Full Circle

Thunder Bluff was all but deserted as the late night moon shined down on the sleeping lodges. A Bluffwatcher would make his way down the traveled paths of the mesas, dutifully keeping an eye out for hostile intruders, but otherwise no one stirred. No one except two Shu'halo silhouettes making their way silently to Elder Rise. The pair stalked across the long swinging bridge. With a squeeze of Milanna's hand and a grin, Mograg said, "I wonder how long before Slyvos finds us." He chuckled lightly. The druid peered around and grinned lopsidedly.

"Knowing him... he could be stalking us right now." She glanced behind her as they reached the other end of the bridge, as though the stalker in question would appear at any moment.

"Just waiting for the right moment to pounce," Mograg nodded. They walked across the rise to their destination, a small copse of trees near the edge. "It's been a while, but it has been time very well spent." He smiled and pulled Milanna close to him for a kiss. She returned it, then looked up at him coyly before turning her gaze to the edge of the rise by the trees. She smiled softly to herself as she nodded in agreement.

They had spent the last weeks together, apart from the rest of the world. They had become closer still than they had been. Their love for one another was venerated in nature, and they had stolen back into the civilized world as husband and wife. This trip, though, would leave their loved ones none the wiser. This time was still theirs. The only hint that they had returned, if only for a moment, was a well-penned scroll prepared over a month ago just for this occasion. It had been addressed to Kormok. As they had passed by, Mograg slipped it into the mail.

Milanna gave Mograg's hand a squeeze before kneeling down to search through her knapsack. For once it didn't appear laden with whatever items she normally kept with her; she had brought only what was necessary for these times. Soon enough she pulled out a small package and unwrapped it carefully. Milanna went over to the larger of the trees and set two small linen dolls, shaped as a male and female tauren, on the ground facing the mountains of Mulgore. She stood back up and returned to Mograg's side, smiling just a bit.

"I... used to make dolls to play with when I was little," she explained very softly. "I worked on these the last two nights, while you slept... they will symbolize, well... us, and our spot here... and..." She pointed in the same direction the dolls were facing, where Mograg had single-handedly built their new home. She smiled up at him again.

Mograg returned her smile. He put his arm around her, pulling her into him. "Very nice, Nayeli." He looked toward their home. Although his eyes could not see it directly, he was able to use the sight of a nearby owl to look in on their camp. His eyes now looked at Milanna just before he pressed his lips to hers. The druid looked up at him after the kiss, the blush on her muzzle quite visible in the moonlight. Regardless, she kissed him again and held him.

"I am glad you think so... there are, ah, actually some more in my knapsack... for other spots we visit..." She smiled a bit sheepishly.

Mograg chuckled. "Really, now? Where shall we head next?" He eyed her knapsack a moment. "Looks like we have a few places to visit." She turned her head toward her pack and saw some of the dolls' heads peeking out like curious critters. Her only reaction was another sheepish smile as she tugged on his hand.

"You'll see." Mograg chuckled again, grinning as she lead him away into the night.

Milanna led him first to Ratchet to set sail for Stranglethorn. Two sections of the jungle found doll companions that night: the pond near the entrance to the goblin city of Booty Bay, and a rock ledge overlooking one of Stranglethorn's majestic waterfalls. A trek north along the coastline brought them to the human region of Westfall. As the first light of morning, the farmer woman Daphne Stilwell stepped out of her humble home and looked down to see two small Shu'halo dolls by her doorstep. She looked around her farm for the culprit, but the pair was long gone by then.

Tiny tauren appeared all around Azeroth, as far north as Revantusk and as far west as the elf lands. Soon enough some appeared even in the Outlands. Yet somehow, no one knew where they had come from, or why. The only clues were large hoofprints and pawprints that disappeared not far from where any doll was placed.

Their last stop was not far at all from their start--the Mulgore fairgrounds. However, this place would not get a doll; a nearby rock found itself a guest of Red Hot Wings wrapped in parchment paper. Milanna smirked impishly up at Mograg.

"I probably don't have to say... how hard it was not to eat those before tonight."

"For you, maybe. Gunnar still won't go near them," he grinned. "Very appropriate, love." He smiled lovingly at Milanna, his mind brought back to the first time he had seen her. It had been here, of course. The Darkmoon Faire was in full swing. They were among the hopefuls under consideration by the Tears of Draenor at the time. Both had come to be among them and to try to find their place. There she had been, in a festival dress, turning shyly away from the crowd to suck the hot sauce off her fingertips. He remembered calling out to her across the fairgrounds, and how she had blushed in response.

Milanna's thoughts matched Mograg's as she looked around the grounds, that same blush and a soft smile on her face. She took Mograg's hand in both of hers and leaned against him, still gazing at the well-worn earth.

"Believe it or not... I have no more dolls." Mograg smiled.

"And just in time, love. We're home again."