyal pet, "Give it to her!"

Jienna looked at Niande, who was standing a few feet behind Calissa. The Tauren druid would be no help either. Niande watched, entranced, her large, three-fingered hand having slipped down under her skirt. The reddish-brown Tauren let her tongue dangle out, transfixed on the scene before her.

Lastly, Jienna looked over her shoulder at Talah. Yet even Jienna didn't know if her wide eyes pleaded for him to stop, or for him to fill her unprotected, fertile womb. No matter what she wanted, the huge bear's rippling muscles tensed, and he flung himself foward.

Together, they roared. Jienna's sensitive ears filled with Talah's cry, yet she could still hear what she had been dreading. Splurt! Pulsating deep within her, Talah's cock erupted. Jienna began to shudder and moan, clenching powerfully around his spewing cock. Wave after wave of sticky seed coated her waiting womb. Her uterus drank him in greedily. She roared again, tears streaming down her face. Her first time was with a dirty, stupid beast, and she could do nothing to prevent his bear seed from spoiling her womb and taking root inside of her.

Talah was still releasing powerfully inside of her as the fog of bliss surrounding her thoughts began to fade. Her genitals ached, but felt warm and stretched. The Night Elf was well-used, exhausted, and hopeless. She made no effort to escape, too tired to even attempt to remove the magical collar around her neck. The white-furred bear lay weakly on the ground, panting and shivering each time her mate squeezed another load of semen into her.

Finally, with a growl, the grizzly released her. He backed away, pulling his slowly softening red cock out of her before promptly returning to his master. He never looked back at Jienna, eagerly awaiting Calissa's gentle petting.

Jienna lay there, her cheeks burning as she felt Talah's sticky seed running down her hind legs. Her head lay on the ground, and she opened her eyes slowly to look at her captors, dreading what they would do next. Please, Elune, let them leave me now. But deep inside, the Night Elf knew the two Horde champions hadn't been bluffing about keeping her until she bore cubs.

Calissa approached the transformed Night Elf quickly, but with care. Nothing held the large female bear in check except physical exhaustion. "Good girl. I think I'll call you Minn'da. But how are we going to make sure you don't escape?"

Jienna's ears burned at the name. In Thalassian, it meant "mother". Even if she tried to escape, they would catch her. Her only hope was to remove the collar. Carefully, Jienna tried to claw at the collar with a paw hidden from the Blood Elf. With the collar gone, she could access her mana and stand a fighting chance!

But the quel'dorei's sharp eyes noticed the movment. Calissa smiled and said, "We can't have that now. Niande! Make this bear too sleepy to resist!"

Niande walked over, her wide hips swaying as she casually cast a spell. Instantly a fog enveloped Jienna's mind, and her eyes began to close. The Night Elf struggled to resist, barely able to keep her eyes open, much less remove the collar. But she did manage to stay awake. She peered through half-lidded eyes up at Calissa.

The hunter spoke slowly and clearly, so that Jienna could understand every word. "Glad you're still awake. I want you to see and experience this. I am going to tame you, my helpless, little bear. Normally, I know, it wouldn't be possible, but with that collar on, you're in no position to resist my magic. And out here, we have all the time in the world. Get ready, my loyal pet, Minn'da."

Jienna's eyes widened, but she was too sleepy to even open them completely. That's...not possible, is it? She must be bluffing! Yet, the perky blonde woman knelt beside her, hands glowing green. Jienna struggled to no avail as the arcane-tinged magic settled around her head.

Even in Jienna's ragged, exhausted state, held barely awake by Niande's magic, and cut off entirely from her magic by the ornate collar around her neck, the Night Elf druid fought hard against the taming spell. Green tendrils of magic tried to snake their way into Jienna's brain. Most were resisted, but some of the magic found its mark, settling into their new home: her head. Those tendrils that were resisted simply came again, until, after almost thirty minutes of arduous casting, the very last strand of magic broached her defenses.

Calissa wiped her forehead, leaving a damp mark on her leather jerkin. "It is done, Niande. Now let us see if all my effort was for naught. Awaken her!"

The Tauren druid released her spell, and Jienna could finally move again, though her muscles still ached. She was tempted to sleep anyway, but suddenly was snapped to attention by a sharp thwack on her bottom.

"Minn'da, Sit!" Calissa commanded, gripping her bow like a bludgeon.

She hopes she has tamed me. If I play along, they may relax their guard! Jienna quickly sat, looking straight at the Blood Elf.

Calissa grinned and said, "Minn, Roll over!"

Resigned, Jienna rolled onto her back, confident that Calissa truly believed she had managed to tame a druid!

Niande scratched the back of her head, saying, "What if she's just pretending to be tamed?" Curse that damn cow, Jienna grumbled. Still, she would do whatever they asked.

"Good question," she said, her pony-tail tossing as the Blood Elf turned her head. "Minn! Present yourself to Talah!"

Jienna hesitated. What if she means for him to rape me again? My ruse would be up; I would never allow that again. Yet, even as the Night Elf hesitated, her body started to move. Her legs tensed and turned her away from themassive grizzly sitting comfortably next to Calissa. Her cheeks burning, the Night Elf's tail lifted of its own accord, revealing her still-dripping vulva to all three of them. Talah's interest suddenly piqued. Jienna's jaw dropped. She hadn't meant to do any of that. Vendel'o Elune! The spell had worked!

Calissa laughed triumphantly, "See, Niande, I doubt she'd do that for us. She's my own little pet!"

Talah began to walk up behind Jienna, who stood invitingly in front of him, tail raised. She tried to move, but the command held her in place, even more helpless than when the vines had held her in place. Can I resist at all? Is all hope lost? He would take her again, unless...

To her relief, Calissa said, "Back, Talah. We don't have time for another show. I don't want the Sentinels swooping down on us to save their wayward sister." Jienna's new master turned to her and said, "Minn, fetch!"

A wooden stick sailed through the air, and suddenly that object was the only thing that mattered to Jienna. She lumbered after it, too slow to catch it in the air. When she reached it, she clamped her jaws around it, and ran quickly back to Calissa, dropping it at her feet.

"Good girl," Calissa said again, causing Jienna to bristle.

The Night Elf pleaded, "Let me go...I don't deserve this!"

Her new master scowled. "Enough! Okay, here are the ground rules, Minn'da." She stood with a flourish, her cape flapping in the wind. She decreed loudly, "First, no talking! I've spent enough time listening to your prattle. Second, no harming anyone, or anything. For any reason."

Jienna tried to protest, but when she spoke, all that came out was a rumbling grunt.

Calissa pondered for a moment. "Niande, what else?"

The Tauren grinned, "Make her obey me as well."

Jienna met Niande's gaze, and what she saw there made her shiver. But Calissa just laughed and said, "Third, you'll obey Niande as if she were me."

"Oh, I have a good one," the brown-furred druid exclaimed. "Fourth, no escaping, or trying to remove that collar."

Calissa said, "Good point. Sit, Minn'da."

The two women stood quietly, looking at Jienna as she sat obediently in front of them, too hopeless to be angry. Fifteen seconds of silence passed before Niande looked to Calissa and said, "Uh, what now?"

The Blood Elf took a moment to think, and said, "I want to check my new pet's pedigree. Minn, stand up and let me inspect you."

Jienna had no choice, though she struggled to stay seated. Her hind legs straightened, and suddenly she was standing, while her master walked calmly around her. Calissa held her bow like a walking staff. "Hmm, very nice. Strong muscles. Striking coat, wouldn't you say, Niande? Never seen such a shiny white coat."

"Oh yes, Calissa. And those strange purple markings on her shoulders and eyes."

With a heavy thwack, the Blood Elf struck Jienna on the rump again, hard enough to sting. "Good birthing hips, just what I want in a mother bear." She circled to Jienna's front, unable to see the fierce blush on the Night Elf's face. "Let's see those teeth..." Calissa gripped Jienna's mouth, and as much as the young druid wanted to tear the woman's hand off, she could not. Obediently, Jienna opened her mouth and gave the Blood Elf a good view.

"Clean and white; we've captured quite a specimen." She ran her fingers across Jienna's sharp teeth, then grabbed her tongue.

"Let's see those paws." She knelt and grabbed Jienna's right paw, inspecting each claw in turn. She tapped the pads, handling Jienna roughly. "Barely worn at all. It's as if this bear has rarely had a hard day's work."

Jienna's master continued around until she was looking at Jienna's tail. "A fine, stubby tail," she said, grabbing and rubbing up and down its length. The Night Elf could hardly believe this was happening to her. Still, she could do nothing as Calissa lifted her tail, kneeling behind her to inspect beneath it. Gently, the Blood Elf tickled her freshly deflowered vulva with the tip of her finger. "And well bred. Don't worry, girl, if you're not pregnant yet, you soon will be, and judging by my inspection, your cubs will be marvelous."

What does she mean, I soon will be? Does she mean to breed me to that beast...again? Barring some sort of miraculous escape, Jienna's only hope had been that Talah's massive load had somehow failed to reach her eggs. She could still feel his sticky warmth spreading inside of her, only a small portion of which leaked down her thighs. Still, there was a chance. But if the hunter allowed Talah another chance, and another...the odds were not in Jienna's favor. And once pregnant, collar or no collar, Jienna would be unable to change forms until the birth. The young Night Elf had never felt so dirty, so violated.

"Come now," Calissa added, "We should return to camp, load up our belongings and set off for Orgrimmar. Minn, up front. Talah, watch our backs."

Jienna knew the way back to their camp, and plodding step after plodding step she marched that direction. She felt disembodied as her limbs betrayed her, obediently following her new master's orders. Worse, she knew the two women were eyeing under her tail as she walked, laughing at her despoiled entrance. Even worse, Jienna couldn't help but wonder if the impregnation that her Blood Elf master so desired had already taken root.

But the thing that worried Jienna the most were the contented grunts of Talah as the humongous grizzly bear followed his recent conquest. Shuddering, she wondered, Or am I also his future conquest?