"Calmfury, we do not want another war!! Our people have suffered enough!" Hamuul says with a mightly bellow.
"Arch Druid Hamuul, if you are trying to convince me to betray the Horde I will have no part in it. I will follow my warchief and see us to the victory we deserve!!"
I am beyond angry at this point. The red hot waves of rage make my body sweat and my muscles twitch. All this subversiveness is not how the leaders of the Horde, of the Tauren operate. For my elders to talk this way is a betrayal of everything that drives me.
"Calmfury, what we ask of you is not unreasonable. You have long sought to further your knowledge of nature, the Earthmother, and of balance. It is this balance that is in jeopardy now. We need wise leaders and strong warriors like you to bring an end to this cycle of hatred" the old tauren says in a slow, soothing voice.
I look him deep in the eyes and I remember the old teacher he once was. He was there the first time I learned to change into a feral lion. I recall his amazement at how easily I shifted forms for the first time. He was like a grandfather to me and a welcome replacement for my own shiftless father who refused to do anything but lie in the sun like a dog and paint his useless pictures.
"Calmfury, please sit down again. Let us talk like we have brains in our heads"
I slowly sit on the grass mat once again and pick up the broken pipe we had been smoking. I had dishonored and shamed myself for defiling this tradition. Smoking a pipe with an elder is a great honor.
"Hamuul, if the Horde goes to war then it will be because of the humans and their followers. I have met their beloved King Varian and I can tell you that he has nothing but hatred for our kind. If we dont stand together and fight him he will kill our people on his own."
"That is why we have to place people we trust in the midst of the Alliance. To speak out against this war and bring them to the ways of the Earthmother." the old elder says with a twinkle in his eye.
His audacity makes me mad again. "Thats a fine idea elder but it is foolish. The humans have no brains in their heads to reason with. And our so called brother druids the Night elves are little better than them."
"That is where you are wrong Calmfury and you speak of things that you do not understand with a prejudiced mind. Where is the balance in your thoughts if you cannot find hope? The Earthmother has her ways and does not wish for our people to suffer. You know this."
I feel scolded and it makes me angry. I have come so far, and seen many things that this old bull has never even dreamt of.
"I won't be talked down to like an initiate, oh wise and venerable elder. I remember the lessons of the order."
"Calmfury, how mighty we have become to speak to an elder like this!" The booming voice behind me utters. I spring to my feet and whirl about to look into the chest of High Chieftan Cairne Bloodhoof. "Perhaps you have forgotten that warriors of the Horde pay due respect to their elders? It seems like you have been listening too much to the words of Garrosh lately and forgotten your place!!"
Embarrassment and shame fall on me like a mountain.
"Chieftan... I am sorry. I was upset at the words of Elder Hamuul. I was just"
"You were just going to sit down and pull out your pipe Calmfury!! If the Elders words upset you then perhaps a smoke will soothe your rage?"
Feeling like a child again I sit and pull out my pipe. I haven't smoked it in a long time. It just seemed unfitting of a hero of the Horde to do anything but drink alcohol. Especially with the festival of brewfest still ongoing. In fact, I think I have long since ran out of out sacred tobacco.
"Elder, I am out of tobacco." I say rather meekly.
"Fear not Calmfury, we have plenty. We keep enough around to help us remember our sacred traditions. Hand me your pipe." the old druid says.
Cairne sits down on the grass mat with us. As Hamuul fills the pipe and lights it he passes it first to Cairne and then to me. The rich smell of the smoke wafts across the lodge. A long silence falls across us.
Cairne speaks softly. "Calmfury, I hear that you are quite the champion in the fight in Northrend. You bring honor to our people. What will you do when this conflict is over?"
I sit there blinking for a long moment. I had never even considered what life would be like beyond this war.
"Chieftan, I don't know. I suppose I'll be old, if I survive the war that is" I stammer in a halting and clumsy way.
"You speak like war is already upon us Calmfury. Like the conflict with the Alliance is all but inevitible" Cairne says firmly.
"Well, you remember the day the humans and their followers came to Thunderbluff. We all fought together to drive them out of our home. They didnt come here to be friends Chieftan, they came to take your life. To murder our families. They are mindless, hateful bastards!!" The anger wells up in me again.
"Calmfury, the war does not have to happen. We do not have to hate the other races of this world. Those people who came here were greedy evil men, and they paid for their evil with their lives. There are plenty of others who did not come. Others who want peace in Azeroth".
Cairnes words cut me like a knife. I have fought, and suffered for my people against a tide of usurpers and murders. I have given all of myself so that my people can have a happy life. I have seen the humans smug, arrogant faces. I have smelled the stench of their homes and castles. They have no respect for the Earthmother or even each other. They know only destruction and offer only slavery and death. Their treament of the orcs in the internment camps is proof of this. If it wasn't for Thrall the orcs would be like cattle. My rage wells up again.
"I see you have a great conflict in you Calmfury. I pray to the Earthmother that you will find peace. I beg you to just listen to what Arch Druid Hamuul has to say and consider it like a wise Tauren would. We helped bring the Orcs out of demonic slavery with our leadership and wisdom. We can do the same with the rest of Azeroth."
Whatever rage I had just melted away in an instant. My beloved Chieftain was asking this of me. He is like our grandfather.
After a long and thoughtful pause I manage to reply "I will listen and consider his words chieftan, this I promise."
With that Cairne stands and walks out of the Elders lodge.
It seems that my faith, loyalty, honor, and bravery are all going to be tested. I will have to find the balance.
