The Morning After

((see editorial notes at the bottom if confused)) 

The snake wrapped around Talashar’s leg as she tried to crawl away from it. Not far away, Xistla lay unmoving, blood trickling from a dozen wounds. They were not going to make it this time… The giant, dark cloud was even now hovering above Xistla’s body. It was going to take her away, and this snake was holding Talashar in place. Tears sprang from her eyes. She couldn’t lose her! Not now…not now that they finally figured it all out. She screamed Xistla’s name…

And woke, sweating, sheets twined around her legs. Panic still gripped her. She sat bolt upright, kicking the sheets off, and cast her eyes around the room. Nothing. Somewhere in a Tauren village. Then, almost as if she materialized from nowhere, she saw Xistla, lying in bed next to her.

In her bed.

With her, in her bed... her breath caught

Beautiful, a look of peace the likes of which Talashar had never seen on her face. The night before…was it…did it? Her heart slowed, and the fear in her drained away.

A moment in time

Xistla leans. Lips meet. Heart stops.

Is it real this time, or is this another mad dream? Talashar thought, no...felt, as lips pressed hers.

A moment longer

They part. Her heart still waiting to beat again. This is where the magic ends.

“I love you, Blue.” The whisper in the darkness, like a secret told to the moon, a supplication to long-unseen gods. Talashar’s life hiccupped. Tears sprang to her eyes. Her heart, long caged, momentarily stopped, burst to life again. The feeling was indescribable, as if she suddenly had a heart the size of the mountain upon which they sat, as if in that instant, she was a goddess herself.

“I…” Talashar began. but could not finish. For all her limitless god-like power in that moment, words, her lifeblood, failed her. Her life flashed by, at blinding speed in her mind.

Seashore
A friend
Weaving and talking                                                                        she’s special
Learning                                                                              she’s really special
Gang fights                                                                                  you loved her
Swimming and fishing                                                      you see how long ago
Exploring Desolace                                                               you didn’t admit it
Reading to her                                                                        but I knew then
Listening to her wild stories                                                   I tried to tell you
Drinking by the firelight                                                     but you didn’t listen
The firewalk                                            even HE knew, the moment he arrived
The separation                                                                   you couldn’t admit it
The Academy                                                                      you couldn’t resist it
Her face, their bodies                                                          and then you knew
Dreams                                                                                   she was the one
Reunion                                                                   you could have said it then
Unread poems                                                                                      coward
Tears in the night                                                                  all this wasted time
Watching her sleeping                                    all you needed to do was reach out
The night she saw you with him                                          and you said nothing
The day she almost died                                   she might have died not knowing
That day, in the shop                                                                              almost
The party in Orgrimmar                         you weren’t that drunk, you both knew it
When she flew away                                        that was almost your last chance
Deathbed dictations                                     that would never have been enough
The Pools, dead?                                                            remember that feeling
Her waking three weeks later            I screamed at you! Tell her! She saved us!
The years between                                                                   I gave up hope
Last night, Moonglade                             Still too timid? Nothing to lose but fear!

At least you’ll know…tell her now…in the lake…on the path…tell her…

Wait...

She said it! She said it! Listen to me! She said it, you must tell her now…now or forever lost!

Her face mere inches from her, shrouded in darkness. However, she saw the expression on Xistla’s face, as clear as if it was noon. Perhaps it was her own reflection from so many years of playing this scene in her head. The fear. The hope. The look of having crossed a line that could never be uncrossed. Now, cue the demurral, the desperate attempt to take it back…before it hurts.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Xistla’s voice was the smallest she’d ever heard it, edging close to the desperation of that first day on the seashore, “just sleep on it…”

“No, I don’t need to,” Talashar breathed.
Oh glory! The words! You’ve made me wait so long. Speak them!

“I love you too…I have…

Admit it! Admit your cowardice, beg for forgiveness!

…for years now.” Talashar said, tears running down her face now, the emotion kept trapped so long had finally found its way out

The moment ends

Tears again. Would she ever stop crying? This time, though, this time it was not sadness. Her heart still felt huge, as if she couldn’t keep it contained.

She was here, Xistla was here, they were together in Thunder Bluff, the scene of so much sadness and tragedy. They had said them. Words from a secret vault in the lands where only before had dwelled vain hopes and frustrated fantasies.

Every step since seeing her that first day had led them to this place, to that moment last night. It was real. This time, it was real. And it was right.

She gazed tenderly at Xistla lying next to her, her back to her. The smooth expanse of green, criss-crossed with numerous scars, tales of former battles and hardships. Talashar watched Xistla breathe, her ribs expanding and contracting. She reached out, timidly, and traced a scar. As she did so, Xistla made a noise, a mixture of moan and sigh, a slight shifting. Talashar traced another one, fascinated by the effect. Another sigh, a rise of goose-bumps.

They had been so stunningly blind…at least she had, she knew.

Talashar sighed. Maybe it had been some kind of dues to be paid. Perhaps love was never easy.

Love. Small word. Much too small. Talashar decided that some day, she’d come up with a word large enough to encompass this feeling.

Actually, I have that word...

She bent and breathed the word, fearful that to speak such a powerful word aloud would rend the heavens and sunder the earth.

“Xistla…”

The word for her everything.

Xistla stirred…

Nothing to do now but make up for lost time. “Kiwi, dear…wake up…”

Xistla woke…and rolled toward her...

…

......

Much later, they stepped out into the daylight, wandering through the bustling industry of Thunder Bluff, talking of the future, their future, reveling in each other’s company.

“So,” Talashar said, finally, looking out over Mulgore, “I hear they need some help down near Grom'gol. Shall we go down there and see?”

“Sure! Ah never been dere, dah sounds fun. Besides, as long as you be der, anyplace is good fah me, Blue.” Xistla said, grinning.

They walked, hand in hand, toward the lifts and Talashar’s heart soared joyfully into the sky of a dream given form.

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((This takes place after the events here and was originally going to be the start of another arc to the story.  It looks like it may not progress along these lines but Shar made me post this one again because she likes reading it while eating ice cream))